Posts Tagged Burning smell & brain tumor

… on health

Fish oil and breast cancer risk

Inflammation and cancer development

Loss of smell

Sinus infections

Ways to increase HDL

Toenail fungus

Charlie horses

After workout food …

The study was done based on observational studies suggesting that plasma homocysteine concentrations are inversely related to cognitive function in elderly people: certain B-vitamins are needed to prevent the level of homocysteine from increasing, and high homocysteine has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and dementia.

This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial with 276 healthy participants, 65 years old or older, with plasma Homocysteine concentrations of at least 13 mcg/L.

The daily supplements the participants received were folate (1000mcg), B12 (500mcg), and B6 (10mg). Cognition tests were performed at baseline, after 1 year, and after 2 years. The decrease in Hcy during the treatment was significant, but there were no significant differences between the vitamin and placebo groups in the cognition tests.

Dr. Ray Hinish’s Comments:

These results do not surprise me. Observational research has shown clear correlations with high homocysteine and an increased risk of cognitive decline, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Homocysteine is certainly not the only cause of cognitive decline, however, it likely does speed the progression. This effect likely occurs from many years of chronically elevated homocysteine and its slow poisoning effect on the body. Lowering homocysteine is not likely to benefit someone’s brain significantly over a 1-2 year period, but likely plays more of a role over 10-20 years. This is why these results do not surprise me. My fear is that the press will get a hold of this research and publish more junk about how B vitamins and lowering homocsyteine has no benefit to the body. Don’t buy into this ignorant view! Homocysteine is likely one important factor in the progression and development of many diseases including heart disease and dementia. It is not the ONLY cause to these conditions. Keep homocysteine in a healthy 5-7 range and score one more point for optimal health.

What You Will Learn in This Section:

1. The Missing “Activity Secret” for a Raging Metabolism
2. A Special Tool That You Can Use to Keep Your Metabolsim Stoked All Day

Call me an optimist but I am going to assume that if you are considering yourself a seasoned practitioner of the wellness lifestyle, you already workout 4-5 times a week. In this section I am not going to waste time preaching to the choir about the benefits of activity and exercise. Instead, I am going to spend our brief time together teaching you an advanced technique that is designed to supercharge your metabolism all day long. If my assumption is correct then you exercise for 30-60 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week. During this 30-60 minute period, your metabolism elevates as the energy manufacturing engines get firing. What happens after your workout is complete? Well, depending on the intensity of the workout, the metabolism can be elevated for a few minutes or a few hours before it returns to normal. What if we could increase your metabolism all day long instead of just for two to three hours during and after your workout?

So let’s get into this amazing technique, it’s simplicity is going to blow you away! All you have to do to take advantage of this powerful technique is get up and do 2-3 minutes of oxygenating activity every 30-60 minutes or so. By getting up out of your chair and doing thirty jumping jacks, a few minutes of jogging in place, some push ups or chair squats you will boost your metabolism, activate fat burning enzymes, burn up sugar and keep those energy producing engines of your cells firing away. Here is the magical piece of the principle,your metabolism doesn’t immediately return to normal once the activity stops. It takes about 30 minutes for your metabolic engines to get the signal to back to baseline. At that point you kick them back up by doing 2-3 more minutes of activity. More magic happens, metabolism is the key to feeling energetic. By activating your metabolic pathways regularly throughout the day you will energize and oxygenate all of your tissues. The bottom line…you feel much better! You may also sleep better.

Now let me tell you about my greatest obstacle in putting this technique to use. When I first started practicing this technique I would find myself getting caught up in my work and forgetting to do my 3 minutes of movement. I was still much more active, but I was not utilizing this principle to its potential. So, I did some research and found a tool that is so simple and so ingenious that I wished that I had thought of it first. This product got me up and moving every 35 minutes on the dot! The product is called The Invisible Clock II. This tiny pager-sized timer can be set to have a repeatable countdown that either vibrates or beeps to alert you that it is time to move. I set the repeat timer and every 35 minutes it beeps or vibrates to remind me to spark my metabolism with 2-3 minutes of activity. I have felt more energetic and creative throughout the day, probably due to the increased circulation to the brain.

The PSA is a popular blood test that is notorious for providing shady results, sometimes missing the cancer and other times worrying men with results that signal prostate cancer even when there is none to be found. In this article we will discuss the various tests such as the PSA, biopsies, ultrasound, digital rectal exam and more. You will learn…
What are the symptoms of prostate cancer
What tests are used to screen for prostate cancer
Why the PSA test is useless in most men
A improved version of the PSA test
How to improve the accuracy of the PSA test
Why prostate biopsies can kill you
Why prostate cancer may not be something to fear
A combination of tests that may prevent the need for prostate biopsies

Prostate cancer typically occurs without symptoms, however, occasionally people will note symptoms such as:

Blood in the urine
Difficulty urinating
Pain or burning while urinating
Lower back pain or pain in the upper thighs
Weak urine flow

Many of these symptoms can occur for other reasons such as infection, prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) or benign prostate enlargement. For this reason, you should be assessed by a physician whenever you have any symptoms with the urinary tract. The likely is that these symptoms will turn out to be benign, however, it is best to be sure.

What tests are involved to diagnose prostate cancer?

