It has only been in the last two to three decades that research into the workings of the immune system has really taken off. Before this, the immune system was not completely ignored by the established medical community; it was used as an indicator of one”s health status.
Remember your “white count” tests? A high white blood cell count told the physician that your body was fighting an infection. Beyond that, it pretty much was not only ignored, but abused, especially considering the innumerable medical procedures and drug therapies that suppress the immune system-some procedures actually decimating it.
In the fifties, tonsillectomies (removals of tonsils) were standard procedure. The tonsils happen to be one of the first line of defenses against disease, and are your only defense against the poliomyelitis virus.
The medical community is beginning to admit, though not too loudly, that the polio epidemic of the fifties was iatrogenic (caused by physician intervention).
Another medical procedure responsible for suppressing the immune system is the appendectomy (removal of the appendix).
Did you know that the appendix is part of your immune system? Did you know there are natural ways of reversing an appendicitis attack? Did you know that an appendicitis attack is actually a warning of something even bigger amiss?
Removing inflamed tonsils or an inflamed appendix is equivalent to tossing out your smoke detector because it”s making too much noise. Immunologists tell us that the tonsils are not to be removed under any circumstance, yet this year there will be over a million tonsillectomies performed in America, and in some states, removing the appendix is required by law if the lower abdomen is opened.
Fortunately our bodies know more than doctors and 20% of the time we actually grow back tonsils and appendices (the plural of appendix) after they”ve been removed.
All surgeries depresses the immune system. The greatest cause of death following a successful surgery is a secondary, or nosocomial infection (one picked up as a result of the hospital stay). With a depressed immune system, secondary infections are deadly.
Antibiotics depress the immune system by taking over its job. Antibiotics also deplete the “good” bacteria (probiotics) needed for cleansing toxins from your system.
Corticosteroids, hormones that are naturally created in the body, have been (are still) administered abundantly because of their anti-inflammatory properties.
Over the counter strengths are now available and their use is wide spread.As with most hormonal therapies, the use of corticosteroids are a double edged sword: they suppress the initial inflammatory response to injury or illness, and they suppress the immune system.
Our purpose here is to let you in on the workings of your immune system, its suppressors, triggers, boosters, and modulators. We are not going to turn you into immunologists, but rather teach you some of the basics.
One of the reasons it has taken science so long to get a grip on the immune system is that its parts and interconnectedness are not readily perceivable.
We have the digestive system, the circulatory system, the nervous system, and the respiratory system to name a few systems. These systems are easily described because they are physically connected. The immune system, on the other hand, consists of, ostensibly, unrelated parts and pieces, and much of what connects it together is molecular.
The immune system is action and reaction. It has an intelligence of its own, though primitive, working like a mouse in a Skinner Box: the product of stimulus and response.
For example, if a microscopic piece of an organ gets into the blood stream either through disease or by injury, the immune system will respond to it as if it were a foreign body, and having done so, the immune system is now trained to attack the original organ.
The suppressor T-cells have to stop this attack or we have the beginning of an autoimmune response (lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system actually attacks the person”s own body).
When referring to the immune system”s physical parts, we also call it the lymphatic system, though the entire immune system, on a molecular level, goes much farther, for even the tiniest cell in our bodies can create chemicals to aid in the defense of the entire system.
The lymphatic system consists of two parts, the primary and secondary organs.
Primary Organs: thymus gland (located beneath the breast bone and functioning at its peak during adolescence) and the bone marrow (producing specialized lymphocytes-T-cells and B-cells and dispatching them through the lymph vessels to the secondary organs.
Secondary Organs: the lymph nodes, spleen, tonsils, Peyer”s patches in the small intestines, liver, and appendix to name a few. These are the locations where the molecular parts of the immune system gather in readiness to do battle with germs, viruses, and allergens (those things causing allergic responses).
The thymus gland is the central organ in the development of immune power. Within its cortex, the bone marrow lymphocytes mature into T-cells helped by thymosin, a hormone secreted by the thymus gland.
The main job of bone marrow is to produce blood cells, both red and white (leukocytes and lymphocytes). It is the soft tissue located in the cavities of the bones. It is the source of stem cells which differentiate (change into) leukocytes and lymphocytes.
To sum up things so far: the bone marrow creates the stem cells which become the cells of the immune system. From the bone marrow lymphocytes are sent to the thymus gland to mature and are then stored in the secondary organs of the lymph system and in the blood stream. The bone marrow also sends leukocytes into the blood stream on sentry duty. Everything stands in a “combat ready” state.
Now let”s look at the cellular components of the system. There are two major cell type of immune system cells: phagocytes and lymphocytes. As you can guess, lymphocytes have something to do with the lymph system. They are small white cells found in lymphoid tissues (the secondary organs of the lymph system) and present also in the blood.
