How Diet Soda Damages Your Body

In our interview last week with pediatrician, Yohanna Vernon, MD, on the subject of family immune health, she strongly advised us to reduce sugar intake. She mentioned that a major but controllable source of sugar is soft drinks. People who have not yet learned the truth about artificial sweeteners might think that a switch to “diet” drinks could be the answer. The evidence against fake sweeteners is piling up and I was delighted when my chiropractor, Dr. Andrew Shepherd, gave me this well-researched article on the topic:

As you change your lifestyle habits and opt for healthier food and drink options, there may be gray areas confusing you as to whether or not diet products are safe– specifically diet soda. So can your favorite no-calorie diet drink help you lose weight? In short, the answer is no.

A Purdue researcher suggests that health officials should urge diet soda consumers to avoid the drink just as they do with regular soda. Warning labels should be expanded to include limiting the intake of all sweeteners, including the infamous no-calorie sweeteners¹, said Susan E. Swithers, Ph.D., a professor of psychological sciences and a behavioral neuroscientist at Purdue.

The issue with diet soft drinks primarily concerns the use of artificial sweeteners that confuse the body’s natural ability to manage calories based on tasting sweets. People who consume artificial sweeteners are twice as likely to develop metabolic syndrome, according to the Purdue report².

But did you know that diet soda is also the culprit behind various other health issues such as depression, kidney damage, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung issues, and poor brain health?

Depression – A study³ conducted by Honglei Chen, MD, Ph.D., with the National Institutes of Health in Research Triangle Park stated that drinking more than four cans of soda a day is linked to a 30 percent higher risk of depression. The risk was significantly higher for people who drank diet soda.

Kidney Damage – Researchers from Harvard Medical School who studied the effects of long-term diet soda consumption found a 30 percent greater reduction in kidney function. The study observed participants who regularly drank diet soda for over 20 years.

Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome – According to a 2009 study published in the journal Diabetes Care, drinking diet soda is linked to a 36 percent higher risk of metabolic syndrome and a 67 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared to non-diet soda drinkers.

Also, artificial sweeteners may interfere with the body’s gut-brain connection. This can inevitably lead to metabolic disorders.

Cardiovascular Disease – Researchers from the University of Miami and Columbia University studied more than 2,000 adults for ten years and found that those who drank diet soda daily were at a higher risk of a stroke or heart attack. They were also more likely to die from cardiovascular disease. The increased risk remained even when researchers adjusted for smoking, exercise, weight, sodium intake, high cholesterol, and other contributing factors.

Compromised Lungs – COPD symptoms and asthma can develop as a result of drinking soda and diet soda. An Australian study found that 13.3 percent of participants with asthma and 15.6 percent of those with COPD drank more than two cups of soda a day.

A Less Protected Brain – Aspartame, a common artificial sweetener found in diet sodas, has been found to eat away at the brain’s antioxidant defense system. Aspartame has also been associated with migraines and headaches, anxiety, short-term memory loss, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, hearing loss, weight gain, fatigue, brain tumors, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, birth defects, Alzheimer’s disease, lymphoma, diabetes, arthritis, chemical sensitivities, ADHD, and Parkinson’s.

1. Artificial sweeteners produce the counterintuitive effect of inducing metabolic derangements: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23850261/
2. https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/Q3/prof-diet-drinks-are-not-the-sweet-solution-to-fight-obesity,-health-problems.html
3. https://www.newswise.com/ee/blog/entry/diet-soda-linked-to-depression-coffee-tied-to-lower-risk/

The heavy burden of heavy metals

* As we discuss on the Healthy by Nature show, we are by nature healthy but only if we follow the two “prime directives”—1. give the body everything it needs for optimum function and 2.Don’t gum up the works with excesses it can’t handle. We spend most of our time on the show learning about what makes up those two categories. Today, clearly, we are going to discuss a biggie from rule #2. This information is taken directly from the Library’s newly updated page, Health Basics page about Toxins. (that page also covers fluoride, pesticides / weedkillers, plasticizers, tap water, radiation, smoking and more).

HEAVY METALS — If you are new to the idea of traces of toxins being a cause of major health problems, you might be surprised to find that we are continually accumulating these toxic metals.If you know that the human body is powered by electrical currents, you might wonder if these metals might create tiny short circuits. They do a lot more than that, including killing our gut bacteria and limiting immune competence while also promoting cancer. They contaminate cell membranes, mitochondria and other parts of cells and organs. They affect enzymes that are involved in metabolism, detoxification, and damage repair. Below are 2 of the top heavy metals:

LEAD –  Read an amazing article by Bill Sardi on Lead Toxicity as the 4th leading cause of death. Remember that fluoride in tap water increases the body’s burden of lead.

