For the sake of convenience: Commercial sources of prebiotic fibers

Our efforts to obtain prebiotic fibers/resistant starches, as discussed in the Cureality Digestive Health Track, to cultivate healthy bowel flora means recreating the eating behavior of primitive humans who dug in the dirt with sticks and bone fragments for underground roots and tubers, behaviors you can still observe in extant hunter-gatherer groups, such as the Hadza and Yanomamo. But, because this practice is inconvenient for us modern folk accustomed to sleek grocery stores, because many of us live in climates where the ground is frozen much of the year, and because we lack the wisdom passed from generation to generation that helps identify which roots and tubers are safe to eat and which are not, we rely on modern equivalents of primitive sources. Thus, green, unripe bananas, raw potatoes and other such fiber sources in the Cureality lifestyle.

There is therefore no need to purchase prebiotic fibers outside of your daily effort at including an unripe green banana, say, or inulin and fructooligosaccharides (FOS), or small servings of legumes as a means of cultivating healthy bowel flora. These are powerful strategies that change the number and species of bowel flora over time, thereby leading to beneficial health effects that include reduced blood sugar and blood pressure, reduction in triglycerides, reduced anxiety and improved sleep, and reduced colon cancer risk.

HOWEVER, convenience can be a struggle. Traveling by plane, for example, makes lugging around green bananas or raw potatoes inconvenient. Inulin and FOS already come as powders or capsules and they are among the options for a convenient, portable prebiotic fiber strategy. But there are others that can be purchased. This is a more costly way to get your prebiotic fibers and you do not need to purchase these products in order to succeed in your bowel flora management program. These products are therefore listed strictly as a strategy for convenience.

Most perspectives on the quality of human bowel flora composition suggest that diversity is an important feature, i.e., the greater the number of species, the better the health of the host. There may therefore be advantage in varying your prebiotic routine, e.g., green banana on Monday, inulin on Tuesday, PGX (below) on Wednesday, etc. Beyond providing convenience, these products may introduce an added level of diversity, as well.

Among the preparations available to us that can be used as prebiotic fibers:

PGX

While it is billed as a weight management and blood sugar-reducing product, the naturally occurring fiber--α-D-glucurono-α-D-manno-β-D-manno- β-D-gluco, α-L-gulurono-β-D mannurono, β-D-gluco-β- D-mannan--in PGX also exerts prebiotic effects (evidenced by increased fecal butyrate, the beneficial end-product of bacterial metabolism). PGX is available as capsules or granules. It also seems to exert prebiotic effects at lower doses than other prebiotic fibers. While I usually advise reaching 20 grams per day of fiber, PGX appears to exert substantial effects at a daily dose of half that quantity. As with all prebiotic fibers, it is best to build up slowly over weeks, e.g., start at 1.5 grams twice per day. It is also best taken in two or three divided doses. (Avoid the PGX bars, as they are too carb-rich for those of us trying to achieve ideal metaobolic health.)

Prebiotin

A combination of inulin and FOS available as powders and in portable Stick Pacs (2 gram and 4 gram packs). This preparation is quite costly, however, given the generally low cost of purchasing chicory inulin and FOS separately.

Acacia

Acacia fiber is another form of prebiotic fiber.  RenewLife and NOW are two reputable brands.

Isomalto-oligosaccharides

This fiber is used in Quest bars and in Paleo Protein Bars. With Quest bars, choose the flavors without sucralose, since it has been associated with undesirable changes in bowel flora.

There you go. It means that there are fewer and fewer reasons to not purposefully cultivate healthy bowel flora and obtain all the wonderful health benefits of doing so, from reduced blood pressure, to reduced triglycerides, to deeper sleep.

Disclaimer: I am not compensated in any way by discussing these products.

How Not To Have An Autoimmune Condition


Autoimmune conditions are becoming increasingly common. Estimates vary, but it appears that at least 8-9% of the population in North America and Western Europe have one of these conditions, with The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association estimating that it’s even higher at 14% of the population.