They get to the blood stream from the lymph nodes which are small pea sized organs distributed throughout the body. The lymph nodes trap antigens (substances that trigger an immune response) and filter them out of the lymph fluid. The lymph fluid is actually tissue fluids that have been collected from throughout the body for cleaning, and then are returned to the blood stream via lymphatic vessels.
Lymphocytes
There are two types of lymphocytes: T-cells and B-cells. T-cells are the master regulators of the immune system.
There are three main types of T-cells: helper T-cells (their quantity being a CD4 count), suppressor T-cells (their quantity being a CD8 count), and effector T-cells (sometimes referred to as natural killer, or NK, cells). B-cells have a relatively short life span compared to T-cells.
As B-cells mature, they turn into antibody-producing plasma cells found in lymph nodes and in the spleen. Once the B-cells have created a specific antibody to attack a specific pathogen, their primitive intelligence remembers this information and will know it later should they run up against the same pathogen. This is called “building resistance.” You should note that sulfur-containing amino acids are necessary your diet for the formation of antibodies.
NK Cell Activity
We have to stop here to take a look at NK Cell Activity, for it is the primary criteria determining the overall strength and health of your immune system. NK cells are not, like white cell, measured by their number, for their number stays constant, approximately 15% of your white blood cells.
NK cells provide the first line of defense in dealing with any invasion to your body. Each NK cell contains several small granules that act like explosive charges: when a cancer cell is recognized, the NK cell attaches itself to the cancer cell and injects these granules into the cancer cell and they explode, destroying the cancer cell within five minutes. The NK cell then moves on to another invader. Healthy NK cells have been know to attack two or more invaders or infected cells at once.
It is now accepted that that individuals with low NK cell activity are more susceptible to Chronic Fatigue, autoimmune diseases, cancerous tumors and viral infections.
There is a test to determine you NK cell activity, called the 4 hour 51Chromium-release assay. If you are dealing with one of the disorders listed above, this test might be a good idea.
For ways to increase your NK Cell Activity naturally, see Your Immune System: The Rest of the Story, the next article in this series.T-cells
Helper T-cells stimulate B-cell production and augment production of more helper cells and effector cells (natural killer cells). Suppressor T-cells act to diminish helper T-cell activity, for let”s face it, when the battle is over, we don”t want the immune system to keep on fighting.
Effector T-cells, natural killer cells, attack foreign cells, such as Candida albicans or cancerous cells, by destroying the cell membrane.Normally there are about twice as many helper T-cells as suppressor T-cells.
In immune deficiency diseases, such as AIDS, you will often hear about the CD4 count falling below the CD8 count.What they are talking about is the helper/suppressor ratio getting out of whack. When this occurs, the body is ripe for an “opportunistic infection.”
Since we”ve mentioned antibodies, let”s discuss them here (we”ll get back to the phagocytes shortly). Antibodies are protein molecules (called immunoglobulins-Ig) produced by the B-cells.
There are five classes of antibodies: IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG, and IgM. IgA and IgE are referred to as secretory antibodies because they are found in our secretions. IgA is found abundantly in saliva and in the mucous membranes of your lungs, intestinal track, and genitals. It is the first line of defense against invading bacteria. Laboratory studies show increases in IgA output in people enjoying themselves during exercise, laughter, and love making. Laughter is the best medicine.
IgE is our first defense against allergies and parasites. It is thought that as many as half a million IgE molecules can bind to a single mast cell. Mast cells act as sentinels. They trigger a quick response to an invasion of allergens and parasites, and it is the immunoglobulin E that triggers the release of histamines (those things we take antihistamines to suppress).
Histamines increase immune response and blood flow. Taking an antihistamine reduces symptoms, but allows the dis-ease can get out of hand. One of the best ways to relieve the pressures brought on by histamine production (whether in the lungs during an asthma attack or in the sinuses) is to increase you consumption of clean, pure, room temperature water.
Antibodies do not destroy the enemy by themselves, but call in complements. Antibodies are Y-shaped and travel through the bloodstream seeking invading bacteria, viruses, and microbes. When an invader is discovered, the antibody seizes it with one of the upper branches of the its Y and calls in the complements.
Complements, C1 through C9, are complex blood proteins containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. When called, they line up, C1 through C9, and attack in a linear fashion, one at a time, and when all eight are in place, they pierce the enemy”s coating causing the insides to spill out and then signal the macrophages and neutrophils to come and clean up the mess.
Complements have the ability to bind to B-cells and certain immunoglobulins. (Please note the use of hydrogen and oxygen here, for in later issues we will be talking about antioxidants and this here is a slight preview.)
