Welcome!
In
this website topic I have accumulated a mish-mash of different articles that I
have come across over the past few years that have impressed me. I have quite a number of Health Alerts by Dr.
Al Sears, an MD who practices down in
The Italian
"Secret" To Heart Disease Recovery
Dear Subscriber:
If you’re a regular reader
of Health Alerts, you’ve heard me talk a lot about fish oil. It’s one of the
most effective ways of preventing a host of chronic diseases – especially heart
disease.
But here in the
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll tell you why. I’ll also reveal some of fish oil’s many benefits – and why
you should consider taking it.
* Standard Practice in
In
Yet here in the
Dr. Terry Jacobson – a
preventive cardiologist at
Clearly, the FDA is
suppressing the use of fish oil to protect big pharma’s monopoly over the drug
market. But that’s not surprising, considering that the yearly sale of statins
alone exceeds $25 billion.
When pressed, the FDA
questions the efficacy of fish oil. This, in spite of the volumes of clinical
tests available showing the remarkable healing qualities of omega-3 fatty
acids.
* The Evidence is
Overwhelming… Fish Oil Protects You from Disease *
Don’t be discouraged by your
government’s interest in big corporations. If you’re not currently taking fish
oil, you should consider it. It does more than just prevent heart disease. It
wipes out joint pain, eases depression and protects your eyes from blindness.
Scores of clinical reports
back this up. Here are just a few…
• The American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition reported a study that showed that fish oil lowers
triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are fats in your blood linked to heart
disease. The participants took a fish oil supplement or a placebo. Those taking
the fish oil had a decrease in triglycerides which reduced their chance of heart
disease by 25%. The subjects taking the placebo showed no significant
reduction.
• Cod Liver Oil helps with
depression too. In 1999, The Archives of General Psychiatry published an
intriguing study, which proved a link. Depressed patients took a fish oil
supplement or a placebo for 4 months. An overwhelming 64% of patients taking
the fish oil reported a significant reduction in symptoms. (Fish oil works on
depression by introducing omega-3s to brain cells. The higher the level of
omega-3s, the easier it is for the chemical messenger serotonin to carry
messages from one brain cell to another. This directly affects symptoms of
depression.)
• Researchers from the
National Eye Institute found that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supports the
nerves in the retina. DHA is one of the primary ingredients in Cod liver oil.
Over 4,500 people from the ages of 60-80 participated in the National Eye
Institutes study. People who supplemented with Cod liver oil were 50% less
likely to develop macular degeneration that those who didn’t.
Cod liver oil is simply the
easiest, most reliable way to get the omega-3s you need every day. And it costs
just pennies a day – literally! It’s available at your local nutrition store or
on the Internet.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
________________________________________________________________
Beat Allergies with the
Right Candles
Health Alert 353
Dear Subscriber:
A few weeks ago, a patient
came to me complaining of terrible
allergies. She just happened
to mention that she loves candles. When I asked her what kind, she said,
"Oh, just regular candles - vanilla and strawberry are my favorites."
In today's Health Alert,
you'll find out why your candles may be causing allergies, sinus problems - or
worse. You'll also discover which candles actually clear up allergy symptoms.
The candles made from this remarkable substance even purify the air and help
you get a good night sleep.
* Burning Crude Oil in Your
Home *
A nice candle can make a
room feel warm and inviting. But for good or bad, that candle releases fumes
that you will then breathe. Fumes that can stimulate allergic reactions and
increase your risk of health problems in the future.
Gone are the days when
candles were made from natural products. Today, paraffin is the ingredient of
choice. Sounds innocent enough, but paraffin is actually the sludge found at
the bottom of barrels of crude oil.
The oil by-product is then
bleached and treated with benzene and other chemicals to make it usable for
candles. But burning petrochemicals doesn't smell very nice, so synthetic
fragrance oils are added - many of which are toxic on their own.
Paraffin candles put out
soot and smoke when you burn them. This fills the room with toxins that coat
the walls, furniture and the inside of your lungs. What's worse, the chemical
residue sticks to the inside of your ventilation ducts. Whenever you run your
air, the pollutants get re-circulated - even when the candles aren't burning.
