Review of Peter A. McCullough, MD Interview

We covered so much vital information when Peter A. McCullough, MD was my guest July 10, 2021, that I needed to listen to the show again and make notes for my own benefit as well as yours.

Right before the show, Dr. McCullough received an email message from member of the Australian Parliament reminding him that in perhaps more than ½ the states in the US currently have zero deaths from covid-19. In contrast, deaths from the vaccine effects are growing and now number 9,048 as of July 7. Therefore, in many states, more people are dying from being vaccinated than being infected. He noted that the authorities should have sounded an alarm when, by January 22, 2021, the deaths from the Pfizer/Moderna vaccine had exceeded the highest number related to all other vaccines combined for any given year out of the last twenty. There is no independent safety monitoring group or mechanism, and, so far 6 months in, the government has still not provided a comprehensive safety report or even a safety press briefing. There seems to be only one side to the story from the top: “GET THE SHOTS and don’t ask questions!”

This chart may reveal only the tip of the iceberg because prior research showed that only 10% or fewer of cases of vaccine injuries are reported. That is understandable because it is a difficult process to report a vaccine injury and very easy to blame it on something else. For that matter, Dr. McCullough points out that we simply do not know if something like myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) really is “rare” as claimed because, so few people go in for cardio testing after being vaccinated. Note that the FDA did issue a warning about myocarditis regarding the Pfizer / Moderna vaccine because the spike protein has been shown to damage heart muscle in enough cases to cause concern. The FDA also warns of brain blood clots in women 18 to 48 with the J & J vaccine.

According to an analysis by Jessica Rose, PhD, in Science, Public Health Policy, and The Law, about 50% of deaths occur within about 48 hours of the shot (and typically among those in their 70’s and 80’s). 80 % of deaths occur within a week and 74% of all individuals who were reported as dying did so before receiving the second dose.  The non-fatal vaccine injuries such as heart attack, stroke, myocarditis, blood clots and neurologic injury seem skewed to younger individuals—those under age 50 who would be very unlikely to ever have a serious problem with covid.

Mandates

CDC and FDA are the sponsors of the covid-19 vaccine program as a clinical investigation / research project. The “informed” consent form people have to sign admits that and says that the shot is purely voluntary.  Medical ethics for research worldwide and even the Nuremberg Code (which came out of Nazi trials after WWII) and the Declaration of Helsinki say that no type of medical treatment or vaccine should be forced on a person against their will. Also, there is not supposed to be any pressure or threats of reprisal. At this point the vaccines only have “emergency use authorizations”. In the months ahead, if they achieve full FDA approval, some legal requirements for the manufacturers will change, but the ethics regarding force do not.

Reading the consent form reveals that not only are the vaccines not proven to work, it also notes that side effects can range from a sore arm to death. Remember that the manufacturer is exempt from vaccine injury lawsuits. If you are one of the over 400,000 injured so far, you are on your own for any related medical treatment.

Trusted News Initiative. It is no accident that all the high-profile sources of news about the pandemic seem to be singing from the same song book. According to the BBC, “The Trusted News Initiative (TNI) was set up last year to protect audiences and users from disinformation, particularly around moments of jeopardy, such as elections. The TNI complements existing programmes partners [already] have in place. The partners currently within the TNI are: AP, AFP; BBC, CBC/Radio-Canada, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Facebook, Financial Times, First Draft, Google/YouTube, The Hindu, Microsoft, Reuters, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, Twitter, The Washington Post.” With this broad base, it seems that ABC, NBC, CBS and most all the others feel pressured to fall in line or be embarrassed or boycotted by sources. [Thankfully, apparently, Fox News didn’t get the memo.] Besides, all the spokespersons provided by the government say the same thing. Contrarian views, no matter how well grounded in science, are instantly dismissed as irresponsible “fake news” without any evaluation of the merits.

Colleges and Universities. About 400 of 5,300 universities have mandated the “voluntary” vaccines. The students have had to get vaccines previously and don’t seem to be stressing about this one. However, the parents are understandably worried. The young person’s risk of serious consequence from the disease is almost zero but there have been 75 vaccine deaths in persons under age 30 so far. That obviously calls into question the risk / benefit ratio. Dr. McCullough says that, based on the facts of disease / vaccine injury there is NO justification for vaccinating anyone under age 30. Unfortunately, schools do not seem to be persuaded by medical exemptions to getting the vaccine (e.g. allergy, heart problems, etc.). Parents have had more success by stating they have closely held religious belief exemptions. (No proof or specific citation needed.)

Exemptions. Any situation specifically excluded during the pre-approval studies should rightfully be taken as an exemption. Examples are: pregnancy, childbearing age, breast feeding, suspected covid recovery, immune deficiency and chronic disease. However, the CDC and FDA have been white-washing this, so others are given cover.

