Anger, Frustration and Shame Are Not Mistakes – or Wrong…
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… They are simply unproductive and inefficient.
Have you ever regretted something you did in the past? Have you ever been angry at someone for doing something wrong to you? Have you ever been angry at yourself? That’s ok, you have a right to be mad or frustrated with yourself or another person. It’s not wrong, it’s just perhaps a less productive way of living a successful life.
Jennifer Hough
Natural Treatments For Hives
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Hives (urticaria) is the name given to a skin eruption characterized by outbreaks of red, itchy, occasionally swollen welts on the skin associated with histamine release. They are most often treated by conventional doctors with antihistamines or corticosteroids. Hives can be the result of anxiety, viral infections, chemical exposure or hidden food allergies.
Food allergies can develop because of heredity or some specific injury to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. This injury can be caused by non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), antibiotics, chemicals in food or water, steroids like the birth control pill and other drugs. Another possible cause of hives can be parasitic infection or possibility a candida (yeast) infection. In many cases of hives, low stomach acidity is present as well. If stomach acidity is adequate, parasites and fungi like candida cannot get past the acid barrier of the stomach and infestation cannot take place.
If the cause of the hives is unknown, it can be a good idea to try some natural remedies that can reduce inflammation without the deleterious side effects of antihistamines. This can be done while one is being investigated for food and chemical allergies or various infections by a health care practitioner. For most adults this means taking the following nutritional supplements on at least a temporary basis:
1) Vitamin C - 1000 mgs. 3 times daily and increased daily by 1000 mgs. until bowel tolerance (loose bowel movements) is reached.
2) Quercetin - 1000 mgs. 3 times daily; quercetin is a bioflavonoid that stabilizes the mast cell membrane; the mast cell is where histamine is manufactured.
3) Pycnogenol - 300 mgs. daily until hives gone, then 150 mgs. daily thereafter
Low stomach acidity prevents a person from completely digesting foods, especially the high protein foods. As a result, partially digested foods can get absorbed into the blood eliciting an allergic/inflammatory reaction. In essence, the food which is partially digested behaves as if it were an allergen that needs to be attacked by the immune system. Even so-called “healthy” foods can turn into allergies when hydrochloric acid is inadequate. Rashes like acne and hives can result.
Once the cause of hives has been established, treatment can be directed at the source of the problem. A health care practitioner should be consulted for testing and treatment tailored to individual needs.
Dr. Rona
We All Have a Gift
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You have a gift and if you keep searching for it, you won’t find it because most people are living their gift every day and thinking it should be wrapped differently.
Have you ever asked yourself what your purpose is and then run around trying to find “IT” as though there really is an “IT” to find? The important thing to see is the purpose you were meant to live is not packaged up and waiting for you to find. It does exist as a possibility every day no matter if you’re a grocery bagger or the CEO of a company. It’s called JOY. Here is a little girl (I highly recommend you watch this video) who is living her purpose and it’s NOT to sing. It’s to do what brings her joy and to uplift others (by the way that is what your purpose is, too). Here’s what living on purpose looks like: CONNIE
Jennifer Hough
My Top Ten Nutritional Medicine Myths
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I hear one or more nutritional medicine myths every day in my private office practice. Most have endured for decades and will likely persist for many more. Here are my favorite top ten:
Myth #1: Vitamin C Causes Kidney Stones
Vitamin C is generally well tolerated by most healthy individuals but there is a wide range of tolerance when megadoses are supplemented. Large doses (500 mg. or more) can cause diarrhea but this appears to be the only significant side effect.
It has often been falsely reported that vitamin C supplementation causes kidney stones in dosages above 6000 mg. daily. There is no clear proof of this claim since numerous studies conclude the exact opposite - that vitamin C supplementation prevents kidney stones.
Myth #2: Stopping Vitamin C Suddenly Leads to Scurvy
It has long been gospel that women who take high doses of vitamin C during their pregnancy risk rebound scurvy in their infants if they suddenly discontinue vitamin C. Although this is theoretically possible, no one has ever been able to prove this as a fact.
Myth #3: Herbs are Dangerous and Require Doctor Supervision
Adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of death in North America. None of these fatal adverse reactions involve commonly used herbs or other nutritional supplements. As reported several times in this and other newsletters, conventional medical doctors and their prescription drugs kill more patients in one day than any natural therapy does for an entire year. This is not to say that herbs are free of side effects, just that there is no evidence that they come anywhere close to the danger posed by prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Myth #4: Daily Drinking of Distilled Water is Beneficial to Health
For short-term detoxification purposes, the use of distilled water can be beneficial. Beyond this, any benefits of drinking distilled water are due to the placebo effect. For long term, regular drinking purposes, the scientific literature as well as my own clinical observations do not support its consumption.
Distilled water contains no minerals and actually drains your body of minerals. Without exception, those who drink distilled water exclusively, typically become deficient in calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron and many other trace minerals within a year. This fact is evidenced by yearly testing done through blood, urine and hair mineral analyses.