Bill Reno, an entomologist
and writer had this to say, "Breathing the fumes from burning paraffin
candles is essentially the same as breathing the exhaust fumes from a diesel
engine." (1)
Even the American Lung
Association warns that paraffin candles release lead and mercury into the
air.(2) One study from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that
toxic emissions from paraffin candles exceed their own recommendations.(3)
* Clean the Air and Improve
Your Health with Beeswax *
So what can you do? The
answer is centuries old: beeswax. Candles made from 100% beeswax burn brighter,
longer and have none of the pollutants found in paraffin.
In fact, they actually
filter the air you breathe. Like a rainstorm, burning beeswax emits negatively
charged ions. These connect with the positively charged ions that carry dust,
mold, bacteria, viruses and other contaminants. The extra weight causes the
dust and mold to fall to the ground where they can be swept up or vacuumed.
But make sure you get the
real thing. To get the benefits, the candle must be 100% beeswax. Many candles
labeled "beeswax" are a combination of beeswax and paraffin. When in
doubt, your nose will tell you every time. Beeswax has a uniquely fresh smell,
which is distinctly different from paraffin.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
P.S. - Burning a beeswax
candle for thirty minutes before bed will cleanse the air and help you sleep.
1. Alive magazine. No. 218.
Dec 2000.
2. American Lung
Association. Health House Report. www.alaw.org.
3. Environmental Protection
Agency. Candles and Incense as Potential Sources of Indoor Air Pollution. Jan
2001.
_____
The content and information
contained in this E-Newsletter are for educational purposes only. It may not be construed as medical advice,
and we do not intend for this information to be used to diagnose or prescribe
forms of treatment.
This email sent by:
Vitalmax Vitamins
Chestertown MD 21620
//////////////////////////
Subject: Sneaky Soy Surprise
Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2005
15:17:25 -0700 (PDT)
Sneaky Soy Surprise
Health Alert 279
Dear Subscriber:
Not all soy products are
created equal. You are better off
avoiding some forms altogether.
Many of the soy products you
encounter today use non-traditional soy. The soy industry is manufacturing an
ever increasing variety of these non-traditional soy products. They are hiding it in places you might not
expect. This particular kind of soy can
be harmful to your health.
Today, I'll expose these hidden
sources, why you want to avoid them and how to select traditional naturally
"processed" soy.
* Isn't Soy Straight from
Nature? *
Despite the marketing as
"natural", soy in its native form is not a food for humans. You cannot eat soy unless it is first
processed. If you try eating soy without
some sort of processing, you won't like the taste at all. You're likely to get nausea, cramping
abdominal pain, bloating, gas and flatulence.
And there are other problems.
Soy has mineral inhibitors.
Of all grains and legumes
ever studied, soybeans have one of the highest levels of phytic acid.1 You encounter this acid in the hulls of the
bean. It blocks the absorption of essential
minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc. The form phytic acid in soy is very resistant
to phytic acid reducing techniques, such as long, slow
cooking.2
Soy has enzyme inhibitors.
Compounds in soybeans block
the action of trypsin and other enzymes that digest protein. Normal cooking does not destroy these "anti-nutrients."
This can cause stomach upset and lead to a chronic amino acid deficiency. In animal studies, diets high in trypsin
inhibitors increase rates of diseases of the pancreas, including cancer.3
Soy has a clot promoting
substance. Soy has hemagglutinin, which causes clustering of red blood
cells. This prevents the cells from
absorbing oxygen properly. Hemagglutinin
and trypsin inhibitors also act as "growth depressants" in animal
studies.
These substances in soy are
apparently nature's plan for protecting the soy bean from predation by most
animals
* The Right Soy Stuff *
It is alarming that today,
60% of the food in
Naturally fermenting soy
deactivates the harmful substances. This
is something Asian cultures have known for centuries. That's why they eat fermented soy-like miso,
tempeh and soy sauce. Eating small
amounts of tofu with meat will minimize the mineral-blocking effects of
phytates. The Japanese traditionally eat a small amount of tofu or miso as part
of a mineral-rich fish broth, followed by a small serving of meat or fish.
Fermented soy, like miso and
tempeh - which is 90% of the Asian soy diet
- is not popular here in
The best soy products are
miso, tempeh, natto and soy sauce. Begin
checking labels of packaged foods for added soy. The best bet for your health, once again, is
to choose naturally occurring foods in their natural form as much as possible.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, M.D.
_____
The content and information contained in this
E-Newsletter are for educational purposes only.
It may not be construed as medical advice, and we do not intend for this
information to be used to diagnose or prescribe forms of treatment.
