Category Archives: Super Supplements & Homeopathy

Studies Link Antioxidant Levels with Reduced Risk of Cancer, Heart Disease

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A recent compilation of several studies published by the National Institutes of Health brings good news for those of us who eat carotenoid-rich foods.

J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012 Dec 19;104(24):1905-16. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djs461. Epub 2012 Dec 6.

Circulating carotenoids and risk of breast cancer: pooled analysis of eight prospective studies.

Eliassen AH, Hendrickson SJ, Brinton LA, Buring JE, Campos H, Dai Q, Dorgan JF, Franke AA, Gao YT, Goodman MT, Hallmans G, Helzlsouer KJ, Hoffman-Bolton J, Hultén K, Sesso HD, Sowell AL, Tamimi RM, Toniolo P, Wilkens LR, Winkvist A, Zeleniuch-Jacquotte A, Zheng W, Hankinson SE.

Source: Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Farmers Market2 Union Sq 0912

Carotenoids, micro-nutrients in fruits and vegetables, may reduce breast cancer risk. Most, but not all, past studies of circulating carotenoids and breast cancer have found an inverse association with at least one carotenoid, although the specific carotenoid has varied across studies.

METHODS:

We conducted a pooled analysis of eight cohort studies comprising more than 80% of the world’s published prospective data on plasma or serum carotenoids and breast cancer, including 3055 case subjects and 3956 matched control subjects.

To account for laboratory differences and examine population differences across studies, we re-calibrated participant carotenoid levels to a common standard by re-assaying 20 plasma or serum samples from each cohort together at the same laboratory. Using conditional logistic regression, adjusting for several breast cancer risk factors, we calculated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using quintiles defined among the control subjects from all studies.

RESULTS:

Statistically significant inverse associations with breast cancer were observed for α-carotene (top vs bottom quintile RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.71 to 1.05), β-carotene (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.70 to 0.98), lutein+zeaxanthin (RR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.70 to 1.01), lycopene (RR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.99), and total carotenoids (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.68 to 0.96).

For several carotenoids, associations appeared stronger for estrogen receptor negative (ER(-)) than for ER(+) tumors.

CONCLUSIONS:

This comprehensive prospective analysis suggests women with higher circulating levels of α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein+zeaxanthin, lycopene, and total carotenoids may be at reduced risk of breast cancer.

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And another study:

Effects of antioxidant supplementation on the aging process

Domenico Fusco,1 Giuseppe Colloca,1 Maria Rita Lo Monaco,1 and Matteo Cesari1,2

In Western Countries, atherosclerotic disease is the major cause of death in the elderly population. Several antioxidants, such as polyphenols and lycopene, have been proposed to delay the progression of this disease. At the beginning of the Nineties, Renaud and de Lorgeril created the so-called “French Paradox”, describing how, despite the high intake of saturated fat, the French population presents a low incidence of coronary heart disease events (Renaud and de Lorgeril 1992).

Even if their study raised a huge controversy, it has been suggested that beneficial effects from red wine consumption might be related to its high content of antioxidants (Heller et al 1998). Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in several plants (in particular, red grapes), has shown to be able to up-regulate the nuclear Liver X receptor α and its target genes in macrophages, and to reduce the expression of lipoprotein lipase and scavenger receptor AII.

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disorder with cognitive and memory decline, speech loss, personality changes and synapse loss. The heterogeneity of the etiologic factors of Alzheimer’s disease makes it difficult to define the major clinical determinants for the onset and progression of the disease. However, increasing evidence has recently indicated oxidative damage as a potential cause of Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis (Nunomura et al 2006; Onyango and Khan 2006).

Cancer: While the exact role of free radicals in carcinogenesis and cancer progression is still under investigation, increasing evidence has demonstrated that some antioxidants are associated with a lower incidence of specific types of cancers. Vitamin E, for example, has been shown in some trials to reduce the incidence of breast, lung, and colon cancers, but the most significant results have been obtained with prostate cancer.

Read Full Article Here.

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I suggest to each person I counsel on Disease Prevention to consider taking a high quality, pure supplement that contains the full spectrum of Antioxidants to help ensure they are doing all they can to reduce their risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Maintaining high antioxidant levels is the single most critical goal for good health.

  “The amount of antioxidants that you maintain in your body is directly proportional to how long you will live.” -  Richard Cutler M.D., Director Anti-Aging Research, National Institute of Health (NIH)

Of the many supplements I have taken and that have been suggested to me by a leading nutritional oncologist, a handful of brands stand above the rest.  However, for a comprehensive pharmaceutical-grade Supplement which includes a full spectrum of Antioxidants, Vitamins and Minerals in doses that have been scientifically formulated to work together synergistically, no brand competes with Pharmanex’ Lifepak.  The company guarantees that your antioxidant levels will rise after 6 – 8 weeks of taking the supplement, or your money back.  I know of no other supplement that makes that promise.

More importantly, Instead of testing for the 50 or so required contaminants that the FDA outlines, Pharmanex tests for over 200 of them!  That’s a company I am confident has my good health in focus.

If you are serious about impacting your health in a tangible way, and understand that none of us can get the recommended levels of nutrients and antioxidants from our diet alone (many reasons for that, including depleted nutrients in our soil), then you should consider taking LifePak.

Drop me a message and I will create an account for you with Pharmanex, so you have access to what I pay… which is the lowest possible price (20 – 25%) below the published web price.

To Your Good Health! ♥

Promising Homeopathic Treatment for Cancer – Thuja Occidentalis

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One of my early and onging regimens to protect my body from the formation of a new tumor is alternating doses of two homeopathic remedies, twice a day. This was recommended to me by one of the leading world practitioners of alternate remedies based on my total profile.

The first is 2 drops of Phytolacca 200C followed 3 hours later by 2 drops of Thuja Occidentalis 30C taken in 2 tsp of filtered water, and repeated another time later in the day.  (Homeopathic tinctures need to be taken 15-20 mins. away from taking anything by mouth.)

The studies supporting this regimen are ongoing and rather impressive. Below is one such study focused on Thuja.

Thuja_occidentalis

NOTE: If you would like to consider adding this to your supplement routine, please Contact Me so I can refer you to a homeopathic practitioner who can assess your situation and prescribe the right combo for you. Homeopathy takes the whole person into consideration for appropriate treatment, and not the symptoms alone.

You can read more about Thuja at the NIH website by clicking here.
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Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 568148

Thujone-Rich Fraction of Thuja occidentalis Demonstrates Major Anti-Cancer Potentials: Evidences from In Vitro Studies on A375 Cells

Raktim Biswas,1 Sushil Kumar Mandal,1 Suman Dutta,1 Soumya Sundar Bhattacharyya,1 Naoual Boujedaini,2 and Anisur Rahman Khuda-Bukhsh1

1Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, India2Boiron Laboratory, 20 rue de la Libération., Sainte-Foy-Les-Lyon (69110), France

Received 17 November 2009; Accepted 9 April 2010

Copyright © 2011 Raktim Biswas et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Crude ethanolic extract of Thuja occidentalis (Fam: Cupressaceae) is used as homeopathic mother tincture (TOΦ) to treat various ailments, particularly moles and tumors, and also used in various other systems of traditional medicine. Anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing properties of TOΦ and the thujone-rich fraction (TRF) separated from it have been evaluated for their possible anti-cancer potentials in the malignant melanoma cell line A375.

On initial trial both TOΦ and TRF showed maximum cytotoxic effect on A375 cell line while the other three principal fractions separated by chromatography had negligible or no such effect, because of which only TRF was further characterized and subjected to certain other assays for determining its precise anti-proliferative and apoptotic potentials.

Exposure of TRF of Thuja occidentalis to A375 cells in vitro showed more cytotoxic, anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects as compared with TOΦ, but had minimal growth inhibitory responses when exposed to normal cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cell).  Furthermore, both TOΦ and TRF also caused a significant decrease in cell viability, induced inter-nucleosomal DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial transmembrane potential collapse, increase in ROS generation, and release of cytochrome c and caspase-3 activation, all of which are closely related to the induction of apoptosis in A375 cells.