The most common tests are the digital rectal exam and the standard PSA, which stands for prostate specific antigen. The digital rectal exams involves the doctor feeling the prostate for enlargement and abnormalities. The PSA is a blood test that is widely used to screen men for prostate cancer, unfortunately PSA can be elevated for many non-cancerous reasons and can cause unnecessary alarm and biopsy. A PSA is considered normal by the medical establishment as long as it stays below 4 dl/ml, however, some doctors prefer to see it below 2.5 dl/ml. PSA that are excessively elevated may signal more aggressive cancer.

To demonstrate how misleading the PSA can be, it is estimated that the standard PSA misses 82% of prostate cancers in men under the age of 60 and misses 65% of cancers in men over the age of 60. It has been noted that up to 1 in 6 men with a normal PSA actually have prostate cancer and in men who have a PSA score between 4 and 10 only 20-25 percent actually have cancer.

The PSA has an alarming rate of signaling prostate cancer in men without the disease. This can cause fear and panic in many healthy men. According to the research, the PSA test can signal cancer in 12 out of 15 men without cancer. This is an unacceptably high rate of false positives and it is very common for men who have an elevated PSA test to see those numbers drop to normal within a year. With this information it is a good idea to have PSA reassessed a couple months later before you subject yourself to biopsy.

To increase the accuracy of the PSA test, be sure to follow these guidelines:

Abstain from sex or ejaculation for at least 48 hours as ejaculation artificially elevates the PSA.
Make sure that you have the PSA test before the digital rectal exam as prostate manipulation increases PSA
Do not take part in physical activity, especially bike riding, for at least 48 hours before the test as this can artificially elevate PSA.
Stressed people are 3 times as likely to have an artificially elevated PSA than non –stressed men. So take part in some stress relieving activities.
Certain medications can artificially lower PSA. These medications are Proscar, Propecia and Avodart.
Saw Palmetto does not artificially loser PSA
The Bottom Line: The PSA is not an ideal tool for screening for prostate cancer. In fact, the doctor who attributed as being the father of the PSA test no longer recommends the PSA saying that the PSA is no longer a useful marker for detecting prostate cancer. In men who are 75 years and older the PSA question is more cut and dry as the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recently advised that men who are 75 years old or older no longer get the PSA test. Men in this age group are highly unlikely to die of prostate related problems The fact is, even if they did develop a prostate tumor they are likely to die of other causes well before the tumor would claim their life.

Other Tests for Prostate Cancer Screening

There are a number of other tests that may help to screen for prostate cancer, however, none of them are completely accurate and only a few are reasonably accurate.

Free PSA – PSA is a protein that exists in two forms in the blood, bound and unbound. Approximately 85% of the prostate specific antigen is bound to protein, the remaining 15% is free floating. The higher the amount of the free floating PSA, the lower your risk of cancer is. The main benefit of this test is the low number of false positives (men diagnosed with prostate cancer who do not have it).
Transrectal Ultrasound – This test can visualize prostate size and abnormalities in the shape of the prostate that may indicate prostate cancer.
Prostate Biopsies – Inaccurate and Possibly Dangerous

Biopsies are not a controversial matter in medicine…but they should be! First, it is important to note that most biopsies are performed because of an elevated PSA, one of the most inaccurate cancer screenings in the medical world. In fact, one study in 1500 men who underwent biopsies found only 10% actually had prostate cancer. Given the discomfort and subsequent risk of prostate inflammation or infection, perhaps we should reevaluate the standards for sending a man in for a prostate biopsy.

Okay, so you might argue that 165 men out of 1500 had cancer and now they can receive “life-saving” treatment. Not necessarily…you see, most prostate cancer is not going to result in death. In one study of men over the age of 70 who had passed from other causes not related to prostate cancer, over 80% had prostate cancer. The truth is most men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime and will not be bothered by it, they will live their lives ignorant to the fact that they have abnormal cells and will end up succumbing to something else.

Prostate biopsies can be dangerous because of the traumatic way in which the cell samples are taken. Remember, localized cancer is far less dangerous than metastasized cancer (cancer that has moved to other areas of the body). A biopsy involves taking numerous needle punches of the prostate tissue in hopes that a needle will catch some abnormal cells. It is fairly common that the luck of the draw misses the abnormal cells and results in a false negative result. If the doctor gets lucky and punctures an area with abnormal cells then you may run the risk of sending some of the abnormal cells into circulation where they can result in metastases.

According to one study, the best approach for prostate cancer screening is:

Digital Rectal Exam to feel for abnormal shape, nodules or size.
An ultrasound done rectally to visualize nodules or cancerous areas
PSA in relation to prostate size. If the prostate is enlarged, then PSA is not as good of a predictor and should not be used as a primary screening tool.
By following this procedure, it is estimated that we could avoid over 200,000 unnecessary biopsies annually.

Article Written by: Ray Hinish, Pharm.D.,CN,C.P.T.

For decades now Americans have been operating with the understanding that fats are bad and are to be avoided.  Those of us with high cholesterol, various heart conditions, or even just a family history of coronary artery disease are told to go on a “low fat” diet, avoiding all forms of fat if possible.  The first thing that we do if we desire to lose weight is to start avoiding fat in our diets.  Our grocery stores shelves are crowded with products that claim “no-fat” or “low-fat” on their labels.

Well, the truth is that there are good fats and there are bad fats.  There is no question that we have entirely too many fats (of the bad variety) in our diets.  The answer to our health needs is not to avoid fats completely, but to change the balance of the kinds of fats we consume in favor of the good fats.

