Best Natural Defense Against Radiation

I've always being asked by my patients-'what is the best herbs to prevent radiation injury in view of current situation?' well, frankly I don't know..:)..luckily Health Ranger already done his research on this subject...

This article is excerpted from www.naturalnews.com- something that you can't get it from mainstream media!

Discover the radiation protective benefits of Spirulina and Chlorella

Protecting yourself in the event of a serious radiation event involves much more than simply loading up on potassium iodide and various other iodine supplements. While high levels of iodine do protect the thyroid and glandular systems from radiation poisoning, they do not necessarily protect the rest of your body from the devastating and deadly effects of nuclear radiation. However, two amazing superfoods -- Spirulina and Chlorella -- offer substantiated protection against harmful radiation. They also help to detoxify the body of harmful radiation after exposure, effectively protecting organs and other areas not protected by iodine.

Spirulina, the incredible medical food used to treat child victims of Chernobyl

The numerous curative and health-promoting properties of Spirulina are truly amazing. This blue-green algae superfood is rich in vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and antioxidants, all of which make it highly beneficial as an anti-aging, anti-cancer, and super-detoxifying miracle food (http://www.naturalnews.com/spirulin...).

Spirulina

But little known is the incredible radioprotective power of Spirulina. Numerous studies have found that Spirulina protects the body against -- and even heals it from -- the damaging effects of harmful radiation.

A 1989 study put forth by researchers from Zhongkai Agriculture and Technology College in China found in tests that Spirulina significantly reduces the gamma radiation-induced micronucleus frequencies in the bone marrow of affected mice. Bone marrow, of course, is responsible for producing new blood cells and maintaining the lymphatic system (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

A 1993 report published by the Research Institute of Radiation Medicine in Belarus confirmed previous research conducted in 1990-91 which found that Spirulina effectively decreases the radioactive load received by the body when consuming radiation-contaminated food. After just 20 days, children fed five-gram doses of Spirulina every day experienced an average 50 percent reduction in urine radioactivity levels (http://www.iimsam.org/publications_...).

In a study released by Mechnikov Odessa State University in Ukraine in 2000, Spirulina proved effective at increasing phosphate, pyruvate, and antioxidant levels in rats with lesions caused by 5 gray units (Gy) of high-energy radiation. Full-body exposure to 5 Gy or more typically leads to death within 14 days, but Spirulina helped to prevent this (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

A 2001 study conducted by researchers from the Medical and Pharmaceutical Academe of Yangzhou University in China found that Spirulina extracts effectively protect against both the damage caused by chemotherapy drugs and the damaging effects of gamma radiation exposure (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

Those negatively affected by high levels of radiation after working on cleanup efforts following the 1986 Chernobyl disaster experienced improvements in the autoregulatory functionality of their bodily organs and other systems, as well as long-term remission from overall radiation damage, after being treated with a regimen that included Spirulina (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

Spirulina works so well at mitigating the damage caused by radiation that it was actually awarded a Russian patent in 1995 for improving the immunity of children affected by radiation from the Chernobyl disaster. Many exposed children became stricken with chronic radiation sickness and elevated Immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, and they also tested positive for high allergy sensitivity. But upon consuming roughly five grams (g) of Spirulina a day for 45 days, the children's IgE levels and allergic sensitivities were restored back to normal.

Conclusively, Spirulina offers remarkable radioprotective benefits in addition to its many other health-promoting benefits. Regular consumption of Spirulina not only helps to boost immune function and normalize the systems in the body that regulate and maintain overall health, but the superfood also offers a surefire way to mitigate the damaging effects of harmful radiation (http://jpronline.info/article/viewF...).

Chlorella, the detoxifying superfood with amazing radioprotective benefits

Much like Spirulina, Chlorella is loaded with an astounding array vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that help detoxify the body of heavy metals and other contaminants. The single-cell algae also helps to prevent and repair DNA damage, balance the body's pH levels, fight inflammation, improve digestive health, and boost immune function (http://www.naturalnews.com/027894_c...).

Chlorella

And as far as harmful radiation is concerned, Chlorella is a powerful weapon to both prevent radioactive damage and heal it once it has occurred.

A 1989 study put forth by the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences demonstrated that Chlorella effectively increases production of bone marrow and spleen stem cells. And in tests, Chlorella greatly helped improve survival rates among mice irradiated with a lethal dose of radioactive gamma rays (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

In 1993, researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India also found that Chlorella is effective at protecting against and mitigating the damage caused by both acute and chronic radioactive damage (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

A 1995 study published in the Indian Journal of Experimental Biology found that when administered before or upon exposure to sub-lethal radioactive gamma rays, Chlorella helps to boost levels of colony-forming spleen cells. Such cells exist within the bone marrow and are essential for the production of vital blood elements and immune factors (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...).

Ultimately, the incredible detoxifying power of Chlorella is not limited to toxins like mercury, aluminum, and fluoride. Just like it does to toxic heavy metals, Chlorella binds to radioactive particles and literally flushes them out of the body. In complete synergy with its many other health-promoting functions, Chlorella is a vital superfood nutrient that numerous scientific studies have proven helps to guard the body against radioactive damage (http://www.naturalnews.com/027361_c...).

Both Spirulina and Chlorella are absolutely essential weapons in any natural radioprotective arsenal. Together, these powerful sea-based nutrients help to rid the body of radiation and the many other toxins that cause both acute and chronic damage to the body.




Link to original article:

Discover the radiation protective benefits of Spirulina and Chlorella

Stroke:An Overview

This posting is dedicated to patients/relatives who intend to know something about stroke and how to live with it. The article was excerpted from National Stroke Association of Malaysia (NSAM) webssite.http://www.nasam.org/english/prevention-what_is_a_stroke.php~Dr. H

Stroke in Malaysia

Stroke is the third largest cause of death in Malaysia. Only heart diseases and cancer kill more. It is considered to be the single most common cause of severe disability, and every year, an estimated 40,000 people in Malaysia suffer from stroke. Anyone can have a stroke, including children, but the vast majority of the cases affect adults.

A stroke is a brain attack and occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disrupted. The brain is the nerve center of the body, controlling every thing we do or think, as well as controlling automatic functions like breathing. In order to work, the brain needs a constant blood supply which carries vital oxygen and nutrients. When a blood vessel in your brain bursts or gets clogged, the blood supply stops and the brain cells are deprived of oxygen and nutrients. That part of the brain starts to die. You have a stroke. Very quickly. Very silently. Brain damage affects your senses, your speech and understanding of language. One side of your body may be paralyzed, your behavior, thought and memory patterns are altered.

What causes a stroke?

There are two main types of stroke, and each has different causes. The first type, an ischaemic stroke, occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery serving the brain, disrupting blood supply. Very often an ischaemic stroke is the end result of a build up of cholesterol and other debris in the arteries (atherosclerosis) over many years.

