Michael J. Fox and the benefits of disease

In my position here I speak to many, many people with serious disease, and so I am constantly seeing attitudes of 'management' of their condition.

Frankly, the way people respond to serious disease seem to align quite well o Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' states of grief (bargaining, anger, denial, depression and acceptance). Michael seems a wonderful benchmark for the acceptance phase, evidenced to me by a comment he made to Dr. Oz on Oprah.

Perhaps I don't have it word perfect.. but he said something like "The good thing about Parkinson's is that you soon give up vanity."

It got me thinking; what are the pointers in the disease process that allow us to move through the stages of grief to acceptance? And to what degree does vanity, ego, self-image affect our ability to come to terms, accept and emotionally move on?

Love to hear your responses.

How to Take 15 Years off your Biological Age

Peter Stone is a powerful dude. He's personal trainer to some powerful people and he is also a powerful Alkalarian. He's also a highly sought after speaker, coach and writer. I met him recently and had a real jam session with him on our favourite subject - you guessed it - the Alkaline Lifestyle. He's been recommending alkalising to people for many, many years.

His claim to fame is a wholistic training regimen to take 15 years off your biological life measurement.. and yes, he does it!

Here's his website - with an interview he and I did recently.

What an Acid Bath!

A lake close to Cape Canaveral is home to Florida’s mascot — the 'Gator.
Last week zoologists have been looking to see if space shuttle launches affect the environment of local animals. So when NASA launched a shuttle this past weekend, researchers were ready to sample the water and collect some gator eggs.

Prior to the launch, the lake’s water had a clearly alkaline pH of 7.8, comparable to river water.

3 hours after launch, the local lake water had plummeted to a startling pH of 0.5 — more than a million times more acidic than pre-launch!!!

The region is dominated by limestone-weathered soils, so 24 hours later the lake’s water was again a comfortable 7.8. So.. are there any 'gators left,?

Death of the Can?

ConsumerReports recently tested 19 canned foods, including products from Eden Foods andAnnie’s Homegrown, and found that almost all products contained bisphenol A, a chemical used in the epoxy resin linings of most food and beverage cans.

“The findings are noteworthy because they indicate the extent of potential exposure,” said Dr. Urvashi Rangan, director of technical policy at Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, in a release. “Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels comparable to the ones we found in some tested products could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse effects in several animal studies.”Some studies have linked BPA with infertility, weight gain, behavioral changes, early onset puberty, prostate and breast cancers and diabetes.

According to Consumer Reports, Canada and some U.S. states and cities have restricted BPA use because of potential health risks, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet recommended that people stop using products containing BPA.

The highest levels of BPA that Consumer Reports’ tests found were in samples of canned Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans Blue Lake with levels ranging from 35.9 parts per billion to 191 ppb. Progresso Vegetable Soup BPA levels ranged from 67 to 134 ppb. Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup had BPA levels ranging from 54.5 to 102 ppb.Federal guidelines currently put the daily upper limit of safe exposure at 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight, but that number is based on experiments done in the 1980s. Consumer Reports’ food-safety scientists recommend limiting daily exposure to BPA to 0.0024 micrograms per kilogram of body weight.

The FDA is currently reassessing what it considers a safe level of exposure to BPA.Consumer Reports also found BPA in organic canned products and some products packaged in cans that claimed to be BPA-free. The canned Organic Cheesy Ravioli produced by Annie’s had BPA levels of 32 ppb. Samples of Eden Foods Baked Beans in “BPA-free” cans averaged 1 ppb of BPA, and Vital Choice’s tuna in “BPA-free” cans were found to contain an average of 20 ppb of BPA. However, tests of the inside of the “BPA-free” cans found that the liners were not epoxy-based, suggesting BPA was not used.

“I’m not surprised at the findings,” said Michael Potter, president of Eden Foods, based in Ann Arbor, Mich. “One of the ingredients [in Eden’s Baked Beans] is tomatoes. When we use canned tomatoes that our organic grower packs for us, a BPA-containing lining is in the can. All canned tomatoes come in BPA-containing cans. However, beans are a low-acid food, so we can use BPA-free cans for them.”According to the company website, Eden Foods currently packs organic beans in BPA-free steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous c-enamel lining. These BPA-free cans cost the company 14 percent more than BPA-containing cans, said Potter.

Potter noted that no alternative currently exists to replace BPA-containing cans for high-acid foods. “We have been working with the Ball Corp. for two years, trying to get them to develop and have available a BPA-free can lining for high-acid foods,” said Potter. In the meantime, Potter plans to investigate whether Eden Foods could pack baked beans with fresh tomatoes, which he said would keep BPA out of the final product.Although Annie’s would not comment on the Consumer Reports’findings because they had not yet seen the tests, the company, like Eden, is actively looking for BPA alternatives. “The only Annie’s products that use BPA are our canned Pasta Meals, such as Cheesy Ravioli, All Stars, BernieO’s, Arthur Loops and P’sghetti Loops,” said Aimee Sands, marketing director for Napa, Calif.-based Annie’s.