Phagocytes
Phagocytes (leukocytes) are the second type of immune system cells; lymphocytes are the other. They ingest other cells, microbes, and foreign particles in a process of phagocytosis (an ability of only a few types of phagocytes). They move like tiny amoebas through the blood stream to the site of an injury where they either destroy the invader themselves, or produce antibodies that can. Please note that phagocytes cannot destroy viruses.
There are four major steps in phagocytosis, and please note that deficiencies or excesses of isolated nutrients affect the outcome of each step:
1. Chemotaxis is the capacity to be attracted to a target and the ability to get there (motility). Vitamin C enhances motility, but excess zinc levels can suppress it.
2. Opsonization is the capacity to adhere to its target.3. Engulfment is the capacity of the phagocyte to ingest its target.4. Cidal capacity is the capacity to destroy the target.
In some cases, such as overcolonization by Candida albicans (yeast), phagocytes can perform the first three steps, but cannot perform the last and destroy its target.
The actual destruction of a phagocyte”s target is carried out by the phagocyte releasing strong free radicals (those things that age us and have been linked to triggering cancer that we battle with antioxidants), such as hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion.
Interestingly enough, the phagocyte must contain enough antioxidants to protect itself against its release of free radicals, or each attack will be a Kamikaze attack. Phagocytes store the antioxidants Vitamin C and the amino acid glutathione as protection, though it has been discovered that, in some scenarios, excessive amounts of vitamin C can suppress its cidal capacity (since the free radicals released are quickly cleaned up). Thus, this tiny cell must regulate its own generation of antioxidants and free radicals to enable it to do its job and survive the battle.
There are many types of phagocytes, broken into two groups: myeloid cells (granulocytes) and monocytes. The granulocytes are cells filled with granules of toxic chemicals that digest the invaders.
Examples of granulocytes are basophils, neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells. Monocytes are short-lived phagocytes that become various macrophages found throughout the body whose task it is to clean up the waste produced by the immune system as well as destroy pathogens (disease causing substances).
Macrophages (literally “big eaters” in Latin), eventually die (after eating their fill) producing the mucus and pus we find as the result of an infection. When you are all stuffed up and coughing up phlegm as the result of a cold, this is simply the result of your immune system battling the cold virus (phlegm is dead immune cells).
You should note that macrophages require the amino acid L-arginine to create the nitric oxide they use to destroy bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. (Tumors protect themselves by producing the enzyme arginase that breaks down L-arginine; thus supplementing a cancer diet with L-arginine, according to studies in England, seems to be helpful. [Alternatives, November 1994; 5:17])
It has been discovered that every cell in our bodies has receptors, a spot where chemicals can attach themselves to the cells. Harvard researchers discovered that our immune system cells have neuropeptide receptors.
Neuropeptides are the chemicals released by the brain when we feel good (from loving and being loved) and when we feel bad (from anger and frustration). The conclusion is very simple: our immune system is listening to and is affected by our emotional dialog. Remember this, for we will explore this even deeper in the next article in this series: Your Immune
System: The Rest of the Story.
Now if you”ve made it to here and think you”ve learned all there is to know about the immune system, you”ve forgotten our foreshadowing at the beginning of this article: every cell in your body participates in the immune system at some level.Interferon, which is produced during viral infections, has been touted as the cancer cure of the century. However, tests show that sometimes it works like a magic bullet, and sometimes it doesn”t work at all. And the side effects, at times, can do you in.
Interferon is now synthesized in laboratories and sold at skyrocketing costs, but did you know that any viral infected cell can create it?
There are many types of interferons, and their name derives from their function: the ability to interfere with viral infections.
When a cell is attacked by a virus, though it cannot save itself, it can create an interferon that will warn other cells of an impending infection.
Having been warned, the uninfected cells arm themselves with antiviral substances that keep the virus from replicating (reproducing themselves) in the uninfected cells.
Interleukins are hormones that carry messages between the immune cells to orchestrate the entire battle. One interleukin attracts T-cells to their targets and alert them to create interferon (if needed) and create another interleukin to create helper T-cells to kick the immune system into high gear and call in the natural killer cells and stimulate B-cells to produce antibodies.
Interleukins have been widely used in cancer therapies, though not very effectively, and if the side effects don”t kill you, the cost might.
But did you know there is a way to create millions of dollars of Interleukins naturally? Your body creates these wonderful chemicals whenever you do something the excites you, enthralls you, rings all your bells.
If Magic Mountain in Disneyland is something that deeply excites you, one ride can be worth millions. Horse back riding, making love for hours, racing cars, watching a beautiful sunset: your key to a powerful immune system is the same key that turns your crank. Have fun!
Interferon and interleukin are classified as lymphokines, the substance (hormone) that infected cells and T-cells create to stimulate other cells in the immune system.
