Coca-Cola in the News
With corporate friends like this destroying the neighborhood’s
health, who needs evil enemies? Cellular Nutrition by Dr. Strand We have no choice but to live in our present environment. Our bodies are affronted daily by excessive production of free radicals caused by our polluted environment, stressful lifestyles, and over-medicated society. Though we can certainly reduce the amount of free radicals our bodies produce by: not smoking, decreasing stress levels, and avoiding toxic chemicals, most of our bodies are still unable to fight the overwhelming daily attack on the natural defense system. Remember balance is the key – we need enough antioxidants (which are also antifungal) available to neutralize the free radicals produced. Over the past 50 years, nutritional medicine and supplementation has focused on replenishing a nutritional deficiency. Countless hours and dollars have been spent trying to determine exactly which nutrients our bodies are depleted of. Blood tests, urine tests, hair samples, muscle testing, and more have been conducted in an attempt to determine which nutrients we need to supplement. However, we have been aiming at the wrong target. The presenting problem is not a nutritional deficiency, but rather, underlying oxidative stress.*1 Oxidative stress has now been shown beyond any shadow of doubt via medical research to be the root cause of over 70 chronic degenerative diseases. Diseases like heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s dementia, macular degeneration, lupus, MS, and the list goes on and on. Note 1: The web link on
that phrase goes on and on, but let’s be fair to Dr. Strand – he simply doesn’t
seem to know about mycotoxins. All the diseases he lists at the bottom of that paragraph
can also be linked to having a primary cause of fungi. Perhaps the answer, then, is that
fungi caused the oxidative stress he is talking about. Because oxidative stress is our concern rather than specific nutritional deficiencies, we must determine what is the best approach to preventing or controlling oxidative stress. This is accomplished by bolstering one’s natural defenses through cellular nutrition. Cellular nutrition is simply providing all nutrients to the cell at optimal levels. This allows the cell to determine what it actually does and does not need. I don’t have to worry about determining which nutrients the cell is deficient in. I simply provide all of the important nutrients at optimal levels – those levels shown to provide a health benefit in the medical literature. Any nutritional deficiencies will be automatically corrected over the next few months by this approach and all the other vital nutrients will be brought up to their optimal levels as well. Cellular nutrition is providing the body with all the antioxidants along with the supporting B vitamins and antioxidant minerals at optimal levels. This is “preventive medicine” at its best because we can literally attack the disease process at its core by preventing oxidative stress from occurring. You may be wondering if we can control oxidative stress by simply improving your diet and eating more fruits and vegetables. This is definitely a good start. By simply eating 7 to 9 servings of fruits*2 and vegetables each day you can decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, Alzheimer’s dementia, and cancer, two to three fold. We certainly want to supplement a good diet – not a bad diet. However, even if you eat a great diet you can barely obtain the RDA level of all essential nutrients. Medical studies have shown that less than 1% of the American population accomplishes this on a consistent basis. Note 2: Let’s try to
keep those fruits to the less sugary type (green apples, green grapes, raspberries,
blueberries, etc.). The sugars feed the mycotoxins. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) Research studies reveal standards of recommended daily allowance (RDA)
have absolutely nothing to do with chronic degenerative diseases. RDAs were
developed to avoid what are known as acute deficiency diseases like scurvy
(deficiency of vitamin C), rickets (deficiency of vitamin D), and pellagra (deficiency of
niacin). In other words, if you consumed the RDAs for vitamin C, vitamin D, and niacin,
you would not develop any of these illnesses. (In all
seriousness, does anyone in this country get those anymore? Kind of makes RDA a useless
