How Government and Big Business Affect Nutritional Standards

Guest post by Michelle Ward, MS*

Government and big business as well as global and national politics all affect our food choices and not always for the better. Marian Nestle, PHD in Eat Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics explains, “Because of their enormous financial and political resources, corporations and the government agencies that regulate them have an enormous influence over our food choices and the information we receive about them. With their huge advertising budgets and conspicuous presence in schools, entertainment media, and civic life, today’s giant food companies have had an easy time ingraining their products into our culture and transforming our way of eating – usually in an unhealthy direction. At the same time, the government agencies charged with regulating the food industry have often been more concerned with safeguarding corporate financial interests than protecting the public health. The US Department of Agriculture, for example, is obliged to serve as a booster of the meat and dairy industries while also providing the public with sound nutrition guidelines – a clear conflict of interest.”

When I began to study nutrition in the late 1990s, I looked behind the curtain and saw how the government, the pharmaceutical, chemical and food industries were all ‘in bed’ together. As I researched, I became disheartened about what I had uncovered and a bit angry with myself for being naïve enough to believe that the government’s first priority was to protect me and that as an American citizen I was to trust everything they said. My husband discounted my findings about the dangers of aspartame as an example and proclaimed, “Why would the government say something was safe to eat if it’s not? You’re such a conspiracy theorist!” He and I laugh about it now because science has proven over and over again that many of the things that the government has labeled as GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) are often not ‘safe’. Some are downright dangerous for human consumption. This begs the question why would the government allow unsafe foods, chemicals and medicines to permeate the lives of Americans and spread around the globe? I have seen through the years that it all comes down to desire for money, power and influence.

That may seem overly simplified, but unfortunately, there is plenty of evidence to back up this theory. In her excellent book, “The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply– and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself”, Robyn O’Brien explores the dangers of our food supply and how government and big business shirk responsibility for assuring the safety of American citizens. Dr. Henry Miller, in charge of FDA biotech stated “U.S. agencies have done exactly what big agribusiness has asked them to do and told them to do” suggesting that the government has wiped it’s hands of any responsibility to make sure our food supply is safe. The FDA’s policy actually states, “Ultimately, it is the food producer who is responsible for assuring safety.” So, in essence, the corporations are expected to police themselves, REALLY? WHY would the government allow this to happen? One factor is that several administrations have rolled back regulations to benefit the industries that lobby them intensely.

What about testing and science?  A corporation introducing a product into the market is solely responsible to prove its safety. There are profits, patents, stock options, bonuses and other big money dependent upon research going the way the corporations want it to. Since the scientists conducting the research are funded by corporations who have a financial stake in the study outcome, data can be manipulated to show safety. Money corrupts and even legislators and regulators have been given incentives with money, board positions, stock options and future jobs to influence laws in favor of corporate interests.

Although the FDA’s website states, “All food additives are carefully regulated by federal authorities and various international organizations to ensure that foods are safe to eat and are accurately labeled”, this is far from the truth. In Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal, Melanie Warner points out that the GRAS Rule was originally created as “an escape hatch for the relatively small number of commonsense things that didn’t need an arduous approval process, such as spices, vinegar and salt.”

However, companies took advantage of this ‘voluntary’ GRAS loop hole allowing them to assess the safety of their own ingredients and cumulatively have put thousands of additives which have never been tested for safety into the food supply. As a consumer this may seem an insurmountable challenge. However, manufacturers ultimately respond to what consumers will pay for. That is why it is so important to continue asking questions and seeking the truth to expose the dangers. If we give up, the consequences for future generations could be dire.

Resources:

• The Environmental Working Group watchdog organization
• Eat Drink Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics by Marian Nestle, PhD
• The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply– and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself by Robyn OBrien, and Rachel Kranz
• Pandora’s Lunchbox: How Processed Food Took Over the American Meal by Melanie Warner

* Michelle Ward is a Certified Holistic Health Coach who believes in bio-individuality and evaluates each client’s specific nutrition, movement, stress, sleep, hydration and mindset in order to create a program that is unique and sustainable. To schedule consultation, visit www.TheMichelleWard.com or email her at [email protected]. At one time she was offering the first consultation at no charge for our listeners. Wouldn’t hurt to ask.

Blood sugar – neither HIGH nor low is good

On the show last week, we discussed diabetes and what is an early, pre-diabetes. Also, Dr. Pescatore went over fats but had to do that in a hurry, so I said I’d put the topic in the newsletter. Hopefully, this brief review below will help. We also did not get to supplements and I asked him off air about that.

HEALTHY FATS:

Omega-3 fats. Most people have heard (maybe even from their doctors!) that omega 3 fats are beneficial. That is in part because they are anti-inflammatory. This linked website lists 17 Science-Based Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Benefits include help with: depression and anxiety, eye health, fetal and baby brain health, ADHD symptoms, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune diseases, mental disorders, age-related mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, asthma in kids, fatty liver, bone/joint health, menstrual pain, sleep, and skin health. Sources of omega-3 include fish and fish oil supplements as well as walnuts and flax oil. (Note: flax oil or nuts and most plants do not contain the active properties EPA and DHA that fish does.) If you are a vegetarian or vegan, know that Dr. Ohhira’s Essential Living Oils are a vegan alternative to fish oil capsules a product with a balanced of oils.

Omega-9 fats. This type of fat is one of the reasons we are told to use olive oil. The 9’s seem to improve blood sugar management and reduce inflammation. Another reason to love olive oil is that it contains plant antioxidants. Dr. Pescatore reminded us to look for extra virgin olive oil. There is a lot of fraud in the Italian olive oil market (more so than California), so use a brand that has a dark color oil and comes in an opaque bottle. It is not stable at high temperatures and so it should be used for adding to dishes after they are cooked and for salad dressings—NOT for frying or otherwise heating above 375^○. Macadamia nut oil (from Australia or South Africa not Hawaii) is good for the same reasons that olive oil is, however, it has a high smoke point which means that you can cook with it.

