According to CNBC, “Paul Thorsen, the principal coordinator of multiple studies funded by the CDC used to deny a vaccine/autism link was indicted April 13th on thirteen counts of fraud and nine counts of money-laundering. The charges relate to funding for work he conducted for the CDC which claimed to disprove associations between the mercury-based vaccine preservative, thimerosal, and increased rates of autism.” This was first reported by the consumer group, SafeMinds.
I remember when these studies came out. They came out in rapid-fire succession just after previously-released studies began to show there was a link between autism and mercury-preserved vaccines. I was not surprised that the Thorsen articles came out so fast as Big Pharma had to do something to quiet the growing complaints about mercury in vaccines.
Do I think that mercury-containing vaccines cause autism? Before I answer that, let me state a few points. I believe there is no justification for ever injecting in any living being the third most toxic element known to mankind. As the wise man Forrest Gump said, “Stupid is as stupid does.” What do you expect will happen when you inject a known neurotoxin, in large amounts, to a small baby?
I have no doubt that mercury toxicity, in large part from vaccines, is probably one factor responsible for the rapid rise of autism. Even if mercury is not one of the underlying causes of autism, common sense as well as biochemical sense would dictate that mercury exposure is not a good idea. In fact, mercury toxicity is a common problem in many of the patients that I see. However, in our toxic world, there are many other items we are exposed to on a daily basis that can also disrupt the normal neurological development in a newborn such as lead, arsenic, nickel, cadmium and bromine.
What can you do? Number one; don’t let anyone inject mercury in your body. Most of the flu vaccines still have mercury in them; they should be avoided. Next, don’t let any dentist put a mercury filling in your mouth. Any dentist that still defends the use of mercury does not understand biochemistry and does not deserve your business. Next, eat a healthy diet free of pesticides and other chemicals that are harmful to your body. Finally, take the appropriate supplements to ensure that your detoxification pathways are optimally functioning.
Which supplements should you take? There are many items that aid the detoxification pathways including vitamins C and E, alpha lipoic acid, magnesium and glutathione. One product that I helped formulate (along with my partners Drs. Ng and Nusbaum) is Total Liver Care. Total Liver Care (TLC) was designed to provide the appropriate nutrients for both phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification. You can purchase TLC from my website: www.centerforholisticmedicine.com (look under detoxification at the website). The suggested dose is one scoop two times per day until the can is finished (about 3 weeks). I suggest using Total Liver Care every 4 months.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Japanese Radiation Iodine Update 8: No More News Coming Our Way
The earthquake and tsunami hit Japan on March 11, 2011. Let’s take inventory of the situation. Is the nuclear situation under control? No. Are we being exposed to radioactive particles from this disaster? Yes. Are there things we can do to protect ourselves? Yes.
What is amazing to me is how the media has stopped reporting on this story. Here we have a continuing melt-down and release of radioactivity from Japan and now there is literally nothing being said about it.
Radioactive iodine has been found in water and milk samples throughout the U.S. In fact, many water supplies from Los Angeles to Detroit have tested positive for radioactive iodine. But, keep in mind, the authorities are not testing (or not reporting) for contamination with radioactive cesium, plutonium or uranium all of which have a longer half-life than iodine.
I have stated before that the amount of radioactive iodine that we are currently being exposed to is not lethal, but it is not innocuous. The danger is greater for those who are iodine deficient. Compared to iodine sufficient people, those who are deficient (i.e., the majority of Americans) are more likely to absorb and bind radioactive iodine.
Wherever radioactive iodine binds in the body, it destroys and damages cells. Where does this occur? Every cell in the body needs and utilizes iodine. However, iodine is concentrated in the glandular tissue—the breasts, thyroid, ovaries, and uterus are examples of tissue that concentrate iodine.
I believe the reason we are seeing such an epidemic of disease of the breasts, thyroid, ovaries and uterus is due, in part, to iodine deficiency. I describe this in more detail in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 4th Edition.
