CALCIUM - This is from HSI Alert newsletter

Mothers, tell your daughters – and grandmothers, tell your granddaughters: Take calcium supplements now for healthy bones in decades to come.

As most HSI members are probably aware, women have a much higher osteoporosis risk than men do. But waiting until middle age or the onset of menopause to start taking calcium supplements is not a good idea, according to a new UK study.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield gave about 100 young girls (their average age was 12) either 792 mg of calcium daily or a placebo. At the end of the 18-month study, subjects in the calcium group had greater bone mineral content (BMC) in all skeletal sites except the hip, and bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly higher compared to girls who took placebo.

When the girls were examined two years later, BMC and BMD had returned to pre-study levels among subjects who discontinued supplement use.

But not just any calcium supplement will do.

In the e-Alert "Absorbing It All" (4/19/04), HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., offers helpful recommendations about the best types of calcium supplements, optimal dosage, and nutrients needed to enhance calcium absorbency.

Absorbing it All This is the link:
The question of, "What's a good calcium?" is actually somewhat complicated. But a simple place to start is by recognizing that all calcium types are either organic or inorganic salts.

The inorganic forms:
Calcium sulfate
Calcium phosphate
Calcium carbonate

The organic forms:
Calcium gluconate
Calcium lactate
Calcium citrate
Calcium amino acid chelate (there are several of these)
Calcium orotate
Calcium aspartate
Calcium ascorbate

And here I'll turn things over to Dr. Spreen: "Each of the above is obviously not entirely calcium… there's a percentage of 'the other stuff' attached to the molecule. So, the percentage of the compound that's 'elemental calcium' is an issue.

"The most common form of supplement, by far (of all types), is calcium carbonate. It's also the cheapest. What's more, it also has the most elemental calcium (40% of the total molecule). Seems like that might pretty much settle the selection issue, right? Unfortunately, there are two problems with the carbonate form: 1) Like the other inorganic forms, it's the most poorly absorbed (only 5-10%); and 2) Unlike the other inorganic forms, calcium carbonate requires (and binds) the most acid.

"The latter problem above is appealing if you're trying to sell an antacid product 'that's also good for your bones,' but it's very much a double-edged sword. More acid is now required for the digestion of proteins, or else malabsorption (and indigestion!) can occur. Since you take the antacid for indigestion, you can see where this is headed."

The good stuff
The obvious answer to the absorbency problem with the inorganic forms is to choose one of the organic forms where absorption can run anywhere from 25 percent to as high as 95 percent. But again, the details complicate the matter.

Dr. Spreen says that the best absorbed of the commercially available types are calcium orotate (90 to 95 percent absorbed), closely followed by calcium aspartate (85 percent absorbed). However, he points out that, "these are not only the most expensive, but they're also the hardest to find. That means they may not be an option for many people.

"Another really good one is calcium ascorbate, which gets you the benefit of vitamin C as the other part of the molecule, along with the fact that it's no longer an acidic form of vitamin C… a neat solution to several problems. Again, however, it's both expensive, and difficult to find in many places.

"My next choice would be any of the amino acid chelates, at 65-80 percent absorption, but these are still fairly expensive, and not as easily found (though easier than the preceding two). These are probably the best compromise if you're willing to spend just a bit more."

Dr. Spreen notes that the best compromise of price, percentage of elemental calcium, and absorption would probably be calcium citrate. The absorption is 30 to 35 percent, and the citric acid reduces the amount of stomach acids required for absorption. For most people, calcium citrate would be the most reasonable way to go.

Bringing more to the table

But now that we've found an effective and economical calcium, we're not quite out of the woods. The problem is that you can't take calcium alone without making biochemical trouble for the body. Here's how Dr. Spreen explained it to me:

"Calcium is not found in nature (in edible form) without magnesium, and they therefore should always be given together. Studies show that calcium alone may even be preferentially laid down in arterial walls rather than in bones (that doesn't sound good, does it?). Plus, phosphorous is also needed with calcium. The problem here is that phosphorous is one of the few minerals that's over-supplied in the modern (trash) diet. Excesses of phosphorous in the absence of the other minerals can create a problem with balance and possible leaching of other minerals.

