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holistic health and nutrition Resource Center News Holistic Presenters Holistic Health Editorials Classes and Physicians HOLISTIC HEALTH EDITORIALS Vaccine Mystery Ingredients- May 2007 In Dr. Bekas’ office he has a articles posted that include one on the ingredients of the flu vaccine. The ingredients listed included Ethylene Glycol (anti-freeze), Phenol, Formaldehyde, Aluminum, Thimersol (mercury), Neomycin and/or Streptomycin (antibiotics). This information was in an article from the Palmer Florida Tribune in Port Orange, published by Palmer College of Chiropractic. When you are getting a flu vaccine you are obviously getting more than you bargained for. Especially if you are allergic to any of the above items. Of the above items I have been treated for sensitivity to Phenols and Formaldehyde, both items that gave me a lot of problems, Especially Formaldehyde containing products that included new carpet, paint, glues, particle board, and perfumes. (Yes, it is in perfumes along with hundreds of other carcinogenic substances that the perfume manufactures hide from the public as proprietary formulas.) My allergy was so severe to formaldehyde that if I went into a new building or a store that sold carpet (or got around the wrong perfume) I would literally shut down. My throat would start to swell and feel restricted, my chest would become tight, my adrenals would say goodnight and I would enter a state of brain fog, loosing my peripheral vision. It was not pretty. Thanks to NAET(Nambudirpads Allergy Elimination Technique) I can now tolerate formaldehyde containing products, but don’t ask me to beg trouble and inject it into my body! It is interesting that the shots also include antibiotics. I wonder if the medical personnel administering the flu shots have to ask people if they are allergic to any antibiotics? The article included an excellent web site, www.vaccinetruth.org put together with research from Wendy Callahan. She shares her personal story of her sons problems with vaccines and resulting seizure disorder. She researched the ingredients and problems with vaccines while enrolled at her local Junior college getting a Medical Coding Certificate. She was required to write a paper on a disease for her "Principles of Disease" class and received permission to write about vaccines. She created a web site and posted information on the ingredients in children's vaccines. She goes in depth about why the ingredients are in the vaccines, how the body reacts to them and possible harmful effects. She include information from the CDC. The site is written for the layman to understand with links to more info. If you want to learn more about what the CDC has to say about vaccinations go to /www.cdc.gov/nip/publications/vis/ but don’t expect to see a complete ingredient list there. If you look up the influenza vaccine you will find information on the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. “In the event that you or your child has a serious reaction to a vaccine,a federal program has been created to help pay for the care of those who have been harmed. For details about the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program,call 1-800-338-2382or visit their website at www.hrsa.gov/vaccinecompensation.” (I bet qualifying for that is no easy feat. Especially after reading Wendy Callahan’s story!) Interestingly enough, I received a phone call from the CDC asking for me to participate ina survey about my child's vaccine history. I answered all the questions like the typical parent. Like a good mom trying to do the right thing, I had all of my kids vaccinated (Back in my pre-holistic medicine days. At the end of the interview I was allowed to give my two cents and nicely told the lady that if I had to do it all over again I would probably still give my kids vaccines (followed by homeopathy to detox them) but that I would not follow the schedule that the CDC recommends. It is to much, too soon, and thus too toxic. The babies get too many shots in a row and cumulatively the doses are too high for their systems. She was surprised at my commentary, but thanked me for being honest and said that it would be noted. This summer my family is traveling to South Africa and Zambia. The good news, there are no required vaccines. However there are recommended vaccines and quite a handful of nasty diseases including malaria that need to be taken into consideration. My body probably would not be very happy if I took vaccines with ingredients that I could potentially react to. My solution? I called my physician, Mojka Renaud of Holistic Options in Lake Mary. Mojka is a licensed Acupuncture Physician with a background in Nutrition. I asked her to make homeopathic remedies for me of the suggested items for vaccination and I am taking the remedies before I leave, during the trip and for a while after I return. (For info about Mojka and other practitioners and services at Holistic Options go to www.holisticoptionsinc.com.) This may not be the solution for everyone, but it was the only solution I could come up with for my situation. There is a lot of information on the web, some good, some scientific, some not so scientific. Part of being responsible for your health means educating yourself! Seasonal Allergies April 2007 The orange blossoms are in bloom and it is hay fever time for a large number of Central Floridians. Many of us have runny itchy noses and eyes, coughs etc. Most people blame their allergies on the orange blossoms because that is what they can smell. I was told by an allergist a long time ago that it usually is the pine that blooms at the same time. If you were to believe what you hear on the TV news, you would think that the only thing you can do is see an allergist and take medicines like antihistamines and nasal steroids. That is what I believed my choices to be 10 years ago. Now I have all kinds of tricks to help me feel better. One trick is homeopathic Histaminum Hydrochloricum. The medical doctor gives you antihistamine, a medication designed to stop your body from releasing histamine in response to an allergen. The homeopathic equivalent is to take histamine homeopathically. Homeopathy works on the concept of like cures like. So a small very diluted amount of histamine balances the over production of histamine by your body. I carry a Boiron 30c remedy in my purse for allergic reactions. If you know that you are allergic to trees or grass you can often find a remedy at