Myth #5: Only Dairy Products Can Provide an Adequate Calcium Intake
It is true that cow’s milk has the highest calcium content but many studies demonstrate that absorption is inferior to that seen with calcium from plant sources. Dark green leafy vegetables have relatively high calcium concentrations. With the exception of spinach, due to the high oxalate content, the calcium from greens is very well absorbed. Kale and other members of the same food family such as broccoli, turnip greens, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and mustard greens are also excellent sources of magnesium, a trace mineral that is important for calcium utilization and which is found in only small amounts in cow’s milk.
In the past few years, a large number of excellent whole food supplements high in both calcium and magnesium have come out on the market. These include spirulina, chlorella, barley green, green kamut, blue green algae and several others. These all make ideal supplements for children because they are easy to mix with juices, are highly bioavailable, easily absorbed and have a very healthy balance of dozens of trace minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids and essential fatty acids.
Other natural sources of calcium include cooked beans and peas, seaweeds, soy products like tofu and soy milk, most of which are now fortified with calcium and other minerals, sprouts (e.g. alfalfa), seeds and nuts like sesame, pumpkin and hazelnuts as well as whole grains (e.g. corn tortillas, quinoa).
Myth #6: Sugar, in Moderation, is Safe and Does Not Cause Any Disease
The only people saying that sugar is harmless are those involved in or somehow affiliated with the sugar industry. Study after study demonstrates that sugar consumption is directly or indirectly associated with poor health. Simple sugars feed harmful intestinal yeasts, fungi, toxic organisms, and all forms of cancer. The volume of supporting literature for this is staggering. A partial list of health conditions associated with high sugar consumption follows:
- obesity
- eating disorders
- cardiovascular disease
- atherosclerosis
- high blood pressure
- increased platelet stickiness
- adult onset diabetes mellitus
- gastrointestinal disease - diverticulosis, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.
- gallstones
- dental caries
- immune suppression
- recurrent infections
- reactive hypoglycemia
- candida syndrome
- depression
- anxiety
- chronic pain syndromes
- hyperactivity in children
- learning disabilities
Myth #7 Eating Foods High in Cholesterol is Bad For You
Over 85% of the cholesterol in anyone’s blood does not come from the diet but from manufacture by the body in the liver. If cholesterol is so terrible, why is it found in every normal cell in the body? Cholesterol is protective and part of all the body’s cell membranes, bile acids and steroid hormones. Deficiency or low cholesterol has been associated with a higher risk of cancer and immune disorders including AIDS.
The real role of cholesterol in the body is to serve as a defense against free radicals like mycotoxins. The more fungal mycotoxins and other free radicals (peroxides, petrochemicals, tobacco smoke chemicals, etc.) in the body, the more the liver will manufacture cholesterol to help neutralize the toxins. It is these free radical toxins, not the cholesterol, that produces the arterial damage resulting in hardening of the arteries and heart disease. High blood cholesterol levels should therefore be regarded as a red flag indicating the presence of high levels of free radicals, oxidant damage and infestation of the body with fungi or other pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, parasites, etc.). High cholesterol blood levels should, at most, be considered a risk factor for heart disease and not the real cause.
Myth #8 Vitamin E Causes High Blood Pressure
This is yet another myth which, when subjected to scientific scrutiny, turns out to be completely false. In fact, a recent study (Archives of Neurology 2000;57:1503-1509) concluded that the reverse was true: taking vitamin E if you have high blood pressure reduces the risk of stroke and that, if your blood pressure is normal, vitamin E has no effect on it or your risk of developing a stroke.
Myth #9 Eating Yeast is Bad For You
Although it is true that people truly allergic to yeast should avoid it as much as possible, this is generally not true for the vast majority of health conscious people. Carlton Fredericks, Adelle Davis and Paavo Airola, health movement gurus of the 1960’s and 70s, all advocated yeast supplements for their rich content of B vitamins, chromium, selenium, other trace minerals, amino acids, enzymes, essential fatty acids, nucleic acids and anti-stress, hormone-like polypeptides.
Brewer’s yeast and other yeast derived products are effective remedies for menopausal hot flashes, weakened immunity, neurasthenia, anxiety and diabetes. They help replace nutrients destroyed by prescription antibiotics and other drugs.
Harmless yeasts, including candida albicans, are everywhere - in our oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, skin and hair. This is a normal fact of life. They can be found growing on practically all ripened fruits, vegetables, breads, baked goods, seeds, nuts, herbs and anywhere mold grows, including yeast-free bread. They cannot be eliminated entirely and even those who take prescription antifungals can never claim to completely eradicate all the yeast ubiquitous in our environment as well as our bodies.
Myth #10 Echinacea Should Not be Taken Longer Than Two Weeks
There is no evidence to suggest that echinacea cannot be used longer than 2 weeks. This myth originates from an old German study which was mistranslated, leading one to believe that echinacea’s effects plateaued after five days. Echinacea can be safely and effectively used for years. There is no evidence that echinacea cannot be taken on a continuous basis or that it cannot be used by people suffering from autoimmune diseases like lupus and AIDS.
