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Cheat Death

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidants, free radicals, health, POM, pomegranate juice, wellness
This is a picture of an advertisement that is on a billboard in my neighborhood near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).As you can see, the advertisement is suggesting that the product, which is a pomegranate juice, can extend life.This is a great example of the type of “wellness marketing” I speak of in my podcast, the Dr. Nick Show, Episode 6.

What I find interesting is that, on the one hand, you’ve got a contingency that is trying to attach the wellness label to all health and food products; while on the other, you’ve got a group of mainstream scientists trying to disprove many of the claims made by the first group.Case in point: A recent study claims that antioxidants do very little to extend life.
So what’s the truth?I’m certain it falls somewhere in the middle.Antioxidants are not useless.On the contrary, there are plenty of studies showing them to be effective.Antioxidants scavenge for free radicals—substances that can cause degenerative diseases like cancer—so, in theory anyway, they should provide some protection against developing chronic diseases.Without a doubt fruits and vegetables have anti-cancerous properties, and they are chock full of antioxidants, so there’s got to be something there.
But, of course, food and beverage manufacturers take things a little too far.They take a fact and stretch it so much that you question the validity of the concept altogether.Pomegranate juice cheats death?Please.Even with a slew of antioxidants, it’s very doubtful that it does that.More likely, antioxidant rich foods and beverages add to one’s overall health level, but whether this translates to longer life is debatable.I would argue that it might cheat illness, or weakness, or dysfunction, but death?
Anyway, I’m amused by the influx of wellness products hitting the market today. Decades ago there was breakfast cereal; then came vitamin-fortified cereal; today, there’s “heart-smart” cereal. Even Kaiser Permanente has jumped on the wellness bandwagon with their Thrive campaign. Anybody who has ever dealt with Kaiser in any capacity can certainly share in that humor. The bottom line is that we all want wellness. But are we aware enough to separate the fact from the fiction? Keep reading this blog.

Prehistoric Brain Tonic

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidant, blood flow, brain, concentration, free radicals, Ginkgo biloba, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), memory, stroke

Good news for health naturalists: Ginkgo biloba extracts have shown promise as both pre and post-stroke treatment in mice. We have all heard of ginkgo’s ability to improve blood flow to the brain, thereby enhancing memory and concentration. What better to help with stroke than a substance that increases blood flow to the brain?

A study out of John’s Hopkins University showed that mice given ginkgo before a stroke suffered only half the damage than mice not given the substance. And mice that received the extract five minutes following stroke had 60% less damage than mice not receiving it, while mice receiving ginkgo 4.5 hours following stroke had a third less damage. Wow! That’s incredible.

Researchers attribute ginkgo’s benefits to raising levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an enzyme that acts as an antioxidant protecting cells against free radical damage. Free radicals are toxins that can damage DNA leading to aging, degeneration, and cancer.

Ginkgo is one of the top five highest-selling medicinal herbs in the U.S. Ginkgo biloba is a living fossil–it is the lone surviving species of an ancient order of trees which died out millennia ago. It grows wildly in Eastern China and has long been used for its medicinal properties.

I’ve never taken Ginkgo, but I must start. I just can’t ignore all the many benefits it seems to offer. Since I’m into the power of my mind, why not an occasional tonic? I say occasional because I think it’s always good to practice prudence when it comes to taking herbs or tinctures. But every once in a while can’t hurt, now can it? Not according to this latest study. I do want to caution, though, that this study is preliminary, and extrapolating the findings to humans may be premature; but like I said, I just can’t ignore all the positive press this herb has been getting. So I’ll keep my eyes open, and my mind too; and I’ll keep you all informed.

Antioxidant Brain Cleaner

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidants, brain fog, free radicals, insulin resistance, memory, mental function, oxidative damage, type 2 diabetes

Want to know which natural substances have been shown to clear the mind of brain fog and improve mental function and memory? Antioxidants, that’s what.

An interesting study out of the University of Toronto found that antioxidants, like vitamins C and E, can clear mental sluggishness, confusion and forgetfulness in people with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and high blood sugar. This type of diabetes is known as adult-onset diabetes because it is usually related to lifestyle–that is, poor diet, lack of exercise and obesity.

