I am thankful for gratitude

As the great quote says, “It is not happiness that brings us gratitude, it is gratitude that brings us happiness.” With that in mind, the title above isn’t as silly as it might seem at first. Also, gratitude seems to be good for our health. (On Pubmed.gov I searched the database for “gratitude and health”. I got back 1261 results!

This blog will be a bit short, but not because the list of what I’m grateful for is short. That list is much longer than my review here, but I’m being brief because it is the day before Thanksgiving, and we are all busy. Not surprisingly, I’m grateful for my faith and for a wonderful husband (Bill), a terrific kid (Andy), terrific stepchildren (Laura, Lisa and William) and grandchildren (Kayla and Tanner). I’m also very thankful that when we can all get together, we have a wonderful time. (The group even includes Bill’s first wife!) There is none of that family tension so often joked about around the holidays. I appreciate my health and that I have learned how to improve it. I am very thankful to have a purpose to pursue each day that (at least according to kind listeners) is worthwhile and makes a difference. I’m very grateful for Healthy by Nature’s listener following, sponsors and its expert guests.

Of course, my list includes a lot of material goodies, like a computer that works most of the time, a comfortable house, a warm bed and indoor plumbing. Which reminds me, why not be grateful for a healthy poop? Being thankful makes me want to give what I can to those less fortunate. One of my favorite charities is worldvision.org. It is extremely well rated and offers lots of creative options for giving the needy a hand up domestically or internationally.

I am thankful that so many of my “problems” are decidedly the “First world” type…such struggles as having 2 appliance clocks that didn’t automatically reset to daylight saving time change or being frustrated that there are too many viewing options on Netflix. (On cable, among hundreds, there is a channel that plays vintage game shows 24 hours a day. What a country!) Sometimes being grateful is a matter of perspective. For example, I’m very thankful for my 18-year-old car. (I’m not trying to impress anyone, it runs well, and it has seat heaters!)

A deliberate change in perspective can even turn annoyances into reasons to be grateful. It is like the quote from Abraham Lincoln, “We can complain that rose bushes have thorns or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” As a personal example, if my errands are slowed down by road construction, I remind myself that I’m lucky to live in an area that has paved roads and that my city works to fix them.

In short, “Happiness is not having what you want, it is appreciating what you have.”

Migraines are a Real Pain in the…in the…Head!

Although there is new information, this blog is largely a repeat of one that I did awhile back. My reasons: new subscribers wouldn’t have seen it; others might have an interest now that they didn’t before (e.g. a friend with migraines); the find-the-root-cause message applies to many other problems; and, so sorry, I needed a shortcut because I’m not so much lazy as behind on accounting (tax season looms) and I need to do some Thanksgiving prep. (Speaking of which check out the Turkey page in the Library for some useful tips and recipes.)  

This topic is personal to me because it is the reason I got into the nutrition field 40 years ago. I had suffered with migraines, and I still cringe to remember the searing pain, nausea, and other effects. I remember all that suffering more vividly than I remember giving birth naturally to a 9 lb. 7 oz. boy (whose big brain came packaged in an extra-large head). For any reader who has not experienced a migraine personally, let me just say, the gal in the photo does not look nearly miserable enough. A migraine is not even in the same zip code of a garden variety stress headache. If you ever had a hangover, that is a better start to empathize…the migraine head pain is much worse, but shares the nausea and sensitivity to sounds, smells and light that might accompany a crushing hangover. I had one of those hangovers and didn’t like it a bit. (I now know to not allow anyone to keep refilling my drink glass like waiters with pitchers of margaritas did at the party before the hangover. New Year’s tip: Obviously, avoiding alcohol is the surest prevention, but a champagne toast is fun. I find it helps to make every second drink water = less alcohol intake and more hydration.)

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

Medical treatments. These days, there are a whole bunch of migraine drugs. This NIH library article details them, their mechanisms and side effects. (Even those that claim to prevent episodes are forcing the body to do something, not fixing whatever imbalance that started the process.) Sometimes, docs prescribe blood pressure medicines or antidepressants. One option that I find particularly scary is to inject migraine sufferers multiple times with Botox (botulism toxin which is produced by the microbe that causes botulism—a potentially fatal type of food poisoning). Besides the cost, the procedure is not without side effects. Certainly that should be a heroic tried only if the natural approach and less dramatic medicine fails.

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

Natural Remedies. While searching for the root cause, nature also offers some relief. Herbs that seem to help include Butterburr and Feverfew. Massage, acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy may help. If it is available to you and you open to it, medical cannabis has been shown to help. Before I figured out how to prevent headaches, I got temporary symptomatic relief by lying down in the dark with a microwaveable heating pad on the back of my neck and an ice pack of some kind on my forehead.

If you suffer migraines, your causes might be different from what mine were, but I encourage you to start the search. If you have a different kind of headaches, there may be some clues on the Library headache page.