MERCURY – Other than radioactive materials, this metal may be the most toxic metal on the planet. There is so much loose in the environment that we must now even be cautious about what fish we eat. Other controllable exposures are in amalgam dental fillings and some vaccines which contain mercury as a preservative and activator. Shockingly, high fructose corn syrup is a mercury source. I recommend listening to our exciting interview with FDA whistle blower, Renee Joy Dufault, PhD about the many mercury sources in foods and medicines. LINK  Mercury-related Resources:

• • • Moms against mercury (note: services that rank website safety often give poor ratings to sites fighting the status quo.)
    • FDA—current advice on fish for pregnancy and children. FDA chart of exact mercury levels in fish
    • Dental resources
    • Do Antibiotics Contribute to Mercury Poisoning?
    • Mercury Madness-David C. Kennedy, DDS. Noteworthy archived interview
    • Dr. Mercola on mercury

Heavy metal REMEDIES: Step 1 in the battle against heavy metal toxicity is to avoid the sources noted above so you don’t make matters worse. More steps: The far-infrared sauna and Aloe vera are helpful detox tools ad well as Reg’Activ Detox & Liver Health. I also take a supplement specifically to remove heavy metals, Folium Px. It is also an antioxidant, a help with radiation exposure and it offers immune support. The product is made from pine tree barks, grape-seed extracts and other natural ingredients. To learn more about heavy metals, cancer, heart disease and that product, read this article. The product is available for even less than on Amazon at this website and you get an extra 5% discount on your first order using the discount code HBN.Then, your second order will automatically earn a 10% discount, no code needed.(Folium Px is on the same site that offers the vitamin D / K2 spray that I recommend as well as the marvelous Brain Light Pro.)

ALUMINUM – Two more heavy metals are cadmium (e.g.cancer cause found in cigarette smoke) and arsenic (it interferes with immune critical zinc and is found in Roundup herbicide and in rice). While not technically a “heavy” metal, aluminum does not have a nutritional benefit and is damaging. This metal is a growing threat in part because there are so many sources: e.g. vaccines, antacids, other medications, antiperspirants (NOT deodorants), tap water, aluminum cookware and even the heating elements in water heaters and coffee pots. Aluminum is especially worrisome because it is a nerve toxin that crosses the blood brain barrier. Autopsies find excess aluminum in the brains of Alzheimer’s victims. Aluminum is also hard on bone health. The heavy metal detoxifiers mentioned above help reduce aluminum.

*the graphic is from Portland Clinic of Holistic Health

Covid News and Views

I often feel compelled to offer alternative viewpoints on, for example, covid-19 since it seems that the mainstream media mainly just parrots what it hears from government institutions and organizations proven to be controlled by big pharma. Perhaps we can’t force a public debate that would air all viewpoints on the science, but at least listeners to my radio show and readers of this newsletter/blog may be individually protected by knowing that there are these questions…and possibly having useful answers that the average person does not.

Covid Quandaries

Can we believe the pandemic death rate statistics? The short answer is “No”. In most cases, people die “with corona virus” rather than “from coronavirus”. It is easier to understand why numbers might be artificially inflated when you know two powerful motivations for running up the total:

• Most people who allegedly die from covid-19 do so in a hospital. If patients are tested and found to be positive for the coronavirus, that label follows them into all the statistics, including death. It is a big deal that hospitals are paid more for covid-19 patients than other ailments. Someone who is about to die of pneumonia, heart failure or Parkinson’s disease will be counted as having died of the virus. Isn’t this a classic case of “follow the money”?
• The establishment (government, medical community, would be world controllers) is happy to have people people very frightened because they will more likely comply with the anticipated vaccine push as well as relinquish other freedoms. Motorcycle injuries, heart attacks, hip fracture complications and gunshot wounds are examples of deaths illogically mislabeled as “coronavirus”. These examples are from Palm Beach County, Florida and were reported by the CBS affiliate there. Video

How safe and effective will the vaccine be? The short answer is “no one knows.” First, we should remember that existing vaccines for other diseases are not 100% effective or safe.