Studies have shown that natural interferons and interleukins are extremely effective and have no side effects; as opposed to those that medical science introduces to fight disease, and this has the medical community baffled.
It could take years to untie this knot.
Another recent discovery is TNF, or Tumor Necrosis Factor, a chemical produced by the macrophages to destroy tumors.
In cancer patients, this can be a good thing, but studies have shown that over a long period of time, high TNF levels can lead to wasting and eventually death. This, according to some research we”ve uncovered, is one of the causes of the wasting syndrome in people with AIDS.
TNF has been synthesized in the laboratory, and testing has begun on new therapies using TNF for cancer.
Finally we should mention hybridoma, a hybrid cell created when a lymphocyte fuses to a cancer cell and secretes either a lymphokine or an antibody specific for just one antigen. Hybridomas are currently being studied in laboratories that use stem cell assay, a process where a biopsy of cancerous tissue is cloned and experimented on.
Once it is discovered which antibody the patient”s own immune system wants to create to fight the cancer, that antibody can be injected in large doses back into the patient to battle the cancer. Tests, however, are still incomplete.
Now, I have a couple of things to tell you about the preceding discussion of your immune system: the true workings of the immune system are not fully known, and what is known would take up over a thousand pages of very fine print (in other words, this was only an introduction);secondly, this description is, like all western science, a bit too mechanistic and materialistic, at least for me, and I”ll tell you why using acupuncture as an example:
Though acupuncture has worked for six thousand years, our western medical community refused to accept it till they understood its workings (the mechanics behind it).
This after witnessing a lung resection using only acupuncture as the anaesthetic! Additionally, the meridian system was not accepted until modern medical science, using high tech instruments and western methodologies actually “discovered” it.
This is the materialism of the West: if you can”t count it, taste it, see it, it doesn”t exist. Our western scientists eventually discovered these meridians. The Chinese discovered them over six thousand years ago without the use of high tech.
When it comes to the immune system, auditing its mechanics and materials is overkill, for as you will learn in the next article on the immune systme, developing a powerful immune system is as easy as asking.A
Special Note to my Friends with Cancer: Most of the medical community view cancer as a local, specific disease.
However, because of a paradigm shift (brought on by impinging views from the holistic medical community), many now feel that cancer is not the disease, but rather it is only a symptom of a disease; an outrageous symptom, but still only a symptom.
Conventional medicine loves to treat symptoms. However, learn to treat the disease, because it is your disease, and not your oncologist”s. The disease?
A dysfunctional and overburdened immune system.
As of this writing (11/13/1998), your author is quite sick. My immune system is shot.
Though I”ve tried (not always successful) to live a clean healthy life, eating organic foods whenever possible, I”ve just been diagnosed with pesticide poisoning. How could that be? I live in a farming community. When they spray, I cannot stop breathing.
Therefore, I am about to undergo a rigorous detoxification program. For more info on how you too can detoxify your bodies and rebuild your immune system, be sure to read Cleaning House, the correct way to detox.
References and Further Reading:
Friedlander, Mark P., and Terry Phillips. Winning the War Within. Emmaus,
PA: Rodale Press, Inc., 1986. (Out of print; check at your local library.)
Heumer, Richard P. The Roots of Molecular Medicine. New York: W.H. Freeman & Company, 1986. (A very technical book of papers presented at the Linus Pauling Institute. Not for the weak of heart, but filled with fascinating information by leading researchers of the workings of the immune system and Linus Pauling himself.)
Marchetti, Albert, M.D. Beating the Odds. New York: St. Martin”s Press, 1988. (Out of print, though Barnes & Noble has one copy as of this writing.
Check your local library.)
Wade, Carlson. Immune Power Boosters. West Nyack, New York: Parker Publishing Company, 1990. (Out of print, though Barnes & Noble has one copy as of this writing. Check your local library.)
Links to More Books:
Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health & Disease
Ten Best Tools to Boost Your Immune SystemBody at War: The Story of Our Immune System
Or try this: Search BarnesandNoble.com for Immune System
Hidden Hazards in Common Foods
Processed Meats
In 1994, the National Cancer Institute released a bulletin stating that hot dogs have been directly linked to childhood leukemia. Our school systems still serve hot dogs.
In nearly all processed meats are nitrates and nitrites. Both of these turn into nitrosamines during digestion. Nitrosamines are carcinogenic.
There are two ways to turn this carcinogen into harmless chemicals:
1. Drink three or more cups of Green Tea with each meal;
2. Insure that your intestinal flora (probiotics such as acidophilus and bifidus) is adequate.
Both of these methods will turn harmful toxins into harmless chemicals.
Additionally, processed meats contain cholesterol, however, cholesterol is not a problem; the problem is oxidized cholesterol; or rancid cholesterol.