Relax your way to better health

Relaxing this time of year? Really? Yes. Let me tell you about an effective shortcut to relaxation and better sleep that also offers a myriad of impressive health benefits. Read on to learn how the far infrared sauna can help with premature aging, pain, fatigue, and complaints in a range from Asthma and Fibromyalgia to Cardiovascular concerns and Weight gain. This scientific study is one of many that detail the restorative uses.

TOXINS. Our health is being gradually eroded by 80,000 or more toxic (and even cancer-causing) chemicals such as mercury, pesticides, herbicides and industrial solvents. They contaminate our air, food, water and body care products. Shockingly, very few of those chemicals have been tested for health safety and none have been tested in the ever-evolving combinations in which they occur. Hormone-disrupting chemicals and plasticizers lurk in food packaging, body care products, medical supplies and even cash register receipts! Although a well-nourished healthy body can disarm normal metabolic waste products and some toxins, unfortunately, our cells, organs, joints, muscles, brains and precious internal army of beneficial bacteria were simply not designed to handle a continual massive diet of this chemical soup.

Sherry Rogers, MD, brilliant author, and frequent guest on our radio show said: “Studies now confirm that diet and environmental chemicals cause 95% of cancers. Furthermore, as the first generation of man exposed to such an unprecedented plethora of daily chemicals, we have learned that stored or un-detoxified chemicals can mimic any disease. ‘Incurable’ chronic diseases that were thought to have no known cause often disappear once toxic chemicals are gone. Since the far infrared sauna is the safest, most efficacious, and economical way of depurating [detoxifying] stored toxins, this makes it a household necessity.”

FAR INFRARED IS A POWERFUL DETOXIFIER. Detoxification helps REDUCE: Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Inflammation, Body Fat, Disease Risk, and Premature Aging. Raising the temperature inside cells increases their efficiency. It is easy to see how that would be important for the immune system. The far infrared (FIR) sauna helps the body eliminate toxins safely because it activates cells to release them from storage and eliminate them in sweat through the skin. Other detox methods can send poisons out in the blood stream which stresses our delicate kidneys that must filter them. FIR is a more effective detoxifier than regular sweat from exercise or being in a hot environment. The Relax FIR Sauna in particular creates a type of sweat that is denser and oilier than normal sweat. That is because the sauna sweat is carrying wastes and toxins—not just water and electrolytes.  It removes stubborn plasticizers that we accumulate heavy metals and organophosphate agricultural chemicals. The FIR energy penetrates deep into tissues, energizing cells and encouraging them to do their normal work including the expelling of stored toxins. Doctor’s tests of patients’ heavy metal body burden before and after sauna therapy prove it works.

Comfort and safety. The Relax Far Infrared sauna doesn’t burn skin. In fact, it improves skin health by increasing circulation, opening the pores, and encouraging the body to sweat out wastes and toxins. Unlike traditional saunas, the moderate temperature of the Relax Far Infrared Sauna is generally regarded as safe even for heart patients. The greatest benefit is from certain energy wavelengths, not just the heat. Of course, just as would be the case with exercise or sun exposure, persons with serious medical conditions or who are on strong medications should consult their physicians.

A KEY MISSING HEALTH FACTOR. Our modern lifestyles have reduced many health benefits of the more primitive existence in which our ancestors got more sunshine. One sunlight wavelength will not give you a tan. It is not visible but is very important—the loving light of life—scientifically known as far infrared wave lengths. It is the type of energy that makes plants flourish and penetrates through sand thereby encouraging turtle eggs to hatch. FIR is also the healing energy that radiates from massage therapists’ hands (e.g. this research). Infrared waves vibrate and activate water molecules. That matters because according to a US government website, “the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.” Poor health results when the mitochondria (like a battery) in our cells do not supply enough energy to carry out the cells’ normal work. The FIR delivers these healing rays deep into the body where they also quickly raise your core body temperature (an important healing factor) from the inside more efficiently than heat from the outside. You can think of FIR as an important health supplement.

Far Infrared Wavelengths BOOST: Blood Circulation, Lymphatic Drainage, Cellular Energy, Metabolism, Oxygenation, Immune Function, Healing Speed, Recovery Time, Skin health, Relaxation (even muscle cramps), Sleep quality.  There are so many ways far infrared helps the body that it is no wonder the Relax FIR Sauna is used in clinics that treat Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and even cancer. You could spend the day watching YouTube testimonials for this sauna.

HOW TO USE THE SAUNA. Benefit from a Relax Far Infrared Sauna by relaxing on a comfortable chair inside a zippered enclosure for a few minutes while the very special compact generator units bath you in the exact type of far infrared energy waves. (The chair comes with the sauna. I add a folded cotton towel.) The lightweight nylon tent-like enclosure has a silver reflective lining to maximize the benefits of the invisible light waves. The temperature is soothing and comfortable—not at all like the searing eye-ball-stewing saunas at the gym. (The waves penetrate cloth, so you do not have to be naked unless you plan to stay in and sweat.) Sessions need last only 5-20 minutes, but your hands (if you prefer) and head are free so that you can read or, as I do, watch a TV baking show.

