On TRAC with DrMark

I've moved

Symmetry has built a new blog site for me. You should soon be able to read the new site from our company home page (the way you may have come here) but until that gets connected; you can read the blog here: www.DrMarkNow.com 

8000 IUs of vitamin D daily necessary to raise blood levels of "miracle" anti-cancer nutrient, declares groundbreaking new research

The reign of censorship and suppression against vitamin D is now coming to an end. Even though the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and many institutions leading the cancer industry (including the ACS) have intentionally tried to downplay the ability of vitamin D to prevent cancer, a new study appearing in the journal Anticancer Research lays out the simple, powerful truth about vitamin D that we've been teaching at NaturalNews for years: A typical adults needs 4,000 - 8,000 IUs of vitamin D each day to prevent cancer, MS and type-1 diabetes, not the ridiculously low 400 - 800 IUs recommended by the U.S. government.

The new research was conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha. It is groundbreaking research because it establishes the relationship between vitamin D dosage and circulating vitamin D levels in the blood.

This is a first. It is crucial information for the health care revolution that will be necessary to save states and nations from total health care bankruptcy in the coming years. Vitamin D turns out to be one of the simplest, safest and most affordable ways to prevent degenerative disease and sharply reduce long-term health care costs.

Up to 8,000 IUs needed daily

"We found that daily intakes of vitamin D by adults in the range of 4,000 to 8,000 IU [international units] are needed to maintain blood levels of vitamin D metabolites in the range needed to reduce by about half the risk of several diseases -- breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes," said Dr. Cedric Garland. (http://health.ucsd.edu/news/2011/02...)

Dr. Garland is the professor of family and preventive medicine at the UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. He went on to say:

"I was surprised to find that the intakes required to maintain vitamin D status for disease prevention were so high -- much higher than the minimal intake of vitamin D of 400 IU/day that was needed to defeat rickets in the 20th century."

Study reveals 90% vitamin D deficiency rate across U.S. population

This particular study involved over 3,000 volunteers who were taking vitamin D supplements. Researchers drew blood samples from them in order to determine their levels of 25-vitamin D (the common form circulating in the blood).

The results were shocking even to the study authors, revealing that 90 percent of those studied were deficient in vitamin D, falling below the 40 - 60 ng/ml range now considered healthy. (Most nutritionally-aware experts in the natural health world recommend higher ranges of 60 - 70 ng/ml, actually.)

The U.S. government's Institute of Medicine has intentionally downplayed vitamin D recommendations, seemingly in an effort to keep boosting the profits of the cancer industry by denying any real benefit to vitamin D. The IOMs most recent recommendations seemed designed to actually cause vitamin D deficiency in the U.S. population (http://www.naturalnews.com/030598_v...).

The IOM has even gone out of its way to artificially lower the threshold of vitamin D deficiency by claiming that 20 ng/ml is a sufficient level. This magically transforms a "deficient" person into a "non-deficient" person by merely changing the definition. So a person with a level of 22 ng/ml, for example, is not considered "vitamin D deficient" by the established medical system, even though their vitamin D levels are so low that they may not be able to prevent cancer, MS or type-1 diabetes.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/031577_vitamin_D_scientific_research.html#ixzz1FXoALGkX

 

Grape Ingredient Resveratrol Stimulates 'Starvation Hormone' Adiponectin Production

Resveratrol, a compound in grapes, stimulates the expression of adiponectin, a hormone that modulates metabolic processes such as glucose regulation and fatty acid catabolism, according to a new study published this week.

Both adiponectin and resveratrol display anti-obesity, anti-insulin resistance and anti-aging properties.

The new study by researchers at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio is published in the Jan. 7 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

"Results from these studies should be of interest to those who are obese, diabetic and growing older," said senior author Feng Liu, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and member of the Barshop Institute of Longevity and Aging Studies at the Health Science Center.

"The findings should also provide important information on the development of novel therapeutic drugs for the treatment of these diseases."