• • For example, according to the CDC, effectiveness of the annual flu shot can be as low as 10% in 2004 to 19% in 2014 and a high of 60% in the  2010 season. The average for 15 years is about 40%. Rates are best in years when the virus type has not mutated into a bad match and flu shots are more protective of healthy adults aged 18 to 46. The vaccines are much less effective in the elderly for reasons mentioned below. And remember that there were financial incentives to skewing those statistics in a positive direction.
  • The fact that the US government pays out a lot of money from its National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program to compensate citizens for vaccine injury is a clue to vaccine safety. There is more information and resources about on the vaccine page in our Library.
  • The covid-19 vaccine search has been on an unprecedented fast track (“Operation Warp Speed”) to approval. There are issues:
    1. As discussed in this ChildrensHealthDefense.org article, some of the prime contenders “use never-before-approved [emphasis added] messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, an experimental approach designed to turn the body’s cells into viral-protein-making factories.”
    2. That same article noted that: “mRNA vaccines undergoing Covid-19 clinical trials, including the Moderna vaccine, rely on a nanoparticle-based “carrier system” containing a synthetic chemical called polyethylene glycol (PEG). The use of PEG in drugs and vaccines is increasingly controversial due to the well-documented incidence of adverse PEG-related immune reactions, including life-threatening anaphylaxis. Roughly seven in ten Americans may already be sensitized to PEG, which may result in reduced efficacy of the vaccine and an increase in adverse side effects.” Keep in mind that federal law protects drug makers from being sued for their mistakes.
    3. An article in the journal Chemistry World, describes some of the other potential side effects that will not be fully understood before release of the vaccines—for example: “One potential adverse event is antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), a type of immune reaction where vaccination makes subsequent exposure to the virus more dangerous.
    4. Folks over age 65 typically respond poorly to vaccines. That is for the same reason that they suffer more severe cases of the flu—i.e. their immune systems are not strong enough. We talk about that situation on the radio show, especially with Bill Sardi. He advises us to make sure that we have adequate levels of the minerals zinc and selenium plus the vitamins D and C. In fact, virtually all the diet and lifestyle subjects we cover on Healthy by Nature help to strengthen immune response one way or another. But, do not expect to hear about these inexpensive alternatives from the TV networks which are funded by roughly 4 billion dollars a year in drug company advertising.

The Care and Feeding of Your Brain, Part 4

For a healthy brain, just as is the case for the rest of the body, it is important to avoid damaging substances and activities and to do more of those that are beneficial.  Previously, in Part 1 we discussed the brain dangers of smoking, and anticholinergic drugs (e.g. those with “PM” in their names.) Part 2 covered more brain negatives—antibiotics, agricultural chemicals in the food supply, sugar / corn syrup and excitotoxins (such as MSG and in vaccines). Part 3 began to explain the positive factors such as the importance of gum health, restful sleep, and the exciting restorative Brain Light Pro. Now, Part 4 offers additional positive brain support:

Meditation / Mindfulness. Using MRI brain imaging technology, Harvard University found that people who practice mindfulness / meditation not only had improved brain function, but also visibly improved neural mass (gray matter) in the brain. Read their report. This seems to demonstrate the flip side of the negative effect of stress.

Brain workouts. British research showed that you might shave 10 years off brain aging and degeneration by routinely doing crossword and sudoku puzzles. (At our house, we like the NY Times crossword until the end of the week when they get tougher.) Crafting, reading, playing games, bird watching, learning a language or musical instrument and using a computer are also shown to protect against memory loss. (I’m still searching for a study proving that binge-watching The Big Bang Theory can boost brain health.)

Exercise. Research shows that aerobic physical exercise increases the size of the hippocampus which is the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning. Consistent exercise helps the release of hormones that provide an excellent environment for the growth of brain cells. And, of course, exercise increases blood flow which means more oxygen and nutrients are being delivered to the brain. Strength training helps prevent obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes which are all hard on the brain.

Apparently, we need a balance of brain activity (e.g. puzzles) and brain calming (e.g. meditation). That is like what the body needs to support the brain, i.e. a balance of physical exercise and sleep.

In the next installment, we’ll take a crack at diet and dietary supplements for the brain.

Listeners highlight controversies

Of course, I learn things every week from guest experts on the show, but I also learn a lot from our listeners! Sometimes they send me interesting information and I learn from research I do to answer their questions. Here are two examples.