The 200 or so autoimmune diseases that afflict modern people are conditions that involve an abnormal immune response directed against one or more organs of the body. If the misguided attack is against the thyroid gland, it can result in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. If it is directed against pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin, it can result in type 1 diabetes or latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA). If it involves tissue encasing joints (synovium) like the fingers or wrists, it can result in rheumatoid arthritis. It if involves the liver, it can result in autoimmune hepatitis, and so on. Nearly every organ of the body can be the target of such a misguided immune response.

While it requires a genetic predisposition towards autoimmunity that we have no control over (e.g., the HLA-B27 gene for ankylosing spondylitis), there are numerous environmental triggers of these diseases that we can do something about. Identifying and correcting these factors stacks the odds in your favor of reducing autoimmune inflammation, swelling, pain, organ dysfunction, and can even reverse an autoimmune condition altogether.

Among the most important factors to correct in order to minimize or reverse autoimmunity are:


Wheat and grain elimination

If you are reading this, you likely already know that the gliadin protein of wheat and related proteins in other grains (especially the secalin of rye, the hordein of barley, zein of corn, perhaps the avenin of oats) initiate the intestinal “leakiness” that begins the autoimmune process, an effect that occurs in over 90% of people who consume wheat and grains. The flood of foreign peptides/proteins, bacterial lipopolysaccharide, and grain proteins themselves cause immune responses to be launched against these foreign factors. If, for instance, an autoimmune response is triggered against wheat gliadin, the same antibodies can be aimed at the synapsin protein of the central nervous system/brain, resulting in dementia or cerebellar ataxia (destruction of the cerebellum resulting in incoordination and loss of bladder and bowel control). Wheat and grain elimination is by far the most important item on this list to reverse autoimmunity.

Correct vitamin D deficiency

It is clear that, across a spectrum of autoimmune diseases, vitamin D deficiency serves a permissive, not necessarily causative, role in allowing an autoimmune process to proceed. It is clear, for instance, that autoimmune conditions such as type 1 diabetes in children, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis are more common in those with low vitamin D status, much less common in those with higher vitamin D levels. For this and other reasons, I aim to achieve a blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D level of 60-70 ng/ml, a level that usually requires around 4000-8000 units per day of D3 (cholecalciferol) in gelcap or liquid form (never tablet due to poor or erratic absorption). In view of the serious nature of autoimmune diseases, it is well worth tracking occasional blood levels.

Supplement omega-3 fatty acids

While omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, from fish oil have proven only modestly helpful by themselves, when cast onto the background of wheat/grain elimination and vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids compound anti-inflammatory benefits, such as those exerted via cyclooxygenase-2. This requires a daily EPA + DHA dose of around 3600 mg per day, divided in two. Don’t confuse EPA and DHA omega-3s with linolenic acid, another form of omega-3 obtained from meats, flaxseed, chia, and walnuts that does not not yield the same benefits. Nor can you use krill oil with its relatively trivial content of omega-3s.

Eliminate dairy

This is true in North America and most of Western Europe, less true in New Zealand and Australia. Autoimmunity can be triggered by the casein beta A1 form of casein widely expressed in dairy products, but not by casein beta A2 and other forms. Because it is so prevalent in North America and Western Europe, the most confident way to avoid this immunogenic form of casein is to avoid dairy altogether. You might be able to consume cheese, given the fermentation process that alters proteins and sugar, but that has not been fully explored.

Cultivate healthy bowel flora

People with autoimmune conditions have massively screwed up bowel flora with reduced species diversity and dominance of unhealthy species. We restore a healthier anti-inflammatory panel of bacterial species by “seeding” the colon with high-potency probiotics, then nourishing them with prebiotic fibers/resistant starches, a collection of strategies summarized in the Cureality Digestive Health discussions. People sometimes view bowel flora management as optional, just “fluff”–it is anything but. Properly managing bowel flora can be a make-it-or-break-it advantage; don’t neglect it.

