AUSTRALIAN FACT SHEET: Vitamins for Cold and Flu - 06/04/2008

Vitamins for Cold and Flu

About Cold and Flu

The most common cause of illness in Australian children and adults are colds or upper respiratory tract infections. We don't 'catch' colds as is commonly believed. Over 200 viruses are around our bodies all times. Our bodies usually combat the viruses however when we are run down or our immune systems are too weak to fight the infection, we become susceptible to 'catching' them.

Symptoms often include stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, cough, headache, red eyes and swelling of lymph glands.

Vitamins for cold and flu

Vitamins with some evidence of benefit for cold and flu include:

Echinacea
Vitamin C
Zinc
Vitamin A

Echinacea

Echinacea is widely used as a natural treatment for cold and flu. It is believed to activate the body's T cells which are an essential part of the immune response. It is said to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral and vulnerary in addition to its immunostimulant qualities.

Echinacea is most suitable for generally healthy people who may be susceptible to frequent minor infections such as colds, sore throats, and skin rashes. The recommended daily dosage for general immunity to frequent infection is 800mg of dried herb three times a day.

It is suggested that for Echinacea to be effective as a form of treatment, it must be ingested in high doses and therefore should never be taken for prolonged periods of time. The recommended therapeutic dose of Echinacea is 1200mg of dried root for a maximum of eight weeks.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C has been proven to boost the immune system and it's said that 100mg of vitamin C taken daily may prevent cold and flu. If you already have a cold or flu, vitamin C taken in a therapeutic dose of 1000mg per day has been shown to help shorten the duration of the cold or flu.

Zinc

Zinc is a vital nutrient that is used in the production of hormones that support the immune system to fight viruses. 13.3mg of zinc acetate taken at the first sign of a cold or flu is said to significantly reduce the length of illness.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A has been shown to help prevent infections. There is no need to take more than the recommended daily dosage of 5000iu which is easily ingested in the diet through foods like carrots, spinach and capsicum.

Where to get help for Cold and Flu

Your doctor should be your first port of call.

Disclaimer

Healthy Comparisons does not give or purport to give any medical or healthcare advice and is not qualified to do so. You should not under any circumstances substitute qualified medical advice with information found in this fact sheet. The information contained in this fact sheet does not take into account the physical state, medical status or health requirements of any particular individual which are relevant to the proper diagnosis and treatment of any problem, condition or disorder. You should never use or act upon this information without first properly consulting, and seeking proper information and advice from, a qualified healthcare professional. Healthy Comparisons, its related companies and its licensors expressly disclaim all responsibility for and liability in respect of the accuracy of the information provided in the website, its improper application and the consequences of anyone's failure to obtain a proper medical examination and advice from a qualified healthcare professional in the relevant circumstances.

A look at Alternative Medicine and Common Cold - 01/15/2008

A look at Alternative Medicine and Common Cold

Scientists and researchers continue to evaluate different methods of treating the common cold. There are thousands of published studies concerning alternative medicine and common cold prevention. More studies are published almost daily. One of the obstacles that researchers face is the fact that some people can be infected with a common cold virus and never have symptoms, some recover quickly without treatment and others have symptoms for as long as two weeks. The reason or reasons for these differences among people can not be fully explained.

The average person has two or more colds per year. Children, typically have more. The cold is a leading reason for school absences and doctor visits. There are no effective prescription medications for treating the common cold. Antibiotics neither prevent nor kill viral infections. Although a cold is not a serious medical condition, it can cause lost days at work and school and can lead to bacterial infections of the sinuses, throat and respiratory system, so many researchers feel that studying the effects of vitamins, alternative medicine and common cold home remedies is a worthwhile effort.

Treating the common cold with zinc nasal sprays or gels has been the subject of several studies and is somewhat controversial. Some scientists and researchers believe that applying zinc directly to nasal membranes can lead to a permanent loss of the sense of smell. In fact, one group of people sued a company, because they lost their sense of smell after using a zinc nasal spray. Zinc lozenges are also available and are not believed to have the side effects associated with the nasal spray, but they are only effective in reducing the duration of cold symptoms in about 50% of the people who use them.

There have been numerous studies about vitamin C as an alternative medicine and common cold remedy. Some of these studies conclude that vitamin C can reduce the duration and severity of common cold symptoms. Others show that it is an effective preventative. Still others conclude that vitamin C is not effective for treating common cold symptoms or for preventing them.

One study in Helsinki, Finland reported a 28% reduction in common cold frequency with vitamin E supplementation, but a follow-up study did not support the initial results. Vitamin E seems to prevent colds in some people, but is not effective for treating the common cold. These types of studies do not take into consideration the fact that some people do not seem to catch colds as easily as others. So results are not reliable.