_____
1 Rackis, Joseph J, et al.,
"The USDA trypsin inhibitor study, Background, objectives and procedural
details," Qualification of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition, 1985, vol 35
2 Ologhobo, AD, et al.,
"Distribution of phosphorus and phytates in some Nigerian varieties of
legumes and some effects of processing," Journal of Food Science, Jan/Feb,
1984; 49(1):199-201
3 Rackis, Joseph J, et al.,
"The USDA trypsin inhibitor study, Background, objectives and procedural
details," Qualification of Plant Foods in Human Nutrition, 1985, vol 35
//////////////////
The Real Salt of the Earth
Health Alert 305
Dear Subscriber:
For years you've heard
people telling you that salt is bad for you. "Don't put salt on that -
it'll kill you!"
But doesn't salt taste good
to you? Why would nature sabotage you and make you crave something that will
cause disease?
Today, you'll discover a
simple truth about salt you may not know.
* The Benefits of Real Salt
*
Let's get one thing
straight. Salt itself is not an evil. Salts occur widely in nature, in all body
fluids, and of course, in the oceans. It's a general term and natural salts
usually have mixtures of many compounds. In fact, natural salt contains vital
minerals your body needs. In its original form, salt is a healthy part of your
diet.
But the salt you find on
your table is anything but natural. Modern salt is processed to the point of
being toxic. Commercial salt producers take out all the good minerals and add
dozens of harmful chemicals.
You should avoid processed
salt. Its concentrated sodium and lack of potassium can lead to high blood
pressure and other health problems. These high sodium salts hide in thousands
of products that you eat everyday. Even if you don't add salt yourself, many of
the foods you eat are swimming in sodium.
Do you think that salad is
healthy? Many commercial salad dressings have more sodium in a serving than a
McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese! 1
Real salt, on the other
hand, comes from the earth or ocean, not a factory.
It has health benefits and
brings out the flavor of your favorite foods.
* Turn the Tables on Table
Salt *
How do you avoid too much
sodium? As always, simply avoid processed foods.
Don't eat anything that is
canned, frozen or sealed in a bag. Aside from sodium, they are full of other
chemicals, the wrong carbs and the wrong fats.
Switching to "sea
salt" is easy to do. You can find it in most grocery stores and nutrition
stores. It's much better than table salt because it has a mixture of sodium and
potassium with traces of other minerals.
You can also balance the
effects of processed sodium, by eating foods rich in potassium. This can be
therapy for your heart and it will help lower high blood pressure.
The table below is a list of
the high potassium foods I give to my patients.
The Best Sources for
Potassium
(Potassium in Milligrams)
Fruits
Avocados (One whole)
1,483
Figs (dried, 5 pieces)
675
Raisins (1/2 cup)
644
Apricots (1/2 cup)
611
Cantaloupes (1/2 melon)
853
Orange Juice (1 cup)
496
Watermelon (2 cups)
320
Grapes (1 cup)
310
Banana (1 whole)
490
Grapefruit juice (1 cup)
400
Seafood, Beef & Poultry
Clams (10 steamed)
597
Halibut (3 oz. cooked)
490
Snapper (4 oz. baked)
590
Tuna canned (2 oz.)
130
Salon (3 oz. cooked)
390
Flounder (3 oz. cooked)
290
Chicken (3 oz. cooked)
200
Beef (3 oz. cooked)
270
Vegetables (1/2 cup cooked)
Swiss Chard
480
Acorn squash
450
Brussels sprouts
250
Zucchini
230
Artichokes
220
Collard greens
210
Nuts (1/2 cup)
Almonds
520
Pistachios
620
Brazil nuts
420
Cashews
387
Chestnuts
424
Peanuts
491
Other
Milk (1 cup)
370
490
Lentils (1/2 cup)
370
Pinto beans (1/2 cup)
290
Pumpkin seeds (1/2 cup)
915
Wheat germ (2 Tbs.)
270
Potassium helps neutralize
the effect of sodium on blood pressure. It also lowers your risk for stroke and
heart attack. In addition, it prevents the bone loss that can lead to
osteoporosis.
Potassium is essential to
good health. Unfortunately, you don't get enough from your diet. On an average
day, the typical man gets about 3,000 mg - women closer to 2,300 mg.
For optimum health, I
recommend food averaging 5,000 mg a day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, M.D.
1 Liebman B. Pressure
cooker, the scoop on salt. Nutrition Action.