One of the first steps that you can do to prevent problems with exposure to radioactive iodine is to become iodine sufficient. In our toxic world, my experience has shown that iodine supplementation in milligram amounts is necessary to accomplish this.
However, as I stated above, the disaster in Japan is more than just radioactive iodine leakage. Radioactive plutonium, cesium and uranium are also being released into the atmosphere. These items have a much longer half-life than iodine and are much more dangerous. What can you do to protect yourself from these items?
To protect yourself from radioactive toxins as well as other toxicities, it is important to ensure adequate hydration. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of drinking enough water. How much water? Take your weight in pounds, divide by two and the resulting number is the amount of water to ingest per day in ounces. My experience is that most new patients, especially those with chronic illness, are dehydrated. I always inform these patients they will not achieve their optimal health without maintaining adequate hydration.
There is one nutrient that can help combat nearly any toxicity. That nutrient is vitamin C. Ensuring adequate vitamin C intake is important. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient in the diet as the body cannot manufacture vitamin C; therefore, we have to ingest enough in our diet. What are the best dietary sources of vitamin C? Fruits and vegetables are the best food sources of vitamin C. However, most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables to maintain optimal vitamin C levels. Furthermore, our toxic environment has increased our need for vitamin C as it aids all the detoxification pathways. I suggest taking 3-5,000mg/day of vitamin C. Buffered vitamin C seems to be the most tolerated form for this large dose. If you get diarrhea with these doses of vitamin C, you can lower the dose.
Other nutrients which help prevent damage from radioactivity include vitamin E—as mixed tocopherols at 200UI/day), alpha lipoic acid (300mg twice per day), and unrefined sea salt (1/2-1 tsp/day). Also, eating a healthy diet, free of refined foods, is a big help. Note: All of these supplements mentioined above can be found at my office; www.centerforholisticmedicine.com.
What is amazing to me is how the media has stopped reporting on this story. Here we have a continuing melt-down and release of radioactivity from Japan and now there is literally nothing being said about it.
Radioactive iodine has been found in water and milk samples throughout the U.S. In fact, many water supplies from Los Angeles to Detroit have tested positive for radioactive iodine. But, keep in mind, the authorities are not testing (or not reporting) for contamination with radioactive cesium, plutonium or uranium all of which have a longer half-life than iodine.
I have stated before that the amount of radioactive iodine that we are currently being exposed to is not lethal, but it is not innocuous. The danger is greater for those who are iodine deficient. Compared to iodine sufficient people, those who are deficient (i.e., the majority of Americans) are more likely to absorb and bind radioactive iodine.
Wherever radioactive iodine binds in the body, it destroys and damages cells. Where does this occur? Every cell in the body needs and utilizes iodine. However, iodine is concentrated in the glandular tissue—the breasts, thyroid, ovaries, and uterus are examples of tissue that concentrate iodine.
I believe the reason we are seeing such an epidemic of disease of the breasts, thyroid, ovaries and uterus is due, in part, to iodine deficiency. I describe this in more detail in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 4th Edition.
One of the first steps that you can do to prevent problems with exposure to radioactive iodine is to become iodine sufficient. In our toxic world, my experience has shown that iodine supplementation in milligram amounts is necessary to accomplish this.
However, as I stated above, the disaster in Japan is more than just radioactive iodine leakage. Radioactive plutonium, cesium and uranium are also being released into the atmosphere. These items have a much longer half-life than iodine and are much more dangerous. What can you do to protect yourself from these items?
To protect yourself from radioactive toxins as well as other toxicities, it is important to ensure adequate hydration. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of drinking enough water. How much water? Take your weight in pounds, divide by two and the resulting number is the amount of water to ingest per day in ounces. My experience is that most new patients, especially those with chronic illness, are dehydrated. I always inform these patients they will not achieve their optimal health without maintaining adequate hydration.