Even acupuncture has been studied as an alternative medicine and common cold remedy. Some researchers believe that acupuncture can be a reliable fever reducer. Echinacea is often recommended by herbalists as alternative medicine and common cold treatment. However, some researchers believe that Echinacea can be toxic to the liver when used for extended periods of time and so, should not be used as a preventative.

Focusing on preventing, rather than treating common cold symptoms typically leads to immune system boosters. Andrographis paniculata is an herb that has been used in traditional medicine throughout Europe and Asia, both as a preventative and a treatment. Laboratory tests have shown that it has a very low toxicity, even in large amounts and is an effective alternative medicine and common cold remedy.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/472/Patsy-Hamilton

Patsy Hamilton

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a health writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about type II diabetes, a subject of personal interest. Read more at http://www.diabetes-type-two-info-guide.com.

Facts about Common Cold Treatments - 01/15/2008

Facts about Common Cold Treatments

Choosing an effective common cold treatment may be frustrating. Common cold symptoms can vary and finding a product that works to relieve all of your symptoms may be difficult, if not impossible. Busy adults often look for common cold treatments that will relieve their symptoms without making them drowsy, but according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) bed rest is good for you, when you have a cold. In fact, adequate rest is important at all times for maintaining a healthy immune system and general good health.

In addition to bed rest, the NIAID recommends drinking plenty of fluids and gargling with warm salt water as common cold treatments. Scratchy or sore throat may be relieved by using sprays or throat lozenges. Petroleum jelly may relieve a raw nose and using soft tissues or those treated with lotions may be more soothing than regular paper tissue. Another common cold treatment, which the NIAID recommends is aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve headache, fever or body aches. However, research indicates that aspirin use for common cold treatment increases the amount of virus in nasal secretions, meaning that transmitting the virus to others is more likely.

Children under the age of 18, should not be given aspirin containing products, due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a disease that affects all of the organs of the body, can have long-lasting consequences and can lead to brain damage or death in some children. It is advisable to check the ingredients in any common cold treatments before giving them to children. Many antihistamines and decongestants contain small amounts of aspirin or other pain relievers, as do other multi-symptom common cold treatments.

The common cold is a viral infection of the lining of the nose. Thus, typical common cold symptoms include sneezing, runny or stuffy nose and difficulty breathing through the nose. Coughing usually results from irritation of the throat when nasal fluids drain into the throat. Some of the viruses that cause common cold symptoms may lead to upper respiratory or sinus infections. Blowing the nose forces mucus and bacteria into the sinuses and can lead to bacterial infection of the sinuses.

A commonly held myth about common cold treatment is that allowing the nose to run and sneezing to continue will reduce the duration of the infection. This non-treatment increases the likelihood that sinus and upper respiratory bacterial infections will occur. Plus, sneezing, coughing and nasal secretions transmit the viruses to other people. Common cold treatments not only relieve symptoms, but prevent the spread of the virus and reduce the chance of developing complications.

Other myths about common cold treatments include "feeding a cold" and inhaling steam to relieve symptoms. While good nutrition is important, there is no evidence that increasing food intake during a cold will relieve symptoms or reduce recovery time. While inhaling steam may temporarily relieve congestion, health experts do not believe that this is an effective common cold treatment.

Common cold symptoms may include headache and low fever. The headache results from irritation of the sinuses and stuffy nose. The fever is the body's reaction to the viral infection. Although doctor visits for common cold treatment are generally unnecessary, colds are one of the leading causes of doctor visits annually. Over the counter products, such as antihistamines, decongestants, cough suppressants and analgesics are usually the only things that a doctor will recommend as common cold treatments. Antibiotics will have no effect on common cold symptoms and will only be prescribed if complications, such as bacterial infection of the ears or sinuses are present.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million school days are lost each year in the United States due to common cold symptoms. And, often when the kids catch a cold, parents become affected, too, leading to lost days of work, not to mention a week or more of miserable days spent suffering. Since there is no cure for the common cold and the most effective common cold treatments can only reduce symptoms or length of duration, focus must be on prevention.

Recent studies support the belief that a poorly functioning immune system increases the likelihood of developing common cold symptoms. People can be exposed to the viruses and never develop symptoms. Clinical research, in which common cold viruses were sprayed directly in the nose, showed that some people never developed symptoms, even though the virus was present. Asthmatics, who have more colds than the average person, produce a lower than average number of anti-viral proteins. Thus, the use of dietary supplements that support healthy immune system function may reduce the likelihood of developing common cold symptoms.