The second main type of stroke is a haemorrhagic stroke, when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts, causing a bleed or hemorrhage. Long-standing, untreated high blood pressure places a strain on the artery walls, increasing their risk of bursting and bleeding.

What are the symptoms?

~Sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body. Signs of this may be a drooping face, a dribbling mouth, weakness in the arm or leg.

~Sudden blurred vision of one eye or both eyes.

~Difficulty in speaking or understanding speech, or slurred speech.

~Dizziness, loss of balance, confusion

~Sudden severe headache

~Nausea or vomiting

What are the effects of stroke?

The effects of a stroke vary from person to person, depending on which part of the brain is damaged and the extent of that damage. For some, the effects are relatively minor and short-lived; others are left with more severe, long term disabilities. Common problems include:


What you can do to reduce the risk of stroke?



Become more physically active. Exercising helps to lower blood pressure (high blood pressure is the single biggest risk factor for stroke), controls weight, helps create a healthy balance of blood fats and improves your body's ability to handle insulin. Aim to do some kind of moderate physical activity for 30 minutes for at least five days of the week.

Eat a healthy diet. Fresh fruit and vegetables are rich sources of antioxidant vitamins and minerals, which research has found, reduces the risk of stroke. A high consumption of salt has been linked to high blood pressure, while too much saturated fat can lead to atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries).

Stay a healthy weight. Being overweight is a risk of a stroke.

Don't smoke. Smoking increases your risk of stroke because it causes atherosclerosis (furring of the arteries) and makes the blood more likely to clot.

It is important to follow your doctor's advice regarding the medication that you should take. High blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol level should be treated optimally with medications. Usually Aspirin or other 'blood-thinning' agent is given to prevent further recurrence of stroke.


Just remember, stroke is 'BRAIN ATTACK'- so seek treatment early!

For full article, visit:-

http://www.nasam.org/english/prevention-what_is_a_stroke.php

Keep The Body Alkaline For Optimum Health

-From Natural News Oct 20,2009

Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function. This means that our bodies function more efficiently when slightly alkaline, but bodily functions, such as digestion, are acid producing. So what can we do to ensure that our bodies remain more alkaline and balanced?

The human body's metabolic process is naturally acid producing. However, this waste needs to be neutralized or "balanced" so it can be safely eliminated from the body without damaging tissues and organs that are responsible for detoxifying the body. Alkalinity is needed to neutralize and balance acidity. The presence of alkalinity in the body's acid producing environment is counteractive to the onset of illness and disease and also prevents decomposition.

"Acidosis" refers to an acid pH. It is an imbalanced acidic condition of all bodily fluids. Almost all cellular functions in the body are sensitive to the pH of their fluids. If the pH falls too far to the acidic side the cells become poisoned in their own toxic wastes and will die. All chemical processes have an ideal pH. Your blood should have a pH of 7.35 - 7.45.

Many studies show that people with a correct blood pH enjoy good health; whereas, people with a low, or acidic, pH are more likely to be ill. The slightest imbalance can cause serious illness and disease.The body will do whatever it must to maintain the blood pH balance, and will continually steal acid-neutralizing minerals from wherever necessary, such as calcium from bones and teeth. The blood will dump the acid into other body organs in an effort to detoxify itself. The organs then dump the acid back into the blood, creating a vicious cycle of trying to rid itself of acidity. This cycle can be ended with a properly balance pH.

Symptoms of mild cases of acidosis include headache, lack of energy, sleepiness, fast and shallow breathing, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and loss of appetite. Acidosis can result in rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, tuberculosis, osteoporoses, high blood pressure and most cancers.Metabolic acidosis occurs when the body has more acidity then alkalinity in it. Eating a diet of excessive meats, grains and breads, dairy products, sugar, overcooked, refined and processed foods and fast foods, can lead to an acidic pH balance. Other factors can include overload from pollutants and chemicals, emotional stress and negative thinking. Even excessive exercising (past the point of exhaustion) causes acidity.

The most important way to stay alkaline is to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

- Increase the amounts of vegetables and fruit (alkaline foods) that you eat while decreasing the amount of acid-forming foods, such as grains, dairy products, pasta and breads. Juicing vegetables can be an excellent way to increase your alkaline food intake.Just because a fruit or vegetable may be acid, that doesn't mean it will be acid when it is digested. When foods are digested, they turn into "ash". This ash is what determines if a food is acid or alkaline.- It is important to remember that the method of cooking will also have either an acidic or alkaline reaction. For example, a potato that is baked or boiled in its jacket is alkaline food, whereas a fried potato is acid-forming.

- Make sure you drink at least 2 liters of good water per day. Normal tap water falls short of being good for you. Most city water has additives such as chlorine and fluoride, which are acid forming. Distilled water, water treated by reverse-osmosis or alkaline waters are best.

- Stress - Joy helps to alkalize the body. Take time to relax, have fun and laugh!

- Exercise will tend to make the body more alkaline, but exercising excessively will become acid-forming

www.thewolfeclinic.com/phbalanceart...

http://www.naturalnews.com/027280_alkaline_food_blood.html

Pencegahan Penyakit Jantung Dari Perspektif Holistik

Saya tertarik nak mengulas buku ni atas beberapa sebab:-

1)'Pencegahan Penyakit Jantung Dari Perspektif Holistik'- satu topik yang begitu dekat dengan 'jiwa' saya
2)Penerbitnya-Universiti Malaya-yang merupakan alma matter saya yang tercinta
3)Salah seorang penulis buku ni iaitu Prof Dr Wan Azman Wan Ahmad yang merupakan bekas pensyarah perubatan (cardiology) yang begitu disegani dan dihormati.Seorang lagi penulis ialah Prof Madya Dr Fatimah Ibrahim, dari Jabatan Kejuruteraan Perubatan.

Lalu anda semua lihatlah topik-topik yang dikarang oleh penulis-penulis yang menerangkan secara mendalam, tetapi ringkas dan mudah difahami, tentang aspek perubatan Islam dengan penekanan kepada pencegahan penyakit jantung.

Sebuah buku yang patut dimiliki di setiap rumah!