the health food store specifically for trees, grass etc. I learned from Candace Booth ND, PhD to use a combination of Marshmallow (Althaea Officinalis) and Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-Graecum) for lung support. (She also teaches classes on herbals and covers allergy and sinus and does nutritional consults as well.) I also take a herbal supplement from Dr. Miller called Bi Yim Pian. It is from China and contains a mixture of 11 herbals. The ingredients include: Acupuncture also helps. Ask your Acupuncture physician for points that you can rub on your body to stop an allergic reaction. I use ones that I learned from NAET. NAET- also works well. I had Doctor Bryant treat me for trees a few years ago and the duration and severity of my allergies during this time of year are greatly reduced. There is still an unknown culprit pollinating out there that gets me for a few days. (Way better than a few months like it used to be!) I also carry Adrena Pan C from Global Enzymes or DSF from Nutri West. These products contain bovine adrenal and spleen and other ingredients to support your adrenals when they poop out. I have learned from experience that when I have an allergic reaction mine stop working effectively and I get very sleepy. Taking one of these supplements when I have a reaction helps my body to get over the reaction faster. I get DSF from Dr. Bekas and Adrena Pan C from Mojka Renaud. Talk to your practitioner about these to see if they would help you. Of course there are always our air conditioning units- and this is a good time to make sure your filters are clean! Other than that anything you can do to decrease inflammation in your body helps. I drink extra water and decaf tea, eat more raw fruits and vegies, and take extra digestive enzymes on an empty stomach to decrease inflammation. Sugar increases inflammation so I take it easy on the sweets. Milk and wheat/gluten products can increase mucus so I cut back on them during the season. There are many holistic practitioners who have even more solutions to remedy your allergy discomfort. Don’t be afraid to seek them out. Most are more than willing to answer your questions and teach you about better ways to take care of your body. Autism -New Stats March 2007 Editorial New statistics out -About one in 150 American children has autism. These new figures based on 2002 data from 14 states, are higher than previously reported. Now here is the scary part. I went to Wikipedia.com and read information and descriptions of the various PDD (Pervasive Developmental Disorders) that Autism is part of . I was surprised to reflect back and realize how many children I have been in contact with who fit these categories. I also realized that I know a few adults who also would qualify as Aspergers, another PDD. If it is 1 in 150 children, I must know a lot of children because I can think of 6 right off the top of my head who fit the criteria. February 2007 Editorial Health Fair News IJanuary’s Health Fair was excellent. At 2 PM when it was time to wrap up we had a full house! I want to thank all of our presenters for offering their time and talent. For those who missed here is who spoke and info. Carol Watson RN, ND spoke on Nutrition and brought her famous visual aides. She had with her 3 year old Mc Donalds Fries and a quarter pounder. They looked edible, no mold or discoloration. Really scary! Her talk was excellent- bottom line eat your raw fruits and Vegies every day! For those interested she is offering a Healthy Happy Kids Program (in conjunction with Juice Plus Products) at her house in March. Call by Feb 26th for info 352-742-4520. Fitness Trainer Candace Booth ND, PhD spoke on the Healing Power of Herbals. She has a huge base of knowledge with the use of Herbals and offers classes and counseling. Herbals can have side effects and interact with drugs. Learning as much as you can and having access to an expert is worth your time. She is going to be part of a panel on holistic therapies for kids with ADD and ADHD for educators. If you want more info call her at 352-735-2966. Dr. Gail Dudley DO shared her knowledge and background on Yoga for medical conditions. As an Osteopathic Physician she can help people recover from injuries with simple yoga postures. She has a medical practice in Umatilla. She can be reached at 352-483-3180 for info on Yoga. Her office is 352-669-3161 for medical appointments. Jean Hoagland, a board member from the National Center for Homeopathy spoke on Homeopathy and class offerings in Mount Dora. Their study group meets the 4th Tuesday at 7:30 in Mount Dora, call 407-616-6454 or email homeopathylake@yahoo.com to get more info. They have lists of practitioners in the Central Florida area. Urana Uriel LMT, CT, FS spoke on Colonics. She shared information on proper bowel care and nutrition. More than one bowel movement a day is healthy- how many are you having? She described how colon Irrigation is done and what it does to help your overall health. (Ad below!) Rev. Debbie Adams LMHC shared her wisdom and stories of Emotional Freedom Technique. She has classes at the center this month- Tuesdays 10-12n. and also does counseling. (407) 463-9682. Dr. Miller AP scooted in an shared some ear needles with attendees. She has hours at the center and offers Ear Acupuncture. See her info on page 6. 407-810-WELL. Bev Tisdell and Tom LaVenia brought healthy coffee with mushrooms for immune boosting in it to share. Bev teaches Feng Shui and has been very involved in the Leesburg Saturday Farmers Market. 