(And the only therapy known to stop it) I've told you many times that inflammation is at the root of many health problems, including heart disease and arthritis. In fact, any disease that ends with "it is" has inflammation as its major cause.

But there's another condition that's linked to inflammation that's been overlooked until now. It's called calcification. Calcification is a condition where calcium and phosphorous crystallize and cause tissues to harden.

These calcium-phosphate crystals both generate and attract inflammation. Calcification has been found in atherosclerosis, aneurysms, congestive heart failure, enlarged hearts, high blood pressure, stroke, blood clots, macular degeneration, cataracts, gallstones, Alzheimer's disease, dental plaque, and breast cancer. We find inflammation in these same diseases.

So we know that calcification is associated with inflammation, which causes disease. You would think, therefore, that the easiest way to reduce inflammation is to reduce your calcium intake. While this definitely helps, it's not that simple.

Researchers discovered more than two decades ago that a microscopic particle is also found in calcified tissues throughout the body. Could this tiny particle be the cause of all of these health problems?

The secret to calcification

In the 1980s, Finnish researcher E. Olavi Kajander, PhD found a particle in human blood that's too small to be seen by most microscopes. Not only is this particle found in calcified tissues, but Dr. Kajander found that it also appears to trigger calcification.

Turkish microbiologist, Dr. Neva Ciftcioglu, joined Dr. Kajander in the early 1990s and began to search for a correlation between this particle — called nanobacteria — and kidney stones. Indeed, she discovered that nanobacteria is found in kidney stones. And within 10 years, researchers were finding the particle in numerous other diseases.

Where do they come from?

No one knows where nanobacteria originate any more than we know where viruses or other bacteria come from. Because they have been found in livestock, it's possible that nanobacteria may originally have made their way from water or other environmental sources into animals and humans. We do know that the urine from people and animals with high nanobacteria levels can contaminate our drinking water. And they're too small for even the best water filters to remove.

Nanobacteria can become a problem when you have too many of them or if your immune system isn't strong enough to keep them under control. This is the case for many people with chronic illnesses. And, since there's no FDA-approved test for nanobacteria, it's difficult to know if you have them. Fortunately, there are methods to detect calcification, such as CT scans.

If you have an illness that includes calcification and inflammation, treatment to eradicate nanobacteria may be appropriate for you. That's where things get really interesting. You can't simply go to your doctor and get a prescription for an antibiotic.

You see, nanobacteria are essentially tiny bacteria that are coated with a hard mineral shell. This shell consists of calcium phosphorous (which produces inflammation). While antibiotics can destroy most bacteria, the coating around nanobacteria makes this bug very difficult to kill. The antibiotics simply cannot penetrate the shell.

However, there is a treatment protocol that works wonders against nanobacteria and the diseases they cause. This particular regimen must be done under the direction of a doctor. Talk with your doctor about treating nanobacteria if you're not getting better from a chronic illness.

Triple therapy for nanobacteria

Gary Mezo, a physician's assistant and founder of Nanobac Life Sciences, Inc. (813-264-2241), developed a triple therapy treatment to reduce nanobacteria. This program consists of chelation therapy (both oral EDTA and EDTA suppositories), nutraceuticals that support EDTA, and low-dose antibiotics to dissolve calcium deposits and eradicate the bacteria. Detailed information on nanobacteria and this triple therapy can be found in The Calcium Bomb (Douglas Mulhall and Katja Hansen).

The hard calcium/phosphorous shell around nanobacteria must be dissolved before the antibiotic can kill the bacteria. EDTA is a well-recognized organic chelating agent used by many doctors of integrative medicine to remove heavy metals. It also removes calcium deposits. Most oral EDTA products are poorly absorbed, but this combination appears to work for controlling nanobacteria.

The primary form of EDTA used in this process is in glycerin-based suppositories, which are absorbed into the bloodstream more slowly than intravenous EDTA and last l

Nanobac Life Sciences. While the suppositories are expensive, they're less expensive through this company than from any other source.

Anything that removes calcium through chelation also removes magnesium, zinc, and other minerals. Never use chelation therapy without adding back some of these minerals under the direction of an experienced health care practitioner.

After the hard shell of nanobacteria has been dissolved, an antibiotic can kill off some of the bacteria. Mezo's choice is tetracycline (a low-dose consisting of only 500 mg/day), a broad-spectrum antibiotic that nanobacteria aren't resistant to yet. I'm not at all fond of using antibiotics, but there are times when they offer the best solution. Right now, this low dose appears to be the best-researched answer to reducing colonies of nanobacteria. Tetracycline binds well to calcium. This means that tetracycline could prevent the calcium shell from reforming and protecting any other bacteria.

