If I told you a small device about the size of a flashlight could deliver almost instant pain relief, you might think I had lost my mind. But if you have chronic or acute pain, there might not be a better way to treat your pain. How do I know? Because this little device delivers several different healing mechanisms that I’ve used for years in my personal practice. And used properly, it can work in a matter of minutes. Let me explain.

When I was in my 30s, I was a massage therapist in Southern California. My work was unlike that of any other massage therapists. I added other healing techniques to basic Swedish massage and acupressure and created a healing environment in my clients’ homes. I called my business Environmental Massage.

I had always been fascinated with various forms of energy healing. I read everything I could find on the subject. The tools I used in the massages I gave included vibration (massage), color, sound, and light therapies.

The concept was simple, but its execution was complex and time consuming. I would drive to my clients’ homes with my van filled with a variety of colored lights, matching colored sheets and towels, a sound system complete with large speakers, a box filled with music albums, oils with various fragrances … and my massage table.

Once at my client’s home, I placed lights at the head and foot of the table after selecting colors known to relax, invigorate, or heal. And I chose music to play that coordinated with the color I used that day. My clients loved this combination. They told me that they experienced less tension, less pain, and a greater feeling of harmony than they ever had felt from massage alone. There was a synergistic effect with these combined therapies. And my practice thrived.

In 1976, Environmental Massage was written up in a book called Los Angeles on $500 a Day (Macmillan Publishing, 1976). The book is now out of print, and I’m no longer giving massages. But my interest in energy healing continues.

Energy medicine

Energy medicine has become more popular over the past 30 years, and for good reason. More health practitioners understand that various energy technologies affect our health. Our cells constantly communicate with one another. When they become damaged or sick, these cells send distress signals to the brain and surrounding tissues — and the cells become unable to talk normally to one another. The result you feel is pain.

Impaired cell-to-cell communication is at the heart of disease. The idea is to help restore normal communication, which stops the pain cell conduction. The energy therapies I used in my massages helped restore cell communication better than massage alone.

Over the years, I have owned and experimented with many devices used for pain based on energy medicine, including Dr. Daniel L. Kirsch’s Alpha Stim TENS unit and Carol McMakin’s Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM). All have value in accelerating healing and relieving pain. But they are expensive, difficult to use, or limited in their scope. None of them combined therapies like those I used nearly 40 years ago.

Not until one of my subscribers wrote to me about a device using Microvibration Therapy called the PRA (Personal Relief Assistant). Dr. Robert D. Milne, a family practice doctor of integrative medicine in Las Vegas, Nevada developed the PRA. When I looked into it, it sounded more like my Environmental Massage than anything I had heard of previously.

Dr. Milne invented and developed a device that synergistically combined four well-researched technologies: micro-vibration therapy, low-level light therapy, sound therapy, and magnetic therapy. After five years of research, adjusting and refining the frequencies, and clinical testing with his patients, he achieved the rapid results he and his patients were looking for.

I’ll give you more specific information about the PRA and some of its uses later. But before I do, I’d like you to understand more about each of the technologies it uses.

Microvibration

Have you ever had pain somewhere in your body that was helped with massage? Well, massage is based on the frequency of vibrations. Every atom in the universe vibrates at a particular rate. This vibration can increase energy and blood flow to the areas being massaged, which can, in turn, alleviate pain.

Hands-on massage — and massagers — use macrovibration, a pulsing, visible movement. Whether you’re given a gentle massage or use an electronic massager with a slow vibration, you’re experiencing the results of macrovibration. Dr. Milne found that microvibration worked better. In fact, he noticed that his positive results occurred with a micro-fine vibration of a specific amplitude (0.01mm).

Now, what’s the difference? Microvibration consists of very fine physical oscillations. You’d think that a deep Swedish massage would be more able to reduce pain than a fine vibration you can hardly feel. But you’d be wrong. Just as a thin acupuncture needle placed in a specific acupuncture point can have a strong effect on pain reduction, so can microvibration. Both work best when acupuncture points are gently stimulated. As congestion in these acupuncture points is unblocked, cells are better able to communicate and turn off pain signals.

Low-level light therapy (LLLT)

Every living cell absorbs and emits light. Low-level light therapy using light-emitting diodes — one of the safest forms of light — is an integral part of many treatments that alter cell function and reduce pain. LLLT decreases inflammation and increases circulation, and it does this by vibrating at frequencies that match the vibrations of healthy cells.

Published studies in peer-reviewed journals found that LLLT also increases “feel good” chemicals called endorphins and quickly relieves pain from tight muscles. Endodontists in one dental clinic reported acceleration in jawbone repair after a series of treatments, suggesting that repeated applications of LLLT to broken bones could play an important role in their healing.

