Tuesday, February 25, 2014

The Mammogram Debacle

The Mammogram Debacle

http://blog.drbrownstein.com/?utm_source=eblast&utm_medium=email&utm_content=blog_link&utm_campaign=blast_new_blog

Women have been conditioned to get yearly mammograms.  They have been told by the Powers-That-Be that screening mammograms save lives.  So, let me ask the question:  Do women who get screening mammograms have a lowered breast cancer mortality rate when compared to women not screened?

Canadian researchers attempted to answer this question and published a study in last week’s British Medical Journal (BMJ.  Feb 11, 2014).  Researchers enrolled 89,305 Canadian women aged 40-59 and randomly assigned them to a treatment group who received annual mammography and compared them to a control group who did not undergo mammography.  The main outcome studied was death from breast cancer.

During the entire study period (25 years) 3250 women in the mammography arm and 3133 in the control arm were diagnosed with breast cancer.  500 women in the mammography arm and 505 in the control arm died from breast cancer.  There was no significant change in the death rate between the women who received and those who did not receive annual mammograms. 

The author’s concluded, “Annual mammography in women aged 40-59 years does not reduce mortality from breast cancer beyond that of physical examination or usual care…”

Mammograms provide a radiological image of the breasts. The Powers-That-Be want us to believe that early diagnosis translates into improved mortality rates.  Unfortunately, after more than 30 years and hundreds of thousands of mammographic studies, there is no clear data that mammograms save lives. 

There is no question that mammograms pick up abnormalities in the breasts at a much earlier stage as compared to the physical exam–palpation of the breast.   However, as the Canadian studies showed, early diagnosis of breast cancer has not translated into improved mortality rates.  A similar situation occurs in men with prostate testing via the PSA test–early diagnosis does not change the course of the illness for the vast majority men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

Keep in mind that mammograms are associated with adverse effects.  Mammograms utilize ionizing radiation which is a known to cause cancer.  In fact, there is a one percent increase risk of developing breast cancer for each mammogram a woman receives.  That means, after 10 years, the risk could be as  high as ten percent.  Some think the risk is higher.

What should you do?  Don’t blindly follow anyone’s recommendation, mine included.  Do your research. Just because a doctor says that a yearly mammogram is needed doesn’t make it so.  Thermography provides a non-toxic way to image the breast using heat.  Since it does not expose the breast tissue to ionizing radiation, thermography should be an option.  More information about thermography can be found at:  www.thermascan.com.

Final thoughts:  The war on breast cancer has been a dismal failure.  Presently, we have one in seven U.S. women suffering with breast cancer.  The best that the Powers-That-Be can offer us, after spending trillions of our scarce health care dollars, is the screening mammogram– which has never been shown to lower mortality rates.   I say we need to refocus our efforts.  We need to spend our money figuring out what is causing one in seven women to have breast cancer.  We need less money spent on diagnosing cancer and more spent on how to prevent it.  What can you do?  Make your views known.  Congress will listen to us if we speak loudly enough.  And, finally, don’t donate to organizations that are not trying to figure out why so many of us are getting cancer.  These same organizations are busy, in the case of breast cancer, promoting screening mammograms. 

What steps can you take to prevent becoming a breast cancer statistic? The number one thing is to eat a healthy diet free of hormones and pesticides.  Both synthetic hormones and pesticides have been linked to cancer.  Also, ensure that you have adequate iodine intake as I believe low iodine levels could explain why so many women are suffering from breast cancer as well as why so many men are suffering from prostate cancer.  More information about this can be found in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 5th Edition.

In the study of breast cancer, we can and should do better.  Either we make changes in how our cancer dollars are spent or we will all continue to suffer with more and more cancer diagnoses.  

 

Monday, February 24, 2014

Arnica Montana - Spirit of the Remedy

Arnica Montana - The Spirit of the Remedy

by Deborah Olenev CCH RSHom (NA)

www.firstaidcreams.com   

While watching the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi I got inspired to write an article about the personality characteristics of people who need Arnica montana as a constitutional remedy.

I learned about the personality characteristics of Arnica montana from Frans Kusse's book called Homeopathic Types. I had never seen Arnica montana described the way he described it before. I and a lot of people owe him a debt of gratitude for bringing this information forward to the world, because it will enable many people to be healed who otherwise may not be.

You may wonder why the Winter Olympics prompted me to write about Arnica montana. The reason is that the Olympic athlete embodies the spirit of this remedy. The chief characteristics of this remedy are:

1)    A desire for invulnerability both physically and psychologically. Kusse explains that Arnica montana belongs to the Asteracaea family of plants, and this desire for invulnerability is a common characteristic of the plants in this family. Bellis perennis is another first aid remedy that comes from this plant family.

A beautiful example of this desire or persona of invincibility, and the ability to conceal their vulnerability is when one of the competitors in the U.S. snowboarding team had an accident where he hit the edge of the wall on his back side. It looked like it must have been terribly painful, but when he was interviewed afterward he had a big smile on his face, and did not show any signs that he was injured. He looked absolutely invulnerable.