The researchers confirmed the finding in cells and animal models.

Resveratrol displays antioxidant and other positive properties. It can activate the protein sirtuin in the human body, mimicking calorie reduction. Normally sirtuin is activated when energy level in a cell is low because of diet reduction. If sirtuins are activated longevity improves in mice, yeast and flies.

Adiponectin is a protein encoded by the ADIPOQ gene in humans. It is a hormone that modulates metabolic processes such as glucose regulation and fatty acid catabolism.

Adiponectin levels in the body are inversely correlated with body fat percentage in adults. When adiponectin levels are high, the body stores excess fat in adipocytes, or fat cells, to protect against possible starvation during lean times. These fat deposits lie primarily in the subcutaneous tissue.

As a person accumulates more fat, however, adiponectin levels decline. Once adiponectin levels start dropping, the body begins storing fat in dangerous places such as the heart, liver and muscle tissues – where it can cause inflammation and pave the way for heart disease. 

This article may be found at:

http://www.sawfnews.com/Health/66086.aspx 

 

Swine Flu and Vit D in the News

(NaturalNews) A swine flu pandemic is sweeping through
Britain despite the fact that 70 percent of Britain's over-65 population was
vaccinated against swine flu last year. This year, that number is nearly the
same -- 68.5% -- but flu vaccine proponents insist that until everyone is
vaccinated, the flu will continue to infect people.

What these vaccine
advocates absolutely will not admit, however, is how many of those who are
sick with the flu this year also got vaccinated last year. This little
detail is left out of every mainstream media report on vaccines and the flu. They
simply refuse to mention this all-important number, leaving readers to leap to
the incorrect conclusion that only those who were not vaccinated get sick
with the flu.

Most infected patients were previously
vaccinated

That assumption is false. In fact, of the 450 critical care beds
in England that are now occupied by flu patients, I have no doubt
that most of those infected patients are people who received flu vaccines in the
past.

Such statistics are never made
available to the public or the press, of course. To release such statistics
would expose the Great Lie of the vaccine industry: That flu
vaccines simply don't work on 99 percent of people!

In fact, the
people who are most susceptible to catching the flu are precisely the very same
people who get vaccinated. Why is that? Because vaccines weaken the immune system in the
long run, leaving you more vulnerable to future infections. They deny your
immune system the opportunity to practice its own adaptive response to invading
microorganisms or viruses,
thereby causing your immune system to atrophy in the same way that a
wheelchair-bound person will experience leg muscle atrophy.

The immune
system is a lot like a muscle: Use it or lose it!

But flu vaccines
provide weakened viruses to the immune system (along with other
preservative chemicals that can be extremely dangerous to neurological health).
It's sort of like working out your muscles at the gym but having
your trainer do all the heavy lifting for you. Obviously you're not going to
have very strong muscles in the end because your body won't need to invoke a very
strong adaptive response.

The same is true with vaccines and the flu: If
your body is exposed to weakened flu viruses year after year, it gets lazy and
weak, and when it one day comes into contact with a full-strength virus circulating in the wild,
it's not in good enough shape to handle the challenge.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread
in Britain

At the same
time this is going on, a person who is vitamin D deficient will also have
an alarmingly weak immune system response because vitamin D activates the immune
system to do its job. In people with extremely low vitamin D levels, even
vaccines containing weakened viruses won't solicit an antibody response. But
instead of testing patients for vitamin D
deficiency and prescribing that with the vaccine, conventional medical
doctors and contagious
disease authorities robotically urge everyone to just "get multiple vaccine
shots" as if following one failed vaccine with yet another failed vaccine will
somehow make them both work.

That's idiotic, of course. And the other
idiotic thing about all this is that if people had sufficient levels of
vitamin D circulating in their blood, they wouldn't need seasonal flu
vaccines in the first place! That's because a strong, healthy immune system with
lots of circulating vitamin D is universally effective at halting ALL seasonal
flu strains, with near 100% success in those with vitamin D levels between 50 -
70 (ng/dL).

