The Health Plus Letter
June 16, 2009 Vol. 7, No. 15
By Larry Trivieri, Jr. – founder & publisher
Table Of Contents
New This Issue
Quote of the Day
Fast Fact
Your Weekly Health Tip: Vitamin E-Rich Foods
Vitamin K2: The Little Known Nutrient That’s Good For Your Heart
Energy Psychology – An Interview With Fred Gallo, Ph.D. (Part 2)
Self-Care Tips For Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
A Health Plus Treat: Ginger Beer Zing
Recommendations
Medical Freedom
Contact Information
New This Issue
Welcome to another issue of the Health Plus Letter. This week I’m sharing an article I wrote about a little known nutrient called vitamin K2. You’ll also find part two of an interview I conducted with Dr. Fred Gallo about energy-based therapies that are proving highly effective for resolving longstanding emotional traumas, unhealthy beliefs and behaviors, and other health-related issues. You’ll also find effective self-care tips for preventing and managing diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as a delicious and easy-to-prepare healthy alternative to soda, plus my latest recommendations and this week’s health tip.
As always, if you like what you read, please feel free to share this issue with others and invite them to join you as a subscriber to the Health Plus Letter. Thanks for reading!
Quote Of The Day
“If everyone is thinking alike, then no one is thinking.”
--Benjamin Franklin.
Fast Fact
More than 60 percent of all Americans – over 20 percent of the population of the United States – suffers from heart disease.
Source: American Heart Association
Your Weekly Health Tip: Vitamin E-Rich Foods
Did you know that eating just two ounces of raw almonds can provide you with the minimum recommended daily allowance of vitamin E (15 mg, or 22 IU)? It's true. But for better health, you should try to obtain at least 200 IU of vitamin E each day. So, in addition to almonds, be sure to eat a variety of other foods rich in vitamin E, such as green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, green peas, lima beans, and sweet potatoes.
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Vitamin K2: The Little Known Nutrient That Is Good For Your Heart
In recent years, scientists have shown that a fat soluble nutrient known as vitamin K helps to protect against bone loss and osteoporosis, especially among men and women in their 50s and older. The key to these benefits, however, lies in the type of vitamin K that is used.
Just as there are various forms of vitamin D, with vitamin D 3 now being found to provide the most important health benefits, so too are there various forms of naturally-occurring vitamin K. Plants synthesize The first form, or vitamin K1, is also known as phylloquinone, which is synthesized by plants. Vitamin K2 is the name given to various other forms of the vitamin that are synthesized by bacteria. Collectively, these forms of vitamin K are also known as menaquinone-n (MK-n). MK-4 is found in a number of organs in the body, including the liver, at higher concentrations than phylloquinone. This fact, along with the existence of a unique pathway for its synthesis, suggests that MK-4 has a unique biological function that is different from vitamin K1.
To get the benefits you will learn about in this article, you need to use vitamin K2, which has been scientifically proven to preserve and restore healthy bone density. By contrast, vitamin K1 does not provide such benefits, as was shown in a study conducted by researchers in Denmark involving more than 2,000 women who were given vitamin K1 supplements. At the study’s conclusion it was found that vitamin K1 offered no protection against osteoporosis.
Because of vitamin K2’s ability to protect against bone loss, an increasing number of doctors now feel that it is more important in this regard than calcium supplements. And now scientists have discovered another major health benefit of vitamin K2. It’s good for your heart.
More specifically, researchers have found that vitamin K2 helps to protect and reverse hardening of the arteries, a major cause of heart attack, especially as we age. However, very few doctors today are aware of this fact, so learning about vitamin K from your personal physician is not something you can depend on. In fact, the majority of physicians today still remain unaware of vitamin K2’s value in protecting bone health either.
(Doctors do know, however, that vitamin K is known as the clotting vitamin, because without it healthy blood clot function would be impossible. In fact, vitamin K gets its name from the German word koagulation. Coagulation is another name for blood clot formation.)
Here’s something else you doctor may tell you: Bone loss and hardening of the arteries can often go hand in hand. That’s because, as they age, the vast majority of Americans—
as well as most people in other industrialized nations—will simultaneously experience bone loss and calcification of the arteries and other cardiovascular tissues.