Thus, TRF showed and matched all the anti-cancer responses of TOΦ and could be the main bio-active fraction. The use of TOΦ in traditional medicines against tumors has, therefore, a scientific basis.

Introduction

Thuja occidentalis (Fam: Cupressaceae), commonly known as Arbor vitae or white cedar, is an ornamental tree grown in Europe [1]. It is used as a medicinal plant in various forms of traditional medicines like folk medicine, homeopathy, and so forth, for treatment of bronchial catarrh, enuresis, cystitis, psoriasis, uterine carcinomas, amenorrhea and rheumatism [2–5]. In homeopathy, the crude ethanolic extract of T. occidentalis is used as mother tincture (TOΦ).

Thuja is also occasionally used for treating diseases of skin, blood, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, brain, warty excrescences, spongy tumors, and so forth, and claimed to have pronounced remedial effects.

The extract has been reported to enhance the antibody response to sheep blood cells [6]. Protective effect of T. occidentalis has also been reported against radiation-induced toxicity in mice [7]. Ameliorative effect of T. occidentalis has also been suggested in preventing congestive heart disease [8]. Therefore, it gained attention of pharmacologists to study the major constituents of the dried herbal substances of T. occidentalis [9–11].

The major components found in extracts of all varieties of T. occidentalis comprise essential oil (1.4–4%) as the principal constituent.

In homeopathic literature [13], TOΦ has been reported to be effective against various forms of skin diseases, particularly in the treatment of moles and papillomas.

Homeopathic TOΦ has been reported earlier to have cytotoxic effect in Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA), Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC), and lung carcinoma L929 [14]. Dubey and Batra also reported hepato-protective activities [15] and antioxidant activity [16] of T. occidentalis in CCL4-treated liver damage in rats.

However, to the best of our knowledge, anti-cancer potentials of TOΦ or any of its major fractions had not been tested earlier in skin cancer cell line A375 by utilizing some widely acceptable parameters of study.

Thus, the hypotheses to be tested were:

(i)              whether TOΦ and all chromatographically separated fractions had potential anti-cancer effects in A375 cells;

(ii)            if any fraction could be demarcated as the most biologically active one;

(iii)          if, it is possible, to chemically characterize this fraction;

(iv)          whether the cytotoxic, anti-proliferative and apoptotic effects of the fraction, vis-à-vis TOΦ, could be compared with focus on its possible mechanism of action; and

(v)            if it is possible to assess the overall anti-cancer potentials of TOΦ in relation to its preferential cytotoxic effect over normal cells, by analyzing results of different relevant assays including the possible signaling pathways.

Findings:

Results of the present study would indicate that the homeopathic drug T. occidentalis Φ had four chromatographically separated fractions of which the thujone-rich fraction was found to be the most bioactive (anti-cancer, pro-apoptotic) component. Unfortunately, despite our best effort, the oily nature of this fraction did not allow us to purify it to 100%, for which we were able to perform only mass spectrometry of TRF.

Anti-cancer activity of the alcoholic extract of T. occidentalis had earlier been reported by Sunila and Kuttan [14] from their in vivo studies in rats. In our present in vitro study involving several protocols, we confirm the pro-apoptotic and anti-cancer potential of T. occidentalis mother tincture. Additionally, it was revealed that the thujone-rich component was possibly the key bioactive compound showing its promising anti-cancer potentials in the skin cancer cell line A375, a fact which had not earlier been reported.

We determined the optimum dose through a range finding trial. The result revealed that the 220.18 μg mL–1 of TOΦ could produce 50% cell death in A375 while that dose was relatively non-toxic to PBMC. Correspondingly, of the three doses of 50, 100, 200 μg mL–1 of TRF used, 200 μg mL–1 TRF showed the maximum effect surpassing the effect of treatment with the TOΦ as revealed from the result of the several protocols.

References

  1. L. C. Chang, L. L. Song, E. J. Park et al., “Bioactive constituents of Thuja occidentalis,” Journal of Natural Products, vol. 63, no. 9, pp. 1235–1238, 2000.
  2. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Thuja, British Herbal Medicine Association, West Yorks, UK, 1983.
  3. K. Shimada, “Contribution to anatomy of the central nervous system of the Japanese upon the vermal arbour vitae,” Okajimas Folia Anatomica Japonica, vol. 28, pp. 207–227, 1956.
  4. D. Baran, “Arbor vitae, a guarantee of health,” Revista Medico-Chirurgicala a Societatii de Medici si Naturalisti din Lasi, vol. 95, no. 3-4, pp. 347–349, 1991.
  5. “Thuja occidentalis,” 2010, http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Thuj.
  6. C. Bodinet and J. Freudenstein, “Effects of an orally applied aqueous-ethanolic extract of a mixture of Thujae occidentalis herba, Baptisiae tinctoriae radix, Echinaceae purpureae radix and Echinaceae pallidae radix on antibody response against sheep red blood cells in mice,” Planta Medica, vol. 65, pp. 695–699, 1999.
  7. E. S. Sunila and G. Kuttan, “Protective effect of Thuja occidentalis against radiation-induced toxicity in mice,” Integrative Cancer Therapies, vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 322–328, 2005.
  8. S. K. Dubey and A. Batra, “Role of Thuja occidentalis Linn. in prevention of congestive heart disease,” Journal of Pharmacy Research, vol. 2, pp. 651–654, 2009.
  9. T. Dimitroula, G. Konstantia, P. O. Loretta, K. B. Miroslawa, S. Caroline, and C. Ioanna, “Chemosystematic value of the essential oil composition of Thuja species cultivated in Poland- antimicrobial activity,” Molecules, vol. 14, pp. 4707–4715, 2009.
  10. EMEA—The European Agency for the Evaluation of MedicinalProducts, “Committee for Veterinary Medicinal Products—Thuja occidentalis,” Summary Report, Canary Wharf, London, UK, 1999.
  11. Witte, J. Berlin, V. Wray, W. Schubert, W. Kohl, G. Hofle, et al., “Mono-und diterpenes from cell cultures or Thuja occidenalis,” Planta Medica, vol. 49, pp. 216–221, 1983.
  12. B. Naser, C. Bodinet, M. Tegtmeier, and U. Lindequist, “Thuja occidentalis (Arbor vitae): a review of its pharmaceutical, pharmacological and clinical properties,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2, no. 1, pp. 69–78, 2005.
  13. W. Boerick, Pocket Manual of Homeopathic Materia Medica, Sett, Dey & Co, Calcutta, India, 1976.
  14. E. S. Sunila and G. Kuttan, “A preliminary study on antimetastatic activity of Thuja occidentalis L. in mice model,” Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 269–280, 2006.
  15. S. K. Dubey and A. Batra, “Hepatoprotective activity from ethanol fraction of Thuja occidentalis Linn,” Asian Journal of Research in Chemistry, vol. 1, pp. 32–35, 2008.
  16. S. K. Dubey and A. Batra, “Antioxidant activity of Thuja occidentalis linn,” Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, vol. 2, pp. 73–76, 2009.

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 International Journal of Oncology

February 2010 Volume 36 Number 2

Cytotoxic effects of ultra-diluted remedies on breast cancer cells
Authors: Moshe Frenkel, Bal Mukund Mishra, Subrata Sen, Peiying Yang, Alison Pawlus, Luis Vence, Aimee Leblanc, Lorenzo Cohen, Pratip Banerji, Prasanta Banerji
Affiliations: Integrative Medicine Program-Unit 145, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030-4009, USA. frenkelm@netvision.net.il
Doi: 10.3892/ijo_00000512
Pages: 395-403
Abstract:The use of ultra-diluted natural products in the management of disease and treatment of cancer has generated a lot of interest and controversy. We conducted an in vitro study to determine if products prescribed by a clinic in India have any effect on breast cancer cell lines. We studied four ultra-diluted remedies (Carcinosin, Phytolacca, Conium and Thuja) against two human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and a cell line derived from immortalized normal human mammary epithelial cells. The remedies exerted preferential cytotoxic effects against the two breast cancer cell lines, causing cell cycle delay/arrest and apoptosis.These effects were accompanied by altered expression of the cell cycle regulatory proteins, including downregulation of phosphorylated Rb and upregulation of the CDK inhibitor p27, which were likely responsible for the cell cycle delay/arrest as well as induction of the apoptotic cascade that manifested in the activation of caspase 7 and cleavage of PARP in the treated cells.