July/August 2005.
THE CONTENT AND INFORMATION
CONTAINED IN THIS E-NEWSLETTER ARE FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT MAY NOT BE
CONSTRUED AS MEDICAL ADVICE, AND WE DO NOT INTEND FOR THIS INFORMATION TO BE
USED TO DIAGNOSE OR PRESCRIBE FORMS OF TREATMENT.
/////////////
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2005
04:14:45 -0700 (PDT)
If You Need Better
Cholesterol .
Health Alert 287
Dear Subscriber:
Do you worry about high
cholesterol? Patients often come to me
after
another doctor put them on a
dangerous statin drug to lower their
cholesterol. When I look at their cholesterol details, I
usually tell
them they don't need to
lower their cholesterol in the first place. For
those few who do need to
lower their cholesterol, the drugs are not
necessary and the risks are
far too high.
Today I want to show you a
better way and a clinical study to prove it.
You'll save yourself the
risk of side effects, save your hard-earned
dollars and improve your
overall health in the process.
* Studies Show How to Trump
a Statin Drug *
Statin drugs to lower
cholesterol have become both the most profitable
and the most prescribed
drugs in history. They are also some of the
most burdensome for your
long-term health. As well as having a long
list of potentially fatal
side effects, they make you feel tired, sore and old.
Happily, you don't have to
take them. Three studies prove that
nutrients work just as well
as the statin drug Lovastatin.
Our first study is from the
Journal of the American Medical
Association, (JAMA). It compared
the cholesterol lowering effects of a
low-fat diet, the statin
drug Lovastatin and foods high in plant sterols and fiber.
The low-fat participants
lowered their cholesterol by only 8%.
The
statin drug users lowered
their cholesterol by 30%. It's no
surprise
that the drug beats a
low-fat diet but before you agree to take a
statin, listen to this.
The participants who ate the
diet high in plant sterols and fiber
lowered their cholesterol by
29%![1] This is statistically hard to
distinguish from the statin
drug. This makes your choice a
no-brainer.
Why risk muscle and joint
pain, fatigue, memory loss or even death,
when you can choose a
healthy diet to lower your cholesterol?
Another study from the
cholesterol by 33%. Healthier food choices got very
close-lowering
cholesterol by nearly
30%.[2] Again, the choice is clear. A
third
study found that diet
lowered cholesterol by 30%. This study
found
that diet not only lowered
cholesterol, but lowered the risk of heart
disease as well.[3]
* Lower Your Cholesterol -
Today! *
You don't need dangerous
statin drugs to lower your cholesterol.
So
how do you get the diet high
in plant sterols? All you need are the
foods you were born to
eat. It really is that simple.
Here are foods that both the
studies and I have found could help you
lower your cholesterol.
These foods will help you raise your HDL (good)
cholesterol while lowering
your LDL (bad) cholesterol.
* Avocados
* Olives
* Olive Oil
* Almonds
* Walnuts
* Flaxseed
* Eggplant
* Okra
Forget dangerous statin
drugs. You don't need them! Lower your
cholesterol and improve your
heart health with these natural foods you
were born to love. What
could be better?
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, M.D.
[1] Jenkins D, et al.,
"Effects of a dietary portfolio of
cholesterol-lowering foods
vs. Lovastatin on serum lipids and
c-reactive protein,"
JAMA, 2003;290:502-10
[2] Jenkins D, Kendall C, et
al., "Direct comparison of a dietary
portfolio of
cholesterol-lowering foods with a statin in
hypercholesterolemic
participants," American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, Feb
2005;81(2):380-87
[3] Kendall C, Jenkins D,
"A dietary portfolio: maximal reduction of
low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol with diet," Curr Atherosclerosis
Rep, Nov 2004;6(6):492-8
////////////
Beat Cancer with Sunshine
Dear Subscriber:
Last Monday, I came into the
office after working a weekend in my herb garden with a new tan line. It wasn't
long until I heard the scold: "Dr.
Sears, you should know
better than to spend time in the sun!"
It seems to be common
knowledge that sunshine causes cancer. But like too much dietary fat causing
heart disease, I can't find convincing evidence. In fact, exposure to sunshine
actually helps prevent many forms of cancer.
In today's Health Alert,
I'll show you some eye-opening studies that reveal the health benefits of
sunshine. In addition, you'll find out why sunscreen may do more harm than
good.
