Osteoporosis Education Project

http://www.betterbones.com/index.htm

Alternative Medicine for Eczema

Full article found on www.mercola.com Eczema (atopic dermatitis), and the closely associated psoriasis, are two very common skin problems.
Both eczema and psoriasis are potentially allergic conditions that can be triggered by environmental factors and dozens of other external irritants like:
Laundry detergent
Soaps
Household chemicals
Workplace chemicals
Perfumes
Animal dander
Metals (such as nickel in jewelry)
While psoriasis is most often linked with external allergic triggers, eczema is often caused by food allergies.
However, although they’re different diseases and have varying triggers, their treatments have many commonalities. .
How to Effectively and Inexpensively Treat Eczema and Psoriasis
Eczema is “the itch that rashes,” meaning, there’s really no rash until you start scratching the itchy area. Hence, the first thing you need to do is to stop scratching!
Addressing the itch -- As anyone with eczema will attest, this is easier said than done. But fortunately, there IS a really simple, inexpensive way to relieve the itch: Simply put a saltwater compress over the itchy area.
You’ll want to use a high quality natural salt, such as Himalayan salt. Simply make a solution with warm water, soak a compress, and apply the compress over the affected area. You’ll be amazed to find that the itching will virtually disappear!
Another method that can be helpful for reducing or stopping the itch is EFT.
Proper skin hydration – When working with any type of skin condition, you need to make sure your skin is optimally hydrated. Skin creams are rarely the answer here, but rather you’ll want to hydrate your skin from the inside out by consuming high quality, animal-based omega-3 fats in your diet.
Your best sources for omega-3s are animal-based fats like fish oil and krill oil. I also find it helpful to include a bit of gamma linoleic acid, typically in the form of primrose oil, as this works remarkably well for eczema. Products like “krill for women” are good for both sexes for this condition as they have both fatty acids.
Plant-based omega-3s like flax and hemp seed, although decent omega-3 sources in general, will not provide the clinical benefit you need to reduce inflammation and swelling in your skin.
Secondly, you’ll want to reduce your exposure to harsh soaps and drying out your skin with excessive bathing. Use a very mild soap when you cleanse your skin, especially in the winter to avoid stripping your skin of moisture.
Taking care of your gut = Taking care of your skin – Many don’t realize this, but the health and quality of your skin is strongly linked to the health of your gut. I recommend taking a high quality probiotic to ensure optimal digestive health. Fermented foods can be used as well, but are neither as common nor as easy to use.
Diet and skin quality – Food allergies play an enormous role in eczema. In my experience, the most common offending agent is wheat, or more specifically, gluten. Avoiding wheat and other gluten-containing grains is therefore a wise first step.
If you were to visit my clinic outside of Chicago as a new patient, one of the first steps we would advise would be to go on a gluten-free diet for a number of weeks and carefully observe any health improvements. This is an enormously common problem and many of our patients are surprised to find how much improvement they actually achieve from this step.
Avoiding grains will also reduce the amount of sugar in your system, which will normalize your insulin levels and reduce any and all inflammatory conditions you may have, including inflammation in your skin.
Other common allergens include milk and eggs. I recommend you do an elimination trial with these foods as well. You should see some improvement in about a week, sometimes less, after eliminating them from your diet if either of them is causing you trouble.
Basking in the sun – Vitamin D in the form of sun exposure is your best friend when dealing with either of these skin conditions, but it’s especially helpful for psoriasis.
I produced a one-hour lecture that explains the health benefits of this long under-appreciated vitamin, so if you haven’t seen it already, I strongly recommend you take the time to watch this free video now.
Ideally, you’ll want to get your vitamin D from appropriate sunshine exposure because UVB radiation on your skin will not only metabolize vitamin D, but will also help restore ideal skin function. High amounts of UVB exposure directly on affected skin – but not so much to cause sunburn! – will greatly improve the quality of your skin.
However, if you can’t get sufficient amounts of sun during the winter months, a high quality safe tanning bed can suffice. A safe tanning bed will provide the optimized forms of UVA and UVB wavelengths, without dangerous magnetic skin balance.
Why Conventional Treatments Fail
You don’t have to use expensive, dangerous medicines to treat eczema or psoriasis!
Steroid creams especially, are clearly something you’ll want to avoid, because although they work initially, you will tend to rapidly develop tolerance to them. These creams contain synthetic steroids, which are absorbed into your skin, and can wreak serious havoc with your adrenal system.
So please, avoid steroid creams and other potentially dangerous medications for these skin conditions and use these natural methods instead. You’ll find they work almost all the time, especially if you diligently apply them.

Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Byron’s Top Five Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain
Friday, December 19, 2008
Byron Richards, CCN


1. Decide that you’re not going to over eat. Once you give up trying to “be good” it can be a downward spiral. Stop eating when (or just before) you feel full.
2. Stick to my guidelines of eating 3 meals a day without snacking. If you know you’ll be having a larger meal one day, eat just two meals that day. Daily Protein Plus makes an excellent breakfast on the day that you know you’ll be eating a larger meal later.
3. Don’t overeat at holiday parties. My favorite trick is taking a heaping tablespoon of Fiber Helper or our new LeptiFiber, along with 3 Pine Nut Oil or a Leptin Control Pack just before going to a party.
4. Avoid too much sugar. Sweets are on every corner this time of year. If you desire a dessert or cookies, eat it just after your meal. Don’t keep extra sweets around the house that will tempt you.
5. If you get off track one day, get back on track the next day. It’s easier for your metabolism to bounce back after one day of eating more versus one week of eating more.
And one more… If you know you’ll be eating more it’s a good idea to exercise more!
Happy Holidays!
Byron

Alternative Cancer Therapies Like the Budwig Diet Can Prevent and Cure Cancer

Image source

From the Cancer Cure Foundation

DIET AND FOOD THERAPIES:

Many centers are using a variety of food therapies to treat cancer. Max Gerson began in the fifties saving lives using a strict diet of fresh vegetables and fruit.

Many people have had successes just using a macrobiotic diet, vegetarian diets, and the Budwig diet.

Others add products like wheat grass, barley green, and broccoli sprouts to their diet because of special properties they contain.

For example, broccoli sprouts (not just broccoli) contains a cancer-fighting agent known as sulforaphane that prompts the body to make an enzyme that prevents tumors from forming. For more information, go to our list of cancer fighting foods.

Budwig diet/flax seed oil: The Flax seed (Linseed) oil diet was originally proposed by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German biochemist and expert on fats and oils in 1951. Her simple formula of two tablespoons of flaxseed oil to a quarter cup of low fat cottage cheese (or other foods containing sulfur) helps increase metabolism, boosts the immune systems, reduces cholesterol levels, and helps inhibit cancer-cell growth.

Hallelujah Acres Diet developed by Dr. George Malkmus is a vegetarian diet that has helped with a variety of diseases, including cancer. For more information, go to their website at http://www.hacres.com/.

Low sugar Diets seem to starve cancer cells. Cancer cells seem to use sugar as their basic "fuel." In addition, a high sugar intake seems to increase factors in the body responsible for creating conditions that encourage cancer to grow - for example, high acidosis, immune system suppression and prosglandin production.
GERSON: The Gerson therapy consists of detoxification and diet. Detoxification involves the use of coffee enemas. The theory behind this is that caffeine is rapidly absorbed through the lower bowel and travels directly to the liver where it stimulates the production of natural immune factors.

Care must be taken not to over-stimulate the liver which could eventually lead to its fatigue and malfunction. The diet is similar to the Laetrile diet, but is more strict.

It includes twelve or more glasses daily of freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices, a daily vegetable soup, and potassium/iodine supplements.

The therapy was developed by Dr. Max Gerson, a graduate of the University of Freiburg Medical School in Germany who fled to the U.S. in 1936 as a refugee of fascism. For more information, go to our Gerson Institute page.

Read More

TheraSweet: Ideal Replacement for Artificial Sweeteners

TheraSweet is a therapeutic sweetener.

It contains xylitol, tagatose, glycine, and probiotics (50 million organisms per serving—about the same amount as in one cup of yogurt).

TheraSweet is an ideal replacement for harmful conventional and artificial sweeteners (i.e., sucrose, fructose, aspartame, and sucralose).

It exhibits virtually none of the negative effects associated with these sweeteners.

TheraSweet also provides significant therapeutic benefits, including reduction of cavities (and possibly other oral/nasal cavity infections), enhances intestinal function, lowers caloric intake (with the potential for weight loss), and essentially has no glycemic effect.