Tajuk : Pencegahan Penyakit Jantung Dari Perspektif Holistik
Pengarang : Fatimah Ibrahim & Wan Azman Wan Ahmad
Penerbit : Universiti Malaya
ISBN : 978-983-2417-52-1
Mukasurat : 87
Status Stok : ADA

Kehidupan adalah satu anugerah Tuhan yang sangat berharga. Ia bermula dengan denyutan jantung yang pertama semasa kita berada di dalam perut ibu dan tamat dengan denyutan jantung yang terakhir. Apabila kita meneliti bagaimana jantung kita berfungsi, kita dapat melihat keajaiban organ yang sebesar genggaman tangan ini merasai kebesaran dan keagungan pencipta-Nya. Sesuatu yang begitu penting dan berharga yang telah diamanahkan kepada kita sejak bermula kehidupan kadang-kadang menyebabkan kita tidak tahu untuk menghargainya. Kebiasaan manusia apabila sudah terkena penyakit jantung atau lemah jantung, barulah mula sedar betapa besarnya nikmat tersebut. Buku ini adalah rentetan dari buku Solat Kebaikan Dari Perspektif Sains. Fokus buku ini adalah kepada pencegahan penyakit jantung dari perspektif holistik yang menerangkan pencegahan dari aspek perubatan moden dan Islam.

KANDUNGAN

BAB 1: Mengenali Jantung Anda
- Pengenalan
- Ruangan (Kompartmen) Jantung
- Proses Pengaliran Dan Sistem Kardiovaskular
- Sistem Elektrikal (Konduksi)

BAB 2: Penyakit Kardiovaskular
- Pengenalan
- Strok (Angin Ahmar)
- Tekanan Darah Tinggi
- Aneurysm
- Kegagalan Jantung Kongestif
- Angina
- Serangan Jantung

BAB 3: Atheroklerosis: Punca Kebanyakan Penyakit Kardiovaskular
- Pengenalan

BAB 4: Faktor-Faktor Risiko Atherosklerosis
- Pengenalan
- Faktor Risiko Tak Terkawal
- Faktor Risiko Terkawal
- Kencing Manis (Diabetis Mellitus)
- Obesiti
- Merokok
- Langkah Pencegahan

BAB 5: Pencegahan Atherosklerosis
- Pengenalan
- Pencegahan Atherosklerosis Dari Perspektif Perubatan Moden
- Rawatan Penyakit Jantung
- Rawatan Perubatan Menggunakan Ubat-Ubatan
- Rawatan Pembedahan Dan Angioplasti

BAB 6: Pencegahan Penyakit Kardiovaskular Menurut Gaya Hidup Islam
- Anjakan Paradigma
- Adab Makan Dan Minum Mengikut Cara Hidup Islam
- Menyebut 'Bismillahirrahmanirrahim'
- Makan Secara Sederhana
- Berkat Dalam Makanan
- Postur Duduk Yang Disyorkan Semasa Makan
- Kesederhanaan Dalam Kehidupan
- Cara Hidup Sederhana Yang Diamalkan Oleh Penduduk Madinah
- Diet Pemakanan Yang Disyorkan Oleh Islam
- Limau
- Bijan Hitam
- Madu
- Buah Zaiton Dan Minyak Zaiton
- Kurma
- Pisang
- Anggur
- Delima

BAB 7: Gaya Hidup Cara Islam
- Pengenalan
- Doa
- Membaca Al-Quran
- Zikir
- Berjalan Kaki
- Solat
- Kebaikan Solat Untuk Kesihatan
- Kadar Denyutan Jantung
- Faktor-Faktor Mempengaruhi Kadar Denyutan Jantung
- Kajian Denyutan Jantung Pada Setiap Postur Solat

Utk order:-

http://www.kedai-buku.com/kedai-buku/details/1817/um-pencegahan-penyakit-jantung-dari-perspektif-holistik.html

atau hubungi saya sendiri-

dr_hapizi@yahoo.com (Saya akan pos ke alamat anda dengan tambahan kos courier RM 10)

Prolapsed Disc

A few weeks ago, my brother's wife was admitted to a private hospital and diagnosed as prolapsed disc. They would like to know something about it and the treatment available, especially the supplements needed.

A few lines on prolapsed disc

A prolapsed disc may also be called a slipped disk or a herniated disc. Those familiar with other hernias may understand this last term better. Hernia is often thought of as a bulging or extrusion of tissue, where it doesn’t belong. The prolapsed disc is similar, though it occurs in the discs of the spine.

The spine has special cushioning between each vertebra, and these are called discs. Discs have a soft center called the nucleus pulpous, and then a harder outer ring. Sometimes, that soft center breaks through the outer ring and extrudes out, which can put pressure on other structures in the spine like the nerves.

Depending on which disc has “slipped,” pain may be felt in numerous places. It can result in low back pain, and many prolapsed discs do occur in the lower back. People might also note pain in one or both legs. Pain felt can vary in severity and some people may not even be aware they have a prolapsed disc. Others are well aware of it and pain felt is extreme, and may occur suddenly.

Some forms of movement exacerbate discomfort, while lying down may ease it. This is certainly a condition that requires a doctor’s care. One rare complication may occur, called cauda equina syndrome, which includes severe pain and inability to urinate or have bowel movements. The area around the rectum may feel numb too. This is a medical emergency and needs immediate attention because permanent damage to the nerves feeding these areas can result without medical intervention.

Most people simply find themselves in pain, without having cauda equina syndrome. Only about 10% of people will require extreme measures like surgery to treat a prolapsed disc. In many cases the area of prolapse shrinks and improves within a few weeks after symptoms are first noted, and pain is not significant enough to consider surgery.

Basic treatments when a prolapsed disc is diagnosed are to pursue moderate activity per doctor’s recommendations, but to avoid any activities that appear to exacerbate pain. People may require pain medication, and some are helped by over the counter drugs like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Others may require stronger prescription medications that contain things like codeine. Some people are also helped with muscle relaxants or tranquilizers.

When pain persists beyond the six-week mark, or if the area of prolapse is significant there are surgeries that can treat this condition. Most surgeries simply remove the bulging area of the disc, and this treatment can be relatively effective. However, it does not always end pain or fully resolve the problem.

Slipped discs tend to occur most often in men. They are also most common in people between the ages of 30-50. Cause of them isn’t always clear, and it’s also not definitive that being in good physical health means avoiding them completely. Still, it’s important to remain in good shape, and do exercises that can strengthen the back muscles and the abdominal muscles. Though these may not prevent a prolapsed disc, they contribute to overall sound health.

Dr. H's comment

We are quite certain that prolapsed disc is mainly caused by overwhelmed stress of the area.Helpful nutritional treatment includes good, powerful multivitamins/minerals such as Essentials from Usana, potent antioxidant such as grape seed extract and anti-inflammatory nutrients such as Omega 3 fish oil.

This Antioxidant Can Smash Insulin Resistance and Autoimmune Disease

Why You Need Antioxidants

Your entire body, including your DNA, is under endless, daily assault from a variety of sources, from poor diets to pollution. Think of your cells, including your brain cells, each getting hit by free-radicals thousands of times a day. This violent process is called "oxidation,” which damages your cells.
Enter antioxidants. They include vitamins and other nutrients that target free radicals.
Food, particularly fruits and vegetables, is a powerful source of these valiant protectors, and your body produces some itself. Their role is to limit the damage to your cells, which can slow down disease and signs of aging.
In the case of alpha lipoic acid, your body does produce it in minute quantities, but most of it comes from your diet. Some of the best natural sources include grass-fed red meat and organ meats.