Mammograms / fertility. The vaccines do not stay in the arm muscle as we have been told. They distort the breast tissue on the side where the woman got the shot and so she is advised to wait a year after the vaccine to get a mammogram. The vaccines also migrate to the ovaries and in animal tests adversely affected fertility. The consent form warns away pregnant women and those planning to be pregnant soon. Dr. McCullough says that in the absence of safety data, under no circumstances should a pregnant woman take the covid vaccine.

Recovered from covid infection. In an extremely large study, Quantifying the risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 reinfection over time by Murchu and others, it was demonstrated that after having had covid or even just a positive test for the antibodies, the risk of being infected with covid was astonishingly low (0.3%) even when directly exposed. So, there is no benefit to vaccination—only risk. On the other hand, the CDC became overwhelmed and in May stopped counting (beyond 10,000 cases)  of covid among those who were vaccinated.

Delta and other variants. In the UK, it was shown that by June 25, 2021, 42% of the cases with the Delta mutation were among the fully vaccinated. So, as the Delta predictably becomes dominate in the US, there is less reason, not more, to take the shot. Guide to Names: Alpha = UK, Beta = South Africa, Delta = India, Lambda = Peru. This study, COVID-19 vaccines dampen genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2: Unvaccinated patients exhibit more antigenic mutational variance by Neisen and others, explains how the vaccine is actually creating these more transmissable strains.

Testing—World Health Organization new position. The organization has taken a position against asymptomatic testing. Read about that. Dr. McCullough said that some colleges were testing students weekly and coming up with a lot of false positives. [Imagine the needless disruption.] Approved tests as evidence of antibodies to give for travel, = Abbott, Roche, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics and dozens of others. The T-Detect test shows T cell immunity from having had the disease. However, the CDC and apparently most employers and sports organizations do not give deserved credit for the more robust and long-lasting immunity from having recovered. [Dumb. Just another excuse to sell more vaccines?]

Treatment. Dr. McCullough listed the multi-medication and the nutraceutical program that has been saving 85% of lives even among high risk patients. Read about the plans by clicking on those two links. At least check out this resource. He says clinical experience has shown that the Delta and Lambda variants seem even easier to treat. Dr. McCullough reminds us that the disease should be treated in the early stages when it is mild, especially for those over 50 with medical issues. That way it will stay mild and go away in a couple of days. Waiting for 2 weeks and going to the hospital because you are very sick is a very bad idea.

Masks. A recent very large trial published in the Annals of Int Med showed that public health masking is not very effective. Dr. McCullough says that the masks do make sense (at least to block sneezes) for doctors, dentists, hairdressers and others in close contact.

Studies. There are over 100,000 studies now on covid-19. Dr. McCullough uses them as a basis for his statements. (They are available online many months before being published in print.) When a spokesperson flatly says that the vaccines are safe and effective, they are spouting propaganda, not following science.

Sardi Summary

He is such a prolific source of knowledge, that when Bill Sardi is on Healthy by Nature, the show is typically dense with usable information. I sympathize with listeners who are driving, still half asleep or otherwise too occupied to make notes. The July 3, 2021 Show was one of those. For your convenience, the following is a summary of key points that we discussed.

• Breaking news from Germany claimed that the covid virus can reduce oxygen circulation for months, triggering breathing issues, fatigue and headaches. The researchers saw enlargement and other negative changes in red blood cells. Mr. Sardi pointed out that if those “experts” had studied nutrition in medical school, they would have quickly recognized the symptoms of thiamine deficiency. A deficiency of that nutrient (also known as vitamin B1) has been proven to cause all the blood cell changes and symptoms noted, as well as blood clots. This deficiency condition can also explain a lot of the post-covid “long haul” complaints including the loss of sense of taste and smell which are nerve functions. B1 supports the autonomic nervous system which controls heartbeat, breathing, digestion and other “automatic” functions. The B1 deficiency syndrome, called beriberi, can also interfere with immune function and result in fever. Many people became deficient even before covid-19 because there is not much B1 in the diet and it is depleted by sugar, coffee, and alcohol (all of which have been consumed in even greater quantities during the pandemic).

Beri beri is as serious as a virus and can be fatal if allowed to become extreme and/or linger. The superior oil soluble form, benfotiamine, is available in health food stores in high doses (e.g. 150 mg for $8 a month) mainly for alcoholics. You cannot overdose, but for most of us, I recommend Molecular Multi for normal maintenance and Nerve Guardian (it has other B’s and is only about $3 a month) for catching up and for anyone with nerve issues.