Sound therapy

Music has the ability to heal through vibration. Sound causes cells to vibrate, enhancing cell-to-cell communication. The result is pain reduction and, as you probably know from experience: relaxation.

Sound waves move fluids through the body and brain. This carries nutrients and oxygen into tissues, which increases the production of brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine.

Magnetic therapy

Magnetic and electric fields affect all living things. You’ve heard of some of them, like the potentially harmful electromagnetic frequencies (EMFs) from cell towers, cell phones, and computers. But there are others, and some are beneficial. For instance, electromagnets are used in brain stimulation. Magnetic energies also can affect chemical reactions within cells that include increased production of RNA and DNA. And some magnetic fields reduce swelling.

Magnetic fields differ. Some are static while others pulse; some have low-level frequencies while others are stronger. Their effects depend on these and other factors, some of which researchers are still exploring.

What we know is that magnets have a direct and swift action on acupuncture points and their pathways (meridians) when you use them at very low frequencies, as they are with the PRA device. And when you stimulate acupuncture points, cells talk better to one another and you can often eliminate pain.

Taking the next step

After using the PRA on myself and others, I’m convinced that using multiple therapies can be more beneficial in some cases than using a single one — if you use the correct vibrations. What excites me the most is that the PRA is simple and easy to use. There are no parts to wear out — except for a rechargeable battery — and no software updates or electrodes to replace like some other devices. What’s more, it can work almost instantly in many cases (some cases do take longer).

Next month, I’ll give you more details on this amazing device, explain how to use it to get the best results, and how to get a discount on your purchase. It’s an Environmental Massage and an acupuncture treatment all wrapped into one that you can give yourself. Whether you have arthritis in your fingers or twist your ankle, the PRA is always ready to use. All the details will appear in next month’s article.

“Efficacy of low-level laser therapy in the management of neck pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo or active-treatment controlled trials,” The Lancet, volume 374, issue 9705, Pages 1897 - 1908, 5 December 2009.

Memory Problems May Be as Simple as a Mineral Imbalance

Of all our organs, I think we are most concerned about the health of our heart and brain. Of the two, the heart is easiest to understand. Most of us know at least some of the foods and nutrients the heart needs. These include fruits and
vegetables high in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and CoQ10. The brain remains more of a mystery.

Just like your heart, your brain needs the right amount of particular nutrients to function properly. Too much — or too little — can negatively affect the way it works and lead to memory problems. Recently, several studies have come to light that explain why some people have difficulty remembering. These studies looked at how copper, iron, and zinc can affect brain function.

Are you getting too much of these minerals? Too little? Let’s take a look at this recent research and see how you can assess your levels and make some simple adjustments to give you the right amount of minerals your brain needs.

Blocking DNA repair

We all have a little copper and iron in our bodies. In fact, they are two metals that are essential to our health. But when there’s too much of either, they trigger chemical reactions that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS).

According to Muralidhar Hegde, lead author of a review in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease (May 2011), “Reactive oxygen species cause the majority of the brain cell DNA damage that we see in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, as well as most other neurodegenerative disorders.” One way this occurs is by interfering with the body’s ability to repair DNA. So, high copper and/or iron generate chemicals that damage brain cells and significantly interfere with DNA repair enzymes. This is good news, because it means there’s something you can do to preserve your memory.

This study was the first to identify a natural solution to high levels of these metals. It discovered that a substance that binds to iron and copper can keep your levels low. It’s none other than curcumin, the active antioxidant ingredient in turmeric. This is a good reason to take curcumin every day.

If you’re taking the anti-inflammatory formula, Reduloxin (800-791-3395), you’re already getting this protective herbal ingredient. This supplement contains Meriva, the most powerful form of curcumin, which I wrote about last October. I think that anyone who is concerned about getting dementia should take supplemental Meriva. And when you combine it with other anti-inflammatory herbs, it becomes even more valuable to protect against memory loss.

To keep iron levels down, make sure there’s none added to your multivitamin unless you’re still menstruating or know that you’re anemic. Men and postmenopausal women don’t usually need to take iron supplements. In fact, taking iron can increase your risk for some cancers. Don’t cook acidic foods, such as tomatoes or lemon juice, in iron pots. Acids leach iron out of these pots.

One trick to lower iron absorption is to drink some black tea with a meal high in iron (like a big green salad or broccoli). Black tea contains a chemical that deactivates iron. So a lunch of a salad with a glass of iced tea is a perfect way to eat a meal high in antioxidants and low in iron.