Xylitol and tagatose have prebiotic properties and thereby support the natural growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Xylitol

• a white crystalline sweetener occuring naturally in fruits (e.g., berries), vegetables, and hardwood trees, and has been used to sweeten foods since the 1960s.


• looks and tastes like table sugar (92% as sweet as sucrose)


• no bitter aftertaste like many other sugar substitutes.


• low-glycemic sweetener for diabetic diets and for those seeking to avoid tooth decay.

Tagatose

• white crystalline sweetener that occurs naturally in foods such as yogurt, certain cheeses, and fruits.


• no glycemic effect, provides low calories


• holds GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) status


• withstands the heat of baking without breaking down and browns like sugar.


• uniquely combines the same taste and feel as table sugar (sucrose) and has 92% of its sweetness.


• selectively promotes the production of butyrate and lactic acid bacteria in the intestines and is pH stable under acidic conditions.

Glycine

• an amino acid found in the protein of all life forms.


• It is of major importance in the body for the synthesis of proteins, peptides, purines, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), nucleic acids, bile salts, and one-carbon fragments.


• is required for the maintenance of the central nervous system


• is an important neuroinhibitor (brain relaxant).


• plays an important role in the immune system


• it is used in the synthesis of other non-essential amino acids.


• comprises up to one third of the collagen in the human body


• is required for the synthesis of the porphyrin core of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying molecule in the blood).


• is also a constituent of a vital bile acid, and together with cysteine and glutamic acid, makes up glutathione—a major liver detoxifier and a free-radical quencher.


• is required for optimal growth and is involved in the synthesis of phospholipids and the release of energy in the body.

Probiotics (lactic acid bacteria)

• support good health


• Manufacture of essential vitamins B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, niacin, folacin, and pantothenic acid, and synthesis of enzymes that increase protein digestibility


• Improvement of bowel function by enhancing intestinal peristalsis


• Modulation of the immune system, increased production of antibodies, and mobilization of macrophages, lymphocytes, and other immune cells


• Inhibition of pathogenic organisms in the urogenital tract and the intestine through competition for nutrients, and creation of a barrier preventing pathogens from adhering to epithelial cells


• Production of antibacterial substances, such as bacteriocins


• Reduction of intestinal pH by the production of lactic acid, creating an environment unsuitable for pathogens.

Substitute TheraSweet for conventional sweeteners on a one-to-one basis.

Add 1 teaspoon or more to drinks.

INGREDIENTS: TheraSweet contains a proprietary blend of the highest-quality xylitol, tagatose, glycine, and stabilized microencapsulated probiotics (non-dairy), including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus BE, and Bifidobacterium longum.
TheraSweet does not contain wheat, rye, oats, corn, barley, gluten, soy, egg, dairy, sugar, yeast, sulfates, chlorides, wax, preservatives, colorings, or artificial flavorings.

TheraSweet

Each large container of TheraSweet contains 214 servings

Serving Size: 1 teaspoon (10003.5 g)

Price: $19.97

Vaccines, What Can You Do?

The following information is from Russell Blaylock, MD.
One of my first levels of understanding about vaccines came from a book I read by Dr. Blaylock. He is a board certified neurosurgeon and practiced neurosurgery for more than 24 years. The book is Health and Nutrition Secrets that can save your life.
He is also a dedicated Christian man, and I have heard him speak on CBN.

In my book there is a chapter on the vaccine controversy.
At the end of the chapter is a section,

What You Can Do:
1. Reduce or Eliminate Vaccines. I am fortunate to live in IL where we have the choice. In MS there is no "religious exemption" and parents either have to move to another state, homeschool or fight it in court. This is absurd!!!!
Dr. Blaylock suggests
"spacing the vaccines significantly reduces the risk of complications. Do not pay any attention to your pediatrician's assurances that the vaccines are safe. They are just accepting the word of their medical unions, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics."

"Refuse all vaccines containing mercury (thimerosal).

2. "If at all possible, breast feed your baby. If for some reason you cannot breast feed, use a breast pump. If, for some reason, you are forced to bottle feed, add 50 mg of DHA to the bottle once a day and 50 IU of vitamin E." Do not feed your baby cows milk or soy milk.