352-323-0021 Jackie Spencer and Debbie McGinnis spoke on the EPFX-scio. It is one really neat machine. It uses “biofeedback” to read your bodies energy signals and share back info on what is happening in your body. Contact info on page 5. Dr. John Bekas DC, LMT entertained us with his Cold Laser Demo. Using Applied Kinesology he showed how the Laser can rebalance and re-establish connections in the body. (352) 323-8951 -Andrea Purdon is the Editor of the Soul-ution Newsletter! January 2007 Editorial Good News for Gum Chewers I love chewing gum. I usually chew when I drive, a great time to chew since we know know that chewing gum helps you concentrate. After I eat I often want something sweet so I often pop in a piece to prevent me from eating food I don’t need. Another thing I have observed is that it seems to help my digestion. Now I have science behind my belief. At Digestive Disease Week, May 17-22, 2003 in Orlando, Researcher Rebecca Moazzez, of Kings College in London, UK, and colleagues shared the results of a study that showed that chewing gum for 30 minutes after a potentially troublesome fatty meal can reduce acid exposure in the esophagus and help reduce heartburn symptoms. (It would have been nice for me to tell you this before the holidays...) Gum is often peppermint flavor with adds to it digestive enhancing qualities. Peppermint is a hybrid of spearmint and water mint from England around the beginning of the eighteenth century. From www.bodyandfitness.com/Information/Herbal/Research/peppermint.html. Peppermint has been used “as a digestive remedy to treat heartburn, diarrhea, flatulence, and intestinal cramps. Peppermint leaf tea has become a popular treatment for nausea and vomiting due to morning sickness. The tea has also become a traditional remedy to relieve the discomforts of menstruation, to alleviate respiratory infections, and to promote liver and gallbladder function.” “Peppermint preparations can also help to prevent or treat: loss of appetite, irritable bowel syndrome, gum disease, tension headache. The main therapeutic components of the plant are various flavonoids and the essential oil. Approximately fifty percent of the essential oil is menthol, a medicinally active alcohol. Applied to the skin, menthol dilates blood vessels and thus has a cooling effect. (Menthol has a similar cooling effect when it is taken into the mouth with air.) Studies have found that menthol has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory actions.” When I chew gum I chew “health food” gum from the health food store. My current favorite brand is Spry gum that is sweetened with Xylitol, a natural antibacterial. Its contents are Xylitol, gum base, natural flavors (peppermint oil), vegetable glycerin, gum arabic, soy lecithin and beeswax. Relatively clean ingredient-wise when compared to the Eclipse ingredients of Maltitol, sorbitol, gum base, acacia, mannitol, glycerol, natural and artificial flavors; less than 2% of: soy lecithin, aspartame, color (titanium dioxide), acesulfame K (Phenylalanine) , carnaba wax, BHT. Spry Gum (and toothpaste) is available at our local Health Basket and at Whole Foods in Orlando. December 2006 Editorial Choose Who to Call in an Emergency Fear Not What to do from a Holistic Medicine standpoint if you have anxiety problems? Consider seeing a therapist to uncover the root cause of your underlying fears. Eliminate caffeine, sugars and any substances/foods that could make you oversensitive. Try Rescue Remedy, a Bach Flower Remedy mix from the health food store (Victoria has a mix available at the center) or see a Holistic practitioner about L-tryptophan sublingual spray. Hypnosis with a licensed practitioner would be helpful. For those of you who do Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) you could try tapping for being afraid of being afraid or for being afraid of the physical sensations of being afraid. November 2006 Editorial Soy What? In this months Nutrition Action Healthletter by the not for profit Center for Science in the Public Interest, (www.cspinet.org) a collection of current studies on Soy were reviewed. I will attempt to nutshell them, but if you are interested in soy I encourage you to resource CSPI. Soy and Heart Disease- the original FDA health claim “diets low in saturated fat and cholesterol that include 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease” that was sponsored by the Dupont-owned soy processing company Solas may not be totally accurate. The study was the pooled results of 38 clinical trials that only looked at people with very high cholesterol levels over 256. Unfortunately it was later found that it had little impact on cholesterol levels for those with lower levels. Soy and Breast Cancer- Asian women have lower rates of breast cancer than non-Asian and soy is a diet staple for them. Studies on Western women show that those with higher soy intake have a 15% lower risk. However, the amount of Soy varies with each study and how much or how little to eat for benefit was difficult to ascertain. Soy and Menopause-Once again the only studies they had were small and the results were inconsistent. For the most part women who were given daily isoflavone pills for 3-6 months had one less hot flash a day. Interestingly they used pills instead of having the participants ingest soy in its natural form. Who knows if the pills included all of the important ingredients of soy. The article also reported a large study underway at Baylor where they were giving the women a soy product that was missing genistein, one of soys two major isoflavones. (The study is technically flawed before it is finished.) Bottom line- the experts recommend no more than 50-70 milligrams a day of isoflavones. 1-2 8oz cups of soy milk or 6-9 oz of tofu. My anecdotal experience- my two cups of soy a day greatly reduce night sweats. (See update below.) When I go without for several days I am miserable! My opinion- we need to look at the total Asian diet. In China we ate large amounts of vegies, few to no sweets (they served watermelon for dessert) and little meat. Trying to isolate soy out of a diet and make it a miracle food is silly and when results don’t happen in studies where it is taken in a Western diet in a pill form, labeling it “not healthy or not effective” is dumb. P.S. I did some more reading on soy at www.mercola.com- Dr. Mercola's site. I may have to use more progesterone cream... He had pretty negative info about soy and was only favorable toward small amounts of fermented soy products and some edame (soy beans). For those of us with low Thryoid, no soy or gluten. FDA Conflict of Interest In the news this week-Ex-FDA Chief Lester Crawford Pleads Guilty in Stock Disclosure Case. And what does that have to do with your health? Mr. Crawford falsely reported that he did not have stocks in food, beverage and medical device companies he was in charge of regulating. He had shares in Pepsico Inc., Sysco Corp., Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc, all considered "significantly regulated" by the FDA. Oops. (And we know how nutritious those Pepsi products are...) I seriously doubt anyone will take the time to see if decisions he made while in office benefited those companies. So where do former heads of the FDA go when they look for new employment? He currently works for Policy Directions Inc., a Washington lobbying firm while awaiting sentencing of potentially a year or two in jail. The good news, he accepted