Source: http://www.healthguidance.org/authors/472/Patsy-Hamilton

Patsy Hamilton

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a health writer. Currently she is writing a series of articles about type II diabetes, a subject of personal interest. Read more at http://www.diabetes-type-two-info-guide.com.

Children's Cough Medicines - 07/03/2008

Children's Cough Medicines

Greetings to everyone, I hope you are keeping well and warm as the temperatures are dropping and the sniffles are increase. In this edition of my blog I will shed some light on the recent debate surrounding the use of children's over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines.

Regulation changes

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) recently announced that from September 2008 any cough or cold medicine that contains sedating antihistamines will only be available with a prescription if it is going to be used on a child under two years of age. All manufacturers of children's cough and cold medicines will now also be required to state on the product label "do not use in children under two years of age".

This decision has come about due to growing concerns Australian practitioners have with the overuse of OTC pharmaceutical cough and cold medicines by young children. Indeed some Australian Paediatricians are calling for a complete ban of the use of these products in any children under the age of six.

To treat or not to treat?

Cough is the most common presenting condition to GP's in Australia and can be very distressing to parents as well as the child. Prolonged or persistent cough is one of the most common reasons for a referral to a paediatrician and the use of OTC pharmaceutical medicines to ease the symptoms of cough is very common. However there is very little evidence that these medicines are effective in reducing the symptoms of cough and cold's and there is also a growing body of evidence that they may actually cause more harm than good.

There is a common perception that if a child is coughing then something is wrong and something should be done to treat that. This perception may actually be placing children at unnecessary risk of potentially serious adverse drug reactions. This is especially true in young children who are at an increased risk of dangerous side effects of some of the antihistamines and decongestants used in these products.

Viruses like the common cold cause the majority of upper respiratory infections and coughs. Coughing is a natural mechanism your body uses to expel viruses and clear mucous from your airways. In 50% of children an acute cough will resolve within 10 days and within 1-3 weeks in 90% of children. In the majority of cases, it is not necessary to treat a cough that has been present for only a short period of time.

Natural alternatives for children's coughs

As a Naturopath I believe that prevention is better than cure and emphasis must be put on supporting a child's immune system as it develops. Children will inevitable catch colds and coughs, especially if they are in childcare or exposed to other children on a regular basis, however this is a natural part of children's development and does not always require treatment.

Easing the symptoms of cough and cold's does help children to sleep better and get back to educational activities or play faster, theses benefits must be weighed up against the potential risks of some OTC pharmaceutical products. Unlike the pharmaceuticals used in many OTC cough mixtures natural medicines have a very good safety profile and ease the symptoms of a cough whilst also stimulating the immune system to fight off infection.

The most important foundation of a child's immune system is a balanced healthy diet containing adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, unrefined carbohydrates, protein and low amounts of processed and sugary foods. There are many nutrients that can be supplemented to help support children's immune system including vitamin C, zinc, omega-3 fats and selenium, however a naturopath or qualified health care practitioner should always be consulted to assess the individual child's needs and required dosage.

Herbal medicines such as echinacea, elder flower and elder berry, thyme, licorice, eucalyptus, mullein and marshmallow are all effective herbal expectorants and may help reduce the symptoms of cough's and cold's and speed up recovery time. Herbal cough and cold preparations should only be used in children under the age of two while under the care of a qualified Naturopath or Herbalist.

The last half of winter is when the incidence of cough is at its highest and people should remember to wash their hands frequently, get adequate rest, maintain a healthy diet and if you are sick cover your mouth when coughing to prevent the spread to other family members.

If you have any questions or requests for topics to be discussed on this blog please contact me at gerardelms@gmail.com

Herbal help for colds - 03/04/2008

Herbal help for colds

You can sense it coming - the scratchy throat, stuffy nose and general feeling of discomfort and achy body. These are the first hints of an impending common cold. Within 48 hours, your cold is in full bloom with watery eyes, running nose or blocked nose, sore throat that knocks out your appetite due to the affected smell and taste. Catch it before it fully develops with some herbal help.

At the first sign of a cold, herbalists would prescribe Echinacea to nip it in the bud and to decrease its frequency, symptoms, and severity. Echinacea stimulates the activity of white blood cells that eliminate invading organisms and foreign particles by phagocytosis. Phagocytosis is a Greek word that means to eat and this process involves the engulfment of foreign particle by the white blood cell.

Another useful herb is elderberry. The Black Elderberry (sambucus nigra) has been described as the "country medicine chest" in European traditional medicine. It is a remedy for colds, coughs and upper respiratory infections. The bark, leaves, flowers and berries are used for medicinal purpose. Its ripe wine-coloured berries are also made into drinks, wine, chutney, ketchup and filling for pies.