There you go: a basic list to get started on if your interest is to begin a process of unraveling the processes of autoimmunity. In some conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, full recovery is possible. In other conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and the pancreatic beta cell destruction leading to type 1 diabetes, reversing the autoimmune inflammation does not restore organ function: hypothyroidism results after thyroiditis quiets down and type 1 diabetes and need for insulin persists after pancreatic beta cell damage. But note that the most powerful risk factor for an autoimmune disease is another autoimmune disease–this is why so many people have more than one autoimmune condition. People with Hashimoto’s, for instance, can develop rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. So the above menu is still worth following even if you cannot hope for full organ recovery

Five Powerful Ways to Reduce Blood Sugar

Left to conventional advice on diet and you will, more than likely, succumb to type 2 diabetes sooner or later. Follow your doctor’s advice to cut fat and eat more “healthy whole grains” and oral diabetes medication and insulin are almost certainly in your future. Despite this, had this scenario played out, you would be accused of laziness and gluttony, a weak specimen of human being who just gave into excess.

If you turn elsewhere for advice, however, and ignore the awful advice from “official” sources with cozy relationships with Big Pharma, you can reduce blood sugars sufficient to never become diabetic or to reverse an established diagnosis, and you can create a powerful collection of strategies that handily trump the worthless advice being passed off by the USDA, American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Among the most powerful and effective strategies to reduce blood sugar:

1) Eat no wheat nor grains

Recall that amylopectin A, the complex carbohydrate of grains, is highly digestible, unlike most of the other components of the seeds of grasses AKA “grains,” subject to digestion by the enzyme, amylase, in saliva and stomach. This explains why, ounce for ounce, grains raise blood sugar higher than table sugar. Eat no grains = remove the exceptional glycemic potential of amylopectin A.

2) Add no sugars, avoid high-fructose corn syrup

This should be pretty obvious, but note that the majority of processed foods contain sweeteners such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, tailored to please the increased desire for sweetness among grain-consuming people. While fructose does not raise blood sugar acutely, it does so in delayed fashion, along with triggering other metabolic distortions such as increased triglycerides and fatty liver.

3) Vitamin D

Because vitamin D restores the body’s normal responsiveness to insulin, getting vitamin D right helps reduce blood sugar naturally while providing a range of other health benefits.

4) Restore bowel flora

As cultivation of several Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria species in bowel flora yields fatty acids that restore insulin responsiveness, this leads to reductions in blood sugar over time. Minus the bowel flora-disrupting effects of grains and sugars, a purposeful program of bowel flora restoration is required (discussed at length in the Cureality Digestive Health section.)

5) Exercise

Blood sugar is reduced during and immediately following exercise, with the effect continuing for many hours afterwards, even into the next day.

Note that, aside from exercise, none of these powerful strategies are advocated by the American Diabetes Association or any other “official” agency purporting to provide dietary advice. As is happening more and more often as the tide of health information rises and is accessible to all, the best advice on health does not come from such agencies nor from your doctor but from your efforts to better understand the truths in health. This is our core mission in Cureality. A nice side benefit: information from Cureality is not accompanied by advertisements from Merck, Pfizer, Kelloggs, Kraft, or Cadbury Schweppes.

Cureality App Review: Breathe Sync



Biofeedback is a wonderful, natural way to gain control over multiple physiological phenomena, a means of tapping into your body’s internal resources. You can, for instance, use biofeedback to reduce anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure, and achieve a sense of well-being that does not involve drugs, side-effects, or even much cost.

Biofeedback simply means that you are tracking some observable physiologic phenomenon—heart rate, skin temperature, blood pressure—and trying to consciously access control over it. One very successful method is that of bringing the beat-to-beat variation in heart rate into synchrony with the respiratory cycle. In day-to-day life, the heart beat is usually completely out of sync with respiration. Bring it into synchrony and interesting things happen: you experience a feeling of peace and calm, while many healthy phenomena develop.

A company called HeartMath has applied this principle through their personal computer-driven device that plugs into the USB port of your computer and monitors your heart rate with a device clipped on your earlobe. You then regulate breathing and follow the instructions provided and feedback is obtained on whether you are achieving synchrony, or what they call “coherence.” As the user becomes more effective in achieving coherence over time, positive physiological and emotional effects develop. HeartMath has been shown, for instance, to reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure, morning cortisol levels (a stress hormone), and helps people deal with chronic pain. Downside of the HeartMath process: a $249 price tag for the earlobe-USB device.

