Dear Reader,
As Valentine's Day rolls around, I get to thinking about relationships, and how people live out their lives together. Some of the most touching and inspiring relationships I hear about belong to readers who write to me about their spouses's health problem. Many of you are taking very special care of each other.
Lena from Phoenix, AZ writes that she gives her husband Rich 12 supplement pills with every meal, for prostate enlargement, arthritis, diabetes, and an overall anti-aging program, and prepares carefully planned meals to control his diabetes. She makes sure that they both drink six glasses of water a day, that they get a walk every day, and she even masssages Rich's feet to help his circulation. Lena takes 18 supplement pills a day herself for general good health, and uses natural progesterone cream for osteoporosis prevention.
She writes, "This may seem like a lot, but since we began this program nearly two years ago, our health has steadily improved, even though we're both in our eighties. Imagine gettting healthier as you age! My long daily list of "to do's" is a job in itself, but my reward is that my husband and I are enjoying our old age together."
Even if you don't have a spouse, you'll find it easier to stick with the Mindell Plan for Healthier Living if you have a "Mindell Plan Buddy." You can shop for supplements and food together, help each other work out a supplement plan, exercise together, remind each other to drink plenty of water, and encourage each other to avoid prescription drugs whenever possible.
And while we're on the subject of supplement plans, I want to share some amazingly simple and effective natural treatments for common problems that we haven't covered before in The Mindell Letter. They will also appear in my new book, Earl Mindell's Secret Remedies (Simon & Schuster, 1997), which will be published this month. It gives you an A to Z list of detailed natural remedies for dozens of health problems. But you heard it here first...
| Secret Remedies Can Be as simple as Vitamins A, B and C
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It's Easy to Prevent Kidney Stones, Loss of Taste and Vertigo
Why are these simple, effective remedies I'm about to share with you such a big secret? They're legal, safe, natural, and your grandmother knew about many of them. They didn't exactly get a bad name, but somewhere in the past few decades we decided that if a medicine was manufactured in a laboratory, and neatly packaged in a pill, it must be better than vitamins, herbs and nutrition.
How wrong we have been. We've learned the hard way that many synthetic medicines are harder on the body than those nature has provided. Some 70,000 people die each year from the effects of prescription drugs. Maybe these pills aren't magic after all.
In Secret Remedies I cover everything from anemia and brittle nails to ear infections and wrinkles, but here I'm going to share some natural remedies for kidney stones, taste loss and vertigo.
Let's Avoid Kidney Stones, and Dispel Some Myths Too
Kidney stones affect 10 percent of men and three percent of women in the U.S., but most people can prevent this unpleasant affliction, which can cause terrible pain and even block the flow of urine, with some simple dietary and supplement guidelines.
When kidney stones were first analyzed many decades ago, it was found they were made of the mineral calcium and a plant chemical called oxalate, so doctors assumed that avoiding foods high in those substances would prevent kidney stones. This sounds logical, but actually the opposite is true when it comes to calcium.
In a Harvard School of Public Health study of 50,000 men, it was found that those whose diets were high in calcium had a much lower risk of developing kidney stones. This is because oxalate binds with calcium in the intestines, but when there's not enough calcium in the intestines, the oxalate is excreted through the kidneys. Since the kidneys aren't designed to handle a lot of oxalate, stones are formed from the excess. Getting plenty of calcium in the diet assures that oxalate will be excreted through the intestines. You're getting plenty of calcium if you're following the Mindell Plan.
Other studies have found that men who eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables have fewer kidney stones. This is probably due to the potassium and magnesium found in these foods, which help the body process oxalate and keep calcium in balance.
Take These Supplements If You're Prone to Stones
If you are prone to kidney stones (you or someone in your immediate family has had them) be sure you're getting at least 100 mg of calcium daily, and 500 mg of a chelated magnesium daily (such as magnesium glycinate). I also recommend that people prone to kidney stones take 50 mg of vitamin B6 up to threee times daily. If your urinary tract is acting up, use the herb uva ursi, which is a mild diuretic (increases urination) and strenghtens the urinary tract. You can find uva ursi at your health food store (100 capsules for about $!0). It's also important to drink six to 10 glasses of clean, filtered water daily, depending on your size and activity level.