Elderberry extract was shown to prevent the cold virus from replicating hence stopping the infection. Studies on elderberry in cell cultures and animals have profound success in inhibiting the influenza virus, herpes virus and HIV strains. A study on 60 patients with influenza A and B infections for 48 hours or less were given elderberry supplement for five days and by the fourth day most of them were relieved of flu symptoms.

If the cold is full blown, there is still much one can do to reduce the severity of symptoms and quicken recovery. In Sanskrit, ocimum tenuiflorum was called "the incomparable one". Hence this specie of basil is dubbed Holy Basil. It is used traditionally in Ayuverdic medicine to help shift the thick mucus that comes with colds, flu and upper respiratory infections. Horseradish is also another pungent herb that dislodges blocked sinuses and catarrh.

No treatment of colds would be complete without garlic. Garlic has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that help the immune system to fight infection. It is best taken raw and if the garlic breath is threatening your social life, then opt for garlic supplements or in combination with other cold-relieving herbs such as horseradish.

While down with a cold, it is important to drink plenty of fluids. Fresh fruit juices are high in vitamin C as well as other antioxidants to help boost your body immune defences. Herbal teas with ginger reduce aches and sore throat. Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks and eat a healthy diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Getting adequate sleep and rest is important for speedy recovery.

The common cold is caused by any one of 200 different viruses and they are highly contagious and easily spread via droplets that are expel when talking, coughing or sneezing. A sneeze without covering one's nose will send 100,000 virus cells up to 10m. Most colds run their course in seven to 10 days.

Anyone can catch a cold but kindergarten and primary school children catch them more frequently than adolescents and adults. People who are overworked, highly stressed, working or living in crowded conditions, smokers and those with poor nutrition are more susceptible.

Take the following steps to reduce cold from spreading:

Wash your hands frequently especially after touching our nose and before handling food.
Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing.
Dispose used tissues properly.
Do not share your eating utensils or cup with anyone.
Avoid close contact with people especially during the first two to four days of the infection. Stay away from babies and
children and if it cannot be avoided, wearing a face mask will help to a certain extent.
Avoid crowded places.

www.medical-explorer.com

Echinacea - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File - 03/04/2008

Echinacea - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

Echinacea is a North American perennial plant which is used frequently to stimulate the immune system as a treatment for upper respiratory infections. Studies into its effectiveness have yielded conflicting results. The main reason for this is the variety of preparations. There are 3 different species of Echinacea (E. purpurea, E. augustifolia and E. pallida), different parts of the plant can be used (leaf or root) and there are different manufacturing methods. There was constant debate about the best formulation.

Recent research suggests that the root (which was traditionally used by Native North Americans) is the most effective part. Most available preparations, however, are made from the leaf because it’s cheaper. It also now appears that it is the alkylamide chemicals within the root which are the active components. Testing of some preparations have shown high levels of lead contamination and much lower levels of active ingredients than advertised.

So if you are planning to use Echinacea for an upper respiratory tract infection, make sure it is a root preparation and make sure it is from a high quality company. To check for high levels of alkylamides, you should experience a tingling sensation when you place some on your tongue.

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
Alkalinisation and detoxification
Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

The Emerson Health and Wellness Centre now has 2 DVD's available for purchase direct from the website. Visit the Emerson Health & Wellness Centre Website for more information.

Garlic - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File - 03/04/2008

Garlic - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

Garlic is the medicinal food with the longest history of use. Its use dates back more than 5000 years.

It is a powerful antioxidant and a rich source of sulphur compounds with biological activity.
Studies of garlic supplementation in patients with heart disease have shown reduced arterial plaque, decreased accumulation of cholesterol in blood vessel walls and inhibition of platelet aggregation. Platelets aggregating on damaged arterial plaques initiate heart attacks.
Other studies have shown a reduction in blood pressure (an equivalent amount to many of the new antihypertensive drugs), cholesterol levels and reduced vascular calcification. While lowering cholesterol, it increases the protective HDL cholesterol and reduces the susceptibility of the bad LDL cholesterol to oxidation. Typical doses required were 500-1000mg twice a day. There were no side effects even at 2400 mg. LDL needs to be oxidised by free radicals before it causes any damage. Vascular calcification is involved in both atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels with plaques) and arteriosclerosis (hardening of blood vessel walls).
Garlic has been shown to reduce homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid which is as important in causing heart disease as cholesterol.

Recent epidemiological studies have also suggested that the higher the intake of garlic, the lower the risk of several cancers. In the laboratory, garlic has been shown to induce cell death in several malignant cells including breast, colon, liver, bladder, prostate and lymphoma cells. Studies in China have shown that people are to eat a lot of garlic are protected against stomach cancer. A large study in the USA showed that in women aged between 55 and 69, garlic was the most protective vegetable against colon cancer.