2)    Arnica montana people possess a tremendous amount of energy and self-confidence. I saw this displayed time and again during the Olympics. The relay races were a beautiful example of this energy, endurance and drive to come in first.

3)    A high sense of responsibility and an urge to fulfill their tasks is another Arnica montana trait. This quality was apparent at the Olympics when one of the bob sledding competitors injured her calf while practicing the day before, but it did not stop her. She competed the following day and won a medal with her team mate. This shows Arnica montana's ability to push through despite injuries, and the ability to hide or overcome their injuries to fulfill the task they have set before themselves.

Another example is the ice skating champion who had won gold medals in previous Olympics, accumulating many injuries over the years. Yet he overcame all his physical obstacles, trained vigorously, and pushed through the pain to compete one more time and win gold.

4)    A desire to prove that they are strong is another characteristic of people who need Arnica montana constitutionally. In order to do this they need to have a challenge, and what bigger challenge can a person put before herself or himself than to win a medal at the Olympic games. The competition provides the arena to display their talents and strength.

5)    According to Frans Kusse, Arnica montana people can be compared to an impregnable fortress that is unapproachable. Underneath this need for impregnability is a fear of losing something of value, such as money or health. He says that Arnica montana people are closed, and do not like to answer questions about private matters. For this reason they can be reluctant to go to doctors who ask too many questions, but are okay with going to surgeons, who just act.

6)    Arnica montana is the first remedy that we think of for people who have been in an accident, and of course, the Olympics are a venue where accidents will happen. People who need Arnica montana are also attracted to activities where accidents are likely to occur, such as skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey, bob sledding, ice skating--all the Olympic winter sports. Arnica montana people can also be very frightened of accidents and can try hard to avoid them. It is the first remedy we think of for people who have never been well since an accident, such as a head injury, or car accident.

7)    Arnica montana should always be thought of for people who have received an injury from a fall, or an injury from a blunt object. Arnica montana is the greatest remedy for helping to heal people from bruises and internal bleeding.

8)    There is a shadow side to Arnica montana's invincible persona. According to Kusse the characteristics of this shadow side are:

·            A fear of being hurt. Their desire for invulnerability is their reaction to this fear.

·            A fear of losing something of value, such as their wealth or health.

·            An aversion to being consoled. They turn away the doctor or the ambulance at the site of an accident, saying they are just fine, because it is insupportable to them to admit that there is something wrong with them.

·            A fear of becoming dependent on someone else. They have to have their financial affairs in order so that they do not depend on others.

·            A need to show that they are strong to cover up the fact that they are fearful inside. Hence they desire a challenge where they can prove their strength.

Arnica montana is a fascinating remedy with a large field of action. To learn more about the remedy please watch the slide show and read the article on the Learn about Arnica montana section on the First Aid Creams website.

Here is the link: http://firstaidcreams.com/learn-about-homeopathic-creams/learn-about-arnica-montana  

Homeopathic Creams:
The Variety Sample Pack http://firstaidcreams.com/buy-homeopathic-first-aid-creams/variety-sample-pack  

1.      Arnica Montana Cream for trauma, bruises, head injuries, pain and so much more.

2.      Calendula Officinalis Cream for wound healing.

3.      Hypericum Perforatum Cream for injuries to areas rich in nerves, such as the fingers, toes and spine, and for very painful wounds.

4.      Hypericum Calendula Cream combines the healing properties of Calendula with Hypericum for a wonderful first aid cream for painful wounds.

5.      Ledum Palustre Cream for puncture wounds, insect bites, injuries that are better from cold applications, gout, and more.

6.      Ruta Graveolens Cream for injuries to ligaments, tendons and the linings of the bones.

7.      Urtica Urens Cream for first and second degree burns.

 

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

New insights into the mystery of autism: Could it be caused at birth by salt in the nerves?

New insights into the mystery of autism: Could it be caused at birth by salt in the nerves?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/new-insights-into-the-mystery-of-autism-could-it-be-caused-at-birth-by-salt-in-the-nerves-9112720.html

Steve Connor

Science Editor Thursday 06 February 2014

High levels of salt in the nerve cells of newborn babies could be the crucial early trigger that results in autism later in childhood according to a study into the fundamental causes of the developmental disorder of the brain.

Scientists believe that high concentrations of chloride – the negatively charged salt ion found naturally within nerve cells – could be responsible for tipping the brain of a newborn child on the path towards autistic development.

Autism affects about one per cent of people and is a lifelong development disorder that begins in early childhood and affects how sufferers communicate and interact with other people. The spectrum of symptoms can range from relatively mild to very severe.

The origins of autism are not understood but in a series of ground-breaking experiments on mice, researchers believe they have found evidence to show how autism results from a failure to quickly lower levels of chloride ions within the neurons of the brain during birth.

Chloride ions are kept deliberately high in the neurons of the fetus while developing in the womb. Under normal birth conditions, however, chloride levels are quickly lowered during delivery, controlled by oxytocin, the birth hormone released by the mother during labor.