• Bill called attention to his report explaining the power of our immune system, Deprogram Yourself From The Mistaken Belief You Have No Immunity Against Pathogenic Viruses of Any Kind And Must Totally Rely on Vaccination To Avoid Death.
• I had said we might discuss natural means of preventing and treating covid-19 but time ran out. See a discussion of those topics in the Library.
• Delta variant. Bill Sardi agrees with the previous week’s guest, Peter McCullough, MD, that this new variant may spread faster but is no more dangerous than the original. (The recovery rate is 99.9%.) If you know about the home treatments (both medical and natural), it needs be no more worrisome than the flu. Note: both guests say that viruses naturally mutate to become less deadly because if they became stronger and routinely killed off their hosts, they could no longer survive and spread. The good news of becoming infected is that we develop lifelong immunity which is superior to vaccine protection. Those who have been previously infected are NOT likely to benefit from vaccination.
• The weedkiller, Roundup contains arsenic which depletes zinc from the soil, crops, and our bodies. We must have zinc for immune function and for blocking virus replication. Most multivitamins only contain 15 mg of zinc. Molecular Multi contains the 30 mg. we need.
• Selenium is an important trace mineral that helps release zinc from being bound up in a protein and it stops virus mutations. The usual supplemental dose is 100-200 mcg MORE is NOT better.
• Mandates? The military was punishing service folks who did not get the vaccine. They had to back off that stance because it is illegal to force the personnel. Sardi suggested Peggy Hall’s website as a resource.
• If you have gotten a covid vaccine (any type), Bill told us that it might be smart to take a natural blood thinner such as fish oil, garlic or resveratrol (i.e. Longevinex) to protect against clots which the shot might trigger. In case you have a clot and do not know it, you can take an enzyme (nattokinase) which breaks clots down. It is similar to a drug [Streptokinase] that would be given IV in an ambulance for a patient with a clot (e.g. with a type of heart attack or stroke). As Sardi mentioned, supplements of nattokinase are sold in health food stores, but I should add that is also included in the Kyolic #109 Blood Pressure Those natural substances keep the platelets from being sticky but do not overly thin the blood.
• Vitamin C helps reduce clot risk in a different way. Lipoprotein (a) is a type of cholesterol that is an independent risk factor for developing vascular disease. If there isn’t enough vitamin C in the body, this sticky substance takes its place in the artery wall and forms the basis for a clot. [Resveratrol helps keep the levels of lipoprotein (a) low.] Being water soluble, vitamin C washes out quickly, so it is best to take a supplement several times a day. (Or, better yet, take Formula 216 which helps the body keep restore vitamin C levels around the clock.) He and I take Formula 216 in the evening because night is the healing time and you wouldn’t take C pills during the night after you go to bed.
• Multi while breastfeeding? A caller, who is currently taking a prenatal vitamin, asked if Molecular Multi would be better. Mr. Sardi said to stick with the prenatal because Molecular Multi is designed for folks over 40 and so does not have enough iron for pregnancy or nursing.
• Testing for immunity. The PCR test has gotten better. Last year the procedure declared “positives” when it only found bits of virus not sufficient to cause disease. These tests only show the short-lived antibodies, not the long-term T-cells. (Those require zinc.)
• The extreme pressure to be vaccinated, along with the shortages, and all the power moves to control us seem to be part of a bigger (apparently global) plan to remake the world into something very unlike the capitalist democracy we grew up in. Keep an eye on your freedoms, including your health freedom because they are not guaranteed.

We hoped to talk about a recent article in which Sardi explains How Japan Achieved Super-Longevity In Just Five Decades Without An Anti-Aging Pill.

Migraines are a Real Pain!

This blog is not just a random journalism project. That is because I got into the nutrition field because I had suffered with them. I remember the pain and terrible general discomfort of those migraines even more clearly than I remember giving birth naturally to a 9 lb. 7 oz. boy (who apparently had such a big brain that it came packaged in an extra-large head). For any reader who has not experienced a migraine, let me say, the gal in the photo does not look miserable enough. A migraine is not even in the zip code of your garden variety stress headache. If you ever had a hangover, that is a better starting place to empathize…the migraine head pain is much worse, but shares the nausea and sensitivity to sounds, smells and light that might accompany a crushing hangover. I had a hangover and didn’t like it a bit. (After that, I no longer allowed anyone to keep refilling my glass like Ft. Worth’s Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican Restaurant did with pitchers of margaritas at a party. I also make at least every second drink water.)

My migraine headaches started about the time I entered Ohio State. I never went to a neurologist, but on any visit to a doctor, I asked about the problem. The only advice I got was to try the latest pain reliever which did not help and made me nauseous. Once I asked a kindly physician if we could figure out what was causing them. At first, he looked at me like I was speaking Klingon but did try to help. He asked if my “eyes had been checked” (“yes”) and was I “under stress” (“yes” –all the time but the headaches were only every few weeks). Many years later, I was still having the migraines but finally got help. It all started in a health food store and below I’ll tell you what happened.

Medical treatments. Surely, by now, the migraine drugs have gotten better and some even claim to help prevent the episodes—e.g. Aimovig, Ajovy and Emgality. Sometimes, docs prescribe blood pressure medicines or antidepressants. One option that I find particularly scary is to inject migraine sufferers multiple times with Botox (botulism toxin which is produced by the microbe that causes botulism—a potentially fatal type of food poisoning). Besides the cost, the procedure is not without side effects. Certainly that should be a heroic tried only if the natural approach fails.