But this is the age of emerging smartphone apps, including those applied to health. Smartphone apps are perfect for health monitoring. They are especially changing how we engage in biofeedback. An app called Breathe Sync is available that tracks heart rate using the camera’s flash on the phone. By tracking heart rate and providing visual instruction on breathing pattern, the program generates a Wellness Quotient, WQ, similar to HeartMath’s coherence scoring system. Difference: Breathe Sync is portable and a heck of a lot less costly. I paid $9.99, more than I’ve paid for any other mainstream smartphone application, but a bargain compared to the HeartMath device cost.

One glitch is that you need to not be running any other programs in the background, such as your GPS, else you will have pauses in the Breathe Sync program, negating the value of your WQ. Beyond this, the app functions reliably and can help you achieve the health goals of biofeedback with so much less hassle and greater effectiveness than the older methods.

If you are looking for a biofeedback system that provides advantage in gaining control over metabolic health, while also providing a wonderful method of relaxation, Breathe Sync, I believe, is the go-to app right now.

Amber’s Top 35 Health and Fitness Tips

This year I joined the 35 club!  And in honor of being fabulous and 35, I want to share 35 health and fitness tips with you! 

1.  Foam rolling is for everyone and should be done daily. 
2.  Cold showers are the best way to wake up and burn more body fat. 
3.  Stop locking your knees.  This will lead to lower back pain. 
4.  Avoid eating gluten at all costs. 
5.  Breath deep so that you can feel the sides or your lower back expand. 
6.  Swing a kettlebell for a stronger and great looking backside. 
7.  Fat is where it’s at!  Enjoy butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm oil, duck fat and many other fabulous saturated fats. 
8.  Don’t let your grip strength fade with age.  Farmer carries, kettlebells and hanging from a bar will help with that. 
9.  Runners, keep your long runs slow and easy and keep your interval runs hard.  Don’t fall in the chronic cardio range. 
10.  Drink high quality spring or reverse osmosis water. 
11.  Use high quality sea salt season food and as a mineral supplement. 
12.  Work your squat so that your butt can get down to the ground.  Can you sit in this position? How long?
13.  Lift heavy weights!  We were made for manual work,.   Simulate heavy labor in the weight room. 
14.  Meditate daily.  If you don’t go within, you will go with out.  We need quiet restorative time to balance the stress in our life. 
15.  Stand up and move for 10 minutes for every hour your sit at your computer. 
16. Eat a variety of whole, real foods. 
17.  Sleep 7 to 9 hours every night. 
18.  Pull ups are my favorite exercise.  Get a home pull up bar to practice. 
19.  Get out and spend a few minutes in nature.  Appreciate the world around you while taking in fresh air and natural beauty. 
20.  We all need to pull more in our workouts.  Add more pulling movements horizontally and vertically. 
21. Surround yourself with health minded people. 
22. Keep your room dark for deep sound sleep.  A sleep mask is great for that! 
23. Use chemical free cosmetics.  Your skin is the largest organ of your body and all chemicals will absorb into your blood stream. 
24. Unilateral movements will help improve symmetrical strength. 
25. Become more playful.  We take life too seriously, becoming stress and overwhelmed.  How can you play, smile and laugh more often?
26.  Choose foods that have one ingredient.  Keep your diet simple and clean. 
27.  Keep your joints mobile as you age.  Do exercises that take joints through a full range of motion. 
28. Go to sleep no later than 10:30pm.  This allows your body and brain to repair through the night. 
29. Take care of your health and needs before others.  This allows you to be the best spouse, parent, coworker, and person on the planet. 
30.  Always start your daily with a high fat, high protein meal.  This will encourage less sugar cravings later in the day. 
31. Approach the day with positive thinking!  Stinkin’ thinkin’ only leads to more stress and frustration. 
32. You are never “too old” to do something.  Stay young at heart and keep fitness a priority as the years go by. 
33. Dream big and go for it. 
34.  Lift weights 2 to 4 times every week.  Strong is the new sexy. 
35.  Love.  Love yourself unconditionally.  Love your life and live it to the fullest.  Love others compassionately. 

Amber B.
Cureality Exercise and Fitness Coach

To Change, You Need to Get Uncomfortable

Sitting on the couch is comfortable.  Going through the drive thru to pick up dinner is comfortable.  But when you notice that you’re out-of-shape, tired, sick and your clothes no longer fit, you realize that what makes you comfortable is not in align with what would make you happy.   