“At this time, the FDA has not approved a BPA-free can for use with our type of tomato-based products. The BPA is needed in the lining of the cans to prevent the acidic tomato sauce and pasta from reacting with and leaching the metal in the cans.”

Ian's November Healthemail and Christmas specials

and click here to go to my special Christmas deals.

Yet another doctor comes into the Alkaline water fold.

Dr Raymond Hatland's article on bottled water crossed my screen briefly today. It appears he has arrived at similar conclusions to those of most of you reading this blog.

"Bottled water has rapidly become a very popular drink. In this age of convenience, bottled water fits in very well with many new modern lifestyles. It provides portability and is readily available as purified and sanitized drinking water. It is also an upgrade from the many artificially sweetened drinks that have flooded the market.

The question is whether or not bottled water is a great improvement over tap water.

On the positive side, tap water is cheap, basically safe and easily available, has fluoride that can help prevent tooth decay, has a neutral or slightly alkaline pH, usually contains some good minerals, and depending on where you are located can have a good taste.

On the negative side, tap water can be polluted with many industrial chemicals that are not totally removed by water purification systems, can contain excessive amounts of iron, sulfur, or fluoride, can draw lead or copper from the pipes, and on occasion may be contaminated with bacteria and waste products from occasional flooding.

On the positive side, bottled water is safe from bacterial infections, can taste good, is easily portable, can have an alkaline pH, and can be free of fluoride.

On the negative side, bottled water is very expensive, usually has a very acidic pH, has no fluoride, may have very few nutritional minerals, and may contain unacceptable levels of the plastic chemicals (bisphosphonates) that leech from plastic containers.

Conclusions

1. Fluoride in the water is both positive and negative depending on who is drinking it.

2. Kids benefit from the fluoride, which helps reduce dental decay. However, this is a doubtful benefit for most adults and there is some concern that the fluoride ion in tap water reacts with the some of the trace chemicals in tap water making them more carcinogenic.

3. It is my opinion that fluoride is best applied topically by dentists or hygienists for the most effective protection of teeth with minimal systemic side effects.

4. High fluoride concentration tooth gels can be used by high-risk adults and by children under supervision to avoid excess swallowing of the gel. Two to three times a week is often enough to be effective.

5. Having an occasional bottle of water is not a health risk. Drinking only bottled water could be a problem. The best of both worlds would be to buy a water filter and alkalizing unit that will purify your tap water and increase the pH of the water up to 9. There are many health benefits in doing this. Alkaline water increases your body’s ability to neutralize excess acid ions that come from the high amount of acid foods and liquids we ingest. This will help the body reduce inflammation, tooth decay, and enamel erosion in the mouth and generalized water retention. Weight loss and lower blood pressure is another benefit."

Dr. Raymond Hatland, DDS, attended the University of Illinois in Urbana from 1960 to 1962, and the University of Illinois College of Dentistry from 1962 to 1966, graduating in the upper 20% of his class. He participated in the U.S. Army’s one-year rotating internship program at Ireland Army Hospital in Fort Knox, Ky., receiving advanced training in all specialty areas including oral surgery, fixed and removable prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, pedodontics, and oral medicine. Since 1975, Dr. Hatland has taken more than 1,600 hours of continuing-education courses in all of the above areas of dentistry as well as functional orthodontics and many alternative and energy system related courses and seminars, and has written several articles about his periodontal research regarding the reverse gum disease program. Dr. Hatland has been selected as a member of America’s Top Dentists and named Dentist of the Year for 2003 through 2005 by the Consumer Business Review. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Indiana Dental Association, the Indianapolis District Dental Society, the Holistic Dental Association, and an associate member of the Chicago Dental Society.

His website is HERE

A real 'Ouch!' Quote

“It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of The New England Journal of Medicine.”

-- Marcia Angell, MD

Asparagus: Alkalizer Superbo

OK. This came to me by email. I don't vouch for anything it says. People heal for all sorts of reasons, just as they don't heal for all sorts of reasons. So use your own power of discretion.

"Mom had been taking the full-stalk canned style asparagus that she pureed and she took 4 tablespoons in the morning and 4 tablespoons later in the day. She did this for over a month. She is on chemo pills for Stage 3 lung cancer in the pleural area and her cancer cell count went from 386 down to 125 as of this past week. Her oncologist said she does not need to see him for 3 months."

The email then refers to an article.

"Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy of an article, entitled, Asparagus for cancer 'printed in Cancer News Journal, December 1979.. I will share it here, just as it was shared with
me: 'I am a biochemist, and have specialized in the relation of diet to health or over 50 years..Several years ago, I learned of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that asparagus might cure cancer. Since then, I have worked with him on his project.