number today, huh?) Admittedly, the RDAs have done their job – how many people do you know suffer from these diseases? RDA was first developed in the 1920s and 1930s. The list of nutrients included in the RDAs grew over the next two decades and in the early 1950s, the definition of RDAs expanded to include the amounts of nutrients needed for normal growth. Despite the fact that RDAs have proved useful, most physicians and laypeople tend to assign more meaning to RDA standards than they should. After researching medical literature on the topic of oxidative stress and the amount of nutrients needed to prevent it, I found the optimal levels of nutrients known to provide health benefits are significantly greater those suggested by RDA levels. For example, the optimal level of vitamin E is 400 IU (We take 400 IU twice daily). The RDA is only 10 to 30 IU. That being the case, you may consider eating 400 IU of vitamin E. You would only need to eat 33 heads of spinach, or 27 pounds of butter; 80 avocados will do, or an alternative 5 pounds of wheat germ each and every day to obtain that level of vitamin E. Similarly, the optimal level of vitamin C is approximately 1200 to 2000 mg daily, while the RDA is only 60 mg. (We take 1000 mg twice daily). To eat the optimal levels of vitamin C, you would need to consume 18 oranges, or 17 kiwifruit, or 160 apples. Put in this perspective, it becomes clear that the only way to obtain these levels of nutrients is to supplement our diet. And this requires more than a generic multiple vitamin. One-a-Day multiple vitamins are primarily based on RDA levels, thus providing no measurable health benefits. Significantly more potent supplements are needed each day to provide the optimal levels to provide cellular nutrition The “Magic Bullet” Approach Most scientific studies done on nutritional supplements are approached in the traditional way of testing drugs – hoping to discover a “magic bullet.” A disease is isolated and targeted by one specific drug. The pharmaceutical results of that drug are then measured. Research trials have been similarly conducted for nutritional supplements. For example, calcium and vitamin D have been tested for their effects on osteoporosis; vitamin E for heart disease, magnesium for irregular heartbeats or selenium to reduce the risk of cancer. One problem remains, however: vitamins such as C, D and E are not drugs. They are natural nutrients that our bodies get from our foods. The various antioxidants and supporting nutrients work on different types of free radicals and in different parts of the body. Vitamin E is the best antioxidant within the cell membrane. Vitamin C is most effective within the plasma. Glutathione is works most efficiently within the cell itself. Literally dozens of antioxidants are at work in various parts of the body and are effective against particular types of free radicals. They work together – synergistically – to control oxidative stress. This means that 1 plus 1 does not equal 2, but 8 or 10. Medical research separates these nutrients out and tries to study their individual effect. The amazing fact remains that the overwhelming majority of studies actually do show a health benefit with even an individual nutrient. However, since oxidative stress is the underlying problem we must concern ourselves with, it is important to realize that all of these nutrients work together. Vitamin C actually replenishes vitamin E and intracellular glutathione, so it can be used over and over again. Alpha lipoic acid also regenerates vitamin E and glutathione. In addition, these antioxidants need optimal levels of the B vitamins – folic acid, vitamin B1, B2, B6, and B12 – in order to perform at optimal levels. They also need the so-called antioxidant minerals such as: selenium, manganese, copper, and zinc to do their job right. If you have all the glutathione in the world available but are depleted in selenium, which glutathione needs to work, there will be very little health benefit. When all of the necessary nutrients are provided to the cell in a complete and balanced nutritional supplement, the combined effect is phenomenal. The potency of these nutrients in optimizing our body’s natural antioxidant, immune, and repair systems is certainly possible. Oxidative stress can be controlled and our health will be protected. I also apply these principles for my patients who are already suffering from a major chronic degenerative disease. I provide them with the same basic cellular nutrition I recommend for all my patients and then I add additional potent antioxidants to the regime tailored to each specific disease. When physicians take advantage of the most tremendous healing asset, the host (our bodies), and support it rather than denying its importance in the healing process, amazing clinical improvement is possible. Cellular nutrition is about health, not disease. Attacking the root cause of chronic degen-erative disease is true preventive medicine. By applying these same principles, you who are in good health can decrease the risk of developing these chronic degenerative diseases. I note that the good doctor goes on to talk about things like
Hepatitis, which I don’t really want to include here, except to point out his