The three main reasons behind Britain's flu pandemic

So the
real reason Britain is suffering a swine flu pandemic right
now is actually three-fold:

#1) It's winter in the Northern
Hemisphere, and Britain is so far north (of the equator) that the people living
there aren't currently generating any vitamin D whatsoever. This makes virtually
the entire British population ridiculously
vitamin D deficient throughout the winter.

#2) The majority of the
British population has been subjected to flu vaccines in previous years,
weakening their immune systems and making them more vulnerable to this
year's flu strains.

#3) The flu strain itself is so successful in the wild precisely because so many Britons walk around in chronic states of immune suppression (from vitamin D deficiency, chronic stress, poor dietary habits and so on). This creates a "viral breeding ground" which encourages more rapid virus mutations that make vaccines obsolete anyway.

The question you are not allowed to ask vaccine quacks

The
vaccine-pushing quack medical community believes that if they could magically
convince 100 percent of the people to get vaccinated, they would have this
problem licked. In their own minds, they have unscientifically convinced
themselves that a vaccine equals automatic and full protection against a flu virus.

And yet
even they won't dare ask this simple question: Of all the people sick from the
flu who are right now lying in Britain's hospital beds, what
percentage were vaccinated against the flu last year or this
year?

The answer to that question will expose the outright fraud of the vaccine industry
because the answer is a very large number. No one in the medical industry dares
ask that question, of course, because they realize that delving into the actual
re-infection rate of flu vaccine recipients
would expose their quackery and fraud, causing yet more people to lose faith in
vaccines which are, after all, sold based entirely on misplaced faith and clever
propaganda.

The
flu vaccine propaganda, of course, demands that people never be allowed to
collide with the scientific facts about how many people who are vaccinated
against the flu still catch the flu anyway. (The flu re-infection rate.)
That's why you will NEVER see an honest answer to this question released by
hospitals, vaccine companies or vaccine-pushing doctors.

Keep taking your
flu jabs, everybody. But don't ask whether they actually work, because that
question isn't allowed to be asked in the cult of medicine that dominates the
sick-care landscape around the world today.

We wouldn't want actual
science to interfere with a really profitable con job now, would we?

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030845_Britain_swine_flu.html#ixzz19KhFL9qA

Primary Antioxidants

Antioxidants help slow down the ‘rusting’ of the human body

By Dr C.S. FOO

AN apple turns brown or a nail gets rusty due to oxidation. The same process occurs within us. We do not change colour or become rusty, but the tell tale signs come later as “wear and tear” in ageing, poor health, or chronic diseases.

We often blame our genes for our maladies, but environmental factors and lifestyle choices account for as much as 70% for the apple inside us turning brown too fast, too soon.

If we smear some lemon juice on a cut half of an apple, the browning process is retarded as the lemon slows down the oxidation process, hence conferring an antioxidant effect to the apple.

As we are more complex than an apple, smearing ourselves with lemon just would not work!

Antioxidants were first applied in industrial use two centuries ago to protect materials such as rubber from degradation, and was later introduced to preserve certain foods and oils to extend shelf life.

It was only 60 years ago that its significance in human physiology was recognised.

But doctors were so busy battling diseases that, until recently, the protective role of antioxidants has not been fully appreciated.

To be honest, yours truly had no idea what they really were. My only knowledge of antioxidants was restricted to oranges and wine. I thought “free radicals” was a new political party!

We now know that they are the culprits in causing oxidation within us, and antioxidants neutralise them.

The word antioxidants conjures much excitement and sometimes emotions as there are many claims and counter claims. Earlier studies showed great promise on health, later ones disputed that, and on it goes like a yo-yo. The subject is extremely confusing and this discussion tries to put them into separate baskets for ease of mental digestion.