Natural Remedies. I will discuss nutritional factors below under “Causes”. Herbs that seem to help are Butterburr and Feverfew. Massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy may help. If it is available to you and you are not opposed to it, medical cannabis has been shown to help. Before I figured out how to prevent the headaches, I got temporary symptomatic relief by lying down in the dark with a microwaveable heating pad on the back of my neck and an ice pack of some kind on my forehead.

Causes. The optimum natural way is to find the root cause of a problem and fix that. My first clue came from a health magazine that listed “headache” on the cover. The article talked about migraine “trigger” foods such as chocolate, MSG, cured meats, artificial sweeteners, alcohol and aged cheeses. It never occurred to me before that something I was eating might be part of the problem. Avoiding those helped a bit, but “triggers” just flip the switch on a preexisting imbalance. I did not find out what my imbalances were until I discovered a nutrition savvy doctor (the late Don Mannerberg, MD, bless his soul). He taught me that I needed magnesium, B vitamins (especially vitamin B2), and discovered that I had food sensitivities. The food sensitivities in turn were caused by an unhealthy gut (yeast overgrowth). It really did not take long to get rid of most episodes of migraine, but for a while, I still had one monthly. We assumed that must have been due to hormones and indeed, progesterone fixed that one. Thankfully, I have not had a migraine in decades now.

If you suffer, your causes might be different from mine, but I encourage you to start the search.

Tragically Unnecessary Covid-19 Deaths

The most important and startling fact revealed during Peter A. McCullough, MD’s appearance on Healthy by Nature last week, was that 510,000 (or more) of the 600,000 US Covid-19 deaths could have been avoided. Unfortunately, those folks did not receive early outpatient treatment akin to what would routinely be given for virtually any other disease. Instead, most infected people were told to “go home and wait until you are having trouble breathing and then go to the hospital.” Even many of those admitted to the hospital could have been saved with a combination of medications and nutrients and so would not have needed to be put on a ventilator. Remember that the fatality rate of patients on ventilators is quite high in part because by that point they are so ill and because mechanical ventilation itself is hard on the lungs.

As a highly competent and dedicated doctor, Dr. McCullough did the same thing for his patients with covid-19 that he would do treating patients with any disease. He looked at the science for interventions which were safe and useful for the various stages, facets and processes involved in the illness and created a protocol. That protocol combined various medications and nutraceuticals (nutrients). He published the protocol and other brave doctors joined him in using that plan to save patient lives. I said “brave” because, despite their great clinical results, these doctors were not supported in their efforts by the medical establishment, the government (at any level), the media, academia, or scientific spokespersons.

Worse yet, as difficult as it is to accept, there were vigorous efforts to suppress the use or even the discussion of early treatment. Doctors who dared stray from the “go home and wait to get sicker” approach were ostracized, humiliated, threatened with loss of their license and in Australia even threatened with jail. Some of the drugs used in the plan were also falsely bashed. That campaign included frequent citation of one totally bogus negative study about hydroxychloroquine which was published in Lancet, a major medical journal. (Ultimately it was retracted but the damage had been done.) The preponderance of studies on every component of Dr. McCullough’s protocol were positive and yet these lifesaving medicines and nutrients were ignored and suppressed by the authorities charged with our health. I don’t know about you, but their utter disregard for human health in this case shakes my faith in their other pronouncements and advice.

My DIY skin care system

Occasionally, I am humbled to receive a kind comment about my complexion. Apparently, some folks think that I look better than what they would expect for my advanced age. Appearance does matter to our self-confidence (both women and men) …and unfortunately, people see us and too often judge us even before we get acquainted.

I am going to discuss how I care for my face on the outside, but I need to point out that our skin dramatically reflects our inner health. If we are undernourished, sleep-deprived, sedentary and/or toxic, it shows. Also, skin is very unforgiving of sun exposure—even decades later. There is a fine line between getting enough sun to create the vitamin D that we require and the extreme of baking permanent damage into the skin cells. (Being quite fair skinned, I gave up tanning many decades ago as a hopeless goal. But, I wish I had made that decision many years sooner because, believe me when I say that the parts of me that never sunbathed are in much better condition.)

Here is my humble DIY regime: (I started out to call it “simple”, now seeing it in print, I’m going to go with “manageable”.

