A quick and easy way to get more phytonutrients into your life is using a VitaMix to make green smoothies. See Victoria Boutenko’s book “Green for Life” for some great green smoothie recipes. Available at health food stores and on the internet.

• According to Dr. Blaylock, you absorb only 20-30% of the phytonutrients in raw fruits and vegetables when you eat them, but about 90% when you blenderize them. He recommends drinking 8 oz. of juice twice a day.

• Fresh fruits and vegetables are always preferred, but freezing doesn’t destroy phytonutrients. So make use of frozen berries and other fruits if fresh aren’t available.

• Drinking several cups of green or white tea daily is another way to get more phytonutrients. White tea provides more than green tea.

• Tea acts as a diuretic and causes some loss of minerals. If you’re using a sauna or doing heavy exercise, you will also lose some minerals in sweat. Be sure you have a good source of minerals in your diet like our Bone Support Formula and especially magnesium.  In his November 2011 newsletter, Dr. Blaylock recommends 500 mg of magnesium twice a day for the average healthy person who is working up a sweat daily.

• Although there isn’t much acrylamide in water (about .12 mcg in an 8 oz glass, as opposed to 82 mcg. in a large order of McDonald’s French Fries), you’ll be glad to know our Reverse Osmosis home water filtration system removes it.

One of the most important nutrients to protect the heart is vitamin E. Yet according to a study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in 2004, only 8% of adult men and 2.4% of adult women in the US met the Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) for alpha-tocopherol intake. Even worse, EARs are about 20% lower than the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs).

Although many factors are involved in creating heart disease (see my article “Heart Disease” and Dr. Russell Blaylock’s article “Sudden Cardiac Death”) low levels of vitamin E are more predictive of heart disease and cardiac death than any other single factor. Vitamin E inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, preventing atherosclerosis. When you prevent atherosclerotic plaque, you automatically help to lower blood pressure.

In 1910, when heart disease was relatively rare, most people got at least 100 IU a day from freshly milled and baked stone ground whole wheat bread.  Yet almost all Americans today fall considerably short of the RDA of 15 mg (22 IU) per day, while optimal health may require 400 IU/day or more, based on individual weight and state of health.

It is important to get a mix of tocopherols rather than just alpha-tocopherol, and to get natural vs. synthetic vitamin E. Beyond Health Vitamin E Formula is a balanced mix of natural tocopherols.

Maras JE. Intake of alpha-tocopherol is limited among US adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2004;104(4):567-575. 

The poor drug industry has been hard put to come up with a drug for hypertension that doesn’t significantly reduce quality of life with side effects like dizziness, nausea, arrhythmias and sexual problems, and in addition contribute over time to chronic disease. The new angiotensin receptor blockers were recently linked in The Lancet Oncology with developing prostate, breast and lung cancers.

It’s also been hard for them to come up with drugs that do the job. In a 2008 Canadian Family Physician, Richard Nahas, MD, CCFP, says only about 1/3 of those taking hypertension meds achieve optimal blood pressure control.

Therefore it’s not surprising, although refreshing, to see some serious attention being paid in medical journals to non-drug therapies. Recently, in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, two MDs discussed the value of the low-sodium DASH diet (see my article on the DASH diet for a description), exercise, weight reduction, moderate alcohol intake and supplements like potassium, calcium, vitamin D, folate, CoQ10, fish oil, garlic, and various herbs as well as specific exercises and mechanical devices for treating high blood pressure.

If you’re already on blood pressure meds, it’s important not to stop them abruptly, but to normalize your blood pressure with a good diet and supplement program while working with a doctor to gradually wean yourself off the drugs. It can take a while; it can also take up to three years for the drugs to completely clear from your system. But over the long term it’s well worth the effort to get off these dangerous and quality-of-life-destroying drugs. Remember that drugs do nothing to cure disease; they are designed to merely suppress the symptoms of disease. Meanwhile, these toxic chemicals wreck havoc on your health.

For more on preventing and reversing hypertension see my article.

Siphai I. Angiotensin-receptor blockade and risk of cancer: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The Lancet Oncology. 2010;11:627-636.

Nahas R. Complementary and alternative medicine approaches to blood pressure reduction: An evidence-based review. Canadian Family Physician. November 2008;54(11):1529-1533.

Woolf, KJ. Nondrug interventions for treatment of hypertension. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension. November 1, 2011, 13(11):829-835.  

We’re always hearing that fruits and vegetables are good for us. At this point it probably goes in one ear and out the other.

Well, it might be useful to look at why they’re so good for us. A key reason is their phytonutrient content. “Phyto” means plant; phytonutrients are an array of more than 5,000 different nutrients found in plants, apart from vitamins and minerals, that pack a huge nutritional punch. Fortunately you don’t have to ingest all of them to achieve optimal health, but each contributes to health in its own way, and the more of them you get, the better.