Foods high in oxalate are beets, strawberries, chocolate, nuts and tea. You don't need to completely avoid these foods if you are prone to kidney stones, but eat them in moderation, and try not to eat them together. Well, OK, have a chocolate-covered strawberry now and then.
Restore Your Taste Buds and Find the Flavor
Although our senses naturally become less acute as we age, for many people a loss of taste is a health problem that can be solved. Your ability to taste is closely tied to your ability to smell, so if you have nasal congestion you may not be able to taste your food as well. Colds and allergies that cause a stuffy nose are the most common reasons people lose their ability to taste.
The next most common culprit is prescription drugs. Tetracycline, aspirin, steroids and some tranquilizers can temporarily alter the taste of food and rob it of flavor. Combinations of drugs can couse unpredictable side effects, including the loss of taste (which should return when the drugs are discontinued). This can be a serous issue for someone who is taking drugs long term. If food doesn't taste good we don't eat as much, and in older or ill people this can cause malnutrition. Over the years, I've given you alternatives to many prescription drugs. Some diseases such as Parkinson's, diabetes and Alzheimer's can also affect the sense of smell and taste.
If you have lost your sense of taste, and drugs or a stuffy nose are not the problem, it may be that you have a zinc deficiency. Try taking 15 mg of zinc daily, preferably in a lozenge form with vitamin C, which you can find wherever you purchase your vitamins. A bottle of 120 lozenges costs about $11. Although less common, a deficiency of B vitamins can also alter your sense of smell and taste. If the zinc doesn't help, try taking an extra B-complex vitamin daily.
Don't Get Dizzy Over Drugs, Make Vertigo Vanish
Studies have shown that 10 percent of all doctor visits are for dizziness, but I'll bet you that 90 percent of the dizziness is caused by doctor-prescribed drugs. I can hardly think of a drug that doesn't have the potential to cause dizziness as a side effect, either by itself or in combination with other drugs. The most common offenders are sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antihistamines, cold and cough drugs, asthma drugs, and heat drugs such as diurtics and drugs used to lower blood pressure. Combinations of these drugs are particularly apt to cause dizziness.
Dizziness is not just unplesant, it's dangerous as it can lead to auto accidents, falls and fractures. Also called vertigo, dizziness can also be caused by disorders of the middle ear (which coordinates balance with the brain), poor circulation to the brain, and digestive upset.
Two of my favorite herbs that improve circulation, ginger and ginkgo, can also relieve dizziness. Ginger is very effective at relieving nausea and the dizziness that often accompanies it, and ginkgo improves circulation to the brain. Ginger can be taken as capsules or tea, and ginkgo can be taken as a tincture or in capsules. Vitamin B6 is a diuretic, which can help relieve pressure on the inner ear, and it can also help relieve nausea. Follow directions on the containers.
Poor circulation can do a lot more than make you dizzy, so now let's take a look at how your circulation works and what you can do to keep it humming.
| Pump Up Your Circulatory System
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Antioxidants and Exercise Keep Traffic Moving
Imagine what transportation was like back when there were only footpaths. Travel was slow, and mud or swollen stream could block the way for days or weeks. Today we zip around in cars at high speeds on freeways. The difference between a footpath and a freeway is similar to the difference between a circulatory system that is working poorly versus one that is working efficiently. I'm going to show you how to create healthy blood vessels, and how to prevent their deterioration, but first let's find out a little bit about how it all works.
The circulatory system is the transportation network for your body. Every 26 seconds, arteries, and veins recirculate about 5-1/4 quarts of blood from the heart and lungs to the organs and tissues and back again. Your blood brings oxygen, nutrients, hormones and other substances to cells, and carries waste away. No wonder poor circulation causes so many problems.
To have a healthy circulatory system, your heart must be pumping blood efficiently, your lungs oxygenating it, your liver and kidneys disposing of its wastes, your blood vessels must be strong, and the blood itself must not clot too little or too much.
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One of the primary causes of a buildup of cholesterol in the artery walls is an accumulation of toxins in the tissues of the body. These include mercury, lead, pesticides, dioxins, PCBs and other pollutants that we are exposed to daily. Chelation is a very safe and effective detox therapy that removes heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium from the body. It is controversial in mainstream medicine only because it is so effective at clearing arteries that it threatens the big business of heart surgery and drugs.
