Vivian came to her first appointment with me with a long list of symptoms. Chronic stress was one of them. Some of her symptoms, such as depression, weight gain, insomnia, and fatigue, looked to me like they could be the result of increased cortisol production. And increased cortisol production comes from stress and anxiety.

Cortisol is an adrenal hormone that converts protein to energy and releases stored sugar. When appropriate amounts are secreted, it can give you energy. But chronic stress can cause the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol inappropriately. This can eventually lead to adrenal fatigue and other health problems.

Vivian confessed that anxiety ran in her family. Both her mother and brother had taken strong anti-anxiety medications, including Valium, for many years. These drugs helped them, but they were addictive and had other side effects as well. In fact, her mother had fallen repeatedly as a result of poor muscle coordination from the Valium. These medications weren’t an option for Vivian.

Vivian knew that anxiety contributed to some of her symptoms, but she wasn’t willing to take any prescription drugs. And she had tried a number of herbs like kava. But they didn’t work well enough. She had also tried meditation, dietary changes, and exercise. “I feel stuck,” she said. “You’re my last resort.”

Vivian may have been stuck, but she was also lucky. Her timing couldn’t have been any better. I had just learned of an herbal extract that scientific studies showed to work as well as Valium for anxiety without any side effects — including addiction.

Are you anxious?

This extract comes from a polyphenol (a type of antioxidant) found in the bark and cones of the magnolia tree (Magnolia officinalis). This polyphenol is called honokiol. Honokiol has a number of very special properties. In higher amounts, it’s a powerful antioxidant that’s 1,000 times more effective in preventing fats from becoming rancid than vitamin E. This superior free-radical scavenging action makes it ideal for all cardiovascular problems.

And here’s an unusual effect of honokiol: it has pro-oxidant properties that destroy aggressive cancer cells. In study after study, honokiol killed cancer cells from the stomach, breast, prostate, lungs, and other areas.

That’s not all. It also inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria like MRSA, the flesh-eating bacteria and inhibits viruses as difficult to treat as HIV. This is one powerful plant extract!

This is just some of the reasons why I expect to see more doctors using honokiol in their therapy protocols as word gets out.

While honokiol is effective in larger doses against these and other diseases, it reduces anxiety as effectively as prescription anti-anxiety medications in much lower amounts. And it does this quickly. Studies comparing honokiol with Valium found that honokiol worked as well as the drug but without motor dysfunction and sedation. This is because it relaxes, rather than sedates.

Unlike many other polyphenols, your body absorbs honokiol orally and it can cross the blood-brain barrier. And your liver and your gut don’t destroy it
like ­­many other antioxidants (including resveratrol and curcumin). These actions help explain its effectiveness in so many areas.

Honokiol is not the only active polyphenol we’ve found in the magnolia. This tree also contains another chemical with similar properties. These are called magnolol. But researchers found that honokiol is the most active polyphenol. Studies show that it’s much more effective than magnolol. That’s why it makes sense to me to take honokiol alone. Why take a watered-down version when the purist and strongest product is available?

The product is HonoPure — the most potent honokiol extract available. It’s also the product researchers used in their scientific studies. So if you’re looking for a safe, natural substance to calm you down and reduce depression without causing any dependency, I suggest you consider trying this particular honokiol supplement. You can get it from EcoNugenics (800-308-5518, www.honopure.com).

Some problems with Valium

Diazepam, which you probably know as Valium, is addictive and robs your body of essential nutrients. In her excellent book, Supplement Your Prescription (Basic Health, 2007), Hyla Cass, MD, points out that Valium and similar benzodiazepine drugs deplete the body of calcium, magnesium, folic acid, and vitamins D and K. You can see that these nutrients are key for strong, healthy bones. If you’ve been taking Valium, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking enough of these vitamins and minerals to prevent osteoporosis. The suggested amounts are in Dr. Cass’s book.

Another problem with Valium is that it works. It’s so effective in reducing anxiety that many doctors prescribe it for long-term use even though they know that this causes a dependency. Along with its ability to reduce anxiety, Valium has side effects like a dullness and sluggish brain function. Because it relaxes muscles (honokiol does not), there’s an increased risk for falls, as Vivian’s mother discovered.

You’re supposed to take benzodiazepines for only two to three weeks. If you take them longer, you’re likely to need more and more to get the same effect. Withdrawal symptoms are unpleasant and common. Still, my advice is to never stop taking any of these drugs on your own. You need to withdraw from them slowly under medical supervision or risk tremors, seizures, and even acute anxiety — exactly what you’re trying to get rid of.