According to Dr. Garry Gordon, one of our nation’s leading integrative physicians and anti-aging experts, the aorta tissues in people age 80 or older are, on average, 140 times more calcified (hardened) than that of most ten-year-olds. For this reason, Dr. Gordon, who successfully cured himself of heart disease and a variety of other serious health problems primarily using nutritional medicine, states that his major anti-aging focus is to keep his patients’ bones strong and their arteries soft well into old age. He uses vitamin K2 to help accomplish this twofold goal.
The Proof Is In The Science
Scientific evidence of vitamin K2’s ability to prevent and reduce hardening of the arteries was presented at American Society of Nephrology Convention, which was held in Philadelphia, PA on November 14 2008. During the convention, a number of scientists discussed research studies that explored the significance of adequate vitamin K2 intake for the prevention of vascular calcification in both healthy and diseased populations, as well as the vitamin’s role in promoting overall cardiovascular health.
One of the presenters was Leon Schurgers, PhD, Senior Scientist at the Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM) at the University of Maastricht, Netherlands. Speaking at the Vascular Calcification in Chronic Kidney Disease Symposium that was held during the convention, Dr. Schurgers stated that, “Calcification of the arteries seen in chronic kidney disease is the same type of calcification which is found in aging populations. The accumulation of calcium salts in the arteries results in stiffening and increase fragility. This might be considered a ‘silent killer’, as hardening of the arteries develops without any symptoms over time.” Dr. Schurgers then went on to present evidence that “the process of calcification is an actively regulated process and that adequate vitamin K2 intake can prevent this process and potentially reduce this risk factor.”
Among that evidence was a study of 53 hemodialysis patients. Compared to a control group of 102 patients, the study showed that the hemodialysis patients all suffered from impaired “mineralization inhibitors,” meaning that their bodies were incapable of protecting against hardening of the arteries. The study further found that the hemodialysis patients had significantly reduced activity of a substance known as Matrix GLA Protein (MGP). MGP is a protein considered by scientists to be the most potent natural inhibitor of unhealthy arterial calcification. It is also known that MGP, in order to function, requires vitamin K.
During the study, the hemodialysis patients were given daily supplements of vitamin K2. Within six weeks of vitamin K2 supplementation, all of the patients showed increased MGP activity. Based on this finding, the researchers concluded that vitamin K2 supplementation can improve the body’s ability to resists arterial calcification, as well as reducing calcification that may already have occurred.
Similar findings were also found in another study of 54 hemodialysis patients who were compared to a control group of 44 healthy patients. As in the previous study, MGP activity was significantly reduced in the patients undergoing hemodialysis compared to the control group. But when the hemodialysis patients were given daily supplements of vitamin K2, it was found that vitamin K2 “rapidly eliminated the inactive MGP species, suggesting improved calcification-inhibitory activity.”
Based on their research, the researchers of this study also suggested that vitamin K2 supplementation could reduce the risk of death caused by heart disease among patients in need of dialysis, all of whom “suffer from high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality,” compared to healthy people. According to the researchers, “Moderate to severe vascular calcifications are found in approximately 60 to 80 percent of patients undergoing hemodialysis, resulting in 20-fold higher risk of cardiovascular mortality (than in healthy population).”
The ability of vitamin K2 to reduce the risk of death by heart disease was previously confirmed by a research project known as The Rotterdam Study, which was conducted in 2004. In that study, researchers found that increased intake of vitamin K2 significantly reduced the incidence of arterial calcification, and, more importantly, the risk of death caused by congestive heart disease by 50 percent, compared to people with low levels of vitamin K2. By contrast, the same study found that dietary vitamin K1 offered no such benefits.
Based on the above studies, you can see why vitamin K2 is so important for your heart, and why more and more doctors now recommend vitamin K2 supplements for their patients. In addition, they also recommend eating foods that are rich in vitamin K2, such as certain types of cheese, eggs, fermented foods, and liver. A particularly rich source of vitamin K2 is natto, a fermented food from Japan.
Note: Since vitamin K2 is also produced by the bacteria that line your body’s gastrointestinal tract an adequate supply of healthy bacteria (also known as intestinal flora) is needed for vitamin K2 to most effectively carry out its functions. For this reason, Dr. Gordon and other physicians recommend eating a fiber-rich diet and taking probiotic supplements such as acidophilus in order to maintain your body’s supply of healthy bacteria.
