Holistic Health Ezine - Learn About Herbal Remedies for Colon Toxicity, Constipation, Autism and Benefits of Coenzyme Q10

Holistic Health Herbal Newsletter

Learn about holistic health products and herbal remedies for whatever ailment or symptom you may have.

As you review this special newsletter from Herbal Remedies, the information provided guides you to information and natural remedies to help you with your healthcare and wellness approach on various health concerns. You may want to bookmark this special newsletter for future reference.

This issues covers:

Colon toxicity and constipation: Are you killing yourself?
Autism: Children Who Can't Speak—Does Nutrition Play a Part?
Featured Supplement - Coenzyme Q10: A Miracle Vitamin
The importance of fiber for a Healthy Colon: Fiber supports weight management, lowers cholesterol, reduces risk of heart sisease, & supports proper blood sugar levels.
Herb and Ailment Questions and Answers

Colon Toxicity and Constipation - Are You Killing Yourself?

By Tom Wharton

A clean, strong and well functioning colon is critical to good health, weight management, and general well being. Do you regularly feel bloated, constipated, irritable, or uncomfortable? Feeling good and loosing weight may be possible through a regular process of Colon Cleansing and colon maintenance.

An unclean, weak and poorly functioning colon, is a breeding ground for disease, sickness and death. Serious health problems can arise if the colon is not properly cared for, and based on the statistics, colon health care in this country has been woefully neglected.

In the United States alone, over 400 million dollars is spent annually on laxatives. An estimated 130,000 new cases of colon and rectal Cancer are diagnosed each year, making it the fourth most common form of Cancer in Americans. Of this group, it is estimated that 44% will dies as a result of the disease.

Colon Cancer is the second leading Cancer killer in the United States, second only to lung Cancer in men, and breast Cancer in women. And at least two million Americans suffer colon related diseases including colitis, ileitis, diverticulitis and approximately l00,000 colostomy surgeries are performed each year!

Good colon health is as much a function of the quality of food we eat, as it is our elimination status. The typical American diet is comprised mostly of refined, processed foods which are high in saturated fats, refined sugars, white flour, and preservatives which cause problems for the colon. Unfortunately these diets are low in Fiber, and other natural cleansing and purifying agents which support proper waist elimination and cleansing.

The colon is a critical part of human health as the nutrients from what we eat must be absorbed during the digestion process. Over time, the colon looses its ability to process and absorb vital nutrients and water and eliminate fecal matter from the body.

This is a condition commonly known as "Constipation" but may also include "Malnutrition." Without the proper and swift elimination of fecal matter in can actually create a toxic environment inside the colon.

Constipation is commonly identified as a condition where the fecal matter is so tightly packed together, that bowel movements are infrequent, with much difficulty and straining. Many people are constipated without even recognizing the condition! Old hardened feces can stick to the walls of the colon.

The passage through which the feces are forced to travel is much reduced so that stools become narrow in diameter. In this society, bowel movements of the chronically constipated are often considered normal, because of the lack of knowledge concerning proper bowel movements.

Most people have no any idea how much old, hardened, fecal matter or what is also known as sludge, is lodged within their colons. Many experts now believe that the average person has 5 to 20 pounds of accumulated waste matter in their colon. While not a weight loss procedure it is interesting to note that many people who complete a process of Colon Cleansing they report significant weight loss, less bloated, and generally more comfortable.

Colon toxicity can be the underlying cause of many of these commonly reported health problems and may indicate the need for Colon Cleansing or colon hydrotherapy:

Constipation
Hemorrhoids
Backaches
Arthritis
Allergies
Diarrhea
Distended Abdomen
Bad Breath/Halitosis
Skin Problems
Chronic Fatigue
Asthma
Irritability
Depression
Prostate Trouble
Difficult Weight Loss
Frequent Colds
Hypoglycemia
Insomnia
Food Cravings
Abdominal Gas
Hypertension
Foul Body Odor
Menstrual Problems

If you have any of the above health problems, you may benefit from the process of colon cleansing. An unhealthy colon can adversely effect your total health, including all your body systems and lead to the following conditions.