The findings demonstrate biological activity of these natural products when presented at ultra-diluted doses. Further in-depth studies with additional cell lines and animal models are warranted to explore the clinical applicability of these agents.

Ginkgo: What, Why, When and How

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Other common names: ginkgo biloba, maidenhair tree, EGb, yinhsing, yin xing ye

Scientific name: Ginkgo biloba

What:

Ginkgo is an extract of leaves from a ginkgo tree, one of the world’s oldest surviving species of tree, which comes from China, Japan, and Korea. Ginkgo is used as a dietary supplement in the United States for a variety of conditions.

Why:

Chinese herbalists have used the fruit of the ginkgo tree for about 4,000 years to help asthma, coughs, and allergic reactions. Cooked ginkgo seeds are also sometimes eaten after the pulp has been removed from the outside. In the past few decades, an extract of ginkgo leaves has been used in Western medicine, first in Europe and more recently in the United States, because it is supposed to help memory, brain function, and blood circulation.

Ginkgo is used for the treatment of numerous conditions, many of which are under scientific investigation. Available evidence demonstrates ginkgo’s efficacy in the management of intermittent claudication, Alzheimer’s/multi-infarct dementia, and “cerebral insufficiency” (a syndrome thought to be secondary to atherosclerotic disease, characterized by impaired concentration, confusion, decreased physical performance, fatigue, headache, dizziness, depression, and anxiety).

Although not definitive, there is promising early evidence favoring the use of ginkgo for memory enhancement in healthy subjects, altitude (mountain) sickness, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), age-related eye disorders, and the reduction of chemotherapy-induced end-organ vascular damage.

The herb is generally well tolerated, but due to multiple case reports of bleeding, it should be used cautiously in patients on anticoagulant therapy and those with known blood clotting disorders, or prior to some surgical or dental procedures.

It has the potential to interfere with blood clotting, anesthesia, and some medicines. Available scientific evidence does not support claims that it is effective in preventing or treating cancer in humans.

When:

Ginkgo is promoted as an aid to memory and concentration. It is believed to stimulate blood circulation and the flow of oxygen to the brain. Widely used in Europe, the extract has also become popular in the United States.

Ginkgo is sometimes promoted for tinnitus (ringing in the ears), sudden deafness, dizziness, altitude sickness, and intermittent claudication (cramp-like pain in the lower legs caused by poor circulation). In addition, ginkgo is promoted to treat a blood vessel disorder known as Raynaud’s disease, in which the toes or fingers turn cool and pale when exposed to cold because of insufficient blood supply. European and Asian doctors have also used ginkgo in stroke patients to attempt to limit tissue damage to the brain.

Although ginkgo is not usually promoted as a cancer treatment, herbalists note that it contains some substances that may prove to have activity against cancer. Such compounds include flavonoids, which are thought to be anti-inflammatory, and proanthocyanidins, which are antioxidants. It also contains a compound called ginkgolide B, which may counteract a body chemical called platelet-activating factor (PAF) that is thought to promote tumor growth.

How:

Ginkgo leaf extract is on the Commission E (Germany’s regulatory agency for herbs) list of approved herbs and can be taken by mouth in pill or liquid form. The average dose of ginkgo extract totals 120 to 240 milligrams (mg) per day, usually split into 2 to 3 doses. Proponents usually do not recommend the crude, dried leaf preparations because they believe this preparation does not contain enough of the active ingredients.

Cautions:

This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike companies that produce drugs (which must be tested before being sold), the companies that make supplements are not required to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their supplements are safe or effective, as long as they don’t claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease.

Some such products may not contain the amount of the herb or substance that is on the label, and some may include other substances (contaminants). Actual amounts per dose may vary between brands or even between different batches of the same brand. In 2007, the FDA wrote new rules to improve the quality of manufacturing for dietary supplements and the proper listing of supplement ingredients. But these rules do not address the safety of the ingredients or their effects on health.

  • Ginkgo leaf extract is generally considered safe. Some possible side effects include headache, mild stomach upset, and diarrhea.
  • Because it may block the action of platelets (which help make the blood clot), ginkgo is not recommended for people using aspirin, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen), or blood-thinning medications such as warfarin (Coumadin).
  • Doctors often advise stopping the use of ginkgo products several days before surgery.
  • People with seizure disorders should not use ginkgo because it may reduce the effects of anti-seizure drugs.
  • Potential interactions between ginkgo and other drugs and herbs should be considered. Some combinations may be dangerous. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about any herbs you are taking.
  • Allergic reactions to ginkgo have been reported, including severe skin reactions with blistering. People who react to poison ivy, mango, cashews, and sumac may be more likely to react to ginkgo.
  • Uncooked ginkgo fruit or seed can cause more serious problems, including vomiting, seizures, and loss of consciousness. The seed contains a toxin that is reported to be inactivated by cooking. Poisoning from eating the seeds has been reported in adults and children, sometimes resulting in death. The uncooked fruit and seed are also more likely to cause allergic rashes and intestinal irritation than the leaf extract.

Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) Makes Chemo Safer and Stronger

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MCP has been part of my supplement regimen for 2 years. I usually go with my intuition when I take recommended supplements, and so far have been pretty good at predicting what my body likes and doesn’t like. This is one supplement my body seems to like, witnessed by the fact that I don’t forget to take it, and don’t feel it’s a chore to mix some up to drink.

There have been some supplements (out of about 23) that I keep leaving behind … and when I did an energy test on myself with those, the result confirmed my hunch!

MCP comes in capsule or powdered form. It is not inexpensive, but when it comes to products that help discourage cancer formation, that is not a huge consideration.  I bought 3 jars online that were on sale from a Vitamin shop, so if you do a little research you can get it at a reasonable price.

I am also happy to say that I will be meeting with Dr. Eliaz in the next 2 weeks, and will be excited to post about my visit.  Am also attending his 2 day retreat in Santa Rosa on the 22nd and 23rd of this month (Sept. 2012).

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New study shows MCP makes safer, lower chemotherapy doses possible

When it comes to cancer prevention and treatment, a strategic combination of diverse approaches might mean the difference between life and death. In fact, new research published in the journal Cell Biology International suggests just that.

The study analyzed a combination of Modified Citrus Pectin and the chemotherapy drug Doxorubicin, and found that using the two compounds together dramatically increased their anti-cancer effects, in this case against prostate cancer.

As an integrative physician, I rely on strategic combinations of the best treatments suited to an individual’s unique needs and requirements. In some cases, this involves the use of certain pharmaceutical compounds which can be more effective and less toxic when combined with specific natural therapies. This published study is an excellent example of such synergy, highlighting a key strategy in successful integrative cancer therapy.

Making a Deal with Doxorubicin

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an effective anti-cancer drug, but it’s also one of the most toxic. Nicknamed “The Red Devil” or “Red Death” for its serious side effects, Dox can cause severe heart and immune damage among other complications. The doses needed to impact tumors are not well tolerated by patients; however, researchers may have found an answer with this latest study.

Results demonstrated that combining Dox with Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) increased the anti-cancer activity of Dox. This finding bodes well for prostate cancer patients, especially those too weak for normal chemotherapy regimens. Combination therapy using MCP may allow for lower doses of Dox with greater clinical impact and reduced toxicity.

Results of the Study

The study tested whether combining Dox with MCP would increase effectiveness against prostate cancer cells in vitro. It did, significantly. The team used two forms of prostate cancer: Androgen-dependent (LNCaP) and androgen-independent (DU-145). The results were impressive, as the combination treatment reduced cancer cell viability by more than 67 percent in both types. Specifically, the researchers were looking at the cell cycle, the cell division process, and apoptosis—the programed cell death mechanisms which destroy abnormal cells and are often impaired in cancers.