People with type 2 diabetes often get brain fog following a fatty meal. This mental sluggishness, the researcher have found, is due to oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals damage cells, tissues, and DNA, which can lead to cancer. They also speed up the aging process. Case in point, according to the Canadian scientists, brain fog in type 2 diabetics “makes the 50-year-old brain more like the 75-year-old brain.”

So what makes this study important? If brain fog is caused by oxidative damage from free radicals, don’t you think everybody might benefit from antioxidant supplementation? Yeah, so do I. Once again, that’s vitamins C and E, as well as vitamin A and selenium. And if you’ve read my book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health, then you know I really like alpha-lipoic acid (ALA). ALA is known as the universal antioxidant because it is both water and fat soluble, and it crosses the blood-brain barrier easily. It’s powerful and I highly recommend it. Research conducted at UC Berkeley showed alpha-lipoic acid to improve brain function and memory.

I don’t know about you guys but my mind is important to me, so I’m all about supplementing with antioxidants. If supplements aren’t your thing–and I’d strongly advise you to reconsider–then at least pound the real fruit juices I talked about in an earlier post. But for those of you who supplement regularly, don’t forget to include vitamins C, E and ALA in your nutritional regimen.

Healthiest Juices

By On · Add Comment · In antioxidants, black cherry, blueberry, concord grape, cranberry, DNA, free radicals, juice, Linus Pauling, minerals, pomegranate, The Six Keys to Optimal Health, UCLA, vitamin C, vitamins

Want to know the most healthy juices to drink? A UCLA study looked at the antioxidant levels of a number of fruit juices and came up with some exciting conclusions. When it comes to healthy juices, pomegranate is the best; it is highest in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals are substances that can damage cells, tissues, and DNA. These harmful substances can lead to degenerative disorders like cancer, and they also speed up the aging process. As I point out in my book, The Six Keys To Optimal Health, “Free radicals are formed naturally in the body during certain metabolic processes as well as by cells of the immune system to fight infections. They can also be formed by outside agents like cigarette smoke, pollution, and radiation.”

Vitamins and minerals that act as powerful antioxidants are vitamins A, C, and E, and the mineral selenium. I highly recommend supplementing with these essential vitamins. I personally take 1,000 mg vitamin C per day. But I also think that taking 2,000 mg isn’t such a bad idea. In fact, the great chemist and forward-thinker, Linus Pauling, believed that people should be taking much more than that (check out this interview), especially people battling cancer.

A great source of antioxidants are fruits and vegetables–that’s why nutritionist recommend eating so many servings of each. But another great source is fruit juice: this is what makes these findings so exciting. So here you go–the list.

  1. Pomegranate juice–the healthiest of them all because it contains the most of every type of antioxidant.
  2. Concord Grape juice–a great source of antioxidants. May also be good for the heart and decrease blood pressure.
  3. Blueberry juice (yum, my favorite!)–contains antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C…and it’s blue, dammit.
  4. Black Cherry juice–some studies have shown this juice to reduce muscle soreness following exercise. Booyah!
  5. Cranberry juice*–can actually prevent urinary tract infections in women.

Enjoy, and start drinking your fruit juice. Remember, eating the whole fruit is always better, but for a big blast, fruit juices pack the antioxidants in. It also packs in the calories, so if you’re trying to lose weight, then definitely stick to the whole fruit. Otherwise, juice away!

*Please note that there is a huge difference between real juice and the juice cocktails sold in most grocery stores. If you want the real deal, please visit your local hippie store, they’ll take care of you. And if you are in L.A.–ask me, I can get you the good stuff.

OTC Statins?

By On · Add Comment · In anti-oxidant, atherosclerosis, cholesterol, essential fatty acids, free radicals, LDL, lipoproteins, Merck, over-the-counter medications, rhabdomyolysis, statins

In an unusual display of rationality, the FDA rejected drug maker Merck and Co.’s bid to make it’s cholesterol lowering statin, Mevacor, available as an over-the-counter medication. Hallelujah! I almost can’t believe it.

Statins lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff) by blocking a key enzyme necessary for the production of these lipoproteins. LDLs, or low density lipoproteins, are known to be precursors of atherosclerotic plaques, which harden the arteries and can lead to such cardiovascular diseases as heart attack and stroke, our leading killers in this country. As a result of this number one killer distinction, modern medical science has championed statin drugs as the savior of American heart health.