full responsibility for his actions and publically apologised. October 2006 Editorial Baby Knows Breast A few weeks ago there was hoopla over Babytalk Magazines cover picture of a nursing baby. Of a poll of 4,000 readers, one quarter had a negative response to the cover. Is this pitiful or what? The cover itself was actually tastefully done with a side view of the breast showing predominately an adorable baby looking up at mom. The magazine is free and is read mostly by mothers with babies, yet many were upset at what they believe was unwholesome, sexual and inappropriate. More scary than this, a 2004 survey by the American Dietetic Association showed that only 43% of respondants said women should have the right to breast-feed in public places. Call me funny but aren’t we anatomically designed to breast feed our young? I could swear that is what I learned in Anatomy and Physiology in college. (If you want to step away from the “scientific”, God made us this way for crying out loud!) Breastfeeding a baby is not a sexual act in any way shape or form. (If you think it is-YOU have serious issues!) It is a way to give your baby the only superior food source on the planet designed to perfectly meet babies nutritional needs. Unlike formula that spoils, is pulled from the shelf if the vitamin C content is reduced (happened last week!), is missing immune factors and nutrients, has to be heated killing valuable enzymes, and has to be served in sterilized containers that waste resources and pollute the planet, breast milk is superior all the way around and the baby gets 10 extra IQ points over bottle feed babies to boot! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be breastfed for at least six to 12 months and as long there after as mom and baby desire. According to the FDA web site (www.fda.gov/fdac/features/895_brstfeed.html) “Human milk contains at least 100 ingredients not found in formula. No babies are allergic to their mother's milk.” When I was in Scottland we visited a museum and passes a small Le Leche League sign that indicated that breastfeeding was welcome there. Sadly for me, it reinforced that there are many places it is not welcome. The good news is that we live in a breast feeding supportive state. From the Le Leche League web site, “Florida led the nation by enacting the first comprehensive breastfeeding legislation in the United States. The legislation not only exempted breastfeeding from criminal statutes, but created a new law that stated this important and basic act of nurture must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health. Finally, it provides for a breast-feeding encouragement policy for facilities providing maternity services and newborn infant care.” The Law states “The breast feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which must be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health and family values. A mother may breast feed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether or not the nipple of the mother's breast is covered during or incidental to the breast feeding.” No more hiding in the dirty public restrooms! (I actually was standing up breastfeeding by the sinks in the Olive Garden Restaurant some 14 1/2 years ago and had a lady have the nerve to tell me my breastfeeding in the bathroom made her “uncomfortable.” Pleeze...) With what we know now about the nutritional superiority and the lesser incidence of illness and infection in breastfeed children there is no excuse to not breastfeed in this day and age. Why are we not teaching this in middle and high school to future parents? It is natural, normal, and healthy- period. Wouldn’t it be interesting if several generations down the road it was considered child neglect to not breast feed your baby? Even if you were discouraged from or unsupported in breastfeeding your children, it is not too late to encourage your children to breastfeed your grandchildren. Le Leche League International has a great web site with information and local resources for new mothers. Go to www.lelecheleague.org to learn more about how to improve the health of future generations of children. -Andrea Purdon is the Editor of the Soul-ution Newsletter and a “Lactivist”!! September 2006 Editorial Raw Milk I have a girl friend who is raising organic cows for raw milk. She has been sharing with me information about Raw milk and encouraged me to research it. The State of Florida does not allow the sale of raw milk for human consumption. It is only allowed for pet food. However what you do with your raw milk in the privacy of your own home... Dr. Mercola is an advocate of Raw milk consumption, so I headed to his web site for information. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, Raw milk has always been for sale in California (except for briefly in 1990). Millions of people have consumed it without evidence of harm whereas people have experienced illness and even death from pasteurized milk. So what is the difference? Raw milk naturally contains the healthy bacteria (that we try to get by eating yogurt that has it added back in after pasteurization). It has naturally occurring beneficial bacteria such as lactobacillus, acidolphilus, vitamins, enzymes and easily digested calcium. Heating milk to 145-150 degrees F. kills not only any unhealthy bacteria, but also the healthy bacteria and enzymes. It “destroys enzymes, diminishes vitamins, denatures fragile milk proteins, destroys vitamin B12 and B6, kills beneficial bacteria and promotes pathogens.” Raw milk left at room temperature will sour naturally (become yogurt!) but pasteurized milk will rot. The beneficial bacteria naturally keeps the bad bacteria in check. Pasteurization turns milk sugar called lactose, into beta-lactose which is more soluble and more rapidly absorbed into the system “with the result that the child soon becomes hungry again.” (Sounds like it affects the blood sugar level similarly to eating sugar as opposed to a complex carbohydrate.) Pasteurization makes insoluble the major part of the calcium in raw milk, so it is not as good a source of calcium in the diet. Pasteurization destroys 20% of the iodine present in milk. Pasteurized cow milk is the number one allergic food in our country, associated with diarrhea, cramps, bloating, gas, anemia, rashes, colic, osteoporosis, tooth decay, arthritis, heart disease, (the list goes on on Mercolas web site!). Raw milk is highly digestible and usually tolerated by people with milk allergies. It is not associated