There is one nutrient that can help combat nearly any toxicity. That nutrient is vitamin C. Ensuring adequate vitamin C intake is important. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient in the diet as the body cannot manufacture vitamin C; therefore, we have to ingest enough in our diet. What are the best dietary sources of vitamin C? Fruits and vegetables are the best food sources of vitamin C. However, most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables to maintain optimal vitamin C levels. Furthermore, our toxic environment has increased our need for vitamin C as it aids all the detoxification pathways. I suggest taking 3-5,000mg/day of vitamin C. Buffered vitamin C seems to be the most tolerated form for this large dose. If you get diarrhea with these doses of vitamin C, you can lower the dose.
Other nutrients which help prevent damage from radioactivity include vitamin E—as mixed tocopherols at 200UI/day), alpha lipoic acid (300mg twice per day), and unrefined sea salt (1/2-1 tsp/day). Also, eating a healthy diet, free of refined foods, is a big help. Note: All of these supplements mentioined above can be found at my office; www.centerforholisticmedicine.com.
Monday, April 11, 2011
April Research Roundup
Here are the studies that caught my eye over the past month.
Metastudies fail to identify who sponsored the studies they are based on, allowing studies funded by drugmakers to appear to be unbiased research. If you've wondered why you are seeing so many metastudies--studies that pool data from many smaller studies--being published, this may be the explanation. As reported by researchers who analyzed the sponsorship of 29 metastudies based on 509 trials,
EXAMPLES: DRUG COMPANY FUNDED STUDIES DESPERATELY PROMOTING THE FLAWED DRUG ACTOS
1. Avandia Causes Significantly More Cardiovascular Problems and Deaths than Actos. This may be true, but this metastudy (sponsorships NOT revealed) failed to include a control group that was taking neither drug. It only compared those taking Avandia with those taking Actos. This gives the false impression that Actos is safe. In fact, since good data has shown that Actos causes heart failure in people who didn't originally have it, this was a seriously flawed study.
2. Actos seems to cause an increased risk of bladder cancer in those who take it for two years or more. Note the weaselly way that this result is reported. The definition of those "taking Actos" included people who only filled two prescriptions--i.e. the many who dropped it because of cost, ineffectiveness, and side effects. Among those who continued taking the drug cancer was more prevalent. Who do you think funded this study? You'll never know because the ADA's Diabetes Care's abstracts don't reveal the study's sponsorship.
A Kaiser study that controlled for a huge number of variables (possibly making the statistical results meaningless) found an elevated risk of melanoma among those who took Actos but downplayed this finding in the study's conclusion. Funding of this study is unknown.
3. Actos has a huge impact on preventing the progress to diabetes (i.e. blood sugar levels defined as "diabetic" on a fasting glucose or glucose tolerance test.) This is a high profile study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that got a ton of coveraage. To their credit, the NEJM, in its abstract, identifies the sponsor of this study--the makers of Actos. The drawbacks the study found were that Actos "was associated with significant weight gain and edema."
What is missing here is the information that other studies have found that exercise and dietary changes can produce a very similar decrease in progress to diabetes without any side effects and without Actos' risk of heart failure, macular edema (which can cause blindness)and permanent weight gain.
INTERESTING BASIC RESEARCH FINDINGS
1. Missing Gene Suggests Rodents Aren't The Best Model For Diabetes Research As reported HERE:
2. Gut bacteria can control organ functions in mice--including liver glucose levels. What's interesting here is that we know there is an association between gut bacteria and obesity in humans, so it is possible this mouse finding is relevant. Are the trace amounts of antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides that are in our food and water supply changing our gut flora in ways that promote the growth of bacteria that contribute to diabetes?
3. Insulin releasing switch discovered. It's called "snapin" and it appears to play a significant role in stimulating beta cells to secrete insulin.