• I cleanse my face with whatever creamy cleanser I happen to have on hand that will work in my pump dispenser. As long as it is not harsh and drying, I am not much concerned about cleanser ingredients because it should be all washed off quickly before it absorbs. In the shower and when I travel, I use mild and healing, Ohhira’s Probiotic Kampuku Beauty Bar. However, next time I shop for a new creamy cleaner liquid, I am tempted by this one. (BTW, I have no connection to Lucky Vitamin, but link examples to them because I find they have a wide selection, typically competitive prices, an easy reorder system and good service.)
• Note, because I change them daily, I bought a big package of cheap white cotton wash cloths at one of the warehouse stores.
• Then, I splash on my homemade toner, using just my hands.
  • The toner base is Lily of the Desert Aloe vera juice* (I select their product in glass with no preservatives. BTW, “gel” is just “juice” with a thickening agent added. Last time, I accidentally bought gel instead of juice but it still works fine.) The aloe itself is very moisturizing, but I add…
  • A few squirts of hyaluronic acid serum for additional therapeutic moisturizing.
  • Vitamin C is good to help even out skin tone and color. So, I have been adding a liquid that I found at a health food store. There are a number of other vitamin C serums on the market that would work.
  • To help preserve the toner from bacterial growth, I add several drops of silver gel. (This is a brand that I respect.)
  • I put these ingredients in a glass pump bottle left over from another product I had finished off.
• Daytime, I seal all that good moisture in with a thin coat of ozonated coconut oil. (It is lighter than it sounds and does not seem to clog pores even in that often oily forehead/nose “T-zone”.)
• At night, I use a retinol product recommended by a facialist. It is effective for skin issues and wrinkles, but I have been tempted to try the much less expensive national consumer brand retinol products. I would probably buy this one because I like their body lotion and my dermatologist approved of that.
• About twice a week, after cleansing, I use a scrub. The one I like best is very fine grained (microdermabrasion) and kind of polishes the skin by removing dead cells but does not scratch.

* Pet Tip. For Dog “Hot Spots” (not to be confused with hot dog spots), I recommend putting the Lily of the Desert Aloe Juice in a spray bottle and keeping it in the refrigerator. The spray is very soothing and healing. Plus, if your pet licks it off, it is safe and probably useful.

Do NOT get the vaccine before seeing this

I encourage everyone to read the pages in the HBN Library section about covid-19. At least learn about nutritional prevention and early outpatient treatment so that you are armed with alternatives. If you don’t do anything else to educate yourself before agreeing to a vaccine, PLEASE watch the video I link to at the end of this post. The interview is with Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH, who along with other stellar qualifications is Vice Chief of Internal Medicine at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, TX. He has written extensively about Covid-19 including the first published protocol for outpatient treatment to prevent hospitalization (he explains that outpatient treatment has widely been suppressed). Although he is usually pro-vaccine, Dr. McCullogh has grave concerns about the wisdom and safety of the covid vaccines as well as about the real reason they have been pushed so aggressively. If you think you don’t have time to watch it all, at least click in about 3/4 of the way along the bar for a sample of what you are missing. This video interview with Peter McCullough, MD is the best thing I’ve seen on the pandemic–authoritative, thorough, logical, selfless, and understandable.

Is it safe to blindly follow government “experts”?

In the last year and a half, the government has told us to do a whole lot of things—lock down; keep your distance; wear /don’t wear a mask; wash your hands; forget nutrients and inexpensive therapies; and of course, get vaccinated. Given the money and power that the US government has at its disposal, it should give us top notch reliable health advice…right? Unfortunately, too often it does NOT. Many of us are still debating the advisability of the covid vaccine which at this point only has emergency approval. This might be a good time to do a reality check on the source of that crucial instruction. Those who dare to question government authority are accused of believing in conspiracy theories, but below is a small but representative sample of the government’s dismal track record. In a separate post, I explain some reasons for that bad advice.