You want to see something different when you look in the mirror.  You want to fit into a certain size of jeans or just experience your day with more energy and excitement.  The current condition of your life causes you pain, be it physical, mental or emotional.  To escape the pain you are feeling, you know that you need to make changes to your habits that keep you stuck in your current state.  But why is it so hard to make the changes you know that will help you achieve what you want?  

I want to lose weight but….

I want a six pack but…

I want more energy but….

The statement that follows the “but” is often a situation or habit you are comfortable with.  You want to lose weight but don’t have time to cook healthy meals.  So it’s much more comfortable to go through the drive thru instead of trying some new recipes.   New habits often require a learning curve and a bit of extra time in the beginning.  It also takes courage and energy to establish new routines or seek out help.  

Setting out to achieve your goals requires change.  Making changes to establish new habits that support your goals and dreams can be uncomfortable.  Life, as you know it, will be different.  Knowing that fact can be scary, but so can staying in your current condition.  So I’m asking you to take a risk and get uncomfortable so that you can achieve your goals.  

Realize that it takes 21 days to develop a new habit.  I believe it takes triple that amount of time to really make a new habit stick for the long haul.  So for 21 days, you’ll experience some discomfort while you make changes to your old routine and habits.  Depending on what you are changing, discomfort could mean feeling tired, moody, or even withdrawal symptoms.  However, the longer you stick to your new habits the less uncomfortable you start to feel.  The first week is always the worst, but then it gets easier.

Making it through the uncomfortable times requires staying focused on your goals and not caving to your immediate feelings or desires.  I encourage clients to focus on why their goals important to them.  This reason or burning desire to change will help when old habits, cravings, or situations call you back to your old ways.
Use a tracking and a reward system to stay on track.  Grab a calendar, journal or index card to check off or note your daily successes.  Shoot for consistency and not perfection when trying to make changes.  I encourage my clients to use the 90/10 principle of change and apply that to their goal tracking system.  New clothes, a massage, or a day me-retreat are just a few examples of rewards you can use to sticking to your tracking system.  Pick something that really gets you excited.  

Getting support system in place can help you feel more comfortable with being uncomfortable.  Hiring a coach, joining an online support group, or recruiting family and friends can be very helpful when making big changes.  With a support system in place you are not alone in your discomfort.  You’re network is there for you to reach out for help, knowledge, accountability or camaraderie when you feel frustrated and isolated.  

I’ve helped hundreds of people change their bodies, health and lives of the eleven years I’ve worked as a trainer and coach.  I know it’s hard, but I also know that if they can do it, so can you.  You just need to step outside of your comfort zone and take a risk. Don’t let fear create uncomfortable feelings that keep you stuck in your old ways.  Take that first step and enjoy the journey of reaching your goals and dreams.  

Amber Budahn, B.S., CSCS, ACE PT, USATF 1, CHEK HLC 1, REIKI 1
Cureality Exercise Specialist

The 3 Best Grain Free Food Swaps to Boost Fat Burning

You can join others enjoying substantial improvements in their health, energy and pant size by making a few key, delicious substitutions to your eating habits.  This is possible with the Cureality nutrition approach, which rejects the idea that grains should form the cornerstone of the human diet.  

Grain products, which are seeds of grasses, are incompatible with human digestion.  Contrary to what we have been told for years, eating healthy whole grain is not the answer to whittle away our waists.  Consumption of all grain-based carbohydrates results in increased production of the fat storage hormone insulin.  Increased insulin levels create the perfect recipe for weight gain. By swapping out high carbohydrate grain foods that cause spikes in insulin with much lower carbohydrate foods, insulin release is subdued and allows the body to release fat.

1. Swap wheat-based flour with almond flour/meal

  • One of the most dubious grain offenders is modern wheat. Replace wheat flour with naturally wheat-free, lower carbohydrate almond flour.  
  • Almond flour contains a mere 12 net carbs per cup (carbohydrate minus the fiber) with 50% more filling protein than all-purpose flour.
  • Almond flour and almond meal also offer vitamin E, an important antioxidant to support immune function.