* Let the Sun Shine In *
Here in
For thousands of years, we
knew the sun was good for us. Now there is scientific evidence to back it up.
Researchers in
Melanoma is the most serious
form of skin cancer. But at the
In fact, sunlight can help
prevent many forms of cancer and disease.
These include breast cancer,
colon cancer, prostate cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease, multiple
sclerosis and osteoporosis.
Vitamin D slows and even
prevents the growth of cancer cells. One of the most natural ways to get
vitamin D is from the sun. When ultraviolet B rays interact with your body's
cholesterol, you form vitamin D.
* Common Sense is Your Key
to Enjoying the Benefits of Sunshine *
There's no reason to be
afraid of the sun. Just don't overdo it. If you use common sense, you can enjoy
the sun with all its benefits without danger. Taking a ten to fifteen minute
walk in the sun every day could cut your risk for many cancers.
To avoid getting burned,
wear a wide-brim hat in mid-day. Sunscreens block ultraviolet B rays, which
help make vitamin D. They will lower your vitamin D production by as much as
ninety-five percent.
Sunscreens also contain
dozens of toxic ingredients. It's anyone's guess what the long-term effects
will be. It may take several generations before we really know. I recommend you
stay away from them altogether.
Your diet is also important
when it comes to skin care and cancer prevention. In 2001, the National Academy
of Sciences published a study showing that the omega 6:3 ratio was the key to
preventing skin cancer development. (3)
You can get a healthy dose
of both vitamin D and omega-3 by supplementing with fish oil.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
_____
[1] Swedish Research
Council. Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure and Risk of Malignant Lymphomas.
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Feb 2005.
[2] American Cancer Society.
Sunlight May Not Be All Bad for Some Cancers.
[3] Liu G, et al. Omega 3
but not omega 6 fatty acids inhibit AP-1 activity and cell transformation in
JB6 cells.
From: "Dr. Sears"
<drsears@vitalmaxvitamins.com>
To: lenhartw@hotmail.com
Subject: Don't Follow Ken
Lay
Date: Thu, 3 Aug 2006
08:07:22 -0700 (PDT)
Don’t Follow Ken Lay
Health Alert 398
Dear Subscriber:
About a month ago, Ken Lay,
founder of corporate giant Enron, died suddenly of a heart attack. Today, I
want to tell you how he could still be alive and how you can avoid his fate.
* Looking for Health in All
the Wrong Places *
When Ken Lay died of a
sudden heart attack, the press initially blamed the “stress” of his trial and
conviction. Then his doctor revealed that he had a long history of heart
disease. And, the coroner who did the autopsy concluded that he died of severe
coronary-artery disease or “clogged arteries.”
Before his death, Ken Lay
had been taking statin drugs to lower his cholesterol for years In fact; he
suffered several heart attacks before the one that killed him. (1)
As I’ve mentioned in
previous Health Alerts, statin drugs work by blocking your body’s production of
cholesterol. This lowers your total and your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. But to
avoid heart disease and reverse Current damage, HDL (“good”) cholesterol is the
key.
HDL can reduce your risk of
heart disease regardless of your LDL
levels.(2)
The
Your total cholesterol level
is not a reliable predictor of heart disease.
A high HDL level trumps all
other cholesterol concerns. Raising your HDL level should be your first
priority.
* Four Easy Ways to Increase
Your HDL *
Exercise is the best way to
balance your cholesterol levels. The largest independent heart study confirms
this.(3) Doing short bursts of exercise
daily helps you lower LDL cholesterol, increase testosterone and raise HDL
cholesterol. The PACE® program outlined in my book, The Doctor’s Heart Cure, is
a simple and easy way to do this.
Your diet is also important,
but not a low fat diet. I mean eating whole, unrefined foods and avoiding
refined carbohydrates. Good choices include grass-fed red meat, eggs, fruits,
vegetables that grow above ground, and all nuts except peanuts.(4)
Although eating meat will
not boost your cholesterol levels, a recent study proved that eating meat helps
reduce LDL and raise HDL levels. It didn't matter what kind of meat. The
Journal of Nutrition published a study showing that high-protein diets boost
antioxidant levels. Low-protein diets increase the oxidative effects of free
radicals.
Here are four natural ways
to increase your HDL and avoid drugs:
1. Exercise in intervals for 20 minutes every other day.
2. Eliminate trans fats from your diet. Cut out breaded/fried foods
like French fries and deli chicken, commercially baked crackers and cookies and
anything with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated soybean oil.
