There's nothing like a good night's sleep. It not only feels good, it's essential to a strong immune system and good physical and mental health. Insomnia and insufficient sleep are uncomfortable and dangerous. In addition to affecting your balance and leaving you too tired to drive a car safely, insomnia can cause anxiety and depression. Conversely, depression and anxiety can cause insomnia. It's a vicious cycle.
Recently, in the first study of its kind, a group of Canadian researchers found a link between interrupted sleep and both heart and kidney disease. There's no denying it. We all need a good sound night's sleep every night to regenerate our mind and body, and to stay healthy.
Sleep is something we take for granted until we lie in bed counting sheep or wake up in the middle of the night and lie awake for hours. As you may know, our sleep cycle is controlled by the light-sensitive hormone melatonin.
The melatonin-light connection
Before electricity, when our ancestors lived by natural light, their bodies contained a mechanism that turned on melatonin production at night to help them sleep. It also turned off the production during the day so they could be alert. Our bodies haven't changed.
Melatonin, called "the hormone of darkness," helps you prepare for sleep by slowing down various body functions and lowering blood pressure. But any light at night, even from your TV or a reading lamp, can stop its production. This is why sleep experts suggest you dim the lights an hour before going to bed, and not turn any of them back on if you need a bathroom break. Even nightlights can turn off melatonin.
But that's not all we have going against us. As we age, our bodies produce less melatonin. That's why so many seniors have trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep throughout the night.
When this happens, some people resort to sleeping pills. But medications only treat the symptom, and some are both highly addictive and expensive. Melatonin supplements are another solution. But too much can cause morning drowsiness, and too little won't work.
I've found another solution. It naturally triggers your body's production of melatonin. This method is safe, effective, and it doesn't require you to take any more pills. It's a form of light therapy.
The light therapy solution
That's right! You don't need to take melatonin supplements, herbs, or medications any more to help you sleep. All you need is light. The right kind at the right time in the right amount. I found it in a small device called the Litebook®.
I first saw the Litebook three years ago, but was unable to get a sample to try. And I was waiting for more scientific studies to show that it worked. Now there are studies to show it works. Here's how.
Your body produces melatonin by getting enough sunlight during the day. This helps you feel energized during daylight hours and able to fall asleep easily at night. The wavelengths in the Litebook simulate sunlight. They are identical to the peak wavelengths of the sun. It differs from sunlight in only one important way: It produces no UV radiation. This means it's safe for your eyes and skin. What's more, it's easy to use. It has to be for me.
Light therapy for dummies
I confess, I'm technologically challenged. I can turn on my computer, but don't ask me where the USB port is. So I was the ideal person to try out the Litebook. If it wasn't fool proof and designed to be used by a technological dummy like me, I couldn't assume you'd find it simple to use.
The Litebook is around 5x5 inches. You place it a foot or two from your face, plug it in (or use its rechargeable battery) and press the blue button. The right frequency light comes on and stays on for 30 minutes. Ideal exposure is 15 to 30 minutes early in the morning. Now I start my day at my computer with a cup of tea and my Litebook.
Studies show this light therapy works in one to four weeks. And it's guaranteed to work. If it doesn't work for you within 60 days, you can get a full refund. But I doubt you'll need to return it. The Litebook works so well, only 2% of those who buy it ever return it. That's how effective it is.
At $199, the Litebook is more expensive than one bottle of melatonin supplements. But you have to buy the supplements every month for the rest of your life. So they can get expensive over time. This is a one-time cost, and you can share it with as many people in your household as you like.
I'm always looking for a way to take fewer supplements. And I like the idea of helping my body produce the sleep hormone it needs. The Litebook worked for me within a few days and continues to work. It also serves a number of other purposes:
• It eliminates jet lag. Go to their website (www.litebook.com) and enter the serial number on the back of your device, when and where you're traveling to, and it will tell you when to use it and for how long. The Litebook is small enough to take on long trips and you'll never have jet lag again.
• It eliminates SAD (seasonal affective disorder) – the depression that affects many people during dark winter months.
• It relieves fatigue and carbohydrate cravings that are triggered by sleep deprivation.
If you have trouble sleeping, this could be exactly what you're looking for. It was for me. You can order your Litebook simply by calling 800-728-2288.
Guthrie, Catherine. The Light-Cancer Connection, December 15, 2005. "Insomnia patients often denied sleep treatment when they have mental health conditions," ScienceDaily, February 7, 2008.
www.litebook.com
University Health Network (2008, March 18). Chronic Sleep Disruption Can Cause Heart And Kidney Disease. ScienceDaily.