Chelation therapy is given intravenously over a period of many weeks or months in 20 to 30 treatments, using a synthetic amino acid called EDTA (ethylene diamine tertacetic). EDTA attaches itself to minerals, and especially heavy metals, forming compounds that can be excreted from the body, mainly through the urine. Chelation therapy is well studied, and has been used in at least half a million people. Remarkable results have been achieved using it for children with lead poisoning, and in adults with heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and arthritis.
Next month I'll tell you more about detoxification, and how to go on a cleansing diet or fast. This can also dramatically improve circulation. You can contact the American College of Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) to find a doctor near you who does chelation therapy. You can mail a request for information to ACAM, P.O. Box 3427, Laguna Hills, CA 92654 or call 800/532-3688.
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Are Your Arteries Smooth and Free of "Bad" Cholesterol?
Your arteries, which carry blood away from the heart, have a tough outer wall, a middle layer made of muscle, and an inner wall of very smooth cells that allow blood to flow easily. Because your blood has an intelligence all its own, any roughness on the inner artery walls will stimulate blood clotting, as well as deposits of artery-repairing substances such as plaque. (In a healthy body, plaque sloughs off once the repair is finished.) In the muscle layer, cholesterol is laid down to combat damage from toxins, but an overload causes a dangerous buildup that can block arteries.
Oxidation reactions from rancid vegetable oils, hydrogenated oils such as margarine, pestcides, cigarette smoke, car exhaust and other environmental pollutants will damage the arteries causing "roughness" and cholesterol build-up. The chemicals released by the body when you're under stress will also damage the arteries over the long term.
Antioxidants are your number one tool for keeping your artery walls smooth and your artery muscles free of cholesterol. Taking antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, E and selenium aids your body in stopping oxidation reactions before they get started. You're getting what you need of these vitamins in the Mindell Plan, but if you're ill or know you're going to be under stress, you can take twice as much as the recommended dose for a week.
Vitamin A has a direct action in stimulating the immune system and fighting infection. Although beta carotene is a safe precursor to vitamin A and best in a daily multivitamin, its action is not as direct. You can take 10,000 to 15,000 iu of vitamin A daily for up to a week, with a meal, if you're not preganant. If you're pregnant, don't take more than 10,000 iu daily for one week maximum.
Supplements That Stop the Clots
Vitamin E, along with omega-3 fatty acids (an important nutrient found in fish oils), inhibits blood clotting and "bad" cholesterol production. Since fish oils become rancid so easily, your best bet is to include cold water fish such as salmon, cod or mackerel in your diet at least twice a week. If you do take a fish oil supplement, be sure to take one that says on the label that is well preserved from racidity. You can review the May 1996 Mindell Letter for details on cholesterol and omega-3 oils.
Garlic is one of our best anti-blood clotting foods and also reduces blood pressure and reduces the formation of "bad" LDL cholesterol. So be sure to include plenty of it in your diet or take odorless garlic capsules. I recommend that you take 1 to 3 daily with your meals.
Niacin is a B vitamin that is very effective at improving blood flow to the extremities and lowering LDL cholesterol. Since niacin by itself can cause an unpleasant flushing in the face and neck, take it in the "no-flush" form (inositol hexanicotinate), starting with 500 mg three times daily taken after meals, and if you have poor circulation, increasing up to 1,500 mg three times daily over a period of three months. Fifty capsules cost around $13.
I also think you ought to look into a new supplement on the market called MSM (methyl sulfonyl methane), which provides the body with sulfur and helps circulation in two ways. First, sulfur is an important element in keeping connective tissue strong, and second, it gets oxygen into the blood more efficiently, which increases oxygen levels. Although sulfur is abundant in raw foods, most of it is lost through cooking and processing. You'll see this supplement soon wherever you buy your vitamins. You can take one to three 1,000 mg tablets daily with meals. Sixty tablets are about $20.
Avoid Cigarettes and Excess Sugar -- They Damage Blood Vessels
All of your blood vessels need to be strong to circulate blood effectively. Weakened blood vessels are one of the most damaging effects of diabetes. Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) can also weaken blood vessels. Symptoms of weak blood vessels, and thus poor circulation, are cold hands and feet, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, varicose veins, impotence, eye problems such as cataracts and macular degeneration, poor kidney function, pain and cramps in the legs, labored breathing, poor memory, and senility. Smoking is the number one cause of weakened and damaged blood vessels. I don't care how many years you've smoked, the benefits will begin the second you put down your last cigarette. The decades of deterioration and misery you will suffer from poor circulation are far greater than the temporary discomfort of withdrawing from nicotine addiction. I know it can be very difficult to stop smoking, but I urge you to stop anyway -- now.
