Healthy by Nature radio show this week
Alfred Johnson, DO will be in the studio to answer your questions about allergies. Yes, it is that season again (in Dallas, we seem to have a dozen of them a year). We will also talk with Hugh Woodward about the hormone DHEA and how it, among other effects, offsets the harm from stress hormones. Call the live show with questions at 1-800-281-82551-800-281-8255. Click here to find podcasts, show archives and how to listen nationwide.

What works for colds
My sweet husband, Bill, scours the newspaper for me marking articles about health. Often the information is useful, but sometimes I just want to roll up the paper and swat the author with it like…”Bad journalist, bad journalist! Don’t print that nonsense.” Cesar Milan (called “the dog whisperer”) has taught us that beating the dog is not the best training method. So, I’m sure my going after careless or wrong-headed writers wouldn’t change their opinionated minds and would likely lead to a restraining order. But, I digress…

A seemingly conventional Medical Doctor who writes columns for our paper gave me a little hope. She was actually right more often than she was wrong in her recent article about calming cold symptoms. She accurately said that the decongestant ingredient phenylephrine is no more helpful than a sugar pill.* She also nailed it that antibiotics don’t work for cold symptoms (or for the flu) and nasal sprays lead to dependence. She rightfully pointed out that taking drugs to reduce fevers can increase flu deaths. I was surprised to see that she even acknowledged that zinc lozenges help prevent and shorten colds. She listed many serious side effects of the pharmaceutical remedies–even those that do seem to reduce symptoms. She advised caution in chasing symptoms and a bit of patience to give the body time to do its work.

She could have gone much further because symptoms aren’t the enemy but rather the outward signs that our body is trying to heal. Just because we find the symptom uncomfortable doesn’t mean that we should risk side effects and a worsening of the underlying condition trying to stop them. For example, coughing is the body’s way of getting mucous (which could result in pneumonia) out of the lungs. Remember that when you contemplate cough syrups. Most contain not only somewhat toxic chemicals but, also sugar that is known to slow down the immune system.

That author also reverted to what was probably beaten into her head in medical school–a knee-jerk reaction that nutrients basically can’t be considered useful if they have not been “proven”. The implication is that they should be proven in the way that drugs supposedly are. Unfortunately, natural remedies work together and aren’t suited to testing like drugs. Plus, the approval system is set up to only serve pharmaceuticals. However, if something has been valued for centuries due to observed benefit and there is at least some scientific evidence it might help, what is the harm? Usually natural remedies are not only safe but they provide fringe benefits instead of side effects. This author said that vitamin C and the herb Echinacea have not been shown to help. That is not true. Here are some links that show not only that there is positive evidence about them for colds but also show the potential fringe benefits I was talking about:

Echinacea (Some of the negative studies on Echinacea used the wrong form or the wrong dose.) LINK.

Vitamin C. LINK. LINK.

If you have the patience, you can go to PubMed and scan over 51,000 references about Vitamin C and more than 900 on Echinacea. Not all of them are well controlled, but many good ones do show benefit.

In this newsletter from a while back I suggest a natural remedy kit to have on hand. One of these days I will update it and include Zinc Lozenjets by Superior Source.

*Given all that we know now about the negative effects of sugar, why do they always assume that sugar pills are neutral?

Coming Saturday
Watch your mail Saturday, March 1… I will send you an electronic flier with details about our Natural HealthFest event noted below. The flier has the main speaker schedule but, the website now lists the times and topics for additional lectures sponsored by Gus Kotsanis, MD. Check them out at this link.)

What’s coming up?
Natural HealthFest Saturday, March 29 at Plano Centre

You can’t miss our centerfold insert in the March issue of my favorite magazine,
Natural Awakenings, N. Texas edition. Look for it at many area stores, gyms, etc..
 
We will still have our usual assortment of great door prizes, but check out the flier for
two of the grand prizes in our new Passport to Grand Giveaway. (More are coming!)

Last Week Follow-up
LINK to that show in the archives. Dynamic nutrition expert and educator, Stuart Tomc, from Nordic Naturals discussed the role of fats (good and bad) in heart disease. He demystified some recent research on omega-3 fats and offered this educational resource and a study on omega 3 for headaches. We reviewed a study showing that those with the highest blood levels of omega-3 had an 81% reduced risk of sudden death compared to the group with the lowest levels! I also talked with board-certified cardiologist, Thomas E. Levy, MD the author of Death by Calcium. He offered scientific proof that the US’s nearly obsessive intake of dairy products and calcium supplementation is not the best answer to osteoporosis as is so widely believed. Even more shockingly, calcium excess apparently promotes heart disease (plus other chronic degenerative diseases) and significantly shortens life. Note, I’m not worried about a small amount of calcium in a multi-vitamin and caution that his advice does not apply to everyone.

Please help spread the good word-forward this newsletter to friends and family.
My first book : Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & Other Acid Blockers. Subtitle: What to Use to Relieve Acid Reflux, Heartburn, and Gastric Ailments.

My latest book: Aloe Vera-Modern Science Sheds Light on an Ancient Herbal Remedy

The information contained in this newsletter has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The contents are for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Copyright 2014 Martie Whittekin, CCN