USE SPARINGLY:

Coconut oil. This is a high temperature oil and has some benefits because of its Medium Chain Triglycerides. However, it doesn’t contain the essential omega-3 factors.

Omega-6 fats. The most commonly used sources of these fats are pro-inflammatory. These are also refined oils that have other problems from processing—corn oil, soy oil, sunflower oil and safflower oil. Canola oil may be low in omega-6 but there are a number of other reasons I don’t use it. (A topic for another day.) The standard American diet (S.A.D.) is imbalanced—heavy on inflammatory omega-6 overpowering anti-inflammatory omega-3. Exceptions to the caution about omega-6 are evening primrose oil and GLA supplements that are a different type and they have health benefits.

AVOID:

Trans fats. These fats are processed to make them more stable. (In short, they just went ahead and ruined them so they wouldn’t get worse…?) The FDA finally caught on to their cardio harm and banned them. However, the agency left a loophole. Processed foods can claim to have “NO trans fats” if they contain less than 0.5 milligram. Don’t be fooled. There is no safe dose of trans fats and if a person eats lots of processed foods, fried foods, baked goods and non-dairy coffee creamers, they add up!

SUPPLEMENTS FOR BLOOD SUGAR:

• Dr. Pescatore recommends glucynergy which is a combination of 1,000 mg of Glucevia® Ash tree extract, 200 mg of Mulberry leaf extract, 150mg of Benfotiamine [that is a B vitamin that Bill Sardi has recommended also for the brain].
• Many have heard of the mineral chromium for blood sugar, but honestly, most of the nutrients that we discuss on the show play a role in diabetes prevention or reversal. Vitamin D is one example and magnesium is another.
• This large study and analysis discusses the benefit to diabetics from resveratrol.

OTHER FACTORS:

Exercise, body weight, hydration, stress, detoxification, low alcohol, not smoking, etc. are all important. Being generally healthy is the prescription for preventing most diseases. Sorry, no shortcuts. Link HERE to Library page on diabetes prevention and low glycemic foods.

Sleep like a puppy Part 2

In last week’s blog, Part 1, we discussed the problems with sleep drugs as well as how habits and lifestyle factors can improve our rest. Now let us look at natural support.

• Brain Light Pro. Most people acquire (rent to own or buy) one of these wonderful devices for brain damage, anxiety, depression, stroke recovery, general brain health and memory, etc. But, I find that a nightly 20-minute session is wonderfully relaxing. I have even used it when I awoke at 3 AM on a Saturday and really, really needed to get back to sleep before the radio show. So simple, just rest the crown of red lights around your head and push a button. The healing light penetrates deeply where it reduces inflammation and improves circulation in the brain. No pill does that!
• Supplements.
  • Magnesium. I think it makes sense to first try a nutrient that we need anyway for other purposes. Magnesium has hundreds of jobs in the body and is lacking in the US diet. It is very relaxing for muscles and nerves. One form that specifically connects to the brain and that I have found helpful for sleep is magnesium threonate. I take one every night. It should be available in most stores. (HBN has no connection to Lucky vitamin.)
  • Combination. Jarrow’s Sleep Optimizer is a nice formula with popular sleep herbs, neurotransmitters and melatonin. (Jarrow is a longtime valued HBN sponsor.)
  • Ashwagandha. Long appreciated as a stress reducer, recent research points to sleep and insomnia benefits from the gentle herb ashwagandha. It is an adaptogen—meaning that, unlike drugs which force a process one direction, an adaptogen increases or decreases function moving toward normal. That is much safer.
  • Melatonin. This hormone is released in the brain and in the intestinal tract. It is well known to help with sleep and jet lag. I recommend starting with a small amount, either 1 mg or even half of that. Some people take too much, and it does not work well. You might have heard news that melatonin was one component of President Trump’s covid19 treatment along with vitamin D, zinc and medications. This study tells why. Take it at least 30-60 minutes before bed so it can get busy. Buying a sublingual make sense because you can have it on the nightstand and not need to get up for water.
  • CBD. CBD is known for being relaxing. For many folks, working on relaxation all day makes restful sleep easier to come by than hoping to turn off stress suddenly just because the clock says it is bedtime. We recommend our sponsor CV Sciences Plus CBD.
  • Homeopathic help. The simplest and least expensive homeopathic is the single remedy coffea cruda. It does the opposite of coffee and is helpful even if you wake up in the middle of the night and your mind seems to be racing. (The dose is 5 tiny pellets that go into the lid when you turn it. I keep mine in the nightstand already primed with 5 ready to put under my tongue as needed.) Dr. King has a helpful Sleep Aid spray that is very easy to use and addresses many reasons for sleeplessness.

If pain keeps you awake. Pain medications have side effects which can be very serious. I believe that the best approach is to safely and completely fix what is causing the pain. Nothing does that as well as Infiniti Stem Cell Therapy. Instead of side effects, people report a wide range of “fringe benefits”. (Infinity Stem Cell Therapy is a sponsor of the show but know this: I begged them to become one because I was so blown away by the results people including my family were getting.) Call (972) 303-0683 and ask for a valuable but  complimentary consultation.

Mental tricks to turn off the mental “to-do list”. I find it helps to have already written down my to-do list so that I can let it go. But, if I need to distract myself from rehashing issues of the day or thinking about what is coming, prayer is a wonderful solution.  But, I also have a simple and slightly silly trick that works because it takes a tiny bit of concentration to keep my mind from wandering. I count off various things alphabetically on my fingers while breathing deeply with each item. Any category of items will work—the US states, state capitals, vegetables, car brands*, items at the hardware store, etc. *(Cars are my newest fun one and watching for new ones passes the time on the highway…they don’t make me sleepy there.)

