The Health Plus Letter
June 12, 2008 Vol. 6, No. 11
By Larry Trivieri, Jr. – founder & publisher
http://www.1healthyworld.com
You can read all back issues of The Health Plus Letter at http://www.1healthyworld.com/ezine.
Table Of Contents
New This Issue
Quote of the Day
Fast Facts
Gum Disease and Cancer
Preventing and Reversing Gum Disease
Corn: It’s Everywhere and Not Very Healthy!
Another Flawed St. John’s Worts Study
Self-Care Tips for Preventing and Reversing
Recommendations
Medical Freedom
Contact Information
New This Issue
Welcome to another issue of The Health Plus Letter. In writing it, I just realized that this little ole newsletter of mine, which started with a mere 40+ plus readers and has grown to thousands of readers in over 30 countries, thanks entirely to word-of-mouth recommendations, recently celebrated its 6th anniversary. So I’d like to thank and acknowledge all of you for supporting it all these years. From the get-go, The Health Plus Letter has been a labor of love for me, and I am extremely grateful that my efforts are so greatly appreciated by each of you.
This issue I’m alerting you to another serious health risk caused by gum disease – cancer. You’ll also find tips for preventing and reversing gum disease. I’m also sharing an article by Ellen Troyer, that makes clear that one of the primary reasons so many Americans are unhealthy is because of how widespread the use of corn has become in our nation’s food supplies. After you read it, I doubt you’ll think of corn in the same way.
I’m also sharing information from the American Herbal Products Association that rveals why a recent study debunking the use of the common herbal remedy St. John’s wort is seriously flawed and therefore not worth paying attention to. And, since summer is fast approaching, you’ll also find useful tips for preventing and reversing sunburn.
As always, please continue to send me your comments and suggestions. And please spread the word about The Health Plus Letter by passing it along to your friends and inviting them to subscribe.
Quote Of The Day
“A hospital is no place to be sick.”
-- Samuel Goldwyn
Fast Facts
Each year in the United States, $500 billion is spent on unnecessary medical care.
Source: Brownlee, Shannon. “Why Does Health Care Cost So Much?” AARP: The Magazine. Jul/Aug 2008.
Unabashed Plug
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Gum Disease and Cancer
Previously, I've written about the link between gum disease and an increased risk of developing heart disease. Now scientists have discovered that gum disease, once thought of as a fairly benign condition, can also increase your risk of certain types of cancer.
That's the findings of a recent study published in the prestigious medical journal Lancet Oncology. In the study, researchers tracked male health professionals for nearly two decades. All of the health professionals had a history of gum disease. By the end of the study, researchers found that the health professionals had a 14 percent overall greater risk of developing cancer compared to men who do not have gum disease.
According to lead researcher Dr. Dominique Michaud of the Imperial College London, "After controlling for smoking and other risk factors, periodontal disease was significantly associated with an increased risk of lung, kidney, pancreatic and hematological (blood) cancers." In addition, this higher than normal risk factor was true even among health professionals in the study who never smoked. (Smoking can cause gum disease and is, of course, another significant risk factor for cancer.)
Also known as periodontal disease, gum disease is caused by infection of the tissues surrounding and supporting the teeth. Previous research has shown that people with gum disease not only have a higher risk of developing heart disease, but possibly diabetes, as well.
Prior to this most recent study, researchers have known that people with gum disease also show a higher level of inflammation in their blood. Inflammation is now well-known to be a risk factor for certain types of cancer (as well as heart, disease, diabetes, and many other health conditions.) But until the Lancet Oncology study, many researchers speculated that whatever causes inflammation in the body might also cause gum disease and cancer independently of each other.
The aim of the study conducted by Dr. Michaud and his colleagues was to determine whether or not gum disease by itself increases the risk of cancer. In order to conduct their study, they used data from a previous large study of male doctors and other health professionals aged 40 to 75. That study began in 1986 at Harvard University. In it, nearly 50,000 men filled out health surveys and were followed for more than 17 years. The survey included information on gum disease and bone loss, as well as various other criteria such as their number of teeth and tooth loss.
Over 5,700 of the health professionals developed cancer during the time that they were tracked, not including cases of non-melanoma skin cancers and non-aggressive prostate cancer. Dr. Michaud and his team found that men who had gum disease had 14 percent higher cancer risk compared to those who did not. Additionally, their risks were higher depending on the type of cancer.