This study demonstrates that MCP enhances the cytotoxic effect of Doxorubicin in both androgen-dependent but more importantly in androgen-independent prostate cancer. This is especially important because prostate cancer patients who do not respond to hormone therapy and require chemotherapy are often the most in need of advanced treatments.

Androgen-dependent prostate cancer is often treated by depriving it of hormones. Androgen-independent prostate cancers no longer respond to hormone therapy, having developed new mechanisms to grow and thrive. The combination treatment worked against the androgen-dependent form by shutting down the cell cycle. The treatment killed the androgen-independent cells by boosting apoptosis.

MCP Cancer Research

This is the latest in a series of studies that have substantiated MCP’s ability to fight cancer. As early as 1995, a study by researchers at Wayne State University found that MCP inhibited metastasis to the lungs in animals with prostate cancer. A phase I clinical trial in 1997 and a phase II clinical trial published in 2003, showed MCP slowed cancer growth in human subjects. A study in 2007 at Albert Ludwigs University in Germany found clinical benefit for advanced cancer patients receiving MCP treatment. And a study in 2010, conducted at Columbia University, showed MCP induces apoptosis and reduces proliferation in aggressive cancer.

MCP: The only proven Galectin-3 blocker

The powerful cancer-fighting abilities of MCP have attracted the attention of researchers and doctors around the world. MCP’s most significant anti-cancer function comes from its unique ability to disarm the dangerous Galectin-3 molecule. Decades of research show that excess Galectin-3 in the body fuels the growth and metastasis of cancer and makes the disease more aggressive. MCP is thus earning a prestigious reputation as the only natural compound proven to enter the blood stream and bind to excess Galectin-3 molecules, blocking their disease-causing effects.

Furthermore, as a versatile natural therapy, MCP supports other angles of cancer prevention and treatment. MCP is proven to provide dramatic benefits for immune health; reduce chronic inflammation and safely remove heavy metals from the body.

Successful Integrative Medicine

The ability of such a safe supplement to decrease the needed dosage of Doxorubicin is very significant. Combination therapy using MCP allows lower levels of Doxorubicin to be used with greater effect on inducing rapid cell death in the hard-to-treat androgen-independent prostate cancer, and halting the viability of the androgen-dependent prostate cancer. The lower doses and increased effectiveness are a win-win.

This type of synergistic strategy is an excellent example of successful integrative medicine hard at work to fight disease while simultaneously promoting the health of the patient with targeted, scientifically substantiated natural solutions.

Link to the Study:  Combination effect of PectaSol and Doxorubicin on viability, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in DU-145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cell lines. Cell Biol Int. 2012 Jan 4. [Epub ahead of print].

~ Be Well. ♥

Beyond Sleep: 7 Ways Melatonin Attacks Aging Factors

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If you’ve read my previous post on Melatonin, you know that I have been taking a high dose daily per one of the leading CAM medical practitioners I have consulted with.  Mainstream medical research is now uncovering more benefits of this amazing hormone.

I have re-published the article below from LifeExtenstion Magazine.

PLEASE NOTE:  Formulas containing melatonin are contraindicated for those with ovarian cancer.

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Life Extension Magazine September 2012

By Claudia Kelley, PHD, RD, CDE

Beyond Sleep: 7 Ways Melatonin Attacks Aging Factors Melatonin is known for helping some people achieve a better night’s sleep, which is how it earned its nickname as “the sleep hormone.”

While melatonin is involved in regulating our internal body clock, that’s just the beginning of its health-promoting benefits. Based on extensive research, scientists have discovered that this hormone has beneficial effects on everything from heart disease and diabetes, to bone health and obesity. And best of all, emerging science now suggests that it may protect our genetic material and guard against age related disease and decline.1

Preclinical studies found that melatonin increased the life span of animals by up to 20%—prolonging their youthful character in the process.2-4 Scientific evidence now suggests that melatonin plays a crucial role in a variety of metabolic functions,5 including antioxidant and neuroprotection,6,7 anti-inflammatory defense,8 and immune system support.9

Because melatonin production reduces with age,10-14 experts believe that its decline contributes to both the aging process and a generalized deterioration of health.5,15-17 Years ago, scientists could only speculate at the underlying mechanisms behind melatonin’s anti-aging properties. A growing body of evidence reveals how melatonin is able to play such a major role in the combating aging process.18-20

#1: Antioxidant Defense—Combat Free Radical Damage While You Sleep

Since its discovery over 50 years ago, melatonin has demonstrated itself as a functionally diverse molecule, with its antioxidant properties being amongst its most well-studied attributes.26,27 Since then, a vast amount of experimental research has revealed its vital role in the body’s defense against numerous cell-damaging free radicals—and for good reason.27-30 Melatonin has been found to possess 200% more antioxidant power than vitamin E.31 Melatonin has been found to be superior to glutathione as well as vitamins C and E in reducing oxidative damage.6

As such a potent antioxidant, melatonin plays a powerful role in fighting free-radical-related diseases—from cardiovascular disease to cancer and practically everything in between.

In post-menopausal women, for example, melatonin has been found to inhibit lipid peroxidation (damage to your fat cells caused by free radicals), thus leading to decreased levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol,31 one of the primary ingredients for the formation of atherosclerosis. A newer study on men confirmed these findings, suggesting that melatonin leads to overall lower levels of oxidative stress in humans.32 In individuals undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, melatonin exhibited a higher reduction in lipid peroxidation and improvements in red blood cell membrane stiffness.33

Other widely feared free radical diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD),34 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS),35 glaucoma,36 and sepsis37 have also been responsive to increased melatonin levels.

#2: Melatonin Fights Back Against America’s Major Killer Melatonin Fights Back Against America's Major Killer

Since cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, melatonin’s ability to protect against heart damage is especially noteworthy.38 In the past decade, melatonin has received considerable attention investigating its potential as a cardio-protective nutrient. Animal studies have provided ample evidence supporting melatonin’s antioxidant protection against heart muscle injury,39,40 reducing the damage done by a heart attack,41,42 and improving the strength of the heart’s pumping action following a heart attack.43-46

Other investigators reported that it decreases total cholesterol and LDL levels and increases HDL cholesterol levels.33,34 Scientists have discovered that individuals with metabolic syndrome have a lower melatonin production rate compared to healthier counterparts without metabolic syndrome and that individuals with metabolic disturbances in blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar management (all classic features of metabolic syndrome) possess lower melatonin levels than those with normal metabolic function.47 Other in-vivo studies have confirmed that melatonin can lower blood pressure levels.44-48

#3: Cancer Therapy Adjuvant and Immune Regulator

Emerging research suggests that melatonin has anticarcinogenic properties—that is, it has the ability to prevent cancer from occurring, or to induce the cancer cell death if it does occur. This has been attributed to melatonin’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative, and hormone-modulating properties.49,50

Melatonin’s ability to interfere with cancer cell multiplication and growth (“proliferation”), as well as inducing cancer cell death (“apoptosis”), has been documented in cancer patients.51, 52

It has been successfully used in individuals with advanced stage cancers undergoing conventional anticancer therapy, by either slowing disease progression and/or decreasing treatment side effects.53-60 In a review of 8 randomized, controlled clinical trials evaluating the benefits of melatonin as an adjuvant therapy for cancer patients with solid tumors undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, researchers found that concurrent use of 20 mg of melatoninonce daily versus conventional treatment alone, improved the rate of complete or partial remission by nearly 50%, increased the one-year survival rate by 45%, and decreased the devastating side effects of conventional therapy such as low platelet count, neuropathy, and fatigue by 89%, 83%, and 65% respectively.59 What’s more, these effects were consistent across different types of cancer and there were no adverse events reported.59