Stem Cell Therapy. I am an ardent believer that stem cell therapy is the most revolutionary advance in medicine in my lifetime. I know of nothing else that can so dramatically regenerate tissue, balance immune function and reduce inflammation. Stem cells are nature’s own elegant system for stimulating repair, restoring function and reducing pain. They may save patients from dangerous steroid injections (which unfortunately degenerate joints) and risky surgeries. For example, why replace a knee with an artificial one which will only last a few years when it is possible to regrow the cartilage in that bone-on-bone joint?

Knowing of my interest, a listener shared a video about stem cells. It was billed as a “documentary” but was certainly not journalism. It was a sleazy, sensationalized and wildly misleading propaganda informercial created to sell the risky and expensive surgical approach to acquiring stem cells. It discredited competing approaches by focusing on extremely rare bad apples (which you can find in any field). Our listener was not fooled, but it did make him ask about why I recommend only Infiniti Stem Cells. That is an excellent question that has an easy answer.

First, because they work! Those Infiniti Cell folks have provided over 120,000 successful therapies—including several for my own family. On the radio we have highlighted just a few of the heartwarming and dramatic recovery stories. Remember, stem cells do not treat disease, (i.e. focus on insurance billing codes). They help the body solve its own problems in the same way nature did when we were very young. (To be clear, therapy does often result in patients becoming so well that they no longer meet the criteria for a diagnosis! But, that is just the result of the body’s wisdom at work.)

Second, I am completely confident in their safely and integrity. As you may recall from previous discussions, Infiniti Cells are umbilical cord derived cells—the only source I support. FYI The other sources are: fetal cells (immoral and illegal); amniotic fluid (less potent and much less clean) and autologous (they are from the patient’s own fat or bone marrow that are surgically removed, at some risk and great expense, and then manipulated. Those cells are relatively scarce and weaker.) The Infiniti safety system starts with a thorough pre-screening of prospective donors. It continues through extensive FDA-inspected labs that take many steps to assure maximum safety, viability and to ensure that there is no contamination or degradation of quality. Also, therapies are performed by qualified medical personnel under strict guidelines.

Third, the Infinity Cell therapies are much less expensive than most other types and brands. That is because the providers are deeply committed to helping people restore their health, not to pushing unneeded procedures in order to maximize profits.

Read more about stem cells. Call (972) 303-0683 for a complimentary no-pressure consultation to see if you might be a candidate for stem cell therapy. Yes, I do promote businesses like Infiniti Stem Cells that support our show. However, know this: I only accept sponsors that I am already excited to promote!

Front line doctors / hydroxychloroquine. Another fan of the show shared a link to what almost instantly became an extremely controversial video. It is about a group of front line medical doctors who are treating covid-19 patients and had gathered for a press conference in Washington, DC. They wanted to share the success they were having with atypical therapies. One doctor became quite animated talking about the 350 patients that she had saved using hydroxychloroquine, zinc, and an antibiotic. (She has had no fatalities, even among elderly patients with the dreaded “underlying conditions”.) She said she is writing up the results but worries that many patients will die unnecessarily if we simply wait for the results to be published rather than giving the plan a try. She has nothing personally to gain if the treatment becomes more widely used.

President Trump retweeted the video and mentioned the content in a daily briefing. That is probably unfortunate in that his association with the message inspired the anti-Trump media to quickly discredit the brave frontline doctors. The networks had no trouble finding critics who would point to studies that had supposedly “proven” that hydroxychloroquine doesn’t work for covid-19 and is dangerous…never mind that some studies showed benefit and a couple of the negative studies were retracted by the medical journals. Some studies used a toxically high dose (apparently starting with 2400 mg instead of 200 mg twice a week) and had begun treatment too late in the progress of the disease. Some, if not all, the spokespersons interviewed decrying the new plan have income or at least reputations which might be harmed if this new therapy were to be taken seriously and proven useful.

Facebook, YouTube and other sites took the video down and admitted to censoring any information that goes against what the World Health Organization (WHO) says. Google has been known to even censor studies. The WHO has not been proven infallible! In any case, how are we supposed to have a productive debate if we are only allowed to hear one side of important issues? President Hubert H. Humphrey said,“Freedom is hammered out on the anvil of discussion, dissent, and debate.”