There is a plethora of antioxidants in our foods, chiefly found in fruits and vegetables: the more coloured and pigmented, the richer it is in antioxidant content.

Variety is the key to good health and the more the merrier. The American Cancer Society recommends at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day to prevent cancer. Trying to keep the doctor away by having an apple a day is a myth ... it is not enough! One can try five, and that still would not be enough.

To illustrate: the level of vitamin E known to effectively combat oxidative stress is 400IU. If one eats spinach only or has a girlfriend called Olive, the poor fellow has to consume 12.7kg of the vegetable to get the optimal level of vitamin E.

Apart from indigestion, Popeye probably has staghorn kidney stones, considering the amount of oxalates found in spinach.

Unlike Homo sapiens, antioxidants work in a synergistic fashion. Each is like an instrument in a philharmonic orchestra, playing the right note, at the right pitch and tempo, and supporting the other performers elegantly. The flawless symphony within is the key to anti-ageing and prevention of chronic diseases.

Some are water-soluble and work only in fluid compartments; some are fat-soluble, protecting the lipids in cell membranes. Some work outside the cells, and some only within.

The brain is a private club allowing entry only to members of valued standing. Among the select antioxidants that has an entry ticket is vitamin C and a family of powerful protectors known as OPC (oligomeric proanthocyanidins, found in grapeseed extract). Together they form a duet in quelling free radicals in the headquarters of our very existence.

As much has been unraveled about the role of antitoxidants, it is now no longer relegated to the cloakroom of science or the twilight zone of alternative medicine. It is only the naive or the incalcitrant mind that rejects its significance. We were already endowed with it when man first walked the earth, and he had the foresight to eat apples as an additional booster, as ancient script goes.

The dreaded free radical that brings forth harm is known as “superoxide”, an unstable oxygen molecule, resulting from churning up energy in the body. To render this harmless, our cells possess an antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase. Together with catalase and glutathione peroxidase, they complete the job of snuffing out the smoke, thereby preventing the free radicals from wantonly zapping our cells.

On top of this, our body also produces co-enzyme Q10, which is an in-house antioxidant in the power plant (mitochondria) within our cells. It recruits a helper in the form of alpha-lipoic acid to clean up the mess.

Did you know that uric acid is also an antioxidant? This is not a reason to gobble down pots of meat – bone tea (literal hokkien translation) in excess will cause a pretty painful joint, or worse, excruciating back pain with blood in the urine due to kidney stones.

The moral of the story: do not raise the level of the wrong antioxidant. Not all things natural are always good.

Primary antioxidants

Early research centred around vitamins A, C and E, which are collectively known as primary antioxidants. They are called essential nutrients because the human body cannot do without them. Since we cannot manufacture vitamins, they must be derived from the diet.

The plant form of vitamin A is called beta-carotene (a pro vitamin), found in carrots, papaya, berries, pumpkins, etc. The body converts this precursor to vitamin A as and when it is needed. However, too much intake will cause harmless discolouration of the palms. Both vitamins A and E are fat-soluble, thus preventing the oxidation of lipids within the cell membrane.

On the other hand, vitamin C is water-soluble and mops up the free radical burden from the blood.

Supporting antioxidants

Under this category are the “others”. They are not absolutely a must, but do a whole lot of good if they are available. The bioflavanoids, carotenoids, and polyphenols are essentially derived from plants and are collectively called phytonutrients. The number of compounds within these groups is mind boggling and only a few are highlighted for enlightenment.

> OPC (oligomeric proanthocyanidins), found in seeds of the red grape (commercially as grape seed extract), is a potent antioxidant, aiding in the ridding of free radicals both in the water and fat compartments of the body.

> Isoflavones derived from soy offers itself as a weak oestrogen, and relieves menopausal symptoms.

> Lycopene is found in tomatoes but enriched when pureed. It has been found to reduce the risk of bladder cancer.