3. Increase your omega-3 fatty acids with fish oils, avocados, nuts,
olives and eggs.
4. Add fresh garlic to your cooking as often as possible.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears MD
1. Gardner A. Enron Founder’s Death Linked to
Heart Disease. HealthDay News. Jul 6, 2006.
2. Castiglioni A and Neuman
WR. HDL Cholesterol: What Is Its True Clinical Significance? Emergency
Medicine, January 2003:30-42.
3. The
4. Sears,
/////////////////////////////////
Trans Fats Hiding in Your
Favorite Foods Health Alert 400
Dear Subscriber:
This year all packaged foods
began listing trans-fat content on their labels. This is an important step
forward. Avoiding this fat of modern food processing is critical to your good
health.
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll tell you how you could still be consuming these harmful fats without
knowing and how to avoid their health consequences.
* What is Trans-Fat Anyway?
*
Trans-fat is the result of
“hydrogenation.” When a hydrogen molecule is added to vegetable oils, it turns
them to fatty solids. These fatty solids replace animal fats, allowing food
makers to label their products “cholesterol free.”
Industry took away many of
the good fats we need – and said they were bad.
As a substitute, they gave
us man-made fats, which turned out to be dangerous.
Here’s Where to Look for
Trans-Fat:
• Most Hardened Margarines and Shortenings
• Salad Dressing and Mayonnaise
• Biscuits, Rolls, Breads, Cakes, Cookies, Crackers and Doughnuts
• Corn Snacks and Chips
• French Fries, Fried Chicken or Fish
• Fried Fast Foods, even those fried in commercial “vegetable
oils”
After years of widespread
use, numerous studies link trans-fats to heart attacks, strokes and cancer to
name just a few of their many problems. They have proven to increase your LDL
(bad) cholesterol. What's worse, they decrease your HDL (good) cholesterol.
They also cause inflammation and rob your brain and heart of the real fats you
need.
Ironically, doctors
recommended these “low-fat” products for years, thinking they were helping
their patients. Dr. Walter Willett, Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at
the Harvard School of Public Health had this to
say:
“There was a lot of
resistance from the scientific community because a lot of people had made their
careers telling people to eat margarine [containing trans-fats] instead of
butter... When I was a physician in the 1980's, that's what I was telling
people to do and unfortunately we were often sending them to their graves
prematurely.”
* The Real Problem with Fast
Food *
Your intake of trans-fats
should be, “as low as possible.” Zero is best.
Here’s how some of your favorites
stack up:
“
Taco
Doritos Corn Chips (12
chips) 1.09g
Kellogg’s Blueberry Eggo
Waffle 2.11g
Wendy’s Classic Double with
Cheese 2.50g
Blue Water Frozen Fish
Fillet 2.59g
McDonald’s Double Quarter
Pounder with Cheese 3.00g
Mrs. Smith’s Apple Pie 4.00g
McDonald’s Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (5pc.) 4.50g
Doughnut 5.00g
Orville Redenbacher Buttered
Popcorn (4 cups) 5.72g
McDonald’s Large French
Fries 6.00g
KFC Original Recipe Chicken
Dinner 7.00g
McDonald’s Deluxe Breakfast 11.00g
Notice how fast foods are
some of the worst offenders? Even breakfast at McDonald’s is loaded with trans
fats. Fish and chicken aren’t bad on their own but turn into unhealthy foods
when they are fried in hydrogenated vegetable oils.
You can also minimize the
effects of trans-fat by making sure you get enough of the good fats your body
needs.
Here’s a quick-and-easy
checklist:
• Grass-fed Beef
• Fish
• Nuts
• Olive Oil
• Avocados
• Vegetables
• Cod Liver Oil
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Hwang, G, MD, Lee, D, MD,
"Trans-fat: The latest and worst fat on the block," Continuing
Medical Education, Vol 27, No 2, Feb, 2005:49-54 3. The New York Times. Feb 13,
2005. p. 23.
/////////////////////////////
Sent: Thursday, August 17,
2006 3:18 PM
Subject: Leave Your
Sunscreen At Home
Leave Your Sunscreen at Home
Health Alert 402
Dear Subscriber:
A class-action lawsuit is
pending against five of the leading makers of sunscreen. They claim these
companies encourage sunbathing without providing protection from ultraviolet A
(UVA) rays. (Right idea, wrong reason…)
On the other hand, you have
the medical establishment telling you that even the smallest amount of sun
exposure is bad for you. (One of the most ridiculous arguments I’ve ever
heard…)
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll show you why their “fear of the sun” campaign is misleading. And to help
you enjoy my favorite season, I’ll show you some supplements that give you the
protection you really need.
