Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

I used to catch a cold or flu about twice a year, like clockwork. I would usually get sick once during the winter. Then I would get sick again at some point during the year when I was tired and stressed out and my defenses were down.

It was never anything serious. I might feel miserable and miss a day or two of work, but with rest and fluids, I would feel fine again within a week. It was mainly an annoyance. Something I thought we all had to live with.

Then, with just a few changes to my diet and lifestyle, I stopped getting sick…

In the last eight years, I have had only one cold. That was the week after my wedding. The week before, I was up late every night getting ahead on work. And I was stressed out, making plans for our out-of-town wedding. Avoiding stress and getting a good night’s rest are vital to your immunity. In fact, one study showed that getting less than six hours of sleep per night can increase your risk of contracting a cold by 300 percent.

For more than three decades we have been subjected to dietary propaganda that a low-fat diet is the key to losing weight and preventing disease. Public officials and the medical profession continue to broadcast the message. And the food industry – eager to sell their low-fat, high-margin, fake foods – is happy to reinforce the belief that a low-fat diet is the key to plaque-free arteries and a slim figure.

The problem is that this is exactly the wrong advice for weight loss and your health. In fact, the “solution” has actually made our problems with obesity, heart disease and diabetes much worse.

The misplaced vilification of fat began in the 50’s and 60’s. But it was not until the late 1970s that the message was broadcast to the public. It began with a 1976 Senate report, titled Dietary Goals for the United States. It was written by a journalist with no background in health, who was advised by a Harvard nutritionist who viewed dietary fat as the nutritional equivalent of smoking cigarettes. Shortly after, countless health organizations (including the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association) and mobilized to spread the word that “eating fat makes you fat” and that a low-fat diet is the best way to prevent disease.

For more than 30 years, government health organizations and the cancer societies have pushed the idea that early detection and treatment increases your odds of surviving cancer. The messages are everywhere. They urge us to check for prostate, breast, colon, skin cancer and more.

Logically, it makes sense that the earlier you discover a cancer, the more likely you will be alive in five years. This has driven millions of people to their doctors’ offices for screening and it has poured billions of dollars into the coffers of the cancer industry.

But does it save lives? And do the risks outweigh the benefits? Apparently, the answer to both of those questions is no.

The studies show that people are not living longer after they get cancer. While they might live longer after their diagnosis, that is because we are diagnosing the disease much earlier. In fact, the age-adjusted mortality rates for all forms of cancer combined have steadily increased over several decades. Orthodox medicine is losing the war on cancer.

In the last month, the British government’s National Health Service (NHS) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) both have stated that they are updating their public health messages regarding cancer screening.

For decades, these organizations were among the staunchest defenders of screening. The organizations now admit that they overstated the benefits of screening. Even worse, they intentionally downplayed the risks.

In a New York Times article, Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society states that, “American medicine has overpromised when it comes to screening. The advantages to screening have been exaggerated.”

The name Max Gerson doesn’t ring a bell with most people. We can thank the dirty tricks of the American Medical Association for that. Gerson is one of the great doctors of the 20th century. If more of us knew his name, there wouldn’t be millions of needless cancer deaths in the US every year. In fact, there might even be monuments erected in his honor.

In the 1920s, Dr. Gerson pioneered a revolutionary diet that proved to be a potent nutritional and metabolic therapy for tuberculosis, diabetes, and even migraine headaches. Then amazingly, he started curing his patients’ cancer with it. The Gerson therapy blends a diet of organic fruits and vegetables and fresh juices with special detoxification methods. For decades — both during and after Gerson’s lifetime — his therapy has helped thousands of people recover from cancer — despite the fact that the FDA and AMA did everything they could to discredit him.

Dr. Gerson understood the connection between diet and cancer. He knew that poor nutrition, exposure to chemicals, and cooking that destroys vital nutrients are big reasons our bodies get sick. When we add to these factors a poorly functioning liver, pancreas, and immune system, cancer can flourish. But importantly, Gerson also believed cancer could be controlled with a healthy liver and a proper balance of sodium and potassium in the body.

In yesterday’s THB, I mentioned that 31 million people in the US suffer from back pain at any given time. That’s a huge number, but it’s only part of the story. Another 46 million Americans live with the constant pain of arthritis.

How do they cope? Mainly by popping prescription or OTC drugs. And that causes another serious list of health problems they may not even be aware of — like over-burdened liver and kidneys, an irritated stomach lining, and depletion of vital nutrients their body needs to function. The sad fact is, the so-called solution to their pain is creating problems for them that are even worse…

And that brings me to a pain remedy I read about recently. The first plus is that it’s all natural. The second plus –and this is a big one — is that it’s applied topically, so it goes right to the source of the pain.

It contains a substance called DMSO. Vets and trainers have been using it for years on lame racehorses. So have sports trainers who must get athletes who are banged-up ready for their next game. They’ve reported amazing results with DMSO.