Just as I suspected, the HonoPure reduced or completely did away with most of Vivian’s symptoms. It just goes to show you the impact stress has on our health. If you’re anxious enough to consider medication, give HonoPure a try first. Do not take it if you’re already on prescription drugs unless your doctor monitors you. You don’t want to take too many anti-anxiety substances at once.

Fried, L.E. and J.L. Arbiser. “Honokiol, a multifunctional antiangiogenic and antitumor agent,” Antioxid Redox Signal. 2009 May;11(5):1139-48. Review.

Kuribara, H., W.B. Stavinoha, and Y. Maruyama. “Honokiol, a putative anxiolytic agent extracted from magnolia bark, has no diazepam-like side-effects in mice,” J Pharm Pharmacol. 1999 January;51(1):97-103.

My Whites Look Whiter and My Colors Are Brighter

No, I haven’t discovered a new laundry soap or a fabric that repels dirt. I just took some steps to improve my eyesight. And now all of the colors in the world around me look lighter and brighter. It’s as though I had a film lifted from my eyes. But it wasn’t a film. It was more like a cloud.

It all came about gradually with no sudden changes. But over the course of a year or so, I noticed that the glare from oncoming headlights made night driving more difficult — especially on the winding country roads near my home. So I cut back dramatically on my night driving.

Then one sunny afternoon I drove to a friend’s home and experienced the same blinding glare that came from headlights at night. I was so tense and upset when I arrived that my friend had to drive my car home.

Seven months earlier my optometrist had told me after a routine examination, “You have the beginnings of cataracts. When they get in your way, let me know and I’ll refer you to an eye surgeon.” He never mentioned that night vision changes were often the first sign of cataract progression. I just thought my vision would get a little darker and more yellow. If my cataracts were progressing, I wasn’t noticing any major changes. But after that short trip to my friend’s home, I knew it was time to see my optometrist again.

“It’s time,” he said after taking another look at my eyes. “The changes in your eyes explain why you’re having more difficulty driving. Don’t be concerned. Cataract surgery is a very simple procedure.”

What are cataracts?

Cataracts are a loss of transparency in the eye’s lens that slowly causes your sight to dim over the years. They tend to occur in healthy people over the age of 60. By the time they reach 80, many people need a 240-watt light bulb to see as clearly as they did with a 60-watt bulb at age 20. Diabetics and the chronically ill may get cataracts earlier. So may people who smoke, take cortisone and other drugs, or who spend a lot of time in the sun without sunglasses.

Where a cataract develops is more important than its size. Some small cataracts may interfere with your sight more than larger ones. When they interfere with your activities or quality of life, it’s time to see an eye surgeon. In my case, I had stopped most night driving, and was reading for enjoyment less.

That’s not all.

I also noticed changes in my depth perception. I no longer was able to park my car properly in between the lines in parking spaces. I was becoming a bad driver and I felt limited and old.

This isn’t unusual. Cataracts can contribute to other signs of aging like memory loss, slips, and falls. If you suspect that cataracts are a problem for you, get your eyes examined now. Don’t wait. Even if your last exam was less than a year ago, go ahead and see your eye doctor.

A simple surgery

I had heard horror stories of needles and stitches in the eye and having to keep your head elevated for weeks. This didn’t sound simple to me. But thankfully, they’ve made great improvements in cataract surgery. My optometrist referred me to a skilled ophthalmologist in Santa Rosa, California — Bob Anderson, MD. His knowledge and calming presence made the whole experience easy for me and took away any anxiety.

Modern cataract surgery is painless and takes only about 15 minutes. That’s all! I spent more time in the waiting room than in the operating room! The procedure is between 95% and 98% effective in people with healthy eyes like mine. The surgeon merely removes the old, cloudy lens by suction and inserts an artificial lens implant in the thin remaining capsule. This new lens will last as long as you.

This procedure used to involve making a large incision that was then closed with several stitches. Not anymore. Now the surgeon makes a small incision — about one-quarter of an inch — on an angle and the eye heals quickly by itself. It doesn’t need any stitches.

The healing process is less restrictive than in the past. No swimming or hot tub for one week. No exercising with your head down (Pilates or yoga) for five days. No heavy lifting for one week. You have to sleep with a plastic patch for one week (prior to my first surgery, I trained myself to sleep on my back). And you take eye drops three times a day for up to a month.

You may see improvements immediately. The second day after my surgery I realized that my kitchen walls were not off-white. They were white. The colors in my garden were brighter. Reds were clearer; purples were deeper. I mentioned this to my surgeon who said, “You’re seeing colors like you did when you were eight years old!” That’s what I call real anti-aging.

