As we get older, sleep becomes precious. So precious that when we struggle to relax and sleep well at night, we’ll try all sorts of natural products to help us sleep. Some of these products work great. These can include melatonin, 5-HTP, GABA, and theanine.

However, many people turn to over-the-counter and prescription sleeping pills without realizing how dangerous they can be. These drugs can easily be habit-forming, and they're linked to a number of other negative health outcomes. The occasional OTC or prescription drug can be handled by your body. But the redundancy of use will often lead to compromised memory and a decrease in mental sharpness.

Fortunately, there’s a natural product that most people I talk to have never heard about – and they’re missing out. This natural product provides an easy way to boost your body's own melatonin production. In fact, it can make the melatonin you're taking work better and longer. And this product can help you get more sleep, get better quality sleep, and wake up feeling better.

I recently wrote an alert to tell you about a product I’ve used for years and found to be highly effective. In case you missed it, let me give you a quick recap of the benefits users are reporting. Then I’ll explain the science behind the products and why I absolutely believe they’re worth trying.

In a recent questionnaire study to real users of these products, 87% reported that they were falling asleep faster since they started using the device. But that’s not all. Look at these results:

• 92% were waking up less during the night
• 73% had higher quality dreams
• 83% had better quality sleep overall
• 85% felt more refreshed when they woke up
• 65% were in a better mood overall as they went throughout their days
• 77% had more energy
• 77% also reported feeling more alert

These are pretty great results. In fact, drug companies would kill to see results like this from their products.

We all know how great we feel after a good night of sleep – and we feel even better if we can repeat the experience night after night. So these results provide some good evidence that the device really does work. So what is this device? And why does it work so well, particularly for women?

The device is the Sleep Bracelet created by Philip Stein. These bracelets utilize something called Natural Frequency Technology (NFT). You may not have realized that the earth emits natural frequencies, as do our bodies. When these natural frequencies are “in tune” with each other, they help keep our bodies in balance and operating according to circadian rhythms. In fact, some scientists believe that the absence of natural frequencies contributes to the physical deterioration that astronauts experience when they spend prolonged time in space. Natural frequencies have been used for decades to promote relaxation and healing. And, as you might expect, the brain emits specific waves related to sleep that can also be influenced by external frequencies.

However, natural frequencies aren’t the only ones out there. With the explosion of technology over the last several decades, we’ve become bombarded by artificial frequencies from electrical grids, cell phone towers, WiFi, you name it. These technologies can make our lives better in many ways, and I don’t want to discount them. But they do make it harder for our bodies to stay in balance with the natural rhythms of the earth. Just think about how hard it can be to fall asleep if you’ve spent an hour looking at your phone before bed. Yes, the light from the screen can be disruptive, but the frequencies the phone emits (along with any other electronic device you keep near you during the day or at night) can be disruptive too.

I know you may be skeptical that these invisible frequencies can really affect your health. However, Philip Stein has had its NFT devices tested in a number of scientific studies. In one set of three studies, the researchers found that the bracelets could help wearers maintain balance, improve their visual focus and ability to track moving objects, and exert less cardiovascular effort when they had to respond to sudden changes in how their bodies were positioned. You know that lightheaded feeling you get when you stand up too quickly? NFT devices can help reduce that. Compared to a placebo, the participants experienced benefits in all three areas when utilizing NFT, indicating overall physiological improvements.

Another pilot study of 10 participants evaluated the effects of the NFT on heart rate variability (HRV), or differences in the amount of time between heartbeats. Higher HRV generally indicates that you’re more resilient and able to adjust to stress, while lower HRV indicates greater struggles with this. HRV tends to decrease with age, and this decrease can contribute to the tendency of older adults to become “set in their ways.” However, the study found that nine out of the ten participants experienced improvements in HRV after wearing a watch with an NFT disk, indicating that the NFT was helping balance the automatic nervous system and improve relaxation.