> Lutein, found in dark green leafy vegetables, protect the eyes and slow down the onset and progression of a chronic eye disease (macular degeneration).

> Quercetin is derived from fruits, grains, and vegetables.

> Catechins found in tea is an excellent antioxidant.

The list is exhaustive and includes gingko biloba, zexanthine, hesperidin, etc.

> The quintet: Five good friends form an antioxidant network, namely vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione, alpha-lipoic acid, and finally CoQ10. They support each other by interactive regeneration. When vitamin C has done its job, instead of being discarded, it is reactivated by vitamin E. Gluthathione regenerates vitamin E. Alpha-lipoic acid recycles coenzyme Q10. Together, this five-piece quintet harmoniously delivers a masterpiece.

> The antioxidant minerals: These are not themselves antioxidants but help to replenish the endogenous antioxidant status. Selenium (found in shell-fish, eggs, chicken, garlic, etc) is needed to build up the level of glutatione. Manganese, copper, and zinc are trace minerals which help to boost up the level of superoxide dismutase.

Science is only beginning to unravel the many intricate mysteries within us, so there will necessarily be debates as illustrated by the many conflicting views that is beyond the scope of this discussion.

Suffice to point out that applying drug study models and expecting each antioxidant to work independently like a pharmacological agent in sick patients is illogical and often produces the contradictory results that we rant about. Antioxidants are not drugs and are part of the body’s defence and healing system. Until there is a full appraisal of this wondrous orchestra without leaving out a single instrument, we may never hear the true music.

We can view antioxidants in three concentric rings. Replenishing the inner circle of natural antioxidants takes centre stage, followed by the middle circle of primary antioxidants, and finally giving the outer circle (“the others” supporting antioxidants) its deserved attention.

Most people rave about a new discovery in “the others” category as the next magic bullet, and we have all seen quite a few of these. Incidentally, selenium created a wave of interest in 2002, following a study that revealed that men taking 200ug of the mineral a day seem to have lower incidence of prostate and colon cancer.

A sales representative tried to promote the supplement two years later and asked if I had heard about this study. I can remember the incredulous look on his face when I said “No”. I almost chased him out of my room. Thinking aloud then, I wondered how this guy had the guts to sell a nutritional supplement to a doctor.

Today, if I ever have the opportunity to meet him again, I would apologise and thank him. To many of my friends, I have this advice – do not let naivety and scepticism cheat you of good health.

Being both naive and sceptical, I paid the full fare for my folly. Fortunately, not too long ago, I heard the beautiful symphony of the antioxidants and I now share the notes with you. If our car needs anti-rust, so do we!

 

Glutathione

Glutathione is an anti-aging, anti-toxin, anti-disease amino acid which is critical to health which most people know little to nothing about.

 Pharmaceutical companies have done extensive study on this very natural supplement.  A synthetic prescribed drug is the goal.I checked PubMed and the National Library of Medicine, searching for N-acetyl cysteine which produces glutathione in our system.  I found hundreds of scientific studies showing benefit.  I found none demonstrating toxicity especially at 1200-1800 mg per day.

Glutathione is composed of three amino acids, namely glycine, glutamic acid and cysteine.  

It is extremely important and naturally occurs in our bodies.  Glutathione levels decrease as we age. There is a corresponding decline in our health and longevity as levels drop.  

Low glutathione levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease, cataracts, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, as well as aging in general. 

In our animal friends, researchers at Louisiana State University showed a clear and definite linkage to the levels of glutathione and the drop in inflammation which goes hand in hand with the healing of inflammatory bowel disease.This supplement is partly beneficial due to its ability to detox your body from harmful chemicals.  Even though we try very hard not to, we all breathe and ingest small amounts of harmful toxins every day.  While our bodies do a miraculous job of getting these nasties out of our systems, a toll is paid. This gets more critical as we age and or when we are in poor health.  