We have accumulated a number of favorable case histories. Here are a few
examples:

Case No. 1,
A man with an almost hopeless case of Hodgkin's disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to detect any signs of cancer, and he was=2 0back on a schedule of strenuous exercise.

Case No. 2,
a successful businessman 68 years old who suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years. After years of medical treatments, including radiation without improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3 months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

Case No. 3,
a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he was put on the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the Asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it. By August, x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared.. He is back at his
regular business routine.

Case No. 4,
a woman who was troubled for a number of years with skin cancer. She finally developed different skin cancers which were diagnosed by the acting specialist as advanced. Within 3 months after starting on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman reported that the
asparagus therapy also cured her kidney disease, which started in 1949.
She had over 10 operations for kidney stones, and was receiving
government disabilitypayments for an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition.. She attributes the cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of materia medica', edited in1854 by a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, stated that asparagus was used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even referred to experiments, in 1739, on
the power of asparagus in dissolving stones. Note the dates!
We would have other case histories but the medical establishment has interfered with our obtaining some of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers to spread this good news and help us to gather a large number of case histories that will overwhelm
the medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as good as fresh. I have corresponded with the two leading canners of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or preservatives. Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy
to make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and evening. Patients usually show some improvement in from 2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases. As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what cures can prevent.' Based on this theory, my wife and I have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals. We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold. For years we have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as part of our regular checkups. The last blood survey, taken by a medical doctor who specializes in the nutritional approach to health, showed substantial improvements in allcategories over the last one, and we can attribute these improvements to nothing but the asparagus drink....As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better with the latest theories about cancer...
Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called histones, which are believed to be active in controlling cell growth.. For that reason, I believe asparagus can be said to contain a substance that I call a growth normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and in acting as a general body tonic. In any event, regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is a harmless substance. The FDA cannot prevent you from using it and it may do you much good.

It has been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants."

My own Fibre Factory

What a wonderful weekend!
And Cassie's work in our little home organic vegie patch is paying off (although this would rate as the most expensive lettuce we've ever eaten, when we take into account the cost of our mushroom compost, straw, and organic compost)
But it's all worthwhile when you come out after a good rain.
Look at our lettuces! Aren't they a thing of beauty?

A Few Facts about Probiotics

Probiotics, Probiotics, Probiotics and the great benefits they can provide to your digestive system. That’s all we seem to see on TV these days. But.. do you really understand what they are and the difference between probiotic and prebiotic?

What do Probiotics do ... (It’s a Zoo down there!)
Our intestines are loaded with around 500 different types of bacteria, some good and some bad and some ugly. Probiotics are the “friendly” bacteria that hang out on the walls of your intestines.

Probiotics work with enzymes to break down and digest your food, but they also help to process waste, and keep unfriendly bacteria, yeasts and fungii in check. Probiotics work with your immune system by preventing bad bacteria (like H. Pylori & Salmonella) as well as yeast and fungi (like Candida) from grogetting out of control . Probiotics are actually your first line of defense against bacterial related disease. When unfriendly bacteria enter your digestive tract, probiotics recognize them as the bad guys (it’s the black hats that are the giveaway) and immediately attack them. Thus, probiotics greatly enhance your immune system!
Probiotics also manufacture essential vitamins and hormones, egulate their levels, and in their spare time, maintain the pH of our entire digestive system. So we are entirely dependent on the ‘bugs in our guts’!


Probiotics and what can hurt them. ...

Pharmaceuticals
Antibiotics don’tdiscriminate between good and bad bacteria. They kill everything. Other drugs like antacids, laxatives, birth control pills, and steroidal / hormonal drugs can also harm your probiotics. When this happens, your intestines may lose their protective layers, becoming dangerously vulnerable to invasion by ‘bad-guy’ bacteria. Once the bad guys take over in your intestines, they can easily enter the bloodstream and infect any organ in your body. Lack of probiotics may cause you to become more prone to infectious disease, digestive problems such as constipation or diarrhea, and malnourishment.

Foods & Chemicals
Other things that can kill your probiotics and skew the balance of your digestive system include fluoride, coffee/tea, vinegar, carbonated drinks, chlorine, man-made vitamins, and preservatives (in food).

When you consume meat, you're also eating the pathogenic bacteria in the meat which harm probiotics.

Foods high in yeast and fungus and foods that feed yeast also kill probiotics. Intestinal yeasts and fungi produce antibacterial chemicals (penicillin comes from fungus). In the same regard, Probiotics produce chemicals that attack yeast. So there's an ongoing war in your intestinal tract . When bad bacteria and yeast begin to outnumber your probiotic bacteria, the probiotics lose the war.