These are damaging to your cardiovascular system.
Oh, by the way. There”s another way to protect yourself against nitrates and nitrites: don”t eat them.
Pickles and Salt Cured Foods
Yes, your favorite pickles, and anchovies, contain carcinogens. Your best defense is the same defense used above with processed meats.
NutraSweet (Equal, Aspartame)
The FDA has received more complaints about this artificial sweetener than from any other food additive they have ever passed. Complaints range from headaches, to stomach cramps, to muscle fatigue, and NutraSweet has been linked to neurological disorders such as Fibromyalgia and Alzheimer”s Disease.
At 85 degrees, all drinks containing NutraSweet undergo a transformation. The NutraSweet turns into formaldehyde.
Now for the scary news. No medical journal has reported this, however, industry magazines, such as Flying Safety and Navy Physiology have: at high altitudes, because NutraSweet contains 10% methanol, oxygen deprivation soon follows consumption of diet sodas, leading to dizziness, loss of vision, sudden memory loss, and even epileptic fits.
When the FDA passed NutraSweet, they banned a harmless sweetener, Stevia, which comes from a plant. It has been used for over 200 years with no side effects.
Japan originally made their diet Coke with Stevia, until they decided to standardize with the rest of the world.
Soon after the FDA banned Stevia, a grass roots effort started up demanding the FDA show proof that Stevia was harmful. Since the FDA had no research to prove it harmful, they dragged their feet a couple of years, and finally gave in before Congress began an investigation. You can now purchase Stevia in most health food stores.
Artificial Coloring
Research show that all artificial food coloring produce changes at the cellular level. Dr Andrew Weil”s books point to these artificial colors as an underlying cause of cancers.
Caramel Coloring
Caramel coloring is burnt sugar. Ask any biologist about burnt sugar, and he will tell you that it is a carcinogen. Additionally, scientists have used caramel coloring in lab experiments on mice to interfere with leukocyte action (white cells).
In other words, caramel coloring is immunosuppressive.
The FDA knows this and insures that anything containing caramel coloring must note this on the label. Just luckily, this immunosuppressive property of caramel coloring drops away when you quit ingesting it.
Milk
Did you know that if you take a calf”s mother”s milk, pasteurize it, and give it back to the calf, it will die?
It is estimated that upwards of 40% of Americans have some form of milk intolerance, either lactose intolerance or milk allergies. If you have either one of these problems (and you may not know because years of milk drinking have made you get used to the reaction), your immune system suffers with each glass of milk.Homogenized Milk
If you drink fat free milk, you have nothing to worry about. However if you drink even two percent, odds are, the milk is homogenized.
Homogenization releases an enzyme (usually part of the milk itself and harmless) that attacks your arteries. When arteries are pitted by this enzyme, the so called “bad” cholesterol tries to repair the pits by laying down patches in the holes. Bad cholesterol isn”t. It is trying to save your life and stop you from bleeding to death, internally.
Studies of heavy milk drinkers who are in high school, show arteries with walls covered by cholesterol and plaque. Researchers said that the arteries of these students compared easily to those of people in their sixties. (Try this for more information on The Cholesterol Myths.)
Fats
For years we”ve been told by the National Cancer Institute that fats are responsible for cancer. However, new research shows that only certain fats are responsible for cancer, and that others actually fight cancer. In the Middle East, women have a 40% less chance of breast cancer, and yet their diet is better than 50% fat. However, their fat comes from Olive Oil.
Dr Andrew Weil recommends only using virgin Olive Oil in your diet.
Some people think Canola Oil, since it is a monounsaturated oil, is a good choice. However, most Canola Oil is chemically processed, and residues from these chemicals end up in the oil. Cold pressed Canola Oil is much better, however, its cost, about $50 per gallon, is usually prohibitive. It is not recommended.
Cotton Seed Oil: the herbicides and pesticides we put on our food are regulated by the Department of Agriculture. Since cotton is not considered a food, there are no rules as to which herbicides or pesticides may be used on it. Cotton is genetically altered as well.
Rancid oils are highly oxidizing and carcinogenic.
It is believed that the greatest cause of cancer in pets comes from rancid oils. Most people purchase large bags of dog and cat foods, open them, and keep them open till they are finished. As a human, we wouldn”t eat a bag of potato chips left open over night, but we will serve our animals food from a bag that has been left open for weeks.
To avoid rancid oils in your food, keep your olive oil refrigerated. And if you bake using whole wheats or prefer brown rice to processed white rice, because these unprocessed foods contain natural oils, they too must be refrigerated.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils: in Europe, there is a movement to outlaw the use of partially hydrogenated oils, sometimes referred to as transfatty oils. These “man made” oils have been directly connected to skin cancer.