with the above problems. There is more info available on the web at www.mercola.com and at www.realmilk.com as well as info on how to find it locally. Information is also on these websites about how to be a “raw” activist. I have acquired some raw milk for my “pets” and have tasted it. It is night and day different from pasteurized milk. I live on 22 acres- ten years ago when the kids were little I would have gotten a cow, knowing what I know now! If you want to learn more, we will have more info about raw milk at our health fair on the 23rd. July/August 2006 Editorial Does Your Body Like What You Are Drinking? I am a fan of Nutrition Action Heath Letter put out by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. They are a thorn in the side of the FDA, the Fast Food Industry, the Processed Food Industry and even the Drug Companies. They are a publically funded non-profit and publish a monthly 16 page newsletter. You can track them down at www.cspinet.org Currently we are drinking about 6 servings of water, 2 of coffee or tea, 1/2 milk or soy, 2 of 100% fruit juices, sports drinks, alcoholic beverages, and whole or 2% milk, 2 1/2 of Soft drinks or fruit drinks, for a total of 14 cups and 465 calories. That is 465 calories of mostly non-nutritive, sugar laden liquid out of 2,200 or so calories in an average diet a day. The panel recommends 2-6 glasses of water, 0-5 glasses of unsweet tea or coffee, 0-2 non-fat milk or soy, 0-4 diet drinks, 0-1 100% fruit juice, sports drinks or alcoholic beverages, 0-1 soft drinks, fruit drinks for a total of 12 cups of liquid with 200-300 calories. The panel considered a teaspoon or so of sugar in a cup of coffee of tea as still falling in the unsweet category. (A teaspoon has 16 calories.) When you consider that sodas and fruit drinks can have 16 tsp of sugar, that makes some sense. (Incidentally, the study was unwritten by Unilever, the owner of Lipton tea.....fortunately we know that tea is good for you!) The panel felt that caffeine was ok as long as you don’t exceed 400-500mg per day. After that amount it negatively affects a persons performance and mood. They recommended not exceeding four cups of unsweet coffee or eight cups of unsweet tea. Not a water drinker but you know you need to cut back on empty soda or juice drink calories? Try some lemon in your water. If you need to sweeten it, try the herbal sweetener stevia or xylitol. If I gave my kids juice when they were little, I diluted it with water and only gave them 100% juice. (I breast fed my kids for several years and they did not get juice in bottles.) You can wean juice drinkers over time starting with 3/4 juice and 1/4 water and working down to 1/4 juice and 3/4 water. If you don’t drink enough liquids because it makes you burp or your stomach feel distended, you may be swallowing air. Try drinking with a straw. I also find that I will down liquids when I am in the car, so I try to always take a large “bucket” of lemon water or setvia sweetened decaf tea with me when I head out the door. Remember, when you are dehydrated, you will feel sleepy and sluggish and if you are hungry and trying to loose weight, try a glass of water first! -Andrea Purdon is the Editor of the Soul-ution Newsletter June 2006 Editorial Spider Bites I’m going to share my first hand adventure with a recent spider bite, what I learned and what I did wrong that may have ultimately turned out right. A week ago Sunday I was preparing to kayak with my husband. When I put on my PFD I felt a bite or sting on the back of my upper arm. I was relieved that it wasn’t a bee and figured it was a spider or ant. We we moving kayaks to the lake and I quickly forgot it. While paddling I was having trouble with my PFD- it was too big and made for water skiing. It rode up under my armpit and rubbed a raw place on the back of my arm. When I went inside I looked for a bite but all I could see was an abrasion from the PFD so I put calendula on it and ignored it. The next day it was still stinging and still looked like an abrasion so I put more calendula on it. By Tuesday it was itching like crazy and in the late afternoon when I stopped to check it I realized my arm was swollen from my elbow to armpit and I definitely had a bite. I went to my homeopathy kit and took a remedy for stings, ( Apis) and one for swelling. When I got ready for bed I made a clay poultice and covered it with a bandage. After getting in bed, I decided that I really should get back up and take some immune boosters and look up spider bites on the internet. I took 6 mushroom supplements and 3 tablespoons full of Zambu Guard (Elderberry, Echinacea and Vit C). I got on the internet and read what I could find in multiple sites about spider bites. I was at this point mostly concerned that I could have a recluse spider bite. I googled “recluse spider bite.” I had some of the symptoms- pain (stinging in my case) for 2 days, severe itching, fever, myalgia, but I was (fortunately) missing the big symptom, a bite wound that ulcerates. They gave some tips on what to do but by this time I had already broken the rules. I hadn’t iced it, in fact I had had several HOT baths. I hadn’t elevated it or kept it from moving, instead I had paddled the kayak and lifted weights Monday. Oops! Then I freaked myself out. While sitting in front of the computer I looked down to see if I had swelling in my fingers. (They felt funny.) I realized that my bite arm was discolored, a mottled gray. I freaked out and jumped out of the chair to get into better light. The mottling still remained. At this point I was mentally headed for the ER. I held my hands up close to my eyes and suddenly I could see all the veins in the fingers of both hands. Then the vision shifted and both hands were normal. I realized at that point that I was seeing my arms and hands energetically. For a second I was relieved, then I realized that my arm looked like that energetically and it still was not a good thing!! The treatment for recluse spider bites medically is to ice it, not use the limb, antibiotics for infection and steroids (internal) to treat the ulcer. The only holistic treatment I found was what I had already done, pack it in clay. The good news, by the next morning the worst of the swelling was down and I had an appointment with Dr. Bekas who used his cold laser, a NAET type treatment for stinging insects and massage. When he did light lymph massage I felt a huge movement of energy. When I left his office I felt better and by that afternoon the fog