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Wednesday 31 October 2012

Calcium Supplements and Your Health


 BREAKTHROUGH REPORT

Calcium Conspiracy Revealed

Shocking research proves calcium supplements
DO NOT decrease the risk of osteoporosis.



Image
But we know what can.

Reading this exposé could save your bones - and your life!

If you're a woman over 50, you're probably well-versed in the importance of bone health. In fact, if you're a woman of any age you're probably taking steps to make sure osteoporosis is not part of your future.

You may even have seen friends and family suffer from the debilitating effects of osteoporosis... broken bones... prolonged healing periods... loss of independence... and having to be put in nursing homes.

Which is why I'm willing to bet that in the hopes of decreasing your risk of osteoporosis, you're taking a daily calcium supplement.

Yet – and this is the shocking truth that big pharma does NOT want you to know – the latest research in leading medical journals like The Lancet prove that what we've all been lead to believe about Calcium just isn't true!

Calcium supplements put your bones and your life in danger.

I'm as surprised as you are. I didn't want to believe it myself. But research of this caliber doesn't lie. Which is why I couldn't wait another minute to stop you – and the world – from making the same mistake I was. A mistake so harmful, it could literally cause your death.

Exploiting the calcium myth

It's natural for big business to hope you won't do your reading and put the truth about calcium supplements together, but the proof is beginning to gain steam.

How are calcium supplements Putting North American bones and lives in danger?


If you grew up in North America, then it's likely that the benefits of drinking enough milk and ingesting enough calcium were hammered into you from an early age. They certainly were in my childhood.

And while it is of vital importance to ensure you get enough calcium for growing bones, the benefits wane as you reach adulthood. To the point where – shockingly – calcium supplementation can even do harm.

The truth about calcium that big business doesn't want you to know.

Why is this information being kept from you? Why are health care practitioners pushing expensive calcium pills and why is the media not stepping up with a little more well-rounded reporting of the actual facts?

This misinformation we will refer to as "The Calcium Myth" has spread around the world based on the flawed belief that calcium is essential to bone health and your health in general.

But it has started to become clear through new research, and the woefully apparent dollar signs that big companies have in their eyes, that the benefits of calcium are more or less, imaginary.

The sad truth is that most mainstream health practitioners are so convinced by old school thinking and pharmaceutical marketing that they'll ignore emerging proven research.

Let me ask you this … if you were being fed a line for the sole purpose of putting money into the pocket of a big calcium supplement company, or acting on the word of others who were deceiving you, wouldn't you want to know? Of course you would.

You might be wondering, "are you just trying to scare me?" The short answer is a resounding "No". There is one piece of information that is a real eye-opener as we begin to unravel and exploit the calcium myth.

Meet one of the companies behind the "Calcium Myth"

You've probably already heard of the popular calcium supplement Caltrate with its powerful slogan "Help Prevent Bone Loss with Caltrate." But did you know that Caltrate is actually owned by Pfizer – the largest research-based pharmaceutical company?

Given its size and breadth of products, Pfizer has incredible sway over doctors and the public. To such an extent that Pfizer and Caltrate helped create the very belief that adult bones need calcium supplements to be healthy … despite the lack of science to back it up.

Given that Pfizer is so proud of its research department, how could they not know that calcium supplements have not been proven to prevent osteoporosis?

Which makes me wonder, are they just filling their pockets, with no regards for the real life consequences?

On the next few pages we'll look at a number of more specific ways the "Calcium Myth" is leading you astray. And, how it could actually be harming you.

I'll also share some secret, yet surprisingly simple, ways to help prevent osteoporosis without taking a single pill.

Calcium: Big business. Bigger deception.

Do you realize that calcium is one of the most heavily advertised supplements in the world?

Knowing that, it's not a huge surprise that, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, Americans spent $1.2 billion last year on calcium supplements alone. And a further $430 million dollars on calcium pills containing vitamin D.

People are throwing their money away because they are being told they need calcium! Not only this, but the hyped up North American dairy industry – that just so happens spend millions of dollars on marketing dairy and calcium as necessary for strong bones – is worth billions of dollars.

But what's most interesting of all is that milk could actually be depleting calcium from your bones.

It's true. And here's how it happens.

When we drink milk (or consume other animal proteins) it acidifies our bodies' pH. In response, our body attempts to correct the imbalance. How? You guessed it, with calcium (an excelled acid neutralizer). And the biggest repository of calcium in our bodies is … in our bones!

It truly is a vicious circle! The very same calcium our bones need to stay strong is used by our bodies to neutralize the acidifying effect of the milk we drink to strengthen our bones… 
 
Once calcium is pulled out of our bones and into our blood stream it leaves the body via our urine. At the end of it all, what we're left with is a calcium deficit.

How is it that all this isn't headline news? I ask myself the same question.

The milk myth is one that has been fed to consumers around the world by big dairy and pharma companies for a very long time and no one has really questioned it. Until now.

Top three calcium myths … revealed


We've talked about how we've all grown up with the importance of calcium being hammered into us (an importance that was further amplified and marketed by big business as we reached late adulthood) and about how pharma companies are capitalizing on the North American belief that our bones need calcium supplementation to be healthy.

Now it's time to take to take a look at the specifics of the misinformation … and how science has disproven what we've been lead to believe about calcium is true.

Following are three powerful facts that are shifting the tide against calcium supplementation:


Calcium Expose #1:
Calcium supplements DO NOT improve bone health or help prevent fractures.

For years, getting a lot of calcium has been portrayed as one of the best things you could do to prevent osteoporosis and related bone fractures. WRONG.

In fact, Harvard researchers studied over 170,000 women who suffered from a total of almost 3,000 hip fractures, and guess what they found … There was "no association between total calcium intake and hip fracture risk." They literally found the extra calcium did nothing!

Another 12-year long Harvard study of 78,000 women, found that those who had the highest amounts of calcium intake actually broke 45% more bones than those with the lowest daily consumption. 45% MORE!

Don't get me wrong – osteoporosis is a dangerous epidemic that needs to be addressed.

Here's a startling fact as many as half of all women and a quarter of men older than 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis. Putting more than 40 million Americans at increased risk for bone fracture!

Each year, osteoporosis is a contributing factor in as many as 1.5 million fractures, including:

  • About 300,000 hip fractures
  • About 700,000 vertebral (spine) fractures
  • About 250,000 wrist fractures
  • About 300,000 fractures at other sites

Even worse, 20% of seniors who break a hip die within one year. Either from problems related to the broken bone itself, or the surgery to repair it.

That's one in five people, dead due to a broken hip! And many of those who so survive suffer from depression, loss of mobility and independence and often need long-term nursing home care.

By 2025, experts predict that osteoporosis will be responsible for approximately three million fractures and $25.3 billion in costs each year.

All the more reason to make sure that women – and all aging people – aren't pinning their hopes on a supplement that has been proven NOT to help.

In 2008, a report out of Harvard Health stated, "Two studies showed that calcium didn't prevent fractures—even when taken in combination with vitamin D".

Another study showed that postmenopausal women who took a calcium-vitamin D combination were no less likely to break their hip than women who took a placebo pill.

Additionally, a 1994 study of elderly men and women in Australia showed that higher dairy product consumption was associated with an increased risk of fractures.

The studies go on and on and on … and they all come to the same startling conclusion: not only doesn't calcium supplementation protect bones from fractures, but it actually increases the likelihood that a break will occur.

A step in the right direction …

Thankfully, there are signs that the world is starting to pay attention to science. Osteoporosis Canada itself has changed its recommendation, now suggesting that you get your calcium from dietary sources whenever possible!

That's a huge shift in ideology. The tides are finally turning against calcium supplementation to support bone health. Do not be left behind. Stop risking your health and wasting your money.