Garlic acts as a powerful antiseptic and antibiotic, inhibiting many bacteria and fungi. It enhances immune system activity and protects both the brain and liver against degeneration.

As an added bonus, garlic helps remove the toxic heavy metals mercury and lead from the body. It has been shown to increase the foetal excretion of mercury by 400% and help protect red blood cells against high levels of lead.

Everybody should eat more fresh garlic. It is especially important if you have heart disease, hypertension or if you are at risk for cancer. Aim for a maintenance dose of one large clove a day. If you don't like the taste, supplement with odour free garlic supplements. Garlic can thin the blood and shout not be consumed within 2 weeks of any surgery.

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
Alkalinisation and detoxification
Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

The Emerson Health and Wellness Centre now has 2 DVD's available for purchase direct from the website. Visit the Emerson Health & Wellness Centre Website for more information.

Vitamin C - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File - 03/04/2008

Vitamin C - Nutrition & Environmental Medicine Fact File

Vitamin C is ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is a 6 carbon molecule not dissimilar in structure to glucose. Taken orally in high doses it can cause diarrhoea. To avoid this, the ascorbic acid is chelated to a mineral such as sodium, magnesium or calcium.

Humans, a few species of monkeys, the Indian fruit bat, one species of salmon and guinea pigs have a genetic defect (lack of the enzyme L-gulonolactone oxidase) which does not allow them to produce their own vitamin C. All other animals produce their own. A goat chewing grass in a field produces 12G/day in an unstressed state. If it gets stressed, develops an infection or gets exposed to an environmental toxin, it can increase this to 100G/day. That's because vitamin C is one of natures primary stress fighters and detoxifying agents. Humans produce NONE under any circumstances. We rely on consuming it in fruit and vegetables to satisfy our requirements. The Recommended Daily Allowance for humans has been set at 60mg (200 times less than a goat!) which is the amount required to prevent scurvy but may not be the amount required for optimal health. Additionally, when we develop an infection, the body begins to metabolise large amounts of vitamin C. This depletes body stores and many of the features of severe infections are similar to cases of scurvy.

Vitamin C has been shown to have numerous health benefits. It functions as an:

Antioxidant
Anti-Inflammatory
Immune function stimulator -- it increases T-cell function and increases complement.
Mast cell stabiliser -- decreases the allergic response.
Anti-carcinogenic agent (decreases the risk of cancer).
Antithrombotic -- decreases blood clotting.
Decreases reperfusion injury -- when blood flow restarts to an area of the body which has temporarily lost its blood flow (for example a heart attack or stroke) the initial blood flow can actually damage the injured tissue. Vitamin C reduces this effect.
Protector of proteins against glycation.
Protector of red blood cells against chemical damage.
Chelator of heavy metals including lead, mercury and cadmium.

There is evidence that high dose vitamin C is useful:

in the treatment of cancer and infections
in the prevention of cardiovascular disease
as a powerful antioxidant
as a chelator of environmental toxins

Cancer

Linus Pauling in the 1970's first provided evidence that high dose intravenous vitamin C was an effective treatment for cancer. They found that patients treated with high dose vitamin C survived 3-4 times longer than similar patients who did not receive vitamin C. However, subsequent studies using oral vitamin C did not show the same results and vitamin C disappeared as a treatment option in cancer. The problem is that adequate blood levels were probably not achieved with oral doses alone.

Recent research at the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases in the US has rekindled interest. They used high doses of vitamin C that could only be achieved by IV administration on cancer cell lines in a laboratory. They found that cancer cells were killed while normal cells were unaffected. There was a 50% decrease in 5 out of 9 cancer cell lines. The proposed mechanism of action was through the production of extravascular hydrogen peroxide. A further study in patients with advanced cancer is underway.

Previously, a report in the March 2006 edition of the Canadian Medical Journal reported on 3 terminal cancer cases with unexpected positive outcomes after the administration of high dose intravenous vitamin C. Patient 1 was a 51 year old woman who had metastatic kidney cancer and was treated with 65 grams of intravenous vitamin C twice a week for 10 months. Patient 2 was a 49 year old man with advanced bladder cancer who received 30 grams of intravenous vitamin C twice a week for 3 months then 30 grams monthly for 4 years. Patient 3 had B cell lymphoma and underwent radiation but declined chemotherapy. Instead she had 15 grams of intravenous vitamin C twice a week for 2 months then weekly for 7 months and then every second month for a year. All took additional nutritional supplements. Several years later, all remained in remission.