The Benefits of Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) has many functions, but it’s one of the most effective free radical scavengers, and the only one known to easily get into your brain.
It also has the ability to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamins C, E, and glutathione. So, when your body has used up these antioxidants, if there’s ALA around, it helps regenerate them.
You may not know this, but glutathione is another very important antioxidant. You can get it from supplements, but the only form that works effectively is the reduced form, which is difficult to absorb when taken orally. It is much more cost effective to supplement with precursors, or items like alpha lipoic acid that regenerates glutathione.
Alpha lipoic acid also recycles coenzyme Q10 and NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).
But, if that wasn’t enough, this powerful antioxidant is also:

-A great modifier of gene expression to reduce inflammation
-A very potent heavy metal chelator
-An enhancer of insulin sensitivity

The benefits of ALA can appear near miraculous. For example, according to Dr. Berkson, Russia has successfully used ALA intravenously to reverse ischemia reperfusion injuries by injecting it right after a heart attack or a stroke.
And people with diabetes or metabolic syndrome tend to do much better when taking lipoic acid, as it enhances insulin sensitivity.
There’s even been quite a bit of research showing it can restore T cell function. T cells are a type of white blood cells that are of key importance to your immune system, and are at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors your body's immune response to specific pathogens.

What Health Conditions Can be Treated With Alpha Lipoic Acid?

Clinically, alpha lipoic acid seems to be a useful supplement in treating hepatitis C. It can also be used for painful nerve conditions in diabetes, and may help slow down the aging process itself through its reduction in free radicals.
Dr. Berkson uses ALA along with low dose naltrexone (LDN) for the reversal of a number of more serious health conditions such as:
-Lupus
-Rheumatoid arthritis
-Dermatomyositis (an inflammatory muscle disease)
-Autoimmune diseases

Most of his patients normalize in about one month on this combination of ALA and LDN.

What is Low Dose Naltrexone?

Naltrexone (generic name) is a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug- and alcohol addiction – normally at doses of 50mg to 300mg. As such, it’s been an FDA approved drug for over two decades.
However, researchers have found that at very low dosages (3 to 4.5 mg), naltrexone has immunomodulating properties that may be able to successfully treat cancer malignancies and a wide range of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, and Crohn’s disease, just to name a few.
As explained on the informative website www.lowdosenaltrexone.org, when you take LDN at bedtime -- which blocks your opioid receptors for a few hours in the middle of the night -- it is believed to up-regulate vital elements of your immune system by increasing your body’s production of metenkephalin and endorphins (your natural opioids), hence improving immune function.

Can Alpha Lipoic Acid Help Your Workout?

Alpha lipoic acid can be a potent aid when you exercise vigorously.
In my interview, Dr. Berkson gives an anecdotal story about a friend – an international weight lifting champion – who regularly uses ALA prior to meets.
Unfortunately, there are no set guidelines on dosage and timing. It can be highly individual, and is something that requires a little bit of trial and error in order to get it just right.
But if you suffer from any of the conditions listed above or diabetes it would certainly seem like a useful supplement to consider

-From: www.mercola.com

Propolis and Cancer

"Your Lord revealed to the bees: “Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow.” From inside them comes a drink of varying colors, containing healing for humanity. There is certainly a sign in that for people who reflect."
(Surah an-Nahl: 68-69)

In my previous article, I've written about honey and its medicinal benefits. Now let's look at another miracle product by the bees-PROPOLIS

Watch this great videos from Harun Yahya's:

http://harunyahya.com/presentation/miracle_of_the_honeybee/index.html

http://www.harunyahya.com/presentation/bee/index.html

What is propolis?

To make simple, we can think of propolis as bee's own medicine.
It is a mixture of various resins collected by the honeybees from plants - particularly from flowers, leaf buds and the bark of trees.
Carried on their back legs, bees use propolis as some sort of natural cement to strengthen and seal cracks in their hives.

Propolis basically contains very rich vitamin A, B complex, E, H, P etc, more than 10 minerals, 10 amino acids.Among the contents, includes the most 10 different Bio-flavonoids (a powerful antioxidant)




Benefits of propolis

Recent studies has shown many benefits of propolis such as in improving immune system, treating burns, increasing fertility,helping bowel problems, improving antibiotics effectiveness and other. However I just want to concentrate on a very interesting and promising part of it-CANCER treatment

Propolis and Cancer

Propolis has been reported to show a cytotoxic and carcinostatic (cancer-inhibiting) effects on tumour cells. In various studies these benefits have been believed to be attributable to flavonoid, phenolic acid and caffeic acid content that propolis supplies. Researches at New York Columbia University found that an active component of propolis, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), was able to provide inhibitions of various types of 'transformed' (cancer) cells in human

Brazillian propolis has been shown to have a compaound called Artepillin C that kills cancer cells and inhibits tumour growth. Its mechanism of action includes inducing tumour cells apoptosis (cell death), direct anti-tumour activity and lastly by activation of immune cells to release anti-tumour factors (perforin granules, Tumour Necrosis Factor-TNF) to destroy tumour cells

Sufi Meditation

Meditation in Islam is famous among the Sufis.

Here are some of the benefits of meditation, taken from Naqshbandi Muhibbeen website.

http://nurmuhammad.com/Meditation/Mainmeditationmuraqabah.htm

Physical Benefits

• Deep rest-as measured by decreased metabolic rate, lower heart rate, and reduced work load of the heart.


• Lowered levels of cortisol and lactate-two chemicals associated with stress.


• Reduction of free radicals- unstable oxygen molecules that can cause tissue damage. They are now thought to be a major factor in aging and in many diseases.


• Decreased high blood pressure.


• Higher skin resistance. Low skin resistance is correlated with higher stress and anxiety levels.


• Drop in cholesterol levels. High cholesterol is associated with cardiovascular disease.


• Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing. This has been very helpful to asthma patients.


• Younger biological age. On standard measures of aging, long-term Meditation practitioners (more than five years) measured 12 years younger than their chronological age.


• Higher levels of DHEAS in the elderly. An additional sign of youthfulness through Meditation lower levels of DHEAS are associated with aging.

Psychological Benefits

• Increased brain wave coherence. Harmony of brain wave activity in different parts of the brain is associated with greater creativity, improved moral reasoning, and higher IQ.


• Decreased anxiety.


• Decreased depression.


• Decreased irritability and moodiness.


• Improved learning ability and memory.


• Increased self-actualization.


• Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.


• Increased happiness.