Are you depleted in Probiotics .?
Symptoms of probiotic deficiency are numerous, and are related to almost every known illness. Most commonly, insufficient levels of probiotics can lead to candida overgrowth which results in perforation of the intestinal wall, A.K.A. "leaky gut". This allows undigested food particles and harmful microbes to enter the bloodstream and abdominal cavity.

Bladder infections, yeast infections, gas, bloating, nausea, constipation and diarrhea may all be signs of an imbalance in intestinal flora.

The extensive and varied roles probiotics play in health have caused leading researchers in Europe to claim that as much as 80% of all degenerative diseases result from Probiotic deficiency. Keeping your probiotics winning the war...

Today, given the many unnatural factors that reduce probiotic populations, it has come to the fact that the only way to keep your probiotic levels high in a consistent manner is to keep introducing them into your diet while keeping your yeast and bad bacteria levels low.
You could take a whole bottle of a probiotic supplement in one sitting, but if your intestines are full of yeast and anaerobic bacteria, then the probiotics from the supplement won't live long.

Here's an 8 step battle plan that will keep your probiotics healthy and thriving:

1. Reduce your consumption of meat to one serving per day. Cook your meat will in order to kill off the pathogenic bacteria in it.

2. Reduce or eliminate processed sugars and simple sugars...they feed intestinal yeasts.

3. Reduce your consumption of foods that contain gluten - this includes oatmeal and wheat. Yeasts love gluten.

4. Eliminate or reduce foods that contain or feed yeasts. This includes breads, baked goods, crackers, beer, foods that contain yeast or yeast extract (many packaged foods do), malt, modified corn starch, and hydrolized proteins.

5. Increase your consumption of raw vegetables, nuts and legumes which contain probiotics. At least 3 servings is optimal. Drinking a green drink like Core Greens or pH Ion counts as a serving.

6. Increase your consumption of gluten free complex carbs like rice, potatoes, spelt, buckwheat, millet and quinoa. These will help feed your probiotics while starving yeasts.

7. Increase your intake of cultured dairy like kefir and yogurt. However...beware that most commercial yogurts contain modified corn starch which feeds yeast. Look for truly "natural" brands.

8. Look for a multi-strain probiotic supplement and take it every night preferably with a prebiotic fibre complex. (Prebiotics are fibres that feed Probiotics and cause them to grow and colonize at a faster rate. When you take your Probiotic supplement along with Probiotic fibre, the bacteria get "carried" to your intestinal tract by the fibre as well.
.(with thanks to pHIon)

Kaz's Whale of a time

Many of my readers will have talked to Karen (Kaz), one of our alkaline specialists here at AlkaWay.

Here's what she does in her free time. A lovely video of her holiday pics!
P.S.: She's the one trailing behind the boat!

WAZZA'S WAY

I love it when necessity is proven to be the mother of invention.wazza's son drowned in his pool at home and Wazza's way of dealing with it may change the way resuscitation is carried our worldwide. Well worth a look and watching the videos.. just in case you are placed in Wazza's position.
Click on the image for more.
(Thanks to Jennie Gorman for passing this on to me).

Now this is GOOD News!

A new study concludes that web surfing is good for an aging brain.
Here's the study.

However... here's another report that says all ageing will end in 2029.
Hmm. so.. I'll be..84! Thanks a lot!

The Hidden Cost of Unclean Syringes

How's your Athero?

The Little-Known Culprit Behind Clogged Arteries

If I talk about atherosclerosis most people will glaze over. “Oh.. ah.. it’s some sort of heart disease isn’t it?”

If I asked people to name the disease condition responsible for four out of ten deaths in the US, I’m confidently guessing the same people will say cancer.

But it’s not cancer. It’s atherosclerosis so perhaps it’s time to learn a little about it and what can be done now to jump the queue to health beyond that forty percent line.

I’m also guessing that of the people who don’t know about it, almost all of them will not know about its primary causes – especially one that is happening in their bodies right now.

So let’s ‘clear the deck’ with a little definition.

Atherosclerosis is the condition in which an artery wall thickens as the result of a build-up of fatty materials such as cholesterol. It is a syndrome affecting arterial blood vessels, a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density (especially small particle) lipoproteins (plasma proteins that carry cholesterol and triglycerides) without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoproteins (HDL). It is commonly referred to as a hardening or furring of the arteries. It is caused by the formation of multiple plaques within the arteries.

See, you DID know what it was. It’s hardening of the arteries, and EVERYONE has heard of that!

So what is happening in virtually everybody’s body right now is a process called advanced glycation. And that means we need another definition moment.

Advanced Glycation is a non-enzymatic glycoxidation process involving sugars and basic amino acids of various proteins. The end products (AGEs) are chemically diverse, stable and implicated in various diseases in which deposits are formed, including amyloidosis, atherosclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Simple answer; it’s sugar attaching itself to naturally occurring proteins and fats in the body.