• Science has shown since the 1940’s and 1950’s that smoking tobacco causes lung cancer. (It seems quite amazing that the FDA still allows cigarettes to be sold, especially since they are so aggressive in trying to “protect” us from what they claim are the “dangers” of dietary supplements.) It was not until 1966, that the FDA at least required warnings on cigarette packs. (How many died needlessly from lung cancer in the decades before that?) To their credit, the FDA is finally planning to restrict menthol flavoring in cigarettes which encourages smoking. It is simply astonishing that in 2021, the government spends $60 million of our tax dollars per year to subsidize tobacco agriculture.
• Government agencies encourage cities to add fluoride to their water supply. It turns out that fluoride (a toxic waste from fertilizer production) besides interfering with thyroid function, increasing blood pressure and causing other health problems, also reduces children’s IQ. Read more.
• Respected scientists and nutrition experts agree that the USDA dietary guidelines published in 1977 and reinforced in 1992 with the original “food pyramid”, caused the current epidemic of type 2 diabetes. (2 million Americans now suffer with Type 2 diabetes and 88 million American adults are in the “prediabetes” zone. Together roughly 60% of adults!) The feds created unjustified panic about fats as a general category and they demonized eggs, and meat (foods that satisfy appetite). That unreasonable position led to an unhealthy addictive-like intake of carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, cereal, fat-free cookies and the like (foods that destabilize blood sugar). Diabetes is a primary cause of heart disease and as the government is quick to tell us, also a major risk factor for a deadly outcome from covid-19. This New York Times editorial points out that the feds also overreacted about salt.
• Despite the massive amount of convincing science proving that sugar consumption increases the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease and more, the US government still spends $4 billion of our tax dollars to subsidize sugar agriculture. Likewise, billions are spent to subsidize corn agriculture making corn snacks and high fructose corn syrup cheaper.
• The government told us that margarine was better than butter. In the 1990’s research showed that the Trans fats in margarine and shortening significantly increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Soon (in the early 2000’s) some countries banned the partially hydrogenated oils that contain trans fats. A few years later, NY and California banned Trans fats in restaurant food. Not until 2006 did the FDA require Trans fats to be listed on food labels. There is no acceptable level but the agency allowed manufacturers to list “zero” if there was ½ gram or less per serving. With some exceptions, the FDA banned trans fats in 2018, almost 20 years late.
• Although the Environmental Protection Agency sounds the alarm that the heavy metal mercury is a potent neurotoxin, the FDA still allows mercury in dental fillings and in many consumables including high fructose corn
• The government is allowing something like 80 thousand chemicals to end up in our food, our water and air. These chemicals cause infertility and cancer which our taxes often pay to treat.
• In 1965, scientists began researching the use of Folic acid during pregnancy to prevent neural tube type of birth defect. By the 1980’s the research had become convincing, and the nutrition trade association lobbied the FDA to allow that information to be put on supplement labels. (They still do not allow it.) At least in 1998 the agency required grain products to be fortified with folic acid. The FDA’s delay likely resulted in 20,000 babies being born with the defect which was fatal for many.
• We could discuss many others such as the many unfortunate drug approvals; armed raids on the offices of doctors dispensing an amino acid supplement (l-tryptophan); and FDA seizing co-Q10 off the shelves of health food stores.
• National Institutes of Health grants helped fund dangerous virus research in the Chinese laboratory that many believe will eventually be shown to be where covid-19 was accidentally unleashed.
• Despite public claims of safety, there are problems with vaccines of all types and, because the manufacturers have been granted immunity from liability, the government created a fund to compensate those who are hurt by vaccines or the families of those who died because of them. As of October 2019, $4.2 Billion in compensation (not including attorney’s fees and costs) has been awarded since 1988.

In a separate post, I explain some reasons for that bad advice.

Dangerous Vitamin B12 Deficiency Can Sneak Up on you

During last week’s radio show, my guest, Sally Pacholok RN, reminded us of how important B₁₂ is and yet how overlooked it is.

What it does. It is essential for the health of the brain and for maintaining the fatty sheath that protects nerves. B₁₂ also protects our cardiovascular system and lungs by supporting homocysteine metabolism. It is essential for life!

Symptoms of deficiency. MS Pacholok has mentioned that B₁₂ deficiency symptoms look like a list of COVID-19 symptoms: extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, numbness, tingling, or burning in either the hands, legs, or feet, and developing ulcers or sores in the mouth.  Sally also says that a B₁₂ deficiency “may unknowingly increase the death rate of this pandemic, especially in older adults.”  Read her article about this topic. She adds to that symptom list short-term memory loss, sore tongue, backache, cough, and sleep problems.  The Harvard Health Letter lists these symptoms of B₁₂ deficiency:

• strange sensations, numbness, or tingling in the hands, legs, or feet
• difficulty walking (staggering, balance problems)
• anemia
• a swollen, inflamed tongue
• difficulty thinking and reasoning (cognitive difficulties), or memory loss
• weakness
• fatigue

It just doesn’t make sense to treat the symptoms with drugs especially since some of the problems become permanent if you haven’t corrected the deficiency.

Causes of deficiency: (Sally says that 1 in 6 Americans are deficient.) Many drugs, including Metformin are a problem and those that block stomach acid are especially troublesome. Aging reduces the stomach’s ability to absorb B₁₂. Genetics, stomach surgery and pernicious anemia can also be causes.

Food sources. The NIH page for professionals states, “Vitamin B₁₂ is naturally present in foods of animal origin, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products [5]. In addition, fortified breakfast cereals and fortified nutritional yeasts are readily available sources of vitamin B₁₂ that have high bioavailability [12,13].”And they add that “the bioavailability of vitamin B₁₂ appears to be about three times higher in dairy products than in meat, fish, and poultry, and the bioavailability of vitamin B₁₂ from dietary supplements is about 50% higher than that from food sources [17-19].”

Listener experience. A year after cancer treatment, Gretchen was still experiencing some serious side effects of the treatment. She remembered hearing Sally on our show in the past and decided to try B₁₂. Gretchen reported this, ”the results were almost immediate and dramatic.  Within a day or two of starting injections my hearing was restored, my memory came back, my thinking cleared up, and my shoulder pain went away.  I also realized that the tingling I felt in my feet at night was probably not “restless legs” but neuropathy.  That too went away.  I was also thrilled to see that there is a connection between low B₁₂ and [risk of] oral cancer and that one more thing would contribute to full health.