New Form of MCP Works as Well as Chemo — Without the Toxicity
Modified citrus pectin (MCP) has gone through yet another transformation, and I want you to be one of the first people to know about it. I first introduced you to PectaSol, the most studied form of MCP, five years ago.
If you remember, I explained that MCP was remarkable in keeping cancer cells from clustering and forming tumors. When malignant cells can't attach themselves to one another, they die. So the original MCP stopped the progression of cancer.
Now a new generation of MCP is available. The first human study found that it works like chemotherapy with one difference. It's much safer.
The problem with chemotherapy drugs, as you may know, is that they're poisons that kill healthy cells along with malignant ones. MCP, on the other hand, has no known toxicity.
But now there's a new improved form of modified citrus pectin that goes beyond MCP: PectaSol-C. PectaSol-C does everything that PectaSol does — only better.
The only reason it exists is because PectaSol's developer, Isaac Eliaz, MD, wasn't completely satisfied with MCP's ability to treat cancer. He couldn't stop looking for ways to improve it, especially since he knew exactly what he wanted the pectin to do. He wanted more of it to get absorbed.
Absorption is the key
The more pectin your body absorbs, the better the results. Your intestines can absorb only certain molecules. If the size and weight are too large, you can't absorb it. Normal pectin molecules weigh between 100K-200K daltons (a unit of measure that's much smaller than a microgram). This is too large to get through the intestines and into the bloodstream. So their benefits are minimal. They can work in the intestines, but nowhere else. In fact, most products on the market are in this weight range. Since your intestines won't absorb them — these products are a waste of money.
PectaSol, with a molecular weight of 12K-14K daltons, is the only modified citrus pectin with small enough molecules to get into the bloodstream. That's why it's the only MCP I use and recommend.
To make PectaSol more absorbable for its use in cancer treatment, Dr. Eliaz had to find a way to make it even smaller and lighter. If he could modify a pectin to weigh between 5K-13K, even more of it would get absorbed - and it would be more effective.
But this was a challenge:
In the past, whenever he had done this, the molecules would break down into single sugars and become less effective. Everything hinged on his ability to find a way to further modify the pectin without having it break down.
In time, the enzymatic process that reduced pectin's molecular size and weight went through its own modification and the pectin stopped breaking down too quickly. The result was a new and improved MCP with enhanced cancer-treatment capabilities.
Then there was another modification that further enhanced PectaSol-C's absorption. Dr. Eliaz found a way to make the finished powder even finer than the original. This wasn't easy. It meant spray drying the pectin with warm air under high pressure from the second tallest spray drying tower in the world! But the result was worth it. Dr. Eliaz found that it made the pectin much easier to absorb — making it a more valuable supplement to fight cancer.
The first human trial to use PectaSol-C, published in the journal Clinical Medicine Oncology, found that it worked as well as chemotherapy to lessen pain and improve the quality of life in many participants. They had less pain, more energy, less insomnia, and a better appetite than before taking PectaSol-C. This was as good as — or better than – the results from chemotherapy.
The researchers gave all of the patients five grams of PectaSol-C three times a day in water or juice for one to four months. These results were particularly impressive because all of the patients in this study either had advanced cancers or tumors that failed to respond to other treatments.
Where to find good quality MCP
If you'd like to try the new PectaSol-C (and I hope that anyone with past or present cancer and even heart disease will do this), you can get it through Dr. Eliaz's company, EcoNugenics. (800-521-0160) or online at www.econugenics.com/MCP. For a limited time, EcoNugenics is making it possible for you to buy three and get one free. For more information on the evolution of MCP, you can download a free file at www.econugenics.com/MCPREPORT.
If you've been using PectaSol Chelation Complex to flush toxins and heavy metals, don't stop. While the new PectaSol-C is superior for fighting cancer and heart disease, PectaSol Chelation Complex has a different function. Dr. Eliaz says the structure of PCC makes it superior for chelation. So continue to take it. It's the perfect detox formula. You can order PCC from Advanced Bionutritionals (800-728-2288).
Azemar, M., et al. "Clinical benefit in patients with advanced solid tumors treated with modified citrus pectin: a prospective pilot study," Clinical Medicine: Oncology, 2007.
Eliaz, I., A.T. Hotchkiss, M.L. Fishman, and D. Rode. "The effect of modified citrus pectin on urinary excretion of toxic elements." Phytotherapy Research, 2006:20 (10); 859-864.