The part our modern diet that most weakens blood vessels is excess sugar. Even a teaspoon of sugar will create a glucose spike in the blood vessels more than anything else I know of besides cigarettes. (Look over the June 96 Mindell Letter for details on diabetes.)
If You're Over 50, Get On Grapeseed Extract
Fortunately there are supplements that can help blood vessesls stay strong. Chief among them is grapeseed extract containing PCOs (procyanidolic oligomers). They work directly to strengthen all your blood vessels and improve the delivery of oxygen to cells. This is one of my top anti-aging supplements, and I recommend that anyone over the age of 50 include 50 mg of PCOs in a daily supplement regimen. If you have poor circulation you can take up to 300 mg daily. It costs in the range of $9 to $20 for a bolttle of 60 capsules, 50 mg each.
Bioflavinoids, which usually come packaged with vitamin C in nature, also strengthen blood bessels. Foods high in bioflavonoids include berries, cherries, green and red peppers, cabbage, onions and garlic. I recommend you inlude a bioflavonoid supplement combined with vitamin C as part of your daily vitamin regimen if you have circulation problems. Vitamin C is an essential part of collagen, the glue that holds our tissues together. There are many bioflavonoid formulas available, most priced between $8 and $10 for 60 capsules.
You Can Also Use These Herbs to Strenhghten Your Blood Vessels
Herbs that strengthen blood vessels and improve overall circulation include ginkgo biloba, hawthorn, butcher's broom, cayenne and ginger. There are good herbal formulas for improving circulation that include some or all of these herbs.
And need I say it again? Exercise, exercise and exercise. Stretch and move, move and stretch. Walk, swim, rake leaves, take yoga classes or whatever it is that you most enjoy that includes moving your body. Movement is the single best way to stimulate circulation through all parts of your body. You'll also lose weight in the process, which will make it much, much easier for your heart to pump blood.
When your circulation is poor, one of the first parts of the body to deteriorate is the feet, so let's talk about...
| How to Put Your Best Foot Forward
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To Go the Distance, Treat Your Feet with TLC
Over the holidays I was at a family gathering and my uncle Morty came limping over. He got right to the point: his feet were killing him and did I have any suggestions? Since uncle Morty has known me all my life, I can be blunt with him so I said, "You could start by losing 50 pounds. That would take a load off your toes." He said his foot pains had made it almost impossible to exercise, and he had gained even more weight. That's what I call a vicious cycle to poorer health. I suggested that he start swimming and weight lifting, which don't involve fancy footwork.
I also gave Morty the information about circulation I've given you above, but there are other aspects of keeping your feet happy that are worth paying attention to. For example, a common cause of painful feet as we age is simply arthritis. Our achy, swollen joints include the joints in the feet. Arthritis in your hips and back can also make it difficult to bend over and wash your feet or clip toenails--basic hygiene that prevents serious foot problems. Please look at the November 1996 Mindell Letter for information on preventing and healing arthritis.
Obesity is another common cause of unhealthy feet. This is not just because of the extra weight on the feet which puts stress on tendons and ligaments; it's also because it's hard to even see your feet when you're able to get down there to take care of them. This must be reason number 223 to lose weight. If you can't reach your feet, or you have poor vision, be sure to get to a podiatrist if you have pain in your feet and for regular maintenance.
Obesity also can cause diabetes, which in turn causes poor circulation and weak blood vessels. A condition called diabetic neuropathy, which means poor circulation to the extremities, is dangerous, and if not treated properly can lead to infections and even gangrene and amputation. Please review the June 1996 Mindell Letter for details on treating diabetes.
Step Up to Good Foot Care
If you can get to your feet to take care of them, be sure to thoroughly wash them, including in between the toes, every time you bathe. Dry them thoroughly with a clean towel, and if you have any problems with sweaty or smelly feet or athlete's foot, wear white, all-cotton socks.
Toenails should be clipped straight across, and hangnails should be clipped, not pulled. As we age our toenails can get hard, thick and difficult to clip. If you can't clip them yourself, it is especially important that you get a pedicure or see a podiatrist regularly.