"What's not mentioned in those cute major-media ads for calcium and antacids is that for bones, the calcium must also have not only magnesium (okay, and phosphorous), but also manganese, silica, boron, strontium, and vitamin D (and that last one in high doses), vitamin C, vitamin B-12, and probably even more .

"And you might even have an issue with higher quality supplements. The really good companies will state on the label something like 'elemental calcium, in the form of… ' and tell you how many milligrams of the real thing you're getting (though absorption is of course still an issue).

"Unfortunately, some labels will state something like, 'Calcium gluconate, 1000 mg.' Are you getting 1000 milligrams of calcium? Nope, in fact you're getting 93 milligrams of calcium; what you got was 1000 milligrams of the entire compound.

"I wish there were an easy answer. Fortunately, most calcium supplements are not expensive, so you can take a lot of one that isn't that well absorbed and do okay, as long as you're getting a multi-mineral supplement that has some of the other minerals in there (minus iron, but that's a story for another day). Read those labels carefully, and Caveat Emptor!"

Food boost

One obvious way to support the effectiveness of calcium supplements is to make sure you include plenty of calcium- rich foods in your diet, such as cabbage, kale, yellow, green, or waxed beans, and salmon. Foods that are high in magnesium include leafy green vegetables, whole grains, bananas, apricots, meat, beans, and nuts.

Be Weird, Wild and Wonderful

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Hi,
LIVER info
I copied this from an earlier post at the QT and weight loss. I got it from HSI news and have added some responses from others. I guess this Liver info is good for everybody what ever their weight.

this is from angel_curativo's:
You can also try an herb called chanca piedra, which is known for breaking kidney & gall stones and assisting in clearing out the liver, incl parasites.

and NormanB's:
Well... I have a number of allergies and food sensitivities, so this info really resonates with me. Some of it I was aware of previously, some is new to me. BTW, sometimes allergies are brought on by emotional issues. Using muscle testing and EFT, I have narrowed my allergies down to half of what it was several years ago - some of those I had most of my life! I haven't tried QT on the allergies themselves yet, but have had success dealing with the symptoms.


HSI reveals previously unsuspected causes of (and cures for!) weight gain.(They say: It's NOT your willpower or calorie intake...but it could be your liver...your nutritional equilibrium...or even your immune system.)

Hidden cause:
A clogged liver is standing between you and the body you've always wanted!

How can your liver keep you overweight? Fact is, your liver performs many digestive and energy-balancing mechanisms. It stores glycogen (energy waiting to be used), detoxifies your blood of chemicals, drugs, and bacteria of all types, and it manufactures bile to process, filter, and digest the fats you eat.

But if your liver is clogged with excess toxins and fats, it slows down and can't perform its vital functions efficiently. After decades of filtering out fats and toxins - from fast food to second-hand smoke - your liver has 'had it.'

If you eat a lot of processed foods...if there's a chance you were ever over-exposed to chemicals...if you're even a 'casual' drinker ...or if your diet has ever been heavy on saturated fat (animal or vegetable)...you need to tend to your liver.

Chisel down to your naturally healthy size...without dangerous pharmaceuticals, yo-yo dieting, artificial sweeteners, fake fats, or drug store appetite suppressants. These are the very 'tools' that make you sicker...fatter...and more frustrated than ever. They don't help you lose weight, and you don't need them in your body...or your life! What you DO need to lose weight is the truth about the real cause of your weight gain.

It's not low self-esteem. And you're not 'weaker' than your skinny friends. Fact is, weight gain is rarely a consequence of poor will power.

Hidden cause:
Why you binge, and never feel satisfied

If you have days when you 'can't stop eating,' that's a clear sign you're suffering from an inner hunger that no amount of will power and discipline can overcome. I'm not talking about emotional hunger, I'm talking about cellular hunger! Your body is starving for real nourishment.

Hidden cause:
Why you crave sugary snacks,
packaged cakes, breads and muffins...

What causes cravings...especially for processed foods high in sugar, wheat, yeast, or fat? The number one cause is undiagnosed food sensitivities or allergies.