(A similar problem exists surrounding vaccines. With the big covid-19 vaccine push headed our way, I encourage you to watch a debate about the vaccine between Robert F. Kennedy, JR and another famous attorney, Alan Dershowitz.) I found one website that (for the moment) still has the frontline doctors’ video available. By the way, it also describes the logical reason why hydroxychloroquine works and why it is so safe that after 65 years on the market, it is available over-the-counter to the public in several countries. Another interesting point was made. Many of the symptoms of covid-19 (loss of taste, smell, depression, etc.) are also symptoms of zinc deficiency. Hmmm, in part, hydroxychloroquine works by getting zinc into the cells.  Watch the doctors and decide for yourself. Also, look over this list of positive and negative studies on Hydroxychloroquine.

Covid-19 BRIEFS

No, we are not going to talk about the kind of “brief” shown in the photo above. Sleepwalking nearly naked in the snow along a road would not help covid-19 or anything else.  Brrr. The figure was actually just a very lifelike sculpture–a prank pulled February 2014 at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. As you might imagine, since that is an all-female school, it caused some controversy. The briefs below may also spark or highlight controversy.

• CBD May Help Prevent Lung Destruction in COVID-19. Read about a study on the subject. When the immune system overreacts to a disease like coronavirus, it can cause unmanageable inflammation (the dreaded “cytokine storm”). With covid-19, this happens in the lungs thereby making cases much more severe. On top of that, pressure from ventilators that have typically been used with these critically ill patients can cause more lung damage and further increase death rates. Treatment has recently evolved to avoid ventilators by simply supplying high levels of oxygen without mechanically forcing the lungs to breathe. Hospitals also put patients on their stomachs instead their backs to ease breathing.

Controlling the excess inflammation is the holy grail.  That is why some successful treatments use inhaled anti-inflammatory drugs. Another CBD Study proposes several ways that supplementation with it may help, including tamping down the inflammation and reducing lung damage. Read about other benefits of CBD and potential long-term problems with the medications often being used. Of course, the FDA is quick to warn that CBD (or no drug for that matter) is a proven cure. However, if it were one of my family that was ill, I would add CBD to the other supplements that we’ve discussed (such as vitamins D and vitamin C, zinc and quercetin, plus selenium) and plan to avoid hospitalization.   

• Hydroxychloroquine, good or bad? The news on this drug has been like watching a ping pong match. Early in the pandemic, some hospitals had reported good results with alleviating covid-19. Then came studies saying that it didn’t help and caused side effects. However, it seems that those studies may have been intended to fail since the drug was not given early in the disease as had previously been shown beneficial. Some objection to use of the medication seemed to be part of a propaganda war based on what I believe is criminally misguided political purposes.

Now, a highly analyzed and peer-reviewed study from the Henry Ford Health System concluded that, “Treatment with hydroxychloroquine cut the death rate significantly in sick patients hospitalized with COVID-19 – and without heart-related side-effects.”[!]  Yale epidemiology professor, Dr. Harvey Risch commented on that saying, “Hydroxychloroquine Could Save 100,000 Lives If Widely Deployed” [!!] The medicine is most useful as a preventive or early in the disease and could protect health care workers. The drug is not approved by the FDA for coronavirus, but doctors can prescribe it as an off-label use. Important, see “zinc” below.

• Zinc. Hydroxychloroquine is an “ionophore”, meaning that it gets zinc into cells. Once there, zinc stops the virus from replicating. That is apparently why the drug is of more use early in the exposure…before the virus has reproduced out of control. I am very annoyed that the news rarely, if ever, mentions zinc. If you are among the 40% of elderly persons that are deficient in zinc, what good would that medication do? Read more about the mineral zinc’s other benefits. Research shows that zinc lozenges are the form that helps you recover from illness most quickly. Bill Sardi has (brilliantly) created these revolutionary Lifespan zinc lozenges that contain not only zinc but also ionophores! Be prepared with some on hand. Preorders are being shipped today! (Buy 2 and get a bottle free.)
• Quercetin. The natural molecule Quercetin has been shown to act as an ionophore and makes a great partner with zinc. It is found in many plants, including citrus, berries, leafy vegetables, herbs, spices, legumes, tea, cocoa and Sardi’s Lifespan zinc lozenges.
• Greatly anticipated vaccine. The media would have us believe that everything will be solved by a covid-19 vaccine. Really? Given the problems with other vaccines that took several years to bring to market, many of us are genuinely concerned about one that has been rammed through the process at high speed.(Even 2021 which the WHO says is likely is still FAST.) One major issue is that those now in trials are not being tested on those most at risk—elderly people like me. (Note: the flu vaccine is only 20% effective in the elderly.)

