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| Newsletter 1 | Newsletter 2 | Newsletter 3 | Newsletter 4 | Newsletter 5 |
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| Newsletter 3 |
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| WASH YOUR WATER |
| In 2005, a Harvard student, Elise Bassin, found a link between drinking fluoridated water and the incidence of bone cancer in young boys. |
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| Her abstract concludes, "Our exploratory analysis found an association between fluoride exposure in drinking water during childhood and the incidence of osteosarcoma among males but not consistently among females."[i] |
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| Her professor, Chester Douglass, was cleared of charges alleging coverup in the case, but new concerns are arising as Douglass recently gave as much as one million dollars to Harvard University, which conducted the review of possible wrongdoing by Douglass.[ii] On September 18, 2006, A Harvard Crimson newsletter article notes possible conflicts of interest, as "Douglass also serves as the editor of a journal produced by fluoridated-toothpaste maker Colgate."[iii] |
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| A physicians' report by Geoffrey Nochimson , takes fluoride poisoning in the body very seriously, yet we continue to add it to our drinking water:[iv] Fluoride in the body can have direct toxic effects on the cells and can cause depleted calcium.[v] Fluoride toxicity "interferes with a number of enzyme systems"; it hinders the last step in the necessary energy producing biochemical pathway in the body, as well as interrupting the necessary processes of "coagulation, and neurotransmission." Doctor Nochimson states, "Severe fluoride toxicity will result in multiorgan failure. Central vasomotor depression as well as direct cardiotoxicity also may occur." |
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| Researcher Maria Abdin says that several lifestyle issues can help the body naturally decrease body fluoride content. Dry heat saunas and heavy exercise can mobilize fluoride; be careful, however, as these methods can release fluoride to such an extent as to cause body toxicity, so the following nutrients are recommended: use calcium carbonate, to bind the free fluoride, and to also help alkalinize the body (deep breathing helps as well). |
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| In addition, "ingestion of a tablespoonful of lecithin twice daily, helps protect nerve sheaths and kidney linings from corrosion/acidity," as well as drinking lots of fluoride free water. The use of "common chickweed as a tea" helps with excretion as well. "Dose about half to full teaspoon of dried organic plant per 1 cup boiling water. Bring to boil, simmer a few minutes, then steep for 15-20 minutes." Drink "one or two swallows at a time as desired."[vi] |
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| At the University of Newcastle, a research review abstract stated that lack of sugar is the most important cause of preventing dental cavities, not fluoride.[vii] In addition, more important to the fluoride uptake of the body was the natural variation in the individual, and didn't have as much to do with the presence of natural or artificially fluoridated water in the diet. [viii] A rat-model study on bone density stated that decreased bone density "has been observed as a consequence of fluoride."[ix] |
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| GREEN TEA FOR ME |
| Catechins are unique to green tea and are potent antioxidants. According to the article, Green Tea and its extracts, the four different types of catechins in green tea are: "Epicatechin (EC) Epigallocatechin (EGC) Epicatechin gallate (ECG) Epigallocatechin-3 gallate (EGCG)." |
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| For example, a recent article from the Journal of Nutrition used an animal model to study the prevention of diabetes by EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, which is a flavonol. |
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| The use of EGCG over five weeks improved several blood markers in diabetic mice, including better blood glucose levels, "improved glucose tolerance, increased plasma insulin, and had lower free fatty acids." [x] |
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| In addition to this good news, a Japanese report shows that long term green tea consumption by people "was associated with a reduction in mortality from all causes as well as from cardiovascular disease during an 11 year follow up period."[xi] Furthermore, the benefit seems to be greatest among those who consume five or more cups of green tea a day, with a sixteen percent less risk of dying than those who drank a cup or less per day, and death from cardiovascular events were 26% lower among those drinking five or more cups. In addition, there was a link between those tea drinkers who were lean and did not have high blood pressure, and lowered risk of mortality.[xii] |
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| In vitro assays, or cell culture models for Parkinson's disease also show promise with EGCG and green tea polyphenyls. EGCG was protective against induced cell death at certain concentrations and EGCG was more protective than a mixture of green tea polyphenyls. [xiii] |
| TRY A DELICIOUS RECIPE |
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| Chinese Mushroom Soup |
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- ½ cup chopped leeks
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon hot sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ¾ cup diced firm tofu
- ¼ cup miso paste
- 5 cups water
- ½ cup water chestnuts — measured then chopped
- ½ cup bamboo shoots — measured then chopped
- ½ cup dried black mushrooms
- ½ cup tree ear mushrooms
- ½ cup shiitake mushrooms — heads only
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon nori flakes for garnish
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In a large saucepan, sauté the leeks and scallions in the oils over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tamari, garlic, ginger, and tofu, and sauté another 3 minutes. Whisk in the miso paste and water. Add the remaining ingredients, except the nori flakes, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer for 50 minutes. Garnish with the nori flakes.