Bowel Toxemia: This is a problem caused by years of buildup of waste material—impacted feces, bacteria, fungi, viruses, dead cellular tissue, accumulated mucous, parasites, worms, etc.—on the colon walls. Can inhibit muscular action causing sluggish bowel movements, Constipation, and inflammation and may result in other serious diseases.

Leaky Gut Syndrome: This is a problem where toxins from the colon may be absorbed and circulate into the bloodstream. These poisons can impair normal liver, lung and kidney function. A person with this condition will feel tired, ill and weak almost constantly.

Malnutrition is a condition where proper nutrients are not absorbed during the digestion process. This can be caused by the buildup of sludge inside the colon the limits the ability of the intestinal walls to absorb nutrients. Malnutrition can affect developmental growth, reduce the immune systems ability to fight off disease, make a person feel tired and weak, and create a number of other serious health illnesses.

If you or anyone you know are suffering any of the health problems mentioned above—including under or overweight challenges—you may be well advised to undertake a colon cleansing. Various natural Colon Cleansers are available that assist in the cleansing process and may be used on a regular basis to maintain good colon health and hygiene.

Many different intestinal cleansers have different levels of effectiveness based on pre-existing colon health and the amount of water you consume on a daily basis. The use of an intestinal cleanser may not be appropriate for those who have particularly sensitive, or diseased colons. But for most people, there are exceptionally good reasons to use an all-natural intestinal cleanser!

Learn more about > Colon Cleansing with Enzymes

Autism Article and Information

The author of this featured article on Autism is Richard A. Kunin, M.D. is a nutrition physician and vitamin specialist with over 30 years experience. He pioneered the use of vitamins and minerals in today's medical practice and has written numerous books and articles on nutrition and medicine, gaining a world-wide reputation in this field. Dr. Kunin is the founder of the Society for Orthomolecular Health Medicine and has served on the International Board of Advanced Longevity Medicine.

Dr. Kunin developed a powdered multivitamin known as Ola Loa, in which he has included many important health ingredients: Coenzyme Q, N-acetyl cysteine and vitamin C for antioxidant and immune support; potassium for cell energy; TMG for liver protection; glycine for blood fat control detoxification of chemicals, and creatine production for extra muscle energy.

While many other vitamins are filled with sugar and caffeine (which is why they claim to give you an energy boost), Ola Loa is complete with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs and Hawaiian ingredients like Bromelain and pineapple to give you natural long lasting energy.

Click to learn more about > Ola Loa Orange Repair

Autism - Children Who Can't Speak - Does Nutrition Play a Part? By Richard A. Kunin, M.D.

Classic Autism, once mystifying and attributed to the "refrigerator mother," i.e. failure of maternal-neonatal relationship, is now identified with injury to the developing brain. The diagnosis is based on:

Lack of language development.
Lack of social interaction.
Stereotyped and repetitive behaviors. The language impairment ranges from total lack of words to spotty use of words and phrases.

These children often respond when spoken to but are unable to organize their thoughts well enough to answer back. Recovered autistics have described the experience as one of confusion. The social impairment presents as lack of eye contact, lack of facial expression, lack of ability to play, and inability to interact meaningfully with others. Stereotyped behaviors include rituals, hand flapping, body movements, head banging and bizarre and selective preoccupation with objects.

Researchers have conjectured that Autism is due to brain injury; however proof has been elusive, that is most cases do not display cell damage and infiltrates typical of either viral disease or immune reaction in the brain.

On the other hand, viral infection has long been recognized as a cause of encephalitis and prenatal rubella (in the mother), post-natal measles, mumps, german measles, chickenpox, and other viruses (in the baby) are known to cause autism, ADHD, and a spectrum of delayed neurological and psychological disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis, delinquency, criminality, addiction, Schizophrenia, and depression.

Studies of thalidomide casualties have shown us that failure of cerebellar development occurs as a consequence of chemical and viral damage in the third week after conception. I have observed two such cases in my own practice, one after Zovirax for a herpes outbreak, another following use of amoxicillin for strep throat.

It is likely that damage was caused by the virus that caused the symptoms at the time. These are, of course, anecdotal reports but the most credible aspect is the timing of viral and chemical exposure: 19th to 21st day after conception.