STUDIES WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
1. Strong evidence that antidepressants are causing thickening of carotid arteries (strongly associated with heart attacks). This study was presented at 2011 American College of Cardiology annual scientific session, New Orleans, and received NO play in the press--note that it is Business Week who picked up on it. This was an identical twin study where one twin was taking antidepressants and the other wasn't. The study authors found that "a twin taking an antidepressant had a greater intima-media thickness than a brother not taking the drugs." Given that SSRIs greatly increase insulin resistance this shouldn't be a shocker. Don't expect to hear any more about this as drug companies spend even MORE money marketing antidepressants than they do dangerous diabetes drugs and their advertising--and research--dollars affect media coverage.
2. Death from all causes and from heart attack associated with insulin stimulating drugs compared to metformin. This major study involving "All Danish residents >20 years, initiating single-agent ISs or metformin between 1997 and 2006 were followed for up to 9 years (median 3.3 years)" found the following drugs were as safe as Metformin: Prandin (repaglinide), and Diamicron (gliclazide, not sold in the U.S.).
All the other sulfonylurea drugs raised the risk of death, whether or not people had had a heart attack before taking them. The study concludes: "Monotherapy with the most used ISs, including glimepiride, glibenclamide, glipizide, and tolbutamide, seems to be associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular risk compared with metformin. Gliclazide and repaglinide appear to be associated with a lower risk than other I[nsulin]S[ecretagogues]s."
Metastudies fail to identify who sponsored the studies they are based on, allowing studies funded by drugmakers to appear to be unbiased research. If you've wondered why you are seeing so many metastudies--studies that pool data from many smaller studies--being published, this may be the explanation. As reported by researchers who analyzed the sponsorship of 29 metastudies based on 509 trials,
"Only 2 of the 29 meta-analyses even mentioned the issue of who funded the original drug trials, and even those 2 did it in very obscure places in the published articles," said Thombs, a psychologist and assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. "Not one of the meta-analyses mentioned whether researchers who conducted the trials were employed by industry or personally received money from industry."In addition,
The team identified 7 meta-analyses where every single drug trial included was paid for, at least in part, by the maker of the drug or had investigators linked financially to drug makers. In 6 of the 7 meta-analyses, however, there was no mention of who funded the drug trials.
EXAMPLES: DRUG COMPANY FUNDED STUDIES DESPERATELY PROMOTING THE FLAWED DRUG ACTOS
1. Avandia Causes Significantly More Cardiovascular Problems and Deaths than Actos. This may be true, but this metastudy (sponsorships NOT revealed) failed to include a control group that was taking neither drug. It only compared those taking Avandia with those taking Actos. This gives the false impression that Actos is safe. In fact, since good data has shown that Actos causes heart failure in people who didn't originally have it, this was a seriously flawed study.
2. Actos seems to cause an increased risk of bladder cancer in those who take it for two years or more. Note the weaselly way that this result is reported. The definition of those "taking Actos" included people who only filled two prescriptions--i.e. the many who dropped it because of cost, ineffectiveness, and side effects. Among those who continued taking the drug cancer was more prevalent. Who do you think funded this study? You'll never know because the ADA's Diabetes Care's abstracts don't reveal the study's sponsorship.
A Kaiser study that controlled for a huge number of variables (possibly making the statistical results meaningless) found an elevated risk of melanoma among those who took Actos but downplayed this finding in the study's conclusion. Funding of this study is unknown.
3. Actos has a huge impact on preventing the progress to diabetes (i.e. blood sugar levels defined as "diabetic" on a fasting glucose or glucose tolerance test.) This is a high profile study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that got a ton of coveraage. To their credit, the NEJM, in its abstract, identifies the sponsor of this study--the makers of Actos. The drawbacks the study found were that Actos "was associated with significant weight gain and edema."
What is missing here is the information that other studies have found that exercise and dietary changes can produce a very similar decrease in progress to diabetes without any side effects and without Actos' risk of heart failure, macular edema (which can cause blindness)and permanent weight gain.