Calcium Expose #2
Countries that Consume Less Calcium Don't Break as Many Bones

Caucasians over age 51 living primarily in North America are told by the US Department of Health they need over 1200 mg of calcium per day.

But T. Colin Campbell, a professor of nutritional biochemistry at Cornell University, and author of The China Study doesn't agree. His studies have shown that Asians, who consume far less dietary calcium than Americans, have just a fraction of the bone fracture rate of Americans.

In fact, the hip fracture incidence in Asians is approximately 40% to 50% – less than half – of that in American Caucasians! This despite the US being one of the top countries for calcium intake.

Calcium supplements can cause incredible harm.

The over hyped calcium myth has spread around the world based on the incorrect belief that calcium supplements are absolutely essential to support bone health – at any age. But no one really mentions all the detrimental effects such a high blast of calcium can have on a person's health.

These facts are so far removed from the "flood your body with calcium" theory mainstream medicine, big pharma and the dairy industry have been pushing that the situation would be laughable … if it wasn't so alarming.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition states the irony of the calcium situation: "The calcium intake of much of the worlds' population is low by American standards yet these populations develop and perform well without obvious signs of deficiency and are in calcium balance".

What this means, quite simply, is that countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis and bone fractures, consume the most calcium. Whereas countries like China and Japan, where people consume much less calcium and have a much lower intake of calcium, have very low rates of osteoporosis.

How can this be true? I asked the same question and came across considerable data indicating that it may be the Asian diet, high in fruits and vegetables, which is protecting against fractures.

It's also been reported that potassium – a mineral found in fruits and vegetables – can improve mineral balance, which in turn increases bone formation.

For now, it's plain to see that although high calcium intakes have long been recommended to prevent osteoporosis, calcium supplements are clearly not the answer. And that osteoporotic fractures, like coronary artery disease, are largely a disease of Western societies.


Calcium Shocker #3
Calcium Supplements Can Give You a Heart Attack and Kill You.

If that doesn't hit home, nothing will.

Recent findings published in the journal Heart analyzed data after tracking almost 24,000 men and women in Germany aged 35 to 64 for 11 years. Shockingly, the risk of having a heart attack almost doubled among calcium supplement users compared with non-users!

Professor Sabine Rohrmann of the division of cancer epidemiology and prevention at the University of Zurich spoke about her and her co-authors research saying, "This study suggests that increasing calcium intake from diet might not confer significant cardiovascular benefits, while calcium supplements, which might raise [heart attack] risk, should be taken with caution."

This wasn't the first research of its kind, either. According to a British Medical Journal meta-analysis, patients using calcium supplements showed a major increase in risk for myocardial infarction (medical term for Heart Attack).

The BMJ research selected 11 placebo-controlled studies, including nearly 12,000 subjects using calcium. The results showed a higher risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction and sudden death.

This study found that women taking calcium (averaging about 1,000 mgs a day) had a 27% increased risk of a heart attack. That translated into 36 extra heart attacks over the course of two to five years.

If that isn't enough to convince you, a second follow up study was published showing that calcium and vitamin D supplements increased the risk of cardiovascular events in participants.

The study concluded that calcium supplements increase the risk of cardiovascular events, particularly myocardial infarction. Authors say "this data justifies a reassessment of the use of calcium supplements in older people."

An editorial in JournalWATCH commented on the study saying, "Patients with osteoporosis should generally not be treated with calcium supplements, either alone or combined with vitamin D, unless they are also receiving an effective treatment for osteoporosis." If that isn't enough proof of the detrimental effects of calcium, take a look at this...

According to the National Institutes of Health, taking too much calcium in the form of supplements can lead to:

  • Problems with kidney function and kidney stones
  • Prostate cancer
  • Constipation and digestive problems
  • Higher levels of heart attacks and strokes
  • And can keep the body from absorbing important nutrients, including iron, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc

The Director of geriatrics at St. Louis University Dr. John Morley goes on to say that those with certain conditions, including kidney problems and heart conditions, need to take extra care when considering calcium intake and supplements.

You're probably asking what it is about calcium supplements that is so harmful. Well, the answer isn't 100% clear. But researchers have speculated that taking calcium in supplement form causes calcium blood levels to quickly spike to dangerous levels.

Here's the kicker: when these mega doses of calcium flood our blood, it causes calcium to attach to our artery walls. In effect, it calcifies your arteries – giving plaque something to stick to.

The result is blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and other clotting abnormalities. In other words, nothing good. And a whole lot that's potentially deadly. All from simply following doctors' orders (or general health guidelines). Who would have thought?

Save yourself and stick to leafy greens and other dietary calcium options.

Getting calcium from food is less dangerous because the calcium is absorbed in smaller amounts at various points throughout the day – causing no spike.

I don't know about you, but learning that people taking calcium supplements were more than twice as likely to have heart attacks certainly shocked me. And has moved me to change the way I practice geriatric medicine considerably.

When I think of the many tens of thousands of people who are taking these supplements, the increase in risk translates to substantial lives lost. All for a minimal gain, if any.

In fact, the numbers suggest that if 1,000 people began taking calcium supplements, three fractures might be prevented — but six heart attacks or strokes would be caused!

I'm sure you'd agree that that is not a tradeoff we should be making.

Bone Health 101

The truth behind osteoporosis, bone health and inflammation

We all know who calcium supplements are directed at. The catchy advertisements abound featuring women approaching 50 or older, either with osteoporosis or actively trying to prevent bone fractures.

While there's no doubt that osteoporosis is a serious disease affecting a growing number of our aging population, after reading this expose, I think you'll agree that calcium supplements – no matter how hard big pharma wants you to believe it – will not keep you from bone fractures.

Even worse, they could do serious harm to your bones.

To help you better understand the REAL science of bone health, and counter some of the misinformation out there, here's a little bone health 101.

Your bones are constantly remodeling

Also known as bone metabolism, bone remodeling is a lifelong process in which your body replaces mature bone tissue with new bone tissue. This process also controls the reshaping and replacement of bone following injuries and day-to-day damage.

Here's where it gets interesting. Osteoporosis is actually thought to be the result of an imbalance in the body's regulation of the bone remodeling process. In other words, when the rate of bone re-absorption exceeds the rate of new bone formation, the result is a decrease in bone mass.

New research is showing that inflammation may also be affecting bone mass in healthy women. In fact, factors involved in inflammation are linked with those critical for bone remodeling. And, certain pro-inflammation compounds actually play a critical role in the breakdown of bone.

There are some pretty big guns in favor of this theory linking inflammation to bone loss. Researchers from Stanford University were quoted as saying, "we hypothesize that many cases of osteoporosis are also partially attributable to a maladaptation of the link between inflammation and bone remodeling".

The link between inflammation and osteoporosis also emerges in conditions such as aging, menopause, pregnancy, transplantation and steroid administration. So if you boil it down, bone loss is more than just a nutritional issue, inflammation also plays a substantial role.

The missing mineral

Now keep in mind there are other, less talked about, but equally as important minerals for bone health. Calcium and magnesium taken together is certainly making some head-way (but don't get too excited) in the fight against osteoporosis.

Research is now reporting that magnesium deficiency plays a significant role in the initial development of osteoporosis.

Several studies have shown that women suffering from osteoporosis tend to have a lower magnesium intake than normal and also have lower levels of magnesium in their bones.

It is also clear that recommendations to postmenopausal women to increase calcium intake can lead to a poor calcium to magnesium ratio unless the magnesium intake is increased to a suitable 2:1 level.

And get this! A magnesium deficiency can heavily affect the body's production of the biologically active form of vitamin D … which can further promote osteoporosis!