• Increased emotional stability.

Natural Methods For Reversing Atherosclerosis

Endothelial dysfunction is the major cause of atherosclerosis—the blockage of arteries that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Fortunately, it is never too late to start counteracting this circulatory breakdown, which is often a part of the aging process.

A wealth of research now points to several nutritional agents such as cocoa polyphenols (chocolate), pomegranate ('buah delima'), and bioavailable superoxide dismutase (SOD) that have been shown to dramatically improve arterial blood flow, helping promote youthful endothelial function and protect against the processes known to damage aging arteries.

read full article here

Acai-The Superfood

You’ve likely never even heard of it. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate. Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although açaí may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it in several health food and gourmet stores (often in juice form). A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I highly recommend that you choose this form of açaí.

Açaí pulp contains:

• A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.


• A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health.


• An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

The fatty acid content in açaí resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and we know, inflammation causes aging.

Why You Need To Take Multivitamins & Minerals

Everyone needs a balanced diet! Everyone requires proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fibers, vitamins, minerals and amino acids every day. The right diet can strengthen the muscles and bones as well as improve overall health. Vitamins are vital substances that are required for normal growth and functioning of the body. They are equally essential for adults and children of all age groups. During childhood and pregnancy, the need for vitamins increases, thus it is essential to take multivitamin supplements, which can help restore the lost vitamins and minerals in your daily diet.

Why do we need multivitamins?

Let's face it, due to the nutritionally depleted foods available to us, the fatty foods that we eat "on the go", along with everyday stress, toxins in the environment, and foods offered at most grocery stores, our bodies lack the vitamins and minerals we require. Many people eat food that is "dead food", food that does not offer any nutritional value whatsoever. Our bodies are literally starved of proper nutrients. Even when we obtain our food from natural sources, depletion of nutrients in the soil has made it increasingly difficult to get enough amounts of nutrients from our food. Therefore, we all need to supplement in addition to our daily food intake.

Benefits of taking multivitamins

There are a total of 13 essential vitamins, including vitamin A, B-complex, C, D, E and K. Each vitamin plays a unique role in improving and maintaining your health. Multivitamin supplements play a crucial role in all metabolic process of the body, and they assist in energy generation, growth, reproduction and health of body cells. A good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition.Multivitamin supplements are specially designed to provide a variety of essential nutrients to the body. Daily intake of multivitamin supplements is suggested to prevent vitamin deficiencies. Pregnant women are advised to start intake of prenatal multivitamins in their first trimester in order to receive proper nutrition and pass it on to the fetus. In addition to these benefits, multivitamins can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Now let us take a look at the benefits of each multivitamin supplement.

Vitamin A plays a significant role in normal cell production, improving the vision, healthy growth and development of embryo and fetus, proper development of bones and brain, blood cell formation, and proper functioning of immune system.

Vitamin B-complex includes vitamin B1 (Thiamine), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (Niacin), vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), vitamin B6 (Pyridoxin), Biotin, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin). Every vitamin B-complex vitamin with its unique chemical structure serves a unique function in our body. Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and biotin play a significant role in energy generation. Vitamin B6 is necessary for regulation of different metabolic processes.

Vitamin C includes both L-dehydroascorbic acid and L-ascorbic acid. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the formation of connective tissues such as collagen, which strengthens many body parts including blood vessels, muscles and internal organs. Vitamin C is also necessary for the synthesis of important connective tissues such as elastin, bone, fibrillin and fibronectin. It can improve the ability of the body for absorption, transportation and storage of iron. Vitamin C is popular for its antioxidant properties that can prevent certain degenerative disorders.

Vitamin D is vital for bone mineralization and proper skeletal development. It contributes a lot in strengthening the immune system and assisting the formation of blood cells. Vitamin D can protect the body from numerous health conditions such as autoimmune diseases, arthritis, multiple sclerosis and juvenile diabetes.

Vitamin E or tocopherol is a potent antioxidant that can protect the cell membranes and other fat-soluble parts of the body. It can also enhance the functioning of immune system and help protect the body from cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer.

Vitamin K is a group of vitamin K1, K2 and K3. It plays an important role in blood clotting and bone metabolism.

Calcium is one of the most essential minerals to maintain good health. It is essential for proper development of bones and for nerve function, blood coagulation, normal functioning of heart, energy generation, muscle contraction and proper immune function

What is Double X?

Double X is the combination of 12 vitamins, 9 minerals and 17 plants concentrate designed for your optimal health

Use directions

NUTRILITE Double X™ is a dietary supplement. Adults should consume twice daily with meals:

1 tablet of multivitamin (gold)
1 tablet of multimineral (silver) and
1 tablet of concentrate (bronze).

further info:

http://www.amway2u.com/miniweb/doublex/WhyTakeAMulti_en_US.jsp

Price: RM 138 (186 tablets)

The Miami Mediterranean Diet

In my previous posting, I wrote on the secret of Hunza Valley people who can live healthily past their 100 years because of their water supply! But what about best diet we can take in this age of KFC, Mc D, pizza, etc etc.

Michael Ozner, a cardiologist with special interest in preventive medicine wrote about Miami Mediterranean Diet in Life Extension Magazine,

May 2008.http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/mag2008_05.htm

The broad-spectrum health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet have been medically evaluated more than any other diet in the world. The science is overwhelming—in one delicious diet program you can not only lose weight but lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis. In this exclusive excerpt, we present many of the compelling reasons why the Miami Mediterranean Diet is your blueprint towards better health and greater longevity.

We are at war in the United States of America. The enemy is quite formidable. It kills more people than all of the wars we have previously fought. Every 30 seconds it claims another victim. We have identified the enemy but we have not defeated it. Its name is cardiovascular disease. Is there a solution? Can we defeat cardiovascular disease and its manifestations (heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease)? The answer is yes!

Dark Chocolate—It Tastes Too Good To Be Healthy!

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Chocolate can be enjoyed on the Miami Mediterranean Diet, as long as it is dark chocolate. The cocoa bean is one of the richest sources of beneficial antioxidants, especially those known as flavonols. Flavonols help to lower blood pressure, balance cholesterol, and maintain a favorable blood glucose level.

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First, we must realize that our most effective weapon is prevention, not intervention. Prevention strategies must begin at an early age and continue for life. Proper diet, exercise, stress management, smoking cessation, and appropriate medical therapy are the weapons we need in our ongoing battle against heart disease.

The toxic American diet and lifestyle is killing you and your family. Our food is contaminated with pesticides and preservatives and contains an excessive amount of trans fat, saturated fat, high-fructose corn syrup, and sodium.

The explosive rise in heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity is directly linked to the food we eat and the lifestyle we lead. We have been led to believe that the solution to this epidemic is to be found with medical or surgical intervention. Unfortunately, despite the billions of dollars we spend on health care, we continue to suffer and die unnecessarily from diseases that can be prevented.

