"Geographic differences in the rates of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer appear to be inversely correlated with dietary iodine intake. Endocrinological considerations suggest that a low dietary iodine intake may produce a state of increased effective gonadotrophin stimulation, which in turn may produce a hyperoestrogenic state characterised by relatively high production of oestrone and oestradiol and a relatively low oestriol to oestrone plus oestradiol ratio. This altered endocrine state may increase the risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Increasing dietary iodine intake may reduce the risk of these cancers."
1: Lancet. 1976 Apr 24;1(7965):890-1. Links Dietary iodine and risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer. Stadel BV.
Saturday, 29 December 2007
blogs of note
* Tacky Christmas Yards
* "Do You Speak English?" Radio Show
* Local Girl's day in pictures
* Santa Claus Blog
* Creative Archive
* Living In a Toxic World
* Animation Backgrounds
* Flawless Beauty
* One Pic a Day
* Charlotte Rose
just add: .blogspot.com
* "Do You Speak English?" Radio Show
* Local Girl's day in pictures
* Santa Claus Blog
* Creative Archive
* Living In a Toxic World
* Animation Backgrounds
* Flawless Beauty
* One Pic a Day
* Charlotte Rose
just add: .blogspot.com
Friday, 28 December 2007
sweeteners for new year
just got this letter from an aquaintance. We leave you to make your mind up about it!
Community service announcement Subject: SWEET, BUT POISON - A MUST READ This is a MUST READ, I hope you are not addicted to diet coke and sodas as well as sugar sweetners, In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick. She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain. By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications.
The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick.she just knew she was dying. She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter’s name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of. She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to
Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd. On March 19 I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn’t find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS. I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.
I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed her the article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn’t feel 100% but she sure felt a lot better. She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home. Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind.
In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda… and literally dying a slow and miserable death. When she got to
Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life. If it says ‘SUGAR FREE’ on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on “ASPARTAME,” marketed as ‘NutraSweet,’ ‘Equal,’ and ‘Spoonful.’ In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the
United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus
. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject. I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanoltoxicity is!
Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas. In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We’ve seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly. This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia. During a lecture, I said, “If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet,Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss. you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!”
People were jumping up during the lecture saying, “I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?” Yes! Yes! Yes! STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartameo n food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice, a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence! Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates. It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight! These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve”tissue specimens.”
Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body! Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the “diet products” and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period. Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame. The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance. Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage, seizures, depression, manic depression, panic attacks, uncontrollable anger and rage. Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non- diabetics as well.
Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet. So called “behavior modification prescription drugs” (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place! Most of these children were being “poisoned” on a daily basis with the very foods that were “better for them than sugar.”
It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome. Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.
There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances due to the use of NutraSweet. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to convince people that Aspartame is to blame for their child’s illness. Stevia, which is a sweet herb, NOT A MANUFACTURED ADDITIVE, helps in the metabolism of sugar, which would be ideal for diabetics. It has now been approved as a dietary supplement by the FDA. It is known that for many years the FDA outlawed this true sweet food, ” due to their loyalty to MONSANTO Chemical Company.” Books on this subject are available: EXCITOTOXINS: THE TASTE THAT KILLS written by Dr. Russell Blaylock (Health Press 1-800-643-2665) AND: DEFENSE AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE- written by DR H. J. Roberts, also a diabetic specialist.
These two doctors will soon be posting a position page on the Internet with case histories on the deadly effects of Aspartame. According to the Conference of the
American
College of Physicians, “We are talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.” Herein lies the problem: There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included 100different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.
Sadly, MONSANTO’S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a “piece of the Aspartame pie.” I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is. And isn’t it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians? This has been recently exposed in the New York Times.
These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products. Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants. The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms. The bill was killed. It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you’re informed now! YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!
Next Page »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community service announcement Subject: SWEET, BUT POISON - A MUST READ This is a MUST READ, I hope you are not addicted to diet coke and sodas as well as sugar sweetners, In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick. She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain. By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications.
The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her. She was in so much pain, and so sick.she just knew she was dying. She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter’s name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of. She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to
Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd. On March 19 I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn’t find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS. I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.
I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed her the article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn’t feel 100% but she sure felt a lot better. She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home. Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind.
In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda… and literally dying a slow and miserable death. When she got to
Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life. If it says ‘SUGAR FREE’ on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on “ASPARTAME,” marketed as ‘NutraSweet,’ ‘Equal,’ and ‘Spoonful.’ In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the
United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus
. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject. I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanoltoxicity is!
Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas. In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We’ve seen many cases where vision loss returned and hearing loss improved markedly. This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia. During a lecture, I said, “If you are using ASPARTAME (NutraSweet,Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss. you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!”
People were jumping up during the lecture saying, “I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?” Yes! Yes! Yes! STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartameo n food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice, a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence! Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates. It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight! These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve”tissue specimens.”
Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body! Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the “diet products” and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period. Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame. The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance. Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage, seizures, depression, manic depression, panic attacks, uncontrollable anger and rage. Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non- diabetics as well.
Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet. So called “behavior modification prescription drugs” (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place! Most of these children were being “poisoned” on a daily basis with the very foods that were “better for them than sugar.”
It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome. Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.
There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances due to the use of NutraSweet. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to convince people that Aspartame is to blame for their child’s illness. Stevia, which is a sweet herb, NOT A MANUFACTURED ADDITIVE, helps in the metabolism of sugar, which would be ideal for diabetics. It has now been approved as a dietary supplement by the FDA. It is known that for many years the FDA outlawed this true sweet food, ” due to their loyalty to MONSANTO Chemical Company.” Books on this subject are available: EXCITOTOXINS: THE TASTE THAT KILLS written by Dr. Russell Blaylock (Health Press 1-800-643-2665) AND: DEFENSE AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE- written by DR H. J. Roberts, also a diabetic specialist.