Many cancers are caused by environmental toxins which get into our drinking water or food supply, obviously often without our knowing.  Glutathione increases your ability to rid yourself of these. Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, and especially brussels sprouts, are good sources though you have to eat them regularly and have large servings.  Garlic, scallions, onions and shallots all make the glutathione in the broccoli (and family) work better in your system. 

This article found at:

http://www.lovelycitizen.com/story/1684723.html 

 

Organic food constitute similar nutrient content, despite high price

by Devarpita Pathak    

Organic food is produced under strict standards set by national government to promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity without using any new synthetic chemicals, and hence is know to be healthier than ordinary food. However, the new study revealed that there is little difference between the nutritional values and no evidence of extra health benefits.

An analysis is done by Danish researchers of the nutrient content of organic and conventionally grown food highlights that despite of the premium cost involved in the overall 

This comes from:

http://infocera.com/Organic_food_constitute_similar_nutrient_content,_despite_high_price:_Study_10682.htm

CHOLESTEROL CRAZE

Nowadays, it seems everyone is now concerned about their cholesterol level. This important and natural substance has now been made to seem like a villain. The drug companies have mounted extraordinary campaigns to coerce the public to let doctors to put them on their toxic and expensive cholesterol-lowering drugs for the rest of their lives. It is important you arm yourself with some important facts about cholesterol.

NATURAL SUBSTANCE

It is lipid substance found in every one of your 70 trillion cells and is essential to the body's structure and function. We could not exist without it and it is not your enemy.

High levels of cholesterol in the blood, especially a type called LDL cholesterol, have been considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in general and heart attacks in particular. However, recent research suggests a high cholesterol level in the blood is only a secondary risk factor. The elevation of other unhealthy substances in the blood like homocysteine and C-reactive protein are far better indicators of your risk of heart disease. Strangely, the ads never mention low levels of cholesterol are strong indicators of poor health and premature death. As always, it is maintaining the proper balance that is important.

THE BODY MAKES its CHOLESTEROL

Over 70 per cent of the cholesterol in your blood is manufactured in the body itself by the liver. Cutting back on high cholesterol foods is a good idea, but this by itself is not an effective way to reduce cholesterol. Cholesterol is so important, the body can easily make it from sugar and other high carbohydrate foods. Thus, someone on a totally cholesterol-free diet can still have an elevation of cholesterol in the blood. You do not have to eat fatty foods to have high cholesterol. A diet high in starch and sugar can elevate your cholesterol level.

Many of the processed 'low cholesterol foods' being advertised are so full of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and other carbohydrates that, as far as lowering your blood cholesterol is concerned, you are "swapping black dog for monkey" when you eat them. By the way, cholesterol is only found in foods from animal sources, as plants cannot make cholesterol. There is zero cholesterol in ackees, coconut oil and avocados.

BEWARE OF CHOLESTEROL- LOWERING DRUGS

Most cholesterol-lowering drugs, called statins, act primarily by interfering with the function of the liver (I call them liver toxins), and people on these medications are often required to do regular liver-function tests to detect signs of liver damage. Drinking alcohol also lowers cholesterol by damaging the liver, but no one would consider using it for that purpose.

Earlier this year, medical research published in the prestigious British Medical Journal documented how dangerous these statin drugs are. The researchers confirmed that statins increase patients' risk of cataracts, liver disease, kidney failure and a kind of muscle pain and weakness called myopathy. For every 10,000 women treated with the drugs, 23 would develop acute kidney failure, 39 would develop myopathy, 74 would develop liver damage and 309 would develop cataracts. Men suffered an even larger risk of myopathy, but similar risks for the other three conditions.

Drugs to lower cholesterol should, in my opinion, be considered as a last resort, and not prescribed as readily as they are now.

HEALThY WAYS TO LOWER CHOLESTEROL

Lifestyle modification plays a major role in normalising cholesterol levels, and should be the first and most important part of any programme for cholesterol control.