Oxytocin acts like a diuretic, reducing chloride levels within the neurons. However, a study by a team of French researchers found that when oxytocin is blocked, chloride ions continue to remain high after birth, which leads to a developmental disorder of the brain and autism.

They also showed that lowering chloride ions in a genetic strain of laboratory mouse that would otherwise develop an animal version of autism – by giving them a diuretic drug which made them lose chloride in their urine – effectively prevents them from developing the brain disorder later in life.

“During birth and delivery there is an extremely abrupt loss of chloride triggered by the release of oxytocin during labour. If you block oxytocin during delivery you block this protective mechanism,” said Yehezkel Ben-Ari of the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm).

“Chloride levels during delivery are determinants of the occurrence of autism spectrum disorder,” said Professor Ben-Ari, who led the study published in the journal Science.

The findings could explain the results of a 2012 clinical trial involving 50 autistic children aged between three and eleven who were given the diuretic drug bumetanide, which made them lose chloride ions in their urine. Their autistic symptoms improved during the treatment, Professor Ben-Ari said.

“We have proven the concept that in autism chloride is elevated and perhaps our diuretic acts by reducing that. The evidence was lacking until now,” he said.

“These data validate our treatment strategy, and suggest that oxytocin, by acting on the chloride levels during delivery modulates [and] controls the expression of autism spectrum disorder,” he added.

The study showed that diuretic drugs given to pregnant mice immediately prior to birth could effectively prevent autism developing in their autism-prone offspring.

“We showed that if you deliver diuretic to the mother before birth and delivery, then the offspring have so to speak been cured… whereas if you block oxytocin, you get autism,” Professor Ben-Ari said.

Although it would not be practical or safe to treat every pregnant women with diuretic drugs immediately before childbirth to try to prevent autism, he said the findings on mice suggest that it is important to diagnose children with autism as early as possible so that diuretics and behavioural therapy could be used together.

“The observation that a single treatment of the mother before delivery prevents the expression of… features of autism in offspring illustrates the importance of conditions at delivery…and the amazing long-term priming consequences of a wrong start,” he said.

“I think that an early diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, coupled with a [diuretic] drug such as bumetanide or other regulators acting to reduce aberrant brain activities that perturb neuronal activities, are likely future therapies,” Dr. Ben-Ari said.

“Behavioural treatments might be reinforced by these pharmaceutical treatments and might facilitate their success, restoring communication with the child at an early age.”

Case study: Nick Gilling

Tessa Gilling, 46, from Leeds, has an autistic son, Nick, 15

"There’s been an awful lot of new research and findings done on autism so we have to take this latest one with a bit of caution. Nick has high-functioning autism and social interaction is one of his biggest problems. Someone compared having autism to be being thrown into a pool without any armbands and I think that’s a good way of explaining it. He has sensory difficulties, which means his sight and smell are much more prominent for him. We walked past a vegetable stall recently and he said the smells were too confusing for him.

He is wired in a very different way to most people. He has weaknesses, but then he does have some amazing strengths. He’s unbelievable musically – I came home one day and he was playing a song from Oliver on the piano.

There needs to be more support for people in Nick’s condition. He was badly bullied at school and the teachers didn’t think there was anything wrong with him because he used to mask how he was feeling. I suspect he won’t leave with any qualifications apart from music.

Nick’s a Young Campaigner for the National Autistic Society and the work he has done with them has benefited him a great deal.”