Melatonin’s anticarcinogenic properties can also be attributed to its effect on your immune system. Laboratory studies revealed that melatonin can activate T-helper cells, which triggers other immune cells in order to help kill off foreign invaders or pathogens.61,62 Additionally, melatonin stimulates natural killer cell, monocyte, and macrophage synthesis, and has been found to facilitate healthy cell-to-cell communication, which enhances the body’s appropriate immune system response to foreign invaders.63,64  Based on available evidence, leading experts suggest that patients with cancers and particularly metastatic solid tumors, might benefit from melatonin use, potentially leading to improved therapeutic outcomes.62-70

#4: Protect Against Diabetic Complications Protect Against Diabetic Complications

Diabetes also belongs to the family of “free radical diseases.”71 Research has found that people with type 2 diabetes and retinopathy experience alterations of their melatonin secretion.72 Considering the large body of evidence identifying melatonin as a major free-radical scavenger, it is not surprising that preclinical research repeatedly and consistently documents its beneficial antioxidative effects in diabetics and those with high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).73,74

Melatonin has also been shown to protect pancreatic beta-cells and several diabetes-affected organs (including kidney, retina, brain, and vasculature) from free radical damage.75 In studies, melatonin treatment has produced reductions in blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and cholesterol.75

#5: Help Delay Alzheimer’s Disease

 Help Delay Alzheimer's Disease Another unique and powerful property of melatonin is its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Oral intake of melatonin has been shown to increase levels of melatonin in the brain.76 Melatonin also protects the blood brain barrier particularly in cases of hypoxic injury that may cause increased permeability of the blood brain barrier and lead to more damage to the delicate brain tissue as compounds that normally would be kept out by a functioning blood brain barrier gain entrance to the brain.77

Intensive research over the past decade has indicated melatonin’s beneficial effects in experimental models of neurodegenerative disorders, specifically those linked to oxidative damage.78 In fact, melatonin’s broad spectrum antioxidant activity in many central nervous system neurodegenerative diseases has been well-documented and reviewed.78,79

Specifically, melatonin can help delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and help protect vital cellular structures, such as mitochondria, from oxidative damage and decay.80 Declines in mitochondrial function are a hallmark feature of many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease.81 Melatonin may also promote improved sleep patterns and prevent cognitive impairment and improve the confusion and restlessness that often occurs in the evening (called sundowning) in AD patients.80,82,83 Preclinical studies revealed that melatonin exerts pronounced neuroprotective effects against beta amyloid plaque, one of the specific underlying causes of Alzheimer’s disease.84-86

More recent investigations show that melatonin may prevent brain cell death while maintaining energy and oxygen metabolism in highly stressed neuronal mitochondria.87,88 Interestingly, decreased night time melatonin levels have been associated with the severity of mental impairment in dementia patients, and disturbed circadian rhythms seem to be correlated with cognitive performance in elderly and Alzheimer’s patients.81,89,90 It is important to note that while melatonin may prove beneficial in earlier stages of Alzheimer’s disease, it is much less effective in late stage Alzheimer’s and may fail to improve sleep or agitation.92,93

#6: Combat Obesity with Melatonin

In recent years, dietitians and medical experts have recognized that obesity is often associated with stress, emotional eating, sleep-deprivation, and hormonal changes later in life. A recent study in women with night eating syndrome (an eating disorder characterized by late-night binge eating) added further confirmation to this. It found that women suffering from this disorder had pronounced circadian melatonin rhythm disturbances, which also affected levels of cortisol (a stress hormone that can be a factor in weight problems) and ghrelin (a hormone that stimulates hunger). It also affected a variety of other behavioral and physiological circadian markers involved in appetite and neuroendocrine regulation.94

While no human weight-management trials using melatonin have been published thus far,95 preclinical trials are encouraging. In middle-aged rodents, daily melatonin administration was found to suppress abdominal fat, plasma leptin levels, and insulin levels, while also reducing body weight and food intake.96,97 Other researchers reported that melatonin was associated with decreased intra-abdominal fat, decreased plasma insulin and leptin levels, and the absence of age-related weight gain.95,98

Furthermore, laboratory investigations discovered melatonin’s ability to activate brown adipose tissue, which encourages your body to burn fat instead of storing it.99-101In recent years, brown fat has increasingly become a target for halting the global obesity epidemic.102

In a rat model of pre-diabetic, diet-induced obesity, supplementing obese rats with 4mg/kg/day of melatonin resulted in reductions in body weight, belly fat, serum insulin levels, and triglycerides.103 In humans, the equivalent dose is 48 mg for a 165 lb adult, which is a very high dose that could produce next day drowsiness. Typical human doses for melatonin range from 300 micrograms to 10 milligrams at bedtime.

#7: Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Help Prevent Osteoporosis

Data derived from animal research suggests that melatonin has beneficial effects on bone repair and remodeling, and bone mineral density,104 which  would make it an ideal candidate for the prevention of osteoporosis or as adjuvant after bone fractures.

A very small, yet compelling recently published double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study investigated the effects of melatonin on bone health and quality of life in 18 perimenopausal women (ages 45-54) for 6 months. It found that melatonin improved physical symptom scores (e.g., feeling and sleeping better), increased osteocalcin (a marker for bone formation), and decreased levels of Type-I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide (a marker for bone resorption), indicating that melatonin may restore imbalances in bone remodeling and prevent bone loss.105.

Summary

  • Aging is a multi-factorial process, involving a heavy load of free radicals, metabolic, hormonal, and changes in immunity. Although there is currently no direct clinical evidence demonstrating that melatonin may prolong the human life span, there are several reasons to postulate its role in the aging cascade:
  •   Melatonin participates in many vital life processes, and its secretion falls gradually over time.
  • Diminished melatonin levels appear to correlate with the deterioration of many metabolic functions and decreasing hormone levels, thus possibly contributing to the acceleration of aging processes.
  • Melatonin exhibits immunomodulatory properties; suppressed immunity has been implicated in the acceleration of aging processes.
  • Melatonin has remarkable low toxicity and is without significant side effects if used at <10 mg/day (provided as ‘regular’ or ‘fast-release’);106

 

What You Need to Know: More Than Sleep; Melatonin’s Multiple Benefits

·        Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a derivative of the amino acid tryptophan and widely distributed in food sources, such as milk, almonds, bananas, beets, cucumbers, mustard, and tomatoes.21-23

·        In humans, melatonin is primarily synthesized by the pineal gland, but it is also produced in the gastrointestinal tract and retina.24,25

·        Melatonin and its metabolites are potent antioxidants with anti-inflammatory, hypotensive, cell communication enhancing, cancer fighting, brown fat-activating, and blood-lipid-lowering effects, thereby protecting tissues from a variety of insults.5-9

·        Melatonin has been shown to support circadian rhythm, hormone balance, reproductive health, cognition, mood, blood sugar regulation, and bone metabolism, while improving overall antioxidant status and lowering blood pressure.1,10-17

·        Melatonin may assist in preventing diabetic complications, and improving treatment outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancer.1,2,7,9,10

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100. Torres-Farfan C, Valenzuela FJ, Mondaca M, et al. Evidence of a role for melatonin in fetal sheep physiology: direct actions of melatonin on fetal cerebral artery, brown adipose tissue and adrenal gland. J Physiol. 2008 Aug 15;586(16):4017-27.

101. Tan DX, Manchester LC, Fuentes-Broto L, Paredes SD, Reiter RJ. Significance and application of melatonin in the regulation of brown adipose tissue metabolism: relation to human obesity. Obes Rev. 2011 Mar;12(3):167-88.

102. Ginter E, Simko V. Brown fat tissue – a potential target to combat obesity. Bratisl Lek Listy. 2012;113(1):52-6.

103. Nduhirabandi F, Du Toit EF, Blackhurst D, Marais D, Lochner A. Chronic melatonin consumption prevents obesity-related metabolic abnormalities and protects the heart against myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury in a prediabetic model of diet-induced obesity. J Pineal Res. 2011 Mar;50(2):171-82. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-079X.2010.00826.x. Epub 2010 Nov 15.

104. Ramírez-Fernández MP, Calvo-Guirado JL, de-Val JE, et al. Melatonin promotes angiogenesis during repair of bone defects: a radiological and histomorphometric study in rabbit tibiae. Clin Oral Investig. 2012 Feb 11. Epub ahead of print.