Sweet dreams!

Sleep like a puppy Part I

We call it “beauty sleep” in part because fatigue and stress show up on the face. Also sleeping is the time of day when the body does its detoxifying and repairing. It will surely come as no surprise to readers that lack of sufficient quality sleep leads to fatigue, irritability, and foggy thinking. It is less well known that sleep deprivation increases pain perception and is a contributor to many if not most chronic diseases. Everyone is different, but maybe there is something in this list that will help you rest better.

Why not just take a sleep drug like the commercials tell us to? As is the case with all pharmaceuticals, sleep medicines have side effects. It is just that in this case, we are messing with the brain. As an example, the side effects of the popular sleep aid Ambien® include: anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, memory loss, insomnia (!!!), addiction and many more. The meds on drug store shelves have their own issues. Most of the over-the-counter sleep aids and “PM” meds such as Advil® PM, Nyquil™ and many others contain ingredients known as “anticholinergics”. As noted in this informative article on the People’s Pharmacy’s great website, they are linked to dementia and other problems.

Behaviors that help and hurt sleep.

• Caffeine. Surely you have heard or just assumed that drinking caffeinated beverages (coffee, tea and colas) close to bedtime may keep you awake. You may not know that it can take 6 to 10 hours for the body to clear caffeine from the system. People who are especially caffeine-sensitive may be bothered for days. I find that a piece of rich dark chocolate birthday cake contains enough caffeine to mess with my sleep. The sugar and starch in the cake (besides being evil and fattening) can cause heartburn which makes it hard to sleep. Check other soda labels (e.g. Mountain Dew®) and medications (e.g. Excedrin®) for caffeine content.
• Bedtime. Experts agree that establishing a regular bedtime and routine for going to bed is supportive. The old saying goes, “Every hour of sleep before midnight is worth two after midnight.” This Time Magazine article disputes that exact cutoff but does say that our circadian rhythms will give us a better quality of sleep early vs late.
• Nighttime activities.
  • Exercise. It is best not to do vigorous exercise closer than 1 hour before bed.
  • Blue screens. Smart phones, laptops and TV’s are a relatively new challenge for humans. For most of human existence, natural blue light outdoors signaled that it was time to get up. Some devices have settings to reduce blue light and there are special eyeglasses that filter it out. The simplest and most reliable thing is to avoid using them 2 to 3 hours before bedtime. This Harvard article says “research shows that it [blue light at night] may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.” One way it has an effect is to reduce the melatonin the person makes. (Read below about melatonin.)
• Sleep position. A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that “side sleeping was the most efficient way to cleanse the brain of waste.” (Logic says that should make you feel sharper the next day.) Chiropractor Andrew Shepherd says “Sleeping on your back offers a number of health benefits as well because it allows your head, neck and spine to rest in a neutral position and uses gravity to keep your body in even alignment over your spine. Sleeping on your stomach is the worst position for your health. It places an enormous amount of stress on your nervous system which can lead to health issues. It also places stress on vertebral joints and muscles, which over time will lead to early degeneration, osteoarthritis, reduced flexibility, pain and more.”
• Being overweight. Recent research shows that obesity interferes with sleep. It also is true that poor sleep leads to weight gain.
• The bedroom.
  • Dark. The darker the better. If it is impossible to totally darken the room, an eye shade can help. (I get a kick out of bedroom scenes on TV and in movies where the actors are propped up on a big ole pile of neck wrecking pillows and the room is so bright you could read the newspaper.)
  • Cool. A cool room also helps. (We are energy conscious at home and use the ceiling fan, but it is a great treat when I can crank the thermostat down to 68^○for one night in a hotel.)
  • Quiet. Speaking of hotels, if you have ever been in one near the ice machine and elevator and/or where the neighbors partied to all hours, you know that quiet is also important. An exception to that rule can be a pink noise It soothingly covers up environmental and partner noises. It differs from white noise which can sound similar to radio static and so some people find it irritating. The pink sounds are softer, and I find it more relaxing. The device we use has many options. (FYI, HBN is an Amazon affiliate, meaning we might get a few pennies literally from purchases at that link.)

Next week I’ll cover natural helps for sleep in Part II.

Thoughts on President Trump’s Covid-19 Treatment

As you have likely heard, on September 25^th, President Trump announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, thereby joining millions of other Americans. As many as 80% of people who contract the disease have no symptoms or at the most mild ones as was the case for the President. However, to be extra cautious, he was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The following treatment regime was reported. It is very interesting and provides useful information for all of us.

DRUGS:

• Remdesivir. This is an anti-viral drug that has been shown in trials to reduce the replication of covid-19 and shorten hospital stays. The drug is given only to hospitalized patients and works best for those needing oxygen. It is quite expensive.
• Regeneron. This cocktail of antibodies has shown promise but is still considered experimental. Antibodies are what the immune system creates to target specific pathogens. Natural steps you take to improve immune function (e.g. vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, and aloe vera) may have the net effect of increasing production of antibodies.
• Dexamethasone. This is a corticosteroid used to reduce inflammation. An excess of inflammation generated by the immune system can be the cause of severe symptoms of viral disease. Many nutritional supplements such as Vitamin D, resveratrol, magnesium, garlic, zinc, and aloe vera reduce inflammation.
• Famotidine. This is a heartburn drug in the H2-blocker class. There has been some very weak evidence that it might improve covid-19 outcomes. However, I am very leery of this drug because another class of acid-blockers, Proton Pump Inhibitors, seems to make matters worse. Both types of drugs block stomach acid which is an important early defense against pathogens.
• Aspirin. Presumably, this was given to prevent the blood clots often seen with covid-19 and to reduce inflammation. Unfortunately, aspirin can also cause intestinal bleeding. Fish oil and resveratrol are among the natural ways to offset excess clotting.
• That controversial drug was not used this time, but the majority of studies show that it helps if given early. It works at least in part as an ionophore that ushers zinc into cells where it stops viruses from duplicating. Quercetin is a natural ionophore.