As in all things, balance is key

Unfortunately, when dealing with the 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, a common result is that we wind up with much more calcium than magnesium for a good, healthy balance. Both minerals require each other for their absorption and utilization and must be provided in adequate amounts.

Furthermore, according to Osteoporosis Canada, there is a certain amount of calcium stored in our bodies from our bone-forming years. When too much additional calcium is ingested it simply cannot be absorbed, which can lead to some of the other health problems we've already discussed.

Here are even more ways excess calcium can mess with your body:

  • Your body will try to expel excess calcium through the kidney/urine pathway, but without enough vitamin C to make it water soluble, the possibility of kidney stones increases
  • Excess calcium may be deposited in bone spurs or cysts in various spots on the skeleton
  • Calcium can also be deposited in lungs, breasts and other various body tissues, causing calcareous spots on x-rays in these areas
  • Excess calcium is the "backbone" of plaque found in blood vessels, and on teeth (removing excess calcium can lessen these problems)
How do you get rid of dangerous excess calcium?

One easy way is to make sure you take sufficient vitamin C to help flush it out of your system. As mentioned before, another good rule of thumb is to eat lots of green leafy vegetables. But the tricky part now becomes the idea of balance.

You must be aware of exactly how much calcium products you are consuming every day, while keeping in mind most milk products generally only have calcium so you have to supplement with magnesium to keep the balance.

Not an easy task, I assure you. But don't worry. I'm about to share all-natural solutions that can help prevent osteoporosis.

When it comes to calcium, too many health practices are behind the times.

A practical, science-based solution is long overdue

There needs to be a shift in focus. Blasting your body with calcium could be hurting you, so it's time to take your eye off the catchy advertisements and outdated health recommendations and regroup.

Start to make up your own mind about your health. There are other ways to optimize your bone health.

Researchers at Harvard Health agree. And have concluded that "with few exceptions, all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D. Higher levels have not been shown to provide greater benefits, and in fact, they have been linked to other health problems, challenging the concept that that more is better."

Some examples of calcium rich foods are sardines, tofu, almonds, beans and chick peas. As mentioned in more detail on page 9, you also need exercise to maintain bone health.

The bottom line is this; you need to remember that your nutritional needs are very individual. So the idea that calcium is the miracle that can cure or prevent such a serious onslaught of problems is dead wrong.

Thankfully, there are a number of things you yourself can do to help ensure your bones are healthy for years to come.

Check out my top five natural bone health secrets.

The News Isn't All Bad – Prevention is Key!


So what CAN you do to prevent bone loss? Don't buy another bottle of calcium pills! Try these all-natural secrets to bone health instead:

1. Keep active and exercise your entire body. According to the U.S. Surgeon General "evidence suggests that the most beneficial activity regimens for bone health include strength-training or resistance-training activities. These activities place levels of loading on bone that are beyond those seen in everyday activities."

2. Adopt a complete and nutritious diet. Cut out all the junk. Pure fruit juice and soy or rice milk are healthy ideas. If you crave harmful salty snacks, try some unsalted almonds and walnuts. A well-balanced diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated or trans-fat is ideal.

3. Consider adding soy foods to your diet. Soy foods contain plant estrogens, which may help to reduce bone loss. They also contain calcium. In this case, eat the food, and don't worry about the supplements. Chances are your diet has more calcium than you need, even as a preventative.

4. Practice a low-acid diet Low-acid eating was first flagged as showing promise back in 1968 by two American doctors in the medical journal The Lancet. Supporters of the theory say acidic foods strip away at bone health, and that eating low-acid foods as part of a diet plan laden with fruits and vegetables could lead to much stronger overall bone health than the typical North American diet rich in dairy products.

5. Try weight bearing exercise These types of exercise (such as walking and running) send your bones the message that they need strength, which starts the bone building process.

Of course, you don't have to take on all five of these recommendations overnight. Try starting with one or two that fit best into your life. And then take it from there.

Research has proven that with a few steps in the right direction, you can make a positive change in your bone health all without the use of calcium supplements.

For your health and your pocket book, stop taking calcium supplements

Although we've been led to believe there's a calcium crisis going on, putting our bones at risk, supplementing with calcium is not the answer.

Despite all of the calcium supplements we take, the fracture rate in North America is still sky high!

Remember, time and again clinical studies have proven that calcium supplements:

  • Don't decrease fracture risk
  • Aren't of benefit in the battle against osteoporosis
  • Don't increase bone health after the bone forming years
  • Can increase your risk of a heart attack and other ailments

But supplement companies wouldn't make any money off the theory that eating a healthy diet and getting your body moving could be the easiest ways to maintain bone health.

The bottom line is pretty simple. If calcium and calcium supplements don't make your bones stronger, if they don't prevent osteoporosis, and if other cultures who consume less calcium have stronger bones, then there is a massive deception going on.




It's about time you were made aware.

I have carefully provided detailed Referral information for you and your doctor in the Sources section of this report


Disclaimer:

The information contained herein is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as a diagnosis, treatment, preventive, or cure for any disease, disorder, or abnormal physical state, nor should it be considered a substitute for medical care from your doctor. On any matter relating to your health or well-being—and prior to undertaking any health-related activity—consult an appropriate health professional. The opinions herein are exactly that, they are the opinions of the author. Bel Marra Nutritionals and its employees are not responsible for medically unsupervised activities that could be harmful to your health.

Sources

Osteoporosis – NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center. http://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/bone/osteoporosis/

Osteoporosis: MedlinePlus. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/osteoporosis.html

National Osteoporosis Foundation. http://www.nof.org/aboutosteoporosis/bonebasics/whybonehealth

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00281

We Get Enough Vitamin D and Calcium, Panel Finds. Los Angeles Times. Dec. 01, 2010. Melissa Healy.

Calcium Intake Statement - Osteoporosis Canada www.osteoporosis.ca/index.php/ci_id/9930/la_id/1.htm

Feskanich D, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA. Milk, dietary calcium, and bone fractures in women: a 12-year prospective study. American Journal of Public Health. 1997

Calcium and Milk: What's Best for Your Bones and Health? http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/

Cumming RG, Klineberg RJ. Case-control study of risk factors for hip fractures in the elderly. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139:493-503.

Larsen ER, Mosekilde L, Foldspang A. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation prevents osteoporotic fractures in elderly community dwelling residents: a pragmatic population-based 3-year intervention study. J Bone Miner Res. 2004 Mar;19(3):370-8. Epub 2003 Dec 22.

Warensjo E, Byberg L, Melhus H, et al. Dietary calcium intake and risk of fracture and osteoporosis: prospective longitudinal cohort study. BMJ. 2011;342:d1473.

Chan JM, Stampfer MJ, Ma J, Gann PH, Gaziano JM, Giovannucci E. Dairy products, calcium, and prostate cancer risk in the Physicians' Health Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001;74:549-554.

Hegsted DM. Calcium and osteoporosis. J Nutr. 1986 Nov;116(11):2316-9.

Do we really need all that calcium? http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Do-we-really- need-all-that-calcium.shtml

Hegsted DM. Fractures, calcium, and the modern diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Nov;74(5):571-3.

Bolland MJ, Avenell A, Baron JA, Grey A, MacLennan GS, Gamble GD, et al. Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis. BMJ 2010;341:c3691.

Cleland JGF, Atkin SL. Thiazolidinediones, deadly sins, surrogates and elephants. Lancet 2007;370:1103-4. Reid IR, Bolland MJ, Grey A. Effect of calcium supplementation on hip fractures. Osteoporos Int 2008;19:1119-23.

Tang BM, Eslick GD, Nowson C, Smith C, Bensoussan A. Use of calcium or calcium in combination with vitamin D supplementation to prevent fractures and bone loss in people aged 50 years and older: a meta-analysis. Lancet 2007;370:657-66.