had lifted and I had a huge burst of energy. The next day as the NAET treatment ended (24 hours) the bite was down to the size of a nickel, and it began to slightly itch again. I saw Dr. Bryant at the center on Friday and he did a recheck. I had passed the NAET treatment 80% which is why I felt better but still had some itching. We went ahead and treated again to make it 100%. (The vial we treated for was biting or stinging insects and probably included ants and bees that I was allergic to at that time, so it was a big treatment!) In retrospect what I did wrong may have been a blessing. I didn’t do the conventional treatment of ice and isolation of limb as I initially blew it off as an abrasion. I wonder if by moving it around, I actually dissipated a lot of the poison into my lymph and blood stream making it so it didn’t ulcerate. This is of course assuming it was a recluse spider bite. It could of just been a bite from a “regular” spider. (If anyone has any input that supports my theory let me know!) -Andrea Purdon is the Editor of the Holistic Healing Newsletter. May 2006 Editorial Dog Gone Good News IN April of 2003 Dr. David Williams wrote about a product called DGP for Dogs. I remember thinking, “I need to save this-I will need it later.” Well, later is now and I recently dug it out to refresh my memory about the product and to order some for my dog. I have an elderly lab who has a torn anterior cruciate ligament and general aches and pains of old age. (Among other things.) She was to the point that she couldn’t get in and out of the car and was slow moving getting up and down. After getting her evaluated at the vet she had a week or so of anti inflammatories. My vet recommended taking her off of them and only giving as needed if she got worse again. I started her on digestive enzymes to help eliminate inflammation and Glucosamine and MSM. She got up and going again and was able to run in bursts up and down the driveway and when called to dinner. She was still experiencing stiffness and not wanting to get off the bed a different times to go out. A month ago I started her on the DGP and discontinued the Glucosamine/MSM. When we went for a vet check last week she surprised me by jumping in the car and back out! I was trying to get ahold of her to help her and she didn’t need any help at all! She has been perky and participating. (Pretty good considering she has a Liver value-Alkaline Phosphatase of 3000-normal range being a high of 131. Possible tumor.) The DGP, short for Dog Gone Pain, contains Feverfew, Celery Seed, Wheatgrass, Boswelia, Bromelain, Papain, Corydalis Root, Cayenne, Turmeric, Shark Cartilage and a Proprietary Blend of Native Australian Herbs that they are secretive about, but Dr. David Williams lists as Wild Rosella, Aniseed Myrtle, Mountain Pepper. The product can be given to dogs or cats (and pot bellied pigs!) They report that it soothes aching joints, helps control inflammation, supports connective tissue repair, and strengthens immune function. The good news for my dog is that some of the ingredients also are also helpful for tumors. Dr. David Williams reports that both he and the company that makes the product have seen 90-95% improvement in tested dogs. The company that makes the product is called The Harmony Company 1-800-422-5518. A bottle costs $39.95, but they will give you 15% off if you mention Dr. David Willams. (Alternative Newsletter /www.drdavidwilliams.com) I put it on an automatic shipment schedule and received an even bigger discount. -Andrea Purdon is the Editor of the Holistic Healing Newsletter. April 2006 Editorial Carbon Monoxide in Our Meat? New one the additive list- the meat industry is now gassing our meat with carbon monoxide to mask the brown color of oxidation. The reason, so sellers don’t throw away good meat because people won’t buy it when it turns brown. For those of us who use color to decide if meat is fresh, be forwarned, carbon monoxide treated meat will still look bright red after 5 days at room temperature on your counter. And don’t look for a nasty smell, carbon monoxide suppresses bad odors and the presence of slime, all the signs of spoiled meat. Treatment of meat with carbon monoxide could increase the consumer risk of exposure to pathogins like Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella and our favorite, E. coli. This practice is allowed by the FDA because carbon monoxide falls under the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) list. So far this practice is only done to “case ready” meat that arrives at the grocery store already pre -packaged and hermetically sealed. Because of the GRAS list, don’t expect the meat to be labeled as gassed. Yummy. McDonald’s Fries Fiasco When the kids were little we would do the McDonalds thing 2 or 3 times a month to play in the ball pit or for someone’s birthday party. I remember when they changed the french fry recipe... I had an immediate allergic reaction and haven’t eaten one since. (No great loss...) Surprise, McDonalds suddenly has owned up to the full ingredients in their fries and oops, the oil they fry in contains two big allergens, Milk and Wheat. Needless to say they now face lawsuits from people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten in wheat, those with milk and wheat allergies and vegetarians who do not eat animal products. The scary thing is, I didn’t eat them because they made my mouth and lips burn, at that time I assumed they had added an artificial preservative or flavoring. I have been treated for milk and wheat allergies, but never experienced mouth burning from them. (Usually digestive disruption.) Lord only knows what else is in the fries. Not that it matters. I can live the rest of my life without McDonald’s fries. March 2006 Editorial More on Drugs for ADHD According to the American Academy of Pediatrics 3.8 million schoolchildren have ADD/ADHD and at least 2 million take Ritalin. At Dr. Mercola’s website www.mercola.com he notes that “Ritalin has the same pharmacological profile as cocaine. It occupies (20%) more of the neural transmitters responsible for the ‘high’ experienced by addicts than smoked or injected cocaine.” This last week an FDA panel (finally) recommended that the drugs Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta, taken by as many as 4 million Americans be labeled with the strongest possible safety warning. Their concern, these drugs may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and sudden death. They emphasized that the