Caution: Vitamin K is not to be confused with ketamine, a potentially dangerous drug that can produce hallucinations. In addition, because of its role in producing blood clots, vitamin K supplements and vitamin K-rich foods should not be used by people who are taking blood thinning medications such as coumadin (warfarin) without a doctor’s supervision.
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Energy Psychology:An Interview With Fred P. Gallo, Ph.D. (Part 2)
[One of the most exciting developments in the field of psychotherapy is "energy psychology," a term coined by Fred P. Gallo, Ph.D., one of the leading proponents of this breakthrough therapeutic approach, and the developer of a specific form of energy psychology known as Energy Diagnostic and Treatment Methods, or EDxTM.
A licensed clinical psychologist since 1977, Dr. Gallo is a member of the American Psychological Association and Pennsylvania Psychological Association, has worked in the fields of corrections, mental retardation, child welfare, vocational rehabilitation, and chemical dependency, and has studied a wide range of therapeutic approaches, including Gestalt, client-centered, cognitive-behavioral, contextual, Ericksonian hypnosis, neurolinquistic programming (NLP), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and thought field therapy (TFT).
Since 1993, Dr. Gallo has personally trained thousands of health professionals in the techniques of energy psychology, which makes use of the body's energy system to rapidly and effectively eliminate anxiety, depression, painful memories, trauma, cravings, and other emotional issues. In 1997, he developed EDxTM, and since that time he has been certifying practitioners in its practice and has emerged as a leading and prolific author of books and articles on the entire energy psychology field.]
If someone comes to you wanting to start therapy but is unable to identify exactly what the underlying causes for his or her problems, how would you go about diagnosing and then treating such a person?
The person hasn't been feeling good and doesn't know why. He doesn't exactly know what it is that he's feeling, but it's interfering with his life in some way. Is that what you're asking me?
Yes.
First of all, let's look at some of the ways such a person might be treated by other forms of therapy, so you can see the contrast in how energy psychology works. For example, if you were a therapist coming from a cognitive point of view, you would try and figure out what it is that the person is thinking or telling himself, and why, and then you would explore whether those thoughts and beliefs were accurate or grounded in actual reality.
If you were a psychiatrist, you might first put the person on medication in order to help him cope with his depression or anxiety, and then employ one or more psychotherapeutic processes to go deeper into the issue. But when such a person comes to see me, although I might be doing the standard kind of DSM-IV diagnostic stuff to try and get a sense of what category the problem falls under-that's really just part of doing the interview and getting the person' history-I would explain to the person that in my experience a lot of times problems like this can be resolved by treating an energy system in our bodies. I would then explain how thoughts are a type of field, and that when disturbances are created in that field problems of a psychological nature can arise, and that I have found that we can remove the fundamental cause of these disturbances using the procedure of energy psychology.
After that, there are a number of ways we can proceed. The first thing I would do is check to see if the person's energy system is prepared to accept the treatment, assuming that there isn't a psychological reversal, for which I would also check. There are various methods for determining and resolving that. But if the person's system is ready to treatment, depending on the nature of the problem, I might have my own insights into his problem, based on my clinical experience, and proceed by using a specific sequence of "energy tapping" in which the person would tap, rub, or hold certain meridian points which experience has shown me are associated with the problem. In some cases, that might be all that is required to resolve, or start to resolve, the problem.
But if I did not know what was causing the problem, then I would take a more diagnostic approach. I might, for example, employ muscle testing and have the person extend his arm straight out from his body, parallel to the floor. What this does is isolate the middle deltoid muscle in the shoulder. I should point out that there are a number of muscles that can be used for this purpose. I could just as well isolate a muscle on the hand, for example, but working with the arm and the deltoid muscle is fairly common. I would then check the muscle in the clear, meaning that the person is simply holding his arm out parallel to the floor, and by applying a bit of pressure to the arm I would get a strong response.
Now if I don't get a strong response then I have to do certain kinds of adjustment to make sure I get a strong response, and there is a whole category of things that I could do there, but let's assume that we have a strong muscle. Now I have the person think about the issue that bothers him, and after he's identified his feeling, I ask him to rate it on a zero to ten scale, with ten being most distressful, and zero being the absence of distress. This is the Subjective Units of Distress scale, or SUD.