WHY SPECIFICALLY RELAX BRAND?  Don’t be fooled by cheap lookalikes found on the internet. The enclosures may look similar, but they are not and there are bigger differences. The real magic comes from the Relax FIR specific wave generators. Some so-called “bargain” models create very little actual far infrared energy and therefore, if you want results, they are no bargain. In contrast, the Relax patented ceramic generator, with specialized semi-conductor chips, program wavelength and temperature to filter out all non-healing waves so that your body can fully absorb many times more of the deep-penetrating desirable 4-14 micron energy signatures without having to defend itself against other rays. In fact, this sauna is the only portable infrared sauna that uses the technology certified by the FDA as a medical device.

Relax Sauna carries both CE and GS approval certificates. It generates 100% of the purest, cleanest, most intensely soothing far infrared light of any device that we have encountered. Cheap imitations may off-gas plastic fumes from the tent which the Relax does not. Wooden units with big panels to generate heat create increased EMF exposure. Relax sauna has silver in the lining to reflect the healing light to all parts of the body. This does not happen with cheap imitators or certainly not wooden saunas. The Relax sauna is also FAST—it heats up in just 20 seconds, not in 10-30 minutes as is the case with most saunas. The Relax FIR Sauna is compact, collapsible, and portable and uses only 1500 watts of electricity (comparable to a hair dryer). It is easy to use, store and even take on vacation. This linked article details the specific difference in quality and effectiveness of this sauna and imitators documented by testing.

DURABLE VALUE AND HEALTH INVESTMENT: The Relax FIR Sauna will last from 10-15 years with regular use. However, even if you only use your sauna for 5 years before you retire to the beach, with our HBN discount, it costs pennies a day to improve the health and vitality of your whole family! I’m certainly no tax expert, but I would assume that if your doctor is enlightened enough to write a prescription for a sauna, it may be deductible as a medical expense. (Please remember if doing a web search—comparing this sauna to others may be like comparing fresh apples to rotten oranges. We have arranged with Phil Wilson at Relax Saunas to give you a $200 discount if you use the code HBN11 or tell him that you heard about it on Martie’s radio show.

The Far Infrared Table Lamp. The lamp allows you to focus the FIR rays on a particular area, for example: an injury, infection, stomach, lungs, diabetic ulcers, or sinuses. Small enough to have on the nightstand or take to the office. Save $30 with the code HBNL.

TO PURCHASE CLICK HERE 
HBN does not have a store, but Phil or Jana at Momentum Health will take good care of you. Remember, for a discount, use the codes or tell them that Martie sent you. Call 626.200.8454. Phil offers a money back guarantee.

Patient Bill of Rights

When you or a loved one is in a clinical facility or hospital, you hope for the best experience and outcome. During the current HBN interviews about discouraging problems with hospitals’ treatment of covid patients, the Patient Bill of Rights was mentioned. I thought it might be helpful to provide that here. The first twelve items listed below have been copied directly from the federal government’s National Institutes of Health website. That government list seems like a credible source to present to a hospital if it is ignoring one or more of the rights. However, I’ve added more items (13-18) below from different and possibly better sources.

Words in bold are only simplified labels that are not intended to change the meaning of the paragraph. [Bracketed italic text is my personal input.]

For your convenience, in case someone goes to the hospital, remember that I have added a copy of this to the HBN online Library. From this website, select “library” from the menu above and then go to the Medicine section.

You have the right:

1. to Appropriate Medical Care and Humane Treatment. To safe, considerate and respectful care, provided in a manner consistent with your beliefs; [see item 15 regarding religious beliefs.]
2. to Privacy and Confidentiality To expect that all communications and records pertaining to your care will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law;
3. to know the physician in charge. To know the physician responsible for coordinating your care at the Clinical Center; [HBN guest Jena Griffith says we have the right to fire that physician and ask for another.] See #13 below for more.
4. to Information. To receive complete information about diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis from the physician, in terms that are easily understood. If it is medically inadvisable to give such information to you, it will be given to a legally authorized representative; [this is only one of a lot of reasons it is smart to have an advocate with you in the hospital.]
5. to Informed Consent. To receive information necessary for you to give informed consent prior to any procedure or treatment, including a description of the procedure or treatment, any potential risks or benefits, the probable duration of any incapacitation, and any alternatives. Exceptions will be made in the case of an emergency; [Read about the basis for “informed consent” and the government is ignoring that. I think that informed consent was not likely given for covid vaccines or for remdesivir because the side effects were widely ignored and even suppressed.]
6. to Receive Routine Services. To receive routine services when hospitalized at the Clinical Center in connection with your protocol. Complicating chronic conditions will be noted, reported to you, and treated as necessary without the assumption of long-term responsibility for their management;
7. to continuity of care. To know in advance what appointment times and physicians are available and where to go for continuity of care provided by the Clinical Center;
8. to pain treatment. To receive appropriate assessment of, and treatment for pain;
9. to refuse participation in RESEARCH. To refuse to participate in research, to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law, and to be informed of the medical consequences of these actions, including possible dismissal from the study and discharge from the Clinical Center. If discharge would jeopardize your health, you have the right to remain under Clinical Center care until discharge or transfer is medically advisable; [patients may have been given covid vaccines without their knowledge or being told they were still experimental.]
10. be transferred after a study. To be transferred to another facility when your participation in the Clinical Center study is terminated;
11. have your physician informed. To expect that a medical summary from the Clinical Center will be sent to your referring physician;
12. to request information sent to others. To designate additional physicians or organizations at any time to receive medical updates.