In recent years an increasing number of cases of Autism have been linked to vaccine reactions, and chronic ear and sinus infections. The neuro-toxic effects of pertussis vaccine are so well known as to require little comment. Delaying immunization reduces adverse reactions.

In Japan after 1979 the public health policy was changed; the routine first year DTP vaccination was halted and all immunizations were delayed until age 24 months. The number of cases of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) was cut in half.

Autism and other developmental neurological disorders have increased to epidemic proportions in the past ten years, running the range of severity from pervasive developmental disorder and autism, to the less severe categories, including ADHD and other learning disorders.

While text-books attempt to separate these various diagnostic syndromes, the fact that all have increased at the same time suggests the possibility that there is an environmental factor.

A recent paper by Dr. Stephen Edelson explores the question of environmental pollution. Twenty children (average age 6.35 years) were studied by laboratory testing, including:

Glucaric acid analysis (a marker for increased detoxification)
Blood analysis for solvents and pesticides.
Lliver detoxification products.

Results were significant as follows: All 20 cases had elevated glucaric acid. All cases had abnormal liver detoxification profiles. Elevated levels of toxic chemicals from 1.5 to 100 times normal were found in 16 of 18 cases. Trimethylbenzene was most frequent but it did not correlate with glucaric acid results, which therefore must have been caused by something else. Methylpentane, xylene, styrene, toluene, and benzene were also found in these patients.

The authors conclude that prenatal exposure to unnatural chemicals is the most likely cause of autism, and, based on the finding of glucaric acid abnormalities in all subjects, they also propose genetic impairment of fetal and neonatal detoxification processes as a mechanism whereby normally tolerable exposure to xenobiotics causes major neurological damage in those who develop autism.

This study is important not only for its findings but because it is more thorough in its method of testing than other studies of autistic children. A weakness of the study, however, is the lack of data from a group of healthy children for comparison.

The same limitations apply to my own observations of the approximately 50 autistic children in my practice. There are suggestive histories that point to recurrent Otitis or sinusitis and repeated antibiotic treatment as risk factors for neurological problems. Are antibiotics dangerous? Do they induce serious bowel disorders? Or do the infections, themselves, interfere with brain development.

For example, Otitis is a fairly common source of infection with tetanus! The Clostridium tetani organisms can thrive in the anaerobic environment of the middle ear and the toxin produced by this microbe produces is neurotoxic. It is plausible to consider this a potential cause of developmental brain disease. One of the most effective treatments is external application of ozone to the ear canals and I know of at least one case that improved dramatically after such a treatment.

Our epidemic of Autism and ADHD also coincides with the introduction of a new vaccine against measles in 1988. This vaccine contains a weakened but live virus, a mutant strain. It is usually given with two other live virus vaccines, mumps and rubella (german measles), hence it is abbreviated MMR. The vaccine is now administered to almost all children at age 15 to 18 months, with booster doses 3 months later and again upon starting school.

Measles has almost disappeared in the USA since 1900 and the credit is usually given to vaccination. However, Dr. Leon Chaitow relates that the measles death rate dropped from 13 per 100,000 in 1900 to 0.03 per 100,000 in 1955—before measles vaccination arrived. In 1958 there were still about 800,000 cases per year but in 1962 this had dropped to 300,000.

The vaccine arrived in 1963. In 1978 a survey of 30 states found that half the cases of measles were found in children that had been vaccinated. The vaccine failure rate has been reported at 20 to 30 percent, which is to say that about one out of four children are not protected by measles vaccine anyway.

Nevertheless, it seems almost ungrateful to suspect that vaccination, which clearly can do much good, can also cause harm. But it is an accepted fact that all drugs have adverse effects. So the real question is "how much damage?" The answer is: no one knows for sure.

There have not been adequate follow-up studies and almost no long term studies to explain possible delayed adverse effects, such as Colitis, Cancer, Schizophrenia and Multiple Sclerosis. But there is reason to suspect that the increased incidence of Autism and ADD may be related to mass vaccination programs.

If so, it is not far-fetched to suggest that our present crisis in education, low SAT scores, school drop-outs, and high crime and addiction rates, might also be due to vaccine-related developmental brain disease.