Sahota O. Reducing the risk of fractures with calcium and vitamin D. BMJ 2010;340:b5492.

Bolland MJ, Grey AB, Gamble GD, Reid IR. Effect of osteoporosis treatment on mortality: a meta- analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;95:1174-81.

Bolland MJ, Grey A, Avenell A, Gamble G, Reid IR. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin

D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women's Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ, 2011; 342

Heart. 2012 Jun;98(12):920-5.

Li K, Kaaks R, Linseisen J, Rohrmann S. Associations of dietary calcium intake and calcium supplementation with myocardial infarction and stroke risk and overall cardiovascular mortality in the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC-Heidelberg).Calcium supplements: bad for the heart? Reid IR, Bolland MJ. Heart. 2012 Jun;98(12):895-6.

Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General

Chapter 7: Lifestyle Approaches To Promote Bone Health. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/reports/bonehealth/chapter_7.html

Dreosti IE. Magnesium status and health. Nutr Rev. 1995 Sep;53(9 Pt 2):S23-7.

R E Newnham Essentiality of boron for healthy bones and joints. Environ Health Perspect. 1994 November; 102(Suppl 7): 83–85.

NUTRITION ISSUES IN GASTROENTEROLOGY, SERIES #58

Metabolic Bone Disease in the Patient on Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition.

Koh JM, Khang YH, Jung CH, Bae S, Kim DJ, Chung YE, Kim GS.

Higher circulating hsCRP levels are associated with lower bone mineral density in healthy pre- and postmenopausal women: evidence for a link between systemic inflammation and osteoporosis. Osteoporos Int. 2005 Oct;16(10):1263-71.
 http://www.belmarrahealth.com/Belmarra-Expert-Reports/CalciumReport.html

The Inflammation Abomination

| Oct 31, 2012 | Comments 0
Most people experience more than one health concern at a time. Very rarely do people feel great and then suddenly encounter an isolated issue like low back pain or diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer. Generally, they have an underlying condition in the body that precedes and, indeed, causes or contributes to the “sudden” health concern that arises.

In many cases, it is the same condition within the body that allows pain, illness and disease to take hold, making us feel unwell. For many of the most pressing health concerns, that underlying condition is chronic low-grade inflammation.

When You Need To Worry

Inflammation is a natural response your body has to stress. For example, if you eat something too spicy, you may have experienced inflamed intestines. The inflammation helps protect the digestive tract. As another example, when you sprain your ankle, it swells to create a cushion and protect the joint from further damage. Such acute inflammation arises quickly and generally dissipates after a normal period of time. However, inflammation that is chronic and low-grade or not externally apparent is cause for concern. That kind of inflammation may show as a skin redness or rash, but it may also present as chronic pain or fever.

Inflammation that remains in the body can wreak havoc, causing serious health concerns and disease. It is caused and remains active because of genetics, diet, lifestyle choices and one’s environment. Chronic inflammation breaks your body’s internal balance point, disrupts its ability to regulate the immune system and affects the functions of the central nervous system. As such, under the influence of chronic low-grade inflammation, you run a greater risk for pain, illness, disease and accelerated signs and symptoms of aging.

Signs And Symptoms Of Inflammation

You should always be mindful of the state of your health and wellness. If you find you experience chronic conditions that could be described as “annoyances” and don’t require an immediate trip to your doctor, then keep an eye on them. If these irritating signs and symptoms remain for more than a month (some linger for years, even decades, if not treated), you may be experiencing chronic low-grade inflammation.

Signs, symptoms, conditions and diseases associated with inflammation include:
  • Acid Reflux
  • Acne
  • Arthritis
  • Asthma
  • Autoimmune diseases
  • Bronchitis
  • Cancer
  • Candidiasis
  • Diabetes
  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Gout
  • Headache
  • Heart Disease
  • High Blood Pressure
  • Infections
  • Join pain
  • Neuropathy
  • Osteoporosis
  • Psoriasis
  • Sciatica
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Urinary tract infections

Causes Of Chronic Inflammation

Stress is the primary cause of inflammation. And there are all forms of stress to be aware of: psychological stress, physical stress, dietary stress, environmental stress and stressful lifestyle choices.

Psychological stress can have many causes. These include a poor relationship with your significant other and tense relationships at the office. Internal struggles with self-worth and achievement of personal goals are other examples of how psychological conflicts can stress the body, leading to inflammation, muscle tightness, constricted blood flow and overstimulation by the central nervous system.

Physical stressors are perhaps the most obvious causes of inflammation. Working out too hard or for too long without proper warm-up can cause muscle strains and joint sprains. Pain, redness and swelling along the muscles or around the joints are the sure signs. In these cases, short-term inflammation is desirable, but prolonged inflammation is unhealthy and must be reduced and eliminated.

Dietary stress can wreak havoc on the body through impairing digestion, hindering waste motility, promoting abdominal distension and causing acid reflux. Diets that are high in fat and cholesterol, refined flour and sugar, diuretic beverages containing caffeine and alcohol, and allergens like nuts can cause chronic inflammation that may go unnoticed until a major problem occurs.

Subtle Stressors

Environmental stressors are perhaps the hardest to detect or attribute to personal health. Yet living or work environments that are damp or mildewed inflame the lungs and sinuses. Fluorescent lamps, power lines and electronic devices (especially wireless) attack the body with damaging electromagnetic frequencies.

Lifestyle choices are the stressors that are most amenable to control and alleviation. These include not eating right, skimping on sleep, indulging in recreational drugs, relying on pharmaceuticals while avoiding natural solutions and harboring negative feelings. This list also includes watching too much television or engaging in too much physical activity when the body is not prepared for it.

Natural Methods To Reduce Inflammation

It is very important to reduce and eliminate chronic low-grade inflammation to allow the body to restore its internal balance. When the body is left to its restorative ways and not interrupted or prevented by inflammation, there is a good chance of attaining a healthy state of wellness. When the body is out of balance, the risk for developing inflammatory-related signs, symptoms, conditions and diseases increases. The good news: There are plenty of simple, natural ways to reduce inflammation and take control of your health.

Reduce your stress: Stress-reduction techniques are plentiful and easy to perform. Establish a time each day for at least 20 minutes of relaxation to calm the body and mind. You may find aromatherapy and hot baths effective. Some people engage in tai chi and yoga. Others find meditation a powerful tool. Find what works for you, but be consistent. Try different methods and stick to them. The best results are found with consistent engagement.

Improve your diet: Diet is a crucial contributor to health and especially the inflammation response. Foods high in refined sugar, fats, cholesterol, processed wheat and preservatives wreak havoc on the digestive tract. When you overconsume dehydrating foods, don’t drink enough water and eat an insufficient amount of whole grains and green leafy vegetables, you can suffer constipation. Consuming too many nightshades also contributes to inflammation. Find a balance, avoid foods that are acidic to the body (processed foods) and eat more foods that are alkalizing like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Exercise in balance: Exercise is important for health and well-being. It strengthens muscles, boosts feel-good hormones, reduces inflammatory fats and chemicals, and reduces stress. Too little or too much exercise, though, is not healthy. Find the exercise level that is adequate for you to feel good, promote health and reduce inflammation.

Balance your lifestyle: Nothing can influence your levels of avoidable inflammation as much as your daily lifestyle choices. If you are suffering the negative effects of chronic inflammation, establish a consistent sleep and wake pattern, hold your level of recreational stimulants to a minimum or exclude them altogether, eat healthy meals, reduce stress, and get just the right amount of exercise and rest. Also, don’t sweat (or stress out over) the small stuff.