NATURAL

• Vitamin D. Authorities such as Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases acknowledge at least some of the science on vitamin D. (Tellingly, Dr. Fauci says he takes vitamin D.) Studies make it clear that those who are deficient in vitamin D are at much greater risk for covid-19. Early reports mentioned that President Trump was given 50,000 IU twice a week. We would naturally get some every day. That 50 times 2 averages out to be 14,000 IU per day. That dose is higher than I recommend for routine supplementation, but lower than I would take if I were infected. Read more about vitamin D.
• Zinc. If you listen to HBN, you have heard a lot about vitamin D and the mineral zinc. I was thrilled to discover a terrific editorial in the Wall Street Journal, Trump Takes Zinc. Maybe You Should Too. It contains some great information about zinc benefits and links to authoritative sources. (Note: I created a page on this website for the lifesaving article because, otherwise, only WSJ subscribers would be able to read it. If you subscribe or would like to, here is the direct link.) Zinc Stops the virus from duplicating and spreading and is anti-inflammatory. Researchers from Spain reported that patients in hospitals during March and April who had low blood levels of zinc were more than twice as likely to die in the hospital. Zinc and vitamin D both need magnesium.

My advice about supplemental zinc: for routine daily supplementation, there is 30 mg of a good form of zinc along with many other important nutrients in Molecular Multi. But, if you are somehow committed to another multi that contains maybe only 15 mg or less of what is probably a low-absorption form of zinc, add T-Cell Zinc™. (This innovative formula contains nutrients that make the zinc more usable.) If, unfortunately, you contract an infectious disease like covid-19 or influenza, take zinc lozenges temporarily until you get well. (The lozenges contain quercetin that gets zinc into the cell where it can stop virus replication. Probably better order them now and be ready just in case.)

• Melatonin. You may be familiar with this over-the-counter hormone as an aid for sleep and jet lag. If you have ever tried to get healing rest in a hospital, you might want this. Read about how even one night of poor sleep inhibits immune function. Melatonin is also an antioxidant and has been extensively studied for use with cancer.
• Probiotics. I hope they don’t forget probiotics because 70% immune function is in the gut. Also, viruses can hang out there waiting for the conditions to be right to return.

“Authorities” are critical of the Walter Reed plan. The media quoted some as being concerned that the combination protocol has not been proven in double blind gold standard studies. I wonder, aren’t they embarrassed to say that given that most seniors are routinely prescribed several pharmaceuticals that have never been tested together? The “experts” are also waiting for rigorous studies (which will not likely be done) on the covid-19 specific benefits of the individual nutrients…never mind science showing they work in similar circumstances. Please remember that “Not proven” is vastly different from “Disproven”.

Trump’s “underlying conditions”. We know that the President is in the higher risk 70+ age group. He isn’t going to get younger, so he needs to do the kind of things we discuss on HBN to help the body act younger. Detoxification is on that list because toxins damage cell membranes and make it easier for viruses to enter. Mr. Trump is also above his ideal body weight. There cannot be a quick fix for that, but hopefully he will be working on it.

What the President says. He said that he “feels better than he did 20 years ago”. I’m guessing that is because of the vitamin D and zinc, not the drugs. He also said that we should not worry so much that we let the pandemic take over our lives. A Stanford University project evaluated pandemic data in a more realistic way than was used early in the disease. They concluded that infection fatality rates from covid-19 “among people younger than 70 years old, ranged from 0.00% to 0.57% with median of 0.05% across the different locations.”  That is less than ½ of 1%. President Trump is correct that panic is not helpful, but we do not want to be stupid either. E.g. please stay away from groups of people especially indoors who might be infected and not know it. Distance, 16 feet is better than 6 feet because small particles can travel far especially if there is not good ventilation. Wearing a mask should not be a political statement. A mask not only protects others from you, but will reduce the amount of virus you might breath in and therefore have a milder illness. Wash your hands. Hand washing will also reduce the risk of flu and those periodic “stomach bugs” that go around. Read about a worrisome toxin in some of the sanitizers.

Sardi Summary

When Bill Sardi was “interviewed” (I use that term loosely) on my show Saturday 9/26/20 we covered so much ground that I promised this blog review.

Stroke. Former US Congressman, Ron Paul, MD, age 85, was broadcasting his YouTube program September 25^th when he suddenly began to slur his words. Viewers speculated that he was having a stroke. No details are available except that they apparently gave him an aspirin and was promptly hospitalized. Whatever it was, he seems to be okay now. Mr. Sardi described the two types of strokes. In both cases, loss of oxygen to the brain causes damage to the cells:

One is when a blood clot blocks blood flow in the brain. Having full strength aspirin handy in an emergency to swallow (even chew) to break up a clot is smart. But, for long-term use, aspirin is problematic because it reduces vitamin C levels. Thinner blood is less likely to clot and is cancer protective. (Cancer cells flowing fast through the blood stream aren’t still for the 20 minutes required to attach to a small artery and spread the disease. If there is even a small clot, then they are held still.)  Natural blood thinning supplements are Longevinex (resveratrol complex), garlic, fish oil and the enzyme nattokinase which is found in this product by Jarrow and this blood pressure product by Kyolic.

The other type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke which is basically a weak spot in a blood capillary that leaks into the brain. High blood pressure (BP) is obviously a risk factor for such a blowout. Bill said that the typically suggested 120 over 80 blood pressure reading does not necessarily apply to older people. (UCLA did a study showing that the risk of a stroke in people over age 60 is not a worry until blood pressure levels exceed 160-165 over 90/95. That is an “age adjusted” recommendation. I’ve pointed out that LOW BP in seniors can lead to dizziness and falls.) Some blood pressure medications (e.g. Lisinopril) reduce zinc levels. As we’ve learned, low zinc is a problem for the immune system and it turns out that zinc actually helps lower blood pressure. Sardi pointed out that we can make our capillaries stronger by taking vitamin C. Don’t change medication without checking with your health professional.