recommendation of supplements. Nutritional Supplement Recommendations I recommend that all my patients take the basic nutritional support I refer to as cellular nutrition. This regime provides all the necessary micronutrients to the cell at optimal levels (not RDA levels) for undeniable health benefits as documented in the medical literature. When the cell is provided maximum support, it can then determine what it does and does not need. This allows each cell to not only overcome nutritional deficiencies but also to fully tap the levels of all the nutrition it needs. The synergistic affect of providing all of the nutrients needed by one’s body at the most advantageous levels results in optimizing and rebuilding the body’s natural immune system, anti-oxidant, and repair systems back to their fullest fighting potential against disease. To accomplish this goal, I first recommend an Antioxidant tablet, Mineral tablet, Essential Fats, Calcium/Magnesium, and a Fiber supplement. This is his prescription for Hepatitis B Grape seed extract, 300 to 400 mg daily CoQ10, 300 to 400 mg daily Whey Protein, as a meal supplement Alpha lipoic acid, 250 to 500 mg daily Milk Thistle, 300 to 600 mg daily
Now, the reason I included that section is that these are the very
same supplements being recommended by those who claim these diseases have a root cause in
fungi. So, aren’t these guys really on the same track, regardless of what they choose
to name the enemy? Choosing High-Quality
Nutritional Supplements by Dr. Strand I strongly recommend that you do not simply sell your health to the lowest bidder. Once you become convinced of the health benefits that nutritional supplements can offer, you will want to be sure you are getting what you pay for. Below I have provided a few basic guidelines to assure that you are taking high-quality supplements. You will not get optimal results while take low-quality supplements. As you will learn, nutritional supplementation is a poorly regulated industry. As in any industry, the raw products used, as well as the supplement’s manufacturing techniques, will definitely affect the supplement’s quality. Therefore, it will take some effort on your part to check out the quality of a particular product you choose to buy. It is critical that you purchase high-quality supplements that are complete and balanced to protect or regain your health. I now advise my patients to purchase the best quality of supplement affordable. Every individual must assess the value and importance of his or her own health. I realize this can be a significant economic decision for most people. I personally consider nutritional supplements as my health insurance. Once our health is lost, it is very difficult to regain, no matter how much money we are willing and able to spend. I’d rather invest in keeping my body healthy from the start, wouldn’t you agree? Several companies are now putting all of the needed nutrients together in one or two different pills. In order to achieve the optimal levels I speak of, however, you will most likely need to take several (four to eight tablets) daily. The more antioxidants you take and the more variation your supplement provides, the better. Also, be sure that you are getting all the recommended levels of the minerals and the B-cofactors. You need to spend a little time investigating the nutritional company you choose. You can locate information on the company’s website or you may need to call the company directly. Most importantly, you want a company that follows Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for pharmaceuticals. They purchase pharmaceutical-grade raw materials and then follow pharma-ceutical-Good Manufacturing Practices in producing these supplements. These companies produce what is called pharmaceutical-grade supplements, meaning similar guidelines are followed for manufacturing its products as companies making over-the-counter drugs. The government does not require the manufactures of nutritional supplements to do this, still, some companies opt to provide their customers with the assurance of getting what they pay for by producing a high quality, pharmaceutical-grade product. These high-quality manufacturers will put the actual amounts of the nutrients found in their products on the label and give full disclosure of all the ingredients. You may also find an expiration date on the bottle and the company’s full address. An encouraging sign is an actual street address rather than a P.O. Box. Another aspect to consider when you are researching a particular company is where it markets its products. A company that markets internationally usually has to follow higher standards than those who market only in the United States. Canada, Australia, and Western European countries have the highest standards for the manufacturing of nutritional supplements. Some of these countries will also periodically send officials to perform on-site inspections of these nutritional companies’ manufacturing plants. When the company is able to show you third-party certification documenting the quality of its manufacturing practices, it serves as an added bonus. Does all of this sound too picky? The November 1997 Tufts University Newsletter reported a study at the University of Maryland that looked carefully at nine different prescription prenatal vitamins. They did not even study the contents of the vitamins, but rather looked to see if they even dissolved. (If the pill doesn’t dissolve, it doesn’t really matter what is in it.) Researchers soon discovered