There should be no more than 2 mg of copper in your multi. That’s all your body needs. Healthy Resolve (800-791-3395), for example, contains just 2 mg of copper, and MultiThera 3 from ProThera (888-488-2488) has none. Both are iron-free.

High copper levels can come from your diet, IUDs, or from your drinking water — if the water is carried through copper pipes. Dietary copper is also high in soybeans and other legumes, as well as grains.

The copper/zinc connection

When copper levels are high, zinc is often low, and zinc is a major factor in memory. It regulates communication in the hippocampus. And the hippocampus is where learning and memory processes occur. Decades ago, scientists noticed that most of the zinc in the brain was concentrated in the neurons of the hippocampus. It’s vital that you have enough zinc, especially if copper levels are high. But how would you know?

Fortunately, there’s a simple test you can take in your home without a prescription to determine whether or not you need more zinc. It’s an oral zinc test, and you can get it from Thorne Research (800-228-1966) for less than $10. It’s Thorne’s Zinc Sulfate, 7-Hydrate. To perform the test, put a teaspoon of the Zinc Sulfate in your mouth for 30 seconds. If there’s no taste, or if your mouth has a slight dry, mineral, furry, or sweet feel, you need more zinc. If it has an unpleasant taste, you have enough zinc. The more pleasant the taste, the greater the deficiency.

If you’re low, take 20-30 mg of zinc chelate a day and re-test monthly until the zinc tastes bad. Foods high in zinc include meats (more than fish), nuts, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, and legumes. So a vegetarian diet is more likely to cause high copper and low zinc.

To assess your copper, iron, and zinc levels, I suggest you get a Tissue Mineral Analysis. This hair analysis measures minerals and toxic metals and discusses environmental and dietary sources of all imbalances. Your health care practitioner may offer this test, which runs around $150. Or you can get it from Unikey (800-888-4353).

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/226105.php.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/234830.php.

If You Must Take Blood Pressure Medications — Here’s How to Make Them More Effective

Do you have high blood pressure? As many as one in three adults in this country do. While there is no ideal blood pressure level, generally, your blood pressure should be around 120/80 or lower.

Since your lifestyle may be responsible for your hypertension, making some changes known to affect blood pressure should be your first line of defense. If they’re not enough, I have found an adjustment you can make to your medication schedule to reduce your risk for heart disease. It’s amazingly simple. And safe.

But first, let’s look at some lifestyle changes that could eliminate your need for medication or at the very least reduce its strength.

Natural solutions

Begin with losing weight and becoming more physically fit. Even a little regular exercise can help reduce your weight and your blood pressure. This is important because high body fat correlates with high blood pressure.

Next, adjust your diet to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, and small amounts of saturated and total fats. Fruits and vegetables are naturally high in potassium — a mineral that naturally lowers blood pressure.
One glass of wine a day (two for men) can reduce hypertension and protect you from heart disease — but only if you have that drink with food and don’t exceed this amount.

If lifestyle changes aren't sufficient, you may well benefit from taking a blood pressure lowering medication. Just be aware that doesn’t always work as well as it should. It all depends on when you take it — and here’s the simple trick:

When timing is everything

A group of Spanish researchers recently made a startling discovery. They found that when a person takes their blood pressure medication significantly affects their risk of heart disease like strokes and heart attacks. And many people are taking it at the wrong time.

These researchers followed a group of 661 patients with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure. They had half of them take all of their blood pressure medications the first thing in the morning.

The other half took at least one of them at bedtime.

Then they followed these patients for more than five years, measuring their blood pressure each year and whenever they had a change in their treatment. The people who took at least one blood pressure lowering drug at bedtime had a two-thirds lower risk for heart disease events than those who took all of them in the morning.

Dr. Ramon Hermida, head researcher at the University of Vigo, Spain, explains, “This study documents for the first time that sleep-time blood pressure is the most relevant independent marker of cardiovascular disease.”

What a simple solution! It causes no harm, it costs nothing, and it significantly reduces your risk for heart disease and cardiovascular death.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/236519.php.

NUTRITION DETECTIVE

How Diabetes Leads to Heart Disease

First, we heard that cholesterol alone was a dangerous substance. They told us it needed to be below 200 mg/dL to keep our risk for heart disease and stroke low. Then they said the issue wasn’t our total cholesterol after all. It had to do with the levels of its components.

That’s when we learned that there were two kinds of cholesterol: “good” HDL and “bad” LDL cholesterol. HDL, they said, prevents clogged arteries and should be around 60 mg/dL or higher. LDL, the sticky type of cholesterol that causes a buildup of plaque in arteries, should be lower than 130 mg/dL.
If only it were that simple.