So let's say the rate his distress as an eight. As he continues to think about his problem and I again apply pressure to his arm, in the vast majority of cases, this will cause the muscle to go weak. It's not really that the muscle is weak, but that the energy that supplies the muscle becomes interrupted because there's kind of an incongruence caused by the person thinking about his issue, whatever it might be. As he does so, he doesn't feel a sense of harmony; there is a disruption. And the disruption is not only affecting the nerves themselves, but, more fundamentally, it is affecting a meridian or a series of meridians, which in turn disrupts the cerebral hemisphere, which in turn disrupts the muscle.
If the muscle tests weak, then I know I have discovered at least part of the cause of the person's problem. Now what I do is look for what are referred to as alarm points to cancel out the weakness. Let's say, for example, that there is an alarm point over the stomach between the navel and the bottom of the sternum. If the person puts his hand over this point, and now the muscle goes strong, I know that the stomach meridian is involved in the problem. There are then a number of different places where I could have the person tap, one of which is directly under an eye, and represents the first point of the stomach meridian. I find sometimes I have to use other points, but a high percentage of the time, if I have a person tap that point for a period of time, if the stomach meridian is the only meridian that is out of balance for the person, this will bring the meridian back into balance and the person will find that the emotional charge of the issue will change.
While the person taps that point, I have him rate the SUD once more, and if it is only the stomach meridian that was out of balance, then invariably we find that the charge has come down and that the emotion has changed. Usually people will say things like, "I think it's less," but as they try to decide what the SUD might be, a lot of times they will say, "You know, it's really hard to focus on it. I really can't quite bring it back to mind." They can still recall whatever precipitating event may have caused the problem, but there is no longer an emotional charge surrounding it.
At this point, there are a number of other procedures that I might employ, such as the brain balancing procedure, which can bring the charge down even further. It also makes it easier to tune in other aspects of the problem, if they exist. Usually a particular problem will have different features. We may have balanced one meridian, but there may still be another significant meridian that is involved, or a cluster of meridians. In such cases, we would then repeat the process I've described, continuing to balance the additional meridians or meridian clusters in order to achieve a complete resolution. At that point, the person is then able to discuss whatever the problem may have been, and once the treatment is completed the person will almost invariably have a higher level of awareness regarding the issue. It seems to come from more of a spiritual place, affording the person with a clearer vision that is more rational and in touch with his or her deeper feelings. For example, if, as part of their issue, they were really angry with somebody, once we resolve the problem usually the person will regard the other person in a more understanding way.
In other words, the person no longer takes the other person's behavior personally.
Right. It's like you are no longer trapped in negative ego. You're no longer trapped in insecurity. Instead, you now view the situation from a place of serenity. That's what this therapy often does.
How many sessions are typically required before the person achieves such results?
Depending upon what type of problem you're treating, resolution can sometimes be thoroughly achieved with one brief treatment. Traumas are usually resolved that way. Other conditions, such as phobias, can also sometimes be resolved in one session. It depends upon the complexity of the phobia. Sometimes they might require several treatments. Like agoraphobia, for example, which is a much more extensive phobia. I might need to treat a person with that condition for a longer period of time, perhaps a few months. I've worked with people with agoraphobia that had been in treatment for years and never got over it, and within a matter of one to three months, they've been completely cured using this approach. On other occasions, I've also achieved spectacular results resolving long-term, problems in a single session, again, particularly with traumas. One session is usually all that is required.
Let me give you an example of an interesting case I had regarding a phobia. A woman came to me who suffered from a fear of flying. She and her husband were wanted to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary by flying to Puerto Rico and then taking a cruise down to the Caribbean. Approximately 25 years prior to her coming to me, she and her husband had flown to Florida, and during the return flight home there was a stop-over and she had a panic attack on the plane as they were landing. It was so bad that when they when they landed she refused to get on the connecting flight. They had to rent a car and drive the rest of the way home because she was so panicky. After that, the woman refused to ever fly again, but now she wanted to resolve that, so she came to see me.