Supplementation: There are quite a few supplements that help reduce and/or prevent inflammation. These include turmeric and curcumin concentrates, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, and Zyflamed. A quick Internet search will list others. Supplements are necessary when your diet is lacking or the body is in need of more concentrated anti-inflammatory help. Balance these with your food choices for best results.

http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/nutrition/the-inflammation-abomination/

Having The Blues Destroys Your Bones

  | Oct 30, 2012 | Comments 1
Depression has long been known as a health destroyer. Studies now show that it also weakens bones and can lead to osteoporosis.

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem say that people with major depression generally have a lower bone mass density compared to folks with normal emotional health. Low bone mass is a leading cause of osteoporosis and fractures among older people in general and among post-menopausal women in particular.

During lab tests, the researchers found that depression sets off a neural system connecting the brain to the internal organs, including the skeleton. This activation of the sympathetic nervous system releases noradrenaline and disrupts the body’s bone-building processes.

“The connection between the brain and the skeleton in general, and the influence of depression on bone mass in particular is a new area of research about which we still know very little,” says researcher Raz Yirmiya. “The new findings… point for the first time to depression as an important element in causing bone mass loss and osteoporosis.”

Similar studies have linked depression to other health problems such as chronic inflammation and a weakened immune system.

http://easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/having-the-blues-destroys-your-bones/

Fight Aging By Simply Thinking The Right Thoughts

Three Easy Ways To Fight Aging By Simply Thinking The Right Thoughts

Don’t Let Stress Get In Your Head

If you let cranky family members, rude cab drivers or even silly talking heads on television stress you out, you may be doing damage to your cellular DNA that is aging you faster.

In one particular study, performed at the at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), researchers found that a common form of anxiety, known as phobic anxiety, shaved off protective layers from DNA that are called telomeres.

Telomeres are at the center of a great deal of research on aging. Their tendency to lose much of their length as you grow older has been linked to heart problems, cancer, dementia and shorter life expectancy. These DNA fragments serve as caps that close off the end of chromosomes. Experts often describe them as similar to the protective plastic that covers the end of shoelaces.

“If that plastic comes off, the shoelace unravels and it doesn’t work anymore,” says Ron Glaser, a researcher at Ohio State who has studied how omega-3 fats protect telomeres. “… [E]very time a cell divides, it loses a little bit of its DNA at the ends, and over time, that can cause significant problems.”

“Many people wonder about whether — and how — stress can make us age faster,” says Olivia Okereke, who studied stress’s effects on telomeres. “So, [our] study is notable for showing a connection between a common form of psychological stress — phobic anxiety — and a plausible mechanism for premature aging.” Though she cautions that her study is not definitive.

Dodge Dementia With Attitude Adjustment

Your telomeres aren’t the only part of your body that benefits from pointing your thoughts in the right direction. Your mental capacity also can fight off the effects of aging if you embrace a younger attitude.

Research at the University of Exeter in England shows that your attitude toward aging has a significant impact on your vulnerability to dementia. This study found that when seniors see themselves as older, their performance on a standard dementia screening test declines dramatically. Considering yourself as “over the hill” makes you five times more likely to meet the criteria for dementia.

The scientists studied 68 people aged between 60 and 70 years, who were primed to either feel older or younger than others taking part in the study. Those in the “older” group were told that participants ranged in age from 40 to 70, encouraging them to think of themselves as being at the older end of the age spectrum. Those in the “younger” group were told that participants’ ages ranged from 60 to 90 years, encouraging them to think of themselves at the lower end of the age spectrum.

When the participants completed a standard dementia screening test, 70 percent of people who were encouraged to see themselves as older and to believe that aging was associated with a general decline in ability met the criterion for dementia. This was compared to only 14 percent in the other groups.

In other words, these people’s relationship to brain dysfunction was altered simply by their attitude.
Exeter researcher Catherine Haslam says: “Our research shows that the effect of age perceptions on performance can be dramatic, and that seeing oneself as ‘older’ significantly increases a person’s risk of being diagnosed with dementia on such tests.”

Point Your Brain Away From The Television

Another way to help your brain fight getting older is to take it away from the television set and orient it inward for meditation. Research in this area has found that meditation is another way to help protect your telomeres and deflect the effects of aging.

“We have found that meditation promotes positive psychological changes, and that meditators showing the greatest improvement on various psychological measures had the highest levels of telomerase,” says researcher Clifford Saron of the University of California, Davis.

Telomerase is an enzyme crucial for the long-term health of cells. It rebuilds and lengthens telomeres.

“The take-home message from [our] work is not that meditation directly increases telomerase activity and therefore a person’s health and longevity,” Saron says. “Rather, meditation may improve a person’s psychological well-being and in turn these changes are related to telomerase activity in immune cells, which has the potential to promote longevity in those cells. Activities that increase a person’s sense of well-being may have a profound effect on the most fundamental aspects of their physiology.”

In research at a meditative retreat, the scientists found that meditators experienced more perceived control (over one’s life and surroundings), mindfulness (being able to observe one’s experience in a nonreactive manner) and purpose in life (viewing one’s life as meaningful, worthwhile and aligned with long-term goals and values). In addition, they enjoyed decreased neuroticism, or negative emotionality.

Many experts have pointed out that the most effective pharmacy is the one located between your ears. Healthy thoughts and emotions encourage the secretion of healthy natural chemicals in your body that fight aging and boost immunity while fending off disease. Instead of drinking from the fountain of youth, try thinking from it.

Emergency first aid solutions checklist for preparedness, survival and more

Wed 31 October 2012

NaturalNews Insider Alert ( www.NaturalNews.com ) - please forward


Dear NaturalNews readers,

In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, which has devastated many parts of the East coast, we've been receiving a flood of calls and emails asking about emergency preparedness items for first aid and natural medicine.

Here, I've put together a quick checklist of things you'll want to acquire (or grow) to add to your emergency medicine collection.

CHECKLIST ITEMS:

* Aloe Vera - Can be used as a topical antibiotic as well as a treatment for burns and skin issues. Can be consumed internally (the gel only) for digestive support and to help eliminate intestinal issues.

* Activated charcoal - As a dietary supplement, activated charcoal can be a true lifesaver. It absorbs poisons! It's the primary ingredient in the poison treatment liquids used in emergency rooms.

* Baking soda - This simple but miraculous substance has a multitude of uses in personal health and even treatment of many conditions including gout, arthritis, and even some cancer tumors. Read our articles on Baking Soda at:
http://www.naturalnews.com/baking_soda.html

* Wound clotting products such as Quik Clot. Available at:
http://www.quikclot.com/home.aspx

* Cayenne pepper tincture - An amazing first aid substance with applications for boosting circulation and even helping heart attack victims. Get it at:
https://store.naturalnews.com/Cayenne-tincture-2-oz-_p_160.html

* Gauze and bandages: You can never have too many, it seems. Available everywhere.

* Rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide: Both are super cheap to acquire and have very long shelf life. Both can help clean first aid tools or even light wounds.

* Medical adhesive tape: I cannot emphasize enough how much you'll need this tape. Buy as many rolls as you can. They store for many years and have a multitude of uses. Get a variety of sizes.

* A good quality emergency knife, preferably a rugged folding knife with a combo serrated edge. Here's a SOG knife I recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/SOG-Specialty-Knives-TF-7-Trident/dp/B000IXDIOE

* Tweezers and safety pins: These will be handy in a variety of situations.

* Safety razor blades.

* Cotton-tipped swabs.

* Colloidal silver liquid - Absolutely the single most important first aid item for long-term preparedness and survival. Can be used on the skin as well as internally. A very long history of safe use by tens of millions of people.
 