Ideal HDL and LDL levels differ from person to person. They depend on such risk factors as having a previous heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure, genetics, age, and diabetes.

And that’s not all. Now, British researchers have found yet another form of cholesterol. This cholesterol is even stickier than normal LDL. That means it’s easier for it to attach itself to arterial walls and cause plaque buildup, which can lead to heart disease. It’s the most dangerous kind of cholesterol of all.

This type of LDL has an unusual name: MGmin-LDL and it’s most common in seniors and people with type 2 diabetes. Your body makes MGmin-LDL when you add sugars to normal “bad” LDL cholesterol. This changes the size and shape of its molecules. It makes them smaller and denser. It also increases the surface of LDLs, making it easier to stick to artery walls.

We know that diabetics have an increased risk for heart attacks and stroke. Now we are beginning to understand why. Metformin, a diabetes drug, holds one explanation. It not only lowers blood sugar. It blocks the transformation of LDL into MGmin-LDL.

This doesn’t mean you should start taking a drug to protect your heart. Just modifying your diet may be all you need to do to make less “bad” and “worse” LDL. I’ve written lots of articles on balancing blood sugar naturally in past issues of this newsletter. If dietary changes are not enough, try taking a nutritional supplement like chromium.

Chromium is a popular solution (500 mcg/day) for blood sugar control. Chinese herbal formulas and Ayurvedic combinations also regulate and repair blood sugar systems. You can get both of these ancient and effective formulas, along with chromium, in Metabolic Defense (800-791-3395).

Begin by eating a diet low in carbs and high in protein for several weeks. Eat every four hours. Then add a supplement and continue with this program for six months. You’ll not only feel better, you’ll protect your heart from the worst kind of cholesterol.

University of Warwick (2011, May 27). “Super-sticky ‘ultra-bad’ cholesterol revealed in people at high risk of heart disease.” ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 30, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/05/110526204953.htm.

LETTERS

Q: I am a celiac with osteoporosis and I really want to take your Ultimate Bone Support formula. You say that it’s gluten-free. How do you know it’s gluten-free? Do you batch test the produce for gluten? Are the binders or fillers gluten-free as well? And is this product made in a dedicated gluten-free facility or is cross-contamination possible? — L.R., e-mail

A: I understand your concern, but you can rest easy and take this formula. As you may know, gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It is found only in these related grains. None of the ingredients in Ultimate Bone Support, or in the fillers and binders in other supplements, are derived from any grain-based products. This means that there can be no gluten in any of these formulas.

Ultimate Bone Support is not manufactured in a dedicated gluten-free facility. However, the manufacturer prevents cross-contamination by strict cleaning procedures it performs after it runs each batch of every product. This is why we don’t test them for gluten. It would increase the cost of the supplement unnecessarily.

I personally toured the manufacturing facility before I was willing to endorse any Advanced Bionutritionals products. At that time, it was one of the only facilities that used the same manufacturing procedures as pharmaceutical drugs.

Gluten-free supplements are important to me, as well. I am extremely sensitive to gluten, and I’m convinced that many people are unknowingly sensitive to it as well. That's why I suggest you have some Gluten Sensitivity Formula (800-791-3395) on hand just in case you do eat some gluten. It can help reduce the negative symptoms.

Q: I eat a lot of organic fruits and vegetables, which I understand can help protect me from colon cancer. I also get a regular colonoscopy, since several of my relatives have had colon cancer. Can you suggest anything else I might do? — E.F., e-mail

A: I’ve talked a lot about how inflammation is at the root of most chronic health problems. This includes colon cancer. There are studies you can find on the Internet that have found inflammation to be a precursor to colon cancer. Your diet high in antioxidants and roughage is an excellent first step in reducing your risk. But there’s more you can do.

A recent study conducted at the University of Michigan Medical School discovered that a particular spice significantly reduced colon inflammation markers in just one month. The substance they used is ginger root. Just two grams of ginger root supplements, or half a teaspoon of powdered ginger root a day, was enough to quickly reduce inflammation in the colon.

You can find ginger supplements in any health food stores, but I prefer stronger and fresher spices. The best quality powdered ginger I’ve found is from Penzey’s Spices (800-741-7787). A six-month supply is only $16. You get ginger’s anti-inflammatory properties whether you take it in supplement form or use it in cooking and baking. So add it to your foods, take ginger capsules, or chew on a piece of fresh ginger root if it’s not too spicy for you.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/235813.php.