In my experience, it is an oversimplification to view a phobia like this simply as a fear of flying and to say that's all it is. There are many aspects that led to this fear, all of which have to be considered and addressed. For example, there could be flight turbulence, there could be anxiety during take-off or during the landing, there could be the fear that comes with knowing that you're way up there in the air and thinking about the plane crashing, or there could be a claustrophobic experience of being around so many people in close quarters and not having the ability to get of the plane while it's in the air. And there could be other things involved, as well. So, during the course of four sessions with this woman, we treated every possible aspect that we could think of. In the process, she was able to really get in touch with the disruptive emotion. Each week, I'd treat several aspects and then I'd see her the following week and we would treat other aspects and check on the results of the previous ones. And after four sessions, she and her husband went on their trip. When they returned, she had left a message on my answering machine, saying, "I had a wonderful time. I slept on the plane. I'd do it again." This is an example of a type of phobia that usually requires more than one session to completely resolve. In such cases, you would certainly want to follow up with the person. This is also true of people with panic attacks. Usually there has to be some follow-up. One way to treat them, incidentally, when they are in the field, so to speak, is over the telephone. I've resolved panic attacks by verbally guiding them through the treatment over the phone many times with people.
Another area in which more than one session with EDxTM or other forms of energy psychology is usually required has to do with people who want to quit smoking, or have some other addictive urge. They need to repeat the treatment any time the urge arises. But I find that if they stay with the program, after awhile they completely lose the urge for cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, or whatever else they may be addicted to. With severe addictions like alcohol and drugs, however, I strongly recommend that people also get involved in support groups if they can, and to avail themselves of the other things the field of psychotherapy has to offer.
There are a wide range of other conditions for which energy psychology can provide benefit, too. I've found it to be very effective for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, irrational feelings of guilt, loneliness and rejection, and anger and rage, and I've also found that with some people it can be helping in relieving certain conditions of physical pain. I've also found that we can use this therapeutic approach to quickly alleviate negative core beliefs. I also find that energy psychology is very effective for children. Children tend to be far more receptive to it than many adults are; they think it is kind of cool.
(Continued next issue.)
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Self-Care Tips for Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis
Diverticulosis is a condition characterized by balloon-like sacs or pouches extending outward from the intestinal walls. When these sacs develop inflammation, the condition is known as diverticulitis. Only a small percentage of people with diverticulosis ever go on to develop diverticulitis, however. Both conditions are direct consequences of the standard American diet and are virtually nonexistent among peoples around the world who fresh foods that are rich in fiber.
Symptoms: Diverticulosis is usually not accompanied by any obvious symptoms. However, people with this condition commonly have pieces of fecal matter lodged into the sacs of the colon, where they stagnate and can cause a buildup of toxins. Symptoms of diverticulitis are much more noticeable, and can range from gripping abdominal pain, sluggish elimination, constipation, and mucus in the stools. In certain cases, the pain can be great and mimic that of an appendicitis.
Causes: The primary cause of both diverticulosis and diverticulitis is a poor diet that is lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables and other fiber-rich foods. Other causes can include food allergies, lack of exercise, “leaky gut” syndrome, and pharmaceutical drugs.
Poor Diet: An unhealthy diet is the primary cause of both conditions. Such a diet is high in commercially processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats, and contains an abundance of chemical additives and preservatives while lacking adequate amounts of fiber. Such a diet not only places a great burden on the gastrointestinal tract, it can also result in serious nutritional deficiencies. All of these factors, combined, can lead to excess acidity in the GI tract, indigestion, poor absorption of food nutrients, “leaky gut” syndrome, a buildup of toxins, and autoimmune reactions.
Food Allergies: Food allergies, while often overlooked or misdiagnosed by conventional physicians, are another potential cause of diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as many other disease conditions. If you suffer from either of these conditions, it is very important that you be tested for food allergies and sensitivities. Common allergy-causing foods include milk and dairy products, wheat, gluten (a component of wheat products), corn, and chocolate, but any food has the potential to cause food allergies.
Lack of Exercise: Failure to exercise regularly can result in diminished production of digestive and pancreatic enzymes, as well as hydrochloric acid (HCl), all of which are necessary for healthy gastrointestinal function and which, if lacking, can result in a wide variety of gastrointestinal disorders.