Infections

Dr Thomas Levy in his book "Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases & Toxins: Curing the Incurable" has uncovered a lot of previous work on vitamin C in infections which has been ignored. Dr Levy is a US cardiologist. Much of the work he has uncovered was done by Dr Frederick Klenner many decades ago. Klenner's work showed that intravenous vitamin C was effective against many bacteria and almost all viruses including hepatitis, Epstein Barr (glandular fever) and herpes.

Cardiovascular Disease

A study in the March 2006 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that high levels of vitamin C are associated with low levels of C–reactive protein (CRP) and other inflammatory markers. Over 3000 men between the ages of 60-79 were studied. Higher levels of vitamin C intake and vitamin C levels were associated with less inflammation of the endothelium (the lining of blood vessels). Inflammation of arteries is the cause of cardiovascular disease. Higher levels were also associated with reduced blood thickness.

Vitamin C also raises HDL (good cholesterol) and prevents LDL (bad cholesterol) from oxidation. Oxidised LDL is one of the initiators of the atherosclerosis which leads to cardiovascular disease. A study by the Los Angeles School of Health showed that men who took vitamin C daily had a 45% lower risk of heart attack than men with a low intake. There was a 25% lower risk for women. Vitamin C has also been found to lower the risk of stroke. One study showed that men who had low blood levels of vitamin C were 250% more likely to have a stroke than men with high blood levels.

Cataracts

Women who took supplemental vitamin C over a 10-year period were 77% less likely to develop opacities in the eye lens than women who did not take vitamin C.

Mortality

A 10 year study of over 11000 adults between the ages of 25 and 74 found that men who took 800mg of vitamin C daily lived 6 years longer than men who only took 60mg. A slightly smaller positive effect was seen for women.

Another study of 19000 adults aged 45 to 79 found those with the lowest levels of vitamin C were twice as likely to die over the subsequent 4 years than those with the highest levels.

After weighing all the evidence, clinicians at the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre recommend the use of high dose vitamin C short term for specific illnesses and targeted therapies. We believe that in the long term, maintaining the alkaline design of the body is the optimal health strategy. If vitamin C is used, we suggest vitamin C which does not contain calcium ascorbate. We believe that within a few years there will be a backlash against regular high dose calcium supplementation because it appears to be going everywhere (especially arterial walls) except bones. Most of the scientific literature supports the belief that most of the older population is massively overdosed on calcium and suffering from calcium toxicity (that's why all the new scans for heart disease involve determining how much calcium has been deposited in arterial walls). Excess calcium in arterial walls is directly correlated to increased risk of heart disease, chronic degenerative disease and all-cause mortality. The cardiologist Dr Thomas Levy writes "we continue to be stressed with warnings of increased risk of osteoporosis while the data clearly shows that most deaths in patients with osteoporosis relate to the vascular system and not the bones". That means that the chances of dying from an osteoporotic fracture is no where near as high as the chance of dying from a heart attack, cancer or another chronic degenerative disease. Another warning is that research on the use of calcium in preventing osteoporosis is not conclusive whereas the research is convincing that supplemental calcium often fuels the progression of atherosclerosis and therefore heart attacks. There are lots of alternatives to calcium in the prevention of osteoporosis.

Additionally, when we take large doses of vitamin C we are taking it as a donator of electrons (this is how antioxidants work). Calcium ascorbate donates half as many electrons as other forms of vitamin C. This is the reason why calcium ascorbate stays elevated in the blood longer than other forms. Once vitamin C has donated an electron to neutralise a free radical, it must be regenerated by receiving an electron from an electron donor. Recommended electron donors are either glutathione or R-alpha lipoic acid.

Previous concerns that vitamin C may cause kidney stones have been discounted (and animals making large doses of their own vitamin C aren't getting kidney stones all the time!)

Contraindications to the use of high-dose intravenous vitamin C include:

Severe renal failure
G6PD deficiency
Melanoma which has spread to the brain (melanoma is so sensitive to the effects of vitamin C that the metastases in the brain can shrink too quickly and cause bleeding.
Recurrent kidney stones

About the Author

Dr Greg Emerson is the Founder and Medical Director of the Emerson Health and Wellness Centre which opened in October 2005. He is a consultant in Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He is also a senior specialist in Emergency Medicine and in Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine. For 18 years he practiced in several large public hospitals including a period of time as an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at a major trauma hospital in Canada and as the Director of a leading Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. He is a lecturer, examiner and current board member for the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine and a past-examiner for the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. A long personal battle with illness led him on a profound exploration of healing processes and the prevention of illness. He reappraised both his medical focus and the way he approached health care delivery.