I have been practicing preventive cardiology for more than 25 years and have helped countless number of patients discover the real secret of long-term health—an optimal diet and lifestyle. By following the principles of the Miami Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle, expensive medications can be reduced or eliminated and risky surgical intervention can be avoided.
The Mediterranean diet has been shown to be the ideal dietary plan for long-term heart health and weight control. I have utilized the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet in my Miami cardiovascular disease prevention practice and adapted it to our modern lifestyle to successfully treat patients and greatly reduce their risk of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

It would be great if we had a single dietary and lifestyle plan that would allow us to live a long and healthy life, free of chronic illnesses that lead to needless misery and suffering. The good news is that we do! The Mediterranean diet and lifestyle lowers the risk of a multitude of chronic diseases.

You may very well wonder how a single eating plan can afford all these benefits. That’s a fair question. The secret seems to lie in the fact that the Mediterranean diet is synergistic. This means that the components are not only nutritious in themselves but when they are combined with one another they act together to provide added benefit. In essence this makes them more powerful in combination than if they were eaten separately.

Fruits, vegetables, and olive oil contained in the Miami Mediterranean Diet are very rich in antioxidants, which help prevent the damaging effects of oxidation, which contributes to the aging process that damages your body’s cells. This oxidation process is thought to play a major role in causing heart disease, cancer, and other disease as well.
Also, the Miami Mediterranean Diet features whole-grain foods rich in fiber, which has been shown to help balance cholesterol and also prevent some forms of cancer.

Finally, this diet also has been found to have an anti-inflammatory effect, and inflammation is strongly linked to the development of heart disease, cancer, and other ailments such as arthritis.

In short, if you were looking for a diet that would benefit your entire body, you could do no better than to choose the Miami Mediterranean Diet, which, in addition to preventing cardiovascular disease, has been found to reduce the risk of these major life-threatening and disabling diseases as well:

-Alzheimer’s disease
-High blood pressure
-High cholesterol
-Cancer
-Metabolic syndrome
-Diabetes
-Arthritis
-Allergies
-Asthma
-Chronic obstructive lung disease
-Depression
-Inflammatory bowel disease
-Lower Your Cholesterol The Natural Way

The Mediterranean diet has been shown to lower LDL-cholesterol, raise the HDL-cholesterol and lower triglycerides. I have had many patients reduce or eliminate their cholesterol-lowering medications after several months on the Miami Mediterranean Diet (remember, any decision to adjust your medications should be made by your personal treating physician). The improvement in cholesterol and triglycerides helps to explain the cardiovascular benefit of following a Mediterranean diet.

Pomegranate Juice

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Research studies find pomegranate juice helps lower blood pressure, reduces the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque, and preserves nitric oxide, a key chemical in the body that contributes to keeping the coronary arteries healthy.
Pomegranate juice is also a great source of vitamin C and potassium, and it contains less sugar than some other fruit juices. But don’t let the enthusiasm for pomegranate juice discourage you from trying the fruit itself; it’s perfect for eating and cooking.

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The top foods responsible for the favorable impact on cholesterol are listed below:

-Fruits and vegetables—fiber contained in fruits and vegetables lowers cholesterol. In addition,fruits and vegetables contain plant sterols that interfere with intestinal absorption of cholesterol, thereby helping to lower cholesterol:
-Olive oil
-Oatmeal
-Nuts­—especially almonds
-Beans
-Cold water fish—abundant in omega-3 fat, which lowers triglycerides
-Red wine—raises the good (HDL) cholesterol
-Cinnamon—lowers the bad (LDL) cholesterol
-Whole grains (bread, cereal, etc)
-Soluble fiber
-Soy protein
-Plant sterol margarine

In addition, exercise, an integral part of a Miami Mediterranean lifestyle, raises the good (HDL) cholesterol, lowers triglycerides, and makes the bad (LDL) cholesterol particles larger and less likely to cause heart attacks and strokes.

What are Plant Sterols?

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Plant sterols (phytosterols) are found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals, and legumes, whereas cholesterol is derived from animals. Plant sterols are beneficial because they interfere with the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, thereby lowering cholesterol levels. Certain vegetable spreads found in the grocery store also contain plant sterols that can lower cholesterol and are beneficial to long-term health—especially when used to replace butter or margarine.

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Omega-3 Deficiency– The Scurvy of Our Time

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It has been suggested that up to 90% of Americans are omega-3-deficient. Omega-3 fat is anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation), whereas omega-6 fat is pro-inflammatory (promotes inflammation). The omega-6/omega-3 ratio should be 1/1; however, due to the decrease in omega-3 intake (especially cold water fish, flaxseed, walnuts) and increase in omega-6 intake (especially corn oil, red meat), the omega-6/omega-3 ratio in America is approximately 10/1 to 20/1.
Do not despair—by following a Mediterranean diet you will provide your body with an ample amount of omega-3 fat and decrease the amount of omega-6 fat. Omega-3 supplements (fish oil) can also be beneficial, especially if cold water fish consumption is limited.

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High-Fructose Corn Syrup—The Hidden Danger

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It’s smart to avoid table sugar, but there’s even a more sinister sweetener lurking on your supermarket shelves— high-fructose corn syrup. In contrast to ordinary sugar, high-fructose corn syrup is not utilized by the muscles as an energy source; instead, it goes directly to the liver and leads to an increase in triglyceride production.
When shopping, read nutritional labels and avoid this sinister sweetener. By following the Miami Mediterranean Diet you need not worry – the recipes in this book do not contain high-fructose corn syrup.

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buy from Amazon.com here!!

Vitamin studies: Rebuttal to Allegation That Certain Vitamins May Shorter Lifespan

For those with 'scientific' and 'evidence-based' brains who rely on 'studies' when thinking to advise patients on taking vitamins , please read this article from Life Extension, a non-profit and research-based organisation on vitamins and anti-aging medicine..

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It is almost inconceivable to think that for the greater part of the 20th century, a “scientific” debate raged as to whether cigarette smoking was dangerous. An even longer running controversy focused on whether food choices (i.e. diet) had any effect on how long people lived. It was not until the later part of the 20th century that the FDA admitted that high saturated fat diets increase heart attack risk.

Today’s unanimous recommendation to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is a relatively recent phenomenon. Back 50 years ago when mid-life heart attack rates were nearly triple what they are now, it was not unusual for people (especially men) to eat virtually no fruits or vegetables. Even now, the processed food industry heavily lobbies government agencies to not recommend disease-preventing foods to the public.