Additionally, because their structure is so close to that of cholesterol, they take the place of cholesterol in the body. Where does the body use cholesterol? Your cell walls are made up of cholesterol, as well as most of your brain.
It is theorized, because transfatty oils have a long shelf life, that when they invade your body”s cells, they make the cell wall nearly impermeable, not allowing toxins out or nutrition in.
Additionally, Dr Johanna Budwig from Germany has been telling us since the fifties that these oils are responsible for most heart disease and cancers, and has been reversing these two diseases using a simple recipe of flax oil and cottage cheese.
Budwig”s Recipe: three tablespoons of flax oil mixed with organic cottage cheese. According to her research, the flax oil must be bound to protein in order to become water soluble. However, this recipe tastes, to most Americans, terrible.
You can modify this recipe the way I do, by adding a bit more organic cottage cheese, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, chopped celery and carrots, and a little kelp powder (a salt substitute with many minerals). Dr Budwig recommends eating this at least once a day (twice a day is optimal), if you have cancer, heart disease or an immune system disorder (the oils are not called essential because they are optional, they are essential), and at least once a week for prevention.
A wonderful book to read is Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill. At the top of the list is Hemp oil, followed closely by Flax oil. Hemp oil, as you probably know, comes from the Hemp (marijuana) plant. Because our government doesn”t allow live hemp seeds imported into America, the seeds are first denatured. This gives us doubt as to the quality of Hemp oil and its contents.
Back to Partially Hydrogenated Oils: these are artificially saturated oils.
In other words, the package might say, “No Cholesterol” but the truth is, this stuff is artificial cholesterol.
The food industry loves these oils because of this, and because saturated fats (artificial or not) are flavor enhancers. Additionally, these oils have a long shelf life.
So, while most of Europe is trying to outlaw these dangerous oils, our country”s food industry is escalating their use.
To avoid partially hydrogenated oils, you must learn to read labels. They are found in most cocoas, nearly all baked goods, margarines, shortenings, non dairy coffee creamers, nearly all cookies and crackers, breads, nearly all junk foods including the microwavable popcorns, and most tortillas.
Partially Hydrogenated Oils are the leading cause of Type 2 Diabetes (non-insulin dependant). They change the proteins in our bodies in such a way as to reject insulin. The pancreas creates the insulin, but the body can”t use it.
Our diets are high in sugars, so the pancreas creates more and more insulin. The pancreas becomes overworked. Because the pancreas produces enzymes that eat cancers, is it any wonder that people with diabetes have much greater chances of getting cancer than those without?
American Heart Association Finally Gives In
October of 1998 will go down in history! For the past 20 years the American Heart Association has slapped its seal of approval on products containing Partially Hydrogenated Oils: breads, cereals, margarine. They ignored all the research that consistently connected these oils to heart disease (and numerous other diseases) opting to take donations and grants from those companies poisoning our food supply with these dangerous oils.
It had to happen. The truth will out. The American Heart Association is now warning us (thought not too loudly) to keep consumption of these oils to a minimum. This is a major victory for every American.
Processed Sugar
Did you know that processed sugar is immunosuppressive? Many studies have proven this. The book, Sugar Blues discusses the actual biological response the body goes through after ingesting processed sugars, demonstrating his thesis that processed sugar is a drug, and not a food.
The sugar from one can of soda pop can suppress your immune system for up to 6 full hours.
To make a long process short, within minutes of ingesting sugar, your blood sugar levels rise. The body, wishing to maintain homeostasis (a state of balance) does everything in its power to reduce this level of sugar.
Though the human body can do many things at once, when it must focus its efforts on one process, other processes suffer. To use the example from above, when the pancreas is producing insulin, it is not producing enzymes to fight cancer.
Additionally, the World Health Organization now reports that Type 2 Diabetes is at epidemic proportions in countries where sugar and starches are consumed regularly (nearly all baked goods contain partially hydrogenated oils in the form of “vegetable shortening”).
This type of diabetes is not caused by the pancreas not making insulin, but by the body”s inability to use insulin.
We”ve over sugared ourselves. literally to death.
What is the best sugar? There is only one sugar that does not immediately raise blood sugar levels. It is raw cane sugar juice, that has been dehydrated and granulized.
It is sold in health food stores under the name Sucanat T.
Now here is something that every oncologist learns in medical school, though most seem to forget when they begin their practice: cancer needs sugar to grow. In the fifties, Dr Otto Warburg was awarded the Nobel Prize for discovering the metabolic action of cancers.
He discovered that the process is anaerobic, or without oxygen. In other words, cancer metabolizes through a process of fermentation.
Fermentation requires sugar. When a cancer patient ingests sugars (and starches and carbohydrates), it is the cancer that pulls the sugars from the blood stream. Cancer kills by starving the rest of the body.