Dr. Russell Blaylock, renowned neurosurgeon and leader in using nutrition to prevent and reverse disease, points to human studies that show people who eat lots of fruits and vegetables daily develop improved brain function and are much less likely to suffer brain degeneration as they age. Phytonutrients are especially important as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and detoxifiers. These are all vital for brain health, but they’re just as important for preventing any of the chronic diseases associated with aging, like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and many more.

What fruits and vegetables are we talking about? All of them, but especially good sources are berries, citrus and red grapes and red wine (yes a glass of red wine a day can be beneficial!), the leafy greens, the crucifers (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.), tomatoes, garlic and onions, and green and white tea. And don’t forget herbs and spices like thyme, oregano, ginger and turmeric (the source of curcumin).

Blaylock RL. Foods that will heal you. The Blaylock Wellness Report, November 2011;8(11):1-5.  

Cruciferous vegetables are powerhouses of nutrition.  To get more information on these call our office at 1-800-250-3063 for our Cruciferous Vegetable handout.

– JC, Internet

Answer:  Supplements are qualitatively different from drugs in that drugs are far more dangerous.  For example, drugs properly prescribed are the third leading cause of deaths yearly, whereas no one has ever died from taking supplements.  If what you mean by “minimum dosages” is the RDA, you’re probably not getting enough!  The RDA is meant to prevent overt deficiency diseases, but not to prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc.

Check the “Wellness Kits” on our website to see the amounts of specific nutrients we recommend to supplement a good, nutritious diet.  In addition, we recommend at least 3-6 grams of vitamin C daily (more for anyone with a diagnosed disease) and getting tested for your vitamin D levels with a blood test called the 25(OH)D test. Your vitamin D levels should be in the “high-normal” range.  If it isn’t, get a lot more sun and/or supplement with vitamin D3. People with specific disease diagnoses, athletes, and people over age 50 can benefit from additional supplements.

That said, it is certainly possible to get too much of anything.  One woman reportedly died from drinking too much water (she drank huge amounts on a bet).  If you’re going to use megadoses to treat a disease, you should always work with a competent healthcare professional; also if you are on any kind of medication, you should discuss your supplement program with your doctor.  Unfortunately many doctors, although skilled in the use of medications, aren’t knowledgeable about nutritional supplements.  Finding an M.D. who has sought out training in nutrition is best

Acetyl-L-carnitine is an amazing nutrient that is helpful in preventing a wide range of problems. Anyone who is concerned about protecting cells from age-related degeneration, or maintaining and improving brain function or energy levels, should be supplementing with carnitine.

Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) is a natural molecule that is found in most cells in the body, especially in the brain, heart, muscles, and nerve tissue. Research shows a steady decline in blood levels of carnitine after age 40. It also shows that supplementing with ALC delays the progression of age-related decline in cognition and energy. This vitamin-like compound is obtained from our diet, mostly from animal protein sources, very little being found in plants. Whenever dietary intake from animal sources is inadequate, the body makes its own, providing that sufficient essential raw materials (lysine, methionine, B vitamins, and vitamin C) are available for its synthesis.

Carnitine participates in a lot of critical biochemistry, including enhancing energy production in every cell in the body. Whenever cellular energy production is impaired, disease is inevitable. Carnitine helps to produce energy by transporting fatty acids into the mitochondria where they are burned. This is a major source of muscle energy; a shortage will result in muscle weakness and fatigue as well as angina (heart pain). Carnitine also helps with weight loss by facilitating the burning of fats.

Carnitine is one of the most extensively studied brain nutrients, and its greatest role may be in protecting and enhancing brain function. It improves mental focus and learning – and energizes and rejuvenates brain cells in the elderly. Acetyl-L-carnitine is the biologically active form of carnitine. It crosses into the brain more effectively than other forms of carnitine, and it enhances energy production in nerve cells. It also promotes the biosynthesis of the key neurotransmitter, acetyl-choline, enhancing cognitive ability, focus, memory, and mood.

Carnitine supplementation facilitates repair to damaged brain cells caused by poor nutrition, stress, toxins, and trauma. It protects against the known negative effects that aging causes in the brain. It is especially useful in protecting injured brains from damage, such as in stroke patients. Stroke patients recover faster and better on 1500 mg of ALC per day. ALC’s positive effects on the brain make it useful to protect against the neurotoxic effects of alcohol, Alzheimer’s, damage from MSG and aspartame, diabetic nerve degeneration, prescription drugs, and recreational drugs. Many people report less confusion and enhanced alertness, less brain fog and more focus, and feeling mentally sharper within hours of taking acetyl-L-carnitine. ALC has even proved useful in enhancing both memory and attention in people with Down’s syndrome.