Let us consider the findings of Drs. Wakefield and Walker-Smith of the Royal Free Hospital in London, England. They carefully studied 40 autistic (pervasive developmental disorder) children and they reported that the parents of these children gave a history with a common theme: the children were developing normally, many already speaking in short sentences, then regressed and lost speech a week or two after vaccination with MMR vaccine at 15—18 months. Many parents have observed this sequence of events and a number are, in fact, now engaged in a lawsuit over MMR vaccine safety in England.

Does it seem reasonable to persist in a mass vaccination program that is clouded by casualty reports? Is measles such a dangerous disease that we must vaccinate regardless of the risk of Autism and learning disability?

Is measles really a dangerous disease? Yes, but only in sickly and malnourished children, such as those living in poverty-stricken conditions and especially in 3rd world nations. But researchers, such as Sommers and Hussey have gathered convincing evidence that treatment with Vitamin A, also known as retinol, offers almost complete protection from the serious, complications of measles, i.e. pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. Results might be even better with more complete nutritional support, including dietary balance and supplemental Zinc and Antioxidants. Such research is needed to answer such questions.

Dr. Alfred Sommers traveled extensively in Southeast Asia, visiting villages, treating some children with vitamin A, passing over others. Return visits just a few months later gave convincing evidence: those who received vitamin A were alive and well, even if they had contracted measles. There were no deaths. On the other hand, those who were not treated with vitamin A had a death rate of about 10 percent!

Vitamin A is Crucial in Prevention of Autism

It is obvious from the foregoing that Vitamin A functions as an anti-viral agent, especially against childhood viruses. But there are other attributes of this vitamin that deserve mention.

One of the functions of Vitamin A (Retinol) is its role in sulfation, one of the major detoxification steps of the body. Vitamin A is essential for growth and repair, healing, so it is important in recovery from illness. And vitamin A has a beneficial effect on the brain, particularly in the auditory cortex, believed to be impaired in autism, inasmuch as disturbance of speech and language skills is a central feature of the disorder.

A study in rats found Vitamin A deficiency increases sensitivity of the inner ear to noise as well as susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss. This is reminiscent of the irritability so often reported by parents of autistic children. In many cases the children literally cover their ears with their hands to shut out sound.

Experimental evidence shows that the sensitivity to noise is caused by degeneration of the tight junctions of the cells surrounding the cochlear duct. These normally form an endolymph-perilylmph barrier that prevents the potassium rich endolymph from entering the base of the hair cells and unmyelinated nerve fibers.

The perilymph, which surrounds the hair cells, is low potassium, but noise exposure increases the permeability of the barrier cells and permits influx of potassium. This causes a threshold shift of the hair cells due to depolarization, and the results of this intoxication can be permanent.

Vitamin A is vital to development, repair and integrity of the inner ear. The vitamin protects against ototoxic effects of antibiotics of aminoglycoside type (e.g. Kanamycin, Neomycin) but as a rule antibiotics shouldn't be given for Otitis until Vitamin A Treatment has had a Chance to Heal and Restore Resistance to Infection of the Affected Tissues.

In fact, Otitis is often a clinical sign of Vitamin A deficiency in children. Hyperkeratosis, thickening of the epithelial linings, is one of the early signs of deficiency as the epithelial cells of the inner ear are quite vitamin A dependent.

However vitamin A has an effect on neurons in the auditory areas as well. The above-mentioned study in rats found that vitamin A deficiency causes leaky membranes and altered cochlear potentials.

In humans, prolonged vitamin A deficiency was studied by Hume and Krebs, who found a reduction in hearing after 15 months on a vitamin A deficient diet in 3 of 5 volunteers. Hearing loss is also reported in diseases with low Vitamin A levels. Evidently irritability is an early sign of vitamin A deficiency and nerve damage occurs if deficiency is prolonged.

Selenium Deficiency and Autism

Does Selenium deficiency play a role in this heart-breaking malady, in which seemingly healthy children are "kidnapped" by a mysterious agent which causes a sudden loss of language and learning between 15 and 30 months of age. The afflicted children often lose speech within a week of the MMR vaccination and become regressive and withdrawn, unable to learn or even to pay attention, unable to play normally.