There is also a question of whether or not the scientific method is being applied to vaccines such as those for covid-19. (There is a vaccine page in the HBN Library.) Reminder: a lot of good information and protection can be had from the form designed by Bill Sardi and lawyers, the CONSENT/REFUSAL FORM for the COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS VACCINE. (All proceeds go to fight for health freedom.)

• Alternative treatment: Our goal at HBN is to arm you with what it takes to prevent infection with the virus and, if infected, to fight it off successfully at home. David Brownstein, M.D. and his colleagues successfully treated 107 covid-19 patients with a protocol that used vitamins A, C and D, iodine and hydrogen peroxide (nebulized). Read “A Novel Approach to Treating COVID-19 Using Nutritional and Oxidative Therapies” You’ll notice that they suggested vitamin C in doses of at least 3-5,000 mg/day. (My proofreader and I were both surprised that there was no zinc.)

* Photo credits, Time magazine

Answers to questions for Sherry Rogers, MD, PART 2

These Q & A are about covid-19. (I’m thinking of doing a big covid-19 summary blog soon since the science is evolving, and the media is so often pushing the panic button about the wrong things! 😊) I have edited these questions a bit for space and clarity.

• In her book, High Blood Pressure Hoax, Dr. Rogers discussed using Monolaurin for Viral Attacks and I wondered why she did not mention that in her discussion of Covid as a Preventative. 

Monolaurin is one of many natural antivirals such as olive leaf extract, resveratrol and elderberry extract. Although not proven for covid use, there is probably some good from taking them for coronavirus. But, Dr. Rogers’ emphasis has been to keep the virus from getting into our cells by keeping the cell membranes in good shape. (Listen to her May 16 interview and read the blog review of that show.) The next step is to make sure there is zinc in the cells because it keeps the virus from reproducing. 

• If you have FEVER with covid, what to do?

Of course, do all the things we’ve discussed to get well (e.g. vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C). Remember that fever is part of our immune defense. So, it is best to avoid taking fever medicine unless the temperature gets quite high (e.g. 104^○ or more). Cool cloths and plenty of water help. NEVER give aspirin to children who have a virus because of concern over developing dangerous Reye’s syndrome.

• Antibodies tests and immunity. There were a couple of questions about how soon are you immune after coronavirus and how long does it last?

Scientists are still figuring those things out and doing a lot of guessing as to the effectiveness and safety of supposed immunity from vaccines that are in the pipeline. Besides disease fighting antibodies, we also make special memory T-cells which will protect us from another encounter with covid-19. They are made in the thymus and that gives us another good reason to keep our thymus in good shape by having enough zinc in our body.

• How specific is the antibody test? Does an antibody test specify that the person was exposed to the current SARS 2-covid (AKA covid-19, coronavirus) verses another corona viruses that have been circulating for decades?

The tests are supposed to be very specific, but there have been a lot of problems. Here is what the CDC says.

• Other tests. Roger’s newsletter says to get a red blood cell (RBC) magnesium test and RBC zinc test and the 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D test.  Are these tests recommended more than an antibody test for the virus?

I’d sure say so. Having those nutrients at good levels will protect you from a lot more health grief than just coronavirus. However, you might end up needing to get an antibody test to prove to your employer or some authority that you are safe to have around.

• How to fight forced vaccines?

The best way I know is to learn from and use the form designed by Bill Sardi and lawyers, the CONSENT/REFUSAL FORM for the COVID-19 CORONAVIRUS VACCINE. It explains the risks and our rights and, since vaccine makers are protected from lawsuits, puts the responsibility on the provider. (All proceeds from the form’s sales go to NHF to fight for our health freedom.) Using that information with your company and/or local legislators may help fight any mandate for the vaccine.

• Grape Seed Extract powder. Dr. Rogers said that if you use only one thing for the virus, use GSE at night (1/4 teaspoon). What is the name of the powder and where to get it?

HappyBodies.com is a website that has a whole section of items that Dr. Rogers recommends. They have caps but don’t seem to have a powder. (I’m told that the liquid is topical only.) I did a quick search and found it many places, including Walgreens online.