Gretchen later shared this with HBN “A friend kept falling and having blackouts years ago. She broke her arm and had concussion. She had to stop driving. They did a quadruple bypass heart surgery. And she still kept having the problem. After I read the [B₁₂] book, I told her about it because it mentioned that they were tired of seeing people come into the emergency room for falls and no one could figure it out. She started taking the B₁₂ and stopped falling!  It [the problem] eventually returned but she was only taking 1000 mg a day, so I’m not surprised.

Thanks Gretchen!

Testing. Sally said that if you have several signs of B₁₂ deficiency, you should ask your doctor to test:

• Serum B12 is the typical test. The supposed “normal” range is too low. (Many docs think that over 200 pg/mL is good enough. It is not!) If you have symptoms and a test level under 542 pg/mL, you should get the other two tests.
• Methylmelonic acid – will be elevated if are deficient.
• Homocysteine – will be elevated if you are deficient.

Supplements.

The methylcobalamin form of B₁₂ is recommended, not the cyanide-based cyanocobalamin type. Note; Centrum Silver contains only 25 mcg. of B₁₂ and it is the cyanocobalamin form. Molecular Multi provides 600 mcg of methylcobalamin which is a good maintenance level. Nerve Guardian contains 1,000 mcg. of methylcobalamin and other B’s. Lozenge forms are best absorbed. Superior Source’s little melts are easy to use. Jarrow has a variety of B₁₂ lozenges with 2,500 mcg of methylcobalamin such as this tropical flavor example. For people seriously deficient, it may take injections or at least 5,000 mcg.

*Sally M. Pacholok RN, BSN and emergency room nurse, is the author of COULD IT BE B₁₂? AN EPIDEMIC OF MISDIAGNOSES.

Graphic is from https://badgut.org/ (Canadian Society of Gastrointestinal Research)

Bill Sardi Interview Review

As usually happens when Mr. Sardi is on the show (in this case May 1, 2021), there is a lot of information worth noting and remembering. Below are some notes to help with that.