Licorice risk. Licorice as candy is tasty and as an herb is used for ulcers and even fights covid-19. However, if used daily licorice can increase blood pressure unless it has been deglycyrrhizinated. That process removes the offending substance. The altered form in supplements is called ‘DGL’.

Covid-19 points. There are a torrent of scientific studies and observational reports on current topics from all over the world. There are also many ways to look at and /or manipulate numbers so that statistics can seem to conflict. There are precious few universally agreed upon ‘facts’ at this point. My concern is about who is it that is allowed to pick the information that we get to see and what is their purpose? Regarding covid-19 and our health we are being provided a sanitized institutional orthodox point of view. However, to make informed decisions we need to get input from a variety of sources. A few points Bill Sardi made on the show.

• Sardi agrees that the virus and flu will likely come back in the fall and winter when people become low in vitamin D. (The earth tilts away from the sun and people stay inside.)
• Because corona type viruses have been around many, many years causing head colds and other virus attacks like SARS, some people now test positive for covid-19 when, in fact, they may not have it and have developed immunity to it from those earlier exposures.
• Lockdowns may cause more deaths than the disease itself because of resulting depression, suicide, abuse, addictions, malnutrition and failure to get routine medical needs met. Some experts say that the draconian measures do not reduce disease incidence, but rather just postpone it. (e.g. “flattening the curve” further and stretching it out.)
• Some CDC verifiable statistics on the effectiveness of the flu vaccine by year: 2004 = 10%, 2014 = 19%, 2015 = 48%, 2016 = 40%, 2018 = 29% (the latest tabulated).
• Remember that death stats are being pushed illogically higher. That is because anyone who at some point tested positive or was even presumed positive is considered a covid-19 death even if they died from something like a gunshot wound to the head!
• Some experts say that most people will eventually become infected with covid-19 and develop immunity. So, we are all advised to take the immune-strengthening steps we’ve discussed on the show…starting with vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc and selenium.
• Obesity, especially fat around the middle, creates inflammation thereby setting us up for lung trouble and more serious cases of the virus.
• Covid-19 testing is looking for antibodies which are fleeting. But, the real long-lasting immunity is now known to come from T-cells produced in the thymus gland. The thymus requires zinc to make them and we need selenium to free zinc from binding to it can be used.
• When that drug failed in studies, it was because they didn’t provide zinc it was supposed to force into cells. And they gave it too late into the disease. Speaking of zinc—take it daily in your Molecular Multi or as T-cell zinc. When ill, take Zinc lozenges which supply the zinc slowly into circulation and are proven to help colds and flu.
• Famous physicist, Stephen Hawking, PHD, had ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) that put him in a wheelchair. It was predicted kill him in a couple of years, but he reportedly took 80 supplements a day and lived for decades.
• Blood pressure. Nitric oxide (NO) relaxes/dilates blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, and it sends a message to the whole body to turn on its defenses. Unfortunately, it only lasts for seconds before degrading. Timed release garlic twice a day makes NO stay active longer. (Blood pressure medications can increase the number of coronavirus docking sites on our cells and lower zinc.)
• Lung damage (e.g. fibrosis and COPD) from the virus is a serious aftereffect. Vitamin C and zinc are healing. Hyaluronic acid helps, but do not take it while you are in the midst of the disease. At that time there is too much fluid in the lungs.
• Sardi said he is not telling us we should not go to the doctor or hospital…just saying what to do if you aren’t.
• Bill reported that in Ireland most covid-19 cases admitted to the ICU had a median age of 84, which is two years older than the average life expectancy there. I found that the median age of patients who die from the coronavirus in Ireland is now 82 years which is the life expectancy (higher than in the US). Ireland stats.
• Article by Tom Levy, MD mentioned on the show: Covid cures including nebulizing hydrogen peroxide. (Safer by far than a ventilator which forces the lungs to breath.)

Covid-19 pandemic or plandemic?  What Bill Sardi says about global agendas that might be in work in current events, may strike you as controversial or even crazy. However, I must remind you that conspiracy theories too often turn out to be conspiracy facts. Many times in history, we’ve certainly seen unthinkable things done for power, greed or just the pursuit of bad concepts. If we do not pay attention to the early clues, bad outcomes can sneak up on us much like the proverbial frog sitting in a pot of increasingly warm water not realizing until too late that he is being cooked. I have no way to prove to you that what Bill Sardi says about power brokers and global schemes are true. However, he is a very smart and sincere guy with his ear to the ground. So, I encourage listeners to be ready to spot trends in time to take action. I will not attempt to summarize his views here on what might well be behind the fear-mongering and misleading press because I simply cannot do justice to the subject. Please read his detailed explanation in his own words in this article. And this one about his concerns over moves toward switching from paper money to a digital currency. Seems unlikely, but what if he’s right?

Bonus: Vitamin D thoughts from covid-19 expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. I don’t agree with a lot of what he says, but at least he is talking about this important factor. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/26/how-to-know-if-you-have-a-vitamin-d-deficiency.html?__source=androidappshare

Bone up on osteoporosis

HBN’s mission is to help listeners and readers be healthy by nature by learning how to supply the body with everything it needs for optimum function and to limit excesses that gum up the works. That principle can be applied to any part of the body and so, today I focus on bone health. According to Sayer Ji, founder of GreenMed Info, “the present-day definitions of Osteopenia and Osteoporosis were arbitrarily conceived by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the early 90’s and then projected upon millions of women’s bodies seemingly in order to convince them they had a drug-treatable, though symptomless, disease.” Again, aging became an insurance billing code. Read More

Bone Drugs. Typically, in stark contrast to the HBN mission above, mainstream medicine treats every symptom, condition or unfavorable test result as a drug deficiency. For a very long time, naturopaths and nutritionists have believed that the common osteoporosis drugs interfere with the body’s normal bone remodeling (strengthening) system and that the drugs end up making the bones more brittle and more likely to break. This newspaper article adds more weight to that argument.