INTERESTING BASIC RESEARCH FINDINGS
1. Missing Gene Suggests Rodents Aren't The Best Model For Diabetes Research As reported HERE:
All animals except people have a gene, Virtually all mammals produce specific sugar molecules that aid cells in interacting with their environment. That is, all except humans. Around 2 to 3 million years ago humans lost CMAH, a gene that codes for an enzyme that produces the sugar Neu5Gc.There are many other differences between mice and humans that make them a poor model for type 2 diabetes--most notably, the fact that most mice fed high fat diets develop diabetes while humans (for example, Inuit) fed the same diet do not.
To test the role of this gene, researchers compared two sets of mice. One group had a normal CMAH function and Neu5Gc production, the other group did not—just like humans. Both groups of mice were fed a diet that normally induces obesity and insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome), and both groups experienced these symptoms. However, only the mice missing the CMAH gene had lost the ability to produce insulin in the pancreas.
2. Gut bacteria can control organ functions in mice--including liver glucose levels. What's interesting here is that we know there is an association between gut bacteria and obesity in humans, so it is possible this mouse finding is relevant. Are the trace amounts of antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides that are in our food and water supply changing our gut flora in ways that promote the growth of bacteria that contribute to diabetes?
3. Insulin releasing switch discovered. It's called "snapin" and it appears to play a significant role in stimulating beta cells to secrete insulin.
STUDIES WITH IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT
1. Strong evidence that antidepressants are causing thickening of carotid arteries (strongly associated with heart attacks). This study was presented at 2011 American College of Cardiology annual scientific session, New Orleans, and received NO play in the press--note that it is Business Week who picked up on it. This was an identical twin study where one twin was taking antidepressants and the other wasn't. The study authors found that "a twin taking an antidepressant had a greater intima-media thickness than a brother not taking the drugs." Given that SSRIs greatly increase insulin resistance this shouldn't be a shocker. Don't expect to hear any more about this as drug companies spend even MORE money marketing antidepressants than they do dangerous diabetes drugs and their advertising--and research--dollars affect media coverage.
2. Death from all causes and from heart attack associated with insulin stimulating drugs compared to metformin. This major study involving "All Danish residents >20 years, initiating single-agent ISs or metformin between 1997 and 2006 were followed for up to 9 years (median 3.3 years)" found the following drugs were as safe as Metformin: Prandin (repaglinide), and Diamicron (gliclazide, not sold in the U.S.).
All the other sulfonylurea drugs raised the risk of death, whether or not people had had a heart attack before taking them. The study concludes: "Monotherapy with the most used ISs, including glimepiride, glibenclamide, glipizide, and tolbutamide, seems to be associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular risk compared with metformin. Gliclazide and repaglinide appear to be associated with a lower risk than other I[nsulin]S[ecretagogues]s."
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Japanese Radiation Update 7: Why You Should Consider Iodine Therapy
I just wanted to give you a quick update on the Japanese nuclear disaster. It is clear that there has been a meltdown at the reactor core. The amount of radioactivity released into the air and the ocean is very large. This may surpass the amount released at Chernobyl.
There is no question that radioactive particles will be carried by the jet stream and deposited over North America. In fact, there have been multiple reports of radiation spikes occurring in a number of states. Now, the amount of radiation reported has been low. But, do not let that fool you. If you are iodine deficient, your body will try to absorb iodine from whatever source it can get it from, radioactive particles from Japan included.
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is important to ensure that you are iodine sufficient. How can you do that? The first step is to work with a health care provider who is knowledgeable about iodine. Next, you can get your iodine levels checked. Many labs will do this with a simple urine test. FFP labs and Hakala Labs do the most complete test on iodine, the 24 hour loading test. I describe this test in more detail in my book, Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 4th Edition. You don’t need a doctors order to complete this test.