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The Mammogram Debacle

The Mammogram Debacle
Women have been conditioned to get yearly mammograms.  They have been told by the Powers-That-Be that screening mammograms save lives.  So, let me ask the question:  Do women who get screening mammograms have a lowered breast cancer mortality rate when compared to women not screened?
Canadian researchers attempted to answer this question and published a study in last week’s British Medical Journal (BMJ.  Feb 11, 2014).  Researchers enrolled 89,305 Canadian women aged 40-59 and randomly assigned them to a treatment group who received annual mammography and compared them to a control group who did not undergo mammography.  The main outcome studied was death from breast cancer.
During the entire study period (25 years) 3250 women in the mammography arm and 3133 in the control arm were diagnosed with breast cancer.  500 women in the mammography arm and 505 in the control arm died from breast cancer.  There was no significant change in the death rate between the women who received and those who did not receive annual mammograms. 
The author’s concluded, “Annual mammography in women aged 40-59 years does not reduce mortality from breast cancer beyond that of physical examination or usual care…”
Mammograms provide a radiological image of the breasts. The Powers-That-Be want us to believe that early diagnosis translates into improved mortality rates.  Unfortunately, after more than 30 years and hundreds of thousands of mammographic studies, there is no clear data that mammograms save lives. 
There is no question that mammograms pick up abnormalities in the breasts at a much earlier stage as compared to the physical exam–palpation of the breast.   However, as the Canadian studies showed, early diagnosis of breast cancer has not translated into improved mortality rates.  A similar situation occurs in men with prostate testing via the PSA test–early diagnosis does not change the course of the illness for the vast majority men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer. 
Keep in mind that mammograms are associated with adverse effects.  Mammograms utilize ionizing radiation which is a known to cause cancer.  In fact, there is a one percent increase risk of developing breast cancer for each mammogram a woman receives.  That means, after 10 years, the risk could be as  high as ten percent.  Some think the risk is higher.
What should you do?  Don’t blindly follow anyone’s recommendation, mine included.  Do your research. Just because a doctor says that a yearly mammogram is needed doesn’t  make it so.  Thermography provides a non-toxic way to image the breast using heat.  Since it does not expose the breast tissue to ionizing radiation, thermography should be an option.  More information about thermography can be found at:  www.thermascan.com.
Final thoughts:  The war on breast cancer has been a dismal failure.  Presently, we have one in seven U.S. women suffering with breast cancer.  The best that the Powers-That-Be can offer us, after spending trillions of our scarce health care dollars, is the screening mammogram– which has never been shown to lower mortality rates.   I say we need to refocus our efforts.  We need to spend our money figuring out what is causing one in seven women to have breast breast cancer.  We need less money spent on diagnosing cancer and more spent on how to prevent it.  What can you do?  Make your views known.  Congress will listen to us if we speak loudly enough.  And, finally, don’t donate to organizations that are not trying to figure out why so many of us are getting cancer.  These same organizations are busy, in the case of breast cancer, promoting screening mammograms. 
What steps can you take to prevent becoming a breast cancer statistic? The number one thing is to eat a healthy diet free of hormones and pesticides.  Both synthetic hormones and pesticides have been linked to cancer.  Also, ensure that you have adequate iodine intake as I believe low iodine levels could explain why so many women are suffering from breast cancer as well as why so many men are suffering from prostate cancer.  More information about this can be found in my book, Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, 5th Edition.
In the study of breast cancer, we can and should do better.  Either we make changes in how our cancer dollars are spent or we will all continue to suffer with more and more cancer diagnoses.  
DrB



Systemic lupus erythematosus and Vitamin D

Systemic lupus erythematosus, or lupus, is a chronic disease that affects many systems in the body. Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system has a hard time telling the difference between your own healthy cells and foreign things like germs, bacteria, or viruses. This causes your body to attack your healthy tissue, which can cause inflammation and pain.

People with lupus often have periods of flares, which is when you have worse symptoms, and periods of remission, when the symptoms are better or not there at all. When lupus symptoms are flaring up, the disease is called “active”. There are many different symptoms of lupus that affect different body systems. The most common symptoms are rashes, fatigue, fever, sensitivity to the sun, and joint pain.

It is not fully understood how lupus develops. Researchers think that lupus comes from a combination of genetics, hormones, and the environment.

Many studies have shown that there is a link between vitamin D and lupus. People who have lupus are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D. Studies have shown that people with higher levels of vitamin D have fewer lupus symptoms. People with lupus who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have risk factors that increase their chances of getting heart disease than people with high levels of vitamin D.

Some studies have shown that giving vitamin D supplements to people with lupus can help their symptoms improve and decrease chances of a flare up. However, more experiments are needed to understand just how helpful vitamin D is in lupus, if at all.

Research hasn’t been able to show yet that low vitamin D levels cause lupus. Doctors don’t know yet whether taking a vitamin D supplement can help to prevent or manage lupus.

If you have lupus and want to take vitamin D, it is unlikely to make your lupus worse or cause you any harm, as long as you take less than 10,000 IU per day. However, it’s not proven that taking vitamin D will help to treat your lupus.

If you have lupus, you shouldn’t take vitamin D in place of your treatment medications. Talk to your physician for more advice about taking supplements.

What is lupus?

Systemic lupus erythematosus, or lupus, is a chronic disease that affects many systems in the body, like the skin, heart, and muscles. Lupus develops when your immune system stops working like it should.  Lupus is an autoimmune disease, which means that your immune system has a hard time telling the difference between your own healthy cells and foreign things like germs, bacteria, or viruses. This causes your body to attack your healthy tissue, which can cause inflammation and pain.

It is common for people with lupus to have periods of flares, which is when you have worse symptoms, and periods of remission, when the symptoms are better or not there at all. When lupus symptoms are flaring up, the disease is called “active”.

Lupus can be hard to diagnose, because many of the symptoms are similar to other autoimmune diseases1.

What are the symptoms of lupus?

Since lupus can affect so many different body systems, there are a lot of symptoms that can vary from person to person. The most common symptoms are1,2

  • Fatigue
  • Fever
  • Joint and muscle pain
  • Chest pain
  • Swelling in feet, legs, or hands
  • Rashes
  • Sensitivity to the sun
  • Hair loss
  • Sores in the mouth or nose

Some people with lupus might have symptoms that involve specific body parts, like:

  • Digestive system: Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
  • Heart: Abnormal heartbeat. People with lupus have increased chances of getting heart disease, because it can cause inflammation around the heart or a buildup of plaque in the blood vessels.
  • Lungs: Difficulty breathing
  • Nervous system: Headaches, numbness or tingling, problems with eyesight, seizures
  • Bones: People with lupus have increased chances of bone fractures or getting osteoporosis3.