Answers to questions for Sherry Rogers, MD, PART 1

I apologize! During her May 16, 2020 interview, we ran out of time for caller questions. So, Dr. Rogers suggested that we do a show focusing only on listener questions. I loved that idea; however, I should have known better than to attempt a “lightening round” where we would quickly cover a whole bunch of questions. Dr. Rogers simply knows too much! She understands that problems are usually the result of several factors and so she resists treating nutrients like “silver bullet” drugs—the old “you have a problem; I have a pill” medical routine. Note: she does not sell any products and is not a paid spokesperson for any company, so when she mentions a brand, it is because she believes in it. Below is the first installment of a few translated answers to questions listeners have posed.

• Why were you reading about Guano? Guano is bat poop which is believed by many to be where the covid-19 virus originated.
• Rogers why do you not have any gray hair at age 77? She says that is the result of her whole diet and lifestyle, not any particularly hair-focused plan.
• What is the best way to DETOX? There is not just one way. Her wonderful book, Detoxify or Die, tells the whole story. In my video classes on digestion and detoxification, I say (and I’m sure Dr. Rogers agrees) that step one is to identify the sources of toxins and stop accumulating them! (Incidentally, my course is in a set of 5 DVD’s that has been selling elsewhere for about $200. I came across a few sets that I will sell for $39.95 each (free shipping) to the first 3 people who request one. Just email me, [email protected])
• Is ascorbic acid an acceptable form of vitamin C? The vitamin C in an orange is ascorbic acid and the two terms are used interchangeably. But remember that when you eat an orange, you also get antioxidant bioflavonoids from the white fibers and membranes. Bioflavonoids make the C more useful and keep it in the body longer. (By the way, a green bell pepper or a serving of strawberries contain a lot more vitamin C than an orange.) Supplements of vitamin C can be synthesized (often from corn) but the science cannot find any material difference in the effect on the body. In an ideal world, we would make our own vitamin C from blood sugar like most animals do. That is the intent and apparent effect of Formula 216 which is the C supplement I use.
• Is it okay to keep using the same water bottle? Plastic bottles leach hormone-disrupting plasticizers into the water. Bacteria and mold can develop in any bottle. So, yes, if it is glass or metal and you wash it well often. I run mine through the dishwasher at least once a week.
• What are the toxic 7 m’s Dr. Roger’s wants us to get rid of to be healthy? Mercury (we now get it from corn syrup and sugar), Meds (she said statins guarantee Alzheimer’s), Mycotoxins (from yeast overgrowth), Mangled fats (like trans fats), Manufactured toxins (like Teflon), Managed Care and Monsanto (the chemical giant that brought us aspartame and though it sold to Bayer is responsible for spreading GMO’s and the toxic herbicide glyphosate in Roundup® (Note, American’s blood levels of glyphosate are 7 times higher than those of Europeans!) 

In the next installment, we’ will cover the covid-19 questions.

To mask or not to mask, that is the question

The silly DIY mask shown in the photo is, of course, just for laughs. In stressful, confusing times like these, it helps to keep a sense of humor. Occasionally, someone (apparently without a sense of humor or negotiating skills) throws a screaming profane hissy fit because she was asked to wear a mask. The other extreme, which I think you will agree is equally absurd, is the person who wears a mask in the car driving alone or when walking by themselves in wide open spaces or as seen on the news, former Vice President, Joe Biden wearing one while bike riding alone in the wide open spaces…I wonder if these folks wear a mask to bed?

Except in the final paragraph, I am not going to tell you what to do. However, I would like to shed a little light on the topic so that you will be better prepared to make an informed decision. Below are some pros and cons. (I start with the negatives because the media never mention those.)

Why to AVOID Wearing a Mask: (Many of these are quoted directly from the detailed and fairly well-documented website, The Healthy American (THA). Listen to the 8/15/20 interview with THA founder, Peggy Hall.