The following topics are from the American Patient Rights Organization:

13. to know staff and status. The APR organization added more to #3 above about knowing the physician’s name: “Patients have the right to know the identity of physicians, nurses, and others involved in their care, as well as when those involved are students, residents, or other trainees.”
14. to know about Conflicts of Interest. The patient has the right to ask and be informed of the existence of business relationships among the hospital, educational institutions, other health care providers, or payers that may influence the patient’s treatment and care.” [This is an important item. I find it telling and worrisome that this right is not on the federal list #1 thru #12, especially considering the huge financial bonuses given to hospitals for labelling patients as covid and for using the dangerous and ineffective drug Remdesivir.]
15. to Self-Determination. “The patient has the right to make decisions about the plan of care prior to and during the course of treatment and to refuse a recommended treatment or plan of care to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action. In case of such refusal, the patient is entitled to other appropriate care and services that the hospital provides or transfer to another hospital. The hospital should notify patients of any policy that might affect patient choices within the institution.” [This one is much more beneficial if #5 and #14 above are appropriately observed.]
16. to know Financial Implications. The patient also has the right to know the immediate and long-term financial implications of treatment choices, insofar as they are known.
17. to Invoke a Living Will. “The patient has the right to have an advance directive (such as a living will, health care proxy, or durable power of attorney for health care) concerning treatment or designating a surrogate decision-maker with the expectation that the hospital will honor the intent of that directive to the extent permitted by law and hospital policy. Health care institutions must advise patients of their rights under state law and hospital policy to make informed medical choices, ask if the patient has an advance directive, and include that information in patient records. The patient has the right to timely information about hospital policy that may limit its ability to implement fully a legally valid advance directive.”
18. to Make Choice Based on Religious Beliefs. This item is from doctorpedia.com and may be useful: The bottom line is that adults of sound mind, who are mentally capable of making their own medical decisions, have every right to refuse a procedure for themselves. Even if doctors strongly object to the patient’s decision, they cannot be forced to administer care. And in almost all cases, parents cannot refuse life-saving care on behalf of their children, even if they state religious beliefs as their reason. The law may vary by state and is still a very complex issue and topic of discussion. But in emergency situations, doctors may be forced to override a patient’s wishes, including their religious beliefs, and provide them with the treatment that they need to survive.

Sometimes even the most persistent pressure from a patient or his or her advocate is not enough to get a hospital to honor the rights and a lawyer is hired. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work either. In Texas, a court allowed a hospital to refuse treatment with Ivermectin (never mind all the studies showing its safety and effectiveness).

Be a FLU FIGHTER

Learn to Fly. Oops, that is the name of a Foo Fighters rock song. I guess the soundalike blog title caused me a shortcircuit for a minute. I meant to say “learn to fight flu”—as in influenza. When Ray Solano wason the show this week, we covered some ideas for building immune function and warding off viruses. I will build on those here.

• Don’t get carried away with the sugar which will tempt us throughout the coming holiday seasons. A good dose of sugar can shut down immune function for 4 hours. Reading labels will help and watch for other types of sugar such as high fructose corn syrup (which is also a source of toxic mercury). Hint, 4 grams is a teaspoon. So that means if a “tall” (which, of course, in Starbucks’ world means small) Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® contains 44 grams of sugar. That equates to 11 teaspoons which is about ½ cup and almost twice as much as a slice of pumpkin pie. Don’t be fooled into thinking that artificial sweeteners are the answer. They don’t fool the blood sugar and have side effects. The natural sweetener Stevia is better than okay.
• Start the day with protein. Eggs are an obvious choice. You can make your own protein drink using vegetable juices or even water and a protein powder mix. The same rules apply here—read the label to avoid high sugar and chemical artificial sweeteners (Many people use whey protein, but I prefer collagen-based powders. Seems to me that serves a double purpose. You get protein and stimulate the body to make its own collagen for joints and other tissues. Currently, I’m using this one from Costco that is available from many other sources including Amazon.)
• Keep your nutritional supplements up, especially vitamin D, vitamin C and zinc. This page in the HBN library has prevention details and other suggestions. And on this page, there is a link to a remedy kit which would be smart to have on hand ahead of time just in case.
• Ray mentioned glutathione. It is the master antioxidant and detoxifier. You can take pills which don’t absorb well, and PD Labs has a spray. I think a smart move is to take the probiotic strain ME-3 because the organism makes glutathione for you in your intestinal track on a continuing basis. That friendly bacterium is also available in combinations. For the flu season, consider, Reg´Activ IMMUNE & VITALITY.
• Health basics such as hydration and sleep become even more important. Keeping away from sick people and avoiding crowds wouldn’t hurt. Dare I mention high quality masks? All the extreme steps we took for covid at least reportedly cut down on the number of flu cases. (Although I suspect a bunch of flu cases were labeled “probable covid” because there was a lot more money in it.
• We also advise you to jump into action at the first little symptom…at least before 24 hours by which time the virus can have multiplied enough to make you sick. Use the same treatments that HBN and Peter McCullough have recommended for sanitizing the nasal passages and throat to shut down covid-19. He suggests nasal irrigation with dilute provodine iodine (g. 2 tsp betadine in 6 ounces water for use in a netti pot or similar device and also gargle with that solution and spit out). Tom Levy, MD recommends nebulizing (misting) hydrogen peroxide. Click link to read about that and the protocol details.)