They are fussy, have tantrums provoked by the least change in their accustomed routines, such as placement of objects in the room, or time of day of events. They are unsafe, wander about in the middle of the night, have little appreciation for the consequences of their acts, and often don't get much better despite heroic attempts at therapy.

Let's qualify that: structured learning on a behavioristic reinforcement model (Lovaas) has proven beneficial. So has simple task learning, such as crawling, sound training and sight training with prisms, which seem to capture attention and give

My own experience also suggests that the role of Selenium is important. In the first place, some of my patients have improved noticeably upon supplementation with selenium. I have not seen a study that actually accounts for selenium status of autistic children however.

Measurement of selenium in red blood cells and hair would be a good place to start and additional testing of the selenium dependent enzyme, glutathione peroxidase, would be confirmatory, one way or the other. However we do know that:

Selenium deficiency is common in mothers, so even mother's milk can be deficient.
Acid foods make Selenium insoluble, so babies regularly fed to much fruit juices without a countering base supplement are liable to malabsorption of selenium.
Fluoride forms insoluble complexes with Selenium. Since selenium is strongly electropositive, it combines with fluoride preferentially, with even greater avidity than calcium, Magnesium, iron, Zinc, sodium, potassium.

The total adult body content of selenium is less than 100 mg, so little as to be vulnerable to sodium fluoride intakes of 3 to 5 mg per day, which are usual in this country because of fluoridation and fluoridated toothpaste.

Consider that vital trace minerals, such as Selenium, Chromium and molybdenum, are ingested on average only about 50 mcg per day. Fluoride intake is 100 times more and fluoride complexes are likely to inactivate these trace minerals by rendering them insoluble—even in the presence of calcium, Magnesium, boron or aluminum salts, which also bind with fluoride.

Sodium fluoride, the relatively soluble fluoride used in water fluoridation, preferentially binds to the trace minerals, Selenium and Chromium.

Some viruses interact with cells to increase the production of glutathione and other Selenium—binding proteins that further deplete Selenium, thus creating a vicious circle of virulence. The more cells are infected, the more Selenium is depleted. That can be fatal. For example: Ebola virus kills 4 out of 10 of its victims.

However in the presence of Selenium supplementation the fatality rate drops by over 80 percent. That is a persuasive demonstration of the anti-viral power of this essential mineral. A similar phenomenon has been recognized and reported in AIDS. It is reasonable to say that Selenium increases our resistance to viral disease. Variable immune deficiency is a common feature in autistic children.

If mineral deficiency does factor into the Autism puzzle, is it reasonable to accept that it could elude detection in millions of and escape detection as a cause of the remarkable increase in autism, ADD and other forms of learning disability?

I say the answer is almost certain to be yes, and both Magnesium and Selenium deficiency are suspect. The role of Magnesium in Autism has already been verified by the well-known double-blind research trials conducted by Rimland, and Callaway in the 1970s and Martineau, Garreau, Barthelemy and Lelord in the 1980s.

Here are a few speculations to pull the various observations together.

Dietary selenium is deficient due to lack of high Selenium foods, in turn related to depletion of soils, which is caused by acid rain which makes selenium insoluble so it washes out of the soil rather than being taken up by plants.

Furthermore, widespread fluoridation of water and processed foods also renders Selenium insoluble. When viral infections strike, further depletion occurs, this can interfere with antioxidant defenses, immune mechanisms, and energy regulation.

A vicious circle of immune deficiency, chemical sensitivity, and chronic viral infection and fatigue is thus induced. Supplementation with a Multiple Vitamin and Mineral that contain proper digestible and absorbable quantities of these important nutrients may help reduce the likelihood of onset of many these conditions.

Supplement of the Month Coenzyme Q10 - A Miracle Vitamin

Coenzyme Q should be called vitamin Q because the amount that the body can make is insufficient for the best of health and extra amounts of Q must be obtained from food.

That makes CoQ fit the definition of vitamin: a natural, organic substance in food that is required for health and survival. However the abbreviation, CoQ, has caught on and since it is concise it will continue in use.

CoQ was discovered in 1957 by Dr. Frederick Crane at University of Wisconsin and methods of synthesis were soon developed by Dr. Karl Folkers, then a chief researcher at Merck & Co.