Yield: 3 servings |
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| SINUS IN THE CITY |
| Sinusitis is an inflammation of the cavities in the skull, which are found behind the eyes, forehead, nose, and cheekbones. The condition can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or allergies. Sinus conditions may begin as inflammation of the nasal membranes, and then move to the sinus cavities (allergic rhinitis can do this). A compromised immune system can make you susceptible to sinus inflammation. |
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| A combination of inflamed sinuses and thick mucous often leads to pressure and pain, and can also lead to severe infection, which can be dangerous to the entire health of the body, if left to fester, as some infections do, for months, or even years. |
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| Typical treatment for sinusitis usually involves the use of decongestants, which can eventually dry out the nasal membranes, and antibiotics, which may help in the short term but can destroy the beneficial bacteria in the colon, and thus can contribute to a compromised immune system in the long run. |
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| Helpful diets include the elimination of allergenic foods, such as the highly processed wheat, dairy, and packaged foods, which can include a lot of cornstarch and corn sugars, which can be allergenic, as can moving towards vegetarian, organic, self prepared diets free from yeast, excess sugars, and meats. |
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| Freshly prepared organic juices contain enzymes that can help prevent and fight infections. |
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Extra rest is also beneficial to those suffering from upper respiratory infections, as well as the following vitamins:
- Vitamin C 500 mg every 2 hours
- Beta carotene — up to 50,000 IU 3 times a day
- Zinc lozenges or zinc picolinate (as directed on label)
- Coenzyme Q10 (as directed on label)
- Quercetin (as directed on label)
- With fever, drink peppermint or elderberry flower tea
- To help build immunity, take Echinacea, goldenseal, and chaparral, and these can be taken in tincture, capsule, or tea form (you may take four to six capsules of these to begin with, according to your own tolerance) Lessen the dosage as symptoms subside, which they should do, in 24 hours
- Cayenne and garlic in our foods can also help as well
- A gargle for sore throat caused by post nasal drip can be made as follows:
Equal parts cayenne, powdered clove, and ginger, Stir till evenly blended. Place one teaspoon of mixture in a glass of warm water and stir. Gargle.
- For clogged nasal passages, you may place a small amount of horseradish with a drop of lemon juice in your mouth.
- Moist heat packs may be placed over the forehead, eyes, and nose, three times a day to provide relief from sinus congestion.
- You may make an herbal paste from powdered ginger and pureed lotus root, and place above and below the eye.
- Steam inhalation is very helpful. You may use a well-cleaned steamer made especially for the purpose, or a regular pot on the stove. Also adding a drop or 2 or more of the following essential oils can also be helpful:
Thyme
Eucalyptus
Peppermint
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| Taking a hot shower, with the water aimed on the painful areas of the face can help stimulate drainage, and can also relieve painful pressure as well. |
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| Severe sinus infections may need nasal irrigation, which involves the use of warm salt water or boiled water with goldenseal. Let the solution cool to tolerable level (touch a small amount to the toungue), slowly drop either of the solutions into nostril, while carefully holding head to the side, and bending forward, so solution drains directly from the upper nostril to the lower nostril, and into sink, and not down back of the throat. Special pots can be obtained for the purpose, called neti pots, and there is also another special sinus irrigator that can be obtained, which vibrates at the same rate as the nasal cilia, aiding in the faster cleansing of the nasal cavities.[xiv] (Regular irrigation of the nasal cavities can help keep the sinuses free of dirt and allergens in a particularly dirty environment, like a big city, for example.) |
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| Whole body massage can help stimulate the immune system by stimulating and helping the release of toxins through the lymph system, and Eastern meridian therapies such as reflexology and acupuncture can be helpful as well. |
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| It is important to allow sinus drainage to occur, once it begins, rather than dry it up with medication, in order to get out the impurities and infection. Continue using vitamins, herbs, and aromatherapy. Make sure to supplement with good bacteria for the gut, as this can aid in support of the immune system. |
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| FISH OIL FOR INFLAMMATION |
| Some of the positive benefits of regular fish oil supplementation in scientific studies are as follows:
In rheumatoid arthritis patients the use of fish oil has been shown to delay the onset of fatigue and decrease the number of tender joints. It also decreased the production of neutrophil leukotriene B4, which was shown to be associated with the number of painful joints.[xv] |
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| The use of the supplement MAX epa helped rheumatoid arthritis sufferers reduce their NSAID requirements over a 12 month period. Patients received 10 capsules per day for 12 months. MAXepa contains the ingredients: 171mg/ capsule of eicosapentanoic acid, and 114 mg/capsule docosahexanoic acid.[xvi] |
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| Supplementation in a group of patients for 12 weeks with MAX epa reduced inflammatory markers, including reduction of the ratio of arachidonic to eicosapentanioc acid, and reduction in the generation of leucotriene B4 cells.[xvii] |