Now, you may think this is a lot of hooey, probably because the American Cancer Society gives out cookies and EnsureT, or doctors give away cookies after chemotherapy, but researchers at the University of Minnesota are now testing a “smart bomb” based upon Warburg”s research.
A chemotherapeutic agent is wrapped in a coating that makes it harmless to the body until it finds a spot in the body where there is no oxygen. The only spot in a human body with no oxygen is a cancer site. Once in the oxygen free environment, the chemotherapy is released. (Note: we learned about this in 1994, but have yet to hear any updates.)
Additionally, you may have heard that apricot pits contain cyanide. However, some researchers knew that the cyanide was coated with sugars. This too acts as a smart bomb. The cancer needs the sugar. When these little smart bombs arrive at the cancer site, the cancer eats away at the sugar releasing the cyanide.
Why don”t we all know about this? Well, some of us do. The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center knew about this.
One of their public relations people, Ralf Moss, who”s job was to write up for the public the research conducted there, quit his job when research on apricot pits was suppressed.
He now writes about the Cancer Industry, his latest book being Questioning Chemotherapy. You see, the medicine made from these peach pits is called Laetrile.
Hazards of Common Medications
Tagamet
This is a popular stomach acid reducer that is advertised heavily on television. Common side effects are depression, confusion, hallucinations, impotence, and heart and kidney problems.
Additionally, Tagamet interferes with the body”s ability to break down other chemicals, meaning you can get an overdose of any substance you are exposed to.
This is especially a problem if you are taking prescription medications. For example, if you are taking blood thinners or anticoagulants, normally these medications are broken down in the liver. However, if you are using Tagamet, they are not broken down, and you can bleed to death.Reglan
Another common heartburn drug whose most side effect is the onset of Parkinson”s disease symptoms: trembling, stiffness, facial paralysis, and twisting movements of the body.
All Antacids
You should note, that when it comes to taking antacids, whether prescription or over-the-counter, more often than not, acid indigestion is caused by a lack of stomach acid, rather than a surplus of it.
The process is quite simple: food that is not digested due to a lack of stomach acid does not pass easily into your small intestine. It sits in your stomach and forments.
The formenting process causes the undigested foods to bubble and roll about, causing acid reflux. Acid reflux is a wonderful medical term for a very simple action: the acid gets into your esophagus, and even a small amount will cause pain and discomfort.
Taking an antacid in this case will cut the pain, but it will also insure that partially digested food gets into your intestinal tract and cause a host of problems: you don”t get the nutrition you need, the digestive system is overburdened, and your immune system suffers.
Before you take any antacid, demand that your physician or health care provider tests you. It”s that simple. Know whether or not you are making too much or too little stomach acid, because if you make too little, you can always supplement your diet with some digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid.
And keep in mind that according to Dr Peter J. D”Adamo in his book Eat Right For Your Blood Type, research shows that people with Type A blood have a tendency to create less stomach acid than all other blood types. Since Type A is the most common blood type. . .well that sort of answers the question of why antacids are the most commonly purchased over-the-counter medications. Doesn”t it?
Halcion
A sleeping agent that was passed by the FDA just as they forbade the production and sale of L-Tryptophan the natural sleep agent we all experience on Thanksgiving (it comes from the turkey).
Halcion”s side effects are agitation, hallucinations, and amnesia. Abnormal behaviors have been noted in users of Halcion, including murder and suicide.
This drug is outlawed in England, and is one of the most widely prescribed drugs in America.
Since the original writing of this, Halcion has been removed from the market.
Cholesterol Lowering Medication
Here is an article from the Los Angeles Times:A growing body of evidence suggests that diets and drugs that lower blood cholesterol levels may indirectly raise the risk of certain types of violent death by producing personality changes.
Lowering cholesterol reduces the risk of fatal heart attacks, but the decrease in deaths from heart attacks has been offset by an increased risk of death from suicides, violence and accidents.
Researchers believe that lowering cholesterol levels can affect the levels of brain neurotransmitters.
Excess cholesterol is slowly deposited on the walls of blood vessels, building up until an artery suddenly becomes too constricted to sustain blood flow. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke. In 1985, the National Cholesterol Education Program set goals for Americans to know their cholesterol level and take action if it reaches dangerous levels.
No one is questioning the value of reducing cholesterol in those individuals at high risk of heart disease. But for those not at risk, side effects may be large enough to worry about. The concern about such side effects arose in 1978 when physicians analyzed the results of a trial of the cholesterol-lowering drug clofibrate. Overall, the total number of deaths in the treated group was virtually identical to the number in the untreated group. Other studies have shown similar results.