* The Sun in Not Your Enemy
*
Dermatologists and others in
the “sun police” have succeeded in scaring people into being afraid of the sun.
But since we’ve been avoiding the sun over the last 30 years, the death rate
from skin cancer has risen 400%.
In fact, skin cancer was a
rare event before 1930, when most people worked outdoors and ignored the “risk”
from the sun. Now it’s the most common cancer. And since our grandparent’s
generation, the rate of melanoma – the deadly form of skin cancer – is up 1,800%.(1)
Is the sun really
responsible? Think about it. The sun is 5 billion years old. It hasn’t changed
in recent times. And, our exposure has dramatically decreased over the last 7
decades. So what gives? The real answer lies with other changes in our lifestyles,
including our diets. Let me clarify…
There are three kinds of
skin cancer: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and
melanoma. Cumulative sun exposure is linked to BCC and SCC. But with early
detection, these are rarely fatal. Melanoma is the deadly form and actually has
an inverse relationship to sunshine.
If sunshine were deadly,
people who live in sunny climates would suffer the most deaths from skin
cancer. But the opposite is true. Those who live in cold, damp climates with
little sunshine – like London or Minnesota – have higher rates than those who
live in sun-drenched areas like Arizona, New Mexico and Florida.(2)
And today, just 10 percent
of people work outdoors – compared with 75 percent a hundred years ago. So what accounts for the sudden rise? My
answer: we are exposing
ourselves to new carcinogens, eating foods that promote skin cancer, and not
getting enough of the antioxidants and nutrients that prevent it.
* Enjoy the Sun and Protect
Yourself Naturally *
First, some common sense:
Avoid sunburn. It hurts and damages your skin. Second, stop using
chemical-based sunscreens – like the ones you get at the drugstore. The
chemicals can actually be carcinogenic. If you like, you can find sunscreens
available on the Internet that are natural and chemical free, but a hat and
shirt are probably better.
Most importantly, it’s
critical that you boost your body’s natural defenses. Here are my favorite
supplements to help:
Cod Liver Oil – The lack of
healthy Omega-3 fatty acids in our diet is one of the primary factors
contributing to the rise of skin cancer. Grains, sugars and processed foods –
even commercial beef are full of Omega-6 fatty acids. Not only are these
inflammatory, but they prevent your skin from fighting the sun’s UV rays.
A tablespoon of cod liver
oil a day will replenish your Omega-3 levels and keep your skin looking young
and fresh. It will also give you a boost of vitamin D in its most natural form.
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid
found in shrimp, lobsters, salmon, trout and algae. It gives them their
red/pinkish color. (Carotenoids are nutrients that protect plants and animals
from UV radiation.)
Astaxanthin is hundreds of
times more powerful than most carotenoids and multiplies the effects of vitamin
C and E, increasing their antioxidant activity.(3) This is one of the best supplements to
prevent skin cancer. During periods of prolonged exposure, you can’t beat
it. It’s available as a capsule. I
recommend 2mg a day with meals.
Alpha-Lipoic Acid –
It also preserves collagen
and prevents the damage associated with aging skin, making your skin more
youthful and vibrant. I recommend 200mg to 400mg daily.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Herring J, Ellison S. The
Skin Cancer Breakthrough. Soon to be published by Agora Publishing.
2. Douglass W. Shedding
Light on Dermatologist Propaganda. Real Health Breakthroughs. April 2006 3. www.astaxanthin.org/benefits.htm
This email sent by:
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Chestertown MD 21620
//////////////////////////////////////
Bursting the Next Wonder
Drug Myth
Health Alert 409
Dear Subscriber:
You’ve seen the commercials
telling you to get your cholesterol lower and lower. But these drugs containing
statins like Lipitor, Zocor, Mevacor, Pravachol and Vytorin have a dark side.
And new evidence shows their benefits are questionable.
In today’s Health Alert,
I’ll share some of the latest studies showing that statins have little to no
benefit to your heart health. And, if you’re currently taking statins, I’ll
tell you the nutrient you need to take to reverse some of the damage caused by
these drugs.