“Osteoporosis Is Scurvy of the Bone, Not Calcium Deficiency” That is the title of an excellent article by Suzanne Humphries, MD posted on the GreenMed Info website. [Scurvy is a vitamin C deficiency.] She says, “It saddens me to see older women diagnosed with ‘osteopenia’ or ‘osteoporosis’ listening to their doctors and taking supplemental calcium and even problematic drugs called bisphosphonates. These are irrational, dogmatic, harmful approaches to the problem of degrading bone as we age.” She goes on to discuss how the excess calcium can end up in the arteries causing cardiovascular problems. Dr. Humphries recommends the nutrition that I would suggest for bone health beyond vitamin D: “Vitamin C, Vitamin K₂, magnesium and minor minerals such as [manganese], boron and silica.” Vitamin C is vital to help form the collagen matrix that holds the minerals in place. Vitamin K₂ helps get calcium out of the arteries where it causes trouble and into the bone where it is needed. Bone-building is a team sport!

Resveratrol for bones. There is more we can do for bone beyond supplying necessary basic nutrients and load-bearing exercise. A scientific human study is described as “24-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover intervention conducted to evaluate the effects of resveratrol (75 mg twice daily) on cognition, cerebrovascular function, bone health, cardiometabolic markers, and well-being in postmenopausal women.” Researchers found that “regular supplementation with 75 mg of resveratrol twice daily has the potential to slow bone loss in the lumbar spine and femoral neck, common fracture sites in postmenopausal women without overt osteoporosis.” They also noted that “the bone-protective benefit of resveratrol was greater in participants who supplemented with vitamin D plus calcium [as well as well as resveratrol].” As you probably know, my choice (and Sherry Rogers, MD’s) for resveratrol is Longevinex.

Gut ‘bugs’ should be helping. Our friendly bacteria are a key part of the control for virtually all systems in the body, so it should be no surprised that studies show they are involved in bone health. They also protect against leaky gut which is a risk for bone disease.  A scientific study showed that taking Dr. Ohhira’s probiotics increased bone mineral content by 32%.

Stem cell therapy. Stem cell therapy is not suggested to treat diseases such as osteoporosis, but because these fantastic natural cells go where there is degeneration, inflammation, and other trouble, I’ve heard wonderful testimonials about improved bone health. Read more about Stem Cells. Check this linked page of our website for webinars and informative conference call. For a no cost, no obligation consultation call (972) 303-0683.

News that makes sense

Headlines today are not usually as amusing as the one above, but they are very often misleading because the articles below them are. I am concerned that the media’s so-called “fact checkers” and censors base their process on long-standing prejudice. They seem blindly opposed to certain viewpoints and science sources. (For centuries scientific dogma taught that the earth was flat.)  The result is a lack of balance in the reports, especially regarding health. The worst errors are crimes of omission—the stories that should be told but are not. For example, how much have you heard or read in mainstream media about building our human immunity with nutrition to protect against viral diseases?

Below are a variety of overlooked tidbits and tips that may be helpful.

• Vitamin C to prevent and treat Covid-19. Read about a study on vitamin C that is an example that the “fact-checkers” are not so good at their jobs in this area. CLICK HERE.
• The Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently reported that Mexico has joined the growing list of countries that have BANNED cancer-linked glyphosate! Glyphosate (e.g. Roundup) is even found in kids’ breakfast cereal and our bodies. The non-profit organization said, “Scientists have been raising the alarm for years about glyphosate’s link to cancer. But glyphosate is still the most widely used herbicide in the United States, with more than 250 million tons dumped on American farmland each year!” Why on earth has the US not banned it? I assume that is because there is too much money at stake for the big pharmaceutical company that produces it and for the makers of the GMO food products that have been developed to work with the weed killer. (Remember, money buys access to regulators and legislators in Washington and access means influence.) What can YOU do? Learn more and vote with your dollars—buy organic foods or at least products marked ‘Non-GMO’. (When sales and profits drop, companies do pay attention and make changes!) The big companies have lobbyists, but so do you…if you support EWG in their efforts to fight for us.
• Sunscreen. Speaking of toxins. We are supposed to wear sunscreen to prevent cancer, right? A new article in the HBN library discusses the multiple short- and long-term health risks from the chemicals, including hormone disruption and, ironically, skin cancer. A quote from the article: “[Six]chemicals mimic estrogen, causing hormonal imbalances, allergic reactions, skin irritations and reproductive harm. They also attack the cells in your body, causing premature aging. And studies show they can promote the onset of breast cancer. … [Additional] dangerous chemicals like octyl methoxycinnamate, parabens and formaldehyde are also common. Some sunscreens still also contain PABA (also called octyl-dimethyl and padimate O) — a substance known to attack DNA and cause genetic mutations when exposed to sunlight.” The article cites references and discusses how to sun safely.
• Universities and Covid-19. An interesting article by Jeff Brown of The Bleeding Edge shows data revealing that as of September 10 “there have been 1,018 COVID-19 cases found through extensive PCR [polymerise chain reaction] testing at 17 universities, [however] there have been zero]” The tricky question is what to do with the students who test positive? Sending students home to spread the virus is not a great idea. Unfortunately, the typical ‘quarantine in place’ comes with its own risks.
• New resource added to the Library. On the Library page Suppress Symptoms or Listen to them? I added a link to the online MERCK MANUAL. It is a great reference for both the patient and professional. It comes mostly from a conventional point of view, but to start with that is a useful base before looking into alternatives.