These two doctors will soon be posting a position page on the Internet with case histories on the deadly effects of Aspartame. According to the Conference of the
American
College of Physicians, “We are talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.” Herein lies the problem: There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included 100different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.
Sadly, MONSANTO’S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a “piece of the Aspartame pie.” I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is. And isn’t it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians? This has been recently exposed in the New York Times.
These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products. Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants. The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms. The bill was killed. It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you’re informed now! YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW!
Next Page »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, 23 December 2007
Does flouride cause cancer?
"Of all the conditions caused by Fluoride, Cancer is the most life threatening. Adding Fluoride to the water will, according to extremely conservative projections, increase cancer deaths in the UK by at least six people per day. To put it another way, every four hours of every day someone will die from cancer caused by Fluoride. This means that, of the people living in the UK today, at least 100,000 will die of cancer caused by adding Fluoride to the water. Studies show Thyroid cancers increase by up to 400%, bone cancer in young men is increased and there is an overall increase in cancer of 5% in water Fluoridated areas compared to non-Fluoridated areas. Dr Dean Burke, former chief scientist with the National Cancer Institute in the USA, testified before Congress that "Fluoride causes more human cancer deaths and causes it faster than any other chemical I have ever come across". Even if Fluoride was effective, this alone is too high a price to pay. The fact that Fluoride does not work and causes so much other damage to people turns tragedy into obscenity."
from Dr Munro-Hall (dentist)
http://www.positivehealth.com/article-view.php?articleid=1439
from Dr Munro-Hall (dentist)
http://www.positivehealth.com/article-view.php?articleid=1439
mercury causes autism - new research
Blood Levels of Mercury Are Related to Diagnosis of Autism: A Reanalysis of an Important Data Set
M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa,
cathy.desoto@uni.edu
Robert T. Hitlan, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first reports of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We have reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and have found that the original p value was in error and that a significant relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results offer some support for the idea that persons with autism may be less efficient and more variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.
Key Words: autism • mercury • environmental health • neuro-toxin • neurodevelopment •
M. Catherine DeSoto, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa,
cathy.desoto@uni.edu
Robert T. Hitlan, PhD
Department of Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa
The question of what is leading to the apparent increase in autism is of great importance. Like the link between aspirin and heart attack, even a small effect can have major health implications. If there is any link between autism and mercury, it is absolutely crucial that the first reports of the question are not falsely stating that no link occurs. We have reanalyzed the data set originally reported by Ip et al. in 2004 and have found that the original p value was in error and that a significant relation does exist between the blood levels of mercury and diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder. Moreover, the hair sample analysis results offer some support for the idea that persons with autism may be less efficient and more variable at eliminating mercury from the blood.
Key Words: autism • mercury • environmental health • neuro-toxin • neurodevelopment •
erectile dysfunction
Erectile Dysfunction (ED) and KST (Koren Specific Technique)
"I am a chiropractor who went thru a pretty nasty divorce a few years ago. Since then
I've had a roller coaster ride with being able to obtain/maintain an erection. I
have tried many different chiropractic techniques. acupuncture, meditation, EFT,
supplements, hypnosis, ED meds. All of these provided mixed, inconsistent, temporary
results. After one KST adjustment my body released the emotional blockage that had
lead to my "issue." I feel like myself again! I highly recommend every chiropractor
find out more about KST." Name withheld by request
Watch FREE Koren Specific Technique (KST) videos at www.teddkorenseminars.com."
"I am a chiropractor who went thru a pretty nasty divorce a few years ago. Since then
I've had a roller coaster ride with being able to obtain/maintain an erection. I
have tried many different chiropractic techniques. acupuncture, meditation, EFT,
supplements, hypnosis, ED meds. All of these provided mixed, inconsistent, temporary
results. After one KST adjustment my body released the emotional blockage that had
lead to my "issue." I feel like myself again! I highly recommend every chiropractor
find out more about KST." Name withheld by request
Watch FREE Koren Specific Technique (KST) videos at www.teddkorenseminars.com."
Thursday, 20 December 2007
more on radical honesty
Think about how much less confusion there would be in the world if everybody was upfront and honest about their feelings!
Radical Honesty is not just about not lying, it is about telling people exactly how you feel about them. This does not mean just the bad stuff, the good things too. If people got told on a daily basis that they are amazing people, and they are loved, and they are truly cared about, it would truly be a better world. Who could kill themselves if there are being told they are loved every single day. How can you worry about telling somebody you care about you dont like there outfit, when you would also be telling them how much they mean to you. Think about all the people you have ever thought were your friends who you later found out dont like you. You could constantly surround yourself with people who love and respect you and you love and respect back. No more heartbreaks and no more high school drama. Sure it might cause a small amount of conflict at first but that is irrelavant to goal. If all of society was radically honest, people would get over being offended. After a certain amount of insults, it just wont matter, they just wont give a damn anymore. And it is not like their self esteem would be affected by this, like it would be now, because of all the compliments they are getting. Everybody in the world have other people who care about them, if they know it or not. And a lot of people dont know it, which is the problem.
Radical Honesty is not just about not lying, it is about telling people exactly how you feel about them. This does not mean just the bad stuff, the good things too. If people got told on a daily basis that they are amazing people, and they are loved, and they are truly cared about, it would truly be a better world. Who could kill themselves if there are being told they are loved every single day. How can you worry about telling somebody you care about you dont like there outfit, when you would also be telling them how much they mean to you. Think about all the people you have ever thought were your friends who you later found out dont like you. You could constantly surround yourself with people who love and respect you and you love and respect back. No more heartbreaks and no more high school drama. Sure it might cause a small amount of conflict at first but that is irrelavant to goal. If all of society was radically honest, people would get over being offended. After a certain amount of insults, it just wont matter, they just wont give a damn anymore. And it is not like their self esteem would be affected by this, like it would be now, because of all the compliments they are getting. Everybody in the world have other people who care about them, if they know it or not. And a lot of people dont know it, which is the problem.