105. Kotlarczyk MP, Lassila HC, O’Neil CK, et al. Melatonin osteoporosis prevention study (MOPS): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study examining the effects of melatonin on bone health and quality of life in perimenopausal women. J Pineal Res. 2012 May;52(4):414-26.

106. Seabra MLV, Bignotto M, Pinto LR Jr, Tufik S. Randomized, double-blind clinical trial, controlled with placebo, of the toxicology of chronic melatonin treatment. J Pineal Res. 2000;29:193–200.ant side effects if used at <10 mg/day (provided as ‘regular’ or ‘fast-release’)

Protect Your Brain and Reverse Aging with These 2 Supplements!

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Two natural compounds produced by our tissues, L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), are similar in that both have identical chemical core structures. However, one (ALC) contains an extra component, an acetic acid bound to the core molecule (in what is known as an ester linkage). It turns out that this extra chemical piece makes a significant difference in how this molecule behaves in our body relative to its non-acetylated cousin, L-carnitine.

L-carnitine functions as a vehicle to ferry fat constituents (fatty acids) across a membrane barrier into the cell’s energy-producing machine, the mitochondria, where the fat is converted to energy. Equally important, L-carnitine works in the reverse direction, too. It ferries toxic products produced during fat metabolism out of the mitochondria. This latter step helps maintain the mitochondria as clean-burning, energy-efficient machines.

We are all aware of the fact that as we age, our energy level diminishes. This decrease in energy parallels a decrease in the plasma level of L-carnitine. L-carnitine also decreases under conditions of stress, both psychological and physical.

Acetyl-L-carnitine is just as active as L-carnitine in transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria. However, as described below, that extra acetyl group confers additional properties to this form of L-carnitine, which make it superior to its non-acetylated cousin. Both compounds increase energy Acetyl L-Carnitine or ALC Physical Energy Fat Metabolism Brain Protection Neurotransmissio.

One of the two cousins, ALC, stands out with respect to its effects on the brain and nervous system. First, ALC is more effectively transported into the central nervous system. It more readily traverses the blood-brain barrier.

Breakthrough research

Dr. Bruce Ames, professor of molecular and cellular biology at UC Berkeley, put this idea to the test by giving rats a supplement designed to stimulate and protect mitochondria. The results so far have been very impressive.

Dr. Ames and his team fed older rats two chemicals normally found in the body’s cells and available as dietary supplements: Acetyl-L-Carnitine and Lipoic Acid. The research was reported in three articles that appeared in the February 19, 2002 issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Not only did the older rats do better on memory tests, they had more pep, and the energy-producing organelles in their cells worked better.

“With the two supplements together, these old rats got up and did the Macarena,” said Ames. “The brain looks better, they are full of energy—everything we looked at looks more like a young animal.”

Based on Ames’ research, we now know that the combination of these two antioxidant dietary supplements supercharges the cells’ energy production in order to maximize memory, health and longevity. This breakthrough research has even shown that the combination of these nutrients has the potential of not only slowing down aging, but of even reversing some signs of aging.

Acetyl-L-Carnitine supercharges cellular energy production

Based on dozens of studies, Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown to supercharge cellular energy production in order to maximize memory, health and longevity.

What does it do?

Acetyl-L-Carnitine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the brain, liver and kidney. It transports fats to the mitochondria and is also available as a dietary supplement.

Over the course of 30 years of biochemical and clinical research, we’ve learned that ALC is a natural metabolite in our physiology and an effective treatment for age-related mental impairment.

The benefits of Acetyl-L-Carnitine supplementationbrain

ALC has been shown to:

  • Protect the brain from the effects of aging
  • Improve performance in normal healthy humans (Lino, et al., 1992)
  • Improve cognition by enhancing the production of acetylcholine
  • Delay the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and enhance overall performance in some individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (Sano, et al., 1992; Bowman, 1992)
  • Improve memory, attention span and alertness in people with Alzheimer’s disease (Cabrero, et al., 1992; Cassat, et al., 1990)
  • Improve cerebral blood flow to the brain (Postiglione, et al., 1990; Rosadini, et al., 1988)
  • Counteract depression in the elderly (Bella, et al., 1990)

We’ve examined how it’s possible to increase mitochondria function with supplementation of Acetyl-L-Carnitine. But since we know that mitochondria are also the source of free radical production, the question remaining is this:

How is it possible to re-energize the mitochondria without increasing free radical production?

Many of the damaging free radicals generated within cells are formed in the mitochondria during energy production. If you restored their energy producing capacity with ALC alone, it would cause a dramatic increase in free radical activity.

This would increase the amount of damage occurring within the cells, and would reduce any long-term benefit. Thus, while the amazing properties of ALC are truly a revolution in dietary supplements, the most desired anti-aging strategy would be to restore mitochondria function AND lower the level of free radical production coming from the mitochondria. Because the benefits of ALC slowly dissipate as increases in free radical production age the cells.

Reaping the full benefits of Acetyl-L-Carnitine

Recently, it was discovered that there are some antioxidants that could partially restore mitochondrial function in old animals and decrease free radical production at the same time. Unfortunately, most of them are synthetic chemicals that aren’t safe for human consumption. All of them except one! Luckily this natural antioxidant is very well researched and safe and approved for human consumption…

What is Lipoic Acid?

Lipoic Acid is produced by the body in trace amounts. It’s a vitamin-like compound, which is often called the “universal antioxidant”. This is because unlike most other antioxidants that offer protection only for specific water-soluble or fat-soluble environments, Lipoic Acid offers protection in both cellular environments, providing antioxidant protection in all parts of our cells and body.

What’s special about Lipoic Acid?

Lipoic Acid is invaluable in recycling or restoring other oxidized forms of antioxidants—including vitamin C, vitamin E, glutathione and CoQ10— back to their active states. Lipoic Acid also crosses cell membranes and works as an antioxidant in both water and lipid parts of the body, including the brain.

Lipoic Acid’s antioxidant benefits

Because of Lipoic Acid’s unique abilities as a natural, broad-spectrum antioxidant, research into its effects quickly branched out. Since its development in Germany in the 1970s as a treatment for diabetic complications, it is routinely given to diabetics in Europe.

Some of the findings from this extensive research concluded that Lipoic Acid has the potential to:

  • Lower body levels of toxic metals, especially mercury.
  • Help prevent heart disease by protecting LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) from oxidation.
  • Promote brain and nerve cell health by stimulating Nerve Growth Factor (NGF).

But the most intriguing discovery was Lipoic Acid’s anti-aging effects on old animals.

Lipoic Acid was also found to:

  • Improve memory in aged animals by restoring age-related brain cell receptor defects.
  • Protect brain cells from damage caused by toxins and chemicals.
  • Recycle CoQ10 back to its antioxidant form in the body, enhancing the antioxidant protection of this important antioxidant.
  • Normalize elevated lipid peroxide levels in aged animals, reducing the risk of oxidation damage, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
  • Restore antioxidant protection in old animals to normal, young animal levels.

Supporting Study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

(R)-alpha-lipoic acid-supplemented old rats have improved mitochondrial function, decreased oxidative damage, and increased metabolic rate.

Source

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.

Abstract

A diet supplemented with (R)-lipoic acid, a mitochondrial coenzyme, was fed to old rats to determine its efficacy in reversing the decline in metabolism seen with age. Young (3 to 5 months) and old (24 to 26 months) rats were fed an AIN-93M diet with or without (R)-lipoic acid for 2 wk, killed, and their liver parenchymal cells were isolated. Hepatocytes from untreated old rats vs. young controls had significantly lower oxygen consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential. (R)-Lipoic acid supplementation reversed the age-related decline in O2 consumption and increased mitochondrial membrane potential. Ambulatory activity, a measure of general metabolic activity, was almost threefold lower in untreated old rats vs. controls, but this decline was reversed (P<0.005) in old rats fed (R)-lipoic acid.