• Declines in reports of covid. Those may be because people getting more sunshine and therefore vitamin D rather simply the effect of vaccines.
• Comforting fact. According to the Archives of Internal Medicine, the number of people not counting those in nursing homes who contracted covid and died was ½ of one percent (1 out of 200).
• Sardi discussed some big picture financial factors that may be behind the seeming promotion of panic and about a reported switch to digital only currency. However, I will stick to the health aspects and let you listen to the show again to hear his explanation of those ideas.
• I pointed out that nursing home residents have been shown to have a less healthy balance of good bacteria in their digestive systems leading to health complaints. The diet is typically lacking in important nutrients. Also, residents are too often lonely and over-medicated. They typically are relatively inactive and stay indoors thereby missing out on fresh air and sunshine…not an environment that is supportive of health.
• I read a letter from Brian about his father who overcame kidney failure. I have since learned that there is more to that story than I can cover here, so I will discuss it next week to give a more complete description.
• Herd immunity is when enough of the population is immune to the virus and so it can no longer spread rapidly and will eventually die out. The proportion needed is said to be something on the order of 70%+ but isn’t clear if they are including those who recovered from covid-19 or they are just looking at vaccinations. We need to remember that the antibodies from vaccines or even having the disease are fairly short-lived. The body’s long-term immune memory is provided by T-cells which are not measured by covid-19 tests. The thymus gland needs zinc to make T-cells. The thymus gland shrinks with age from the size of a walnut to the size of a pea…especially if the person does not have good levels of zinc. The diet provides about 10 mg., but we only absorb about 2 mg. So, a supplement is usually needed. About 30 mg a day is a good level and that is provided in Molecular Multi. (Sardi said he “would rather have zinc than the vaccine”.)
• The practice of medicine will flow where the financial incentives go. The US government and medical system are massively influenced by the pharmaceutical industry, so you can easily guess where the incentives are.
• Seasonal flu has disappeared this year. One theory is that the cases that do come up are lumped in with what is known as “presumed” cases of covid-19.
• Crisis in India. Early on they had low rates in this country that has learned to stay well using natural remedies. Not sure we determined what caused the big upset besides variants…the lockdown?
• Alcohol, coffee and sugar consumption are up because of stress over the pandemic. Those deplete vitamin B₁ which controls our autonomic nervous system. Symptoms of low B₁ (aka thiamine) mimic many of those attributed to covid-19. To name a few: shortness of breath, fever, cough, fatigue and loss of taste and smell. Nerve Guardian contains a good amount of the right type B₁ (benfotiamine). To make sure its absorption isn’t blocked, take it a couple of hours apart from coffee, sugar and alcohol. Read more.
• Nebulize hydrogen peroxide. That is a safe and nearly free early intervention for covid or other respiratory infection symptoms. Get a free copy of Dr. Levy’s e-book for details. Even breathing the steam of a hot shower will help clean the gunk off of lungs.
• What supplements to take for covid protection? We discussed a listener’s current plan, Molecular Multi (MM), and extra vitamin C (e.g. Formula 216). We suggested adding more vitamin D up to maybe 8,000 IU a day (MM provides 2,500 IU), selenium, Nerve Guardian and resveratrol (e.g. Longevinex). We previously discussed the protective effects of l-lysine against viruses. Of course, it is always a good idea to show your immune enhancing gut bacteria  some love with Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotics. It is good news that this program is also an excellent overall health maintenance plan when there is no pandemic.
• Radical Longevity: The Powerful Plan to Sharpen Your Brain, Strengthen Your Body, and Reverse the Symptoms of Aging by the first lady of nutrition, Anne Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS. The book talks about not just slowing aging but even reversing it. She recommends Longevinex. I recommend Bill Sardi’s review of the book because he notes dozens of her tips for healthy aging.
• Neuropathy. (Tingling, burning or lack of feeling in, for example, feet.) Those are signs of insufficient B₁₂ as are short term memory issues, back pain and fatigue. Listen to HBN May 8, 2021 to learn about B₁₂. Mr. Sardi recommended 5,000 mcg of the methylcobalamin preferably as a sublingual. He added that lack of B₁ can cause similar problems. He suggests the fat-soluble form of that vitamin—as benfotiamine. (I think Nerve Guardian is a good and inexpensive choice for that and it has 1,000 micrograms of B₁₂ which is at least a start.)
• The much-ridiculed bleach idea. Last year, during a White House covid-19 briefing, the experts discussed how quickly various sanitizers like ultraviolet light and bleach deactivated the virus on surfaces. President Trump simply asked if there was anything like that which could be used internally. The media latched on to that and wrongfully ridiculed him for supposedly suggesting that we swallow bleach. I pointed out than that there is a therapy where blood is routed out of the body and before being sent back in is exposed to ultraviolet light (one of the sanitizers) which kills pathogens. That method is called “the cure that time forgot”. Now, in what seems like an ironic bizarre twist, diluted bleach (chlorine dioxide) is being as a therapy in Bolivia and was successful in controlled studies. Read the shocking story about that and please don’t try it yourself without being fully educated.
• Co-infections. An important but overlooked factor behind poor covid-19 outcomes is that many people are simultaneously battling other infections with bacteria (e.g., pneumonia) and fungi. It makes sense to use natural remedies with a broad-ranging effects such as oregano, garlic, resveratrol, cloves, allspice. Your immune system will go after all threats, but it may need to be armed with more vitamin D and zinc.

Some Newsy Bits

• Vegetarian low-fat diet lowers There seems to be no doubt that eating more plant foods is good for our health. And it makes sense to be prudent with the type of fats we eat. However, there is such a thing as overdoing it. A recent scientific study concluded that a low-fat vegetarian diet reduced men’s testosterone levels by up to 26%! That makes sense given that vegetarians often become low in some nutrients such as zinc and that hormones are made from cholesterol. An article in lay language explains the study and notes that testosterone, in addition to the commonly understood benefits (strength, energy, libido and decisiveness) also protects against heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. Women need some testosterone.
• Exercise Training Reduces Mortality. The report on the review of studies (a metanalysis published in the British Journal of Sports Med) reported that “30 to 40 minutes daily of moderate- to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) was associated with a statistically significant reduction in risk of death [from all causes] during the follow-up period.” It also noted, “The New York Times in reporting this study, said ‘people in the top third for sitting and bottom third for activity have about 260 percent more likelihood of premature death than the men and women who moved the most and sat the least.’ ” [Personally, I am running…but just running out of excuses.]
• Flu shots do not help with covid-19. In fact, new data reveal that previously having had the seasonal flu vaccination makes you more likely to come down with some version of covid and increases the risk of dying from it. For more details, read this article by Dr. Joseph Mercola.
• Adverse reactions to the covid vaccines. One reason for those adverse reactions is that some people are allergic to one or more of the additives. Apparently, one common allergy is to Polyethylene Glycol. That is a petroleum derivative used in many commercial and industrial applications. Here is how the CDC advises people who have concerns about allergy to one or more constituents of the vaccines.
• Catching covid-19 from surfaces? In March of 2020, the NIH told us that “scientists found that coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.” In April 2021, the CDC says that the risk is low because such small amounts of virus are acquired that way. The agency also said sanitizers are not necessary (except in the immediate area of infected patients) because soap and water is sufficient to clean surfaces. Of course, hand washing is still recommended.
• Those who have survived covid may only need 1 vaccine shot. It is looking like having had the disease may be the equivalent of one of the two shot brand vaccines.Article.