Eliaz, I., E. Weil, and B. Wilk. "Integrative medicine and the role of modified citrus pectin/alginates in heavy metal chelation and detoxification - five case reports," Forsch Komplemetarmed, 2007, 14(6). 358-364.
Fuchs, N.K. Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP): A super nutraceutical, Basic Health Publications, 2003.
Fosamax Update: The News Is Worse Than Ever
Last August I warned you about the dangers of taking Fosamax and other osteoporosis drugs. I explained how they can lead to a jaw disease that's so painful and serious that the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends you have a thorough examination of your teeth and jaw before taking any of these drugs.
In fact, dentists across the country are refusing to treat their patients who are taking Fosamax. This condition is very serious.
It's called BON, or bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. This means that your jawbone — made from living tissues — is dying.
Since last August, the news has gotten worse.
Bisphosphonates are causing other bone tissues to die. They cause a permanent loss of blood supply to bone tissues. When this occurs, bones collapse and die. This condition is irreversible.
Now there's a new study — the largest of its kind — conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada. It followed 88,000 Canadians for over seven years and found that taking bisphosphonates nearly triples your risk of having bone necrosis. Not just of your jawbone. Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, and other bisphosphonates can destroy bone tissues in your shoulders, knees, and hips, as well.
What's more, the researchers looked at specific brands of bisphosphonates and found that all of them caused similar results. There isn't a safe bisphosphonate in the bunch.
Small risk? Look at the numbers
Originally, we were told that jawbone necrosis was rare. It affected only 1 in 20,000 people a year, many of whom received intravenous bisphosphonates to treat cancer of the bone. Then we learned that some people taking oral bisphosphonates were experiencing bone death as well.
And people with "active dental disease," like needing a tooth extracted or an implant put in, came down with this bone disease. Suddenly, the original figure tripled and it's not as rare as you might think.
Let's do the math. Doctors have written 190 million prescriptions for bisphosphonates. This puts 5.7 million people at risk for bone death every year. Forget the small percentage and look at the millions of people at risk. Are you willing to be one of them? I'm not. Not when there are much safer alternatives.
An FDA warning
Last January, the FDA issued an alert (1/7/2008) saying that bisphosphonates could cause severe musculoskeletal pain. This pain could occur, they said, after taking these drugs for days, months, or years.
In other words — if you get pain in your muscles or bones and you take Fosamax or another bisphosphonate, you may be contributing to an irreversible and painful condition. The FDA went on to say that some patients found their pain disappeared after stopping the bisphosphonates. But not all of them.
The FDA has a solution. They are suggesting that health professionals like doctors and dentists evaluate their patients with bone, joint, or muscle pain to see if bisphosphonates could possibly be the culprit. I say there's no need to wait. Not when there are better and safer alternatives to support good bone health. These include vitamin D and strontium.
Ahead of the times
In 1985, I was the first person to write about the calcium controversy in my first book, The Nutrition Detective. In it, I explained how too much calcium and not enough magnesium — the 2:1 formula suggested for decades — resulted in brittle bones. I made a good case for taking extra magnesium and lowering calcium supplements to around 500 mg per day. You get plenty more calcium in a healthy diet. Even a vegan diet where dairy is excluded.
But the right amount of calcium and magnesium (500 mg of each with additional magnesium to bowel tolerance) isn't enough to build strong bones. We need sufficient vitamin D, as well as strontium.
Vitamin D has been in the news a lot the past year. Seems like this vitamin/hormone has dozens of benefits, including preventing heart attacks, cancer, and controlling blood pressure. And saving bones.
But the amount of vitamin D that's being suggested is too low: around 1,000 IU daily. Get a vitamin D blood test and you'll find that even if you spend some time outdoors every day, you most likely need from 2,000 to 5,000 IU a day.
Then there's strontium, a non-radioactive trace element found to slow down the breakdown of bone while it stimulates new bone growth. All forms of strontium appear to have this effect on bone growth, although strontium ranelate was the form originally tested. Why? Because it could be patented. But when other forms of strontium were found to work just as well, drug companies stopped studying strontium ranelate. Now, finally, a few companies are making bone formulas with both vitamin D and strontium.
Two years ago, I begged my formulators to work with me on a bone supplement. I wanted it for myself and my family! It's now available as Advanced Bionutritionals Ultimate Bone Support (800-728-2288). We designed it to be taken separately from any form of calcium or magnesium — either in food or supplements. So take it first thing in the morning and before bed on an empty stomach and eliminate your need for bisphosphonates — and serious bone disease.
www.docguide.com; http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/bisphosphonates/default.htm.
Health Detective
Need to lower your LDL cholesterol? This bean can help...