How common is lupus?

About 5 million people around the world have some type of lupus. Lupus mostly affects women of reproductive age, but men and children can also develop lupus. There are some risk factors that increase your chances of getting lupus, such as4:

  • Gender. 9 out of 10 people who have lupus are females.
  • Race. African-Americans are three times more likely to develop lupus than Caucasians. Other races that have a higher risk are Hispanics, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, and Pacific Islanders.
  • Age. Lupus usually develops between the ages of 15 and 45.
  • Family history of lupus.
  • Smoking. Some research has shown that smoking may increase your chances of getting lupus.

What causes lupus?

It is not fully understood what causes lupus or how it develops. Researchers think that lupus is caused by a combination of genetics, hormones, and the environment. Since most of the people with lupus are female, it is possible that estrogen might play a role in lupus.

Most researchers think that lupus occurs when something in the environment interacts with someone who has genes that make them more likely to develop lupus. Researchers call this interaction an environmental trigger.

In lupus, environmental triggers can also cause the lupus to flare up. The immune system will start making proteins called auto-antibodies, which is what will attack your healthy cells in your body and cause inflammation and pain1.

The most common environmental triggers that can cause lupus flares are1:

  • UVB light
  • Infections or viral illnesses
  • Exhaustion or emotional stress
  • Stress to the body, such as surgery, pregnancy, or trauma
  • Some medications

What is the link between lupus and vitamin D?

Many studies have shown that there is a link between vitamin D and lupus. People who have lupus are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D, and people with a more severe disease are more likely to have low vitamin D levels.  This may be because people with lupus are sensitive to the sun, so they often avoid being outdoors or wear high SPF sunscreen.

However, researchers think that not getting enough vitamin D may also be an environmental trigger that increases the chances of getting a flare up and increases your chances of developing lupus in the first place5.

Vitamin D receptors are found on the surface of a cell where they receive chemical signals. By attaching themselves to a receptor, these chemical signals direct a cell to do something, for example, to act in a certain way, or to divide or die.

There are vitamin D receptors found on cells in the immune system, and vitamin D can bind to these receptors. This can cause the auto-antibodies to decrease and stop attacking the healthy cells in your body. Therefore, it is thought that vitamin D can help prevent lupus flares by reducing inflammation in the body6,7,8.

While it is thought that having enough vitamin D can help to prevent flares in people who have lupus, more experiments need to be done to determine definitively if taking vitamin D supplements can help prevent or treat lupus. Research hasn’t been able to show yet that low vitamin D levels cause lupus.

What does the research say in general about vitamin D and lupus?

Preventing lupus

Most studies that have been done about preventing lupus haven’t been able to find a clear link between vitamin D and lupus. A study that followed a large group of women for many years found that there was no link between the amount of vitamin D they ate from foods and supplements or were exposed to in adolescence and their chances of getting lupus later in life. However, the researchers didn’t look at vitamin D levels in the body and only relied on what the women could remember about how much vitamin D they consumed or sunlight they were exposed to9.

More studies are needed to determine if there is a link between vitamin D levels during childhood and adolescence and the chances of developing lupus later in life.

Managing and treating lupus

People with lupus are very likely to have low levels of vitamin D. This may be because people with lupus are sensitive to the sun, so they often avoid being outdoors or wear high SPF sunscreen.

People with active lupus often take medications that can interfere with vitamin D in your body, which may make them more likely to become vitamin D deficient10.

Studies have shown that people with higher levels of vitamin D have fewer symptoms from lupus. People living in places where there is more sunlight have a lower risk of developing autoimmune diseases11. African-Americans with lupus have been found to have lower levels of vitamin D than Caucasian people with lupus12.

Researchers have found that in winter months with low sunlight, people with lupus are more likely to have active symptoms, as well as more likely to have low levels of vitamin D. People with lupus are also more likely to have more flares during low sunlight months compared to high sunlight months13.

In a review of many studies, the majority of studies showed that people with lower levels of vitamin D were more likely to have more severe active lupus symptoms. Higher levels of active lupus are related to increased risk of damage to other organs, like the heart or kidneys14.

To date, most of the research that has been done is observational, meaning that researchers can’t say for sure whether or not low levels of vitamin D cause lupus, or if it is having lupus that causes low levels of vitamin D.

What does recent research say about vitamin D and lupus?

An experiment done in Egypt in 2012 looked at vitamin D levels and symptoms in people with lupus before and after supplementing with vitamin D. There were 2 groups in this study. The first group got 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day for 12 months, and the second group got a dummy pill. The researchers found that15:

·        The people in the vitamin D group had an improvement in lupus symptoms and had less flares, compared to the people getting the dummy pill.

·        Vitamin D levels were lowest in the people who had the most active lupus.

People in the vitamin D group had lower levels of inflammation in their body than people getting the dummy pills.