It's possible that herbal antibiotics would work as well without causing antibiotic resistance. Some of the strongest herbs with antibiotic properties are acacia, cryptolepsis, and grapefruit seed extract. For specific information on how to use particular herbal antibiotics, see Herbal Antibiotics: Natural alternatives for treating drug-resistant bacteria (Stephen Harrod Buhner, Storey Books, 1999).

A simpler way to control nanobacteria?

Presently, the treatment of choice for reducing nanobacteria is this triple therapy program. However, there may be another method using common minerals. They make sense and are less expensive, but we don't know how well they work yet. Here are some ideas to talk over with your doctor.

You know that taking too much calcium can cause serious health problems. I've always said you need to take less calcium and more magnesium. Well, it appears that our old friend magnesium can play a part in reducing colonies of nanobacteria.

Insufficient magnesium, especially in the presence of excessive calcium, can cause tissues and blood vessels to harden. Magnesium prevents calcification and also reduces inflammation. Could magnesium also dissolve the hard shell on nanobacteria? Studies are currently underway to explore this possibility and I'm in direct contact with the researchers. As soon as I have the results of the studies, I'll let you know.

In the meantime, it's clear that calcification, along with inflammation, is an underlying cause for many degenerative diseases. Still, most doctors ignore this. They associate calcification with heart disease, but not with macular degeneration. They know that calcification is present with arthritis, but may not be aware that it's a characteristic of diabetes. But you now know that calcification is a major part of many diseases. And something you need to have your doctor scan for before it gets too far advanced.

If you have any illnesses where calcification or inflammation has been implicated, you may at least want to consider EDTA, magnesium, or potassium citrate to help dissolve it. For more information, read The Calcium Bomb (Mulhall and Hansen, The Writer's Collective, 2005) or go to www.calcify.com.

Hudelist, G., et al. "Presence of nanobacteria in psammoma bodies of ovarian cancer: evidence for pathogenic role in intratumoral biomineralization," Histopathology, December 2004.

Khullar, M., et al. "Morphological and immunological characteristics of nanobacteria from human renal stones of a north Indian population," Urol Res, June 2004.

Mulhall, Douglas and Katja Hansen. The Calcium Bomb: The nanobacteria link to heart disease & cancer, The Writers' Collective, 2005.

Wilk, I. and G. Martirosian. "Nanobacteria – microbial characteristics," Postepy Hig Med Dosw (online): 58. Article in Polish.

Healthy Oils You Thought Were Bad

Last month, I talked about oils that can become solid when hydrogen is pumped into them. These fats make baked goods and processed foods last longer and give them a creamy texture. Called "trans fats," they are known to be toxic and harmful to the heart. I say avoid them whenever possible.

Beginning in 2006, federal law will require trans fats, also known as "hydrogenated" or "partially-hydrogenated" fats, to be listed on food labels. This will make them easier to avoid. But what safe alternatives should you use?

The best alternatives are tropical oils. They give a similar texture to foods as trans fats without needing to be manipulated into an unnatural and harmful ingredient.

Many people still believe that these oils are harmful. They're not. Tropical oils were attacked unfairly in the 1980s with inaccurate information. But people still remember hearing that they're unhealthy. While tropical oils do contain some saturated fats, not all saturated fats are the same.

By now you may have realized that in just about every category (cholesterol, fats, sugars, etc.) there are the "good guys" and the "bad guys." This is also true with saturated fats. The saturated fats in tropical oils are safer and healthier than those in animal fat, in part because they also contain unsaturated fats. Here are the tropical oils I recommend you use on a regular basis.

Coconut oil

I talked in detail about coconut oil three years ago (July 2002) and you may want to read or re-read this article on my website. For now, I want you to know some of its advantages. Coconut oil (and coconut milk) is stable and doesn't become rancid even when it's stored for long periods of time. This, in itself, makes it safe for your heart. When oils spoil (oxidize), they contribute to disease.

Coconut oil has been found to lower heart disease, cholesterol, and reduce inflammation. In addition, nearly half of the fats in coconut oil consist of lauric acid, which is antimicrobial. Lauric acid is found in mother's milk. It protects babies from viruses and bacterial infections. Some of the other fats in coconut oil are antifungal.

This tasty, stable, and safe fat is now being used in candies and baked goods. Try it in baking, stir-frying, and curries. Mary Enig, PhD, one of the world's experts on fats and oils, said, "There is no downside to consuming natural coconut oil, and there are many bene

Palm oil

It's easy to confuse the two, but palm oil and palm kernel oil are not the same. Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm, while palm kernel oil is a by-product extracted from the seeds, or nuts, of the tree. To make palm oil, the flesh of the fruit is crushed and boiled. The oil then rises to the top. This is a safe, clean way to extract the oil.