• A study (not yet peer-reviewed) conducted by the University of Louisville concluded “Mask mandates and use are not associated with slower state-level COVID-19 spread during COVID-19 growth surges.” (Note, they said “are NOT”.)
• This study concludes: Masks Don’t Work: A Review of Science Relevant to COVID-19 Social Policy
• Masks allegedly reduce intake of oxygen to dangerous levels, leading to carbon dioxide toxicity. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has documented the risk. Watch Peggy Hall’s video on OSHA, masks and oxygen. Low oxygen levels not only affect the brain, they interfere with immune function. The THA website has a much longer list of negative effects of low oxygen. However, some informal tests in hospitals don’t support OSHA’s oxygen reduction claim although healthcare workers wearing them do have more headaches.
• Masks accumulate moisture. Germs are trapped near your mouth and nose, increasing risk of infection.(However, contrary opinion says that the moisture makes the exhaled droplets bigger and more likely caught in the mask or to promptly drop to the ground.)
• Wearing a mask causes you to touch your face more frequently.
• There is (little to ) no scientific evidence that supports healthy people wearing masks. The THA site gives quotes from even the World Health Organization and CDC that agree about the lack of science. (They have now flip-flopped on that view. It does not seem to be because of new science but is apparently that their earlier negativity was manipulation to keep consumers from hoarding scarce medical masks.)
• The scientists in Holland did not find convincing evidence of a benefit and a US medical journal article said that outside of medical facilities, the main purpose of the masks was to help with anxiety.
• Masks obscure your facial features and impede normal social interaction.
• Masks make it hard for hearing-impaired people to understand you and they scare kids.
• Face coverings give a false sense of security and cause people to forget to keep their distance.
• They can interfere with your field of vision if not worn properly.
• Taking them off can catch onto and remove hearing aids. (Found mine on the ground in a parking lot.)
• Masks symbolize suppression of speech.

Positive Reasons to WEAR a Mask.

• Although the N95 respirators used in medical situations are more effective and better studied, there is at least some scientific evidence  that cloth face coverings may help a little. This Duke University study ranks the effectiveness of various types. They help mainly to keep infected persons from spreading the virus because “they may prevent larger expelled droplets from evaporating into smaller droplets that can travel farther.” This very worthwhile video shows how they function. 
• You may be “required” to wear one by local government or by retailers. (Keep in mind that a governor’s or mayor’s Executive Order is a guideline and usually not a law that can compel a citizen to do anything. Police should only enforce laws not Executive Orders.)
• Makes people around you feel safer.
• Serves to remind people that there is still a pandemic.
• Keeps the peace.

My summary thoughts:

• I’m now convinced that it is probably smart to wear a face covering, especially when you cannot keep a good distance from strangers and when businesses make it a policy.
• While wearing one, make sure it fits well and covers both mouth and nose. Also make it a point to breathe deeply through your nose.
• Take the mask off the minute you can.
• Dispose of the disposable ones after a day of use and wash the reusable ones frequently.
• Don’t worry if your mask isn’t a color coordinated designer model like Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi always has around her neck or those now available with fashion icon logos. I may get one with buck teeth and a mustache shown on it. 
• Smile—even though probably no one will know.
• Whatever you decide about masks, make sure you keep your immune system strong with enough vitamin D, zinc, vitamin C and selenium. Obviously, stay away from not only sick people, but those young players who may have been exposed in bars or parties and not know it.

What is a picture REALLY worth?

The old saying is, “A picture is worth a thousand WORDS.” However, I think the picture above is worth tens of thousands … of LIVES, making it priceless. The chart (terrifying) shows that Covid-19 patients, who are deficient in vitamin D and end up in the hospital, may be almost certain to die. Learn more about vitamin D, including healthy levels.

* Thank you to Bill Sardi for sending this shocking but useful chart.  Reference. Details:

Another Picture

The picture above might be worth billions of DOLLARS and thousands of LIVES. That is IF more official attention is paid to why deaths from covid-19 are going down. Then, perhaps the economy can rebound more quickly and the stock market (which, lest we forget, reflects the health of retirement savings) can rebound. This is the 7-day rolling average through June 23. Understandably, deaths as a percentage of cases would drop if a higher proportion of young and relatively health folks more likely to recover are tested. However, this chart also shows a drop in absolute numbers. That welcome decline surely must be due, at least in a small part, to an increased use of remedies that keep patients off often-deadly ventilators. Follow this link to a site describing a consortium of physicians who use a new protocol. It is successful, relatively inexpensive, widely available and produces few side effects. In addition to two medications, it includes intravenous vitamin C and, as indicated, zinc, and vitamins D and B₁. Why is the use of this effective protocol not more widespread? This link explains what those doctors believe is the reason. (I would have guessed willful ignorance and that the authorities in power are hellbent on promoting vaccines and are more interested in doing tests on high profit new drugs, even if that is at the expense of the lives of many elderly patients.)

* Chart source. Thank you to Susan Linke for bringing the consortium to my attention.