drugs could pose an even greater danger to adults-they have received reports of 25 deaths linked to these drugs and a larger number of cases involving serious health consequences such as heart attacks. While many consider ADD/ADHD a pediatric problem, prescriptions for adults increased 90% from 2002-2005. Part of the problem is that as a side effect the drugs raise the blood pressure which is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. AT this point the panels recommendations have been sent to yet another panel that deals specifically with psychological problems in children. Studies have been suggested that may take two or more years to complete. Ironically, the use of medications for controlling ADD/ADHD has reached the point where it has become a legal issue, with judges ordering parents to give children medication. (See Dr. Mercola’s site for specific cases) Amazing how we will give a kid a toxic medication and not bother to try the simple things first like removing and sugar, preservatives, food coloring and allergens, treating with NAET or giving them enough exercise in school. Cherries Censored? Top Secret Fruit Facts... This from Life Extensions Magazine www.lef.org March of 2006 Ok, I am still scratching my head over this one. Apparently the FDA has told the cherry growers that they can not make health claims about cherries on labels, on their websites or websites that are not linked to the labels on their products. One of the jobs of the FDA is controlling the information that goes on labels. This is a good thing. We need to know what chemicals are in our foods. (I personally would also like to know what chemicals go on our foods as well.) Unfortunatly not every ingredient in a product is on the label due to something called the GRAS list. GRAS is Generally Recognized As Safe. I found this out the hard way when I was allergic to preservatives that are often in corn syrup and do not have to be listed because everyone knows that corn syrup is on the GRAS list. ( Duh.) If a label has a web site on it, the web site content has to conform to FDA rules. (Ask the Ocean Spray Cranberry people about that one.) Web content is regulated by the FTC, however with the current Cherry situation, they have been advised to not make claims on any website, on the label or not. The funny thing is that part of the info they want to share about Cherries comes from a $141,210 grant that came from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to research the health benefits of cherries. The scary thing is that the author of the article in Life Exensions Magazine had their name withheld “due to the controversial nature of the article.” Great, now we have clandestine top secret fruit facts to add to our weapons of mass destruction. Since I am not in the cherry growing business, I am hopefully safe sharing some of the wonders of cherries. From the USDA funded study it was found that cherries have a low glycemic index, are fat-free, sodium-free, and high in vitamins C, B6, E and folic acid, and that they rate high on the ORAC antioxidant scale at 128 units per gram. “The sellers of cherry products would also like people to know that cherries can relieve arthritis pain and may be good for blood sugar.” Rodent Studies from John Hopkins Hospital found that the compounds in cherries that make them red called anthocayanins (blue in blueberries also) make inflammation subside. Tart Cherries are also high in melatonin. Melatonin is involved with sleep and immunity. “Anthocyanins protect against free radicals related to proteins as well as those related to lipids. This means that cherries can protect heart muscle, skin, arteries, the fluid in joints and more.” The FDA means well. Sometimes they are like the ADD kid who focuses on the wrong thing. Americans know that fruits and vegies are good for them. As long as they are pure like God made them, they are nutritious. The FDA needs to spend its energy on processed foods and toxic drug side effects. (And please list ALL the ingredients for those of us with allergies!) The Life Extension Magazine mentions a bill before congress that would help with clearing things up and giving the public greater access to information.. It is the Health Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 4282) They have more info on it at their site www.lef.org including how to contact your representative and the details of the bill itself. February 2006 Editorial Choices for Your Health I am finding more and more individuals approaching me about other choices to their medications. I have had friends who are MD’s reflect back to me that patients are asking them more questions about Herbals and other Holistic modalities. I spoke with chiropractor, Dr. Randy Bryant this week and he told me that his patients are increasingly asking him questions that they normally in the past would of reserved for their MD. He is taking a refresher course on endocrine function to be able to give his patients the latest information, information they wouldn’t have asked him for in the past. I am not a physician so I can not prescribe or tell any one to stop taking a medication. I encourage people to read and educate themselves on their medications, the side effects and to seek literature that offers other choices. I also encourage people to take classes like those offered by Candace Booth at our center on Herbals or those offered in Mount Dora by the Homeopathy Study Group with Jean Hoagland and JoAnne Mattke (email floridahomeopathy@yahoo.com). I frequently refer people to consult with those who make their livelihood in some aspect of Holistic Medicine like Candace Booth or Acupuncture Physician Dr. Victoria Miller or to question their chiropractor or massage therapist. They are the experts in their fields and keep abreast of what is new and current. Do not expect your Holistic practitioner to be an expert on physician prescribed medications unless they are an MD. Do look up all side effect of medications prescribed to you so you are prepared and familiar with them. If you are taking more than one medication ask your pharmacist to check for drug interactions. They can also check for herbal and drug interactions. If your doctor prescribes a medication for something that you think can be helped or controlled by holistic treatment (say for example your cholesterol is elevated) ask them if they will allow you a month to try something else first. Promise that you will come back to be re-evaluated. When you return, bring information