Dr. Rona
References:
Akerblom, H.K., S.M. Virtanen, O. Vaarala, et al. 1999. Emergence of diabetes associated autoantibodies in the nutritional prevention of IDDM (RIGR) project. 59th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Diabetes Association. June. San Diego.
Harrison, L.C. 1996. Cow’s milk and IDDM. Lancet 348(Oct. 5):905.
Threat of Tetanus Overblown
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Question: I bought your book Natural Alternatives to Vaccination for my daughters, who have not yet been vaccinated. Our only concern is when the kids injure themselves, and the issue of tetanus comes up. We know you can just get a tetanus shot without all the other “stuff” included. We just came back from the emergency because one of the kids needed stitches. Again, we got the coolness and the weird looks when the tetanus question came up.
Answer: Doctors and nurses have been manipulating people into getting tetanus shots for years by giving them weird looks and putting the fear of “rusty nails” into their heads. It’s unfortunate they cannot find a more mature way of communicating with the public.
Tetanus is one disease that has virtually disappeared. In 23 years of medical practice, I have yet to see or even hear of a case. According to Dr. Harris Coulter, author of several books on the harmful effects of immunizations, the disappearance of diseases like tetanus occurred well before the vaccine was introduced. This was due to improved hygiene and sanitation, better nutrition and healthier living conditions.
There is no controlled scientific study proving that the tetanus vaccination is as safe and effective as advertised. The so-called evidence for its benefits comes from epidemiological studies that do not satisfy the accepted criteria for scientific proof (double-blind, placebo-controlled studies).
Dr. Robert Mendelsohn, another outspoken author on the hazards of routine vaccinations in the 1980s, said: “Until the last few years, government statistics admitted that 40 per cent of the child population of the U.S. was not immunized. For all those decades, where were the tetanus cases from all those rusty nails?”
Dr. Rona
Spotting Nutritional Deficiencies
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Many common health problems can be reversed or improved if one takes nutrient deficiencies into account. While it is true that medical intervention is required for most of the conditions listed below, the use of nutrient supplementation to correct associated deficiencies is cost effective complementary medicine.
CONDITION: POSSIBLE DEFICIENCIES
aneurysms: copper
atherosclerosis: folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, lysine, taurine
bleeding gums: vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, coenzyme Q10
blood sugar control problems: chromium, manganese, zinc, vanadium, B complex (diabetes or hypoglycemia) vitamins
confusion and depression: B complex vitamins, tryptophan, tyrosine, GABA
cracks and sores at mouth corners: vitamin B2
fibromyalgia: vitamins D, B6, B12, folic acid magnesium
goiter (thyroid mass): iodine
hair loss and dermatitis (eczema): biotin, iron, essential fatty acids, zinc, vitamin A
mouth sores: vitamins B2, B3 and B6
muscle cramps: calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin E
nausea: vitamin B6
night blindness: vitamin A, zinc
pallor (anemia): iron, copper, vitamin B12, folic acid
premenstrual syndrome: vitamin B6, magnesium, essential fatty acids, tryptophan
stunted growth, washboard nails: zinc
white spots on nails: zinc
Dr. Rona
Controlling Intestinal Gas
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In healthy individuals, where infectious diseases with parasites and other microbes has been ruled out, intestinal gas (belching, bloating and flatulence) comes from either swallowed air or the normal digestion of food by bacteria in the colon. This gas is made up of carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen and, in one third of the population, methane. A healthy adult produces 1 to 3 pints of gas in 24 hours and passes gas an average of 14 times a day. Unpleasant gas odor is due to colonic bacterial production of indole, skatole, and, most commonly, hydrogen sulfide.
Causes of Excess Gas
~ Digestive enzyme deficiency (e.g. lactose intolerance due to lactase deficiency) - prevents the breakdown of sugars (lactose, fructose, sorbitol), starches other than rice (corn, pasta, wheat, potatoes legumes, beans, peas) and high fiber foods (Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, onions, cabbage, other vegetables, and whole grains)
~ Frequent intake of carbonated beverages
~ Excess air swallowing from nervousness, smoking, gum chewing, a chronic postnasal drip, rapid eating or improperly fitting dentures
Prevention and Treatment
~ Eat slowly, chew foods thoroughly, avoid sucking on candies, avoid chewing gum and check with dentist for proper fitting if you wear dentures
~ Reduce fat intake because this helps the stomach empty faster and reduce bloating
~ Reduce carbonated beverages and high sugar, starch and high fiber containing foods
~ Take digestive enzymes (lactase, pancreatin, glutamic acid, stomach bitters, Beano)
~ Use lactobacillus acidophilus supplements to improve digestive function
~ In severe cases, use activated charcoal tablets before and after meals
~ If the problem persists, see your doctor and a nutritionist for assessment and treatment
Dr. Rona
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