He believes in the intrinsic ability of the body to heal itself if the underlying cause of the illness is addressed. His practice revolves around three core principles, in the belief that almost all non-traumatic illnesses will respond to these principles:

Elimination of food and chemical sensitivities
Alkalinisation and detoxification
Balancing of hormones

Dr Emerson regularly lectures both within Australia and internationally on Nutritional and Environmental medicine. He also runs his own successful international medical conference. His mission is to provide people with the knowledge, tools and motivation to live a life of extraordinary health, vitality and longevity.

The Emerson Health and Wellness Centre now has 2 DVD's available for purchase direct from the website. Visit the Emerson Health & Wellness Centre Website for more information.

Natural Treatment for Cold & Flu - 04/15/2008

Natural Treatment for Cold & Flu

Colds and Flu's are rampant at the moment so I hope that the following information and natural solutions will help you battle through with ease.

COUGHS:

The cough is an effective primary defence of the human organism. It is therefore surprising that some over-the-counter drugs pride themselves on being a “cough suppressant”. Besides being a questionable strategy in curing a cough, such drugs can delay diagnosis of a serious illness such as lung cancer, emphysema, poisoning or pneumonia.

The cough itself is not a disease; it is a symptom of a disease. A more healing therapy would be something that aids the body’s efforts to clear respiratory obstruction or irritation.
There are innumerable types of coughs. There are dry and wet coughs, hacking and barking coughs, deep shallow coughs and single rapid fire coughs.
Individualising the treatment is important, though difficult. Basically, dry coughs should be treated first with humidification strategies and lozenges, while wet coughs can be helped by using natural expectorants.

A WET COUGH COCKTAIL: FOR A WET COUGH WITH MUCOUS THAT OBSTRUCTS YOUR BREATHING.

Mix together:
• the juice of one lemon
• one tablespoon of honey
• One teaspoon of cayenne pepper in warm water.

The astringency of the lemon causes the tissues to contract and helps to dissolve and dislodge mucous.
The honey soothes the mucous membranes and the respiratory tract and the cayenne pepper adds power to the body to expectorate.
Gargle with this cocktail and then swallow it. Take as needed.

ONION COCKTAIL:
The onion is a great mucous dissolver. Blend the juice of an onion and add honey to it. Take a couple of tablespoons of this mixture as needed.

AVOID DAIRY PRODUCTS

RE-SPIRIT YOURSELF
The very word respiratory contains the concept of “re spirit” are your spirits down? Have you noticed that you tend to breathe more shallowly whenever you are depressed? Such breathing invites a cough. Re-spirit yourself

GARLIC. ( ALIUM SATIVUM)
Garlic is really easy to grow, you just plant the cloves on the longest day of the year or around June/July and then it is ready to harvest in January.
home grown garlic is extra juicy.
An absolute must for any infection with “itis “on the end e.g tonsillitis, gastoenteritis, bronchitis etc plus colds, flues etc.

BUT GARLIC SMELLS:
It is the sulphur working on the bacteria that throws off the smell.
The odour will disappear when the job is done.(25% of garlic is a volatile oil that contains pure sulphur, the cleanser of all invaders) So always choose Garlic WITH that is NOT odourless A drop of aniseed oil on the back of the tongue helps with the odour or chew on some parsley.

UNLIKE ANTIBIOTICS GARLIC SEEMS TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE BETWEEN ORGANISMS THAT ARE SAFE AND ESSENTIAL TO US AND THOSE THAT ARE NOT.
GARLIC AND ECHINACEA ARE THE HERBALIST’S EQUIVALENT TO ANTIBIOTICS.

GARLIC CONTRA INDICATIONS:
Not for hepatitis of panceatitus as it increases the bile flow and can make you nauseous.
Can give you a headache when arteries are cleared due to the sudden rush of blood to the head.
If garlic does make you nauseous take ginger to settle the tummy.
It’s ok during pregnancy and lactation but not in large doses as it may cause heartburn and babies may not like the taste in milk

HOW DO I TAKE GARLIC?
You need to hit the complaint hard with garlic in large quantities-simply take two garlic capsules to start and build up gradually (to up to 60 capsules if necessary) until you smell the garlic being excreted from your skin.When this occurs you know that your body is saturated because it is eliminating the excess.simply lower your dose a few capsules and maintain until all fever and illness have subsided

GARLIC OIL:
Equal parts of garlic (either whole or roughly chopped) & oil .
place in a clean bottle and seal. The longer you leave it the stronger the brew will become.what a great way to start off your cooking or to baste with.

GARLIC EXTRACT:
Equal parts of garlic (either whole or roughly chopped ) and vodka.
Leave sitting for at least 4 - 6 weeks.the longer left the better the brew.
The garlic will be absorbed into the vodka. This is a very cheap way of getting the benefits of garlic. Just add a few drops to water and drink or add to honey and take. I dribble mine over the dog and cat food as it is great as a preventative measure for them and also good for worms.