Among the findings of Dr. Michaud and his team were that men with a history of gum disease had:
a 36 percent greater risk of lung cancer;
a 49 percent higher risk of kidney cancer;
a 54 percent higher risk of pancreatic cancer; and
a 30 percent higher risk of blood cancers (such as non-Hodgkin lymphoma, leukemia or multiple myeloma)
compared to men who did not have gum disease.
In addition, men who had who had fewer than the normal number of teeth (0 to 16) at the start of the study had a 70 percent higher risk of lung cancer compared with individuals with more normal teeth numbers (25 to 32).
Preventing and Reversing Gum Disease
Based on the above findings, you can see why it is important that you take care of your teeth and gums. Here are some self-care steps you can use to do so:
Lifestyle: The best treatment for periodontal disease is prevention. Brush your teeth and floss after each meal, and see a dentist for checkups every six months.
Diet: Eat an organic, whole foods diet at least seven servings of fresh organic fruits and vegetables per day, as well as other high-fiber foods. Eliminate sugar, refined carbohydrates, processed foods, soda, and commercial fruits juices.
Nutritional Supplements: After flossing, rinse your mouth with several mouthfuls of liquid folic acid for one minute then swallow. To make your own liquid folic acid solution buy folic acid supplements in the form of folic acid crystals in 800 mcg capsules. Empty two capsules in pure filtered water. Also take folic acid orally, along with vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Co-enzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is also very helpful for gum disease.
For infected gums, increase your dosage of vitamin A for three days and then slowly reduce to maintenance dose over one to two weeks. You can also massage your gums with oil from vitamin A and E capsules along with zinc oxide cream.
For gums that bleed, drink pure filtered water with fresh squeezed organic lemon juice upon arising and before going to bed.
Topical Treatments: Brush your teeth with mixture of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, and massage your gums with your fingers. In cases of bleeding gums make a mouthwash by combining one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a cup of pure filtered water. Use this to gargle with in the morning and evening. Using a toothpaste made from tea tree oil, citrus seed extract, and/or hydrogen peroxide can also be helpful.
Conclusion
Despite the findings of Dr. Michaud and his team, it remains to be seen if gum disease is in fact a definite risk factor for developing cancer. Even so, when it comes to your health, the adage "better safe than sorry" is wise advice. Therefore, take care of the health of your gums and teeth, and be willing to consult with both your physician and your dentist so that both of them can support you on your journey to achieving optimal health.
Corn: It’s Everywhere and Not Very Healthy
What follows is a very illuminating article about one of the main yet ignored reasons that Americans have become so unhealthy in recent decades – corn! Read on and find out why.
Children of the Corn by Ellen Troyer, MT, MA
“We use nothing but the finest USDA Iowa corn fed beef and pork in all of our products to bring you a taste you will not forget.” Forbes Meat tag line
Almost everything Americans eat contains corn: high fructose corn syrup desserts, corn-fed beef, and shelf-life-extending hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated corn oil is in almost all processed breads, chips and crackers. Corn feeds poultry, pigs and sheep, and even farm-raised-fish. These foods represent the staples of the modern American diet.
Grass fed free-range cattle is almost a thing of the past because our government subsidizes farmers $28.00 an acre to raise corn – the first of many steps that reinforce the idea that more corn is what America needs.
In today’s world, it costs less to raise cattle in bacteria-ridden corn-fed-confinement than to let them roam free and feed on natural grass. Animal nutritionists confirm that corn makes cows sick and beef fatty, but it also lets consumers fill up on cheap fast-food burgers.
Despite popular opinion, it’s not just the saturated fat and cholesterol that causes most of the problems associated with red meat, chicken, fish and fowl consumption. It’s also the vascular inflammation produced by excess Omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) from corn-fed animals raised in spaces too small to allow the movement required for proper, or normal, AA metabolism.
The “Age of Plenty” American food system seems to be built on the abundance of corn, an abundance perpetuated by the early 1970s subsidy system that pays farmers to maximize corn production. Farm subsidy programs were the brain child of Earl Butz, the Nixon-era Agriculture Secretary. In reality, his efforts laid the groundwork for the current health problems associated with over-consumption of low-quality food.