How can food sensitivity cause cravings? If you're sensitive to a certain food, your body, in an effort to mask your symptoms - such as fatigue or digestive upset - releases narcotic-like chemicals called opioids. You get addicted to this release and unknowingly seek out the foods that get them flowing again: your trigger foods...usually processed, chemical-laden foods like bread, pasta, and packaged snacks.

A sure sign you're caught in an 'opioid cycle' is that you eat the same 'favorite' foods throughout the week. Most allergy sufferers eat a diet consisting of 30 foods or less...which they eat over and over.

And, to make matters even worse, food sensitivities and allergies not only make you want fattening foods, they make your fat cells (along with your waistline) expand! To protect you from these foreign food 'invaders,' your fat cells bloat up and act as buffers between the 'toxic' chemicals and your organs. Your body hangs onto that fat to keep you from poisoning yourself...and as a result, you're lugging around pounds of toxins and fat cell 'buffers!'

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pinky,

Hi and sorry......
for this might be jakky post. it's from HSI.

Parasites

Shocking as it may sound, many carry parasites, such as the common roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, pinworm, heartworm, or microscopic parasites. They’re unbelievably easy to pick up.

You can get parasites from food or water, from mosquitoes, or through the nose or skin. Some parasites are easily visible with the naked eye; others are microscopic.

The Discovery Channel documented these horrors in its DVD “Parasites: Eating Us Alive.” This documentary says that parasites “appear to be indomitable. And they are eating us alive.” And it says that one of every two people has parasitic worms!

Unfortunately, the parasites make themselves at home after entering us. They eat our tissue or drink our body fluids. And parasites, too, have to eliminate their waste, so they excrete substances that poison our bodies.

How to tell if you might have parasites
Do you have one or more of these telltale signs of human parasite infestation?

low energy
itchy ears, nose, or anus
memory lapses
bloating and gas
brain fog
back pain, shoulder pain, or thigh pain
rapid heartbeat
eating a lot without satisfying hunger
numbness in the hands
burning in the pit of your stomach
drooling during sleep
grinding teeth during sleep
If you have one or more of these signs, you might have parasites.

Parasites that enter the colon through our food or water can then migrate to the various organs of the body and into the blood. Getting rid of parasites isn’t a simple matter. It takes about three months because of the parasites’ reproductive cycle.

The absolute best and most reliable way to get rid of parasites is to work with aknowlegable Holistic doctor who has experience in this area.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pinky,

this is from angel_curativo's post:
You can also try a herb called chanca piedra, which is known for breaking kidney & gall stones and assisting in clearing out the liver, incl parasites.

Coconut,grounded or whole.
Walnut drops seems to be very good and

Cloves(caryophylli pulver 500 mgr). This was advised once by my herbal therapist.
First week: 2x3
next week: 1 each mealtime.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Pinky,

graperuit cholesterol, weightloss

This is from HSI newsletter.
One word of caution: consumption of grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interfere with certain medications, so talk to your doctor or an experienced nutritionist before making grapefruit a part of your daily diet.

If you listen to the medical mainstream, you might get the idea that you should drive down your cholesterol as low as it will go. Which is a really bad plan. Studies have shown that when cholesterol drops TOO low, stroke risk actually increases and immune function may be compromised.

On the other hand, out of control high cholesterol (especially a high ratio between HDL and LDL) is not a good situation either. But before you let your doctor talk you into taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug, you might try filling up your grocery bag with grapefruit.

But not just any grapefruit...

Tough crowd.
An international team of researchers from Israel, Singapore and Poland put grapefruit to an extremely rigorous cholesterol test.

Researchers at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem recruited nearly 60 subjects who had several things in common: Each had undergone recent coronary bypass surgery, each had high cholesterol levels, and each had used a cholesterol-lowering statin drug with no success. At the outset of the study, none of the subjects had taken any statins for at least 30 days.

The subjects were divided into three groups. For the duration of the 30-day study, each group followed the same low-fat diet, with a single variation: One group ate one yellow grapefruit every day, while another group ate one red grapefruit daily. No grapefruits were eaten in the third group.