“Leaky Gut” Syndrome: “Leaky gut” syndrome refers to a condition caused by damage to the intestinal lining, specifically the mucosa. As a result of this damage, undigested food particles, as well as various microorganisms that normally remain within the GI tract pass through the intestines to enter into the bloodstream. This, in turn, causes the immune system to overreact, producing antibodies that attack the cells of the intestines. In addition to GI disorders, “leaky gut” syndrome has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
Pharmaceutical Drugs: The following drugs can all cause and exacerbate various gastrointestinal disorders, including colitis: Accutane, Alka-Seltzer Antacid and Alka-Seltzer Pain Reliever, Anturane, Genuine Bayer Aspirin, Bayer Plus Aspirin, Bayer Regular Strength Enteric Aspirin, Bufferin Analgesic Tablets and Caplets, Ceptaz, Clinoril, Cuprimine, Ecotrin Enteric Coated Aspirin, Feldene, Ilosone, Lamprene, Leukine for IV Infusion, Lopid, Marplan, Meclomen, Novantrone, Paraplatin, Piroxicam, Prokine I.V. Infusion, Retrovir, Rynatuss, Supprelin Injection, Suprax, Ticlid, Tolectin, Toradol IM Injection, Trecator-SC, Trilisate, and Voltaren.
Self-Care
Aromatherapy: A mixture of the essential oil of cinnamon and extra virgin olive oil rubbed into the stomach and abdomen can often help to relieve symptoms.
Diet: An organic whole foods diet that is high in fiber is essential for reversing both diverticulosis and diverticulitis, and is also the best way from preventing both conditions from developing in the first place. Avoid all commercially processed foods, sugars, refined carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, coffee and other caffeine products, sodas, commercial nonherbal teas, alcohol, spices, and milk and dairy products. Also have yourself screened for potential food allergies and sensitivities and avoid those foods for which you test positive. In addition, consider an elimination diet in order to further reduce the likelihood of food allergies. Also avoid food that can easily become lodged in intestinal sacs, such as nuts, seeds, and fruit with small seeds, such as raspberries.
Emphasize a diet rich in organic whole foods, especially plenty of organic fresh green vegetables and green vegetable drinks. Free-range organic meats and poultry, and wild-caught fish are also recommended. Also be sure to drink plenty of pure filtered water throughout the day.
The Specific Carbohydrate Diet—A dietary approach that has been found to be effective in the majority of diverticulosis and diverticulitis cases is called the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. It was developed by Elaine Gottschall, M.Sc., and is based on the research of the late Sidney V. Haas, M.D., who discovered that most gastrointestinal disorders are caused by an imbalance of carbohydrates in relationship to the microorganisms that naturally occur in the gastrointestinal tract.
According to Dr. Haas, when this relationship becomes unbalanced, the microorganisms grow uncheck and release toxins, causing malabsorption of food, and especially poor digestion of carbohydrates, a staple of the Western diet. To reverse this trend, Haas, and later, Gottschall developed the strict dietary regimen that comprises the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. Based on her work with hundreds of patients with severe gastrointestinal disorders, Gottschall has found that the diet can yield complete results in as little as three weeks, but only if it is completely adhered to. Its eating guidelines are as follows:
Avoid: All processed meats, breaded or canned fish, processed cheeses, smoked or canned meats, as well as all cereal grains in any fo.rm, including flour, potatoes, yams, parsnips, chick peas, bean sprouts, soybeans, mung beans, fava beans; and seaweed. Also avoid milk or dried milk solids, buttermilk or acidophilus milk, commercially prepared yogurt and sour cream, soymilk, ins.tant tea, coffee, coffee substitutes, beer, cornstarch, arrowroot, all other starches, chocolate, carob, bouillon cubes, ins.tant soup bases, all products made with refined sugar, agar-agar, carrageenan, pectin, ketchup, ice cream, molasses, corn and maple syrup, all flours made from legumes, baking powder, and all seeds.
Eat: Fresh or frozen meats; poultry; fish; eggs; natural cheeses; homemade yogurt; dry curd cottage cheese; most fresh or frozen (but not canned) vegetables and legumes; and fresh, raw, dried, or cooked fruits, but not canned (except in their own juices).
Abide by this diet for all long as your symptoms persist.