The increase of oxidants with age, was significantly lowered in (R)-lipoic acid supplemented old rats . Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, an indicator of lipid peroxidation, were increased fivefold with age in cells from unsupplemented rats. Feeding rats the (R)-lipoic acid diet reduced MDA levels markedly.

Both glutathione and ascorbic acid levels declined with age, but their loss was completely reversed with (R)-lipoic acid supplementation. Thus, (R)-lipoic acid supplementation improves indices of metabolic activity as well as lowers oxidative stress and damage evident in aging.

Click Here for Study.

NOTE: Consult with your Doctor or Nutritionist before starting any new supplement regimen.

~ Be Well! ♥

Actually Reverse the Symptoms of Aging and Increase Vitality!

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WATCH this Video, then read this post!

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A good friend of mine who is a Nutrition Counselor at a large well-known Medical Center told me about this product after she tried it.

Since then I’ve met a dozen people who have been taking AgeLoc for a few months, and each has some pretty amazing story.  Here are some of the changes they are experiencing: A notable shift in energy level, ability to exercise for longer periods of time, improvement in one person’s hearing,  gray hair growing in dark again, an improvement in bladder control, and just a good overall feeling.

My boyfriend J, a person who won’t take a pill for any reason whatsoever, volunteered to start taking these since I am hesitant to try something new without a lot of study and proof!  You know your boyfriend loves you when he agrees to be your guinea pig! Well, it’s been a month and even he admits that he likes what’s going on.  He says even his ‘skin’ feels different.

Age-Related Vitality Loss

Deep inside each of our cells, tiny cellular “power plants” called mitochondria create the chemical energy that fuels our bodies. These little guys never sleep as they  continuously deliver the energy molecule ATP that powers our cellular processes.

As we age, the efficiency, size, and number of our mitochondria declines and energy production is unable to keep up with our bodies’ demands. Some declines in efficiency of our mitochondria are associated with age-related changes in gene expression. These changes are represented by the changes we see in the activity patterns of the Youth Gene Cluster (YGC) associated with aging.

Gene expression can be influenced through lifestyle choices as well as nutrition. With AgeLOC science the company has been able to develop products that support the healthy expression of these YGCs to help people feel more like they did when they were younger.

Initial research findings from an exclusive partner, LifeGen Technologies, have revealed several potential ingredients shown to oppose age-related changes in expression of key gene groups associated with aging. So Pharmanex, the Scientific Research company that makes this product, is able to identify, target, and reset a specific YGC related to vitality.

Data suggests that some nutrients work well in the muscle while others work best in the brain.

According to Pharmanex, AgeLOC Vitality is formulated with a carefully selected blend of ingredients to:

  1. Promote healthy Youth Gene C activity associated with youthful vitality.
  2. Support three dimensions of vitality that typically decline with age—physical vigor, mental acuity, and sexual drive.
  3. Raise and sustain baseline energy levels.

Testimonials:

“ageLOC Vitality has helped me to train more and train harder than I ever have before. This is the first time I’ve noticed a significant difference after taking a product. My speed is better, my balance is better and my cardio is far beyond what it has ever been in the past.”   -  Tandi S., MMA Fighter

“I was totally amazed with ageLOC Vitality. I felt this surge throughout my body…as though all my circuits were being turned on! I noticed that I had no longer needed my usual afternoon pick me up, and started to feel this clean, healthy, even flow of energy that I used to feel and take for granted. It feels so good to feel this good again!”  -  Mickey E., Body Builder

“After taking ageLOC Vitality for 30 days, I raced in this year’s Death Ride – one of America’s toughest cycling events.  I had the fastest seat time ever, even with high headwinds on Carson Pass. This was definitely the best I’ve ever felt. I wasn’t ever winded on the early passes and didn’t crash and burn on Carson. After lunch, I only stopped once before top of Carson and I skipped a bunch of rest stops that I usually need to take.”  -  Mike F., Cyclist

From what I can tell in talking with people who have been taking AgeLoc, this is in fact what is happening.  Now that J has given me the green light, I am jumping on the band wagon too!

If you’re interested in trying any of NuSkin’s products contact me. I can set you up to view or purchase at wholesale (20 – 30% less than the posted online price) click HERE.

~ Be Well! ♥

First CUTC “Fighting Disease With Food” Info Session a Success!

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On Sunday, I held the first Cooking Up The Cure (CUTC) informational session : Fighting Disease with Food. A good friend of mine who is a Nutritionist joined me.

Since she is closed on Sunday, my sweet acupuncturist kindly offered her lovely offices space to me.

Snuggled amid a forest of trees, and furnished with gorgeous Asian pieces, her office has a wood porch that runs the length of the back of the building bordering the creek. It was the perfect setting for a relaxed and health related talk.

The front entry of my acupuncturist’s office.

The back porch where the squirrels hang out

She scatters  sunflower seeds along the porch railing for the squirrels every day, as does my Chiropractor in the office adjacent to hers.  One squirrel saw the lights on, and stood begging against the sliding glass door as I began my talk, then resorted to jumping on the screen and hanging upside down to get our attention.  It was hilarious, and the squirrel stole the show.

Having this first talk at Susan’s office was especially symbolic, since it was in her office 2 years and a month ago, that I discovered the tiny lump in my breast. It was as if I had come full circle to close one chapter of my life, and begin a new one.  I also had the final needed cosmetic surgery 18 days ago, another ending to the 2 year process of healing.

I developed a PowerPoint presentation that included recent studies funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) which found that certain foods, spices or vitamins are proving to be just as effective (and in one case MORE effective ) as Chemotherapy in the treatment of Cancer, and others that have linked Autism and Depression to low Antioxidant levels.

I talked Antioxidants, Carotenoids, the Fantastic Foods and Spices and Super Supplements that are being recommended as part of a Complimentary treatment approach to many serious illnesses, and why it’s critical to maintain high Antioxidant levels either by eating the MINIMUM 7 – 10 servings of low-sugar fruits and a wide spectrum of colorful vegetables EVERY day, OR by taking a high quality pure Antioxidant Supplement (click here to learn about Lifepak Nano)* to ensure our body is able to fight back if attacked by disease.

Attendees got their palms scanned by our Biophotonic Scanner, and were either surprised or pleased with their reading. A number of attendants will be taking our Tëgreen* supplement which has the equivalent catechins (the major component of green tea extract, have highly beneficial physiologic effects.) as 7 cups of green tea.
• Tegreen 97(R) enhanced insulin sensitivity
• Improved glucose-lipid metabolism
• Increased fat burning and decreased body fat percentage
• Lowered body weight associated with inhibited angiogenesis.

I baked some Black Bean Dark Chocolate Bars and made a Quinoa Salad which I cooked with Green Tea, as samples of the Anti-Disease Diet. Both were a hit.

Each participant received CUTC Info packets that included the list of Fantastic Foods; a laminated list of Foods and their Antioxidant values; a reusable grocery list to take along when shopping for high antioxidant, vitamin packed foods; excerpts from the book  Beating Cancer with Food; several Anti-Cancer recipes, and more.

It was so successful that I am having another one in Berkeley in a couple of weeks, open to a slightly larger audience.  I want to keep it small enough to engage with attendees and have a meaningful discussion.

We will follow-up with the first group in two months to re-test their antioxidant score and make sure modifications to their diets or new supplements they are adding, are working.

I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to share what I know with this lovely group of people.  It was a happy Sunday for me.

* For more information on these supplements send me an email.  If you are interested in trying them I can offer you a 20% discount from the online published price.

Cheers! ♥

Some Good News about Depression and Anti-oxidants!

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We’ve all heard how much money Americans spend on anti-depressants every year, and how much of them wind up in our water supply.

What a boon to the Earth and to humanity for a natural, non-toxic substance to be found just as effective in the treatment of this condition.  The fantastic news is that we may have stumbled on just such a discovery.

Loneliness
It thrills me that the very foods and anti-oxidants we’ve been talking about here for months are the very same ones that can help re-balance brain chemistry and address the very real symptoms of depression.