..."the vaccine program is being led by irresponsible people wearing dollar-shaped blinders. They portray themselves as protectors of the nation's children while they have done more harm over the past thirty years to children than have all of the diseases they seek to eradicate. We live in an age of insanity." -Russell Blaylock, MD

Article for additional reading from Russell Blaylock, MD --> The Danger of Excessive Vaccination During Brain Development

FDA Finally Admits Mercury Fillings May Damage Your Health

NaturalNews.com and Organic Consumers Association Reports:

FDA Reluctantly Admits Mercury Fillings Have Neurotoxic Effects on Children

By David Gutierrez
Natural News, December 2, 2008 Straight to the Source

(NaturalNews) For the first time, the FDA has issued a warning that the mercury contained in silver dental fillings may pose neurological risks to children and pregnant women.
"Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses," reads a statement that has been added to the agency's Web site.
"Pregnant women and persons who may have a health condition that makes them more sensitive to mercury exposure, including individuals with existing high levels of mercury bioburden, should not avoid seeking dental care, but should discuss options with their health practitioner."

The warning was one of the conditions that the FDA agreed to in settling a lawsuit filed by several consumer health groups.

"Gone, gone, gone are all of FDA's claims that no science exists that amalgam is unsafe," said Charles Brown, a lawyer for Consumers for Dental Choice, one of the plaintiffs.
"It's a watershed moment," said Michael Bender of the Mercury Policy Project, another plaintiff.
Mercury is a well-known neurotoxin that can cause cognitive and developmental problems, especially in fetuses and children.
It can also cause brain and kidney damage in adults.
So-called dental amalgams, or fillings made with a mix of mercury and other metals, have been used since the 1800s.
Although it is known that small amounts of mercury are vaporized (and can be inhaled) when the fillings are used to chew food, and though Canada, France and Sweden have all placed restrictions on the use of mercury fillings, the FDA has always insisted that amalgams are safe.

Dental amalgams are considered medical devices, regulated by the FDA.
Even the FDA's new warning stops short of admitting that dental amalgams are dangerous for the general population. Instead, it focuses on the same population that has already been warned to limit mercury exposure by consuming less seafood: children and pregnant women.

The FDA says it does not recommend that those who already have mercury fillings get them removed.
Millions of people have received amalgam fillings, although their popularity has dropped off in recent years. Currently, only 30 percent of dental fillings contain mercury - the rest are tooth-colored resin composites made from glass, cement and porcelain. These alternative fillings are more expensive and less durable than amalgam, however.
In 2002, the FDA began a regulatory review of amalgam that was expected to be complete within a few years. In 2006, with the review still incomplete, an independent FDA advisory panel of doctors and dentists rejected the agency's position that there is no reason for concern about the use of amalgam.
While the panel agreed that the majority of people receiving such fillings would not be harmed, panel members expressed concern for the health of certain sensitive populations, including children under the age of six.
The panel recommended that the FDA conduct further studies on the risks to children from dental amalgam, and that it consider a policy of informed consent for children and pregnant: that is, warning those groups of the risks associated with the fillings before installing them.Part of the lawsuit centered on the FDA's failure to respond to these recommendations in a timely fashion.

"This is your classic failure to act," federal judge Ellen Segal Huvelle told the agency.As part of the lawsuit settlement, the FDA must reach a final decision on the regulation of amalgam by July 28, 2009.
"This court settlement signals the death knell for mercury fillings," Brown predicted.
But J.P. Morgan Securities analyst Ipsita Smolinski disagreed, saying that the FDA is unlikely to ban amalgam entirely.
"We do believe that the agency will ask for the label to indicate that mercury is an ingredient in the filling, and that special populations should be exempt from such fillings, such as: nursing women, pregnant women, young children, and immunocompromised individuals," Smolinski said.

Thyroid & Calcium Supplements and Foods to Avoid

Helpful info from Suzy Cohen, R.Ph.
http://www.dearpharmacist.com/

"If you take thyroid medicine, you should space your calcium supplements or dairy at least 2 hours away from your medication.
Go easy on those delicious vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower because they crash your thyroid levels.
Soy lowers thyroid hormone too, so if you are prone to thyroid problems, maybe pass on the tofu and soy milk."