that only three of the nine prenatal vitamins even dissolved. This leads to another important aspect when choosing a high quality nutritional supplement – be sure it will dissolve. The pills that dissolved were produced under what are called U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) standards – government guidelines that assure consumers medications and supplement tablets will dissolve and be readily absorbed into the body. Pharmaceutical GMPs should be rendered worthless if the company does not also follow USP standards for the dissolution of its tablets. Choosing a company that follows the USP guidelines is certainly a step in the right direction. Sometimes it is quite difficult to find information about the level of quality control used in the manufacturing process. Just the sheer number of nutritional supplements available on the market today might prove overwhelming. Every company is trying to find its niche in this very competitive market. My best advice to you is this: look through the marketing hype and try to get to the heart of the completeness and quality of the nutritional products. The following text is copied from the book The Fungus Link: An
Introduction to Fungal Disease, copyright © 2000, by Doug A. Kaufmann, with
permission of the author. The Link Between Fungi and
Brain Disorders by Doug A. Kaufmann While working with Dr. Everett Hughes in USC Medical School, I collaborated on a research paper that dealt with attention deficit disorders and its link to diet. The paper concluded that, indeed, diet was a factor in many cases of ADD. This information and years of study piqued my interest in abnormal brain reactions caused by food and fungi. Many years ago, Life magazine presented a visual exploration of the intricate areas of the brain. This issue went where no other issue, or magazine for that matter, had ever gone: literally inside the human brain. Once inside this issue, readers discovered that although the visuals were excellent and intriguing, scientists still knew little about what this mass actually did. This information void still exists today. Yes, we know more than we did in 1960, but considering that this organ governs our thoughts, our understandings, and our intellect, it is surprising that 20th century medicine knows so little about the brain’s interactions with other parts of our body, let alone our nervous system. The research possibilities are limitless when dealing with the brain and the nervous system. And there are very few “knowns.” In lieu of understanding how the brain works, let’s evaluate how the brain might react to extraneous factors… say fungal organisms. The scientific literature speaks about meningeal fungi. The meninges are the three coatings of the brain and the spinal cord. Because it is well documented that fungi can enter the blood stream, it is logical that these fungi can impregnate virtually any tissues in the body, including the meningeal tissues. In 1996, a medical textbook entitled Principles and Practice of Clinical Mycology devoted an entire chapter to fungal meningitis. The “-itis” on the end of that word indicates an inflammation of the meninges. And just what caused the meninges to swell? Absolutely right – fungus! I am probably guilty of being a bit of a literalist sometimes when it comes to long words and medical concepts, but it has always seemed to me that if yeast can make bread swell, it can certainly make organs like the brain and its billions of connected cells swell also. As it turns out, Clinical Mycology is one of the many books that implicate fungi in brain swelling. Exactly what happens when the brain and spinal cord tissues swell is yet to be fully understood, but it cannot be good! Doesn’t cerebral swelling cause some headaches? Because certain areas of the brain control appetite while others control behavior, couldn’t swelling impact those two as well? Researchers have discovered six relatively common fungi that can invade the spinal cord. One, Candida albicans, can cause problems anywhere in the body. Another, Cryptococcus, primarily invades meningeal tissues. Doctors say that people with impaired immune systems generally end up with the most health problems when this happens, but I have to question whether this is true. Sometimes when people follow a specific program to eradicate fungi from their bodies, their brain symptoms clear up. These are some of the most exciting cases you have ever seen. It is my humble opinion that many people who are relegated to a life of phobias, tears, and anti-depressants might really have an underlying fungal root to their cerebral symptoms. There is no magic pill, diet, or exercise program that will create overnight success. Rather, an all-encompassing program must be initiated. And it can safely be done while continuing on antidepressants. This area of fungal proliferation is important. It is important to explore the relationship between aberrant behavior and fungus within the brain. The important consideration is whether brain problems are psychological or physiological. |