Subsidies & Disease
“When you eat a McDonald’s meal you’re eating corn. Beef has been corn-fed. Soda is mostly high fructose corn syrup and so are the French fries. Half the calories in the French fries come from the fat they’re fried in, which is normally hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated corn oil. So when you’re at McDonald’s, almost everything on your plate is corn.” Michael Pollan, Knight Professor or Journalism, UC Berkeley
We certainly appreciate that for farmers, subsidy payments often mean the difference between profit and loss on a given acre. However, these subsidies promote production way beyond market demand, leading to low cost raw materials responsible for an obesity epidemic, including Type 2 diabetes, which has the potential to bankrupt our over-burdened health care system.
Corn by the Numbers
On The Farm:
Number of acres planted in corn in the U.S. in 1970: - 66.9 million
Number of acres planted in 2004: - 80.9 million
Number in 2007: - 92.9 million
Percent change since 1970: +39%
Average yield, in bushels per acre of corn in 1970: - 86
Average yield, in bushels per acre of genetically modified corn in 2007: - 180
Percent change since 1970: +109%
Number of bushels of corn harvested in the U.S. in 2007: - 13.1 billion
In Our Bodies:
Average amount of corn syrup consumed by Americans in 1970: - 0.6 lbs.
Average amount consumed in 2000: - 73.5 lbs
Percentage of overweight or obese adult Americans in 1971: - 47.7
Percentage of adult obese Americans in 2004: - 66
Percentage of American children overweight or obese in 1971: - 4
Percentage of overweight or obese American children in 2004: - 17.5
Size of McDonald's Supersize soda, discontinued in 2004: - 42 oz
Size of McDonald's new extra-large soda, Hugo, introduced in 2007:- 42 oz
The Farm Bill
America’s ability to produce bumper crops of genetically-modified corn has translated into a food system awash in high fructose corn syrup and fatty, corn-fed beef, pork, chickens and fish. This is partially responsible for the US becoming the most obese country in the world, without a healthcare system that can address the diseases, pain and suffering directly associated with overconsumption of corn and corn byproducts.
Every five to seven years, the U.S. government reauthorizes the farm bill, a complex and powerful piece of legislation that makes an impact on our food system in a wide variety of ways: environmentally, commercially, agriculturally, economically, and on the health and well being of U.S. citizens. The 2007 Farm Bill has passed the Senate and is waiting for the President's signature. There have been no official negotiations on the farm bill, as yet, so if you have concerns about this issue, now is the time to make your thought known to the Agriculture Committee and the President.
The question that must be asked of the Agriculture Committee and the President: will the proposed new farm bill create the farm and food culture that the tax paying public wants or needs?
Copyright © 2008 by Ellen Troyer, MT MA. All rights reserved.
http://www.biosyntrx.com
Unabashed Plug
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http://www.1healthyworld.com/ebooks/Mind-Mastery-Book-Info.cfm.
Another Flawed St. John’s Wort Study
Earlier this week, headlines across the country trumpeted a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that purportedly showed that the common herbal remedy St. John’s wort was found to be “no better than placebo” (in other words, worthless) for treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To most people who read this news story, the findings no doubt seemed important. In actuality, however, the study on which the story was based is not worth paying attention to, for not only was it flawed, but St. John’s wort is rarely used to treat ADHD in the first place. Of course, neither of these facts were mentioned in the media reports, making it easy for unsuspecting readers to assume that St. John’s wort isn’t a worthwhile herb. Which, I suspect, is precisely the aim that those behind the story’s placement had.
A few years ago, another study made headlines declaring that St. John’s wort is also worthless as a natural remedy for treating depression. That study too was seriously flawed, but that fact never garnered media attention either.
To help you learn more about the flaws in this most current study, I am sharing a newly released press release from the American Herbal Products Association, which follows below. As you read it, I suggest you ask yourself whether or not similar flaws can be found in the increasing number of news reports that negatively portray other natural remedies, including nutritional supplements. Here’s the press release:
“St. John's Wort Rarely Marketed for ADHD; Product Degraded by End of Trial
June 11, 2008 – The newly published Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study that finds St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) comparable to placebo for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents, has several crucial flaws, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) says.