Back in the 1950’s men, mostly in their forties and fifties, began having a new kind of heart attack… one that was caused by a blockage in the arteries around the heart.  Medical experts of the day realized that consuming too many saturated fats, mostly from meat in the diet, and not enough polyunsaturated fats were bad for the heart.  The food industry became awash in corn, safflower, peanut, sunflower and cottonseed oils.  These are all polyunsaturated, Omega-6 oils.

In the 1970’s it was discovered that consuming too many Omega-6 fats and not enough Omega-3 fats actually promotes all of the diseases that we have been trying to avoid… heart disease, allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, depression, obesity, etc.

Eskimos that live in Greenland are known to be remarkably free of heart disease, in spite of the fact that they have a lot of fat in their diets.  The reason is that the fats that they consume are from the fish and shellfish that comprise their diets, mostly of the Omega-3 variety.  In 1997 a study revealed that for the first time in their history, the Japanese people are beginning to show a rise in all of the same diseases mentioned earlier, and this coincides with a rise in Omega-6 fat consumption that goes with their newly “Westernized” diet.

And the truth be told, historically, until relatively recent times, before food and water was transported by truck or train, people always settled near a lake, river or stream, and always had a fresh supply of fish or seafood as a staple in the diet.  Also, studies have verified that wild game has high levels of Omega-3 fats while domestically raised animals, fed differently than what they would eat in the wild, provide almost no Omega-3 fats.

Additionally, other foods that naturally supply Omega-3 fats have fallen out of favor in our industrialized society.  Walnuts and butternuts, rich sources of Omega-3s, have been replaced with cashews and peanuts, virtually bereft of Omega-3s.  Up until World War II flaxseeds and the oil from flaxseeds, which provide more Omega-3s than almost any other edible seed, were highly valued, but have since been replaced by other oils that offer no Omega-3s.  Of all known green, leafy vegetables, purslane is the richest source of Omega-3s.  In other countries purslane is considered a food, either as a salad green or a cooked vegetable, but here it is considered a weed.

The fatty acids in the body, including the Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty varieties, are used for production of many different components… possibly the most important being the prostaglandins, hormone-like substances that help regulate many functions in the body, including what every cell in the body allows in and out of it. The key is that too much production of certain ones, ones that stem from the Omega-6s, are responsible for the eventual clogging of the arteries that leads to the heart attacks so prevalent in our society today.

Doctors today commonly recommend some sort of mechanism to keep blood thinner rather than thicker.  The mechanism-du-jour is to take a baby aspirin every day.  Thromboxane is a prostaglandin that initiates the clotting mechanism in the body which, or course, is needed to keep us from bleeding to death from a cut.  But too much thromboxane can be responsible for abnormal clotting, or the tendency for blood to be too thick.  And it is the Omega-6 fats that lead to thromboxane over-production and the Omega-3 fats that reverse that trend.  Some researchers feel that Omega-3 fats from fish may serve as an alternate to aspirin for reducing clotting and preventing heart disease without any side effects.  Thromboxane is also a potent constrictor of arteries, again, a necessary action if one is cut and bleeding.  But the over-production of thromboxane, from the over-consumption of Omega-6 fats, can lead to chronic constricting of the arteries in the body, which shows up as high blood pressure.  Increasing Omega-3 fat intake can help relax and stretch out these blood vessels, thus lowering blood pressure.

Studies have indicated that certain fats can affect cancerous tumor growth in different ways.   Generally, fats high in Omega-6 fatty acids actually encourage tumor growth while fats high in Omega-3 fatty acids can block tumor growth.  And, apparently, this fact can even be more important than overall nutritional status, as demonstrated by a study done in South Africa comparing colon cancer rates of people in a small fishing village and similar people in Cape Town, an urban city. Even though the people in the city consumed twice the amount of fruits and vegetables, supplying the nutrients that are known to help prevent colon cancer like fiber, calcium and antioxidants, they had six times the incidence of colon cancer. The difference was the amount of Omega-3 fatty acids that the villagers consumed because fish was a staple in their diets, which translated into 3 times the amount of Omega-3s and considerably less Omega-6s in their blood.

The Omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA is the most prevalent fat in the brain and in the retina of the eye.  Many countries throughout the world require that DHA be added to baby formulas, but not in the United States.  As a fetus is developing in a mother’s body, DHA is transferred to the baby through the placenta from the mother’s supplies.  If the mother’s diet consists of too many Omega-6’s and not enough Omega-3’s then the baby cannot get all of its needs and eventually ends up suffering in its ability to develop optimally.  The same is true once the baby is born and is nursed… Mom’s diet needs to have more Omega-3’s.  A recent study has proven that babies that are supplemented with the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA end up having higher intelligence scores than babies who do not.  The Omega-3 fats have also been shown to improve Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (A.D.H.D.) and Autism in children and depression and even schizophrenia in adults.

So the bottom line is that in the Standard American Diet (SAD) we get entirely too many Omega-6 fatty acids and not enough Omega-3 fatty acids.  The answer is not to just stop the Omega-6 consumption.  In fact, I would challenge you to try… practically every prepared food that we eat has the polyunsaturated fats that we would need to avoid.  The answer is to lower the amounts of Omega-6s andsubstitute them with the Omega-3s.  By all means, increasing consumption of cold Atlantic fish will help, but realize that much of the fish at the grocery store these days is actually farmed, not caught wild, and eats differently than in the big ocean. And, of course, as is the case with other domestically raised animals, these fish end up having higher Omega-6 and lower Omega-3 levels.