Finally, researchers tested the frequencies specifically used in the Sleep Bracelet in 28 otherwise healthy participants who were having trouble sleeping. In the morning of each study day, the participants went to a sleep lab and received either a bracelet with an NFT disk or a placebo bracelet, which they were instructed to wear all day. They returned at night to sleep and were given either a placebo bracelet or a Sleep Bracelet with frequencies specifically calibrated for sleep. After eight hours in the sleep lab, researchers gave the participants a Sleep Quality Questionnaire and then measured their vital signs. They did the same thing the next day, wearing the same bracelets during the day and at night.

They repeated this process three more times, with a five-to-seven-day “washout period” in between each set of visits.

The researchers evaluated a number of variables, and 96% of the participants reported improvements on at least one variable. The participants had the best results when they wore both an NFT bracelet during the day and a Sleep Bracelet at night. Overall, 64% felt more refreshed; 61% had better dreaming experiences; 43% fell asleep faster, with the biggest difference being 32 minutes faster; 43% slept longer total, with one participant getting 65 more minutes of sleep; 18% reported being awake for less time, with the biggest difference being a decrease in 22 minutes of awake time.

As I explained in the alert on the Sleep Bracelet, the frequencies also help your body produce more melatonin.

Melatonin production can decrease with age, which can contribute to the sleep difficulties many women experience in meno-pause and beyond. I’m a big fan of melatonin supplements, as they can help many women. But some women find that they wake up about four hours after taking melatonin, even with a timed-release product. This was the case for one of my patients, Lisa. Because the Sleep Bracelet offers continuous exposure to the NFT that helps your brain and heart relax and triggers your cells to produce melatonin, it can help you fall asleep and stay asleep more effectively. Once Lisa started using a bracelet, she was able to sleep for seven hours straight, a tremendous improvement that allowed her to continue staying away from the Ambien she’d tried prior to the melatonin.

The NFT in the Sleep Bracelet works by boosting melatonin production in Y79-human retinoblastoma cells, which contribute to healthy sleep patterns. In a study exposing Y79 cells to the NFT disks, melatonin production increased 20% compared to when the cells were exposed to a placebo disk. This is just one more way that the frequencies benefit your body by helping it stay in a natural, healthy rhythm.

Many of our grandparents didn’t experience the sleep problems that we do today. It’s easy to claim that they had to expend more physical energy in completing everyday tasks and that their lives weren’t as stressful as modern life. While there may be some truth to that, I also think it’s important to note that just a few generations ago, people weren’t constantly bombarded with artificial frequencies. They were able to trust that their circadian rhythms would help them fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up refreshed. Now our bodies aren’t sure what frequencies to “listen” to and end up constantly on high alert. The Philip Stein NFT can change that and help your body get tuned back in to a healthy rhythm.

The Philip Stein Sleep Bracelet comes in three models. The Orange Sleep Bracelet ($195) has a rubber strap and comes with a two-year warranty. The Classic Sleep Bracelet ($355) and the Slim SS Sleep Bracelet ($395) have stainless steel cases, interchangeable straps, and five-year warranties. I know these might sound pricey, but it’s hard to put a price on a good night’s sleep. I think it’s well worth the price to give your body the tools it needs to rest, recover, and be better prepared to tackle each new day as it comes. I’ve heard from many happy customers who agree. To order a Philip Stein Bracelet, simply call 800-449-3155.

The Real Reason Our Cancer Risk Goes Up With Age – And How to Reduce Your Risk

Here’s some good news for women: you’re actually far less likely to develop cancer over the course of your life than men. However, your chances of developing the disease do rise as you age. While researchers have known this to be true for some time, the traditional explanation of these two facts didn’t quite make sense. Doctors and scientists typically assumed that genetic mutations led to cancer. The more time you have to accumulate mutations, the greater your chances of developing cancer. This explained why risk went up with age. But it didn’t explain the striking differences between men and women.

Now, researchers at the University of Dundee in Scotland believe they’ve identified another piece of the puzzle. I’m excited about their findings, as they give us more information about how to decrease cancer risk, whether for ourselves or for the men we care about.