Palm oil is half saturated and half unsaturated fat. This combination results in a healthier fat than palm kernel oil, which has more saturated fat. The blending of the two types of fats reduces cholesterol and its harmful LDL. Palm oil is frequently orange or yellow in color because it's high in antioxidants like beta-carotene and vitamin E. You can now find it in many health food stores.

Sometimes palm oil is fractionated and refined. The refined product is still very high in many vitamin E antioxidants, but unrefined oils are always healthier. Palm oil is used throughout Europe and Japan to make baked goods, margarine, and for frying.

Palm kernel oil

Palm kernel oil is less desirable than palm oil because its balance of saturated and unsaturated fats weighs more heavily on the saturated side. In addition, one method of extracting the oil from the seed is with solvents. If you use a product with palm kernel oil, try to find one that says, "expeller pressed" to avoid any possible chemical residue.

Chemically, palm kernel oil most resembles coconut oil. Personally, I prefer cooking with unrefined palm oil. But you can eat foods made with either palm or palm kernel oil. Neither contains trans fats.

Macadamia nut oil

Macadamia nut oil is the new kid on the tropical oils block. You won't find this oil on food labels because it's scarcer and more expensive than other tropical oils. But if you do see it in any foods, or on the shelf of your favorite health food or specialty food store, try it. It has a higher smoke point than even olive oil, contains no saturated fats, and has many documented health benefits.

I don't know how many times in the past I refused to eat delicious macadamia nuts because they're higher in fat than other nuts and I wanted to avoid the weight gain. Recent studies have found that when you replace vegetable oils with macadamia nut oil, you lose weight!

There are refined and unrefined forms of macadamia nut oil. I use the unrefined MacNut Oil. You can find it in some health food stores or order it directly from Hamptons Market (877-944-7325).

Bottom Line: Avoid all foods with trans fats or partially hydrogenated oils. Instead, buy foods with tropical oils. Use macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, or palm oil for all high-heat cooking. For recipes that use tropical oils instead of trans fats, read The Trans Fat Solution by Kim Severson (Ten Speed Press).

Enig, Mary G., PhD. Know Your Fats, Bethesda Press, 2000.

Erasmus, Udo. Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill, Alive Books, 1993.

"How to live without trans fats," Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals, December 2004.

Severson, Kim. The Trans Fat Solution, Ten Speed Press, 2003.

Spiller, Gene A., PhD, CNS. The Trans Fats Dilemma and Natural Palm Oil, Pascoe Publishing, 2004.

Letting Go of Regrets Improves Your Health

One of my mentors is Myrna, who is in her 90s and lives by the saying, "Yesterday's history; tomorrow's a mystery; today is a gift. That's why we call it the present."

Myrna appreciates every little thing in her life. Every day is a wonderful day, no matter how she feels physically. Each meal is "delicious." Each friend knows she is loved. Myrna's secret is that she has no regrets. Regrets keep us holding on to the past. They prevent us from living in the moment and enjoying life. And they affect our health.

Letting go of emotional patterns does more than make us feel better emotionally. It can have a profound effect on our physical body. Constipation, chronic illnesses, and overeating are all patterns of not letting go. And yes, there's an interaction between your physical and emotional patterns.

When you change any emotional pattern, other patterns change, as well. Letting go of past regrets can help remind you to not overeat during the holidays. To get enough rest. To take your supplements and eat healthy foods, especially when you're under stress. They can remind you to have a positive outlook. And fall is the perfect time to let go of negative physical and emotional patterns.

You may be familiar with the concept of detoxifying in the spring. That's the most common time for cleansing diets and juice fasts. But fall is the season when we prepare for winter by gently cleansing both our body and our emotions. Make letting go of any regrets a part of your fall cleanse.

How to let go

I've noticed that people who keep focusing on their regrets become bitter, complaining, and negative. They also tend to have health problems. Their regrets seem to be saying, "You're stuck forever with something you can't undo."

It's not easy to let go of past regrets, but Hamilton Beazley, PhD, author of No Regrets: A 10-step program for living in the present and leaving the past behind (John Wiley & Sons, 2004), has found ways that can help.

If you use this book as a workbook, and if you're willing to let go of thoughts and emotions that work against you, you can leave your regrets behind. When you do, you'll feel lighter, freer, and happier. And I predict your health will improve, as well.