for them on what you have done. (Remember Doctors prefer scientific studies from recognizable professional journals.) Some doctors are open to herbals and other modalities. Some may be very resistant. But remember, knowledge is power and the more you learn about your health, the more empowered you are to make the choices necessary to maintain it. High Blood Pressure Tips I recently had someone asking about how to lower blood pressure naturally. As always, I head to my resource books and favorite holistic medicine researchers for information. (PS. Candace Booths Herbal Class is on Heart Health this month!) From Dr. David Willams who has an excellent newsletter called Alternatives for the Health Conscious Individual. (More info at www.drdavidwilliams.com) I ran across this in one of Dr. Williams publications. He suggests drinking Hibiscus Tea. In a study of 54 patients over the age of 50 who had stopped blood pressure medication one week prior to testing, after just 12 days of drinking Hibiscus Tea, they averaged an 11.7% drop in systolic pressure and a 10.7% drop in diastolic pressure. Hibiscus tea is sold in all of the health food stores and is a common ingredient in many tea mixtures. Remember, if you are on medication for high blood pressure and decide to take this tea, it would be advisable to notify your doctor and monitor your blood pressure for change. From Prescription for Nutritional Healing by James Balch MD and Phyllis Balch CNC, my “bible” for nutritional healing. The Balchs put their recommendations in order of importance with the first items they recommend as being Essential, the next series they recommend as being Very Important, followed by Important and Helpful. Essential for high blood pressure, the Balch’s recommend 1,500-3,000 mg of calcium and 750-1,000 mg of magnesium. They report that deficiencies have been linked to high BP. (Magnesium is also important for weight loss) They recommend Kyolic Garlic, 2-3 capsules 3 times a day to also help lower BP. Other heart helpers they feel are essential are L-Carnitine, L-glutamic acid, L-glutamine and Selenium. They rate as Very Important, Coenzyme Q10, essential fatty acids and vitamin C. They recommend a strict salt free diet (cut out the processed food and the salt goes with them...) and a high fiber diet with fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They offer several pages of instructions. I recommend those with high blood pressure challenges take the time to find and read their info. All health food stores carry their book (so do we at the center!)
January 2006 Editorial The Psychic Told Him to Eat Blueberries We have a family joke about blueberries. My husband, Mr. Prove it with Science, was told at one time by a psychic to eat blueberries. He probably doesn’t remember anything else the person said, but he thought the blueberry part was hysterically funny. So now any time something psychic is mentioned at home, it is usually followed by a blueberry joke. Fast forward, in the mail last week we received our Life Extension Magazine, on the cover “Blueberries, the World’s Healthiest Food. So of course it was my turn to razz him back! I will share some of the blueberry highlights with you. The U.S. Department of Agriculture tested more than 100 different foods for total Antioxidant capacity per serving and blueberries scored the highest in total antioxidant capacity per serving among all of the fruits, vegetables, spices and herbs tested. Blueberries contain the antioxidant anthocyanins that helps suppress free radicals. Blueberry pigments improve the integrity of support structures in the skin, joints, and vascular system. They enhance the effects of Vitamin C, improve capillary integrity, and stabilize the collagen matrix. Recent studies have show that they protect the endothelium layer in the inner arterial wall thus helping maintain arterial structure.
There were numerous studies on the effect of blueberries on the brain. The journal Pharmacological Research published an article on studies of rats showing improved memory. Studies at the University of Barcelona in Spain found that blueberries were effective in reversing age related deficits in neuronal signaling and behavioral parameters. The blueberry compounds cross the blood brain barrier and affect the regions important for learning and memory. The Journal of Neuroscience reported that studies on rats and blueberries showed reduced age-related declines in neuronal and cognitive function. The Journal of Experimental Neurology showed that blueberry consumption in rats protected against brain ischemia, significant and permant damage to the brain caused by interruption of the blood flow. The Journal Neurobiology Aging reported a study of rats that showed that supplementation dramatically reversed or retarded the age-related decline in temporal auditory procession speed observed in older rats.
There were also positive studies on blueberries and cancer. A study in August 2005 Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry showed that blueberries slowed down the ability of cancer to produce enzymes that enable it to spread by breaking down surrounding tissues. The September 2005 issue of the Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry published a study that showed the colon cancer cells that were growing and dividing abnormally were impeded by 50% and that factors necessary to create cancer cell death were activated. Needless to say, Life Extension sells a blueberry extract capsule. I asked my husband to order some more fish oil capsules, so what do you think came in the mail with the fish oil this week? You don’t need to be a psychic to figure that one out! Vinegar a "Diet" Food? The Alternative Medicine Magazine for January (web site www.alternativemedicine.com) had a blurb on vinegar. In recent study from Lund University in Sweden it was found that using more vinegar to season food or drinking vinegar mixed with water with a meal reduces the body’s insulin response during digestion, with keeps down sugar cravings and helps avoid weight gain. Subjects fasted overnight and ate white bread along with a glass of vinegar containing varying amounts of vinegar. Those who drank the most vinegar (about 2-3 tablespoons) had glucose and insulin responses about 25% lower 90 minutes after the meal and felt more full than those who didn’t consume any vinegar with their meal. Consider oil and vinegar with your salad as opposed to ranch!
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