2. Swap potatoes and rice for cauliflower

  • Replace high carb potatoes and pasta with vitamin C packed cauliflower, which has an inconsequential 3 carbs per cup.  
  • Try this food swap: blend raw cauliflower in food processor to make “rice”. (A hand held grater can also be used).  Sautee the “riced” cauliflower in olive or coconut oil for 5 minutes with seasoning to taste.
  • Another food swap: enjoy mashed cauliflower in place of potatoes.  Cook cauliflower. Place in food processor with ½ a stick organic, grass-fed butter, ½ a package full-fat cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add optional minced garlic, chives or other herbs such as rosemary.
3. Swap pasta for shirataki noodles and zucchini

  • Swap out carb-rich white pasta containing 43 carbs per cup with Shirataki noodles that contain a few carbs per package. Shirataki noodles are made from konjac or yam root and are found in refrigerated section of supermarkets.
  • Another swap: zucchini contains about 4 carbs per cup. Make your own grain free, low-carb noodles from zucchini using a julienne peeler, mandolin or one of the various noodle tools on the market.  

Lisa Grudzielanek, MS,RDN,CD,CDE
Cureality Nutrition Specialist

Not so fast. Don’t make this mistake when going gluten free!

Beginning last month, the Food and Drug Administration began implementing its definition of “gluten-free” on packaged food labels.  The FDA determined that packaged food labeled gluten free (or similar claims such as "free of gluten") cannot contain more than 20 parts per million of gluten.

It has been years in the making for the FDA to define what “gluten free” means and hold food manufactures accountable, with respect to food labeling.  However, the story does not end there.

Yes, finding gluten-free food, that is now properly labeled, has become easier. So much so the market for gluten-free foods tops $6 billion last year.   However, finding truly healthy, commercially prepared, grain-free foods is still challenging.

A very common mistake made when jumping into the gluten-free lifestyle is piling everything labeled gluten-free in the shopping cart.  We don’t want to replace a problem: wheat, with another problem: gluten free products.

Typically gluten free products are made with rice flour (and brown rice flour), tapioca starch, cornstarch, and potato flour.  Of the few foods that raise blood sugar higher than wheat, these dried, powdered starches top the list.

 They provide a large surface area for digestion, thereby leading to sky-high blood sugar and all the consequences such as diabetes, hypertension, cataracts, arthritis, and heart disease. These products should be consumed very rarely consumed, if at all.  As Dr. Davis has stated, “100% gluten-free usually means 100% awful!”

There is an ugly side to the gluten-free boom taking place.  The Cureality approach to wellness recommends selecting gluten-free products wisely.  Do not making this misguided mistake and instead aim for elimination of ALL grains, as all seeds of grasses are related to wheat and therefore overlap in many effects.

Lisa Grudzielanek MS, RDN, CD, CDE
Cureality Health & Nutrition Coach

3 Foods to Add to Your Next Grocery List

Looking for some new foods to add to your diet? Look no further. Reach for these three mealtime superstars to encourage a leaner, healthier body.

Microgreens

Microgreens are simply the shoots of salad greens and herbs that are harvested just after the first leaves have developed, or in about 2 weeks.  Microgreen are not sprouts. Sprouts are germinated, in other words, sprouted seeds produced entirely in water. Microgreens are grown in soil, thereby absorbing the nutrients from the soil.

The nutritional profile of each microgreen depends greatly on the type of microgreen you are eating. Researchers found red cabbage microgreens had 40 times more vitamin E and six times more vitamin C than mature red cabbage. Cilantro microgreens had three times more beta-carotene than mature cilantro.

A few popular varieties of microgreens are arugula, kale, radish, pea, and watercress. Flavor can vary from mild to a more intense or spicy mix depending on the microgreens.  They can be added to salads, soup, omelets, stir fry and in place of lettuce.  

Cacao Powder

Cocoa and cacao are close enough in flavor not to make any difference. However, raw cacao powder has 3.6 times the antioxidant activity of roasted cocoa powder.  In short, raw cacao powder is definitely the healthiest, most beneficial of the powders, followed by 100% unsweetened cocoa.

Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than blueberries, red wine and black and green teas.  Cacao is one of the highest sources of magnesium, a great source of iron and vitamin C, as well as a good source of fiber for healthy bowel function.
Add cacao powder to milk for chocolate milk or real hot chocolate.  Consider adding to coffee for a little mocha magic or sprinkle on berries and yogurt.




Shallots


Shallots have a better nutrition profile than onions. On a weight per weight basis, they have more anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins than onions. Shallots have a milder, less pungent taste than onions, so people who do not care for onions may enjoy shallots.

Like onions, sulfur compounds in shallot are necessary for liver detoxification pathways.  The sulfur compound, allicin has been shown to be beneficial in reducing cholesterol.  Allicin is also noted to have anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal activities.

Diced then up and add to salads, on top of a bun less hamburger, soups, stews, or sauces.  Toss in an omelet or sauté to enhance a piece of chicken or steak, really the possibilities are endless.  

Lisa Grudzielanek,MS,RDN,CD,CDE
Cureality Nutrition & Health Coach

3 Band Exercises for Great Glutes

Bands and buns are a great combination.  (When I talk about glutes or a butt, I use the word buns)  When it comes to sculpting better buns, grab a band.   Bands are great for home workouts, at gym or when you travel.  Check out these 3 amazing exercises that will have your buns burning. 

Band Step Out

Grab a band and place it under the arch of each foot.  Then cross the band and rest your hands in your hip sockets.  The exercise starts with your feet hip width apart and weight in the heels.  Slightly bend the knees and step your right foot out to the side.  Step back in so that your foot is back in the starting position.  With each step, make sure your toes point straight ahead.  The tighter you pull the band, the more resistance you will have.    You will feel this exercise on the outside of your hips. 

Start with one set of 15 repetitions with each foot.  Work on increasing to 25 repetitions on each side and doing two to three sets.



Band Kick Back

This exercise is performed in the quadruped position with your knees under hips and hands under your shoulders.    Take the loop end of the band and put it around your right foot and place the two handles or ends of the band under your hands.  Without moving your body, kick your right leg straight back.  Return to the starting quadruped position.  Adjust the tension of the band to increase or decrease the difficulty of this exercise. 

Start with one set of 10 repetitions with each foot.  Work on increasing to 20 repetitions on each side and doing two to three sets. 



Band Resisted Hip Bridge

Start lying on your back with feet hip distance apart and knees bent at about a 45-degree angle.  Adjust your hips to a neutral position to alleviate any arching in your lower back.  Place the band across your hipbones.  Hold the band down with hands along the sides of your body.  Contract your abs and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips up off the ground.  Stop when your thighs, hips and stomach are in a straight line.  Lower you hips back down to the ground. 

Start with one set of 15 repetitions.  Work on increasing to 25 repetitions and doing two to three.  Another variation of this exercise is to hold the hip bridge position.  Start with a 30 second hold and work up to holding for 60 seconds.

Lp(a): Be patient with fish oil

Lp(a): Be patient with fish oil

High-dose omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil has become the number one strategy for reduction of lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), in the Track Your Plaque program for gaining control over coronary plaque and heart disease risk.

The original observations made in Tanzanian Bantus in the Lugalawa Study by Marcovina et al first suggested that higher dietary exposure to fish and perhaps omega-3 fatty acids from fish were associated with 40% lower levels of Lp(a). Interestingly, higher omega-3 exposure was also associated with having the longer apo(a) "tails" on Lp(a) molecules, a characteristic associated with more benign, less aggressive plaque-causing behavior.

Of course, the 600+ fish- consuming Bantus in the study consumed fish over a lifetime, from infancy on up through adulthood. So what is the time course of response if us non-Bantus take higher doses of fish oil to reduce Lp(a)?

We have been applying this approach in the Track Your Plaque program and in my office practice for the past few years. To my surprise, the majority of people taking 6000 mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, will drop Lp(a) after one year.  Some have required two years.  Therefore checking Lp(a) after, say, 3 or 6 months, is nearly useless. (An early response does, however, appear to predict a very vigorous 1-2 year response.)

I'm sure that there is an insightful lesson to be learned from the incredibly slow response, but I don't currently know what it is.  But this strategy has become so powerful, despite its slow nature, that it has allowed many people to back down on niacin.