This study shows that having low levels of vitamin D may result in higher levels of lupus activity, symptoms, and flares. The researchers suggested that vitamin D may help to normalize the immune system in people with lupus. They concluded with a recommendation that people with lupus could benefit from supplementing with vitamin D, but also that more trials are needed to confirm these results.

·        An experiment published in 2014 looked at people with cutaneous lupus erythematosus, which is a form of lupus that only affects the skin. The researchers first looked at vitamin D levels in people with lupus compared to people who didn’t have lupus. Then, they gave vitamin D supplements to the people with lupus who had low vitamin D levels. The researchers gave them 1,400 IU vitamin D with 1,250 mg calcium per day for 40 days, then 400 IU with 1,250 mg calcium twice a day for 1 year after that. They found that16:

·        Vitamin D levels were lower in the people with lupus, compared to the people without lupus.

·        The people who got the vitamin D supplements had significant improvements in their lupus disease activity, as well as lower numbers of lesions on their skin.

The researchers concluded that having lupus increases the chances of having low vitamin D levels, and that taking a vitamin D supplement may help to improve lupus symptoms and disease activity. This study only looked at Caucasians, so we don’t know if vitamin D supplements would have the same effect in people of different ethnicities.

An experiment done in 2012 in France looked at people with lupus who had low levels of vitamin D. The researchers gave them 100,000 IU vitamin D per week for 4 weeks, followed by 100,000 IU vitamin D per month for 6 months. Afterwards, they looked at their vitamin D levels and at different cells in the body that can cause the immune system to act differently. They found that8:

  • After taking a vitamin D supplement, the people with lupus had lower levels of cells that cause the immune system to make more antibodies, which is what causes the body to attack its own healthy cells.
  • The people who took the vitamin D supplement also had higher levels of cells that can help to regulate the production of antibodies. In people with lupus, these cells can help to prevent the body from attacking its own healthy tissue.

The researchers stated that taking a vitamin D supplement may help the immune system in people with lupus.

A study published in 2014 followed a large group of people with lupus from 7 different countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. The researchers looked at their vitamin D levels, lupus disease activity levels, and heart disease risk factors. They followed them over 6 years and found that17:

  • The people with the highest vitamin D levels had the lowest levels of lupus disease activity.
  • The people with the lowest levels of vitamin D had higher blood pressure, amounts of fat in the blood, and levels of a protein related to heart disease risk.
  • The people with the highest levels of vitamin D were less likely to have an illness related to the heart, such as a heart attack or stroke.

This study was observational, which means that the researchers can’t say for sure that having low vitamin D levels caused the people to get heart disease.

Key points from the research

  • People who have lupus are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D.
  • People with lupus who have higher levels of vitamin D tend to have less lupus disease activity, symptoms, and flares.
  • There are higher rates of lupus flares in winter months than in summer months.
  • People with lupus who have low levels of vitamin D are more likely to have risk factors that increase their chances of getting heart disease than people with high levels of vitamin D.
  • Supplementing with vitamin D results in fewer lupus symptoms and less inflammation in the body.
  • Overall, more experiments are needed to give a clearer answer about how helpful vitamin D supplements are to help treat or manage lupus.

What does this mean for me?

Low vitamin D levels in people with lupus are linked to worse symptoms and outcomes like heart disease.

Research has shown that there is a link between vitamin D and lupus. People with lupus are more likely to have low levels of vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels in people with lupus are linked to worse symptoms and outcomes like heart disease.

Some studies have shown that giving vitamin D supplements to people with lupus can help their symptoms improve and reduce the number of flare ups. More research is needed to see just how effective vitamin D might be for lupus, if at all. Research hasn’t been able to show yet that low vitamin D levels cause lupus. Doctors don’t know yet whether taking a vitamin D supplement can help to prevent lupus.

If you have lupus and want to take vitamin D, it is unlikely to make your lupus worse or cause you any harm, as long as you take less than 10,000 IU per day. However, it’s not proven that taking vitamin D will help to treat your lupus.

If you have lupus, you shouldn’t take vitamin D in place of your treatment medications. Talk to your physician for more advice about taking supplements.

If I have lupus, can I get sun exposure?

Sunlight can often make lupus skin symptoms worse, so people with lupus are advised to wear sunscreen or avoid the sun during the middle of the day. Avoiding the sun and wearing sunscreen also means that you can’t get the vitamin D you need from the sun and need to get vitamin D from other sources. If you have lupus and are sensitive to the sun, the best way to get vitamin D is from supplements.

