Jim McAfee's Blog Spot

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Why a Pure Salmon Oil?

     NeoLife Salmon Oil Plus is tested for over 200 common pollutants with a standard of ZERO. This testing is important in light of many recent studies which show that fat loving toxins found in salmon and other fish can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes.
     In a recent study rats were fed crude salmon oil from farmed Atlantic salmon or purified oil. The animals consuming the crude salmon oil developed insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, and fatty liver disease. Researchers confirmed that the insulin resistance was triggered by persistent organic pollutants, in this case organochlorine pesticides. The researchers concluded, "Our findings provide evidence that exposure to POPs (persistent organic pollutants) commonly present in food chains leads to insulin resistance and associated metabolic disorders.
     In many respects it is safer to rely upon NeoLife's Salmon Oil Plus than to eat salmon since so much of it is now farmed and who knows what pollutants are there?
Reference:
Rezzin, Jerome, et al., Persistent organic pollutant exposure leads to insulin resistance syndrome, Environ Health Perspect., April 2010;118(4):465-471.

Inflammation and Hospital Stay

     A study of 689 patients hospitalized for cancer surgery found an inverse association between the anti-inflammatory properties of the diet and the length of the hospital stay. The higher the anti-inflammatory index, the shorter the hospital stay. This study is a good argument for eating a diet low in inflammatory properties such as vegetables and grass fed meats. It also suggests the value of Salmon Oil Plus which lowered the inflammatory index by 68% in 8 weeks.
Reference:
Kulig, Galas A., et al., Dietary inflammatory index (DII) as a potential determinant of a length of hospitalization among surgical patients treated for colorectal cancer, Eur J Clin Nutr, Oct 2014;68(10):1168-74.

Omega-3 and Surgery

     A recent study involved supplementing 148 patients scheduled for colorectal cancer surgery with omega-3 fatty acids for 7 days prior to surgery. This was a randomized, double-blind, prospective, placebo-controlled trial. The omega-3 fatty acids reduced inflammation in the surgery patients and did not increase or decrease the risk of postoperative complications. It would appear that modest supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids is not a risk factor for surgical outcome. There is concern that excessive intake of omega-3 fatty acids prior to surgery could prolong bleeding time so I have always been cautious in this regard.
Reference:
Sorensen, L.S., et al., Effects of perioperative supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids on leukotriene B4 and leukotriene B5 production by stimulated neutrophils in patients with colorectal cancer: a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention trial, Nutrients, Sept. 29, 2014;6(10):4043-57.

Recipe for Date-Nut Candy

     One of the favorites of our cooking class was date candy. It is very simple to make. Select a fresh date. The dates must be moist and dates dry out as they age. Mash the date into a pulp and mix it by hand with ground cashew, almond, or Brazil nut flour. Pack as much of the nut mixture as possible into the date paste. When finished with this roll the date into a ball, coat it with finely shredded coconut, and pop a small piece of baking chocolate on top.

Diabetes and White Flour

     Anyone familiar with NeoLife knows that when wheat, rice and soybeans are processed critical nutrients necessary for long term health are removed. This was the basis for the development of the Formula IV and Tre-en-en.
     Less well known is the toxins introduced into wheat flour when it is processed. When brown flour is treated to produce white flour it becomes contaminated with a chemical called alloxan. This is such a powerful agent at creating diabetes that it is routinely used by scientists of create diabetes in laboratory animals.
     Alloxan has an affinity for the beta cell in the pancreas where insulin is produced. It accumulates in this location and triggers the production of free radicals that destroy the beta cells.
Reference:
Lenzen, S., The mechanisms of alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced diabetes, Diabetologica, 2008; 51:216-226.
http://www.naturalnews.com/008191.html, White flour contains diabetes-causing contaminant alloxan, Thursday, June 2, 2005.

The Danger of Overcooked Foods

     When high carbohydrate foods are browned or blackened a substance called acrylamide is formed. Very high levels of this substances are found in potato chips, french fries, many commercial breakfast cereals, bread crust, toast, and roasted coffee beans. The federal government limits the amount of acrylamide in drinking water to 0.5 parts per billion. Unfortunately, a six-ounce serving of French fries provides about 500 times the allowable limit of acrylamide. Acrylamide is a suspected carcinogen.
     It is always best to try and avoid overheated foods. For example, oatmeal, cream of wheat, or muesli would be free of acrylamide since they are not overly heated.