After measuring cholesterol and antioxidant activity in all subjects before and after the trial period, researchers found no change in cholesterol levels among those in the group that ate no grapefruit. But total cholesterol and LDL were both lowered in the grapefruit groups, most impressively among those who ate red grapefruit.

In addition, triglyceride levels dropped in the red grapefruit group, but neither of the other groups. Triglycerides are blood fats that can leave deposits in coronary arteries, increasing heart disease risk.

_______________________________________________________
Wikipedia, Defenition.
Tryglycerides are a type of fat. Your body makes some triglycerides. Triglycerides also come from the food you eat. A blood test can be done to measure the amount of tryglyceride in your blood. This is called a triglyceride level.
________________________________________________________

When you eat, your body uses calories for immediate energy. Leftover calories are turned into triglycerides and stored in fat cells for later use. If you eat more calories than your body needs, your triglyceride level may be high.

In their conclusion to the study, researchers noted that "fresh red grapefruit contains higher quantities of bioactive compounds and has significantly higher antioxidant potential than blond grapefruit."

--------------------------------------------
Plenty of extras
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If the subjects in the Hebrew University study continue to eat grapefruit every day, they may enjoy several other healthy benefits in addition to lowering high cholesterol.

In the e-Alert "Pass the Pamplemousse" (3/9/04), I told you about a study from Scripps Clinic In San Diego in which a group of 100 obese subjects were divided into three groups: One group ate half a grapefruit before each meal, one group drank a glass of grapefruit juice before each meal, and one group was instructed not to eat any grapefruit or drink any grapefruit juice for the three-month study period. Aside from these instructions, all subjects continued their normal diets.

Results showed that those who ate a grapefruit with every meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds. Subjects in the grapefruit juice group lost an average of 3.3 pounds. A few subjects in both of these groups lost nearly 10 pounds. Meanwhile, the average weight loss in the group that consumed no grapefruit was less than one pound.

Subjects who ate grapefruit also showed better management of insulin levels. Glucose and insulin were measured before and after the study. When the trial was completed, those in the two grapefruit groups had lower levels of insulin and glucose than they did at the outset, while levels in the non-grapefruit group were unchanged.

The Scripps researchers believe that enzymes in grapefruit help control insulin spikes that occur after a meal, which frees the digestive system to process food more efficiently. The result: Less nutrients are stored as fat.

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Are you constipated? It’s very common but often ignored.

By the way, the problem is usually not in your stomach. It’s usually with another of your body’s most important organs—the stretch of the gastrointestinal tract called the colon.

A diet high in fiber is the best way to insure optimal colon health. The prestigious British journal Lancet published a new, very large study linking a high-fiber diet with a reduced risk of colon cancer. They used data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, then followed up on almost 200,000 participants. They found that if people with low-fiber diets doubled their fiber intake, their risk of colorectal cancer dropped by 40 percent.

Yet not all dietary fibers are the same. The mainstream medical approach on this is misguided. You shouldn’t be eating a lot of cereal or taking grain-based laxative products (which we’re told over and over is the best way to care for the digestive tract).

Grains made their way into our diet relatively recently in evolutionary terms. Our bodies can’t digest them properly, and the high glycemic index of breads, pastas, and cereals lead to blood sugar spikes and even diabetes.

Go for foods that provide real “native roughage.” Nuts and seeds are loaded with native fiber. They really clean out your gut. The cellulose that makes up the skin and flesh of fruits and vegetables is also healthy fiber. It also slow releases natural sugars and nutrients for optimal digestion. Beans are also (famously) good at cleansing the colon.

There are a class of natural ingredients missing entirely from most diets that specifically targets the colon and promotes maximum digestive tract function and health.

Cascara Sagrada, tones and strengthens the smooth muscles of the colon. This will normalize bowel function. In a word, it makes you more “regular.”

Wikipedia: Cascara Segrada means "sacred bark" in Spanish. The much more pertinent name chitticum means "shit come" in Chinook Jargon; chittam comes from the Chinook Jargon phrase chittam stick = "laxative tree" which is similarly from the English word "shit

Aloe ferox latex, This stimulates the colon and improves the consistency of stool. Aloe not only stimulates the muscle of the colon to contract; it exerts a soothing effect on the lining of the gastrointestinal tract.