The randomized and placebo-controlled trial published in the June 11, 2008 issue involved 54 children ages 6 to 17 years. The 27 children in the intervention group received 300 mg of H. perforatum three-times daily for eight weeks. Wendy Weber, ND, PhD, et al., found no significant difference between St. John’s wort and placebo with respect to improvement of the symptoms of ADHD.
According to Weber et al., the most common herbal treatments used by children with ADHD are St. John’s wort, Echinacea species, and ginkgo. However, as AHPA President Michael McGuffin points out, the marketing of St. John’s wort for ADHD is not common at all. In fact, the supporting reference for the authors’ assertion was a survey conducted in 2000-2001 that found five out of 117 children with ADHD had taken St. John’s wort at some time in their life. These five children had not necessarily taken St. John’s wort for ADHD and were not necessarily taking it at the time of the survey – hardly a supportive reference for the researchers’ assertion.
Furthermore, by the authors’ own admission, the product had seriously degraded by the end of the trial. The H. perforatum used in the study was reported to be standardized to 0.3% hypericin; however, at the end of the study the product contained only 0.13% hypericin and 0.14% hyperforin. “I don’t believe that this test material would pass muster if the proposal was submitted to NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) today because something as basic as ensuring the quality through the duration of the trial was not assured,” said Steven Dentali, Ph.D., AHPA’s Chief Science Officer and past chairperson of NCCAM’s Product Quality Working Group.
“It is possible that a product standardized to at least 3% hyperforin could benefit children with ADHD symptoms if it were delivered in a method that limits oxidation,” Weber et al. note in the study.
“The degradation of the product to less than half the amount of the marker compound means the quality of this product was seriously impaired by the end of the study,” said McGuffin. “Overall, this is a study of an uncommon use of St. John’s wort that used a poor quality product.”
To read a Reuters article on this study with comments from AHPA’s McGuffin click here: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1040074620080610?sp=true ”
To learn more about the AHPA, visit http://www.ahpa.org.”
Unabashed Plug
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Self-Care Tips for Preventing and Reversing Sunburn
Sunburn refers to damage in the form of inflammation and/or burns to the skin caused by over-exposure to the ultraviolet radiation of sunlight. It typically occurs primarily in people who are fair-skinned.
Symptoms usually appear within 24 hours after excess exposure to sunlight, peaking at 72 hours, unless the sunburn is severe. The affected skin turns anywhere from a mild red to severe, dark red, with the skin becoming mildly tender and even painful and accompanied by swelling. Blisters can also appear.
What To Consider
Sunburn on the lower body and legs/feet is usually more painful and takes longer to heal. If a large portion of the skin is affected, symptoms such as chills, fever, weakness, and shock can result, as can secondary infections that can set in after the skin has peeled. The new skin may be very sensitive to touch and to further sunlight for several weeks.
There are three degrees of sunburn. First-degree burns only redden the skin, with other symptoms. Second-degree sunburn can cause swelling, pain and blisters that fill with water. Third-degree sunburn results in more severe damage to the skin, is more prone to infection, and must be seen by a doctor.
Caution: Repeated overexposure to the sun and sunburns increases aging of the skin and the risk of skin cancers.
In addition, certain pharmaceutical drugs can produce adverse reactions following exposure to sunlight. Ask your doctor if this is the case for medications you may be taking. If it is, avoid sunlight during peak hours.
Self-Care
Lifestyle: The best treatment for sunburn is prevention. Your initial exposure to sun in the summer should be limited to 30 minutes during midday sun. The best time to be out in the sun is before 11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. being outside on cloudy summer days and foggy winter days, especially at higher altitudes, carries a greater risk of sunburn due to the same amount of ultraviolet exposure. Sunlight reflecting off of water, metal, snow, sand, and silvery objects can increase the risk of sunburn. Repeated overexposure to the sun and sunburns increases aging of the skin and increases risk of skin cancers.