Superbugs cannot build resistance to silver! Find Sovereign Silver at:
https://store.naturalnews.com/Sovereign-Silver-Bio-Active-Silver-Hydrosol--10-ppm-16-oz_p_156.html

* Colloidal silver gel - A combination homeopathic / silver solution for topical use. In my own home medicine cabinet, this has now replaced all topical antiseptics and antibiotic ointments. Available at:
https://store.naturalnews.com/Sovereign-Silver-Silver-First-Aid-Gel-2-oz_p_157.html

* A tourniquet. I recommend the Combat Application Tourniquet, available here:
http://www.amazon.com/C-A-T-Combat-Application-Tourniquet-American/dp/B0055EC0HC

* Natural sugar source to treat hypoglycemia. I recommend coconut sugar because it lasts much longer than processed white sugar.

* A magnifying glass. Or better yet, have a wearable magnifier that sits on your forehead, freeing up your hands.

* Non-electric thermometer.

* Sturdy sewing needle and thread.

* High-quality natural soap such as Dr. Bronner.

* Collapsible water container (like a camp sink).

* Have a waterproof container to hold all these first aid items.

We also offer the Herbal Survival Pack from Enerhealth, featuring 10 herbal remedies covering fungal attacks, parasites, bladder cleanse, viral response, a de-stress remedy and more. Available at:
https://store.naturalnews.com/Enerhealth-Herbal-Survival-Pack_p_91.html

The bottom line: There are a LOT of people in New York City right now who wish they would have thought about emergency medicine before the superstorm hit. Right now, they are prisoners of Manhattan Island, unable to leave the city and unable to acquire supplies. There is no power, no subway system, no emergency response services and no 911 capacity to speak of.

People are on their own, and for many who lived in a state of total denial about reality, they have put themselves into an emergency situation by refusing to prepare: Medically, defensively, and even economically.

Don't be a victim due to a lack of preparedness. Get prepared now so that when disaster strikes your area, you won't become a helpless victim needing to be rescued.

P.S. Use discount code nn5 to save 5% on all emergency preparedness supplies at the Natural News Store.
 
To your health,
- Mike
 
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Eggs have suddenly become nutritious.

HSI eAlert
 
 

USDA officials are either delusional or they're liars. In either case, they've got a whopper they're trying to sell us: Eggs have suddenly become nutritious.

According to the USDA, changes in chicken feed account for a boost in the vitamin D content of eggs.

Riiiight. For eons, the egg wasn't nutritionally sound. It took the genius of 21st century factory farmers to perfect the imperfect egg. So basically, USDA officials seem to think they know more about balance and nutrition than God.

That sounds a lot like what you find on the floor of the chicken coop.

The USDA also claims that eggs are safer to eat now because they contain less cholesterol. This is wonderful news in the Cholesterol Pretend World where I guess someone still believes the fantasy that dietary cholesterol is some kind of poison.

-----------------------------------------------------------
Outside the cocoon
-----------------------------------------------------------

This sudden USDA egg enlightenment comes YEARS after the British Heart Foundation (BHF) acknowledged new evidence about dietary cholesterol in eggs. Previously, the BHF had advised against eating more than three eggs per week.

Victoria Taylor -- a BHF dietician -- told the BBC: "There is cholesterol present in eggs but this does not usually make a great contribution to your level of blood cholesterol."

Did you get that, USDA? This is an important message from the world outside your fantasy cocoon: That alleged drop in egg cholesterol doesn't even matter!

More recently, University of Surrey researchers evaluated a variety of egg nutrition studies and found that the misconception that eggs raise cholesterol levels is based on outdated evidence.

Professor Bruce Griffin of the Surrey team told the BBC that the idea that egg intake is linked to high cholesterol and heart disease "must be corrected."

So how in the world did eggs get such a bad rap in the first place?

Dr. Spreen, explains: "The studies on cholesterol/eggs and heart disease were done using POWDERED eggs! Primarily the problem has always been OXIDIZED cholesterol -- cholesterol heated and exposed to air for an extended period...not an issue in a real egg, where the yolk sac insulates the cholesterol from oxidation."

The Surrey researchers and Dr. Spreen are also in complete agreement about the egg's effect on cholesterol levels. He notes that a very small percentage of the population has familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited disorder of high LDL cholesterol), and those patients need to curb dietary cholesterol intake.

Otherwise, Dr. Spreen argues: "There is no correlation between oral intake of cholesterol and serum levels (I also firmly believe there's no connection between serum levels and heart disease, but that's an argument for another time)."

And here's the real kicker: "If you never eat cholesterol your body will manufacture it (or you die), and the 'manufactured' variety is more readily deposited in vessel walls.

"Eggs are wonderful food, always have been, and that includes the yolk (rare good source of sulfur)."

In addition to sulfur, eggs provide plenty of protein, essential amino acids, vitamins B, D, A, and riboflavin, and minerals, including calcium, potassium, and iron.

Put that on your breakfast plate and eat it!
  



...and another thing

Smile and you'll live longer.

BIG smile? Longer still.

Wayne State University researchers collected photos of 230 Major League Baseball players who started their careers before 1950. Independent reviewers, who were not aware of the study's purpose, categorized the photos, sorting each into one of three groups: non-smilers, smilers, and big smilers.

When the smile rankings were matched against each player's lifespan, researchers found a very strong link between smiling and longevity.

These were the average lifespans:

  • Non-smilers: 72.9
  • Smilers: 75
  • Big smilers: 79.9 
  •      

Sources:
"The Updated Egg: Less Cholesterol, But Is It a 'Healthy' Food?" Meredith Melnick, Time magazine, 2/9/11, healthland.time.com
"Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides from Simulated in Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion of Cooked Eggs" Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Vol. 57, No. 2, 2009, pubs.acs.org
"Egg-Irony: High Cholesterol Food May Reduce Blood Pressure" Science Daily, 3/1/09, sciencedaily.com
"Big Smiles, Longer Lives?" Kathleen Doheny, HealthDay News, 3/26/10, healthday.com
 
 
       

Understanding Free Radicals

Originally published on Wednesday, October 10th, 2012
               
IMMUNE SYSTEM by for Bel Marra Health


free radicalsFree radicals are now considered the biggest accelerator of aging. Although you are likely familiar with the term, if you really want to avoid falling victim to free radical damage, you need to know exactly where they come from, what they do to your body and how to neutralize them. Below is an in depth explanation of free radicals and their antidote — high ORAC foods.

The Science Behind Free Radicals

Free radicals are atoms with an odd number of electrons in their outer shell, which means that they contain an electron that is unpaired. This is problematic because electrons like to be paired, and they steal electrons from surrounding molecules or structures in order to become a pair and gain stability. In so doing, they create a new structure with unpaired molecules, which causes a chain reaction with countless additional free radicals being formed. This process destructs living cells and damages the DNA contained within them. Uncontrolled free radical damage not only accelerates aging, it also damages your cells.

Where Free Radicals Come From

Exposure to environmental toxins such as air pollution, cleaning chemicals, paint fumes and cigarette smoke all cause the generation of free radicals in your body, and so too can overexposure to sunlight. Toxins found in alcohol and most sources of water also cause the formation of free radicals. According to many alternative healthcare practitioners, the typical American diet is the greatest cause of free radical formation in the body. This belief is not farfetched either; a recent scientific study found that the consumption of sugar measurably increases the formation of free radicals and other studies have confirmed that fried foods increase free radical levels in the body. Unfortunately, because of the toxic pestiside residue found within them, even immune system boosting health foods can contribute to free radical damage.

ORAC: The Antidote to Free Radicals

In order to understand ORAC value you must first understand antioxidants. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent them from causing death and destruction to your cells and DNA. ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and an ORAC score is the measurement of the antioxidant capacity of different foods and supplements. Foods, beverages and supplements with a high ORAC value are considered the best antidote to free radicals. The higher the ORAC score, the better the food item is at neutralizing free radicals and protecting the body from the damage that free radicals cause.