Ultimately, I come to the conclusion with my patients that they need to supplement with fish oil and/or flax oil products.  Fish oil products, sometimes known as MaxEPA or EPA/DHA, come in different strengths and quality.  The oil should come from cold Atlantic fish (not farmed).  The higher strength products come with 300mg EPA and 200mg DHA per capsule, and the lesser strength would be 180mg/120mg.  There are also enteric-coated fish oil capsules for those who taste fish all day long from a lack of proper digestion.  There is also a company that has a patented process of getting the DHA from algae (like the fish do) for people who prefer a vegetarian source.  Flax oil can be found in the liquid oil or in gelcaps.  The process of pressing the seeds is vital to the integrity of the oil.  Flax oil cannot be heated.  The idea of “cold-pressing” is sort of a misnomer… the result of friction is heat, so the “pressing” that happens needs to be carried out in a very controlled environment so the oil quality is not effected.  I also prefer to use the “high lignan” flax oil.  The liquid needs to be refrigerated and only carries a shelf life of 3 months. The capsules are good for a year, or so.

As pharmacists, we have a responsibility to know the products available and have them for our patients.  Lastly, I think it is always important to practice what we preach… take you essential fatty acids!

References:

Erasmus U. Fats the Heal, Fats that Kill. 2^nd ed. Burnaby BC Canada: Alive Books; 1993.

Ensminger AH, Ensminger ME, Konlande JE, Robson JRK. Foods and Nutrition Encyclopedia. 2^nd ed. Vol 2. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, Inc; 1994.

Murray MT, Pizzorno GE. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements. 2^nd ed.Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing; 1996.

Shils ME, Olson JA, Shike M, Ross AC. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease. 9^th ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams and Wilkens; 1999.

Years ago, researchers placed rats on a diet that was high in coconut oil. Soon the researchers noticed that the cholesterol levels were becoming elevated and by the study’s end, the rats had developed plaques in the arteries consistent with heart disease.

Soon, the media was reporting that saturated fat, found in coconut oil, was the cause of our heart disease epidemic. There was one problem, however; the study wasn’t about coconut oil…

What Happens to Rats Who Are Deficient in Essential Fatty Acids?

When the researchers set out to study the rats, their intention was to study what happens to rats that become deficient in essential fatty acids such as, omega-6 and omega-3 fats. To do this, the researchers had to use a fat that was devoid of omega-6 and omega-3 fats. The problem was, most fats that are totally devoid of essential fatty acids are hard to incorporate into rat chow.  In fact, the researchers couldn’t find a fat in nature that was totally devoid of essential fatty acids…so they manufactured one.

It Looks Like Coconut Oil & Tastes Like Coconut Oil, But…

Of all of the fats that the researchers evaluated for the study, coconut oil was closest to the ideal oil. Unfortunately, natural coconut oil contains a small quantity of essential fats, which the researchers had to remove in order to make sure the rats became totally depleted of EFAs. To achieve this, the researchers developed hydrogenated coconut oil, a coconut oil that is flooded with hydrogen in order to remove all EFAs. There was one problem…

Hydrogenation Produces Trans-fats!

During the course of the study, the researchers were setting up the perfect storm for heart disease to develop…They were inducing an essential fatty acid deficiency and simultaneously flooding the rat’s body with trans-fats, which are known to promote high cholesterol and heart disease!

Right Observation…Wrong Finding

The researchers concluded that essential fatty acid deficiency leads to high cholesterol and heart disease. The media concluded that eating coconut oil causes high cholesterol and heart disease…

They Were Both Wrong!

Well, they were both only partially right. Essential fatty acid deficiency probably does cause heart disease, but this study only proves that EFA deficiency along with supplementation with trans-fats causes heart disease. The media was also partially right, eating coconut oil does cause high cholesterol and heart disease, but only if it is hydrogenated coconut oil, full of trans-fats, in combination with an EFA deficient diet.

They rightly observed that feeding rats coconut oil led to heart disease, but they wrongly deduced that the coconut oil was to blame. In fact, it was the hydrogenation of coconut oil and the EFA deficiency that ultimately led to catastrophic problems.

Natural Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is Healthy!

In 1992, researchers performed a review of the published research on coconut oil. They concluded that unadulterated coconut oil did not cause elevated cholesterol nor did it cause an increased risk of heart disease (Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 30:165-171;1992.)

In 1994, researchers added natural, unadulterated coconut oil to the diets of men with normal cholesterol. By the study’s end, their cholesterol increased from 166.7 to 170.0 mg/dl, however, the bad cholesterol came down a little while the good cholesterol went up a little. By the study’s end, the men enjoyed a healthier cholesterol balance. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 59:841-846;1994.)

In 1991, researchers fed 83 men and women a diet that was comprised of 24% fat, of which 75% came from coconut oil. By the study’s end, the total cholesterol went up by 17%, however, the bad cholesterol came down while the good cholesterol increased by 21.4%!

This is a small sampling of the scientific evidence that proves coconut oil to be safe and healthy cooking oil.

Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil is the Healthiest of ALL Cooking Oil

In this video, I explain why coconut oil is the best cooking oil compared to canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, and corn oil.

Where to Get Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

There are many brands of extra-virgin coconut oil on the market. I personally use the Nutiva Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil in my cooking, which is available in our online store. Other brands include:

Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

Jarrow Formulas Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil

How to Choose a Good Coconut Oil

As I mentioned, there are many good brands of extra-virgin coconut oil on the market:

1. Only choose extra-virgin coconut oil – Extra-virgin means that you are getting unadulterated and unrefined coconut oil.
2. Organic is Not Essential – Because coconuts are not typically sprayed with pesticides, it is not essential that it be organic.
3. It should be a white-solid at room temperature – Pure extra-virgin coconut oil is a white, soft, solid at room temperature. It will turn to a clear liquid at temperatures slightly above room temperature.
4. It should be lightly aromatic – In other words, it should smell like a coconut
5. It should have a mild and pleasant flavor – It is from coconut, so it does have a bit of a coconut flavor to it. If it is not right for your recipe, then use extra-virgin olive oil as an alternative.

Extra-virgin coconut oil is a safe and healthy oil to use in cooking and you should enjoy this oil without fear of heart disease or high cholesterol. Due to its mild, coconut flavor, it may not be appropriate for all recipes. If coconut oil doesn’t work for your recipe, then turn to organic butter as a second option followed by extra-virgin olive oil.

Recently a government agency known as The Institute of Medicine weighed in on the topic of vitamin D. After convening a 14 member panel of researchers to analyze over 1,000 published studies on vitamin D, the IOM made the following recommendations:

• Infants should get no more than 400 IU of vitamin D daily
• Adults should limit intake to 600 IU of vitamin D per day
• Pregnant women should get 600 IU of vitamin D per day

What’s The Harm?

The New York Times, The Wallstreet Journal and other newspapers love controversy. They published headlines such as, “Can Too Much Vitamin D Be Hazardous to Your Health?” These articles suggested that more than the 600 IU of D may pose hazards even though the IOM themselves suggested that the safe upper limit of D is 4,000 IU (up from their previous 2,000 IU recommendation).

Many people confused the recommendation to take 600 IU as an indication that more was toxic. This is an inaccurate interpretation of the IOM recommendations. Remember, the 600 IU adult dose that was suggested is a recommended daily allowance, not a suggestion that higher doses may be toxic. In the IOM’s report, they suggest that a dose over 10,000 IU per day is toxic, even though they failed to provide proof of such toxicity.

What Harm?

According to the IOM, doses over 10,000 IU could cause damage to kidneys and other tissues, once again they came to this conclusion without providing reproducible proof of such side effects. It should be noted that the body will produce up to 10,000 IU of vitamin D from simple sun exposure, is the IOM suggesting that nature messed up?

I should point out that the IOM decided on its position regarding the safety of vitamin D based on the philosophy that because there is little evidence that higher doses of D are safe, we should assume it is toxic. Although I agree that we should exercise caution when taking high doses of anything, including vitamins, I feel that they should be more responsible with how they phrase such caution.

How Do We Know That It Is Safe?

First, let me point out that even the IOM, a notoriously conservative organization, suggests that doses up to 4,000 IU appear to be safe, meaning the research suggests that there is no toxicity at this dose. In other words, if you take up to 4,000 IU per day, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. The debate is whether or not doses above this 4,000 IU range are safe.

Personally, I typically do not recommend taking more than 4,000 IU per day unless we have blood tests that suggest that we need more. If, however, blood tests continue to be suboptimal on doses of D up to 4,000 IU, is the IOM suggesting that we not take more?

What Are We Missing?

Unfortunately, it appears that the IOM is not being forthcoming with all of the recommendations from the individual experts on the panel. In fact, some of the experts on the panel were staunch advocates for the safety and efficacy of higher dose vitamin D. Their reports, however, are being suppressed by the IOM. This means we can not read the recommendations of these experts, we are only provided access to the final paper of the IOM. The Vitamin D Council is in the process of filing, under the Freedom of Information Act, a lawsuit to have those reports made public. It makes you wonder what they are hiding.

What Should You Take Away from this Paper?

The purpose of today’s article was to defend the safety record of vitamin D, not to get into the mountains of research that support the use of vitamin D for the prevention of diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and brain dysfunction.

Based on this paper alone, we can establish the following:

1. Vitamin D is extremely safe up to doses of 4,000 IU per day
2. Vitamin D is probably safe up to doses of 10,000 IU, provided you are monitoring blood tests and keeping the blood levels within the optimal range of 50-80 ng/ml
3. 400 IU per day is likely a sufficient dose for infants
4. 600 IU is way too low for pregnant women and adults, even though the IOM suggests that it is sufficient
5. Blood testing is recommended to assure that you are within the optimal range.
6. The IOM provides no definitive evidence that higher doses of vitamin D are toxic; they are assuming toxicity based on a lack of evidence that doses higher than 4,000 IU per day are safe.

The Breakthrough Discovery

Back in the early nineteen sixties, a navy surgeon, by the name of Dr. Judah Folkman, happened upon a discovery that would revolutionize the way that we view cancer development in the human body. While testing the impact of preserved blood on fast growing tumor cells (a model used to mimic fast growing tissues of wounds) he noticed that cancer cells that would normally ravage the body of a living mouse, could only seem to grow to the size of the tip of a ball point pen in a Petri dish. He wondered why the same tumor cells didn’t replicate with the same level of aggression in a Petri dish as they did in a living creature. After all, he had taken great care to mimic the conditions of living tissue.