Diet: Diet is very important, but do not just focus on low-cholesterol foods, as is the fashion. A diet high in fibre and healthy plant protein, low in animal fats and simple carbohydrates (especially sugar and flour) is ideal.

Weight control: Correcting obesity, particularly losing fat from around the waist, is vital to lowering cholesterol.

Exercise: As little as 30 minutes of brisk walking, four times per week, assists in lowering cholesterol. It also benefits overall health in many other ways.

Stress management: Stress itself can elevate cholesterol levels as the body manufactures more cholesterol when stressed. Stress management techniques like relaxation exercises, meditation, yoga and tai chi are an important part of a holistic, health-care approach.

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

There is a natural substance called polycosanol made from the sugar cane plant and developed in Cuba. Research shows it does as good a job as the statins without their toxicity. It is marketed in Jamaica as Arteriomixol, a prescription item. The Cubans claim it may even improve your sex life.

Several other nutritional supplements and herbs are useful for lowering cholesterol. Not only are they safe but have many other health benefits as well.

The antioxidants - The vitamins A,C, E and selenium (the ACES) are key antioxidants. Cholesterol is really dangerous and unhealthy only when it is oxidised by molecules called free radicals. Antioxidants like vitamin E protect cholesterol from oxidisation. Herbal antioxidants like garlic, schizandra, rosemary, pycnogenol and ginger are also extremely useful.

Fish oils - These are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids which lower cholesterol. A dosage of upwards of 3 gm per day is recommended.

Soy and oats - These are foods high in soluble fibre which also lower cholesterol. The American Medical Association recommends 25gm of soy protein daily for heart health and cholesterol balance.

Green Tea: In addition to its many other health benefits daily consumption of several cups of green tea will lower cholesterol levels.

Niacin (vitamin B3) - In adequate dosages, niacin effectively lowers cholesterol. Use a form of niacin called niacinate to prevent flushing of the skin and have a holistic practitioner supervise the dosage.

CoenzymeQ10. As the statin drugs deplete the body of this essential nutrient, I recommend supplementing with CoQ10 especially if you have taken the statin drugs.

This article comes to us from:

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20101109/news/news4.html 

 

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium benzoate has received a great deal of negative attention in the past couple years, mostly from articles on the Internet - articles with limited, poor or no actual science at all.

Sodium benzoate is generally used as a preservative.  It is not bactericidal, only bacteriostatic.  This means that while it doesn't actually kill bacteria, it doesn't allow them to replicate to grow.  It also has fungistatic activity.  

Symmetry's products are tested for the presence of fugi and bacteria and are free of these and other contaminants.  However, most people introduce bacteria into the product when their hands touch the opening or they take a drink from the bottle.  (In truth there are more bacteria on your hands than your lips.)

Sodium benzoate is effective only in acidic conditions (pH< 3.6) making its use most prevalent in foods such as preserves, salad dressings (vinegar), carbonated drinks (carbonic acid), jams (citric acid), fruit juices (citric acid), pickles (vinegar), and Chinese food sauces (soy, mustard, and duck).  It is also found in alcohol-based mouthwash. 

The taste of sodium benzoate cannot be detected by around 25 percent of the population, but for those who can taste it; it tends to be perceived as sweet, salty, or sometimes bitter.

It is found naturally in cranberries, prunes, greengage plums, cinnamon, ripe cloves, and apples.  This means that you can use a completely organic form of sodium benzoate if derived from one of these fruits or herbs.  It is a natural, not man-made, chemical. 

Concentration as a preservative is limited by the FDA in the U.S.  to 0.1% by weight though organically-grown cranberries and prunes may contain levels exceeding this limit.  The International Programme on Chemical Safety found no adverse effects in humans at doses of 647-825 mg/kg of body weight per day.  

The guideline level set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for water is 10 parts per billion (ppb).  1 ppb is 1 part per billion, i.e.  1/1,000,000,000, which is equivalent to 1 microgram per kilogram (1ug/kg).