Although all fruits and vegetables contain a medium to high ORAC value, on a gram to gram basis, spices tend to surpass produce. Cloves, oregano, rosemary, thyme, cinnamon, turmeric, parsley, nutmeg and basil all yield extremely high ORAC scores. When it comes to fruit Acai yields the highest ORAC score. Although Acai is not available in most North American grocery stores, it is available in liquid and supplement form, and many alternative healthcare practitioners recommend drinking or supplementing with it as a preventative measure against free radical damage. Finally, dark cocoa, berries, cherries, plums, apples, peaches and grapes, as well as artichokes, garlic, broccoli, cabbage and almonds, are all considered high ORAC foods. In order to maximize the efficacy of these high ORAC foods, you should always buy organic, because the pesticide residue on non-organic items can offset their antioxidant yielding benefits.

http://www.belmarrahealth.com/immune/understanding-free-radicals/

Flu Shots May Cost You Your Life

Tuesday, October 30, 2012
 
The Preventative Measure that May Cost You Your Life
 
 
It’s that time of year. The flyers are everywhere. Doctors are pushing them. Your local pharmacy is offering them at discount. Some companies are even offering them to employees for free.

They think they are doing you a favor. But are they really? Or could their “good” intentions be putting you in danger?

We already told you how this “preventative” measure doesn’t work.1

And now, what’s become a multibillion-dollar industry may be costing you more than just a trip to the clinic and a waste of time.2 It may actually cost you your life. And if not your life, some very serious side effects.

Health officials keep saying they are perfectly safe. But something that is supposed to keep you healthy yet causes the very disease it’s designed to prevent does not sound perfectly safe.

Yes, we are talking about the seasonal flu vaccine. Its lack of effectiveness is not fresh news. We’ve told you all that before. But now we have more confirmation that this “protective” shot is worse than anyone thought.

The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control just released a new double-blind study using ferrets.3 Researchers used ferrets because of their human-like susceptibility to colds and the flu. For the study, Dr. Danuta Skowronski administered the flu vaccine to the ferrets. The results didn’t just show that the vaccine was ineffective. It showed the ferrets that received the vaccine became significantly sicker than the other animals.

You read that correctly. It didn’t keep the animals healthier, it made them sicker!

There have been numerous other studies on the vaccine and the chemicals in it. They all confirm their life-threatening side effects. But the government still wants to push the vaccine on you.

So what are you really putting in your body if you get a flu shot?

Aluminum, antibiotics, formaldehyde, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and thimerosal, a type of mercury.4 Definitely NOT your common additives.

But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assures you that they only use these chemicals to stabilize the vaccine. And the amounts found in the vaccines are small.

I don’t know about you. But no matter how “small” these doses are, I don’t want these toxins anywhere near my body… let alone injected straight into it!

Let’s break it down…
  • Aluminum – It has been a known neurotoxin for over 100 years.5 And it has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease for the past several decades.6
  • Antibiotics – That doesn’t sound so bad, right? That’s what the doctor gives you when you’re sick. But taking antibiotics can do more harm than good. Antibiotics only kill bacterial infections.7 That’s not going to help you with the cold or flu, which are viral infections. And taking antibiotics when you don’t need them only increases your chances of developing an infection. The body builds up a resistance against antibiotics. That allows the bacteria to grow, causing complications and sometimes death.
  • Formaldehyde – I’m sure you’ve heard of this one. Mortuaries and medical laboratories use formaldehyde as a preservative. It’s not something you’re supposed to be injected with while you’re living. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services openly admits that formaldehyde causes cancer.8
  • MSG – A lot of people complain about headaches and migraines after receiving a flu vaccine. It might just be from that “very small” dose of MSG that’s part of the injection. Doctors and dieticians have warned us about consuming too much MSG in our diets. Chinese food, some canned vegetables and soups, and even processed meats contain MSG. It’s an excitotoxin that causes neurons in the brain to become overstimulated.9 The result is brain lesions and even death.
  • Thimerosal – This is a methyl mercury compound. Mercury is one of the most toxic poisons. It attacks the central nervous system, leaving you permanently disabled or dead.10 It is so toxic that there is a worldwide treaty in the works to ban mercury.

If you go to the additives page on the CDC’s website, they have completely different descriptions for the chemicals. It’s just another attempt by Big Pharma and the government to deceive you.

The federal government invested $400 million of our money to develop the flu vaccine.11 And where did that money go? Straight to Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, and Lonza. These guys are getting rich while everyday Americans are unknowingly making themselves sick.

If you get a flu shot you may be gambling with your life.

However that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do to avoid the flu.

There are safe, natural, and effective ways to stay healthy this season. You’ll want to increase your vitamin D intake and wash your hands. Vitamin D strengthens your immune system.12 And washing your hands stops the transfer of germs and bacteria.

Neither of those preventative measures ends in cancer, damage to the nervous system, and least of all death.

You definitely can’t say the same about the flu shot.
 
Tweetables:
- The federal government invested $400 million of our money to develop the flu vaccine. Click to Tweet
- Flu shots contain Aluminum, Antibiotics, Formaldehyde, MSG and Thimerosal. Click to Tweet

References:
1http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2012/01/flu-shots-only-good-for-big-business/
2http://www.anh-usa.org/flu-sho-forced-on-health-workers/
3http://www.anh-usa.org/a-look-back/
4http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/additives.htm
5http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2000/articles/2000-v15n01-p021.shtml
6http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3056430/
7http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics/FL00075
8http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/addendum.pdf
9http://www.omicsonline.org/2157-7013/2157-7013-2-109.pdf
10http://www.hrw.org/dangers-of-mercury
11http://www.anh-usa.org/flu-sho-forced-on-health-workers/
12http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/45022571/ns/today-today_health/t/easy-ways-boost-your-immune-system/

 
http://naturalhealthdossier.com/2012/10/the-preventative-measure-that-may-cost-you-your-life/

Tuesday 30 October 2012

The 5 Best Bets in the Casino…and the 5 Worst


The 5 Best Bets in the Casino…and the 5 Worst

 
3413.jpgHow would you like to improve your odds at the casino? Of course, the odds are against you—the house gives itself an advantage so that it can turn a profit.

But how greatly the odds are stacked against you depends on which games you play and which bets you place.

If you play blackjack or poker extremely well, those games offer attractive odds—but they are poor choices if you haven’t mastered them.

Among the casino bets with the smallest house edge* that don’t require a great deal of gambling skill…

BACCARAT BANKER BET 1.06% HOUSE EDGE


Baccarat offers fair odds and is very easy to play. Gamblers simply decide whether to bet on the banker, the player or a tie before each hand. The banker bet offers the lowest house edge.

Once the bets are down, both the player and the banker receive either two or three cards. (The rules for when a third card is dealt can be confusing, but you don’t need to understand this to play.) Aces are worth one…face cards and 10s are worth zero…and other cards are worth their face value. The totals are added up, and the score with the higher final digit wins.

Example: A hand containing a three and a five beats one containing an eight and a nine because three and five make eight, while eight and nine add up to seventeen—which is a score of seven because only the last digit counts.

CRAPS PASS LINE BET 1.41% HOUSE EDGE


The craps table features some of the best bets in the casino. Put your chips on the pass line, and you will win if a seven or an 11 is rolled and lose if a two, three or 12 is rolled. If any other number is rolled, you will win if that number is rolled again before a seven is rolled but lose if it isn’t.

Helpful: The “don’t pass” line actually offers slightly better odds than the pass line. But the advantage is extremely slim—just two cents for every $100 bet—and gamblers who bet “don’t pass” are betting against their fellow players. The tiny advantage isn’t worth the nasty looks.