Researchers reason that lowering cholesterol in individuals who do not have high levels to begin with concurrently lowers the level of serotonin in the brain. That, in turn, causes some individuals to be more aggressive in their behavior toward others and to take more risks. In many cases, the effects might be more subtle but still damaging. These opinions are still in the minority. Researchers are awaiting the results of a new set of clinical trials.
Remember earlier when we said that cholesterol made of most of your brain?
Perhaps you don”t know this, but according to some, the American people have been hoodwinked by this focus on cholesterol. The industry”s own research has yet to show that lowering cholesterol levels lowers death rates due to heart attacks. Their own research.
For lots of reading on The Cholesterol Myths, go to this web site.
http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm
Aspirin
Small amounts can cause bleeding of the stomach lining, continued use can lead to peptic ulcers. Aspirin interferes with the production of hormones, and has been linked to macular degeneration. r
nRemember the claim: an aspirin a day to prevent heart attacks? Did you know that plain aspirin didn”t work? Did you know that buffered aspirin did? Did you know that although the people who took aspirin had a 47% less chance of dying of heart attacks, their life expectancy did not increase?
The aspirin in the study was buffered with magnesium. Magnesium is totally safe.
During a heart attack, a person has a 25% better chance of surviving if given an injection of magnesium.
Magnesium dilates blood vessels, aids the body in potassium absorption, acts as a natural blood thinner, and keeps blood cells from clumping. Nearly all autopsies on heart attack victims discover magnesium deficiency.
Cancer and Hair Dyes
NCI research revealed that women who used hair dyes (the permanent type and darker colors seem to be the worst) had a 50% higher risk of developing Non-Hodgkin”s lymphoma. However, no link to cancer was found in those who went blond. [American Journal of Public Health, 1992;82: 7]
Carcinogenic Coffee
Styrofoam: did you know it”s biodegradable? If you wait six billion years!
Did you know that any hot liquid poured into Styrofoam releases small amounts of the carcinogens and toxins from Styrofoam into the hot liquid? This has been known for years. Personally, I use paper cups.
Save Organic Standards
If genetic engineering, factory farming, fertilizing with toxic sludge, animal cannibalism, and food irradiation fit into your idea of organic farming, then read no further. If not, then go to http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop, mention the USDA-National Organic Standards and Docket # TMD-94-00-2, and let them have it!
Today, organic food can mean the difference between life and death to people who are sensitive to various environmental toxins, or who have life threatening diseases. Tomorrow, organic food might kill them.if this resolution is allowed to pass. Or you can write to Pure Food Campaign/Save Organic Standards, 860 Hwy 61, Little Marais, MN 55614, (800) 253-0681.
Since this article was originally written, so many people called in that the government dropped their changes. However, the battle continues.
Food companies, eager to gain more profits will again be pushing their agenda. So, keep this link hot on your favorites and stop in there once in a while, to check up…and protect your interests.
A good site for organic food and information is the Organic Trade Associations page: www.ota.com.
Our FDA
The US General Account Office reported that over an eight year period, 50% of the drugs approved by the FDA had “serious post-approval risks such as heart failure…convulsions…kidney and liver failure…birth defects and blindness.”
Former FDA Commissioner Dr Herbert Ley stated: “The thing that bugs me is that people think the FDA is protecting them. It isn”t. What the FDA is doing and what the public thinks it”s doing are as different as night and day.”
Recently I was emailed a warning about herbs and vitamins. How ten people were affected or injured by this and how excessive vitamin C causes kidney stones.
Well, people, the figures are in. You can go to CNN on line to see the report. Or allow me to tell you that 100,000 people die yearly from “FDA approved” prescription drugs, and many more are injured.Now add to that the 100,000 people (numbers from a recent Harvard study) who die from medical malpractice and you have the third largest cause of death in America: the medical profession.However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. If you are poisoned by arsenic, the arsenic is easy to find in your body. However, if you die because of a physician”s or hospital”s care, your death certificate will tell the world that you died from your disease and not your care, or lack of it.
In today”s medical environment where symptoms are treated, masked, or managed, death comes too soon. We really do not know how many people die from medical intervention. It could easily be the main cause of death in America.
Now some people will say I am being harsh, and I agree. Doctors try to save lives, not take them and they do their best with the tools they”ve been given. However, I must react to the attacks on natural medicine when, IN COMPARISON, so few are injured. Yes, herbs and vitamins and nutrition must be studied, but to proliferate their use, not to suppress them.
The first rule of medicine: Do no harm. This is where Naturopathy stands.
Some therapies might not prove to be effective, but at least they won”t kill you, and you will live to try another therapy.
For the real scoop on the medical industry, read Confessions of a Medical Heretic, by Robert S. Mendelsohn, M.D. Discover for yourself why mortality rates drop when doctors go on strike.
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Wellness Directory of Minnesota
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