Is the world ready for “Radical Honesty”?
Esquire has a hilarious and insightful article on “Radical Honesty” — a “movement” to tell the truth, the complete truth, all the time:
The movement was founded by a sixty-six-year-old Virginia-based psychotherapist named Brad Blanton. He says everybody would be happier if we just stopped lying. Tell the truth, all the time. This would be radical enough — a world without fibs — but Blanton goes further. He says we should toss out the filters between our brains and our mouths. If you think it, say it. Confess to your boss your secret plans to start your own company. If you’re having fantasies about your wife’s sister, Blanton says to tell your wife and tell her sister. It’s the only path to authentic relationships. It’s the only way to smash through modernity’s soul-deadening alienation. Oversharing? No such thing.
The movement was founded by a sixty-six-year-old Virginia-based psychotherapist named Brad Blanton. He says everybody would be happier if we just stopped lying. Tell the truth, all the time. This would be radical enough — a world without fibs — but Blanton goes further. He says we should toss out the filters between our brains and our mouths. If you think it, say it. Confess to your boss your secret plans to start your own company. If you’re having fantasies about your wife’s sister, Blanton says to tell your wife and tell her sister. It’s the only path to authentic relationships. It’s the only way to smash through modernity’s soul-deadening alienation. Oversharing? No such thing.
Wednesday, 19 December 2007
high blood pressure? eat up your porridge!
Eating wholegrain oat cereal every day could help cut blood pressure or reduce the need for blood pressure medication, according to researchers from the US.
Writing in the April issue of The Journal of Family Practice, lead researcher Joel J. Pins of the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis said that his team had seen a substantial reduction in bad cholesterol levels in patients given oats over a six week period.
Some 45 volunteers with high blood pressure were fed a daily dose of 137 grams of oat cereal, containing around 12 grams of total fibre and six grams of soluble fibre. A separate group of 43 patients with the same symptoms were given wheat cereals with total fibre of approximately 3 grams and soluble fibre of less than 1.1 grams.
A total of 73 per cent of the participants eating oats every day were able to reduce their blood pressure medication, Pins said, while their total and LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels dropped by 15 and 16 per cent respectively over a 12-week period. Patients' blood glucose levels also improved significantly.
The results were far less impressive for the patients eating the wheat cereal. Just 42 per cent of that group were able to cut their blood pressure medication, and they showed no significant reduction in cholesterol levels.
Pins noted that once the patients stopped eating the oat cereal on a daily basis, some two-thirds of them were forced to return to their original blood pressure medication after six weeks.
A different study, also carried out by Pins and his colleagues in Minneapolis, focused on a smaller group of 18 people with untreated high blood pressure. They too were fed an oatmeal diet and showed a significant reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The control group, which this time was fed a normal diet, showed no such improvements.
see also www.patlife.hometead.com
Writing in the April issue of The Journal of Family Practice, lead researcher Joel J. Pins of the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis said that his team had seen a substantial reduction in bad cholesterol levels in patients given oats over a six week period.
Some 45 volunteers with high blood pressure were fed a daily dose of 137 grams of oat cereal, containing around 12 grams of total fibre and six grams of soluble fibre. A separate group of 43 patients with the same symptoms were given wheat cereals with total fibre of approximately 3 grams and soluble fibre of less than 1.1 grams.
A total of 73 per cent of the participants eating oats every day were able to reduce their blood pressure medication, Pins said, while their total and LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels dropped by 15 and 16 per cent respectively over a 12-week period. Patients' blood glucose levels also improved significantly.
The results were far less impressive for the patients eating the wheat cereal. Just 42 per cent of that group were able to cut their blood pressure medication, and they showed no significant reduction in cholesterol levels.
Pins noted that once the patients stopped eating the oat cereal on a daily basis, some two-thirds of them were forced to return to their original blood pressure medication after six weeks.
A different study, also carried out by Pins and his colleagues in Minneapolis, focused on a smaller group of 18 people with untreated high blood pressure. They too were fed an oatmeal diet and showed a significant reduction in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The control group, which this time was fed a normal diet, showed no such improvements.
see also www.patlife.hometead.com
health searches on internet
Health-care related topics are reported to be one of the most researched topics on the internet, especially when one suspects they have symptoms of a particular disease or condition. A brief scanning of today's health related news returns headlines related to carcinogens, bird flu, cancer risks, over-the-counter drug safety questions, prescription medication safety concerns, breast cancer and chemotherapy, vaccine recalls, reports of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in hospitals, and stories of mercury found in eye products like eyeliner and mascara. Nearly every major media web site features at least one health section that provides original health-care related content, or aggregates syndicated content from other popularly known health resources.
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Iodine Deficiency - An Overlooked Contributor to Obesity?
An Overlooked Contributor to Obesity?
by Rachel Olivier, MS, ND, PhD
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 billion people worldwide are deficient in iodine
Thyroid hormones are known to affect obesity and lipid disorders, and one often-overlooked component in this equation is iodine deficiency. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are increasing dramatically worldwide, contributing to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as other obesity-related endocrinopathies.
Dietary iodine is recognized as an essential nutrient, as it is necessary for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), both of which are required for normal thyroid function. The dietary reference intake for dietary iodine, as dictated by the World Health Organization, is 90 µg per day for children 5 years of age or younger, with an increase corresponding to age: 120 µg/day for children 6 to 12 years, 150 µg/day for adults, and 200 µg/day for pregnant or lactating women.1
Worldwide Deficiency
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 billion people worldwide are deficient in iodine. Included in this figure are an estimated 285 million school-age children with iodine deficiency. In the United States, iodine status is considered marginal at best, within the range of 100 to 199 milligrams per liter. However, in some parts of the world, iodine deficiency remains a significant health problem.2,3 Added to insufficient intake is the recurrent exposure to the halogens chlorine, bromine, and fluoride, which also contribute to deficiency.