Louis Smith and Cancer

     I had the opportunity to question Louis Smith about his recovery from cancer over 20 years ago at the NeoLife Convention in Newport Beach. Louis was a farmer and believes his leukemia was associated with his chronic pesticide exposures on the farm.
     Louis went through several years of chemotherapy before the doctors told him they had done about all they could do. Not one to give up, Louis went home and began juicing organic vegetables and supplementing with the NeoLife products.
     Louis began with just a few of the products after being hounded by the person who sold him the products. His cancer count dropped by half within a month. He then began loading himself up with the vitamins. He also replaced his beer with the Aloe drink.
     The rest is history. Louis has been free of cancer for over 20 years and when his mother developed liver cancer two years after he did he reversed her cancer with the same juicing and supplements he had used.

Two Sides to Cancer

     Doctor Furst became famous for demonstrating the fact that butter yellow, a yellow dye used to make margarine look like butter, was a carcinogen. When Dr. Furst fed this artificial dye to animals he could predict the day they would develop cancer and the kind of cancer they would develop.
     Dr. Furst also learned that one could supplement the diets of laboratory rats and they became immune to the cancer causing effects of butter yellow. The supplemental nutrients protective against cancer became commercialized in the NeoLife Betagard. The supplement bears Dr. Furst's signature as a memorial of his great work in furthering our understanding of the relationship between nutrition and cancer. Dr. Furst taught us that cancer is best prevented by firstly, avoiding toxin exposure and secondly, by obtaining an optimal intake of the nutrients which enable us to cope with toxic exposures.

Safer Food Elsewhere

     Many individuals who travel to other countries note that their digestion works better and food tolerances improve. For example, I ate bread and cheese on a daily basis without problems while visiting Germany. I have never handled most wheat well in the United States.
     The European safety agencies operate on a precautionary principle. If a food additive is questionable it is not allowed. By contrast, in the United States food additives are allowed until they are proven to be a problem which can be difficult and take a long period of time.
     For years General Mills and Kellogg's have used BHT in their cereal products. This food additive is not allowed in Europe due to questions about its safety. These same companies provide versions of their products in Europe without the food additive.
     BHT is added to foods as an antioxidant. Animal studies feeding BHT to rats resulted in liver toxicity.
     I much prefer the European approach to food safety.
Link to BHT in foods.
Liver toxicity study.

Vitamin C and Vaccines

     The issue of immunization is headline news today. There is no question that immunizations have saved thousands of lives. There is also no question that vaccines can cause injury. If this were not so the government would not have a Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
In all the heated discussions and rhetoric no one mentions the role of nutrition and basic health in preventing problems when children are immunized.
     In the 1970's I had the opportunity to hear a presentation by Archie Kalokerinos. He explained that every second child he immunized in his medical practice in New South Wales died after the immunization. He learned that the infant formulas being fed these children did not contain adequate quantities of vitamin C. He began administering vitamin C to the children prior to immunization and infant deaths basically ceased.
Safety Testing
     Vaccines are tested on healthy individuals with very little in the way of problems. Immunization of individuals who are not well is probably a poor idea. It would also be a good idea is study the consequences of immunizing individuals with different nutrient deficiencies or marginal intake of nutrients like vitamin C. Immunizations do call forth an immune response which is dependent upon nutritional adequacy.
Vitamin C Deficiency
     Innis suggests that children of smokers and formula fed infants may be at particular risk of vitamin C deficiency increasing the risk of Barlow's disease and Shaken Baby Syndrome.
A recent study in the United Kingdom found 1 in 5 men and 1 in 9 women in low income groups deficient in vitamin C. A recent study in India found that only 10.8% of the population in the north and 25.9% in the south met the criteria for adequate vitamin C intake.
     Deficiency of vitamin C may not only increase the likelihood of contracting infectious diseases, but also increase the possibility of either side-effects from immunization or failure to achieve immunity after vaccination.
     The importance of some nutrients is generally recognized. Almost any medical professional is aware of the fact that vitamin A supplements greatly reduce the risk of death from measles when given to children under two years of age in third world countries.
Unfortunately, we tend to assume that all Americans are well-nourished, despite the fact that large numbers of people from the third world with little understanding of nutrition or basic sanitation have crossed our borders.
Nutrition is Protective
     Thomas Levy has written a paper on how vitamin C can reduce vaccination side effects and also improve vaccine effectiveness. He writes,"Rather than argue whether there is an infinitesimal, minimal, moderate, or significant amount of toxicity associated with the amounts of thimerosol or other potentially toxic components presently being used in vaccines, why not just neutralize whatever toxicity is present as completely and definitively as possible?" Levy believes vitamin C is a key nutrient to be used toward achieving this objective. Personally, I feel all the nutrients which compose the "chain of life" may potentially be important in this regard.
References:
Kalokerinos, Archie, Every Second Child, Keats Publishing, 1981.
Innis, Michael, Vaccines, apparent life-threatening events, Barlow's disease, and questions about "Shaken Baby Syndrome," Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, Spring 2006; 11(1):17-19.
Ravindran, Ravilla, et al., Prevalence and risk factors for vitamin C deficiency in North and South India: A two centre population based study in people aged 60 years and over, PLOS One; 6(12):e28588.
Paper by Thomas Levy on vitamin C and immunization.