Recipe for Natural Dishwasher Soap

Found this on Debra Lynn Dadd's website from a reader:

Regarding the natural dishwasher alternatives....I too am very sensitive to the commercial brands but do not like the high prices of the alternative brands.
After researching the ingredients in all brands, I found that I can use a coffee scoop of either baking soda OR washing soda, a small squirt (a scant teaspoon) of liquid soap (Yes, soap!--either something like Dr. Bronner's castile (mmmm, the peppermint and almond are divine!-- Ecover or Seventh Generation, and I have also used my own homemade liquid) and my dishes are wonderfully clean.
For greasy loads a squirt or two of lemon juice from the fridge added to the cup is an extra boost. (The concentrate is fine for this....) I add just a tad of the soda to the pre-wash cup.
Whoever said you could not use soap in the dishwasher....you hand wash dishes with soap...why not?? Just keep it to a small squirt and you have lovely suds, scrubbing your dishes clean. The one teaspoon is perfect for mine using the Bronner's. Start with only a half teaspoon if you use the Ecover, etc. and find what works best for you.
The sodas alkalize and soften the water, and help to scrub the dishes, and the lemon juice also softens the water and cuts grease although I rarely have to use it as the hot water, soap and soda do the trick.
I don't use anything in the anti-spotting reservoir...spots are a minimum. I do not pre-wash the dishes, and for over two years have tested this method with olive oil tomato sauces, heavily dried-on egg, etc. and it has performed as well or better than any brand I have tried. I have soft water, so if yours is hard, you can use more baking or washing soda.
I prefer not to use the borax in my septic tank or graywater systems as some recipes call for.

No recipes to mix up....everything is handy. The baking soda is in the cabinet...keep a box or a jar of the washing soda under the kitchen sink with a small scoop along with the liquid soap and the fridge is just a step away for the lemon juice.
In cold or flu season, I add a couple drops of tea tree, rosemary, or peppermint oil to the cup before closing up. Mmmm....whereas before I had sickening chlorine fumes puffing out from the vent....now just aromatherapy! For handwashing dishes and pots and pans, you can use the Dr. Bronner's as well, but my favorite is my bar of handmade soap....rich in natural glycerin and it never dries my hands out.

Lemons Prevent Kidney Stones

Lemons Protect Against Kidney Stones
by David Gutierrez, staff writer (NaturalNews)

Lemons and other citrus fruits contain chemicals that can help prevent against the development of kidney stones, says John Milner, a urology expert from the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
"Lemons are very high in citrates, which inhibit the growth of kidney stones," Milner said. "[Real] lemonade, not the powdered variety that uses artificial flavoring, actually slows the development of kidney stones for those who are prone to the development of kidney stones."
Milner made the comments in the context of warning people to drink enough water during the hot summer months.
Insufficient fluid intake is the most common cause of kidney stones, which occur when mineral crystals form in the kidneys or the ureters, which connect the kidney and the bladder.
For those who are reluctant to drink enough water because they want something with more flavor, Milner suggested adding lemon slices.
People at risk of kidney stones definitely should not drink large quantities of ice tea, he said.

"People are told that in the summertime they should drink more fluids. A lot of people choose to drink more iced tea, thinking it's a tastier alternative," Milner said. "However, in terms of kidney stones, they're getting it going and coming. They're actually doing themselves a disservice."

Iced tea contains high levels of the chemical oxalate, which encourages the development of kidney stones."
For people who have a tendency to form kidney stones, it's definitely one of the worst things you can drink," he said.
People who are concerned about kidney stone should also consume lower levels of chocolate, rhubarb, nuts and spinach, all of which are high in oxalates, Milner said, as well as meat and salty foods.
Kidney stones are four times more likely to occur in men than in women, particularly men who have reached the age of 40.
Sources for this story include: www.upi.com; www.freshnews.in.

Magic Mineral Broth

Rebecca Katz is the author of One Bite at a Time, Nourishing Recipes for Cancer Survivors and Their Friends.

The following recipe is from her website, RebeccaKatz.com

Magic Mineral Broth
(Cook Notes: If you don’t have time to make this from scratch, substitute Pacific or Imagine brand vegetable stock, add equal parts water, a piece of kombu and one potato. Boil 20 minutes and strain. Kombu is seaweed...it can be found in a health food store and garnet yams(with red skin) are sometimes sold right next to the regular ones with orange skin.)