Of the dietary iodine intake, approximately 80% is sequestered by the thyroid gland, which uses it for the synthesis of thyroxine, via the sequential addition of four iodine molecules to the amino acid tyrosine.4 In addition to the thyroid, other bodily tissues also concentrate iodine, including the salivary glands, the gastric mucosa, choroids plexus, the lactating mammary gland, and the ovaries. Consequentially, as a result of decreased iodine status or deficiency, thyroxine cannot be made, which may ultimately result in thyroid dysfunction and subsequent weight gain.
Since thyroid hormones affect many bodily functions, including muscle, heart, liver, kidney, and the developing brain, optimal status is crucial for favorable health in all age groups.5 In one study with morbidly obese patients, a high degree of subclinical hypothyroidism (19.5%) was observed, with subjects having elevated levels of T3, T4, FT3, and TSH.6 There is also evidence of a significant correlation between the metabolic syndrome, of which symptoms include abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, and thyroid dysfunction, both of which contribute to cardiovascular disease.7
Iodine deficiency manifests as a variety of illnesses, collectively termed iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), which results when iodide intake is less than 20 µg per day. With iodine deficiency, an increase in serum TSH, and a significant decrease in both serum T4 and free T4, have been noted. These observations have been correlated with marked thyroid histological alterations, including "cylindric epithelial cells, diminution or absence of colloid and dilatation of blood capillaries."8 In moderate iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland, under the influence of thyroid-stimulating hormone, hypertrophies to concentrate iodide in itself, resulting in a colloid goiter. Most of these cases remain euthyroid.
Iodine and the Thyroid
The pattern between thyroid diseases and iodine intake is distinctly correlated, despite the absence of marked disease patterns, including cretinism and endemic goiter.9 Depressed iodine status has been correlated with elevated serum TSH, and it is an indicator of an insufficient T3 receptor saturation. Additionally, iodine deficiency affects brain development, which is particularly important in young children and adolescents. Given the increased obesity level in children, iodine status is a crucial consideration. An elevated serum TSH is an indicator of a potential risk. An elevated serum TSH, along with a normal serum T4 and T3, is an indication of subclinical hypothyroidism, while overt hypothyroidism is associated with an elevated TSH and a low T4, along with variable levels of T3.10
A 64% reduction in plasma thyroxine has been confirmed with iodine deficiency.11 Despite the consumption of iodinated salt, iodine deficiency disorders continue to exist, and goiters are still endemic in many populations.10 Sari et al have evidenced a "positive correlation between thyroid volume and body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and weight circumference," along with a positive correlation between TSH and both body weight and body fat.12
In children and adolescents, goiter/hypothyroidism, impaired mental function, retarded physical development, and an increased susceptibility of the thyroid to nuclear radiation are correlated with a dysfunctional thyroid. Considering the marked increase in childhood obesity, a nutritional deficiency in iodine should be addressed. Implications of thyroid dysfunction in adults include goiter/hypothyroidism, impaired mental function, spontaneous hyperthyroidism in the elderly, iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, and increased susceptibility of the thyroid to nuclear radiation. Consequently, the spectrum of IDD includes serious complications. Of these implications, brain damage and irreversible mental retardation in children are considered the most significant disorders induced by iodine deficiency.13
Supplements Available
Liquid iodine
Liquid iodine from Biotics Research supplies 75 µg of iodine, while Liquid Iodine Forte supplies 150 µg of iodine.
Although iodine deficiency has been addressed via the widespread application of public iodine supplementation programs, including the iodization of salt, in many regions of the world iodine deficiency remains a public health concern. Consequently, supplemental iodine represents an optimal approach to deficiency. Various forms of supplemental iodine are currently available—including liquid and tablet forms—both of which consist of potassium iodine or iodine derived from food sources such as kelp.
The earliest form of potassium supplementation was that of Lugol's solution, first made in 1829 by the French physician JGA Lugol. Lugol's solution is composed of 5% iodine along with 10% potassium iodide, with a final concentration of 130 mg/mL iodine.14 Iodine derived from kelp offers a natural alternative to supplementation. However, concerns with kelp-derived iodine should be considered, specifically with the knowledge that they are typically heavily contaminated with heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.
It has been noted that "more attention should be devoted to heavy metal levels in kelp, particularly where they may play a role in a subsistence diet."15 In some species of kelp, as much as 65.5 parts per million arsenic has been extracted.16 The FDA tolerance level on arsenic is 2 ppm in kelp-containing products.17 Additionally, as a result of herbal kelp supplementation, arsenic toxicity has been reported, which was alleviated once supplementation was ceased.18 A preferred form of supplementation is the use of liquid potassium iodine. This form of supplementation has shown much promise, as it is well absorbed and offers a broader dosing range, as dosage adjustments are easily implemented to corresponding iodine status. Furthermore, considering the fact it has little taste and odor, liquid potassium iodine can readily be administered to all population ranges, including infants, children, and adults. More importantly, no risk of heavy metal contamination exists, as it is not derivated from souces with known contaminants, such as sea vegetation.
Determining iodine status in overweight patients offers a valid and theraputically beneficial approach toward deficiency. It has been noted that the benefits of iodine therapy far outweigh the risks induced by excess iodine.19,20,21 Continual monitoring along with the use of an easily regulated source of iodine offers a definitive approach toward the ultimate goal of adequate iodine status. Additionally, correcting the iodine deficiency plays an important role in optimizing thyroid function, and in turn may be an important factor in weight reduction.
Rachel Olivier, MS, ND, PhD, is physician advisor for Biotics Research Corp. Contact her at ROlivier@bioticsresearch.com.
References
1. WHO global database on iodine deficiency. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA58-REC1/english/WHA58_24-en.pdf. Accessed June 27, 2007.