Fasting: A water or vegetable juice fast for one to three days is an excellent way of relieving symptoms, especially during acute diverticulitis attacks.
Her/bal Medicine: The primary her/bal remedy recommended by her/balists for both diverticulosis and diverticulitis is Robert’s Formula, which consists of comfrey, Echinacea, geranium, goldenseal, marshmallow root, poke root, slippery elm, and wild indigo. For best results take it in combination with licorice root tea. As your symptoms improve, continue taking Robert’s Formula along with liquid chlorophyll.
Homeopathy: Useful homeopathic remedies include Belladonna, Bryonia, and Colocynthis.
Hydrotherapy: Soothing baths two to five nights a week can help to relieve symptoms, as can alternating hot and cold water packs placed over the abdomen.
Juice Therapy: Useful juice combinations include carrot, celery, beet, and cabbage juice; green juices; and papaya, apple, lemon, and pineapple.
Lifestyle: If you smoke, stop, and also avoid exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke. In addition, learn how to effectively cope with and manage stress. Also try to exercise regularly. And if you are currently taking aspirin or other NSAIDs, consider replacing them with safer, more effective natural remedies.
Nutritional Supplements: Useful supplements for both diverticulosis and diverticulitis include B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, as well as probiotics such as acidophilus and Bifidobacteria. Two other highly effective supplements are fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and soil-based organisms. FOS is an all-natural carbohydrate microorganism that has been shown by researchers to serve as a fertilizing agent that enable Bifidobacteria to thrive in the large intestine, where it helps to protect against harmful bacteria.
Soil-based organisms are beneficial microbes found in soil. Taken as a supplement, they go to work to detoxify the gastrointestinal tract while eliminating fungi, molds, parasites, viruses, and yeasts. They also help to improve the absorption of nutrients and improve both immune and overall cell function, including the production of RNA and DNA. In addition, they also act as natural antioxidants.
Stress Reduction: Stress reduction techniques are often helpful in relieving distress associated with diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Stress reduction techniques are also very helpful for dealing with emotions such as anger, depression, and hopelessness that can exacerbate symptoms. Holistic health practitioners help their patients accomplish stress reduction through the use of various mind/body medicine techniques, such as biofeedback, hypnotherapy, and relaxation exercises. Meditation is another type of stress management that can be highly effective. There are many ways to meditate. One of the easiest is simply to sit comfortably in a chair with your eyes closed as you focus on your breathing. Do this for five to ten minutes twice a day and gradually extend each session to 20 to 30 minutes. To enhance your efforts, concentrate on mentally repeating a peaceful phrase each time that you inhale and exhale, allowing all other thoughts to arise and pass without becoming involved in them. At first, this may seem difficult, but with committed practice you will eventually find yourself able to do so while experiencing greater degrees of calm and peace.
(The above information is adapted from Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide, 2nd edition, edited and co-written by Larry Trivieri, Jr.)
A Health Plus Treat:Ginger Beer Zing
Here’s a healthy and delicious alternative to soda that is easy to make and a refreshing summer treat.
Ingredients:
1-inch slice of fresh, organic ginger root
One organic green Granny Smith apple
One piece of organic pineapple
1-2 drops of stevia extract (a natural sweetener available at most health food stores)
Seltzer or sparkling water
Juice all fruits and add seltzer to desired taste. Add stevia if more sweetness is desired. Add more ginger for more of a “bite.”
This recipe comes from the eBook Burton Goldberg's Definitive Guide to Arthritis, available at http://www.1healthyworld.com/ebooks
Recommendations
Websites
http://www.flowerhealing.com - This web site is an excellent introduction to the healing properties of Bach Flower Essences, and is maintained by my good friend, Alicia Sirkin, BFRP, an internationally recognized expert in the use of Bach Flower Essence therapy.
http://www.process-healing.com - I just discovered this site, and am very interested in the approach it outlines for enlisting all aspects of the subconscious to achieve healing.
www.holisticbeefs.com - This is my blog. Visit it and sign up to be kept informed of articles and discussions I post there.
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 freedom in England and the EU.)
Institute for Health Freedom – http://www.ForHealthFreedom.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 my email account receives, I no longer use it to receive emails. To contact me, please 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 16, 2009, Vol. 7, No. 15. Copyright © 2009 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.
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