Just as companies that profited by selling cigarettes and processed foods egregiously misled the public in the past, today’s consumers are confronted with so-called “scientific” reports that question the value of some dietary supplements.
A report released on April 16, 2008 went as far as to suggest that certain vitamins might shorten lifespan. All of this is reminiscent of the scientific charade perpetrated by tobacco companies who falsely claimed that cigarettes did not cause lethal disease. In this case, the economic beneficiaries will be pharmaceutical companies who can expect increased sales of prescription drugs to those who fall for the latest media hype.

As the Life Extension Foundation has done for the past 28 years, we will succinctly separate the facts from the fiction so our members can draw a rationale conclusion about this latest hoax.

Outlandishly low and high potencies evaluated

As has been the case of previous studies conducted by mainstream doctors, the potencies of the nutrients evaluated in this negative report are far different than what knowledgeable health conscious consumers take on a daily basis.

This report condemning supplements claimed that vitamin A caused a 16% increased risk of dying. The vitamin A potencies given to study subjects ranged from 1,333 IU to 200,000 IU a day, or taken every other day, or in one case, ingested just once! Yes, a trial used to vilify this nutrient gave the participants one dose of vitamin A. When these nursing home subjects did not show greater survival benefits, the authors of this negative report blamed the single dose of vitamin A for the deaths.
We don’t know of anyone who actually takes their vitamin A in these kinds of doses, but these were the very studies used to assassinate vitamin A.

This negative report also claimed a 4% increased risk of dying in those who took vitamin E. One might speculate that the failure to supplement with gamma tocopherol may have caused this mortality increase (we discuss more about this later).
The stark reality is that the potencies of alpha tocopherol vitamin E evaluated in the negative report ranged from 10 IU to 5000 IU, which of course has nothing to do with what informed consumers are actually taking. In fact, 10 IU of vitamin E does not even meet the daily minimum requirement for this nutrient. Nonetheless, the authors of this negative report included this study with a host of others to attack vitamin E.

For beta-carotene, the authors claimed a 7% increased risk of death. Doses evaluated ranged from 2000 IU to 83,350 IU. We don’t know of anyone taking this high dose of beta-carotene, but these studies were nonetheless used to further frighten the public against this supplement.

Study periods evaluated ranged from 28 days to 12 years. The authors apparently thought that study periods as short as 28-days were long enough to include in their attack against certain vitamins.

As you will read next, these details about potencies have little meaning when one learns of the study-selection bias that resulted in 91% of evaluable vitamin studies being omitted from the analysis.

Most vitamin studies excluded from report

Out of a total of 815 vitamin studies considered for evaluation, 748 studies were excluded from the analysis (only 67 trials were included in the final report). Here are the absurd reasons given for excluding these 748 studies:
405 trials out of the 748 were removed from the statistical analysis plan because there were no deaths reported in any of the treatment arms. Therefore, this meta-analysis excluded 405 trials that showed no increase in mortality risk.
245 studies out of the 748 were removed from the statistical analysis plan because the authors’ inclusion criteria were not fulfilled. Double-blind, randomized, controlled intervention studies were excluded in the analysis for a number of reasons that can only be described as so exacting that many studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and other top-tier medical journals would fail these criteria. Here were reasons given for excluding these 248 studies:

-Specific allocation methods for study participants were not described in detail.
-A combination of dates and/ or ‘admittance’ numbers was used to randomize participants rather than complex study participant identifier codes.
-Methods used to hide the method of vitamin allocation were not described in detail.
-The specific method of blinding was not described in detail
-There were no drop-outs or withdrawals but the exact reason(s) for the lack of drop-outs or withdrawals were not described in detail
-In trials with participants that dropped out or withdrew, the exact number and/ or specific reason for drop-out or study withdrawal was not described in detail

So while the media was running headlines like “Taking Vitamins May Shorten Your Life”, the report the headline was based on omitted most of the vitamin studies that should have been included. This obvious bias rendered the findings meaningless, and we applaud certain news networks who withdrew this defective report from their websites within hours of posting it. One news network even followed with a positive report on the value of antioxidants.

Flawed statistical analysis

The authors used a variety of statistical tools and models to manipulate the data used in the negative report. One way they did this was to use both a ‘random effect’ model, and a ‘fixed effect’ model.
Much of what we are going to say here will be confusing to lay people. The reason we have to include it is that this entire report was based on statistical models chosen by the report’s authors. As many of you know, when attempting to conduct a meta-analysis this extensive, statistical methods can be used to create conclusions that may differ considerably from what the underlying data reveal.
The ‘random effect’ model can be used to identify for difference of effect of antioxidant vitamins on separate patient populations (for example, to assess for the effect of vitamins on cancer patients as against heart disease patients). The ‘random effect’ model can also be used to help determine if different doses of an antioxidant vitamin have different effects (for example, whether a high dose of vitamin A is associated with mortality risk in contrast to a low dose of vitamin A).
For this meta-analysis, the ‘random effect’ model can be used to evaluate if different doses and/ or single or combined antioxidants and/ or interventions significantly affects mortality. Out of the 67 studies included in the meta-analysis, antioxidants were administered alone, or in combination with other interventions (e.g. drugs, minerals, other antioxidants) daily or on alternate days for 28 days to 12 years at a very wide range of dosages, such as 10 IU to 5000 IU for vitamin E.
In this meta-analysis, the authors found that the ‘random effect’ model was not significant, meaning it failed to show an increase in mortality. So they used instead the ‘fixed effect’ model to show a 4% increased risk.

In essence, the results of this meta-analysis suggest that different doses of vitamins, different patient populations, and single vs. combined antioxidants had absolutely no effect upon mortality risk when the initial statistical model is used, but that vitamins increase mortality risk regardless of dose or patient population when a different statistical model is substituted.

This is patently absurd, and calls into question the entire legitimacy of this meta-analysis.
In point of fact, the authors of this flawed meta-analysis were asked to only include the ‘random effects’ model in a prior presentation of this data in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (Bjelakovic 2007a). By using the ‘fixed effect’” statistical model and excluding fully 91% of the eligible studies for the analysis, the authors succeeded in achieving headlines by selectively emphasizing models that achieved statistical significance.

Most of the analyzed studies were done on sick people

This negative report attacking certain supplements recommends that healthy people should not take these nutrients, yet 46 out of the 67 studies that were evaluated were conducted on subjects that were diagnosed with disease.

The studies cannot relate mortality differences based on these vitamins

More than 60% of Americans regularly ingest some sort of dietary supplement. The question is, are the 60% of Americans taking supplements going to live longer than those who don’t? An analysis of the scientific literature indicates they probably won't.