2. Utiger RD. Iodine Nutrition – More is Better. N Eng J Med. 2006;354(26):2819-2821.
3. Boyages SC. Clinical Review 49: Iodine Deficiency Disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
see link :
www.ultraherbal.com
www.patlife.homestead.com
by Rachel Olivier, MS, ND, PhD
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 billion people worldwide are deficient in iodine
Thyroid hormones are known to affect obesity and lipid disorders, and one often-overlooked component in this equation is iodine deficiency. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are increasing dramatically worldwide, contributing to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, as well as other obesity-related endocrinopathies.
Dietary iodine is recognized as an essential nutrient, as it is necessary for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones thyroxin (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), both of which are required for normal thyroid function. The dietary reference intake for dietary iodine, as dictated by the World Health Organization, is 90 µg per day for children 5 years of age or younger, with an increase corresponding to age: 120 µg/day for children 6 to 12 years, 150 µg/day for adults, and 200 µg/day for pregnant or lactating women.1
Worldwide Deficiency
The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2 billion people worldwide are deficient in iodine. Included in this figure are an estimated 285 million school-age children with iodine deficiency. In the United States, iodine status is considered marginal at best, within the range of 100 to 199 milligrams per liter. However, in some parts of the world, iodine deficiency remains a significant health problem.2,3 Added to insufficient intake is the recurrent exposure to the halogens chlorine, bromine, and fluoride, which also contribute to deficiency.
Of the dietary iodine intake, approximately 80% is sequestered by the thyroid gland, which uses it for the synthesis of thyroxine, via the sequential addition of four iodine molecules to the amino acid tyrosine.4 In addition to the thyroid, other bodily tissues also concentrate iodine, including the salivary glands, the gastric mucosa, choroids plexus, the lactating mammary gland, and the ovaries. Consequentially, as a result of decreased iodine status or deficiency, thyroxine cannot be made, which may ultimately result in thyroid dysfunction and subsequent weight gain.
Since thyroid hormones affect many bodily functions, including muscle, heart, liver, kidney, and the developing brain, optimal status is crucial for favorable health in all age groups.5 In one study with morbidly obese patients, a high degree of subclinical hypothyroidism (19.5%) was observed, with subjects having elevated levels of T3, T4, FT3, and TSH.6 There is also evidence of a significant correlation between the metabolic syndrome, of which symptoms include abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, and thyroid dysfunction, both of which contribute to cardiovascular disease.7
Iodine deficiency manifests as a variety of illnesses, collectively termed iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), which results when iodide intake is less than 20 µg per day. With iodine deficiency, an increase in serum TSH, and a significant decrease in both serum T4 and free T4, have been noted. These observations have been correlated with marked thyroid histological alterations, including "cylindric epithelial cells, diminution or absence of colloid and dilatation of blood capillaries."8 In moderate iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland, under the influence of thyroid-stimulating hormone, hypertrophies to concentrate iodide in itself, resulting in a colloid goiter. Most of these cases remain euthyroid.
Iodine and the Thyroid
The pattern between thyroid diseases and iodine intake is distinctly correlated, despite the absence of marked disease patterns, including cretinism and endemic goiter.9 Depressed iodine status has been correlated with elevated serum TSH, and it is an indicator of an insufficient T3 receptor saturation. Additionally, iodine deficiency affects brain development, which is particularly important in young children and adolescents. Given the increased obesity level in children, iodine status is a crucial consideration. An elevated serum TSH is an indicator of a potential risk. An elevated serum TSH, along with a normal serum T4 and T3, is an indication of subclinical hypothyroidism, while overt hypothyroidism is associated with an elevated TSH and a low T4, along with variable levels of T3.10
A 64% reduction in plasma thyroxine has been confirmed with iodine deficiency.11 Despite the consumption of iodinated salt, iodine deficiency disorders continue to exist, and goiters are still endemic in many populations.10 Sari et al have evidenced a "positive correlation between thyroid volume and body weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, and weight circumference," along with a positive correlation between TSH and both body weight and body fat.12
In children and adolescents, goiter/hypothyroidism, impaired mental function, retarded physical development, and an increased susceptibility of the thyroid to nuclear radiation are correlated with a dysfunctional thyroid. Considering the marked increase in childhood obesity, a nutritional deficiency in iodine should be addressed. Implications of thyroid dysfunction in adults include goiter/hypothyroidism, impaired mental function, spontaneous hyperthyroidism in the elderly, iodine-induced hyperthyroidism, and increased susceptibility of the thyroid to nuclear radiation. Consequently, the spectrum of IDD includes serious complications. Of these implications, brain damage and irreversible mental retardation in children are considered the most significant disorders induced by iodine deficiency.13
Supplements Available
Liquid iodine
Liquid iodine from Biotics Research supplies 75 µg of iodine, while Liquid Iodine Forte supplies 150 µg of iodine.
Although iodine deficiency has been addressed via the widespread application of public iodine supplementation programs, including the iodization of salt, in many regions of the world iodine deficiency remains a public health concern. Consequently, supplemental iodine represents an optimal approach to deficiency. Various forms of supplemental iodine are currently available—including liquid and tablet forms—both of which consist of potassium iodine or iodine derived from food sources such as kelp.
The earliest form of potassium supplementation was that of Lugol's solution, first made in 1829 by the French physician JGA Lugol. Lugol's solution is composed of 5% iodine along with 10% potassium iodide, with a final concentration of 130 mg/mL iodine.14 Iodine derived from kelp offers a natural alternative to supplementation. However, concerns with kelp-derived iodine should be considered, specifically with the knowledge that they are typically heavily contaminated with heavy metals, including arsenic, cadmium, and mercury.