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| A discussion in the paper entitled Effects of dietary fish oil lipids on allergic and inflammatory diseases, suggests that EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid helps interfere with the ability of certain white blood cells, or neutrophils, to chemically attach to endothelial cells, thereby reducing possible inflammatory effects. [xviii] |
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| In cardiac conditions, DCHA, or docosahexanoic acid "may be the principal active component in fish oils conferring cardiovascular protection.[xix] |
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| LIFE ON EARTH |
| From Seed magazine — "More than 99% of all the life that ever existed on earth is now extinct. ...Some scientists blame humanity for a sixth, modern extinction. The world conservation Union has documented the disappearance of 784 species since the year 1500, while the group's 2006 red list identified 16,000 species facing extinction." |
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| Climate change is cited for its role in past and possible present extinctions, including the melting of the polar ice caps.[xx] Climatologist Thomas Wysmuller is concerned that increased hurricanes as a result of global warming will further disrupt the ice cap at the North Pole, as a result triggering massive cooling in other parts of the globe. [xxi] Even more conservative scientists believe slight increases in average temperatures will disrupt the temperate farming regions of America's breadbasket, enough to significantly alter the way we are able to grow our food. |
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| Authors Joel Barker and Andy Gauss believe that new inventions need to take into account our climate and ecological concerns as well as our future monetary gain. |
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 Joel Barker writes about one environmental concern, which is conserving water. As one example, homeowners with flower gardens can conserve water with a composting toilet:"a clivus multrum is a waterless toilet that converts household waste into compost and fertilizer right in the house. Instead of looking at kitchen and bathroom wastes as a problem... the composting system kills the pathogenic bacteria so that the materials can be used to enrich the gardens."[xxii] My mother uses a composting toilet at her Summer home in Northern Minnesota, and she uses the rich compost to fertilize her garden beds in the back of the house and on the hillside around her cabin.
Author Andy Gauss suggests a way we could pay down the National debt, which is growing by the trillions of dollars:"We could have hybrid cars which we could use to generate electricity that could eventually give energy back to our electricity power grid. [xxiii] These kinds of technologies could eventually pay for themselves and also help pay for beneficial city infrastructures, such as schools, and libraries, shared by all. Write to your congress person to help make cutting edge technologies a reality." |
| REFERENCES |
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| [i] Bassin EB, Wypij D, Davis RB, Mittleman MA. Department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Clinical Research Program, Children's Hospital, USA |
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| [ii] The Harvard Crimson "Prof in Fluoride Flap Gave $1M to Harvard" |
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| [iii] [iv] [v] WebMD "Toxicity, Fluoride" |
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| [vi] Townsend Letter "Notes on Fluorine/Fluoride Detoxification" |
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| [vii] [viii] Moynihan P. "The interrelationship between diet and oral health" Proc Nutr Soc. 2005 Nov;64(4):571-80 |
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| [ix] Sietsema WK. "Animal models of cortical porosity" Bone 1995 Oct;17(4 Suppl):297S-305S. |
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| [x] Life Extension Foundation, Journal of Nutrition October 2006 |
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| [xi] Life Extension Foundation, Journal of the American Medical Association September 13, 2006 |
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| [xii] [xiii] "Protective effects of green tea polyphenols and their major component, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on 6-hydroxydopamine-induced apoptosis in PC12 cells." Redox Rep 2002;7(3):171-7 |
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| [xiv] Hydro Med |
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| [xv] Kremer, JM, Jubiz, W. "Fish-oil fatty acid supplementation in active rheumatoid arthritis. A double blinded controlled crossover study" Ann intern Med (United States) Apr 1987, 106 (4) pp497-503 |
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| [xvi] Lau CS, Morley, KD. "Effects of Fish oil supplementation on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug requirement in patients with mild rheumatoid arthritis — a double blinded placebo controlled study" Br J Br Rheumatol (England) Nov 1993, 32 (11) pp982-9 |
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| [xvii] Sperling RI, Weinblatt M. "Effects of dietary supplementation with marine fish oil on leukocyte lipid mediator generation and function in rheumatoid arthritis" Arthritis Rheum (United States) Sep 1987, 30 (9) pp988-97. |
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| [xviii] Lee TH., Arm JP. "Effects of dietary fish oil lipids on allergic and inflammatory diseases" Allergy Proc (United States) Sep-Oct 1991, 12 (5) p299-303 |
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| [xix] McLennan, P, Howe, P. "The cardiovascular Protective Role of docosahexanoic acid" European Journal of Pharmacology (Netherlands) 1996, 300/1-2 (83-89) |
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| [xx] (insert) Seed MagazineNovember 2006, p. 24 |
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| [xxi] Tom Wysmuller Interview, The Cooler Side of Global Warming, September 10, 2006 |
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| [xxii] Barker, Joel and Erickson, Scott Five Regions of the Future: Preparing Your Business for Tomorrow's Technology Revolution Penguin Group, 2005 |
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| [xxiii] Andy Gauss interview, 2004 |
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| Disclaimer |