Covid-19 vaccines & boosters—Get a shot or not?

[click graphic to view cartoon source]

On second thought, the title might be a bit misleading because, as you will see, there is not a lot of “pro” here. (Oh well…we get plenty of promo from the White House and the mainstream media (of course, as it turns out a lot of it was not true.)

We sure do know a lot more now about the coronavirus and about the vaccines than we did when the Pfizer / BioNTech shot first gained FDA Emergency Use Authorization in August of 2021. Today, I set out to update the Library page on covid vaccines, but decided it might be easier to just start over.

The best way to understand everything that happened since covid-19 first erupted in the US is to read Peter McCullough, MD and John Leake’s wonderful book, THE COURAGE TO FACE COVID-19: Preventing Hospitalization and Death While Battling the Bio-Pharmaceutical Complex. Read my detailed review of it.  They document every step and provide studies to back up their lifesaving recommendations.  My thoughts:

• The mRNA shots are not vaccines by the traditional definition. They are experimental genetic therapy that should have been given a lot more study, especially for sick people, pregnant or fertility concerned women, and children.
• The government used every means of pressure at their disposal to push vaccinations (including mandates) while heartlessly suppressing safe and economical treatments that would have kept hundreds of thousands alive and out of the hospital. Apparently, it was thought that if people knew that treatments were available, they would be less likely to succumb to vaccination pressure.
• We were told that the vaccines would keep us from getting sick and stop the spread of the virus. (Remember the warning that it was “a pandemic of the un-vaccinated”?) As it turns out neither of those claims were true and what effectiveness shots had faded pretty quickly. Did vaccinations at least reduce the risk of more severe disease? That was a government talking point but forgive me if I want to wait for proof. (What’s the saying? “Fool me once shame on you, fool me a dozen times, shame on me.”) The government’s track record for health is spotty at best, deadly at worst. Read about that. I feel very sorry for those who had to take the jab or lose their jobs.
• Lack of vaccine effectiveness would be less of a concern if we were confident that the jabs were at least safe! Using its accomplices in the media, the government effectively hid serious vaccine side effects and aggressively shamed anyone who pointed to even the CDC’s very own statistics—the official Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). (I used to link to that, but now the agency seems to have buried it.) Those exact statistics are made much more understandable on this linked website and on this one. So, even if it is a small fraction of all shots, should 31,446 deaths and 58,820 cases of permanent disability be a concern? If you or a loved one are unlucky, you no longer care about the statistics! This new article by Dr. McCullough discusses “Why So Many Heart Attacks, Stenting, and Bypass Surgeries Occur after COVID-19 Vaccination”.
• Among the groups neglected during the pre-approval trials were postmenopausal women. This article describes research findings that about 2/3 of persons who previously stopped menstruating began again after the shots. They said persons because it includes transgender cases.
• Here is a website that is a forum where victims discuss their side effects from the vaccines and what they do about them. Note that there are hundreds of pages to browse.
• The CDC website basically throws up a smoke screen saying “nothing to see here”. The agency notes that the adverse reports have not been verified…implying that we need something like sending a private detective to look at all the evidence to prove that there was truly a direct connection to the vaccine. What they don’t mention is that it is a difficult and time-consuming process to make a VAERS report and therefore, no one would complete one just for grins. Moreover, research has shown that maybe only 1% of vaccine injuries are reported because it is hard, and doctors don’t want to look like trouble makers. Oh my. So, maybe there have been a LOT more than 31,446 vaccination deaths? (Dr. McCullough says that in previous times, 25 serious vaccine reactions might have been enough to get a vaccine pulled for review.)
• In a recent publication, Peter McCullough, MD noted, “In 2021, the US CDC and FDA warned America and the world that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines could result in heart inflammation or myocarditis.” Those are potentially life-threatening problems that especially seem to affect males of all ages, but mainly 18 to 24 years. This is usually the reason we hear of young athletes shockingly dropping dead on the playing field. According to one scholarly estimate that McCullough (a cardiologist) quoted, “a million young Americans could have sustained heart damage from COVID-19 vaccination and some of them will be at risk for cardiac arrest and future heart failure.” Dr. McCullough has also pointed out in another article that other vaccine adverse reactions may be very serious, but call attention to themselves and therefore allow for treatment. However, “Because half or more of COVID-19 vaccine induced myocarditis is asymptomatic [no observable symptoms], the first manifestation can be collapse due to an abnormal heart rhythm and unless promptly resuscitated, the pathway to death is rapid and final.”
• You may have heard or seen on social media that the UK found higher death rates among the vaccinated than the un-vaccinated. Because such a high percentage of Brits got the shots, it is logical that there would be a higher number of deaths in that group but apparently there was not a higher percentage.
• Science has shown a connection between covid vaccines and the risk of shingles. This is apparently because the shots reduce immune function. Something to think about if, for example, you are exposed to the flu or have cancer.
• What about vaxxing the kiddos? Mercola’s article reviewed the science and wrote “2 million children must take their chances with serious and potentially lifelong side effects to prevent a single child from requiring intensive care due to COVID-19. How is this justified?”
• The newest fall 2022 boosters are modified to chase the latest virus variant. It is a dream come true (like an annuity payout) for the drug companies because the virus will continue to mutate and so will require annual boosters…forever.
• Dr. McCullough tells us (at the bottom of that linked article) to quickly go after any potential virus exposure exactly where the viruses will make a home (in the nose and throat) to effectively shut it down. There are several natural choices for nasal flushes including dilute iodine, nebulized hydrogen peroxide and silver.
• I still will not tell anyone to avoid the jabs, but admit I have not had any of the shots and will not. However, that doesn’t mean I did nothing. I worked to improve my immune function with most of the steps listed on this linked page. In July, I had gotten too lazy about those steps, and/or it was the up close and personal nature of my exposure to the virus, but in any case, I got covid. It wasn’t bad and I didn’t even jump on treatment quickly because I didn’t think that was it. Fortunately, Bill and I were treated by a courageous doctor who used Dr. McCullough’s now famous protocol. I was quickly back to normal and I think my natural immunity now is now armed by having had the virus and that is better than a shot. 😁