Acetyl-L-carnitine appears especially useful for Alzheimer’s patients. One study found that people taking 2 grams of carnitine per day exhibited an improved level of responsiveness. In animal studies, carnitine coupled with alpha lipoic acid actually regenerated brain cells and improved performance. Carnitine functions as an antioxidant, protecting the brain and all the cells in the body from free radicals and age-related degeneration. It is safe, well tolerated, and rarely has side effects.

ALC benefits the entire body, including the heart. Studies show it increases energy levels in chronic fatigue patients. It protects against muscle-wasting diseases, including heart muscle weakness. Carnitine reverses the effects of heart aging. In animal experiments, carnitine almost completely restored heart function in older animals, and it has been beneficial in treating congestive heart failure in humans.

ALC prevents cataracts. One of the mechanisms of cataract formation is a process called glycation. Glycation is one of the consequences of consuming the deadly poison known as sugar. Sugar reacts with protein molecules in the body, forming compounds called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs). When AGEs form in the brain, they cause senility. When they form in the eye, they cause cataracts. Studies show that acetyl-L-carnitine suppresses up to 70% of the most harmful AGEs.

Many people ask me what they can do to keep a healthy brain as they age. I suggest supplementing with ALC. The dosage for healthy people is 1000 to 2000 mg per day. Those with neurological problems would do better with 3000 mg per day. Adding 100 to 300 mg per day of CoQ10 and 250 to 500 mg per day of alpha lipoic acid would be very synergistic. Nutrients that support carnitine metabolism include alpha lipoic acid, B vitamins, CoQ10, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.

The scientific evidence continues to accumulate that ALC may offer unprecedented benefits in maintaining a youthful brain, as well as heart, immune, liver, and peripheral nerve function. As with any nutritional supplement, it is extremely important that the product be very pure and that the molecules be in the correct biological form required by the body. In this case, there should be no solvent residues or D-carnitine present. Doing this correctly requires care and knowledge. Studies show that the overwhelming majority of nutritional supplements do not meet these standards. Beyond Health supplies an acetyl-L-carnitine product that meets my exacting standards for quality and effectiveness.

Raymond Francis is an M.I.T.-trained scientist; a registered nutrition consultant; author of Never Be Sick Again, Never Be Fat Again and Never Fear Cancer Again; Chairman of The Project to End Disease; and an internationally recognized leader in the field of optimal health maintenance.

Reprinted with permission from:

Beyond Health® News

Subscriptions: Call 800-250-3063

website: http://www.beyondhealth.com

email: mail@beyondhealth.com

Copyright 2006, Raymond Francis

experience diminished memory, reasoning and speed in processing information. This “normal” age-related cognitive decline is contrasted to dementias, like Alzheimer’s, which are much more debilitating and include severe nerve cell damage and death of nerve cells. In fact, age-related cognitive decline and dementia are the same thing. What you call it is a matter of degree, and it is primarily a product of our unhealthy diets and lifestyles.

Maintaining a youthful brain does, however, require superior nutrition from both diet and high-quality supplements. A brain support program would include the B vitamins and the antioxidant vitamins A, C, D and E. Fish or flax oil is a must, and the need for it increases with age. By middle age, it’s best to be supplementing with CoQ10, acetyl-L-carnitine, and B12/Folate. (Deficiencies in vitamin B12 are common and often misdiagnosed as dementias or neurodegenerative disease. However symptoms disappear when adequate B12 is provided.) Coconut oil, white and green tea, gingko biloba, and PhosSerine are additional “neuronutrients” that feed the brain and support brain health.

Alzheimer’s disease has become an epidemic. Many people today fear losing their mental capacity more than they fear having a heart attack or getting a cancer diagnosis. One in eight individuals aged 65 and under now has Alzheimer’s. For those aged 85 and older, it’s one in two! Bad as this is, if the epidemic continues to grow at its current rate, the number of people in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s could triple by the year 2050!

Though these odds are alarming, Alzheimer’s is easy to prevent. In fact in healthy cultures in the past, it didn’t exist. The risk factors for getting Alzheimer’s are familiar to anyone who’s read my books: poor diet, nutritional deficiency, toxins, stress, free radical damage, chronic inflammation, blood sugar disregulation and insulin resistance (from eating sugar and other refined carbohydrates), excess body weight, stress, not enough exercise, particular prescription drugs, excessive use of salt and dehydration. If you take good care of your body cells by addressing these factors adequately, you’ll be far too healthy to get Alzheimer’s (or other so-called “diseases of aging”).

Unfortunately too many people believe medical authorities who say there’s no way to prevent Alzheimer’s or keep it from progressing. This false belief leads to huge amounts of unnecessary suffering and expense, and threatens to bankrupt our country with crushing healthcare costs.