Finally, ensure that you are taking adequate amounts of inorganic, non-radioactive iodine in order to maintain whole body iodine sufficiency. Iodoral (Optimox), Iodozyme HP (Biotics) and Lugol’s solution are examples of this type of iodine that are effective for maintaining whole body iodine sufficiency. The amount of iodine needed to achieve whole body sufficiency, for most of my patients, varies between 6-50mg/day. What do I mean by ‘whole body sufficiency’?
Many people and experts talking about the problems with radioactive iodine focus on the thyroid. The thyroid gland has the largest concentration of iodine in the body. However, every cell in the body needs and requires iodine to function optimally. The breasts, ovaries, uterus, prostate, and other tissues also contain large amounts of iodine. If the body is deficient, these tissues will take up radioactive iodine if given the chance. The whole premise of ortho-iodo supplementation that I discuss in my book is to ingest enough iodine in order for all the tissues of the body to be iodine sufficient. The consequences of iodine deficiency are severe—increases in cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus and thyroid. Radioactive iodine exposure in an iodine deficient state will increase the risk of cancer. Again, I discuss this in much more detail in my book.
The best results with iodine therapy are when it is combined with a holistic treatment regimen. This includes taking vitamin C and salt. Furthermore, correcting nutrient imbalances and detoxifying will help. Finally, ensure that you stay hydrated.
There is no need to panic over the Japanese disaster. You can use this situation as a wake-up call to ensure that you are doing all that is possible for maintaining your optimal health. Finally, remember to educate yourself about iodine so that you can make the best health care decisions.
There is no question that radioactive particles will be carried by the jet stream and deposited over North America. In fact, there have been multiple reports of radiation spikes occurring in a number of states. Now, the amount of radiation reported has been low. But, do not let that fool you. If you are iodine deficient, your body will try to absorb iodine from whatever source it can get it from, radioactive particles from Japan included.
As I mentioned in a previous post, it is important to ensure that you are iodine sufficient. How can you do that? The first step is to work with a health care provider who is knowledgeable about iodine. Next, you can get your iodine levels checked. Many labs will do this with a simple urine test. FFP labs and Hakala Labs do the most complete test on iodine, the 24 hour loading test. I describe this test in more detail in my book, Iodine Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 4th Edition. You don’t need a doctors order to complete this test.
Finally, ensure that you are taking adequate amounts of inorganic, non-radioactive iodine in order to maintain whole body iodine sufficiency. Iodoral (Optimox), Iodozyme HP (Biotics) and Lugol’s solution are examples of this type of iodine that are effective for maintaining whole body iodine sufficiency. The amount of iodine needed to achieve whole body sufficiency, for most of my patients, varies between 6-50mg/day. What do I mean by ‘whole body sufficiency’?
Many people and experts talking about the problems with radioactive iodine focus on the thyroid. The thyroid gland has the largest concentration of iodine in the body. However, every cell in the body needs and requires iodine to function optimally. The breasts, ovaries, uterus, prostate, and other tissues also contain large amounts of iodine. If the body is deficient, these tissues will take up radioactive iodine if given the chance. The whole premise of ortho-iodo supplementation that I discuss in my book is to ingest enough iodine in order for all the tissues of the body to be iodine sufficient. The consequences of iodine deficiency are severe—increases in cancer of the breast, ovary, uterus and thyroid. Radioactive iodine exposure in an iodine deficient state will increase the risk of cancer. Again, I discuss this in much more detail in my book.
The best results with iodine therapy are when it is combined with a holistic treatment regimen. This includes taking vitamin C and salt. Furthermore, correcting nutrient imbalances and detoxifying will help. Finally, ensure that you stay hydrated.
There is no need to panic over the Japanese disaster. You can use this situation as a wake-up call to ensure that you are doing all that is possible for maintaining your optimal health. Finally, remember to educate yourself about iodine so that you can make the best health care decisions.
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