References

  1. Lupus Foundation of America. What is Lupus? 2014. Web. Accessed 1 February 2014. <http://www.lupus.org/answers/entry/what-is-lupus>
  2. National Institute of Health. Systemic lupus erythematosus. 2014. Web. Accessed 1 February 2014. < http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000435.htm>
  3. Alele JD & Kamen DL. The importance of inflammation and vitamin D status in SLE-associated osteoporosis. Autoimmunity Reviews 2010;9:137-9.
  4. WebMD. Lupus Health Center. 2011. Web. Accessed 1 February 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/lupus/guide/lupus-systemic-lupus-erythematosus-cause>
  5. Antico A, Tampoia M, Tozzoli R & Bizzaro N. Can supplementation with vitamin D reduce the risk or modify the course of autoimmune diseases? A systematic review of the literature. Autoimmunity Reviews 2012;12:127-136.
  6. Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med 2011;59(6):881-886.
  7. Breslin LC, Magee PJ, Wallace JMW, & McSorley EM. An evaluation of vitamin D status in individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2011;70:399-407.
  8. Terrier B, Derian N, Schoindre Y, et al. Restoration of regulatory and effector T cell balance and B cell homeostatis in systemic lupus erythematosus patients through vitamin D supplementation. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2012;14(R221):1-10.
  9. Hiraki LT, Munger KL, Costenbader KH, et al. Dietary intake of vitamin D during adolescence and risk of adult onset systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care & Research 2012;62(12):1829-1836.
  10. Mok CC, Birmingham DJ, Leung HW, et al. Vitamin D levels in Chinese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: relationship with disease activity, vascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. Rheumatology 2012;51:644-652.
  11. Pelajo CF, Lopez-Benitez JM & Miller LC. Vitamin D and autoimmune rheumatological disorders. Autoimmunity Reviews 2010;9:507-510.
  12. Kamen DL, Cooper GS, Bouali H, et al. Vitamin D deficiency in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmunity Reviews 2006;5:114-7.
  13. Birmingham DJ, Hebert LA, Song H, et al. Evidence that abnormally large seasonal declines in vitamin D status may trigger SLE flare in non-African Americans. Lupus 2012;21(8)1-18.
  14. Sakthiswary R & Raymond AA. The clinical significance of vitamin D in systemic lupus erythematosus: A systematic review. PLOS One 2013;8(1):1-6.
  15. Abou-Raya A, Abou-Raya S & Helmii M. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on inflammatory and hemostatic markers and disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Rheumatology 2013;40:265-272.
  16. Cutillas-Marco E, Marquina-Vila A, Grant WB, et al. Vitamin D and cutaneous lupus erythematosus: effect of vitamin D replacement on disease severity. Lupus 2014;0:1-9.
  17. Lertratanakul A, Wu P, Dyer A, et al. 25-hydroxyvitamin D and cardiovascular disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: data from a large international inception cohort. Arthritis Care & Research 2014. ‘Accepted Article’, doi: 10.002/acr.22291.

 

Homeopathic Remedy Calcarea carbonica induces apoptosis in cancer cells in p53-dependent manner via an immuno-modulatory circuit.

Calcarea Carbonica induces apoptosis in cancer cells in p53-dependent manner via an immuno-modulatory circuit

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24053127

Saha S, Hossain DM, Mukherjee S, Mohanty S, Mazumdar M, Mukherjee S, Ghosh UK, Nayek C, Raveendar C, Khurana A, Chakrabarty R, Sa G, Das T.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Complementary medicines, including homeopathy, are used by many patients with cancer, usually alongside with conventional treatment. However, the molecular mechanisms underneath the anti-cancer effect, if any, of these medicines have still remained unexplored. To this end we attempted to evaluate the efficacy of calcarea carbonica, a homeopathic medicine, as an anti-cancer agent and to delineate the detail molecular mechanism(s) underlying calcerea carbonica-induced tumor regression.

METHODS:

To investigate and delineate the underlying mechanisms of calcarea carbonica-induced tumor regression, Trypan blue dye-exclusion test, flow cytometric, Western blot and reverse transcriptase-PCR techniques were employed. Further, siRNA transfections and inhibitor studies were used to validate the involvement of p53 pathway in calcarea carbonica-induced apoptosis in cancer cells.

RESULTS:

Interestingly, although calcarea carbonica administration to Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC)- and Sarcoma-180 (S-180)-bearing Swiss albino mice resulted in 30-35% tumor cell apoptosis, it failed to induce any significant cell death in ex vivo conditions. These results prompted us to examine whether calcarea carbonica employs the immuno-modulatory circuit in asserting its anti-tumor effects. Calcarea carbonica prevented tumor-induced loss of effector T cell repertoire, reversed type-2 cytokine bias and attenuated tumor-induced inhibition of T cell proliferation in tumor-bearing host. To confirm the role of immune system in calcarea carbonica-induced cancer cell death, a battery of cancer cells were co-cultured with calcarea carbonica-primed T cells.

Our results indicated a "two-step" mechanism of the induction of apoptosis in tumor cells by calcarea carbonica i.e., (1) activation of the immune system of the host; and (2) induction of cancer cell apoptosis via immuno-modulatory circuit in p53-dependent manner by down-regulating Bcl-2:Bax ratio. Bax up-regulation resulted in mitochondrial transmembrane potential loss and cytochrome c release followed by activation of caspase cascade. Knocking out of p53 by RNA-interference inhibited calcarea carbonica-induced apoptosis thereby confirming the contribution of p53.

CONCLUSION:

These observations delineate the significance of immuno-modulatory circuit during calcarea carbonica-mediated tumor apoptosis. The molecular mechanism identified may serve as a platform for involving calcarea carbonica into immunotherapeutic strategies for effective tumor regression.