Flax seed, Rich in alpha linolenic acid—the plant-based form of omega-3—flax reduces gastrointestinal inflammation and, as a source of fiber and lignans, promotes overall intestinal health.

Rhubarb, this humble, everyday vegetable has the power to tone and tighten the muscles of the intestinal wall, adding strength and improving your gut’s function. As an astringent, it also neutralizes the effects of toxic build-up in your gut.

Al Sears MD

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IODINEdeficiency

If your doctor examines your neck and notes that your thyroid gland is enlarged, the culprit may be what you're eating--or not eating.
The swelling, called a goiter, can occur when your body is depleted of iodine. It can lead to hypothyroidism. And while iodine deficiency is more of a nutritional problem in non-industrialized countries in the world, it has become a relatively rare problem in our country.
That's largely due to the iodine fortification of common table salt. The iodine fortification program began in 1924 as a means to prevent the symptoms of severe iodine deficiency that include goiter.
But along came sea salt, which has been purported to be healthier--but it lacks iodine because there's no fortification process.

I'm not telling you to toss your sea salt, if that's your preference. But to ensure that you're getting adequate levels of iodine, look to food sources such as salt water fish and seafood, kelp and onions. And don't think that eating salty canned foods is any guarantee of adequate iodine intake, despite the high levels of sodium: the salt that's used in those heavily processed foods is not generally the iodine-fortified variety.

Barley grass, spirulina and chlorophyll

You Need 10 Servings of Vegetables to Equal Just One Serving from 50 Years Ago!1
Just One of the Vital Minerals Lost was Regulating More than 300 Critical Body Functions.

The Same Thing Is Happening to Your Fruit.

And, It’s Getting Worse…
These days, the produce you buy at your local grocery store just doesn’t have the nutritional power that fruits and vegetables had just a few decades ago. Over farming, soil depletion, commercial fertilizer, hybrid crops and genetic modifications are slashing the nutrients found in your fruits and vegetables.

You’d have to eat 10 servings of spinach to get the same level of minerals from just one serving about 50 years ago.

Producers create “hybrid” forms of your fruits and vegetables – not for their ability to store nutrients – but for their color, weight and shelve life. Why? So they’ll look nice and pretty when they sit under the fluorescent lights of your supermarket.

You may think they look nutritious, but “under the hood,” they contain little more than indigestible cellulose, sugar and water.

To help protect you from this tragedy, I ( Al Sears MD ) created a formula of powerful “green foods” that gives you the nutrient power of over 9 pounds of assorted vegetables – all from drinking a naturally fortified glass of juice or water… Just mix in 2 teaspoons and you’re done!

Your Food Supply has Changed:
You’re Eating Fruit with No Vitamins… Vegetables with No Minerals…
We first began to know that there was a problem back in 1936. A group of doctors introduced Document No. 264 to the floor of the United States Senate. It was a dire warning that the mineral content of the soil was eroding. Vegetables were losing their power and people were at risk. Unfortunately congress did nothing.

Today, we’re feeing the effects…

For instance, just look at the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutritional values for fruits and vegetables today compared to 1975.

Take a look at the loss of Vitamins and Minerals Since 1975:
Apples, Vitamin A is down 41%
Sweet Peppers, Vitamin C is down 31%
Watercress, Iron is down 88%
Broccoli, Calcium and Vitamin A are down 50%
Cauliflower, Vitamin C is down 45%; Vitamin B1 is down 48%; and Vitmain B2 is down 47%
Collards Greens, Vitamin A is down 45%; Potassium is down 60%; and Magnesium is down 85%
According to USDA’s own numbers, the vitamin and mineral content has dramatically plummeted – in just 30 years!

Notice minerals like iron and magnesium have dropped by more than 80 percent. That’s from commercial farming technology and powerful fertilizers that practically sterilize the soil – leaving it with little to no mineral content.

If the soil doesn’t have minerals, there’s no way for vegetables to absorb them.