However Merck chose not to undertake commercial production and Dr. Folkers eventually became a consultant to pharmaceutical companies in Japan where his research in diseases of muscle, such as muscular dystrophy and heart failure, earned him the Priestley medal of the American Chemical Society in 1986.

However, despite hundreds of research reports on CoQ, American physicians still resist the idea that a natural vitamin can be as powerful as a pharmacological drug.

One of my patients was given the very best of conventional care for congestive heart failure at a university hospital.

After 16 years of Sarcoid lung disease he had developed severe fibrosis, which caused increased resistance to blood flow in the lungs. This increased the load on the right ventricle of his heart, which eventually became depleted and weakened so that edema fluid backed up in his abdomen, liver and lower extremities.

His legs were hugely swollen from the toes to the hips. Diuretics, digitalis and prednisone failed and a heart transplant was considered but ruled out due to his weakened condition. He was literally sent home to die!

However once at home he could be treated with megadoses of Coenzyme Q. A miracle! In ten days he lost over 20 pounds, about 10 quarts of fluid, the edema cleared and he was able to walk and breathe comfortably for the first time in months.

Not cured entirely, of course, but well enough so that six months later he was still out of his wheel chair and able to climb the stairs to the Opera House balcony, resulting in a medical emergency when he fainted due to the acute load on his heart. He felt so well he pushed himself too far. This was the case that made a believer out of this doctor!

CoQ has a chemical name, Ubiquinone, which derives from the fact that it is ubiquitous, found in almost all plant and animal cells that use oxygen to power their chemistry.

Ubiquinone is a co-enzyme, a substance that teams up with an otherwise inactive enzyme complex to make it complete—and active.

The energy of oxidation in cells depends on CoQ in partnership with niacinamide (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2), and minerals such as iron and copper to effect the movement of electrons and hydrogen protons in the power plant of cell, the mitochondrion.

Mitochondria are the specialized microscopic cell bodies that oxidize the carbohydrates and fats from food, separate off the negatively charged electrons and pump out the positively charged hydrogen protons to create a miniature battery in each cell of the body.

This mechanism is literally the life force. CoQ acts as a transporter to safely carry these electrical charges from the inner membrane of the mitochondrion to the matrix where the electrons participate in the manufacture of ATP, thus converting electrical to chemical energy.

Because CoQ can donate protons, it serves as an antioxidant to prevent a leak of electrons that could oxidize and damage the cell membranes.

This is all to the good unless under highly oxidative conditions, such as physical or mental stress or infection, it can be depleted. It is ironic that starvation, which lowers metabolic activity and reduces the production of peroxides and free radicals, spares CoQ which is then more available for energy.

On the other hand, over-eating, especially fried foods and salad oils (except olive oil) presents the tissues with toxic free radicals, electronically unbalanced by-products that damage cell membranes and use up CoQ.

A low calorie, low fat diet promotes higher CoQ levels and a sense of energy and well-being thereby. Or one might use supplements of CoQ as an antidote to the dietary and lifestyle hazards that cause CoQ deficiency to be so common.

In addition vitamin E protects against depletion of CoQ by fatty acid peroxidation. By increasing tissue levels of CoQ there is a boost in mental and physical energy and a decreased requirement for sleep, a pleasant surprise for many who try supplementing for the first time. It works!

Click here > Purchase Coenzyme Q10

It is possible to stimulate your body to produce more CoQ by increasing intake of certain nutrients, such as the amino acid, tyrosine, and the mineral, magnesium.

CoQ is manufactured by our own cells from the amino acid, tyrosine and farnesyl, an intermediate in the production of cholesterol. Magnesium is a required catalyst for CoQ synthesis and that is one reason why many people feel more energetic after magnesium supplementation.

On the other hand, some medications can interfere with CoQ. Lovastatin, which blocks cholesterol synthesis by preventing the production of farnesyl, can induce a state of chronic fatigue.

Anti-hypertensive beta-blocker medications, such as propanolal, also interfere with CoQ and the fatigue and weakened heart-beat caused by these medications can be reversed by supplemental CoQ.