The threat of mandatory vaccines is coming. For a free documentary series on the issue, Click this: Vaccines Revealed.

Covid-19 Update and Summary—Part 2

Click here to read Part 1 which covers other covid-19 factors.

Flu. Also known as “Influenza”, it is also a seasonal upper respiratory viral condition which may come in the fall/winter in part because of less sunshine and vitamin D. Thousands die annually from the flu and it may be years before we can get an honest comparison of flu with covid-19 because of reporting overlap.

Meanwhile, most of the coronavirus prevention steps and natural remedies listed here help with flu and with colds. Note, colds are typically caused by mild varieties of coronavirus. For many more tips about prevention, treatment, and a remedy kit to have on hand, read this Library article.

Gloves. Gloves are necessary for healthcare works to keep from spreading contagions. It is important that they change them often—hopefully before going from one patient to the next. I’m unsure about their value for the general public. Too often, I have seen people touching their face while wearing them. That defeats the purpose. I just use a paper towel or sanitizing wipe to open doors or to touch handles at the beverage bar in a restaurant.

Lockdown. In the ideal situation, only sick people would be quarantined. However, with this disease, people who seemed well could spread it. We can hope that everyone now (including young folks who like to party) have gotten the message that it is important to stay away from indoor crowds and at a safe distance even outside away from people who are not in your household. That practice plus masks and hand washing may keep us from having another panic lockdown.

Masks. You can find respected experts, studies, and charts on both sides of the debate about the usefulness of masks. I discussed both pro and con in a recent blog, To Mask or Not to Mask, That is the Question. While Bill Sardi is more persuaded by the not useful and maybe harmful arguments, in an extremely rare occurrence, I disagree and come down on the wear masks side of the debate.

Good masks (This Duke University study ranks the effectiveness of various types) worn correctly (e.g. over the nose) do offer at least some benefit and I think the dangers have been exaggerated. A listener told me of a person who did not want to wear a mask for fear people might think that they were democrats. That seems a particularly stupid reason to avoid a mask. Speaking of dumb, wearing a mask plus a plastic face shield to protect the eyes is fine. Wearing a plastic face shield instead of a mask is pretty pointless.

Medications. So far, there is no surefire go-to drug to cure a serious case of covid-19, but studies are beginning to accumulate. The one most people have heard of is hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) because it has been so controversial. This website lists the negative and surprisingly large number of positive studies on the drug and its relationship to deaths. Based on worldwide experience, it seems clear that HQ is helpful if used early in the disease and especially in combination with zinc and the antibiotic azithromycin. HCQ has been poo-pooed by the media seemingly just because President Trump mentioned it. (Again, I think politics is a stupid basis on which to decide health matters.)

A review of 17 studies showed that steroids reduced mortality among severely ill covid-19 patients.

An early small study of Remdesivir showed a 68% clinical improvement in critically ill covid-19 patients. (The drug is extremely expensive and must be given intravenously.)

Plasma from donations from recovered patients is hoped to provide antibodies to fight the disease. However, it is still experimental because we don’t know how long the protection is active and there are potential side effects. Read what the Mayo Clinic advises.

Natural prevention & remedies. Let me start by pointing out that “not proven” is a vastly different thing than “disproven”. The FDA only considers a substance as “proven” if it is (a) a drug and (b) has gone through many years and hundreds of millions of dollars in testing. Since nutrients cannot be patented, what company would pay for those studies when competing companies would be able sell it? Furthermore, the FDA will not allow the supplement company to even make benefit claims to sell it.

Fortunately, there is a great deal of basic university science on how various nutrients help the immune system and fight viruses. I’m not saying that makes them “proven remedies for covid-19”. But, as Bill Sardi has coached us, there is much to gain and little to lose by becoming well nourished in vitamin D, vitamin C and zinc. Vitamin C is activates sluggish immune cells and is even curative when given IV. Vitamin D aids immune function and helps prevent the inflammatory storm that causes most of the deaths. Selenium keeps zinc more available and helps keep the virus from mutation. Quercetin helps zinc get into cells where it can keep viruses from replicating. Resveratrol protects delicate lung tissue. In a recent blog, Covid-19 Briefs, I talk more about natural remedies. Sherry Rogers, MD recently did a webinar on how to stop covid-19 at any stage of its progress. Click here for a link to that webinar. You may have heard about oleander but forget that because it is way too toxic. Learn about potentially useful nebulizing hydrogen peroxide in an article by Tom Levy, MD: Covid cures including nebulizing hydrogen peroxide. Also, here is a Mercola article on that topic.

Panic. Panic is typically not useful because it can cause us to rush into bad decisions. Cautious concern and getting educated is a better approach.

Sanitizer. Hand sanitizers are fine but keep them away from small children who can get alcohol poisoning. On that note, I want to mention something that drives me nuts when I hear it in the “news”, because it is not fair. I watched the TV pandemic briefing where it supposed happened and I swear that President Trump never said to drink or inject bleach or disinfectants. After hearing how quickly viruses can be inactivated by sanitizers on surfaces, he merely asked the doctors if there was something like that for internal use…just showing intellectual curiosity. He actually wasn’t far off. Most sanitizers are oxidants. So is ozone. Practitioners have been using ozone in many ways (including saunas and IV’s) to kill pathogens. Ultraviolet light works to sanitize surfaces—treating blood with it has been called “The Cure That Time Forgot”.

School. This sure is a tricky one. Children suffer greatly in many ways (educationally, nutritionally, abuse, emotional issues, etc.) from not being in the classroom and it is also a big problem if it keeps parents from going to work. On the other hand, kids are not immune to coronavirus. Although they typically have stronger immune systems and do not usually get as sick, kiddos can infect teachers and staff and bring the illness home. So, the more the protections are in place, the better—especially improved ventilation systems.