It has been noted that "more attention should be devoted to heavy metal levels in kelp, particularly where they may play a role in a subsistence diet."15 In some species of kelp, as much as 65.5 parts per million arsenic has been extracted.16 The FDA tolerance level on arsenic is 2 ppm in kelp-containing products.17 Additionally, as a result of herbal kelp supplementation, arsenic toxicity has been reported, which was alleviated once supplementation was ceased.18 A preferred form of supplementation is the use of liquid potassium iodine. This form of supplementation has shown much promise, as it is well absorbed and offers a broader dosing range, as dosage adjustments are easily implemented to corresponding iodine status. Furthermore, considering the fact it has little taste and odor, liquid potassium iodine can readily be administered to all population ranges, including infants, children, and adults. More importantly, no risk of heavy metal contamination exists, as it is not derivated from souces with known contaminants, such as sea vegetation.
Determining iodine status in overweight patients offers a valid and theraputically beneficial approach toward deficiency. It has been noted that the benefits of iodine therapy far outweigh the risks induced by excess iodine.19,20,21 Continual monitoring along with the use of an easily regulated source of iodine offers a definitive approach toward the ultimate goal of adequate iodine status. Additionally, correcting the iodine deficiency plays an important role in optimizing thyroid function, and in turn may be an important factor in weight reduction.
Rachel Olivier, MS, ND, PhD, is physician advisor for Biotics Research Corp. Contact her at ROlivier@bioticsresearch.com.
References
1. WHO global database on iodine deficiency. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA58-REC1/english/WHA58_24-en.pdf. Accessed June 27, 2007.
2. Utiger RD. Iodine Nutrition – More is Better. N Eng J Med. 2006;354(26):2819-2821.
3. Boyages SC. Clinical Review 49: Iodine Deficiency Disorders. J Clin Endocrinol Metab.
see link :
www.ultraherbal.com
www.patlife.homestead.com
ct scans cause cancer?
CT (computed tomography) scans are the cause of up to 2 per cent of all cancers. The effect could be far worse among children, who are more sensitive to irradiation.
The scans, which seem to especially cause cancers of the lungs and colon, produce a radiation dose similar to that of the atom bombs that were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Each scan produces a radiation dose of around 15 mSv in an adult, and 30 mSv in a newborn child, and as standard treatment is for two to three scans, the overall dose reaches 45 mSv. Survivors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were exposed to doses slightly below 50 mSv.
Around 11 per cent of all CT scans are carried out on children to determine if they have appendicitis, and researchers fear that, even if they do not develop cancer immediately, they are still at greater risk as adults as their radiation load continues to increase.
In the US alone, 62 million scans are performed every year, mainly to check on seizures, chronic headaches and trauma, an extraordinary increase since 1980 when just 3 million scans were performed.
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York base their cancer estimates on radiation exposure from survivors of the atomic bomb blasts, and from a major study into the health of 400,000 workers in the nuclear industry.
They also reckon that up to a third of all CT scans are unnecessary or could be replaced by safer technology such as ultrasound.
If that’s so, it means that 20 million adults and 1 million children are unnecessarily irradiated every year in the US – and also being exposed to the risk of cancer.
(Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2007; 357: 2277-84).
Printer-friendly version of this page
The scans, which seem to especially cause cancers of the lungs and colon, produce a radiation dose similar to that of the atom bombs that were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.
Each scan produces a radiation dose of around 15 mSv in an adult, and 30 mSv in a newborn child, and as standard treatment is for two to three scans, the overall dose reaches 45 mSv. Survivors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were exposed to doses slightly below 50 mSv.
Around 11 per cent of all CT scans are carried out on children to determine if they have appendicitis, and researchers fear that, even if they do not develop cancer immediately, they are still at greater risk as adults as their radiation load continues to increase.
In the US alone, 62 million scans are performed every year, mainly to check on seizures, chronic headaches and trauma, an extraordinary increase since 1980 when just 3 million scans were performed.
Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York base their cancer estimates on radiation exposure from survivors of the atomic bomb blasts, and from a major study into the health of 400,000 workers in the nuclear industry.
They also reckon that up to a third of all CT scans are unnecessary or could be replaced by safer technology such as ultrasound.
If that’s so, it means that 20 million adults and 1 million children are unnecessarily irradiated every year in the US – and also being exposed to the risk of cancer.
(Source: New England Journal of Medicine, 2007; 357: 2277-84).
Printer-friendly version of this page
Is This The Slimming Secret Of The Stars?
Imagine this: an organic pill that kills the appetite and attacks obesity. It has no known side-effects, and contains a molecule that fools your brain into believing you are full.
The Hoodia cactus plant
Image©Pure Hoodia
Are you fascinated by how the stars manage to stay so very thin? I’ve regularly come to the conclusion that after all the personal training, liposuction, colonic irrigation, nips, tucks and what not, there must be a little extra assistance at hand. And I’m not talking about the class A kind that celebrities so often get caught snorting.
Then I stumbled across a couple of articles reporting that the likes of Nicole Richie and the Desperate Housewives stars are apparently getting a little helping hand from a little-known South African herb called Hoodia. According to one of Nicole’s pals (who spilled the beans to More magazine) the tiny starlet once confessed: "Hoodia makes you look hot in low-cut tops and backless dresses. It’s good for me - the bushmen have sworn by it for hundreds of years and that's good enough for me."
Hoodia comes from an ugly-looking cactus that thrives in the high temperatures of the African Kalahari dessert. The San Bushmen of the Kalahari, one of the world's oldest and most primitive tribes, have been eating the cactus for thousands of years. They use it to stave off hunger during long hunting trips and to keep their youngsters’ cravings at bay when food is in short supply.
But how does it work? Well, here’s the science bit: there is a part of your brain called the hypothalamus, and within that mid-brain are the nerve cells that sense glucose sugar. When you’re full, the cells tell the brain that your blood sugar levels are good and there is no need to eat more food for now. Hoodia causes these cells to send the same message to the brain. So, the nerve cells are firing as if you were full, but you’re not. And you’re not hungry either.
Hoodia takes years to mature and so to protect it, pharmaceutical giants who are keen to manufacture the plant as a slimming aid to the western world have begun growing it across huge plantations of the South African desert.