A different kind of GREEN DEAL

Today I’m not talking about the intensely-hyped green plan to convert (rather abruptly) from fossil fuels to electric everything (airplanes?). Is it really feasible to support that with by sustainable sources of electricity? Another time I might discuss my doubts that the short-range side effects and long-term viability have been fully studied and weighed. Right now, I’m interested in green food. (Of course, I do not mean food that has become green because it stayed in the back of the fridge too long.)

We are often wisely advised to eat more fruits and vegetables…especially green veggies. You might have guessed that the experts were not talking about fried green tomatoes. Hmmm, time to get serious…of course, it is leafy greens they mean. I am sure that the readers of this newsletter know better than to think that the single leaf of pale iceberg lettuce on a burger is sufficient. It takes more than that and the darker the green the better—e.g. spinach. (Just ask Popeye.) What is it about green that matters?

Vegetables in general are high in vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients like antioxidants and are low in fast-metabolizing carbohydrates. There is a wonderful utility for finding out what is in a food. I had linked a library article to this USDA database but when I tried to go there today, the agency had moved it and not provided a referring link like a business would have. After a whole bunch of time-consuming internet searching I finally tracked it down and linked it above. (Hey, USDA, we paid for that database, so please make it easy to find!)

Greens are especially rich in chlorophyll. You will not see chlorophyll listed as a nutrient in the database or on food labels because it is a combination of elements rather than a single nutrient. The molecule is very much like one in our blood, hemoglobin, except that magnesium is at the center instead of iron.  Magnesium is an extremely important mineral that is woefully deficient in the American diet. But chlorophyll is more than just magnesium. It has a long history in nutrition circles for detoxification and breath freshening. The famous Cleveland Clinic website mentions these other benefits of chlorophyll: “cancer prevention, healing wounds, skin care and acne treatment, weight loss, controlling body odor, relieving constipation and gas, [as well as] boosting energy” . Any one of those would be reason enough to seek out green foods, but whoa, all of them? Sign me up!

I try to incorporate green foods in our meals. Broccoli is easy and fast to steam. I then add butter and a little lemon juice or vinegar. Kale can be easy but it is important to buy it as organic. Kale is typically at the top or at least in the top 3 of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list of produce choices that are most contaminated with pesticides and other chemicals. To rinse off the dirt and sand that can be hard to reach in those tightly curled leaves, I strip (tear) the leaves off the stems into bite sized pieces and throw them in salad spinner. Swirling them in that bowl of water gets them clean (probably uses less water than having it running rinsing the other way) and then I spin it. It is fast and there is no need for a knife. Then I put them in the steamer basket for about 8 minutes; and toss the hot leaves with my favorite vinegar-based salad dressing. However, if you want to get fancy or just have variety, Allrecipes.com appears to have over 100 kale recipes.

The best shortcut I’ve found for reliably upping my green intake is Sweet Wheat. It is a supplement that is gluten free, organic and free of additives. It tastes good and is very easy to use. (Just a little scoop in water or take the capsules.) I had a great experience using Sweet Wheat for a 2-day fast (no hunger or energy loss), but now have started using it daily. The best time for me is when I start to crave something sweet or starchy…it solves that problem and provides a full range of nutrients. Happily, our sponsor, Bright Core, is giving our listeners and readers a discount. If you buy 2, you get one FREE, plus a free bottle of vitamin D3. If you mention Healthy by Nature and ask about the family and friends’ package, you can save even more. To receive the discounts, call 888-958-5331. This is a really great product!!