These end products are what reside in our body right now. They are molecules formed by a process called glycosylation in which excess sugars attach themselves to your body’s proteins and lipids. And once formed, these AGEs are completely irreversible—wreaking havoc on your body, where they damage cells and tissues while prematurely aging your body.

Under normal circumstances, this isn’t a problem—a healthy body is equipped to remove these toxic molecules on a regular basis.

But in the all-too-common case of prolonged oxidative stress - A.K.A acidosis – A.K.A. modern ifestyle (caused by high blood sugar, a diet rich in processed food or an environment steeped in toxins and stress), you may not be so lucky. In cases like these, AGEs build up at a faster rate than your body can handle—and studies show that the damage they can do to your tissues… and especially your arteries, kidneys and retinas… is severe.

Research says that AGE accumulation occurs in the small arteries in the heart muscle and arteries that have lost their normal elasticity due to diminished nitric oxide levels, increased plaque formation and inflammation—all of which directly contribute to the risk of serious cardiac events like heart attacks and strokes.6-7
What’s worse, these artery-hardening and clogging effects have been shown to be completely independent of risk factors like age, high blood pressure and hyperglycemia—which means that when AGEs are involved, even otherwise healthy people may be at risk.8-10
So let’s break all this down to some simple 1-2-3 points that a typical overstressed busy modern ‘glycolator’ can use.

1. Glycolation comes from excess sugars, and toxic and stressful lifestyle
2. Glycolation causes excess acidification and oxidation and its toxic byproducts cannot be removed.
3. To prevent glycolation and its toxic end products we need to change our diet.
- Less acid-forming foods, especially sugars, and more alkalinizing food and water sources.
- More anti-oxidation products in the form of greens or antioxidant water.

Oh, and there is a fourth action point. Because it’s non-reversible, and happening now, the last and most important point is to DO IT NOW.

References:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Potential Infectious Etiologies of Atherosclerosis: A Multifactorial Perspective. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no5/oconnor.htm#1. Accessed on: 8-10-09.
2. Forbes JM, Soldatos G, Thomas MC. Below the radar: advanced glycation end products that detour “around the side”. Is HbA1c not an accurate enough predictor of long term progression and glycaemic control in diabetes? Clin Biochem Rev. 2005 Nov;26(4):123-34.
3. Tan D, Wang Y, Lo CY, et al. Methylglyoxal: its presence and potential scavengers. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2008;17 Suppl 1:261-4.
4. Wendt TM, Tanji N, Guo J, et al. RAGE drives the development of glomerulosclerosis and implicates podocyte activation in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Am J Pathol. 2003 Apr;162(4):1123-37.
5. Ahmed N. Advanced glycation endproducts--role in pathology of diabetic complications. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2005 Jan;67(1):3-21.
6. Zieman SJ, Kass DA. Advanced glycation endproduct crosslinking in the cardiovascular system: potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. Drugs. 2004;64(5):459-70.
7. McNulty M, Mahmud A, Feely J. Advanced glycation end-products and arterial stiffness in hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 2007 Mar;20(3):242-7.
8. McNulty M, Mahmud A, Feely J. Advanced glycation end-products and arterial stiffness in hypertension. Am J Hypertens. 2007 Mar;20(3):242-7.
9. Semba RD, Najjar SS, Sun K, et al. Serum carboxymethyl-lysine, an advanced glycation end product, is associated with increased aortic pulse wave velocity in adults. Am J Hypertens. 2009 Jan;22(1):74-9.
10. Vlassara H, Fuh H, Donnelly T, et al. Advanced glycation endproducts promote adhesion molecule (VCAM-1, ICAM-1) expression and atheroma formation in normal rabbits. Mol Med. 1995 May;1(4):447-56.
11. Loske C, Neumann A, Cunningham AM, et al. Cytotoxicity of advanced glycation endproducts is mediated by oxidative stress. J Neural Transm. 1998;105(8-9):1005-15.
12. Hipkiss AR. Would carnosine or a carnivorous diet help suppress aging and associated pathologies? Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2006 May;1067:369-74.
13. Reddy VP, Garrett MR, Perry G, et al. Carnosine: a versatile antioxidant and antiglycating agent. Sci Aging Knowledge Environ. 2005 May 4;2005(18):pe12.
14. Guiotto A, Calderan A, Ruzza P, et al. Carnosine and carnosine-related antioxidants: a review. Curr Med Chem. 2005;12(20):2293-315.
15. Hipkiss AR, Chana H. Carnosine protects proteins against methylglyoxal-mediated modifications. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1998 Jul 9;248(1):28-32.
16. Hsieh CL, Yang MH, Chyau CC, et al. Kinetic analysis on the sensitivity of glucose- or glyoxal-induced LDL glycation to the inhibitory effect of Psidium guajava extract in a physiomimic system. Biosystems. 2007 Mar;88(1-2):92-100.
17. Lunceford N, Gugliucci A. Ilex paraguariensis extracts inhibit AGE formation more efficiently than green tea. Fitoterapia. 2005 Jul;76(5):419-27.
18. Mosimann AL, Wilhelm-Filho D, da Silva EL. Aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis attenuates the progression of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Biofactors. 2006;26(1):59-70.
19. Yamagishi S, Matsui T, Takenaka K, Nakamura K, Takeuchi M, Inoue H. Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) prevents platelet activation and aggregation in diabetic rats by blocking deleterious effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2009 Mar;25(3):266-71.
20. Suji G, Sivakami S. DNA damage during glycation of lysine by methylglyoxal: assessment of vitamins in preventing damage. Amino Acids. 2007 Nov;33(4):615-21.
21. Du X, Edelstein D, Brownlee M. Oral benfotiamine plus alpha-lipoic acid normalises complication-causing pathways in type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. 2008 Oct;51(10):1930-2.
22. Hammes HP, Du X, Edelstein D, et al. Benfotiamine blocks three major pathways of hyperglycemic damage and prevents experimental diabetic retinopathy. Nat Med. 2003 Mar;9(3):294-9.