After dissecting the large tumors from the living creatures and comparing them to the tiny tumors from his Petri dish experiment, he noticed only one difference between the two tumors; the large tumors from the mice were filled with thousands of tiny networks of blood vessels while the tumor cells from the Petri dish experiment had no such blood supply. From this experiment, he hypothesized that the cancer cells could not develop into a large tumor mass unless and until it had developed a network of small blood vessels called capillaries to feed the cells.  This process of blood vessel development was named “angiogenesis”.  Said another way, if we could prevent cancer cells from developing a blood supply of their own, we could stop cancer growth in its tracks and even cause existing tumors to regress! Furthermore, if tumor cells could not develop a blood supply, they would not be able to metastasize.

Dr. Folkman’s hypothesis and experiment was met with ridicule and rejection from the medical community. In fact, after discussing with a colleague his worry that his research would get picked up and stolen by other researchers, his colleague replied, “You are totally protected against intellectual theft. Nobody will believe you!”

Dr. Folkman continued his experiments, and over the years, his hypothesis went on to be accepted.  His research led to the development of a new class of medication called anti-angiogenesis drugs. Since then, other anti-angiogenesis medications had come to market. Unfortunately, the clinical results were somewhat disappointing; some tumors responded quite well, while others responded partially or not at all.

William Li, founder of The Angiogenesis Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of anti-angiogenesis therapies and lifestyles, believes that the main reason that the medications are not living up to their potential is because we are getting to people too late in the game, after the cancer is fully developed and situated.  He believes that if we can use non-toxic tactics to prevent the small cluster of cancerous cells from forming a blood flow in the first place, we can prevent tumors from developing altogether. This would be what Dr. Folkman calls, “Cancer without disease”.

We All Have Cancer

It is a well-known fact that we all have these microscopic cancer cells throughout our bodies. In fact, research that looked at healthy men and women who had died in car accidents, discovered that 40% of women between the ages of 40-50 have these microscopic tumors within their breasts and 50% of men, between the ages of 50-60, have these micro-tumors in their prostates. It is even more disturbing that virtually 100% of men and women in their 70s have micro-tumors in their thyroid! The only thing preventing these people from developing the disease of cancer is the fact that the tumor cells had not developed a blood flow yet. The question is, “what can we do to prevent those harmless micro-tumors from ever developing a blood flow?” Dr. William Li believes that he has the answer…

Eat to Starve Cancer

The anti-angiogenesis medications, used to treat existing tumors, do not come without side effects. These side effects, although fewer than conventional chemotherapy, would make them inappropriate tools for preventing angiogenesis in micro-tumors. There is good news, however, researchers discovered that nature offers an abundance of natural compounds with potent anti-angiogenesis activity. Best of all, rather than blocking angiogenesis altogether, they normalize it. Disease begins when the growth of blood vessels occur unimpeded by the natural systems of checks and balances within the body. These natural anti-angiogenesis compounds appear to regulate and normalize the angiogenic balance within the body.

Angiogenesis is Essential to Health

Once we reach adulthood, it is generally accepted that blood vessels stop growing. There are three situations, however, that seem to defy this rule: menstruation, pregnancy and injury/wounds. During menstruation, pregnancy, and injury, the body produces protein chemicals that act as fertilizer for blood vessels; this stimulates the growth of new capillaries. When we injure ourselves, blood vessels grow beneath the scab to bring nutrients and oxygen to the damaged area in order to repair the damage. After the wound has healed, the body produces anti-angiogenesis compounds that stop the growth and prune back the blood vessels if needed. This process is tightly controlled; when angiogenesis is not well controlled, many diseases can arise.

Angiogenesis Gone Haywire

There are two ways that angiogenesis can become problematic; you can either have too few or too many blood vessels growing in a particular area of the body. In the case where there is too little angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Wounds that won’t heal
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Neuropathy
• Hair loss
• Erectile Dysfunction

In cases where there is too much angiogenesis, you see diseases such as:

• Cancer
• Blindness
• Psoriasis
• Endometriosis
• Obesity
• Rosacea
• Alzheimers

Cancer – The Ultimate Disease of Excess Angiogenesis

Although there are many diseases that can be connected to angiogenesis, abnormal blood vessel growth is a hallmark of all solid tumors. It is an accepted theory that one key to controlling cancer growth, especially metastatic and aggressive cancer, is to shut down the process of angiogenesis within the diseased tissue without affecting the healthy tissue.

Cancer’s Weakness

Generally speaking, blood vessels are stable and resilient tissues. Blood vessels found in tumors, however, appear to be built in a hurry. Their structure and architecture is disorganized and fragile, which makes them more susceptible to anti-angiogenesis therapies than normal tissues. This weakness may prove to be one of the greatest advantages that we have over this deadly foe.