Sunscreens: Although sunscreens have for years been touted as a preventive measure to protect against melanoma (skin cancer), new research indicates that sunscreens themselves can be instrumental in causing melanoma because of how they prevent the skin from producing vitamin D, an essential hormone-like nutrient that helps to inhibit the growth of melanoma and other cancers. The new research debunks the claim that sunscreens prevent cancer in humans. All they do is prevent sunburn. Moreover, research also shows that the rise in melanoma rates have been directly proportional to the sales rates of sunscreens. A more protective method is to avoid direct sunlight around an hour before and three hours after noon and/or to wear protective head gear (hats, visors, scarves, etc.) when outdoors.
Nutritional Supplementation: Mix the following together: vitamin A, vitamin E, essential fatty acids, zinc oxide, and aloe gel, and apply topically to the affected area. The following nurtrients taken orally can also be helpful: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
Aromatherapy: Should sunburn occur, spray the affected area with lavender and chamomile. To prevent blistering, also massage two to three drops of lavender oil directly into the affected area.
Flower Essences: Rescue Remedy Cream® applied topically helps soothe pain and improves healing time
Herbs: Apply cool aloe vera gel liberally to the sunburnt area. If you are badly sunburnt, apply a salve made with St. John’s wort and calendula flowers.
Homeopathy: Natrum mur. Is a useful homeopathic remedy for preventing sunburn, while Urtica Urens and, Rhus tox can help speed recovery after sunburn occurs. Calendula lotion applied topically is also helpful.
Hydrotherapy: Apply a cold compress immediately and repeat as needed to help relieve pain. Also take baths to which one cup of apple cider vinegar or oatmeal has been added, especially if you suffer from sunburn of the lower extremities.
Juice Therapy: Carrot juice can help speed recovery.
Topical Treatment: Apply a mixture of two parts apple cider vinegar and part extra virgin olive oil to the affected area. This will help soothe the pain and hasten the healing process. PABA cream applied topically can also be helpful, as can the gel from a feshly cut aloe vera leaf.
Note: The information above was adapted from Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide, 2nd Edition, co-authored and edited by Larry Trivieri, Jr. (Celestial Arts, 2002).
Recommendations
Books
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. This book is a really gem! It’s a modern day fairy tale of discovery and growth that perfectly captures the inchoate fears and resentments many of us had as children, as well as a marvelous retelling of some very familiar fairy tales. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think you will too.
Fight For Your Health: Exposing The FDA’s Betrayal of America by Byron J. Richards. This is one of the best book’s I’ve ever read on the subject of how and why the Food and Drug Administration so regularly and routinely betrays its mandate to protect the health and well-being of the American people for the benefit of Big Pharma. Richards knows his facts and has done an excellent job is exposing how corrupt the FDA has become, as well as the sordid history of the birth of our modern-day Big Pharma. It’s a must-read for anyone who wants to know the truth about why our health care system is in fact anything but.
Website
http://www.callmohawkvalleyhome.org/- This newly launched website touts many of the benefits of living in the region of my hometown. If you’re looking for a great place to live, I highly recommend it.
Medical Freedom
Please contact and support the following organizations dedicated to protecting our health freedoms.
Citizens for Health - http://www.citizens.org
Alliance for Natural Health – http://www.alliance-natural-health.org (The leading organization fighting to preserve health f/r/e/edom in England and the EU.)
Institute for Health Freedom – http://www.ForHealthF/r/e/edom.org
International Advocates for Health Freedom (IAHF) – http://www.iahf.com
And to learn how corrupt and extensive Big Pharma’s monopoly is, visit http://www.pnc.com.au/~cafmr/online/research/index.html the website for the Campaign Against Fraudulent Medical Research. In particular, read their in-depth report The Pharmaceutical Drug Racket that you will find there.
That’s all for this week.
Health and Blessings!
Larry Trivieri, Jr.
Contact Information: Due to the inordinate amount of spam this email account receives, I no longer use it to receive emails. To contact me, visit www.1healthyworld.com/contactus
Disclaimer: The Health Plus Letter is a weekly eZine published by Larry Trivieri, Jr. and Library of Health, LLC (dba www.1healthyworld.com) 3 Greenwood Court, Utica, NY 13501. It is made available without charge for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care. If you are experiencing a health problem, seek prompt medical attention.
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Legal Notice: The information in this eZine may be freely and widely disseminated so long as full attribution is made as follows: The Health Plus Letter, June 12, 2008, Vol. 6, No. 11. Copyright © 2008 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.
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