Testing. Testing may be the most confusing aspect of the pandemic. The swab-way-up-your-nose may be the most accurate, but it is uncomfortable and, depending on how backed up the labs are, can take days to a week or more for results. By then, contact tracing is nearly useless.  The quickie tests have yet to be really proven. Then there is just nonsense, like when people who filled out the form but didn’t get the test are called to say they are positive. Read what Harvard has to say about tests.

Vaccine. In this recent blog, I gave a lot of information about the soon to be available covid-19 vaccine. Vaccines in general are controversial, let alone one that was developed and tested in months rather than the usual years.

Just a thought, conventional wisdom warns us not to buy a car from the first batch when an automaker does a major revamp of a model. Likewise, most computer users resist being the first to try a new version of the Windows operating system. We like having some other guinea pigs help the companies get the bugs out.

Be aware that hospitals now have language in their routine consent forms allowing them to vaccinate you (e.g. for flu or pneumonia) without telling you. Remember that vaccines are more effective in people who have strong immune systems. Bill Sardi developed an educational and protective vaccine consent/rejection form. (All proceeds go to support health freedom.) Recent Sardi articles, “The Vaccine from Hell” and “In Case the Vaccines Don’t Work, Here is Plan B.” 

Ventilators. Ventilators can save lives when a patient cannot breathe on their own. However, in many cases, covid-19 patients can breathe, they just aren’t absorbing oxygen well because of problems with the lung membrane. Since ventilators can damage lung tissue, hospitals are trying to limit their use. They are employing other methods of upping oxygen levels and have patients on their stomachs to help them breathe. (Unfortunately, this does not work as well with the obese.) Longevinex Advantage is great support for healthy lung tissue.

Covid-19 Update and Summary—Part 1

As of the date of this blog, the world has been dealing with the danged covid-19 pandemic for about 7 months.  And yet, it seems that we still have more questions than answers. I do not claim that the points below are definitive answers. They are simply the most up-to-date data-driven information, resources, and opinions that I could deliver. Not knowing what would be of the most interest to you, the items are in alphabetical order. (“Prevention” and “Natural Remedies” will be on next week’s Part 2.)

Case #’s. There is much confusion about these numbers and other statistics because of inconsistencies and lags in reporting as well as variations in definitions. The chart at this link shows cases by country and lists USA as having over 6 million  which is about 1.9% of our population. What those numbers do not reflect are the millions of people who were never tested because they had mild or no symptoms (up to 80% of infections) or who did not have access to testing. On the other hand, inflating case numbers happens when hospitals label as covid-19 any upper respiratory ailment (e.g. flu, pneumonia or Tuberculosis) because the hospital is paid more for covid cases. And, as we will discuss next week, the testing is not 100% reliable.

Censorship. The establishment (i.e. US government agencies and vested interests like hospital and pharmaceutical trade groups) are committed to the drug approach. They have no interest in low cost nutritional remedies. Sadly, they also seem to have no interest in prevention of covid-19…except for the use of vaccines and their mandates for social distancing, masks and hand washing. Because of the establishment’s enormous power (think FDA / FTC regulations) and deep pockets (think big pharma’s billions spent in marketing and lobbying), they have the ability to put a squeeze on information sources. For example, social media periodically shuts down posts that don’t suit their view of the world. Dr. Joseph Mercola’s popular website is one of many valuable resources to receive a FDA warning letter. Amazon has banned John T Bowles’ great book, 16 Fascinating Covid-19 & Spanish Flu Mysteries HOW TO EASILY PREVENT THE NEXT PANDEMIC. It is Amazon’s right to sell whatever they want, but in this case, they are in effect killing people by depriving customers of this life-saving information. The author, John Bowers has more integrity and is offering an e-book version at no charge at least until Amazon repents. Send a request to: [email protected]

Death statistics. Of course, one death is too many. However, because statistics guide public policy, they should be accurate, not artificially jacked up. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reportedly told the healthcare network that if there is any doubt, deaths should be called covid-19—even if the patient was not tested. Motorcycle injuries, heart attacks, hip fracture complications and gunshot wounds are examples of deaths illogically labeled as “covid-19”. Such problems are common elsewhere, but those specific examples were reported by the CBS affiliate in Palm Beach County, Florida. Video  (It is probably not a coincidence that, reports of deaths from heart disease, stroke and cancer have dropped precipitously.) Another factor is that we do not know how many will succumb to side effects of the disease years from now.

Deaths from covid-19 as the single cause are very low. Bill Sardi wrote about these statistics. Anyway, if we take the mainstream statistics at face value, out of 6,307,855 US cases, 190,362 Americans have died. The simple math makes that a 3% death rate. However, we know that a huge percentage of infected person are never tested. So, experts looking at more realistic figures (e.g. deducting deaths that would normally have been expected from other conditions), they come up with a mortality rate less than half of that. Even the CDC says the rate is lower, i.e. less than 1%. As my mom used to say, “Statistics don’t lie but statisticians do” (by selecting the figures and comparisons that support their theories). Other than making it sound worse than the flu and thereby justifying the lockdown, what is the advantage to the establishment of making the pandemic sound worse than it is? That is simple—power. “They” can make us hold still while they enact policies we don’t like and gain more control of our lives.

Distancing. Common sense says to stay away from sick people. However, since people who don’t have symptoms may not know that they are infected, it makes sense to avoid being close to people who are not in your household. Parties and crowded bars tend to be “superspreader events,” so avoid them.

Elderly. Although 80% of deaths from covid occur in the elderly, the problem is more their condition than their age. The obese and diabetics can die at younger ages from covid and healthy persons well over age 100 have recovered. It is just that as we age, the odds increase that there will be underlying conditions.

NEXT WEEK, Part 2 will cover Flu, Gloves, Lockdown, Masks, Medications, Natural Remedies, Panic, Prevention, Sanitizers, School, Testing, Vaccine, Ventilators.