This isn’t just a regular vegetable stock. This pot of yum is high in potassium and numerous trace minerals. Sipping this nutrient-rich stock is like giving your body an internal spa treatment. Use it as a base for all your favorite soups and rice dishes. Don’t be daunted by the ingredient list. Simply chop the ingredients in chunks and throw them in the pots, roots, skins, and all.
Ingredients

• 6 unpeeled carrots with half the green tops, cut into thirds
• 2 unpeeled medium yellow onions, cut into chunks
• 1 leek, both white and green parts, cut into thirds
• 1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
• 4 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
• 1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 4 medium red potatoes with skins on, quartered
• 2 Japanese or Hannah's yams or sweet potatoes with skins on, quartered
• 1 Garnet yam with skin on, quartered
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 (6-inch by 1- inch) strip of kombu
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 black peppercorns
• 4 whole allspice or juniper berries
  
  Procedure
  In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine all ingredients.

Fill the pot to 2 inches below the rim with water, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and simmer a minimum of 2 hours.

As the stock simmers some water will evaporate; add more if vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
Strain the stock using a large coarse-mesh strainer (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath).
Bring to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.
Magic Mineral Broth can be frozen up to six months in a variety of air-tight container sizes for every use.
Makes 6 to 7 quarts

Natural News report on cod liver oil.

Click above for the entire article or read below for some of the story:

Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood

by Krispin Sullivan, CN, citizen journalist

Doctor Price was right, as usual. Cod liver oil is very good for you, more than you ever knew. Research studies ranging from 1918-2001 give cod liver oil an A+ rating. This marvelous golden oil contains large amounts of elongated omega-3 fatty acids, preformed vitamin A and the sunlight vitamin D, essential nutrients that are hard to obtain in sufficient amounts in the modern diet. Samples may also naturally contain small amounts of the important bone- and blood-maintainer vitamin K.

There is hardly a disease in the books that does not respond well to treatment that includes
cod liver oil, and not just

• infectious diseases
• heart disease and
• cancer

Cod liver oil provides vitamin D that helps build strong bones in children and helps prevent

• osteoporosis in adults.

The fatty acids in cod liver oil are also very important for the development of the brain and nervous system.

Cod liver oil contains more vitamin A and more vitamin D per unit weight than any other common food, and it contains 7 percent each of the elongated omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

• EPA is the precursor of important prostaglandins, localized tissue hormones that help the body deal with inflammation; and
• DHA is extremely important for the development and function of the brain and nervous system.

So it's no surprise that in numerous studies cod liver oil has proven to be a powerhouse in fighting disease.
GOOD FOR WHAT AILS YOU

• greatly improves heart function to prevent heart disease and to treat it even in advanced stages, after a heart attack and after heart surgery.
• alters the linings of the arteries in such a way as to improve healing after damage.
• The inflammation-reducing prostaglandins made from EPA help mediate the inflammatory response in the arteries.
• can provide vitamin A on a continuous basis throughout the year.
  
  In numerous studies, the elongated omega-3 fats found in cod liver oil have been shown to improve brain function, memory, stress response, immune response, allergies, asthma, learning and behavioral disorders, including bipolar syndrome and manic-depression.

Cod liver oil is most famous for

• contributing to bone health,
• preventing and reversing rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults

Osteoporosis responds to vitamin D and to cod liver oil.

Sufficient elongated omega-3 oils found in cod liver oil are one of the keys to keeping and rebuilding bone. In women, higher levels of vitamin D from cod liver oil improve bone mineral density.
Two of the symptoms of low levels of vitamin D are bone pain and muscle pain. This may manifest as pain in the legs, muscle weakness and difficulty climbing stairs. Numerous studies have shown improvement in muscle pain, muscle strength and bone pain scores with cod liver oil.
Cod liver oil is effective in treating arthritis as well.

Cod liver oil taken orally helps maintain soft skin and minimize wrinkles.
And what about cancer?

• All the nutrients in cod liver oil help prevent cancer.
• Vitamin A has been part of every successful alternative cancer therapy so far. PRACTICAL ASPECTS
• Eating fish will not provide the levels of nutrients that are found in cod liver oil.
• One tablespoon of regular cod liver oil and one-half tablespoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil provide the amount of elongated omega-3 fatty acids found in twelve 1,000 mg fish oil capsules.
• As for vitamin D, body oils of fish can be good sources as long as you are willing to eat a lot of them. One-half pound of fatty herring or sardines gives a dose of vitamin D equal to that of about one tablespoon of cod liver oil. But salmon oil has one-fifth the potency of cod liver oil.