Doxorubicin (Adriamycin), an anti-cancer antibiotic, blocks CoQ so completely that some patients suffer heart damage—which is preventable by taking CoQ. Tetracycline antibiotics, such as doxycycline, also block CoQ and cause fatigue and weakness, which responds to CoQ supplements.

Barbiturates also block CoQ and so do the common phenothiazine tranquilizers and tricyclic anti-depressants.

Pesticides (especially rotenone) and toxic chemicals, including ozone and solvents, also deplete CoQ. With so many hazards in the environment, it is more important than ever to get extra CoQ in food or in supplements.

It appears that as little as 30 milligrams per day is adequate for everyday use. For significant medical symptoms, however, doses of 60 to 120 milligrams per day for at least two months may be required. It is unlikely that these megadose intakes can be obtained through food. What are the best dietary sources?

Cells that contain mitochondria for oxidation are the best source of CoQ. The more mitochondria, the more energy production, the more CoQ.

Heart is the richest food source of CoQ because it is the most active muscle in our body, contracting once a second, day and night. It contains about 6 milligrams of CoQ per 3 ounce portion. Liver contains a quarter as much and body muscle meats a fifth to a tenth as much.

Spinach has about 2/3 as much as heart but portions are smaller, usually only an ounce and that cuts the actual intake to about 1.5 milligrams.

Seeds contain coenzyme Q and unrefined corn oil and rice oil actually contain 3 to 5 times more CoQ than does heart! On average a tablespoonful of unrefined salad oil contains between a half milligram and 6 milligrams.

If these natural foods are eaten regularly the Co Q intake might come up to 12 or 15 mg daily. Incidentally, tobacco leaf is the champion source, containing 184 mg in a quarter pound. In fact, the Japanese companies make their CoQ from tobacco, however it is only released by means of bacterial fermentation not by smoking.

CoQ is required for cell energy. This translates into increased cell activity, greater production of cellular products, such as proteins for faster healing of wounds and hormones, for adaptation.

There are impressive reports of improved blood sugar in diabetes, for instance. CoQ strengthens the immune system, conferring greater resistance to infection, not due to increased numbers of white blood cells but greater potency of the existing cells. This has obvious applications in AIDS.

Red blood cells also thrive with CoQ and some cases of anemia respond very well. Skin cells are responsive and psoriasis, in particular, may improve. Bleeding gums due to periodontal disease often clear up after a time on CoQ—even when the blood level is normal.

Nerve tissue is sensitive to CoQ and it is a useful treatment of retinal diseases, including optic atrophy. It is also beneficial in peripheral nerve disease.

But it is in the treatment of heart conditions that CoQ is most impressive, especially in patients with cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure.

In one major study 75 percent of those on CoQ survived 6 years while 75 percent not on CoQ died in 3 years or less. High blood pressure often improves on CoQ and mitral valve prolapse is very responsive.

Even in normal conditions, large doses of CoQ increase muscle strength and cardiac output: this is especially noticeable amongst athletes and long distance runners, where performance is more obvious and measurable.

Tissue levels of CoQ decline as much as 80% in old age and this single fact appears to explain some of the increased risk of heart failure, immune dysfunction, delayed healing and general weakening of energy and strength that are stereotypical of growing old. By simply taking supplements of CoQ, this age-related drop in vitality can be reversed to an amazing extent.

Finally, in the research laboratory, treatment with CoQ extends the life span of mice by about 50 percent. Compare this to the low calorie life extension diet, which yields a 30 percent increase in life span in mice.

CoQ is certainly more pleasant than a life of semi-starvation. If this is verified for humans, vitamin Q should become a household word. It should already be prized as a powerful treatment in medical practice. For those of us in orthomolecular medicine it is.

Click here > Find Coenzyme Q10

By The HCF Nutrition Foundation

The Importance of Fiber for a Healthy Colon: Fiber Supports Weight Management, Lowers Cholesterol Levels, Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease and Supports Proper Blood Sugar Levels

Fiber received little respect until the 1970's when evidence began to emerge documenting its nutritional value.

Prior to these studies emerging Fiber was thought of as just the roughage in plant foods, which the body could not completely digest.

What was being discovered was that the populations where plant protein was high, an exceptionally low rate of chronic disease was found.