The researchers believe that genetic mutations aren’t the only contributor to the increase in cancer risk that comes with age.

The thymus gland produces T cells. These are immune cells that are responsible for patrolling the body to identify and eliminate foreign or mutated cells. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers proposed an “immunosurveillance hypothesis,” positing that cancer cells are always popping up in the body but that T cells are typically able to get rid of them before they can form into a tumor. The problem is that the rate at which these cancer cells show up doesn’t decline with age, while T cell production does. Eventually, the cancer cells are able to establish a foothold before the T cells spot them. This hypothesis matches the data quite well in a number of instances. The researchers were able to find strong correlations between cancer risk increasing as T cell production dropped in many forms of cancer.

But what does this have to do with the differences between men and women? Isn’t this theory just as flawed as the multiple-mutations theory when it comes to the disparities between the genders? Not at all. You see, women’s thymus glands actually decline more slowly than men’s. When the researchers created models to predict cancer incidence in men and women based on their immunosurveillance hypothesis, they were able to predict real-life cancer rates quite accurately.

At first glance, this theory may not seem like a big deal. After all, people don’t typically care much about the actual mechanisms driving their cancer risk. They just care about whether they’re diagnosed with the disease or not. But this theory is actually quite significant for cancer prevention efforts. If we know that a declining immune system increases our cancer risk, we know that we should take steps to shore it up as we age.

One of the absolute best ways to bolster the immune system is by using medicinal mushrooms. These have been used with great success in traditional forms of medicine for centuries. Traditional healers could see that eating mushrooms regularly prevented cancer from developing. And they work!

One of the best medicinal mushrooms for the immune system is cordyceps. In fact, research has found that cordyceps mushrooms can boost immune cell activity by 74%. And that’s just one of many medicinal mushrooms that can benefit immunity. There’s also Turkey Tail (Coriolus versicolor), which contains the immunity-boosting chemicals polysaccharide peptide and polysaccharide krestin. Maitake (Grifola frondosa) mushrooms also stimulate the immune system. And these mushrooms can work together to boost the power of T cells. If the model these researchers are proposing is correct, this ability is incredibly important for preventing cancer.

You may be wondering how you can get these powerful immune-boosting mushrooms. And that’s a great question, especially because the phrase “you are what you eat” applies more than you might expect to these fungi. Mushrooms soak up everything in the soil they grow in, so you want to be careful to get them from uncontaminated soil. However, you also can use this quality to your advantage by purchasing medicinal mushrooms grown in an immune-boosting environment.

Most medicinal mushrooms grown in the U.S. are raised in a sterile environment. That’s certainly better than an environment laden with toxins or heavy metals. But one of my friends and colleagues, Dr. Isaac Eliaz, had an even better idea. He grows medicinal mushrooms on top of brown rice with anti-infection and anti-viral herbs. Doing so has significantly boosted the immunity-boosting properties of his mushrooms.

Dr. Eliaz packages his mushrooms, which include the three I just mentioned along with three others known for their health-boosting properties, into a capsule formula called MycoPhyto Complex. It provides an incredibly easy, yet powerful way to boost your immune system, which, as I outlined above, declines as you age. If you find yourself more susceptible to colds and other infections as you get older, that’s a sign that your immune system is slowing down. And it could be leaving you vulnerable to diseases far more deadly than run-of-the-mill viruses.

I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more about the immunosurveillance hypothesis as research continues in this field. This theory fits the data well and provides good action steps for preventing cancer. I recommend that you start with MycoPhyto Complex to support your immune system. And share it with the men in your life as well. They may need it even more than you do. You can order MycoPhyto Complex by calling 800-791-3395.

Sam Palmer, Luca Albergante, Clare C. Blackburn and T. J. Newman. Thymic involution and rising disease incidence with age. PNAS, 2018 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1714478115.