One concern about taking cod liver oil is the presence of contaminants—heavy metals (such as mercury, cadmium and lead), PCBs and so forth. Fortunately, consumers need not worry when it comes to cod liver oil. All cod liver oils in the US must be tested according to protocols of the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) and approved free of detectable levels of 32 contaminants before they can be imported into this country.

Furthermore, mercury is water soluble. It may be present in the flesh of fish, but it is not present in the oil.
Another concern is rancidity. Cod liver oil can become rancid if improperly handled. In a 1988 study, peroxide values (indicating rancidity) ranged from a low of 2 to a high of 44.7. Nevertheless, properly handled cod liver oil is relatively stable.

It contains 21 percent saturated fatty acids and 57 percent monounsaturated fatty acids, which provide stability. The fishy smell of cod liver oil is due to the presence of small amounts of fish protein and is not a sign of rancidity. To ensure that your cod liver oil is fresh, avoid buying the large economy size or the end-of-season sale item. Buy cod liver oil in small dark bottles and keep them in a cool dark place. Cod liver oil need not be refrigerated after opening if it is used up quickly—within two months.
Virtually all cod liver oil imported into the US comes from Norway, and while all of it is safe, there are different grades, depending on vitamin levels.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly magazine of the Weston A. Price Foundation, SPRING 2002.
Please see the original article at the Weston A. Price Foundation website: Vitamin A, Vitamin D and Cod Liver Oil: Some Clarifications
Disclaimer: The information published herein is not intended to be used as a substitute for appropriate care by a qualified health practitioner.
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Yes, Melamine is Here in the USA - What to Do!

Do we have melamine here in the USA?

Here's what I am learning:
from http://www.naturalnews.com/
The big health story right now is the widening melamine scandal now involving U.S. infant formula makers. As revealed in my latest feature article, up to 90 percent of U.S. infant formula products may potentially be contaminated with trace levels of melamine ( http://www.naturalnews.com/024947.html) under 1ppm.

There are three things you need to understand about this issue: First, after the melamine scandal broke in China and sickened tens of thousands of babies, the FDA assured the American people that U.S. infant formula products were 100% safe and contained no melamine.

They were wrong.

Secondly, when the FDA's own tests discovered melamine contamination in U.S. infant formula products, it actively sought to hide the test results from the public. It only disclosed the test results after being forced to do so by a FOIA petition filed by the Associated Press. (We gotta thank AP for doing this, by the way. Nice job on their part!)

Thirdly, once the melamine contamination results were made public, the FDA abruptly announced that 1ppm (or less) of melamine in infant formula was suddenly "safe." This decision was based on no science whatseover and was obviously a panicked defense of the U.S. infant formula manufacturers whose products are contaminated with melamine.

I suspect we haven't heard the last on this melamine issue.

---Mike Adams, http://www.naturalnews.com/

Looking to avoid food products made in China?

I don't blame you: The country has become the world capitol of contaminated foods.

A circulating email claims that UPC barcodes reveal the country of origin for food products. Anything made in China, the email informs us, will begin with three digits in the range of 690 to 695.Products made in the U.S. begin with 00 to 13, says the email.

This information is false.

NaturalNews looked into the barcode issue to determine the reliability of this advice and found it to be pure fiction.

Many nutritional supplements made in the U.S., for example, actually begin with 85, and there is no correlation between the country in which a UPC symbol is registered and where a particular product is actually manufactured.

It's far better to look for the phrase, "Made in USA" (or whatever country you're in).

Definitely avoid food products that say, "Made in China."Unless, of course, you think your diet is deficient in melamine.

Bottom line: Don't believe the emails that claim you can tell which products are made in China just by reading the bar code.And the best strategy of all? Stop buying conventional processed foods altogether.

Processed factory foods are usually dangerous to your health in one way or another, regardless of where they are made. U.S. food manufacturers, for example, load up foods with cancer-causing nitrates, MSG, aspartame, refined sugars, partially-hydrogenated oils, petrochemical additives and deadly levels of processed sodium.Just because it's made in the USA doesn't mean it's safe.

Remember this:The difference between food made in China vs. food made in the U.S. is that Chinese foods will kill you quickly while U.S. foods will kill you slowly.