For more on preventing Alzheimer’s, see an article I wrote in 2005. Since then, more and more research has confirmed the pivotal role of blood sugar regulation in Alzheimer’s; in fact it’s now being called “Diabetes III” and “Diabetes of the Brain.” If I were to rewrite the article today, I’d also include the groundbreaking research being done on coconut oil in treating and to some extent reversing existing Alzheimer’s.

HealthDay. U.S. wants to buttress Alzheimer’s arsenal by 2025. January 18, 2012, Medline Plus (the National Institutes of Health website).

Alzheimer’s Association website at alz.org.

O. T. – Los Angeles, California

Answer: I can understand why they don’t understand. The need for food combining has only been recently understood and appreciated. Historically when we lived off the land, as we did throughout most of our history, the need did not exist.  The problem originates in adopting modern diets where different types of food can be consumed at the same meal.

Different foods digest at different rates and in different environments. Some digest quickly, some slowly. Some digest in a very acid environment and others in an alkaline environment. When you mix these foods at one meal, as we do in our modern diet, there is no way they all will digest properly. Due to poor digestion, nutrients will not be available for assimilation, leading to malnutrition. Poorly digested food will ferment and putrefy in the lower intestine, creating toxins, overgrowth of undesirable bacteria, excess gas, heartburn, gastrointestinal reflux and bloating-resulting in a huge number of health problems. The more different classes of foods you eat at a meal, the worse it gets. Explosive mixtures can be created, as many people have experienced with enormous amounts of excess gas and burping. This is why the sales of digestive aids in our drug stores are astronomical.

Proper food combining is relatively easy. Think of foods as belonging to four groups: proteins, vegetables, starches and fruits. Fruit has the shortest digestion time of any of the groups and protein has the longest time. This is why fruit is best consumed alone, and should never be combined with protein. Yet you see this happen all the time. A restaurant where I sometimes have Sunday brunch will serve orange juice and a fruit course of melon or fruit cup before serving your protein omelet-bad idea. To make matters even worse, the omelet is served with toast or pancakes. This adds starch to a mixture that is already in deep trouble. Another example of a bad idea is “healthy” granola. Granola contains starches (grains) along with nuts (proteins) and dried fruits (raisins).  This supposedly good food is actually bad for your digestion.

Here are the simple rules of food combining:

* Eat fruit alone

* Do not eat protein and starch

* Protein and vegetables are okay

* Starch and vegetables are okay

* Proteins include the obvious, along with seeds and nuts.

* Starches include grains, legumes, potatoes, yams and squashes.

Chocolate is not only delicious – it is an aphrodisiac that contains some powerful mood-enhancing substances. For example, phenylethylamine or PEA is a naturally occurring amphetamine that causes euphoria and is released in your brain when you’re in love.

Coincidentally, scientific studies have found chocolate is good for the heart. Polyphenols in chocolate dilate blood vessels and lower blood pressure. They also have an anti-clotting, blood thinning effect. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, is extremely high in antioxidants, and has been shown to reduce LDL oxidation (the primary cause of atherosclerosis). These same polyphenols and antioxidants benefit many other body systems as well.

Wow! Let’s dive right into that box of chocolates!

Not so fast. Most health benefits have been found in dark chocolate. But unsweetened dark chocolate isn’t very appealing, and there are potential problems with all sweeteners.

Anyone who’s read any of my books knows that refined sugar is a deadly metabolic poison, and that most sugar substitutes are little better if not worse. But what about unrefined sweeteners like honey? What about stevia and agave, or the sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol and mannitol? While all of these are better choices, there are potential problems with all sweeteners.

Spikes in blood sugar stimulate the production of too much insulin. Too much insulin not only packs on the pounds, it encourages excess estrogen production, increases the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart attacks, and is a major cause of aging. Even unrefined sugars cause blood sugar to spike. Stevia, agave and the sugar alcohols are touted for their ability to avoid dramatic spikes because they’re lower in calories and also enter the bloodstream more slowly; but recent research indicates that the body may react to these sweeteners in the same way it reacts to refined sugar! The more refined sugar and other sweeteners you consume, the more this is likely to happen.

Moderation is the key. There’s no harm in having a little chocolate sweetened with stevia, for example, on occasion. Choose dark chocolate (white and milk chocolates have few health benefits and more down-side), and be sure it’s organic. A “Fair Trade” label assures you that no child slavery or exploitation of poor farmers or the environment was involved in its production.

But despite its healthy properties, chocolate isn’t a health food that should be included in your daily diet. You can get your polyphenols and antioxidants from green tea, (or even more of them from white tea) and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Chocolate is a treat food, to be savored once in a while!

Taubert D. Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2007;298:49-60.

Innes AJ. Dark chocolate inhibits platelet aggregation in healthy volunteers. Platelets. August 2003;14(5):325-327.  

Wan Y. Effects of cocoa powder and dark chocolate on LDL oxidative susceptibility and prostaglandin concentrations in humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. November 2001;74(5):596-602.