And that’s bad news for your health… Magnesium regulates over 300 body functions – every day! Magnesium is so critical, low levels in your blood can lead to diabetes, heart disease, heart attack and high blood pressure.

But the story doesn’t end there. I wasn’t the only one to realize your fruits and vegetables don’t pack the nutritional punch they used to… A report from the University of Texas in Austin, also tracked the decline of nutrients in produce.

They reported findings at a recent meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in St. Louis. They found significant drops in a wide range of produce across the board, including a 20 percent decline in vitamin C and a 38 percent plunge in vitamin B2.

What’s worse, fruit and vegetable growers create “hybrids” for the sake of making their produce “look better.” They actually create new versions of all your favorites so they have more water, more sugar, more pith (The indigestible support tissue like the white fibrous netting around an orange section) and less of everything else.

Growers call this the “dilution effect.” For them, more water and more pith helps their produce ship well, look good and weigh a lot. But it virtually wipes out their vitamin and mineral content.

The plunge in nutrients in your produce over the last 30 to 50 years is bad enough. But it rapidly getting much worse. Genetic hybrids are pushing nutrient values even lower.

A popular broccoli hybrid called “Marathon” is an alarming example:

By the USDA’s own admission, levels of calcium and magnesium in the Marathon hybrid are 35 percent lower than other hybrids. The hybrids themselves are 50 percent lower in calcium and magnesium than “normal” broccoli. And the “normal” broccoli has less than half the calcium and magnesium than broccoli did in 1975!

In less than 50 years, the mineral, vitamin and antioxidant value native to fruits and vegetables has been virtually “destroyed” – robbing you of the natural vital nutrients you need every day.

Now you can get them back!

I’ve ( Al Sears, MD )created a unique “super food” that gives you back everything you’re missing from your altered food supply.

My new “green formula” has all 71 minerals your body needs everyday – and they’re easy to absorb!
In every jar of Ultra Greens, you’ll find my own formula for restoring balance in your diet – AND the secret to astounding energy levels and a “bullet proof” immune system.

“Green foods” like barley grass, spirulina and chlorophyll are super foods packed with the original vitamins that you need but are no longer getting from your produce.

Spirulina is the oldest food on earth, arriving on this planet over 3.5 billion years ago. It’s actually a kind of blue-green algae. After 30 years of clinical study, researchers agree it’s the world’s richest source of vitamins, minerals, iron, protein and a host of other energizing and detoxifying nutrients.

It’s so powerful; scientists at NASA consider it the perfect food for astronauts when they travel into space. In fact, one pound of spirulina has the nutritional power of 1,000 pounds of assorted vegetables!

Barley grass is so well balanced, it has the EXACT blend of amino acids, proteins, enzymes, vitamins and minerals that you need for optimum health. Its healing powers are so historic you find it mentioned in the Bible.

A few years back, Newsweek ran a cover story on green foods called “Better than Vitamins.” In the article, they said, “Whole foods... pack a disease preventing wallop. That’s because they harbor a whole ratatouille of compounds that have never seen the inside of a vitamin bottle... The compounds are called phytochemicals... In the world where science merges with health, phytochemicals are the next big thing.”

But unlike most green foods on the market, Ultra Greens has the perfect blend of the three most powerful super foods on the planet: Barley grass, spirulina and chlorophyll.

These three superstars are the core of Ultra Greens disease-fighting formula. But I added over 40 other nutrients designed to boost your energy levels and give you a single source of total nutrition. Here’s just a partial list of what you’ll find in every jar of Ultra Greens:

A Total of 12 Green Super Foods

3 Essential Fibers

12 Healing Herbs

8 Additional Super Foods

6 Energy Dense Sea Vegetables

Probiotic Growth Factor, (Critical for Digestion and Nutrient Absorption)

Taken in combination
Al Sears MD.

Some time ago there has been research done on the quality of the soil in the Netherlands , well it was bad VERY bad They even said it was the worst in the whole world. The cause of this is that the government has put a ban on the spraying of dung directly on the soil (because of the smell probably) they have to inject it now and that seemed to cause the sad situation here.

Any one interested in reading the newsletter PM me with your e-mail address.

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