Nature’s Advantage

When the scientists discovered the presence of proteins that promote angiogenesis, they realized that nature, with all of its systems of checks and balances, must also make proteins that inhibit angiogenesis. They first discovered these compounds in the urine of mice, which were resistant to cancer; they named this compound angiostatin. They then began to find compounds with similar activity in the foods that we eat, such as fruits, vegetables and tealeaves. Researchers have made great strides in defining which foods appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity. A non-exaustive list is provide below:

1. Green Tea
2. Strawberries
3. Blackberries
4. Blueberries
5. Raspberries
6. Oranges
7. Grapefruits
8. Lemons
9. Apples
10. Pineapples
11. Cherries
12. Red grapes
13. Red wine
14. Bok Choy
15. Soybean
16. Ginseng
17. Maitake
18. Licorice
19. Turmeric
20. Nutmeg
21. Artichoke
22. Lavender
23. Pumpkin
24. Sea Cucumber
25. Tuna
26. Parsley
27. Garlic
28. Tomato
29. Olive Oil
30. Grape Seed
31. Dark Chocolate

Of these foods, the ones that appear to have the most potent anti-angiogenesis activity include (in order of potency):

1. Soy extract
2. Artichoke
3. Parsley
4. Berries
5. Soy
6. Garlic
7. Red grapes
8. Brassica
9. Citrus
10. Lavender
11. Green tea
12. Glucosamine
13. Turmeric
14. Tea

(Lists taken from a lecture by Dr. Li during a TED conference)

Power Resides in the Synergy

According to Dictionary.com, “Synergy” is defined as “The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.” In a study on the anti-angiogenesis activity of tea, researchers tested the ability of three different types of tea to inhibit blood vessel growth. In this study, they determined that they all had anti-angiogenesis activity, however, of the three, Earl Grey appeared to be the most potent. The researchers then decided to combine the two weaker teas and test the anti-angiogenesis activity of the mixture. They discovered that the combination of the two weaker teas resulted in more inhibition of blood vessel growth than the stronger Earl Grey tea. According to Dr. Li, this shows the presence of what is called “Nutritional Synergy” meaning, smaller quantities of many different nutrients and phytochemicals is likely superior to high quantities of fewer nutrients.

Future of Anti-Angiogenesis Studies

Currently, there is mounting laboratory and animal research that is confirming the anti-angiogenesis activity of foods. Using a special test tube model of blood vessel growth, Dr. Li and his organization is working to map the anti-angiogenic activity of common fruits, vegetables, herbs and teas. The ultimate goal is to form a menu of foods that are likely to inhibit this key step in the growth of abnormal cells into metastatic tumor masses.

One study, published by Harvard Medical School, tested the effect of dietary lycopene (a red pigment found in foods such as tomatoes, berries, etc) on the risk of prostate cancer. They determined that men, who consumed the most lycopene-containing foods, enjoyed the lowest incidence of prostate cancer. The researchers then tested the tumor biopsies for the presence of blood vessels. They discovered that of the men who went on to develop prostate cancer, the more lycopene they consumed, the lower the density of blood vessels in the tumor. This finding suggests that even when lycopene fails to completely inhibit angiogenesis, is appears to slow the growth and potentially decrease the virility of the existing tumor mass.

Obviously, more research needs to be performed to confirm the legitimacy of the laboratory and animal findings. I believe that there is sufficient data, in combination with epidemiological research showing an inverse relationship between fruit/vegetable intake and cancer risk, to start to incorporate larger quantities of the foods, which have anti-angiogenesis activity.

Using These Findings

The rules are simple:

1. Consume many servings of vegetables, fruits, and spices
2. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables; choose them based on color and spectrum
3. Choose fruits that are lower on the glycemic index (lower sugar content)
4. Drink a variety of teas including: green tea, Earl Grey, jasmine and white tea.

Supplements for Prevention of Angiogenesis

Many people have been asking me about herbs and nutritional supplements that may give them a leg up on this issue. Although we do not have research on specific supplements, as they pertain to angiogenesis, I suspect that whole-food, freeze-dried extracts of fruits, vegetables and herbs will provide a spectrum of concentrated anti-angiogenesis compounds. I personally use a variety of whole food fruit, vegetable, mushroom and nutritional extracts for their broad benefits. This research has solidified these products as part of my long-term supplement plan. Below I list the supplements that I feel would provide the greatest anti-angiogenic activity; it should be noted that every one of these food-products offer multiple health benefits, in addition to being great means of protecting against angiogenesis:

1. Berry Greens by New Chapter – There are many whole food formulas on the market, I chose this formula because it is highly concentrated, has a good number of plants with certified anti-angiogenic activity, can be found in either capsules or powder and is readily available. I recommend 6 capsules per day or one tablespoon per day as a supplement to a healthy diet. If you get few fruits and vegetables in the diet, or you have a history or high risk of cancer, I would recommend doubling this dose.
2. PolyResveratrol-SR by Thorne Research – This formula combines resveratrol, pterostilbene, a highly absorbed curcumin, a highly absorbed green tea extract and quercetin. These compounds have anti-aging, anti-cancer and anti-angiogenic activity. The recommended dose is one capsule twice daily (although higher doses may be even more effective).
3. Vitamin D – Aside from vitamin Ds other anti-cancer qualities, it also appears to inhibit angiogenesis. Recommended doses are 2,000-4,000 iu per day.

Conclusion:

Normalizing angiogenesis within the body appears to be a critical step in the maintenance of healthy cells. After listening to a 20-minute lecture by Dr. William Li of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and researching the topic in depth, I am convinced that this may be one of the most important findings in medical history. I look forward to the results of Dr. Li’s research on the anti-angiogenesis activity of various foods and will continue to keep you updated as new research is published on the subject. 