After my mother’s onset of dementia, I became clinically depressed.  She lived with us, and my children were 10 and 1 at the time.  I worked full-time, so the lovely nanny we hired to care for my 1-year-old watched mom for a few hours, and my sister would come take her for a couple of hours.

Her situation worsened, so that it became a full-time job keeping track of what she was doing.  More than once she would unlock the baby-proofed cabinets and give my 1-year-old spray bottles to play with… glass cleaner, bleach, 409, you name it.  A couple of times he’d run around the house clutching something he found on the floor, and it would be one of her blood thinners that she dropped.  It was also a time when my marriage was a little strained. The stress caused my depression.

I was put on Wellbutrin, which messed with my brain in very unhealthy ways. I couldn’t think clearly, I could no longer multitask or plan meals or appointments for the next few days. I got off the meds and tried St. John’s Wort. My MD said it was not safe for my son to have Mom live with us, and was causing me too much stress, so my older sister who worked part time and whose children were much older, converted her garage to an apartment for Mom.

Based on my experience I would not recommend prescription drugs to anyone, unless they had exhausted other methods of treatment.

Below is some very good news!!!

Antioxidants as antidepressants: fact or fiction?Silberne-Stock 1

Scapagnini G, Davinelli S, Drago F, De Lorenzo A, Oriani G.
2012, Jun 1st

Source : Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy.

Depression is a medical condition with a complex biological pattern of aetiology, involving genetic and epigenetic factors, along with different environmental stressors. Recent evidence suggests that oxidative stress processes might play a relevant role in the pathogenic mechanism(s) underlying many major psychiatric disorders, including depression.

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species have been shown to modulate levels and activity of noradrenaline (norepinephrine), serotonin, dopamine and glutamate, the principal neurotransmitters involved in the neurobiology of depression. Major depression has been associated with lowered concentrations of several endogenous antioxidant compounds, such as vitamin E, zinc and coenzyme Q10, or enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, and with an impairment of the total antioxidant status.

Additionally, curcumin, the yellow pigment of curry, has been shown to strongly interfere with neuronal redox homeostasis in the CNS and to possess antidepressant activity in various animal models of depression, also thanks to its ability to inhibit monoamine oxidases.

There is an urgent need to develop better tolerated and more effective treatments for depressive disorders and several antioxidant treatments appear promising and deserve further study.

~ Hooray!! ♥

May I Introduce You to Vitamin D?

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One of the many things I learned after being diagnosed, was the importance of certain vitamins and minerals in cancer inhibition and better prognosis.

Vitamin D3 was one of those.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is technically not a vitamin. It is the name given to a group of fat-soluble prohormones (substances that are precursors to hormones that usually have little
Coconut Tree Leaves
hormonal activity by themselves).
Two major forms of vitamin D that are important to humans are vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol.
Vitamin D2 is made naturally by plants, and vitamin D3 is made naturally by the body when the skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation (in particular, UVB radiation) in sunlight. Vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 can also be commercially manufactured.
The active form of vitamin D in the body is 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D.
Vitamin D is involved in a number of processes that are essential for good health, including the following:
  • It helps improve muscle strength and immune function.
  • It helps reduce inflammation, (critical for Cancer).
  • It promotes the absorption of calcium from the small intestine.
  • It helps maintain adequate blood levels of the calcium and phosphate needed for bone formation, incorporating minerals to increase strength and density, growth, and repair.
For years, Life Extension has been exploring the potentially devastating consequences of vitamin D deficiency, ranging from cardiovascular disease to cancer. Now in this report, Life Extension magazine examines the link between low levels of plasma vitamin D and autism. At the forefront of this research is Dr. John J. Cannell, executive director of the Vitamin D Council and a forensic psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital in California.
Vitamin D3 7000 IU, 60 Capsules (Life Extension)
The stunning findings suggest that rampant vitamin D deficiency is causally related to brain dysfunction, and may be readily preventable by adequate supplementation.
An epidemic of autism appears to be underway in the United States. According to several respected leaders in child and adult nutrition from across the United States, the current meteoric rise in autism and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may well be a direct consequence of significant vitamin D deficiencies in pregnant women and their infants.  And evidence points to vitamin D deficiency as the cause of other debilitating brain conditions as well.  This insidious deficiency is readily remedied–yet tragically often missed.  Read More Here…
Most people get the vitamin D they need through sunlight exposure. It can also be obtained through the diet, but very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Those that do include fatty fish, fish liver oil, and eggs.  Most dietary vitamin D comes from fortified foods, such as milk, juices, yogurt, bread, and breakfast cereals. Vitamin D can also be obtained through dietary supplements.
How Vitamin D Reduces the Risk of Cancer
The mechanisms by which vitamin D reduces the risk of cancer are fairly well understood. They include enhancing calcium absorption (in the case of colorectal cancer) [Lamprecht and Lipkin, 2003], inducing cell differentiation, increasing cancer cell apoptosis or death, reducing metastasis and proliferation, and reducing angiogenesis [van den Bemd and Chang, 2002].
In addition, Vitamin D3 down-regulates parathyroid hormone (PTH) [Chapuy et al., 1987]. IGF-I has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancer. Since IGF-I stimulates tumor growth and high quantities are a Whisked eggs...consequence of the standard American diet [Grant, 2002a; 2004], vitamin D can be considered one partial antidote to the American diet.
How Much Vitamin D is needed?
The amount of ingested vitamin D and/or UVB exposure required for optimal protection against cancer is still being determined. Each person responds differently to UVB exposure and oral intake of vitamin D depending on such factors as skin pigmentation, body mass index (vitamin D is fat soluble), age, condition of digestive tract, other dietary factors, etc.
Dietary vitamin D is insufficient alone to significantly reduce the risk of most cancers since the ingested amounts, up to 200 to 400 I.U. per day, are too low [Grant and Garland, in press]. Evidently, 600 to 1000 I.U per day are required to reduce the risk of vitamin-D-sensitive cancers, except possibly prostate cancer, for which population-average values of serum 25(OH)D are associated with the minimum risk [Tuohimaa et al., 2004; Grant, in press].
I had to  take 7500 I.U per day to get my D level up to 60 initially, and now am down to 5000.  So talk to a nutritionist (I have referrals to a Nutritional Oncologist if you need one.)
The current understanding is that serum 25(OH)D levels should be in the 35 to 60 ng/ml  range for cancer prevention and optimal health. The only way to determine one’s 25(OH)D levels is through blood tests, which can be ordered through a physician or nutritionist.
NOTE: Melatonin supplements allow reduced doses of Vitamin D since they produce a 20 to 100-fold INCREASE in the sensitivity of Breast Cancer cells to Vitamin D. This is why periodic blood test to determine Vit. D (25 Hydroxy) level is important.

References:

  1. Chapuy MC, Chapuy P, Meunier PJ. Calcium and vitamin D supplements: effects on calcium metabolism in elderly people. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987;46:324-8.
  2. Devesa SS, Grauman DJ, Blot WJ, Pennello GA, Hoover RN, Fraumeni JF Jr., Atlas of Cancer Mortality in the United States, 1950-1994. NIH Publication No. 99-4564, 1999. website (accessed March 3, 2004).
  3. Doll R, Peto R. The causes of cancer: quantitative estimates of avoidable risks of cancer in the United States today. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1981;66:1191-308.
  4. Garland CF, Garland FC. Do sunlight and vitamin D reduce the likelihood of colon cancer? Int J Epidemiol. 1980;9:227-31.
  5. Garland C, Shekelle RB, Barrett-Connor E, Criqui MH, Rossof AH, Paul O. Dietary vitamin D and calcium and risk of colorectal cancer: a 19-year prospective study in men. Lancet. 1985;1:307-9.
  6. Grant WB. An estimate of premature cancer mortality in the United States due to inadequate doses of solar ultraviolet-B radiation, Cancer, 2002b;94:1867-75.
  7. Grant WB. A multicountry ecologic study of risk and risk reduction factors for prostate cancer mortality. Eur Urol. 2004;45:371-9.
~ Be Well. ♥