It was actually discovered over 100 years ago by a Russian researcher. DMSO is a sulfur-rich substance found in the woody part of trees. But it didn’t make a name for itself until the 1960s when American scientists discovered its incredible ability to deliver pain relief to where it’s needed.

As a writer and editor in the health field for many years, I’m often asked for advice from people who want to start a supplement program.  Without question, the one supplement that’s absolutely at the top of my list is CoQ10.  I take 200 mg every morning and know it’s working to produce energy in every cell in my body, especially my heart. 

Here’s what I mean…

Before I began taking CoQ10, I’d usually fall into a 2 o’clock slump at work.  No matter how much sleep I got the night before, my brain felt foggy and I barely had enough energy to get through the rest of the day.  I looked forward to weekends, simply to get more sleep.  I felt like I was on my way to old age.

That was before.  But this is now… 

I get  7 hours of sleep every night and have more than enough energy to work all day, make a 50-minute commute home, do some stretching exercises, cook dinner, and spend quality time with my husband. 

Most of us have been motivated to get into fitness at some point in our lives. You know the kind I mean — running or aerobics exercises in which you push yourself continuously for 45 minutes to an hour in order to sustain an elevated heart rate. We’ve been told by fitness experts for years that these exercises will help us lose the fat, develop a lean physique, and strengthen our heart muscle to prevent a heart attack in the future.

I’ve done many of these exercises myself, but usually got bored with them after a while because of the monotony and the time involved. Then I’d feel guilty about not sticking with it. But recently I learned from THB’s own Dr. Al Sears that giving up “cardio” might be one of the smartest moves I’ve ever made.

Here’s why. Dr. Sears’ research has shown that cardio workouts, including long-distance running, create a continuous challenge on your heart — usually without rest. In effect, your heart feels like it’s under constant threat and attack — and that’s not a good thing. Several years ago, McLean hospital near Boston, Massachusetts released a study revealing a link between marathon running and increased risk of sudden cardiac death.¹

You probably don’t know the name of William Seale. William’s mother took the anti-depressant drug Paxil during her pregnancy. William died in 2004 at only 1-year-old after three surgeries to correct heart defects.¹ And then there’s Lyam Kilker, now 3. His mother also took Paxil when she was pregnant. Lyam was born with two holes in his heart and underwent multiple heart surgeries within 6 months of his birth.² Thankfully, he’s still alive.

The families of William and Lyam have brought the first of 600 cases against pharmaceutical giant, Glaxo Smith Kline (GSK) for its bestselling drug, Paxil, alleging that it causes birth defects when taken by pregnant women. But that’s not the worst of it. From evidence presented in court, the company knew of these risks and covered them up.

Here’s what we know so far.

As early as 1980 one of GSK’s scientists wrote in a memo to company executives that based on animal studies, the drug could cause birth defects when taken at higher levels. Yet the company waited almost 20 years before it was willing to do further studies on why the test animals died.³ In fact, in 1997, a GSK executive wrote that if animal studies were to be conducted on Paxil, the company could “bury” any negative findings.⁴

You see them everywhere. Walking down the street, standing at the bus stop, shopping at the mall, sitting in cars – teenagers with their cell phones glued to their ears, happily gabbing with their friends.

Not that it’s surprising. Teens and the telephone have had a love affair for decades. And aside from being a minor annoyance to parents, it’s never really done any harm. But that was before the age of cell phones. We’re now finding out just how harmful these high-tech gadgets can be – especially to teenagers.

That’s the assertion of the Bioelectromagnetics Society, a respected group of international scientists and physicians who have recently published a new report called “Cellphone and Brain Tumors — 15 Reasons for Concern”.¹ According to their report, cell phone use ups the risk of brain tumors and several other types of cancer in children — and the risk is significantly more than it is in adults.

What’s equally appalling about this news is that the cell phone industry and the mainstream media have covered it up for years. The few studies that have been carried out by the cell phone industry are considered by experts to be biased, flawed and even suspicious.² One industry study that should have been completed four years ago is still not done.

I’m a big believer in the value of nutritional supplements. Knowing how much better I feel when taking them, I get a little nervous when I hear that the government is giving honest supplement companies a hard time. What would we do if they were all run out of business?

That’s why I was happy to read about a reputable supplement company that did everything right and scored a big victory over unfair government bullying tactics.

I was reminded of David taking down the mighty Goliath… when Goliath felt like pushing his weight around.

Goliath in this case is the FTC, the government agency that works closely with the FDA to monitor product advertising. In 2007, the agency placed a $24 million fine against LaneLabs of New Jersey. Their motion charged that the company was making unsubstantiated claims for two of its supplements —AdvaCal and Fertile Male.

Among the company’s supposed offences was the charge that the products did not live up to their advertised claims. This resulted in “injury to consumers.” The company was also accused of misrepresenting the results of clinical trials on both products.