So, if you're adding sodium benzoate to fruit juice you can only use 0.01% but in bottled water it can be 10 parts per billion.

Professor Sir Colin Berry, Emeritus Professor of Pathology says: 

Benzene is ubiquitous in the environment and is found in "mid-Pacific-ocean air" at around 10ppt, in "background air" at around 2-10 ppb (USA data) and in the interior of a car will reach around 10-20ppb.  When you fill the car with petrol the air will contain around 0.1-1ppm.  Around 500ug of benzene is produced from an "average" cigarette and smokers have benzene in their breath. The problems recently (within the past two years) reported regarding the safety of sodium benzoate were found in products containing 10-20 times the upper limit. Some people quickly jump to the conclusion that if any amount might be bad, it should be banned completely.  I'm sure you're aware that much is written about the negative effects of salt in the diet; too much is blamed for high blood pressure and linked to heart disease.  Did you know that salt is also essential for health?  You must have some and in times of heavy exercise or high summer temps you want even more - some people, particularly athletes, taking salt tablets.Most things… diet, nutrition, life are this way, some things can be good, even essential to health but too much might be bad.

Small amounts of sodium benzoate are extremely beneficial as a preservative and in amounts 10 times what is legally used, it is still safe. Symmetry uses much less than what is generally used, only trace amounts.  This is all that is needed to protect the product while ensuring your health and safety.  

Symmetry, we're all about health and balance.

 

Senate bill 3767 seeks to put dietary supplement makers in prison for ten years (for telling the truth)

Beware of Senate bill 3767, the so-called Food Safety Accountability Act.
This dangerous legislation, if passed, would criminalize nutritional supplement
manufacturers who tell the truth about their products or link to
published scientific studies describing the biological benefits of their
products. Based on language in the bill, health proponents who sell supplements
could be criminalized and convicted to ten years in prison.

The
Life Extension Foundation recently published an important warning piece
about this, complete with some call to action items for which we need
your help.

Here's what was written by William Faloon and published at LEF
(http://www.lef.org/featured-article...). I agree with every
word written here and urge you to read this and take this message seriously,
then do your part to oppose this new legislative tyranny that seeks to
criminalize dietary supplement
manufacturers.

Congress Seeks to put Dietary Supplement Makers in Jail for Ten
Years!

by William Faloon, LEF.org

Pharmaceutical companies are once again
interfering with your ability to access information about dietary
supplements.

The Senate is debating a bill that will enable the FDA to put vitamin
supplement makers in jail for ten years if they cite findings from peer-reviewed
published scientific studies
on the label of their dietary supplements or their web site.

The pretext
for these draconian proposals is a bill titled the Food Safety Accountability
Act (S. 3767). The ostensible purpose of the bill is to punish anyone who
knowingly contaminates food
for sale. Since there are already strong laws to punish anyone who commits this
crime, this bill serves little purpose other than enriching pharmaceutical
interests.

The sinister scheme behind this bill is to exploit the
public's concern about food safety. Drug
companies want to convince your Senators that an overreaching law needs to be
enacted to grant the FDA powers to define "food contamination" any way it
chooses.

Even today, the FDA can proclaim a dietary supplement
as "misbranded" even if the best science in the world is used to describe its
biological effects in the body. The concern is that the FDA will use the term
"misbranded" in the same way it defines "adulterated" in order to jail dietary
supplement makers as if they were selling contaminated food.

The new bill
being debated in the Senate
increases the penalties the FDA can use to threaten supplement makers to ten
years in prison. The big issue here is that the FDA will use this as a hammer to
threaten and coerce small companies into signing crippling consent decrees that
will deny consumers access to truthful non-misleading information about natural approaches to protect
against age-related disease.

Please tell your two Senators to OPPOSE the
Food Safety Accountability Act (S. 3767). You can do this in a few minutes on
our convenient Legislative Action Center on our Web site. Click here to take action now.