The bio-pharmaceutical company Phytopharm, based in Cambridge, has been routinely testing the plant and has isolated a previously unknown molecule in it, which it has christened P 57. The molecule has been patented by the company but the cactus itself, being a living plant, cannot be.
What happens if you eat the cactus itself?
The Hoodia cactus at two years growth
Image©Pure Hoodia
The BBC sent a reporter to the Kalahari desert to test the benefits of this wonder-herb. Tom Mangold tucked into the raw Hoodia cactus, which he described as "a slightly unpleasant-tasting, fleshy plant", eating a piece about half the size of a banana. So did his cameraman. On their four-hour drive back to Capetown, both of them felt good and neither of them thought about food. “Our brains really were telling us we were full. It was a magnificent deception,” says Tom.
Neither of them wanted dinner, and the next day neither of them wanted breakfast. Lunch was eaten with little pleasure, and their appetite did not return fully until 24 hours had passed.
On reading this report, I couldn’t resist trying Hoodia. I’m a big fan of the GI Diet, simply because it lets you eat lots and feel full without putting on weight (well, if you’re ‘good’, that is). I wondered if trying this new wonder herb would help to curb my appetite a little in order to shift a couple of extra pounds before the Christmas parties get into full swing. I spoke to James Leon, who owns the Pure Hoodia company here in the UK, and ordered myself a sample.
James discovered Hoodia when he was at a rural trade fair in South Africa about 12 years ago. He now buys direct from the South African farmers who he established a direct link with.
“I really like it because it’s a herb and therefore natural,” says James. And while many other Hoodia suppliers choose to mix up the Hoodia herb with things like green tea or chromium (which is said to boost the metabolism), James says it’s perfect in its natural form and he likes to keep it that way.
Hoodia may take a few days to start taking effect and the recommended dosage may be anything from one or two capsules a day for people who only have a little to lose, to around six for a 25-stone man. “People may already have a suppressed appetite before they notice any weight loss,” says James, who explains that to lose 1lb of fat, a person must burn up 3,500 calories, which can take a while. “But today someone who started taking Hoodia at the beginning of October emailed me and said they’d lost a stone,” he added proudly.
It is entirely up to the individual if they wish to continue using Hoodia when they’ve reached their target weight. James tends to find that people may contact him to buy a two or three month supply, then they stay at their target weight for six months, before coming back later when the weight starts to creep back on.
“People eat for different reasons, and if it’s out of boredom or because they’re unhappy, then maybe Hoodia might not be the right thing for them in that instance. But for those who want to lose weight and are prepared to stick to a diet, or cut back between meals – it can be very helpful,” says James. “We sell thousands of pots a month, which is based on the fact that we have a good product and a good customer service. I’m usually the one who answers the phone.”
We put Hoodia to the test
Nicole O'Neil
Image©James Hopkirk
I tried Hoodia over a two-week period and found that taking it twice a day did help to reduce my appetite. There were a couple of particular instances on my way home from work when I felt absolutely ravenous and decided to try one of the capsules. Within about ten minutes the hunger had subsided. That’s not to say I didn’t want dinner when I got in, but I possibly ate less than I might otherwise have done.
In another instance on a Friday evening when I was about to head home via the chip shop after a night with friends at the pub, Hoodia came to my rescue again. And I was pretty pleased with myself when I woke up the next morning.
While I was running my Hoodia test, I didn’t feel as though I was eating a lot less than usual and yet I did manage to lose 2lbs over two weeks. At certain snack times I was less hungry and didn’t really think about food. But that said, Hoodia doesn’t take away the appetite completely, which can only be a good thing. Not eating all of the necessary vitamins and minerals will obviously always be detrimental to one’s health. But using a herb to simply help to curb the appetite can’t be bad, can it?
Hoodia has few known side effects at the moment. But it might be worth mentioning that a report in the New York Times claims there may be unwanted effects on the liver, caused by other components in Hoodia which cannot easily be removed from the supplement. While this has yet to be proven, further tests are needed before the full-known effects of the extract are completely understood.
But lawyer to the San tribe’s South African lawyer Roger Chennells believes Hoodia is the answer to obesity in the West, and for his people, the end of poverty in the Kalahari desert. He told the BBC: "The San will finally throw off thousands of years of oppression, poverty, social isolation and discrimination. I envisage Hoodia cafes in London and New York,” he says. “Salads will be served and the Hoodia cut like cucumber on to the salad. It will need flavouring to counter its unpleasant taste, but if it has no side effects and no cumulative side-effects, this is where we’re going."
As for whether Nicole Richie and the Desperate Housewives cast are using the herb to keep their frames stick-thin, I couldn’t possibly say. But what I will say is, if they are, they must be using a very strong dose to make their appetites so very small. To me, Hoodia seems more like a herbal diet supplement to aid healthy eating, as opposed to the pharmaceutical slimming drugs that speed up the metabolism and can keep their users awake at night. And if it is proven to have no side effects and help out obesity, that can surely only be a good thing.
hoodia - weight loss herb: www.ultraherbal.com
The Hoodia cactus plant
Image©Pure Hoodia
Are you fascinated by how the stars manage to stay so very thin? I’ve regularly come to the conclusion that after all the personal training, liposuction, colonic irrigation, nips, tucks and what not, there must be a little extra assistance at hand. And I’m not talking about the class A kind that celebrities so often get caught snorting.
Then I stumbled across a couple of articles reporting that the likes of Nicole Richie and the Desperate Housewives stars are apparently getting a little helping hand from a little-known South African herb called Hoodia. According to one of Nicole’s pals (who spilled the beans to More magazine) the tiny starlet once confessed: "Hoodia makes you look hot in low-cut tops and backless dresses. It’s good for me - the bushmen have sworn by it for hundreds of years and that's good enough for me."