Nutrition Detective

Two Simple Cures for Dry Mouth, Fatigue, Lightheadedness, and Constipation

I recently received a letter from Jodie. She had started to experience a strong series of symptoms. She wrote: “I’m not sure if they are related, but here goes: My mouth, especially when I visit the dentist, is really dry. I’m fatigued, lightheaded sometimes, and suffer from constipation. What do you think?”

I told Jodie that this combination of symptoms is very common and it typically means dehydration. Dehydration is one of the biggest issues in people over 60. In fact, it’s one of the biggest problems people suffer from in nursing homes.
So here’s what I told her to do: “Please begin to drink at least 64 oz (eight glasses) daily. Do this for three weeks and then please let me know how you feel.” I know what you might be thinking: Drinking water for dry mouth is pretty basic. But here’s the thing – most people don’t drink nearly enough water. So it’s where you have to start.

In fact, Jodie followed up with me a few weeks later and wrote: “AMAZING! I began increasing my drinking water and I feel so so much better – no longer constipated, no dry mouth, and have not­ been lightheaded in the past two weeks. The fatigue remains – would you have something to suggest?”

Of course, I did. I told Jodie: “Please consider trying the Advanced Adaptogen Complex (800-791-3395). It’s a liquid and easily absorbed. You can begin by trying two droppersful (not drops – about 20 drops) twice daily. Finish the bottle and please let us know how you feel. This beautifully crafted formula usually shows results within the first two weeks. It helps boost energy levels and relieves fatigue.”

If you’re struggling with any of these symptoms, try drinking more water and take the adaptogenic herbs contained in this formula. You’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel in just a few weeks.

LETTERS

Q:Your newsletter is excellent and the special reports are very informative! I have two questions. (1) Why is monosodium glutamate still on the market when it causes so much illness? And (2) what is a good natural cure for warts? They are on my fingers and often very painful. I’ve tried several suggestions from various books, articles, and newsletters, but without success. – Anne S., via Gulfport, FL

Dear Anne,

Thank you for your letter. Yes, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is quite harmful to those of us who are sensitive or allergic to it. Your response is more common than scientists and nutritionists once thought. A simple homeopathic remedy is a dose of Nux Vomica 15c or 30x as soon as you feel the symptoms or simply take after eating at a restaurant where you expect to experience this.

In addition, some of my patients tell me that taking Alka Seltzer Gold when you first feel the symptoms coming on is very helpful.

Lastly, there’s a Chinese medicine that’s been used for centuries for food poisoning that works for MSG poisoning. It’s known as the “Curing Pill.” You can find it at Amazon.com.

As for the warts, these are difficult to get rid of. There are many natural remedies and you really don’t know which one will work for you until you try them. It sounds like you have tried many and are familiar with the many options. I think you may want to consider visiting with a dermatologist who would agree to use liquid nitrogen to “burn” off the warts. This often works very well. About a month after the procedure, you may want to consider the homeopathic Thuja 30c or 200c or 200x three times a week for three weeks to help prevent the warts from returning. You can read about homeopathic Thuja online and see if it resonates with your situation.

Q. My daughter, now aged 54, was treated for breast cancer (estrogen positive type) five years ago. After surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, she has been on Tamoxifen and then aromatase inhibitors for five years. There has been no recurrence of cancer, but her doctors want her to continue the aromatase inhibitors for another five years. It used to be if cancer did not recur in five years, you would be considered cancer free. Is there any scientific evidence that this is helpful, or is it another ploy to keep people on drugs for economic advantage to drug companies, regardless of unpleasant side effects? – Doris W., Eugene, OR

Dear Doris,

Thank you for your note. Please have a look at this article www.ascopost.com/ News/58332. It refers to the research of Dr. Grant. It may be worth contacting his group and getting their opinion. The aromatase inhibitors after five years is controversial. There’s insufficient evidence in either direction. If your daughter decides to stop, she should consider some of the natural aromatase inhibitors, such as the cruciferous vegetables (broccoli and Brussel sprouts) and avoid all sugary foods. You can find broccoli seed extract in a capsule that’s a good supplemental addition to the diet.