Unbelievable technology for 'Virtual Autopsies'

It's getting to be an everyday occurrence on this blog that I find technology that knocks my socks off. Take a look at this system of virtual autopsy. It allows investigators to ascertain cause and method of death without ever raising a scalpel.

Here it is.

Forward looking backward Statement

Check this out! It came on the end of an email I received recently. Is the world stark ravin' mad??

"Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure
This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. In this context, forward-looking statements may address the Company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "will," and other terms with similar meaning. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Although the Company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, it can provide no assurances that these assumptions will prove to be correct. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements, risks, and uncertainties, and by reference to the underlying assumptions."

Another happy thought just to make your day

It appears that a mother with cancer can pass it to her baby before birth.

In theory, any cancer cells that manage to cross the placenta into the baby's bloodstream should be targeted for destruction by the child's immune system. But there are records of 17 cases of a mother and baby appearing to share the same cancer - usually leukaemia or melanoma.

Here's the report.

How Green is Your Diet?

This test is quite cool. Answer a few simple questions and you get a score for health, environmental and aimal welfare on your diet. I scores great on the health but not so good on the environment and animal welfare... Try it. remember, on the fruit and vegetable questions to just enter how many serves you have per week.
Click on the pic to see how you fare.

AlkaPod Test Results: Amazing!

And here's where you can order it.

An Alkaline/mediterranean Diet and the Black Dog

Here's an interesting report saying that the Mediterranean diet is good for alleviating depression. look through the components of the Mediterranean diet and you'll see a distinct 'alkaline' look to it.
No wonder.
See the report here

Time to revisit ‘sports drinks’: are they really the best for your performance?

Up until now, we haven’t really looked at the role of alkaline ionized water in the process of hydration in the body. Sports scientists agree that in any competitive endeavour, prehydration is as important as post-hydration. The American College of Sports Medicine has a term for it. They say that prehydration allows us to begin our exercise in what they call an euhydrated state.

Euhydration means that your body is perfectly hydrated and electrolyte levels in the blood are perfectly balanced, geared for performance at a minute’s notice.

They say that prehydration should begin hours before an event. This optimizes absorption and also allows us to enter the event carrying the ideal volume or weight in urine. Like a jockey, we don’t want to begin a race carrying excess weight in the form of urine!

But why do we drink water before an event? So we don’t lose excessive amounts through sweat while the event occurs. As dehydration occurs, our system begins to adjust and shutdown certain normal operational functions - just what we do not need fifty yards from the finish line! Scientists determine dehydration simply; they measure body weight before and after the event. A kilo reduction in body weight equates roughly to 1200mls of water loss. Try drinking 1.2 litres in one shot and you’ll understand the magnitude of such a loss! The general rule arrived at by sports scientists is a maximum 2%of body weight loss. After this, you are officially dehydrated.

Dehydration awareness isn’t new. Studies were completed as early as 1940, but recent studies have proven that once we lose that 2% body weight, performance wanes. Down goes our aerobic endurance, up goes our core temperature, our perception of effort even some studies even say we begin to rely on carbs even more than usual.

One October 2007 study says that showed that If you go the the gym you’ll receive far less benefit from a workout if you are dehydrated. This may seem obvious, but do we have a drinking problem or a drinking advantage when we attend gym? Of course we have seen many enhanced waters enter the marketplace with ‘power’ names like ‘Boost’, ‘Gator’ and more. These drinks are usually salt enriched. However modern thought is that the vast majority of westerners have excess salt in their system anyway as a result of a salt laden diet.