But wait, statins are drugs, and all drugs have physiological side effects, some of which can themselves cause illness and disease. To paraphrase 16th century alchemist and physician Paracelsus, “Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.” Ah, so very true. Should we, therefore, really make what’s currently only obtainable by prescription available to the masses at the local drug store?

Well according to some brilliant and sound-minded physicians (and one altruistic pharmaceutical company), the answer is yes. Proponents believe that everyone, not just people with high levels of LDL cholesterol should be on statins. Statins are today’s aspirin, you know, the drug one celebrity doctor claims we should name a town after. Ha, ha, ha. Oh, the folly of it all.

According to one brilliant mind, the sharp intellect known as Dr. David Nash of Philadelphia’s Thomas Jefferson Medical College, “You should put this drug in the drinking water.” Whoa! Do you all feel as safe as I do? That’s awesome. I’m so happy to see that some of our nation’s most highly esteemed physicians think that mass medication is the answer to our health woes. Even better that they hold so much influence over public health policy. Effin’ right aye!

But, thankfully, wiser heads have prevailed…for now. In a 10-2 vote, an FDA panel rejected Merck’s bid. The panel felt that “too many of the wrong people would use the drug if it no longer required a prescription.” Uh, yeah. They based their conclusions on a study of nearly 1,500 people, where many wanted to buy the drug although they were poor candidates. I guess the drug companies want to maximize profits by pushing out the middle men–namely, doctors! Call me crazy, but I still think the physician is the best person to evaluate a person’s need for a potent drug–yes, even more than television commercials. I know, I’m so yesterday.

Here are some of the risks associated with statin drugs: permanent liver damage, rhabdomyolysis (read about this man’s experience here), nervous system damage, neuropathy, kidney damage, erectile dysfunction, temperature regulation problems, and amnesia (careful, you’ll forget to take your statins). For a more comprehensive list of dangerous side effects linked to statins look here.

Why rely on statins when blood cholesterol can be lowered most effectively through sensible diet (read my book, read my book), exercise, and supplementing with essential fatty acids. Furthermore, we know that LDLs alone are not “bad”. Only when they are oxidized (mostly by free radicals) do they become sticky, leading to plaque formation on the arteries. So by taking a good antioxidant (read my book, read my book), you can seriously lower your risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Unfortunately wellness isn’t as hip as mass medication is in the current health (?) paradigm. Summing up this idea is yet another proponent of mass statin consumption, New York‘s Mount Sinai Medical School physician and Merck consultant, Dr. Valentine Burroughs, “We’re still failing to prevent this epidemic (heart disease). It’s time to take bolder action, to try new approaches.”

Yeah, like spiking our drinking water. Sign me up, man.

Don’t You Just Hate When Mom is Wrong?

By On · Add Comment · In aging, antioxidant, cancer, chicken soup, collagen, common cold, conventional wisdom, degenerative diseases, free radicals, health, healthy blood vessels, healthy skin, natural, nutrient, vitamin C

Just another blow to conventional wisdom: A review of 30 published studies confirms it even further – vitamin C does nothing to fight the common cold. I know, I know, that’s not what Mom said. Take plenty of vitamin C along with chicken soup and you’ll beat that cold in no time. Also, don’t go out with your hair wet or without a jacket, you might catch cold. Didn’t mom tell you that one, too?

Well, I hate to be the one to discredit Mom, but researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland looked at people who took high-doses of vitamin C and found it did very little to reduce their risk of catching a cold (so small as to be clinically useless). Furthermore, it did nothing to reduce the duration of a cold or its symptoms.

That doesn’t mean vitamin C is useless, though. As I point out in my upcoming book – The Six Keys To Optimal Health – this nutrient is absolutely essential to achieving and maintaining great health. Vitamin C is a natural antioxidant, so it fights oxidizing free radicals, which can lead to aging and the development of many degenerative diseases, like cancer. It’s also an important player in the formation of collagen, so…that means healthy skin and healthy blood vessels and healthy joints and healthy ligaments and on and on and on. I think that vitamin C is so important that I believe, to have truly optimal health, you need to supplement with 1,000 mg per day.
But don’t feel badly for mom. She’s right about the chicken soup thing. I guess one out of two ain’t bad, now, is it?
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