The reason is that few Americans are taking enough of the proper nutrients to duplicate the clinical studies showing that the diseases of aging may be preventable.* Twenty-eight years ago, the Life Extension Foundation began a systematic review of published scientific findings relating to the prevention of degenerative disease and aging. The results of this painstaking investigation provided convincing evidence that the killer diseases of aging could be largely prevented by the proper intake of nutrients, hormones, certain drugs, and lifestyle changes.*
The phenomenon known as aging is a result of a number of pathological changes that are somewhat controllable using existing technologies. By prolonging our healthy life span, we put ourselves in a position to take advantage of future medical breakthroughs that may result in dramatic extensions of the human life span. Here are some of the underlying controllable causes of the diseases of aging we know of today:

1. Chronic inflammation.

Aging people suffer an epidemic of outward inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, but chronic inflammation also damages brain cells, arterial walls, heart valves, and other structures in the body. Heart attack, stroke, heart valve failure, and Alzheimer’s senility have been linked to the chronic inflammatory cascade so often seen in aging humans.

2. Glycation.

It is well known that diabetics age prematurely, but even non-diabetics suffer from a devastating chemical reaction called glycation, where protein molecules bind to glucose molecules in the body to form nonfunctioning structures. Glycation is most evident in senile dementia, stiffening of the arterial system, and degenerative diseases of the eye.

3. Methylation Deficit.

Cellular DNA requires constant enzymatic actions (methylation) for maintenance and repair. Aging cripples youthful methylation metabolism causing DNA damage that can manifest as cancer, liver damage, and brain cell degeneration.

4. Mitochondrial Energy Depletion.

The cell’s energy powerhouse (the mitochondria) requires a complex series of chemicals to be present in order to maintain critical functions such as transporting nutrients through the cell membrane and purging the cell of toxic debris. Mitochondrial energy depletion can result in congestive heart failure, muscle weakness, fatigue, and neurological disease.

5. Hormone Imbalance.

The trillions of cells in the human body are delicately synchronized to function by chemical signals called hormones. Aging creates a severe hormone imbalance that is often a contributing cause to many diseases associated with aging including depression, osteoporosis, coronary artery disease, and loss of libido.

6. Excess Calcification.

Calcium ions are transported into and out of cells through calcium channels in the cell membrane. Aging disrupts calcium transport, and the result is excess calcium infiltration into cells of the brain, heart valves, and middle arterial wall (causing arteriosclerosis).

7. Fatty Acid Imbalance.

The body requires essential fatty acids to maintain cell energy output. Aging causes alterations in enzymes required to convert dietary fats into the specific essential fatty acids the body requires to sustain life. The effects of a fatty acid imbalance may manifest as an irregular heart beat, joint degeneration, low energy, hyper-coagulation, dry skin, or a host of other common ailments associated with normal aging.

8. DNA Mutation.

Numerous synthetic and natural compounds mutate cellular DNA and cause cancer cells to form. Aging cells lose their DNA gene repair mechanisms and the result is that DNA genetic damage can cause cells to proliferate out of control, i.e., turn into cancer cells.

9. Immune Dysfunction.

For a variety of reasons, the aging immune system loses its ability to attack bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. In aging humans, excessive levels of dangerous cytokines are produced that cause the immune system to turn on its host and create autoimmune diseases associated with aging such as rheumatoid syndrome.

10. Non-Digestive Enzyme Imbalance.

Internal cellular functions depend on multiple enzymatic reactions occurring with precise timing. Aging causes enzyme imbalances primarily in the brain and liver, which results in severe neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or the persistent memory loss aging people so often complain about. Impaired liver function results in toxic damage to every cell in the body.

11. Digestive Enzyme Deficit.

The aging pancreas often fails to secrete enough digestive enzymes, while the aging liver does not secrete enough bile acids. The result is chronic indigestion people complain about as they age.

12. Excitotoxicity.

The aging brain loses control of its release of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, resulting in devastating brain cell damage and destruction.

13. Circulatory Deficit.

Microcapillary perfusion of blood to the brain, eye, and skin is impaired as a part of normal aging. The result is that disorders of the eye (such as cataract, macular degeneration, and glaucoma) are the number one aging-related degenerative disease. Major and mini-strokes are common problem associated with circulatory deficit to the brain. The skin of all aged people show the effects of lack of nutrient-rich blood to the upper layers.

14. Oxidative stress.

Free radicals are unstable molecules that have been implicated in most diseases associated with aging. Antioxidants have become popular supplements to protect against free radical-induced cell damage, but few people take the proper combination of antioxidant supplements to adequately compensate for age-induced loss of endogenous antioxidants such as SOD and catalase.

Notice that oxidative stress is listed as number 14 on the above list of controllable factors that cause aging-related diseases. While suppressing the free radicals that cause oxidative stress protects against many disorders, there is clearly much more that can be done to stave off aging than merely taking antioxidant supplements.* Children can benefit by taking vitamin supplements, but it is the aging human whose body is depleted of the endogenous antioxidants, hormones, enzymatic repair systems, and other biological chemicals needed to sustain life. What is optional in childhood turns out to be mandatory as humans enter middle-age and become vulnerable to the plethora of degenerative diseases that await them if they do not adequately protect themselves.

The Life Extension Foundation has designed a scientific program to counteract the known biochemical processes proposed (by gerontologists) as primary causes of aging. The TOP TEN Most Important Steps for Achieving Ultimate Health provides recommendations to neutralize many of these known causes of premature aging. Based on the 14 known mechanisms of aging, it is ludicrous to look at a group of mostly ill study subjects taking unusual doses of vitamin A, vitamin E or beta-carotene and then expect to see a significant benefit. There are too many other nutrients and hormones that even healthy aging people need to extend their healthy lifespan. Fortunately, most Life Extension members are taking these nutrients and hormones in the proper doses. Read more about the epidemic deficiency of vitamin E.

Conclusion

In today’s Western world, a large percentage of the population fails to ingest optimal potencies of many essential nutrients. This negative report attacking supplements is fatally flawed because it:

-Omitted 91% of the studies that measured the effects of these vitamins on human subjects including all studies for which there was no mortality!
-Included studies that used doses far below or far above what health conscious people actually supplement with.
-Chose to bias the reporting of the results by emphasizing one type of statistical model that showed a significant effect rather than another statistical model that did not show a significant effect.
-Failed to account for the 14 mechanisms involved in aging and premature death. For example, it is absurd to think that taking 1,333 IU to 200,000 IU of vitamin A is going to have meaningful impact when there are more than one hundred individual components to a science-based death reduction program.

The final shocker is that this meta-analysis report attacking vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin E is not new. It was in fact published last year and drew a lot of criticism for the obvious flaws it contains. Perhaps the reason this story was quickly removed from media websites on the day it appeared is that the broadcasters realized they were not relaying “news”, but instead regurgitating anti-supplement propaganda.

Needless to say, even this brief exposure was a public relations score for pharmaceutical interests, as millions of people worldwide may be frightened away from supplements that could reduce their future need for expensive prescription drugs.