Corns are usually caused by poorly fitting shoes. If you have these painful bumps on your feet, please find shoes that fit. High heels are some of the worst culprits, and they also throw your skeleton out of alignment. To get rid of corns, soak your feet in a bath of liquid soap and warm water for half an hour, then gently and gradually file away the corns over a period of weeks.
Banish the Dreaded Toenail Fungus
Toenail fungus is unsightly, uncomfortable and can cause the loss of toenails. It's difficult to get rid of, and drugs used to treat it are ineffective or dangerous. The imidazole antifungal drugs can cause headaches, dizziness, rashes, digestive problems, photosensitivity , and they interact dangerously with a long list of other drugs including antihistamines, any drug that puts extra stress on the liver such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), and alcohol.
Drugs that suppress stomach acid, such as antacids and H2 blockers (Tagamet) can reduce the effectiveness of antifungals. Many of the antifungal drugs, but especially ketoconazole (Nizoral), can cause acute liver toxicity. The worst part is that toenail fungus often comes back after the drugs are discontinued. (See this month's Medication Watch for more on anti-fungals.)
There must be another way, right? Well, I'm going to tell you how you can beat toenail fungus naturally, but you need to be rigorous about it for months and sometimes more than a year. Athlete's foot can be cured with this same treatment, but usually only takes a week or two.
Kill The Fungus With These Solutions
My method uses tea tree oil, garlic and vinegar, all effective antifungals. Here' what I would do if I had a toenail fungus. Every night before bed I would soak my feet in vinegar (1 cup per 1/2 gal of water) for ten minutes. Then I would soak them in a mixture of tea tree oil and if you can stand the smell, garlic oil (6-8 drops of each) and warm water for half an hour. After that I would thoroughly dry my feet and apply tea tree oil directly to the nails and wear white cotton socks to bed. You will have to do this for at least three months to get rid of the fungus.
Going barefoot in clean areas can help, becuse your feet stay dry and aired out, but avoid going barefoot in gyms and other public areas. Keep your feet clean and dry as much as possible, and don't wear shoes that make your feet sweat.
To avoid reinfection you'll need to douse your shoes with and over-the-counter antifungal powder to kill any lingering fungus, and be sure to wash your socks in hot water and detergent. Also wipe down the bathroom, shower and any other place you go barefoot with a mixture of soap and tea tree oil to kill fungus.
The way to banish fungal infections for good is to maintain a healthy immune system. A fungal infection can come back if you are under stress or malnourished. Give your body extra support in fighting a fungal infection by reducing sugar consumption to little or nothing, and taking grapefruit seed extract, which comes in tablets or capsules. Follow the directions on the bottle.
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Don't Forget to...
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As I'm sure you've heard by now, the FDA is threatening to pull the prescription antihistamine Seldane (terfenadine) off the market because of its potentially life-threatening interactions with other drugs. The FDA has known for many years that Seldane may be lethal. Needless to say politics prevailed in the billion-dollar allergy market, and it remained available causing "perhaps hundreds of deaths," according to The Washington Post. Please don't ever assume that any drug you take, prescription or over-the-counter, is safe in combination with other drugs until you check it out with a pharmacist.
Next month I'm going to show you the importance of detoxification, which is the perfect subject for spring since it's a way of doing a spring cleaning for your body. We'll talk about fasting, what it means to cleanse your blood and liver, and what you should do about intestinal parasites. And, I'll show you how to take steps to protect yourself from another nasty intruder: its name is Big Drug Brother (the media machine run by drug companies and their marketing consultants), and it tries to persuade you to buy drugs you don't really need.
Stay Healthy!
Dr. Earl Mindell
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| Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., editor of The Mindell Letter , has been promoting good nutrition as the gateway to optimal health fo 30 years. He holds a pharmacy degree from North Dakota State University and a doctorate in nutrition from Pacific Western University, and he is a certified master herbalist. He is the author of 10 books, including Earl Mindell's Vitamin Bible, which has sold more than 7.5 million copies in 30 languages, Earl Mindell's Food as Medicine, Earl Mindell's Herb Bible, The Parents' Nutrition Bible and The Soy Miracle. Dr. Mindell's latest book, Earl Mindell's Anti-Aging Bible, is available in bookstores. |