How to Identify a Quack

We expect ducks to say “quack”. However, the one pictured above says “Aflac!” on TV because he works for that insurance company. As for the symbol he (based on his husky voice originally performed by comedian Gilbert Gottfried, I assume it is a “he”) is carrying, I added that. If it doesn’t look right for a medical symbol, see below.*

The word “quack” originated from a Dutch word. It became to mean fraud and was associated with doctors in Europe in the 1800’s. That was because there were so many characters going around during the cholera epidemic selling worthless remedies. (Today those products might be called “snake oil”. That is a whole other story because genuine snake oil is very high in omega-3 fats which, as we have discussed, have healing properties.)

Today, the term “quack” has been used to label doctors who misrepresent their qualifications (i.e. frauds…hard to argue with that) or who use practices that are not mainstream. That is where it gets dicey, because just like with censorship, who gets to decide what is legitimate or is not.

For a long time, there have been ruthless critics that label as a “quack” any practitioner who dares to venture from the often outdated pharmaceutical-backed official “cookbook” used by establishment medicine (it is known as the “Standard of Care”). The “quack busters” target what others more accurately call “alternative medicine” or “complementary medicine” or “integrative medicine” or functional medicine” or “naturopathic medicine”. I doubt that the critics even know enough about those practices to stand in judgement.

I created this detailed list of which practices I think are truely quackery and which are not.

The self-appointed quack busters ignore the fact that their targets often do wonderful work and in fact cure a higher percentage of patients than the mainstream approach and with fewer side effects. Even more amazingly, the alternative docs often save the lives of patients after conventional medicine has flat given up on them. I almost consider it a recommendation to be singled out as a quack. (I was flattered when I was once listed as a “quack” by the chief quack buster. My “crime” was helping a trade organization write educational manuals for natural food store clerks!) Perhaps it is these same folks (or drug companies) who give bad ratings to the websites representing those fine integrative health professionals. “Web of Trust” is an example of a biased and obviously clueless website rater. For a compelling story about what has happened to the science and practice of medicine, and about the demonization of a true covid-19 era hero as well as the suppression of the life-saving treatments he employed, read about the late Dr. Vladimir Zelenko.

Even if the alternative-blasting folks do not have evil intent, they are still dangerous! They block progress because they are zealous defenders of the old school of thinking in medicine. There is (1) medicine proven to work, (2) medicine proven to NOT work, and (3) that for which there is insufficient data to consider it “proven” (usually natural remedies) but that is usually safe and economical. Conventional doctors use #1 methods, but science has shown too often still rely on #2’s—proven to NOT work. The natural medicine pioneers (you can spot them because of the flaming arrows in their backs) typically practice an effective mix of #1 and #3.

It is clearly very difficult for methods and substances to graduate from #3 (investigative) to #1 (proven). That is because there is an institutional bias against them at the FDA (fostered in large part by the pharmaceutical industry) and because it is hard to find hundred of millions of dollars for exhaustive research into generic substances that cannot be patented and sold with exclusivity for very high prices.

Many naturopathic methods have been scientifically studied and showed positive results. Most others are validated by long history and wide usage. They are typically logical, non-invasive, safe and less expensive than mainstream care. Sometimes the resistance to new ideas is just dogmatic blind adherence to the old beliefs. Diabetes care is a good example. “For decades alternative practitioners have been reversing the disease by reducing consumption of refined carbohydrates and using nutrients to improve insulin sensitivity. Meanwhile, mainstream medicine and the nonprofit organizations (which are backed by giant food processors and drug companies) continued to manage the disease (and the health decline) with high carbs and medication.

Another good example of these blind spots is “leaky gut”. The whole idea was ridiculed for decades. For decades practitioners who saw the evidence and helped people by repairing the gut lining were laughed at and vilified. It is now an acknowledged fact that the intestinal membrane barrier can become too permeable and cause systemic health problems. Now, tagged with a fancier name, “intestinal permeability”, patients might be able to get help in mainstream medicine.

Doctors with unconventional practices are sometimes reported to medical boards but almost never by patients, but rather routinely by other doctors who are upset that the targeted doc dares to heal patients using methods that the complainant is not familiar with. The medical boards typically cannot find patients who were harmed, so after a witch hunt through the medical office, they censure the doc based on some trivial record keeping violation. I contend that there is probably not a single physician of any stripe who does not have a record keeping error somewhere in their files. Defending themselves from such an investigation can cost a practitioner a fortune in legal fees. It is all about competition. (That is also why naturopathic physicians can only obtain a license to practice in about 17 states so far.)

If truly concerned about public welfare, “Quack-busters” should take off the blinders and own up to the fact that mainstream medicine is itself the number one cause of premature death in the US (Death by Medicine article). They would then promptly fill in the gaps in their knowledge by studying at a good naturopathic medical school like Bastyr University which is fully-accredited just like a state university medical school.