Beazley's program begins by describing each regret. They include those you or someone else committed but wished hadn't happened; those you wish you or someone else had committed; incidents caused by fate; inevitable losses; and comparing yourself to someone else. My suggestion is to choose one — the one that holds you tight in its grip and causes you the most pain. After working this one through, you can choose another. Examining all of your regrets at once can be overwhelming

Next, examine your regret. What was its cause? What were the consequences? How did it fasten itself onto your thoughts, becoming part of who you are? Look at how this regret affects you emotionally. It may cause you to be angry, frightened, guilty, shameful, in pain, or long for something you don't have. You can't change the past. It's time to leave this incident, and the pain it has caused, behind.

You've held on to your regrets all alone, but you won't be alone during this process of letting go. Beazley asks you to find someone you can confide in as you work each of the steps. And he strongly believes that prayer, spending time in nature, and deep breathing are all important parts of this healing. Use your spiritual connection and prayer throughout this process to help you through difficult times.

Forgiveness is the goal, not the process

Know that forgiveness doesn't mean excusing someone's hurtful behavior. It doesn't mean forgiving only if the person apologizes to you. And it doesn't mean you have to ever be friends with the person who caused you pain. Forgiveness is a gift for you, not for anyone else.

You should be happy and healthy. Often, toxic emotions and painful situations from our past become so much a part of us that we don't even see them for what they are: regrets we can choose to let go. Let this be this year's Fall Cleanse. For on the other side of forgiveness is compassion — a place where peace and joy reside. There is no more powerful way to detoxify.

Beyond Folklore: A History of Medicinal Herbs

Doctors have depended on plants as medicine for thousands of years. In fact, they were the staple of medical treatment long before pharmaceutical companies tested and bottled their ingredients as drugs.

Often, the plants themselves, or parts of plants, are more effective with fewer side effects than drugs. This is largely because the plants contain so many co-factors that may be lost in the laboratory.

That's why I think it's so important to carefully examine how, when, and why various plants are used in medicine. Folklore isn't enough for me. I'm interested in viewing plant usage through the eyes of a scientist.

The methodical study of traditional plant medicine is called ethnobotany. And two experts in the field — Michael J. Balick, and Paul Alan Cox, PhD — have just republished a fascinating book called Plants, People, and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany. The book is based on the authors' first-hand examination. They actually lived among the many indigenous peoples they discuss and learned how each used native plants for healing.

If you're interested in how traditional cultures used their local plants and how these herbs influenced modern pharmacology, you'll want to read this book filled with photos and illustrations. It's available through American Botanical Council for $30 (800-373-7105, ext. 118, or www.herbalgram.org).

Ask Dr. Nan

Q: I ordered a product called Proxenol because I've heard many encouraging things about it. After receiving it, I'm frightened to take it because it contains poison hemlock 6C. This sounds harmful to me. What do you think? — P.P., via e-mail

A: Like you, I'm concerned, but not because of the poison hemlock. I'm not worried about any homeopathic doses, since homeopathic supplements are "energy medicine." They only contain the energy of the original substance — not the substance itself. Homeopathic supplements generally either work or don't work.

My concern is that the manufacturer made this formula primarily from Morinda citrifolia, or Noni, a tropical fruit. There's no good science to back up its inflated claims or to explain its high price. There's also no way to know what effect Noni has when mixed with homeopathics.

Actually, you should never take homeopathics with food because they're so fragile that the odor or taste of foods destroys them. I don't know whether or not they have any activity when added to a product like this one. Ask the company that makes this product to send you the studies that show this combination really works.

There are more questions than answers in this and all other untested formulas. This supplement could be the most exciting one around, but until I see good scientific studies, my advice is to save your money. Supplement companies are heavily marketing Noni as a nutritional miracle based on folklore. That's a start, but not enough to shell out $40 a month.

Q: I'm trying to avoid surgery to remove some basal cell carcinomas on my face. Instead, I want to rev up my immune system and attack and destroy them from within. What do you suggest? – M.P.B., via e-mail

A: First, I don't know of any method that resolves skin cancers by boosting the immune system. But people have used salves for this purpose for hundreds of years. I think they can be effective.

However, they work by burning the area and this could cause disfigurement and/or pain. You can read about them in Cancer Salves by Ingrid Naiman (Seventh Ray Press, 1999) and online at www.cancersalves.com. I strongly suggest that you use them only under the direction of an experienced health care practitioner!

Often, dermatologists can freeze small basal cell carcinomas quickly and easily. Some, however, are deeper than they appear and are best removed surgically. I like the idea of the cancer salves, but when my dermatologist found a deep, small carcinoma, I had her remove it surgically. And I have had pre-cancerous spots frozen off.

Most importantly, have an annual checkup with your dermatologist. That way, anything they find can be removed easily before it gets out of hand.

Corrections

The phone number for The Germ Terminator has been changed to 866-720-5211 or 702-434-8000.