Growth Hormone and Aging

     Injections of growth hormone have long been a staple of anti-aging therapy. A recent study found that people in their 90's with naturally low levels of growth hormone appear to have a far better chance of living into the 100's. The lesson here might be that we ought to optimize nutritional intake and leave hormone manipulation to the inherent wisdom of the body if at all possible.
Link to article.

Vitamin K and Antibiotics

     Vitamin K1 is found in plants and is important for clotting, a necessary step in wound healing. Vitamin K2 is produced in the digestive tract by the action of bacteria upon K1. There is also evidence that at least some animals can directly convert vitamin K1 into K2.
     Vitamin K2 is also present in substantial quantities in animal products if the animals have been eating grass. Vitamin K2 is found in butter, cheeses, and meats of animals consuming grasses. Consumption of pasture raised poultry and beef offers many health advantages over consumption of products from grain fed animals.
     Vitamin K2 plays an important role in strengthening bone and regulating calcium utilization. Deficiency can contribute to osteoporosis. Utilizing broad spectrum antibiotics can reduce vitamin K2 production in the gut by up to 74%. This provides one more reason to use a probiotic supplement like Acidophilus Complex after a course of antibiotics.
     Unfortunately, feedlot animals are routinely fed antibiotics. Consuming the products of such animals may pose a problem for obtaining adequate vitamin K2.
The lessons here:
1. Consume dark, leafy greens on a regular basis unless told to avoid them by your doctor.
2. Consume animal products from animals that are feeding upon green foods.
3. Try to avoid indiscriminate use of antibiotics.

Heart Disease and Sugar

     The average American thinks that elevated cholesterol is the major risk factor for heart disease. A recent study, however, suggests that sugar intake may be a major risk factor for death from heart disease.
     Researchers found that risk of death from heart disease increases exponentially as the intake of sugar increases. Americans consume about 15% of their calories from sugar. That amounts to 300 calories for a 2,000 calorie diet. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 100 calories for women and 150 calories for men. One regular soda contains 140 calories of added sugar bringing men close to the limit for the day.
     Those who consume 21% of their daily calories in the form of added sugars doubled their risk of death from heart disease over those who consumed only 10% of their daily calories from added sugars.
     This study was based on examination of the diets of 31,000 people. Sugar has been shown to lead to high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low good cholesterol (HDL), fatty liver, and insulin resistance.
Yang, Quanhe, et al., Added sugar intake and cardiovascular diseases mortality among US adults, JAMA Intern Med., 2014;174(4):516-524.

Popular Herbal Supplements

     New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has sent letters to GNC, Target, Wal-Mart, and Walgreen Co notifying them that many of the herbal products they were selling either did not contain ingredients listed on the label or contained ingredients not listed on the label.
     Only 21% of the DNA tests verified the information on the labels of products like echinacea, ginseng, St. John's wort, garlic, ginkgo biloba and saw palmetto.
     A further problem was contamination of the products with other materials.
     NeoLife tests all raw materials before manufacturing products and then retests the final product to verify that what is on the label of products is actually contained in the products. Quality control is a major NeoLife difference.
News Release on Herbals.