The same as above can be done with vinegar.

HOW TO MAKE UP A COLD MIXTURE FOR A CHILD OR BABY:
• 3/4 jar of honey
• Lemon rind
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Cayenne pepper
• Echinacea

Steep in honey.the honey preserves it and makes it palatable for the child to take in teaspoonful doses to prevent colds and flu’s.
The garlic is a powerful vegetable antibiotic fighting off and inhibiting the growth and reproduction of bacteria such as streptococcus.
The lemon has an astringent,binding contracting effect on the mucous membrane linings.

The ginger acts on a stomach that can be irritated and upset by some of the catarrah and mucous from the throat and nasal passages,first warming it then increasing its blood supply and function as well as stimulating its secretory juices,and thus getting rid of the offending material as fast as possible into the bowel and out through the excretory channel.
The cayenne pepper is just about right for a homeopathic dose of vitamin c.
Honey is the food of the gods - no doubt about that-but its use is more earthly,as it soothes and heals all those red,raw tissue areas.

THE FOLLOWING RECIPE USES THE SAME INGREDIENTS IN THE FORM OF A WARM DRINK.

PLACE THE FOLLOWING IN A LARGE MUG.
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• The juice from one lemon and shred up some rind too.
• Half a teaspoon of ground powdered ginger.
• A pinch of cayenne pepper .
• 1 tablespoon of honey.

Fill the mug with water just off the boil
Drink the whole lot,solid as well as liquid if possible,as soon as it is bearably cool and within 10 to 20 minutes be in bed and covered up well.
This interesting concoction is aimed purely at hastening the body’s excretory action.it will not supress or inhibit any body process,but will boost along the body’s natural immunity reaction.
The reason for getting off to bed fast is that you will sweat profusely.
The heat and the lemon and the garlic and the ginger and the cayenne will all produce a strong excretory action through every channel possible:lungs,nose,skin and possibly bladder and bowel as well.if you have a bout of diarrhoea the next morning,praise the lord!This means that your body has fought valiantly all night while you rested in sleep and has removed a large proportion of dangerous matter.

• DON’T FORGET VITAMIN C

BACH FLOWERS FOR COLDS & FLU’S

• HORNBEAM for lack of Strength

• OLIVE for complete physical and mental exhaustion

• CRAB APPLE for it’s cleansing action

BUSH FLOWER ESSENSES

DYNAMIS ESSENCE
Renews enthusiasm and joy for life. It is for those who feel 'not quite right', drained, jaded or not fully recovered
From setbacks.

By Lynn Max www.signatureherbals.com

Three more ways to avoid the common flu - 05/09/2008

Three more ways to avoid the common flu

Whether it's the beginning of a long cold or flu season, or you are the type of person who worries about this sort of thing all year round, immune deficiency disorders are nothing to sneeze at! Immune deficiency disorders can be very serious.

The common cold which typically includes a sore throat, a runny nose, coughing, sneezing and a general depletion of energy is a viral problem that can be associated with more than a hundred different viruses. Most adults get colds about two to four times a year, while in children, that number can be easily doubled.

Colds are quite contagious and we can get them easily from being in places where other people have them. You can pick them up from the air when people cough or sneeze as well as by making contact with a contaminated surface that an infected person has coughed on. Being that the most transmutable stage is often slightly before the worst of the symptoms set in, it is often hard to tell who might be infected with the common cold.

There is a good chance that simply by taking a few measures, you can prevent getting infected and if you do get infected, you can make sure that it is not something that will linger on for very long. Many people know a few methods for taking care of a cold, but you'll find that there are many things that you can do to make sure that your cold is taken care of fast.

First, you'll end up getting sick if you have too much stress. Make sure that you can relax, being it taking the time to take a walk or to simply stop and read a good book because stress will compromise your immune system. You will soon be adding cold symptoms to the things that you need to worry about if you find that you are constantly keyed up and aggravated!

Be careful of high-risk areas and objects; be very careful with money, pens, pencils and work stations. Be careful when you are in public places because the cold virus is often transferred by touch. Also, remember to wash your hands before you put your hands to your nose or your mouth; this can be an extremely important cold prevention tip.

Make sure when you feel a cold coming on to get plenty of rest, drink plenty of water and take Vitamin C. As you can see, there are many things that you can do to lessen the grip a cold has on you, so take action today!

Scott Becker is an expert author mostly writing on sports health and nutrition. He is an avid golfer and owns http://healthfitnessvitamins.com - a health and wellness supplements company. If you found this article helpful you can visit their blog now at http://healthfitnessvitamin.com for more articles like this one.

Herbal Help for Colds - 05/09/2008

Herbal Help for Colds