So perhaps it is time for a new look at the very best rehydration drink, targeting the true culprits of exercise; free radicals, lactic acid and general increased acidosis and inflammation. Our experience over the last ten years has, unfortunately, not been centred on athletic results of alkaline water, but we do get letters and emails from people who have experienced greatly improved recovery times, less after-exercise pain, and a more even energy. Although we have not done the research, it makes sense that a water with the following qualities would offer far more than simple salty, sugary electrolyte bottles of drink;

· Microclustered; Alkaline ionized water has a far smaller molecular cluster size, resulting in enhanced hydrative ability. Imagine swallowing a grapefruit and a cherry tomato. That’s indicative of the difference between ordinary water and alkaline ionized water in molecular cluster size. It logically follows that this form of water will penetrate cells more effectively and possibly explains why so many people begin detoxifying when they begin drinking alkaline ionized water.
· Ionized; The ionization process reconfigures the molecular structure of the water and provides an abundance of negatively charged ions, which have the capability of uniting with, and therefore neutralizing, free radicals created as a result of exercise. · Oxygen-supporting: It’s pseudoscience to believe that water can hold more oxygen in special forms. However in this form, the abundance of hydroxyl ions may support the correct pH balance of our bloodstream. Few people realise that the bloodstream is our oxygen storehouse. Oxygen is essential for all energy production in the body, and acidic blood has far less ability to hold maximum oxygen levels. The best alkaline blood level means the highest ability to supply oxygen from the blood to the body.
· Alkaline: There are always alkaline minerals in our tap water but they are always mixed with acid minerals. This means that drinking alkaline enriched ordinary water still gives you the bad acid minerals along with the good alkalis.
Alkaline Ionized water has acid minerals separated out, thus concentrating the natural alkaline minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium in the end product.

I suppose you have heard that we should drink 8 glasses of water per day. On research, this has no scientific basis. But drinking alkaline ionized water really upsets the beliefs about how much water to drink for maximum hydration, because of its vastly improved hydration ability.

When asked what is the ideal, I simply answer ‘Let your body tell you. As you alkalise and move out of the health-threatening acidic life, your body will begin to ‘talk’ to you again, and my own ‘measure’ of hydration is based on how much I urinate. My body is telling me what I need.

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IgNobel Awards

Congratulations to our local Australian scientist, Elizabeth Blackburn who scooped an Oscar.. er.. Nobel Prize for her contribution to medicine. At the same time as the Nobel Prize, we now have the famous IgNobel awards; this year ripe with er... amazing advances from obviously dedicated people...

MEDICINE PRIZE: Donald L. Unger, of Thousand Oaks, California, USA, for investigating a possible cause of arthritis of the fingers, by diligently cracking the knuckles of his left hand - but never cracking the knuckles of his right hand - every day for more than sixty (60) years. REFERENCE: "Does Knuckle Cracking Lead to Arthritis of the Fingers?", Donald L. Unger, Arthritis and Rheumatism, vol. 41, no. 5, 1998, pp. 949-50.

CHEMISTRY PRIZE: Javier Morales, Miguel Apátiga, and Victor M. Castaño of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, for creating diamonds from liquid - specifically from tequila.
REFERENCE: "Growth of Diamond Films from Tequila," Javier Morales, Miguel Apatiga and Victor M. Castano, 2008, arXiv:0806.1485.

PHYSICS PRIZE: Katherine K. Whitcome of the University of Cincinnati, USA, Daniel E. Lieberman of Harvard University, USA, and Liza J. Shapiro of the University of Texas, USA, for analytically determining why pregnant women don't tip over.
REFERENCE: "Fetal Load and the Evolution of Lumbar Lordosis in Bipedal Hominins," Katherine K. Whitcome, Liza J. Shapiro & Daniel E. Lieberman, Nature, vol. 450, 1075-1078 (December 13, 2007). DOI:10.1038/nature06342.

PUBLIC HEALTH PRIZE: Elena N. Bodnar, Raphael C. Lee, and Sandra Marijan of Chicago, Illinois, USA, for inventing a brassiere that, in an emergency, can be quickly converted into a pair of protective face masks, one for the brassiere wearer and one to be given to some needy bystander.
REFERENCE: U.S. patent # 7255627, granted August 14, 2007 for a "Garment Device Convertible to One or More Facemasks."