CRAPS ODDS BET 0% HOUSE EDGE


This is a rare example of a bet where the house has no advantage. It’s such an attractive bet that casinos don’t promote it—craps tables don’t specify where odds bets should be placed, and dealers don’t mention these bets as an option. One catch—you can place an odds bet only if you already have placed a pass line bet.

It works like this—if you make a pass line bet and a four, five, six, eight, nine or 10 is rolled, you place additional chips on the open green felt behind your original pass line bet. If the point is made—that is, if the number rolled on the initial “come out” roll is rolled again before a seven—this additional bet pays off two-to-one if the point was four or 10…three-to-two if it was five or nine...or six-to-five if it was six or eight.

Casinos limit the size of odds bets. These limits vary depending on house rules, the amount initially bet and the point to be made. There should be a sign listing these limits on the table.

Example: If the sign says “3-4-5X,” you can bet up to three times the amount of your pass line bet if the point is four or 10…four times if it’s five or nine…or five times if it’s six or eight.

If you’re not certain of the size of the odds bet that you’re allowed to make, ask the dealer for clarification. Dealers sometimes even will provide these limits on a hand-by-hand basis—particularly for gamblers who tip.

CRAPS 6/8 BET 1.52% HOUSE EDGE


If you get bored making pass line and odds bets at the craps table, consider making a place bet on six or eight. You’ll win if the number you selected is rolled before a seven but lose if it isn’t. The bet remains until one of these numbers appears, even if it takes many rolls. A winning six or eight place bet pays $7 for every $6 bet—always make this bet in multiples of $6. (You can make place bets on numbers other than six and eight, but the odds are less attractive.)

To make a place bet, wait until the stickman controls the dice and you have the dealer’s attention, then say, “Place the six, please,” or “Place the eight, please,” and push the chips you wish to bet toward the dealer. Do not attempt to put your chips in the six or eight box yourself. If you win, the dealer will give you your winnings but leave the original bet in place. If you don’t wish to continue betting this number, say, “Take down the six” or “Take down the eight.”

Warning: Don’t put your chips in the “Big six and Big eight” box just inside the pass line—this offers worse odds.

PAI GOW POKER 2.3% HOUSE EDGE


Pai Gow requires some skill, but it’s easy to learn and fun to play and the odds aren’t stacked too badly against players. The pace of play is relatively slow—perhaps three to four minutes per hand —further limiting potential losses.

Players are dealt seven cards face- down, which they divide up into two hands—one a traditional five-card poker hand…the other a two-card hand where only pairs and high cards matter, not flushes or straights. Each player’s five-card hand must beat his two-card hand, a rule novices sometimes forget.

Casino gamblers play Pai Gow poker against the house (or a player acting as banker), not against the other players. Beat the dealer with both the five-card and two-card hand, and it pays even money, minus a 5% commission. If the dealer and the player have the same hands—called a copy—the tie goes to the dealer. If the player wins one hand and loses the other hand, it is a push—you keep your bet but win nothing. Pushes are fairly common, so competent players can play a lot of cards without losing a lot of money. If the dealer wins both hands, the player loses the entire wager.

Google the terms “Pai Gow” and “strategy” to learn the basics before you play in a casino. It takes only a few minutes to learn enough to get by.

Warning: The Pai Gow poker deck includes a joker, but at most casinos, this joker is not completely wild—it can be used only as an ace or to complete a straight, flush or straight flush.

WORST BETS


Casinos claim much more than their fair share from unwary gamblers on certain bets. Among the bets to avoid…

Baccarat Tie Bet. 14.36% house edge. This is the one truly bad bet at the baccarat table.

Blackjack insurance bet. 7.47% house edge (assuming an eight-deck game). When the house shows an ace, players can buy “insurance” against the chance that it has a 10 or face card in the hole (underneath). Decline this offer—insurance costs a lot more than it saves in the long run.

Craps prop bets. 5% to 17% house edge. All of the bets in the middle of the craps table offer very poor odds. Examples: “Hardways” and “One Roll” bets.

Keno. 25% house edge. This game is designed to appeal to lottery players —and the odds are nearly as bad.

Slot machines. 5% to 17% house edge. Not only does the house have a big edge with slots, the game moves very quickly, accelerating gamblers’ losses.
*House edge (advantage) is the ratio of average loss to the entire bet.

Source: Thomas Gallagher, a former Las Vegas casino pit boss who now serves as a gambling coach and instructor. He is author of numerous gambling guidebooks, including Craps Made Simple (Thomas Company). www.Poker911.net

 

Listing Details


Publication                                        Bottom Line Personal
Original publication date                   October 1, 2012
 
http://www.bottomlinepublications.com/content/article/travel-a-recreation/the-5-best-bets-in-the-casinoand-the-5-worst

Chemotherapy Myths Revealed


From: Underground Health Reporter <info@1minutecure.com>
Date: 29 October 2012 23:44
Subject: Breaking Health Alert: Chemotherapy Myths Revealed

     
Brought to you by Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC
Breaking Health Alert:
Chemotherapy Myths Revealed

In This Issue:

Did You Know...

... Chemotherapy can be harmful, and according to the New England Journal of Medicine, is "Not Intended to Cure You"?

     Most cancer patients believe that chemotherapy is the best life-saving cancer treatment available ... but startling new research shows just the opposite.

     According to a late-breaking article released by Reuters on October 26, the majority of advanced cancer patients mistakenly believe their chemo will cure them when it almost certainly will not.  The Reuters article reported on a study headed by Dr. Deborah Schrag of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.  


     According to the study, 2/3 of people with advanced cancer believe going through chemotherapy might cure them, even though their doctors are well aware that the odds are it will do no such thing.  

       In the study, 69% of patients with terminal lung cancer and 81% of patients with fatal colorectal cancer did not understand that the chemotherapy they were receiving was not at all likely to eliminate their tumors.

     According to Dr. Schrag, this is the result of an extreme communication breakdown.  "It's hard to talk to people and tell them we can't cure your cancer," Schrag admitted, but the result is that patients are opting into a very harsh treatment plan that comes with seriously detrimental side effects for all the wrong reasons.

Chemotherapy: Harrowing Risks and Terrible Track Record

If you or someone you love has experienced chemotherapy, you know all too well its grueling, debilitating, and potentially permanent side effects.  Yet, people with all states of cancer routinely choose to undergo this harrowing treatment.  This is because people believe—whether their cancer is caught early or considered terminal—that chemotherapy will dramatically increase their chance of survival.

     Clearly, the study above shows that chemo is not believed to cure terminal cancer.  Unfortunately, more "treatable" cancers don't respond much better with chemo.

     In 2004, 3 oncologists from Australia authored a paper on the benefits conferred by chemotherapy treatment for adults with the most common kinds of cancer.  Even though the authors deliberately over-estimated the benefits of chemotherapy whenever the data was uncertain, they ultimately concluded that chemotherapy contributes just over 2% to improved survival rates for cancer patients.

     In fact, they said 2% should be regarded as chemo's "upper limit of effectiveness."

Proven Natural Cancer Cures—a Better Way

Dr. Hossein Borghaei, an oncologist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, thinks the script for conversations about chemotherapy is in dire need of a rewrite.  Chemo drugs, said Borghaei, "are very powerful, they have a lot of side effects ... and it can actually shorten your life.  All of this should be taken into account."

     There may be a bright side of this dark news about chemotherapy.  Perhaps, it will mean a light is finally shone on the many cancer treatment options that are far more effective and have none of chemo's detrimental side effects.

     As editor of the Underground Health Reporter, I have investigated dozens of highly researched, all natural, and totally affordable cancer cures with impressive cure rates.

     To access all the research studies, medical reports, and real-life success stories on the top 10 natural cancer cures, now conveniently compiled in a special report, visit Top10CancerCures.com.