It happens to be my favorite bean. I eat it often in soups, salads, and sautéed vegetables, or ground into a dip with garlic, lemon juice, and tahini. Some cultures use its flour in crackers and breads.
In fact, this bean is a staple in many parts of the world from India to Africa to Mediterranean countries. If you enjoy eating ethnic foods, you may be familiar with this bean. If not, it's worth trying both for its taste and health benefits. I'm talking about chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans.
All beans lower cholesterol. But until recently, there have been few studies identifying the effects of this particular legume on cholesterol levels. Then a team of Australian researchers found chickpeas not only lower total cholesterol, they significantly lower harmful LDL cholesterol as well.
For this study, researchers took nearly 50 adults who either had a family history of coronary heart disease or at least one risk factor themselves. They put them on a five-week diet containing half a can of chickpeas a day along with bread and crackers made with chickpea flour. Then they gave them a diet for another five weeks with wheat substituting for the chickpeas.
The chickpea diet lowered dangerous LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol better than the wheat diet.
This isn't surprising. All beans contain soluble fiber, the kind that pulls cholesterol out of the bloodstream. To keep your harmful cholesterol down, add a third of a can of garbanzo, kidney, or other beans to your salad or stir fry. If they give you gas, start with a smaller amount and take an enzyme tablet for a while, like easy-to-find Beano. You should be able to tolerate them shortly without any help.
Pittaway, J.K., et al. "Dietary supplementation with chickpeas for at least five weeks results in small but significant reductions in serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols in adult women and men," Ann Nutr Metab, December 21, 2006.
Ask Dr. Nan
Q: I have had Candida for nearly three years. I don't eat sugar or drink alcohol. I wear cotton underpants, take acidophilus, don't take baths (only showers). Occasionally, I also get bacterial infections. No doctors have helped me. In fact, even when I'm on medications for yeast, I sometimes get bacterial infections. Can you help me? — V.W., via e-mail
A: Your frequent bacterial infections coupled with an overgrowth of vaginal yeast suggest to me that your immune system is probably suppressed. And while you're taking acidophilus, some are stronger than others. You don't mention taking any natural anti-fungals, just prescription anti-fungals. Different anti-fungals work on different types of Candida. So … here are a few suggestions.
Begin by boosting your immune system. That way, your body can better fight infections and fungal overgrowth. I particularly like medicinal mushroom formulas like MycoPhyto Complex. The advantage of this formula over others is that all the mushrooms are grown on immune-regulating herbs. (Call 800-728-2288 to order).
Next, take the strongest probiotic you can find. The strongest is Dr. Ohirra's Probiotics 12 Plus. If you can't find it at your natural food store, call Martie Whittekin at 877-262-7843. Mention my name or this newsletter and she'll give you a discount (I get nothing for this referral). Take at least two twice a day for two to four weeks, then one to two a day. This formula is so strong it's been found effective against flesh-eating bacteria! I like it for both fungal and bacterial infections.
Then use an herbal anti-fungal, such as Candida Cleanse by Rainbow Light (available in most health food stores). If one anti-fungal, or formula, doesn't work, try another. Candida is less likely to become resistant to herbs than to medications, but not all herbal products work on everyone. Pau d'arco, grapefruit seed extract, caprylic acid, and oregano oil are all excellent anti-fungals to control Candida.
Make sure you take any anti-fungal away from probiotics. One cancels the other out. I suggest you take probiotics before bedtime and first thing in the morning, and anti-fungals during the day. Most important, don't give up. Candida is difficult to control, but it can be done. Expect to be on any protocol for 6-12 months if you have a difficult case of yeast overgrowth.
Q: I see that you recommend Ultimate Bone Support, which contains vitamin K. Since people like me who are taking Coumadin are not supposed to take vitamin K, what do you recommend? — B.C., Brooklyn, NY
A: First, let me assure you that vitamin K is extremely important in helping to form strong bones. We all need some of it every day. And, fortunately, we get it in many foods. We should be getting 70-140 mcg of vitamin K each and every day.
This is why we put vitamin K in Ultimate Bone Support. However, there's very little vitamin K in my formula. Two tablets of Ultimate Bone Support contain just 40 mcg — about what you'd find in a potato the size of two eggs. And people taking blood thinners aren't told to stop eating potatoes!
If you have any concerns about taking vitamin K along with your Coumadin, talk with your doctor. He or she can adjust your blood thinner to take this small amount of vitamin K into account. The idea is not to avoid vitamin K entirely. It is to be consistent and take the same amount of it every day.