If you are over the age of 60, start paying attention to your eyesight. Do you have hobbies that require reading, sewing, or hours at the computer? If so, have you noticed that there have been changes in your vision? Early vision changes can result in falls, auto accidents, and eyestrain. You don’t have to adapt to changes that you can correct. Modern cataract surgery is one of the greatest benefits of aging I have ever experienced. My eyesight is now 20/20 for distance and I rarely need reading glasses.

Sardi, Bill. Nutrition and the Eyes, Health Spectrum, 1994.

Begin Today to Make Your Golden Years Truly Golden

Whether you’re 40 or 80, today is the time to make some changes in your lifestyle that will ensure a happier, healthier tomorrow. Your golden years can either be golden or tarnished with ill health. Some of this is within your control.

Of course, it’s easier if you begin when you’re young, but let’s face it. Few people do. Well, I’ve got good news for you. Even if you’re over 70, you can improve your health. I’ve seen this in my patients and in myself.

Many people wait until they retire or reach a financial goal before living their dreams. But this can be a mistake, especially if they’re waiting until their later years to travel or take up a hobby that’s a bit strenuous. For some activities, you have to be strong enough and mobile.

I’m not talking about dreams that are very physical like mountain climbing. I mean simply being able to sit for two hours, walk a quarter of a mile, or kneel and get up without assistance. Or just walk up 10 steps. This is considered by experts to be functional mobility.

Be smart and improve your mobility. Strengthen yourself with simple exercises like standing up from a chair without using your arms. Repeat this as many times as you can to help muscle strength and balance. Exercising 5 to 15 minutes a day counts. Increase the time gradually and add in exercises for your arms as well as your legs. It will pay off for your tomorrows as well as for today.

These days we’re living longer than our ancestors. Unfortunately, we’re also experiencing more years with an increase in serious illnesses. This inevitably leads to a decreased quality of life. In fact, researchers out of the University of Southern California (USC) found that our average number of healthy years has decreased by more than one year since 1998. And a year of pain and limited
movement is hardly a golden year.

What’s going on? Do we have more diseases because we’re getting better at diagnosing them? These researchers believe not. They think we’re simply getting better at keeping sick people alive longer. Blame it on life-prolonging procedures and the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical drugs may be keeping us alive longer, but their side effects often cause the quality of our lives to deteriorate.

It’s time to change this scenario. You can reduce or delay both major and minor illnesses by addressing — not ignoring — your diet, supplement regime,movement, and emotional health. It’s time for you to review them and make the changes you’ve been putting off.

I’ve talked about many of these solutions before in past newsletters and health alerts. You can find them on my website and in my book, 456 Most Powerful Healing Secrets (800-610-2107). Now it’s time to step up your health program and become more pro-active.

Ask your doctors to give you simple exercises to increase your mobility and strength. Take a Tai Chi class to improve your balance. Include specific stretches to help keep or make you more limber.

Talk with your health care provider about ways to safely reduce your medications. Ask him or her if they will monitor you as you try non-toxic, natural products like nutritional supplements and herbal formulas.

Ask which dietary changes you can make that could improve your health. Learn about the safe and natural ways you can improve the quality of your life at any age with any health problem. If you don’t know where to begin, explore my website at www.womenshealthletter.com. You can be assured that all of the articles contain information that’s both safe and effective — and backed by scientific research.

While we don’t want to dwell on it, the truth is that many of us will be faced with health challenges at some time in our lives. Accept them as challenges and don’t let them defeat you. There are steps you can take to improve your condition. The changes you make today will affect the quality of your life tomorrow. Your later years can be golden — or tarnished. It’s up to you.

Crimmins, E.M. and H. Beltran-Sanchez. “Mortality and Morbidity Trends: Is There Compression of Morbidity?” The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 2010; 66B (1): 75 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbq088.

NUTRITION DETECTIVE

Warning: A Low-Salt Diet May Be Harmful to Your Health

Are you on a low-salt diet to prevent high blood pressure? If so, ask your doctor to show you the studies that whlsay it’s both safe and effective. Because it isn’t. At least that’s what a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association says.

JAMA is as mainstream a publication as you can find. And the researchers in this study found that eating less salt was more harmful than a diet higher in salt. In fact, it found that even modest reductions in sodium consumption for people with normal blood pressure increases their risk for heart disease and death.

This study followed more than 3,000 adults with normal blood pressure for nearly eight years. Half of them had their urinary sodium and blood pressure measured throughout the study. The researchers’ findings were surprising. The participants who ate the most salt had the highest levels of urinary sodium. Their bodies had the innate wisdom to excrete the salt it didn’t need.