Although most cases are women, we also come across men and seniors who are prone towards infection of the urinary tract or prostate. For the purposes of this article we will discuss infections of the lower urinary tract which occur in the urethra and the bladder. It should be noted that UTIs can become a chronic problem for many women resulting in a nearly constant need for antibiotics to keep the bacteria in check. There are a number of subgroups of women who are prone towards developing UTIs, these include:

1. Pregnant women –  UTIs are considered the most common infection in pregnant women and can place the fetus at risk of complication. Infections in pregnancy must be treated immediately in order to prevent such complications.
2. Women in college – Frequent sexual activity is certainly linked to risk of UTIs and a number of studies have found college-age women are at increased risk.
3. Women with extenuating circumstances – Such situations as neurogenic bladder, post-menopausal women with diabetes, poor health, vaginal dryness or previous UTI.

Why do UTI Infections Occur?

Guess what, every woman has a urinary tract infection! No urinary tract is sterile and that is a good thing. In a healthy urinary tract, a number of bacterial species act as its defenders. When the healthy bacteria are killed off then the tract is left defenseless and other, less friendly bacteria, can grow unchecked and a UTI occurs. The most common cause of UTIs in otherwise healthy women is E. Coli, a common bacteria found in the intestines, which has long appendages that attach to the bladder and urethral wall. There are a number of factors that can set the stage for bacterial infection of the urinary tract:

1. Exposure to spermicide which can kill the normal flora of the urinary tract
2. Chronic low-grade dehydration
3. Previous antibiotic use
4. Chronic stress
5. Poorly functioning immune system
6. A swing in urinary pH

A step by step approach to preventing urinary tract infections:

1. Keep well hydrated. Your first defense from infection is a regular flow of urine. If you urinate on a regular basis, any bacteria that may be trying to colonize in the urinary tract may not have an opportunity to attach to the wall of the urethra or bladder. Keeping well hydrated will also prevent the pH of the urine from becoming hospitable to the unwanted bacteria.
2. Add cranberry concentrate to your water. If you like sipping on something with a little flavor, try adding Cranberry Concentrate from Genesis Today to your water. This is a highly concentrated cranberry juice that is high in plant compounds that prevent adhesion of E. Coli to the lining of the urinary tract.
3. Take a probiotic daily. Probiotics are encapsulated bacteria that help to colonize the intestinal system and urinary tract. One such probiotic formula appears to be especially beneficial for those who suffer with chronic urinary tract infections. This formula is called YC-7 by Sedona labs and is taken 2 capsules daily for the first week and then one capsule daily thereafter for 6 weeks. After this 6 week period we can switch to a more broad spectrum product called iFlora for maintenance which is taken 1 capsule daily.
4. In situations where UTIs seem to occur after sexual intercourse, I would recommend taking a product that we will discuss in the following section, this product is a sugar called D-mannose. The recommended dose to prevent intercourse-induced UTIs is 1 teaspoon of D-Mannose mixed in water and taken orally after intercourse. Take another teaspoon of D-mannose 4-6 hours later. This can help to prevent a UTI from occurring.

When you have a UTI…

If you are reading this article then you likely either have a UTI or you are prone towards UTIs. For those who have not had a UTI, common symptoms include:

1. Frequent urge to urinate
2. Pain or burning sensation on urination
3. Bladder pain (even when not urinating)
4. Difficulty urinating

It is important to note that if the pain reaches the lower back or you have fever, nausea or vomiting it could indicate that the infection has moved into the kidney which is a much more serious situation. It is also important to note that children usually do not present with the same symptoms as adults. Often children can present with irritability, fever, lack of appetite and incontinence.

At the first sign of symptoms, it is important to begin right away to get the infection kicked before it has an opportunity to take hold. Follow the instruction below:

1. Mannose – Mannose is the active sugar found in cranberry, now that this compound is available, cranberry has become nearly obsolete as it pertains to dealing with an existing infection. Cranberry is still of great value for people who are looking to prevent infection, however, if an infection exists then we recommend the mannose. Mannose works by preventing the E. Coli bacteria from being able to hold on to the bladder and urethra wall. It is not uncommon for people to see significant improvements within the first 24 hours of taking the D-mannose powder. Take 2 scoops for the first dose, then take 1 scoop every 3 hours. Often times the symptoms begin to subside within hours. It is recommended and this alone is all that people need to take care of the infection.
2. Berberine – This is a plant chemical called a plant alkaloid that is present in many plants such as goldenseal, barberry and Oregon grape. This compound appears to prevent the bacteria from forming those long appendages that permit them to hold to the urethral and bladder wall. Berberine also appears to inhibit the first stage of bacterial development and has shown activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria, including the E.Coli. I recommend the Berbercaps by Thorne research: 1 capsule three times daily.
3. Potassium/Magnesium Citrate – The citrate helps to alkalinize the urine which can enhance the effect of other natural products such as berberine and mannose. In one study, sodium citrate improved symptoms of a UTI in 80% of the women in the study. The citrate salts can also protect from Candida infection in the urinary tract. Take potassium/magnesium citrate 2 capsules two to three times daily for 7 days.

It is important to note that in many situations with UTI infection, D-mannose is usually sufficient to correct the issue. I have given two other options that can be used in situations when you do not have access to mannose or you want to take an aggressive stance against the infection.