BIOLOGY PRIZE: Fumiaki Taguchi, Song Guofu, and Zhang Guanglei of Kitasato University Graduate School of Medical Sciences in Sagamihara, Japan, for demonstrating that kitchen refuse can be reduced more than 90% in mass by using bacteria extracted from the feces of giant pandas.
REFERENCE: "Microbial Treatment of Kitchen Refuse With Enzyme-Producing Thermophilic Bacteria From Giant Panda Feces," Fumiaki Taguchia, Song Guofua, and Zhang Guanglei, Seibutsu-kogaku Kaishi, vol. 79, no 12, 2001, pp. 463-9. [and abstracted in Journal of Bioscience and Bioengineering, vol. 92, no. 6, 2001, p. 602.]
REFERENCE: "Microbial Treatment of Food-Production Waste with Thermopile Enzyme-Producing Bacterial Flora from a Giant Panda" [in Japanese], Fumiaki Taguchi, Song Guofu, Yasunori Sugai, Hiroyasu Kudo and Akira Koikeda, Journal of the Japan Society of Waste Management Experts, vol. 14, no. 2, 2003, pp. , 76-82.

VETERINARY MEDICINE PRIZE: Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson of Newcastle University, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK, for showing that cows who have names give more milk than cows that are nameless.
REFERENCE: "Exploring Stock Managers' Perceptions of the Human-Animal Relationship on Dairy Farms and an Association with Milk Production," Catherine Bertenshaw [Douglas] and Peter Rowlinson, Anthrozoos, vol. 22, no. 1, March 2009, pp. 59-69. DOI: 10.2752/175303708X390473.

Would you chance a burger in America?

It's over a year since I read Fast Food Nation, which completely turned me off fast food in the US.. and here in Oz. Now I come across this devastating tale of a girl who innocently ate a burger.. just like she had an times before.. but this time... take a look at this article from the NY Times
Footnote; Parts of the beef in her burger also came from... Uruguay!!!???!!!

Diabetes healed naturally

Many of you who have followed this blog for soem time will remember how inspired I became about the amazing Video "Simply Raw; Healing Diabetes in 30 Days. I was so impressed by it that we rented the local theatre and screened it for locals. Today I received this wonderful email:

"Ian,
I discovered your email address this morning via 'The Movement To Reverse Diabetes Naturally' website. A few days ago I ordered a copy of Gabriel Cousen's book, 'There is a cure for diabetes', after reading excerpts from it on the internet.
It's very exciting and encouraging to find out about someone in Australia who is so involved with this whole movement. I admire what you've done by screening the movie,'Simply Raw' and organising the retreat.
I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes 6 months ago at 52 years of age.Needless to say, it was a huge shock. Since my late teens I had been vegetarian and for over 20 years I've predominately eaten organic foods. Over the last few days, since learning about Gabriel Cousen's work, I have made the decision to change to a vegan diet and mainly raw foods.
Also, about a week and a half ago, after forgetting to take insulin with me to work I didn't inject any insulin before lunch that day. When I was back home in the afternoon my blood glucose levels were normal and so I decided not to inject insulin before dinner. I have still not injected any insulin for over a week and a half. I've made sure that I constantly check my blood glucose levels (at least 10 times a day) and so I feel I am being responsible.
I need to find a GP who is also involved with wholistic healing and ideally who actively follows or is at least sympathetic to Gabriel Cousen's principles. If you know of any doctors you could recommend I would really appreciate any information you could give me.
I live in Melbourne, in the Dandenong Ranges.

Thankyou,
Julie Doncevic

PS - I cried when I read about the 10 year old boy who went to the screening of the movie."

Ian: Can anyone in Melbourne help?
Here's a link to the DVD of the Movie

Inside Bill's Head

Take a look at what this guy created with his (healthy) brain scans.
Here

Italian chlorinated water cancer link

From this Italian study, we learn a possible link between chlorinated water and bladder cancer.

"There were 249 (45%) patients who only drank bottled water, 177 (32%) who drank municipal water, 38 (7%) who drank artesian well water, 7 (1%) who drank spring water and 89 (16%) with a mixed water source. A chlorinated water supply was more frequent in never smokers than in smokers (p=0.015). T1 tumours (cancer that has begin to grow into the connective tissue beneath the bladder lining) occurred statistically more frequently (p=0.02) in patients drinking chlorinated municipal water than Ta tumours (cancer just in the innermost layer of the bladder lining), suggesting a possible role of disinfection by-products in promoting bladder cancer aggressiveness. Therefore patients drinking chlorinated water for a long period should also be considered at higher risk. The activity/effect of water pollution is possibly weaker than that of cigarette smoking and not easily detected in smokers due to a masking effect caused by the stronger factor."

Holy Cow! Watch out for the Holy water

Swine Flu Fears Lead to Holy Water Ban

Some Roman Catholic churches in Tokyo, Japan are reported to have emptied holy water basins due to fears that worshippers may spread ‘swine flu’ (influenza virus H1N1) when dipping their fingers into the water. Virus particles from the hands of one person could potentially be spread to the hands of others who subsequently use the same water. Infection could result if the second person then touches the mucous membrane of their nose, mouth or eyes before washing their hands. According to a report from Reuters News Agency, priests have also been asked to wipe their hands with disinfectant towels before distributing communion wafers.