PMID:

24053127

[PubMed - in process]

PMCID:

PMC3856502

Free PMC Article

 

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) Soda List - Avoid Them All!

Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) Soda List

http://stylishtoupee.blogspot.com/2011/02/brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo-soda-list.html

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is vegetable oil that has had atoms of the element bromine bonded to it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_vegetable_oil. It's used in many citrus flavored drinks that have a cloudy appearance. Clear lemon-lime sodas such as Sprite do not contain it.

Its use as a food additive may have harmful effects on health. BVO has been banned for use in food in several places including Europe and Japan, but it's legal in the United States. This article from Scientific American explains the history of BVO and its potential dangers: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=soda-chemical-cloudy-health-history.

This is a list of brominated drinks that I have found so far. I will keep this list updated for your protection.

  • Squirt
  • Diet Squirt
  • Mountain Dew (all)
  • Orange Crush
  • Pineapple Crush
  • Peach Crush
  • Sun Drop (all)
  • Gatorade ("some”)
  • Sunkist Fruit Punch
  • Sunkist Peach
  • Sunkist Pineapple
  • Fanta Orange
  • Fanta Orange Zero
  • Fresca (all)
  • Refreshe Diet Grapefruit

(Edited 11/02/2011): A commenter today noticed that some flavors of drinks such as Sunkist do not contain BVO and instead have ester gum: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerol_ester_of_wood_rosin, which "...serves as a natural alternative to brominated vegetable oil, particularly in citrus-flavored soft drinks." Check the wiki for a list of drinks that contain ester gum.

 

 

Case Closed: New Flu Vaccine Worthless

 Case Closed: New Flu Vaccine Worthless by Dr. David Brownstein

http://blog.drbrownstein.com/case-closed-new-flu-vaccine-worthless/

As a physician, I receive emails from Medscape. Medscape provides information and research articles for physicians.  These emails contain news about drugs, medical procedures, and vaccinations.  On January 3, 2014 I received an email titled, “High Dose Flu Vaccine:  The Evidence Is In.”  This interested me as I have done extensive research on the flu vaccine and know that it is ineffective at preventing the flu, especially in the elderly.

When I clicked the link, I was directed to a video by a well-known physician.  I listened to the two-minute video and was shocked at what the doctor said.  She stated, “In December, 2009, high-dose sesasonal flu vaccine for seniors aged 65 years or older (Fluzone®) was granted accelerated approval by the U.S. FDA.”  Fluzone® is four times as strong as the standard dosed flu vaccine.

Describing the results of the study, the doctor said, “The results: case closed.  The high-dose shot was more effective in seniors.  It was 24% better at preventing the flu than the standard flu shot.” 

Case closed?  Be still my beating heart.  I have written about the problems with the flu vaccines in previous blog posts as well as my newsletter, Dr. Brownstein’s Natural Way to Health.  There have been no good studies showing that the flu vaccine is effective for seniors.  

Case closed?  I decided to look at the study in more detail.  Here are the results.

The trial encompassed 32,000 adults aged 65 years or older in the U.S. and Canada.  It was performed during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 flu seasons.  Subjects were randomized to receive either the regular flu vaccine (Fluzone®) or the higher dosed flu vaccine (Fluzone High-Dose®).  The rate of laboratory-confirmed influenza among subjects receiving the high dose vaccine was 1.43% compared to 1.89% for those receiving the regular flu vaccine.

When I saw these numbers, my first thought was, “You gotta be kidding me!”  The 24% improvement with the high dose vaccine was accurate—1.43/1.89 equals a 24% improvement.  However, as I teach other doctors and medical students, this is the relative risk difference.  This number is not to be used when considering whether a particular therapy would help a patient.  The more accurate number is the absolute risk reduction.  The absolute risk reduction between the vaccines was  0.46% (1.89%-1.43%).  The headlines should read, “New Flu Vaccine is 0.46% More Effective.”  Going one step further, it takes 217 eldelry people to receive the high dose flu vaccine to prevent one case of the flu.  That is the number needed to treat based on this study.  That means that 216 out of 217 elderly people received the flu vaccine for naught—it did not help them prevent the flu.  They paid double the price and were exposed to possible adverse effects.

Case closed?  I agree, case closed.  This new flu vaccine is worthless and too expensive—it is double the price of the regular flu shot, which is also worthless. 

 

In health,

________________________________

Kari J. Kindem, CFHom, CEASE Practitioner, Classical Homeopath....Let Miracles Find You!

www.HomeopathyForWomen.org

www.HomeopathySNC.org
www.
NaturalFertiltyHomeopath.com

Follow me in Twitter:
www.twitter.com/HomeopathyWomen and www.twitter.com/FertilityFix

 

 

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The HOMEOPATHY FOR WOMEN Newsletter is distributed periodically by Kari J. Kindem, Director and Classical Homeopath based in San Jose, CA.  Visit my websites at www.HomeopathyForWomen.org. All rights reserved.

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