Plants consist of two main types of Fiber soluble and insoluble. Both play a role in disease prevention. Soluble Fiber is gummy and found more in fruits, some vegetables, dried beans and peas, and oat products.

Insoluble Fiber accounts for about 70% of the fiber in our diets and is concentrated in wheat bran.

Fiber and Heart Disease: While the numbers are dropping heart disease is still the number one killer in America. The American Heart Association recommends a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet for individuals with or at risk of heart disease.

However this type of diet has been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels only 5 to 7 percent. A high fiber diet, particularly high in soluble fiber, can lower cholesterol levels even farther than the AHA diet.

In our research studies, low-fat, low-cholesterol diets that include up to 50 grams of Fiber daily lower blood cholesterol levels 20—30 percent.

For every 1 percent drop in blood cholesterol results in approximately 2% drop in risk for heart disease, this translates into about 40—60 percent reduction in heart disease risk.

Other studies have suggested that Fiber may reduce risk for heart disease independent of effects on blood cholesterol. Two recent studies showed that men with the lowest cereal Fiber intake had five times the rate of heart disease that men with the highest cereal Fiber intake.

In a study of twenty developing countries, countries with the lowest Fiber intake from vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and the highest death rates from heart disease. In this particular study, the Unites Sates ranked lowest in fiber intake and highest in heart disease death rate.

Research also suggests that high—Fiber diets lower blood pressure, but the independent effects of fiber are hard to differentiate from other aspects of a high fiber diet.

Predominantly plant based diets are low in fat and sodium and high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, all of which may contribute to lower blood pressure.

The National Cancer Institute is an advocate of high fiber diets, recommending 20—30 grams daily. Many deaths from Cancer could be prevented with diet and lifestyle modification, prompting the Institute to implement the "Five a Day for Better Health" campaign which encourages five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Fiber can help control diabetes, a disease which is characterized by the body's inability to produce or to use insulin properly. Insulin enables the body to use sugar as fuel for cells and when insulin is not working blood sugar levels become dangerously elevated.

Diabetes itself is a risk factor for other conditions such as heart disease and high blood pressure, while obesity often precedes diabetes.

High-fiber diets improve diabetic control and may produce a remission of Type II diabetes. High fiber diets, especially those rich is soluble fiber, lower blood lipid levels, reducing risk for heart disease.

High fiber diets also promote weight loss which lessens insulin insufficiency and resistance. Finally, fiber itself acts to lower blood sugar and improve insulin efficiency.

Our studies have shown that high fiber diets lowered insulin requirements of Type I Diabetes an average of 38 percent.

Type II diabetics on such diets have seen an average reduction of 97 percent reduction in insulin requirements. Many diabetics were able to stop insulin or oral medication entirely and still maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

High Fiber diets have also been associated with lower rates of hiatal hernias, appendicitis, diverticular disease, Constipation , irritable colon, bowel polyps, and hemorrhoids.

Of course, the role of fiber in treating these diseases is not proven, but strong evidence supports increasing fiber intake in individuals with or at risk for these diseases.

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Herb and Ailment Questions and Answers

Question: Hi. I'm a 42 year old male Diabetic. I recently read, that in some cases, Prickly Pear (Opuntia) Tea or Vitamins can lower ones blood sugar. Is this true?

Answer: Prickly pear flowers were traditionally used and taken internally as medicine for male urinary discomforts. It was also used externally as an ointment.

It contains pectins and mucilage that are beneficial to the digestive system. It's particularly useful in providing nutrients to the pancreas and liver, which support digestion and maintain blood sugar balance. Nutritional factors may act in the bowel to prevent fat and excessive sugars from entering the bloodstream.

Question: We are seeing a lot of herbal patches that absorb herbs through the skin similar to the patches that are sold to stop smoking. Do these use the same methods for absorbing health supplements?

Answer: Yes, these adhesive skin pads use the same transderaml method for absorbing active ingredients through the skin. We have heard good results from customers with the Ginko and the Weightloss patches, Dexapad, but we expect that all of them are effective.

The dosage is lower than many pills or capsules yet the level of absorption is much greater because it enters directly into the bloodstream through the skin.

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