Sodium intake did affect cardiovascular mortality rates — but not in ways that you’d suspect. The people with the highest intake of sodium had the fewest deaths. Those with the lowest sodium intake had five times as many deaths from heart disease.

This study is not alone in its conclusions. A previous study from Harvard found that low-salt diets increased insulin resistance, increasing the risk for type-2 diabetes. And an Australian study found that mortality from diabetes increased in people who restricted their sodium intake.

The FDA has been telling us for years to reduce our salt consumption to levels that are dangerous. These researchers connected the FDA’s recommended levels to higher rates of heart attacks and death. Lori Roman, president of the Salt Institute disagrees with the FDA recommendations. “We now know conclusively that the U.S. government’s war on salt consumption will cause harm,” she cautions. She asks that the dietary guidelines on sodium be amended.

So how much salt is safe? Enough to make a Mediterranean diet with its cheeses, olives, anchovies, and bitter greens palatable. It’s healthier than other diets. And it uses a good bit of salt.

Let’s face it. Most people don’t count the milligrams of sodium in their meals. But many pay attention to the composition of their meals. Eating a healthful diet is far more important than counting your sodium intake.

This study does not say that someone with high blood pressure can eat all the salt they want. In many — though not all — cases, restricting salt is helpful in lowering blood pressure in someone who is already hypertensive. But it does conclude that limiting sodium in people with normal blood pressure appears to be more harmful than helpful.

Stolarz-Skrzypek, Katarzyna, MD, PhD; Tatiana Kuznetsova, MD, PhD; Lutgarde Thijs, MSc; Valérie Tikhonoff, MD, PhD; Jitka Seidlerová, MD, PhD; Tom Richart, MD; Yu Jin, MD; Agnieszka Olszanecka, MD, PhD; Sofia Malyutina, MD, PhD; Edoardo Casiglia, MD, PhD; Jan Filipovský, MD, PhD; Kalina Kawecka-Jaszcz, MD, PhD; Yuri Nikitin, MD, PhD; Jan A. Staessen, MD, PhD. “Fatal and Nonfatal Outcomes, Incidence of Hypertension, and Blood Pressure Changes in Relation to Urinary Sodium Excretion,” JAMA. 2011;305(17):1777-1785. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.574.

LETTERS

Q: I notice that Ultimate Bone Support contains an ingredient called osteogene — which comes from hops. Hops contains gluten, which celiacs like me need to avoid. Do I need to avoid this bone formula? — R.L., Las Vegas, NV

A: You’re right that celiacs must avoid gluten. But Ultimate Bone Support doesn’t have any gluten in it. In fact, hops does not contain any gluten. Let me help you understand why.

Gluten is a protein in some grains that celiacs can’t digest. If they eat it, they can damage the lining of their intestines and create a number of digestive problems. However, hops is a flower, not a grain. Therefore, it cannot contain any gluten. Only specific grains like wheat, rye, and barley contain the harmful kind of gluten that you need to avoid completely.

I’m aware that gluten sensitivity and gluten intolerance (celiac disease) are
common — even in many people who are unaware of it. So I’d like to assure you that there are no supplements either sold through this newsletter or talked about in its articles that contain gluten.

Q: I have had hives for years. They’re not only unsightly, they itch like crazy. I can get rid of the itching temporarily with lotions and ointments. But the hives remain and eventually the itch comes back. Do you have any natural solutions? I’m not interested in treating the symptoms, but addressing the cause. — G.E., e-mail

A: Lots of things can cause chronic hives, but let me tell you about one that few people know about. It has to do with a common nutrient deficiency. Hives could be caused by a lack of sufficient vitamin D.

Red, itchy welts that occur at least three times a week and last for at least six weeks are considered to be chronic hives. A study out of the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that patients with hives had very low levels of vitamin D. They found that nearly half of them were deficient even when they considered low levels to be normal.

So if you suffer from hives and can get only symptomatic relief with prescription or over-the-counter medications, get your vitamin D level checked with a simple blood test. I’ll just bet you it’s closer to 35 ng/ml than what I, and vitamin D experts like Dr. John Cannell who heads the Vitamin D Council, recommend which is 75 ng/ml.

If you’re low, take 5,000 IU of vitamin D per day for three months and then re-test. Continue taking this amount until you reach 70-75 ng/ml and see if it eliminates your hives.

I take 5,000 IU daily even though I don’t have hives. Why? Because vitamin
D deficiency is protective in literally dozens of health conditions, and because it’s safe to take this amount. You can get the better-absorbed form, vitamin
D3, in 5,000 IU capsules from health food stores and from Advanced Bionutritionals (800-791-3395).

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