* Clinical Trails Debunk Big
Pharma’s “Wonder Drug” *
If you believe the ads,
you’d think that you need statins to save yourself from heart attack or heart
disease. But the clinical evidence tells a different story. A recent study
followed 10,000 people with high LDL (bad) cholesterol for 4 years. Researchers
compared those who used statin drugs to those who exercised and maintained a
healthy body weight.
At the end of the trial,
there was no difference between the two groups. Both experienced the same rates
of death, heart attack and heart disease.1 Even if statin drugs were harmless,
it would be hard to justify using them since they show no benefit over even
poorly controlled diet and exercise programs.
But the truth is far worse
because statins have very negative effects. Side effects include muscle pain,
fatigue, congestive heart failure, depression, memory problems, loss of sexual
desire and death from muscle cells bursting, causing kidney failure.
Another recent trial exposed
the risks of having artificially lowered cholesterol – something the ads
suggest is good for you.
The Honolulu Heart Program
study revealed that the low cholesterol that statins produce is associated with
mortality. This particular study is rare because it measured cholesterol levels
over a 20 year period. Their results showed that those who maintained the
lowest cholesterol for 20 years – from middle age into old age – had the
highest risk of death.(1)
L.W. recently came to my
office as a new patient complaining of muscle weakness so bad he could barely
get out of bed. He had been taking statins for several months. In addition to
stopping his Lipitor, to help him recover, I gave him 200mg of CoQ10 twice a
day.
The ads won’t tell you this,
but statins deplete your body’s supply of CoQ10. This nutrient is the power
source for your energy guzzling organs. It’s critical for heart and brain
health, and for energy and strength. Without it, you feel weak and old.
Within days, L.W.’s muscle
pain disappeared, his strength returned and his blood pressure was back to
normal. Even better, his HDL (good cholesterol) was up.
* The Nutrient You Need for
a Healthy Heart *
I’ve been telling anyone who
will listen for years that CoQ10 is critical for heart health. Now recent
reports from hospitals around the country show that up to 75% of heart disease
patients have low levels of CoQ10.(2)
And, there are more benefits coming to light:
• Longer Life: Experiments with mice show that supplementing with
CoQ10 increased their
lifespan by up to 56%. (3)
• Cancer Treatment: Two dramatic studies of women with breast
cancer proved that daily
treatment of CoQ10 helped reverse their condition. (4)
• CoQ10 is a remarkable antioxidant. Multiple studies show that
its
ability to fight free
radicals is second to none.
• Gum Disease: Patients receiving 25mg of CoQ10, twice a day
showed
significant reversal of gum
disease.(5)
If you have no health
problems, I suggest you supplement with 100 mg a day. If you have high blood
pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, gingivitis, age related memory loss,
chronic fatigue or are a vegetarian, increase your dose to 200 mg per day.
If you’re currently taking
statins, consider supplementing with even more robust doses of CoQ10. It’s best
to have it measured in your blood. And ask a sympathetic doctor to help you.
CoQ10 is available at most
nutrition stores but you may have to do some searching to find the adequate
therapeutic doses I recommend. Coenzyme
Q10 is soluble in oil only. Don’t waste your money on powdered forms. You
should eat some kind of fat or oil when you take your CoQ10 and you will absorb
more of it into your blood where you need it.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
1. Fallon S. Enig M. Dangers
of Statin Drugs. HealthKeepers Magazine. Vol. 8, Issue 2. 2006 2. Folkers K,
Wolaniuk J, Simonsen R, et al. Biochemical rationale and the cardiac response
of patients with muscle disease to therapy with coenzyme Q10. Proceedings of
the
1985 Jul; 82(13):4513-4516.
3. Bliznakov, E.G. Coenzyme
Q10, the immune system, and aging, in:
Biomedical and Clinical
Aspects of Coenzyme Q, Vol. 3, By K.
Folkers, and Y. Yamamura,
(eds), Elsevier-North Holland,
4. Lockwood, K., Moesgaard,
S., and Folkers, K. Partial and complete regression of breast cancer in
patients in relation to dosage of CoQ10. Biochem Biophys Res Comm 1994, 199: 3,
1504-1508.
5. Wilkinson, E.G. et al,
Bioenergetics in clinical medicine VI.
Adjunctive treatment of
periodontal disease with CoQ10. Res Comm Chem Pathol Pharmacol Aug. 1976;
14(4): 715-719.