*There is some confusion about whether the caduceus staff should have one snake or two…wings or not. You can read about the interesting history of the medical symbols at this link. (Once upon a time, Cornell Hopkins (my first husband) and I owned a sign company. The biggest order we ever got was for a hospital—a very large lighted sign upon a brick base. Keep in mind that our business was small and this episode took place during a recession. When I went to collect, I was devastated to learn that the very decorative caduceus I had molded into the plastic faces was one used by the Air Force, not general medicine. Thank goodness the administrator either didn’t think many people would notice the difference or just took pity on what was probably a very sad face.

Is vitamin D good for pretty much everything?

Nature’s Original Health Plan (which here I’ll call “OHP”) is very effective. We can forget that our bodies work pretty much the same way they did 10’s of thousands of years ago, but the way that we manage them is markedly different. For example, read my article on the differences in the ancient food supply and today’s. In the OHP, humans got up when the sun rose and went to bed when it got dark. One advantage of that schedule is that it matches the body’s biorhythms. Our body clock is an elaborate internal system involving metabolism, detoxification, repair and so on. While humans were awake in the OHP, most of their time was spent outdoors to hunt or gather food. So, they were not only active, but were also, of necessity, exposed to sunshine. Sunlight provides subtle nourishing wavelengths of energy and stimulates the skin to turn cholesterol into vitamin D.

Vitamin D is so important that virtually every cell has receptors for it. This quote is from our Library article on vitamin D, “…vitamin D is useful for more than just building bones. It protects against issues such as: arthritis, asthma, depression and obesity, dementia, brain shrinkage, brain health, many cancers, prevention of colds and flu, autoimmune diseases, deaths from infectious disease (think covid-19), hardening of the arteries and allergies. It also helps heart health, teeth, fertility and benign breast lumps. [Studies also link low D with autism, diabetes, heart disease, eczema, Parkinson’s, allergies and death from all causes.] Anyone with multiple sclerosis (MS) or other autoimmune disease should study the remarkable recoveries using the Dr. Coimbra protocol. The following stat from a study should get our attention: there was 80% less breast cancer among women whose blood levels of vitamin D were above 60 ng/ml compared to the wimpy 20 ng/ml level some docs still think is okay.”

I recently read in a newspaper column about two studies which supposedly showed that vitamin D was not effective at preventing covid-19. I looked up both studies and, as usual, the dose of vitamin D provided was very low. In one case the participants received only 400 IU which would be low even for a child. The other one used a much higher dose of 3,200 IU but that was way below the 8,000 IU / day recommended in other science.

Please read our library article on vitamin D because it offers important details including the fact that the body needs adequate magnesium in order to properly use vitamin D. Back to the OHP, since modern humans are not in the sun very much and there is scant vitamin D in food, we need to become savvy about supplementing.

This is just bananas!

When we hear that we should eat more vegetables and fruits, we may think of kale and the old “apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Those are great, but as it turns out, bananas aren’t so bad either. Some folk history fretted that they are fattening and/or cause constipation. Harvard’s review of the science tell a much more positive tale. Many people know that bananas are a good source of potassium but, they also contain fiber, vitamin B₆, magnesium, manganese, and vitamin C. Some may worry that because of their sweet taste, nanners might be bad for blood sugar. But, as the Harvard page notes, bananas don’t spike blood sugar because most of the carbohydrate in the fruit is resistant starch which digests slowly (and, as a bonus, is food for our friendly bacteria.)

For a detailed rundown of the nutrient facts about bananas, consult the USDA nutrient database.

This web article lists potential health benefits of bananas for blood pressure, asthma, cancer, heart health, diabetes, digestion, memory and mood. It also lists cautions for those who have health conditions where high blood levels of potassium could be an issue and for some people, bananas, might be a migraine trigger. Oh, and don’t forget there is a risk of slipping on a banana peel.

Bananas are such a bargain. The Harvard paper linked has useful tips on storing and using them.

How I personally use bananas. When our bananas threaten to get overly ripe, I cut them into thirds and keep store in a container in the freezer for adding to protein drinks. When they do get too ripe, I think about freezing them to use in banana bread, but as it turns out, I never get around to that part so I’ve stopped saving them. Recently, after dental surgery I needed something soft to eat. Banana with almond butter was just right. I must admit that I like my bananas best in the form of banana cream pie or Bananas Foster (which is prepared with brown sugar and cinnamon, warmed or flambéed in a buttery rum sauce, and then served over vanilla ice cream.)

Green bananas(GB). Hah! Bill was about to throw away the contents of a 1995 Natural Medicine notebook. I reviewed the pages and among other treasures, found an old study about the health benefits of green bananas. I searched the author’s name in Pubmed.gov and found a recent scientific review of many studies which concluded: “Most of the GB health benefits studied were related to the gastrointestinal symptoms/diseases, followed by the glycemic/insulin metabolism, weight control, and renal and liver complications associated to diabetes.” Several companies sell green banana powder. Of course, you can buy fresh green bananas and just not wait for them to ripen. They make my teeth feel funny.