Hoodia comes from an ugly-looking cactus that thrives in the high temperatures of the African Kalahari dessert. The San Bushmen of the Kalahari, one of the world's oldest and most primitive tribes, have been eating the cactus for thousands of years. They use it to stave off hunger during long hunting trips and to keep their youngsters’ cravings at bay when food is in short supply.
But how does it work? Well, here’s the science bit: there is a part of your brain called the hypothalamus, and within that mid-brain are the nerve cells that sense glucose sugar. When you’re full, the cells tell the brain that your blood sugar levels are good and there is no need to eat more food for now. Hoodia causes these cells to send the same message to the brain. So, the nerve cells are firing as if you were full, but you’re not. And you’re not hungry either.
Hoodia takes years to mature and so to protect it, pharmaceutical giants who are keen to manufacture the plant as a slimming aid to the western world have begun growing it across huge plantations of the South African desert.
The bio-pharmaceutical company Phytopharm, based in Cambridge, has been routinely testing the plant and has isolated a previously unknown molecule in it, which it has christened P 57. The molecule has been patented by the company but the cactus itself, being a living plant, cannot be.
What happens if you eat the cactus itself?
The Hoodia cactus at two years growth
Image©Pure Hoodia
The BBC sent a reporter to the Kalahari desert to test the benefits of this wonder-herb. Tom Mangold tucked into the raw Hoodia cactus, which he described as "a slightly unpleasant-tasting, fleshy plant", eating a piece about half the size of a banana. So did his cameraman. On their four-hour drive back to Capetown, both of them felt good and neither of them thought about food. “Our brains really were telling us we were full. It was a magnificent deception,” says Tom.
Neither of them wanted dinner, and the next day neither of them wanted breakfast. Lunch was eaten with little pleasure, and their appetite did not return fully until 24 hours had passed.
On reading this report, I couldn’t resist trying Hoodia. I’m a big fan of the GI Diet, simply because it lets you eat lots and feel full without putting on weight (well, if you’re ‘good’, that is). I wondered if trying this new wonder herb would help to curb my appetite a little in order to shift a couple of extra pounds before the Christmas parties get into full swing. I spoke to James Leon, who owns the Pure Hoodia company here in the UK, and ordered myself a sample.
James discovered Hoodia when he was at a rural trade fair in South Africa about 12 years ago. He now buys direct from the South African farmers who he established a direct link with.
“I really like it because it’s a herb and therefore natural,” says James. And while many other Hoodia suppliers choose to mix up the Hoodia herb with things like green tea or chromium (which is said to boost the metabolism), James says it’s perfect in its natural form and he likes to keep it that way.
Hoodia may take a few days to start taking effect and the recommended dosage may be anything from one or two capsules a day for people who only have a little to lose, to around six for a 25-stone man. “People may already have a suppressed appetite before they notice any weight loss,” says James, who explains that to lose 1lb of fat, a person must burn up 3,500 calories, which can take a while. “But today someone who started taking Hoodia at the beginning of October emailed me and said they’d lost a stone,” he added proudly.
It is entirely up to the individual if they wish to continue using Hoodia when they’ve reached their target weight. James tends to find that people may contact him to buy a two or three month supply, then they stay at their target weight for six months, before coming back later when the weight starts to creep back on.
“People eat for different reasons, and if it’s out of boredom or because they’re unhappy, then maybe Hoodia might not be the right thing for them in that instance. But for those who want to lose weight and are prepared to stick to a diet, or cut back between meals – it can be very helpful,” says James. “We sell thousands of pots a month, which is based on the fact that we have a good product and a good customer service. I’m usually the one who answers the phone.”
We put Hoodia to the test
Nicole O'Neil
Image©James Hopkirk
I tried Hoodia over a two-week period and found that taking it twice a day did help to reduce my appetite. There were a couple of particular instances on my way home from work when I felt absolutely ravenous and decided to try one of the capsules. Within about ten minutes the hunger had subsided. That’s not to say I didn’t want dinner when I got in, but I possibly ate less than I might otherwise have done.
In another instance on a Friday evening when I was about to head home via the chip shop after a night with friends at the pub, Hoodia came to my rescue again. And I was pretty pleased with myself when I woke up the next morning.
While I was running my Hoodia test, I didn’t feel as though I was eating a lot less than usual and yet I did manage to lose 2lbs over two weeks. At certain snack times I was less hungry and didn’t really think about food. But that said, Hoodia doesn’t take away the appetite completely, which can only be a good thing. Not eating all of the necessary vitamins and minerals will obviously always be detrimental to one’s health. But using a herb to simply help to curb the appetite can’t be bad, can it?
Hoodia has few known side effects at the moment. But it might be worth mentioning that a report in the New York Times claims there may be unwanted effects on the liver, caused by other components in Hoodia which cannot easily be removed from the supplement. While this has yet to be proven, further tests are needed before the full-known effects of the extract are completely understood.
But lawyer to the San tribe’s South African lawyer Roger Chennells believes Hoodia is the answer to obesity in the West, and for his people, the end of poverty in the Kalahari desert. He told the BBC: "The San will finally throw off thousands of years of oppression, poverty, social isolation and discrimination. I envisage Hoodia cafes in London and New York,” he says. “Salads will be served and the Hoodia cut like cucumber on to the salad. It will need flavouring to counter its unpleasant taste, but if it has no side effects and no cumulative side-effects, this is where we’re going."
As for whether Nicole Richie and the Desperate Housewives cast are using the herb to keep their frames stick-thin, I couldn’t possibly say. But what I will say is, if they are, they must be using a very strong dose to make their appetites so very small. To me, Hoodia seems more like a herbal diet supplement to aid healthy eating, as opposed to the pharmaceutical slimming drugs that speed up the metabolism and can keep their users awake at night. And if it is proven to have no side effects and help out obesity, that can surely only be a good thing.
hoodia - weight loss herb: www.ultraherbal.com
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