Comments (35) -

  • aerobic1

    7/8/2011 5:50:17 PM |

    Strange stuff that Lp(a).  The TYP protocol worked well for me a dropped my Lp(a) from 21 to 3.  But, was the reduction due to fish oil alone or the combination of fish oil and other TYP strategies?  If you had to rank each of the following strategies in order of effectiveness (from 1 to 10) for reducing Lp(a) what would they be?  5,000 MG EPA + DHA, 5,000 IU D3, 1,000 MG Slo-Niacin, low carb/high fat/high protein diet, elimination of grain, sugar and starches?

  • Jack Christoher

    7/8/2011 9:02:29 PM |

    Maybe PUFA's 2yr/life?

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    7/9/2011 12:40:54 AM |

    Post got lost again, said "error" ....
    11 humans (rheumatoid arthritics) blocked their interleukin 6 (Il-6) signalling by regularly saturating the alpha chain of Il-6 receptors with  Tocilizumab reduced their Lp(a) as a side benefit;  relevant data:
    * starting Lp(a) = 34.5 (+/- 12.8) mg/dL
    * 1 month Lp(a) = 24.3 (+/- 7.6) mg/dL
    * 3 month Lp(a) = 19.9 (+/- 6.3) mg/dL
    EPA/DHA from anti-inflammatory fish oil also blocks Il-6;  so this may be operating mechanism where it too can lower Lp(a).

  • easybleeder

    7/9/2011 1:05:14 AM |

    my cardiologist believes in many of your protocols, but forbids me to take large dose of omega 3 epa/dha. i am on plavix/aspirin since stents in two arteries one year ago. i have thrombocytopenia, lower than threshold platelet count and lower rbc and hgb levels. his thoughts are this addition could cause bleeding episodes that could cause even more trouble. i understand and agree with him. my supplement intake has been limited, even ubiquinol because of my situation. no chance of ending plavix because of recently diagnosed mitral valve regurgitation during echo. any thoughts on your part or the community thoughts. i feel as if i am losing control of my health as i hold distrust for most traditional medical community.

  • cancerclasses

    7/9/2011 1:41:09 AM |

    My research of lipids & Essential Fatty Acids has taught me that the "insightful lesson to be learned from the incredibly slow response" of fish oil in the treatment of CAD & CVD is that fish oil is:  1.) the wrong substance (there are BETTER ones!) and dosage levels,  and 2.) largely ineffective in the face of continued intake of high carb & TRANS fat containing processed junk, fast & restaurant "foods" and grocery store vegetable oils.   Failure to make changes to correct bad dietary habits and failure to stop the intake of TRANS fats is the single cause of re-stenosis in CVD patients, which guarantees further atherosclerosis, thrombosis, strokes & heart attacks.

    Dr. Robert Rowen recently wrote about his re think of the whole fish oil thing in his June Second Opinion newsletter that somebody (not me) posted here: http://goo.gl/rPvRx  
    which he based on this:  http://goo.gl/uAiv2  
    and this:  http://goo.gl/j9MgY    
    and mostly this:  http://goo.gl/ZdORy  

    In regard to the drop in Lp(a) comment it should be noted that LDL, VLDL & their  fractions will correct in response to reducing carb intake alone, even without further dietary correction or supplementation.  There is also a nutritional supplement protocol known as the Linus Pauling therapy that is reported to lower Lp(a) by using vitamin C, L-lysine, and L-proline, but Joe Mercola advises the regimen "is ONLY for people with established CVD and/or elevated Lp(a) levels."

  • aerobic1

    7/9/2011 1:45:24 AM |

    easybleeder:  Check with your doctor to see if you may be a candidate for the newer antiplatelet meds  Prasugrel or  Ticagrelor.  Both have been reported to have a lower risk profile and mortality rate than Clopidogrel.  Prasugrel is reported to be useful for those with high thrombotic risk.  Go to: http://www.escardio.org/communities/councils/ccp/e-journal/volume8/Pages/antiplatelet-agents-alegria-barrero.aspx

  • cancerclasses

    7/9/2011 1:46:39 AM |

    Oops, I posted the search for Rowen's article, it's the top hit, but here's the real link:  http://goo.gl/DDp8P

  • Tyson

    7/9/2011 6:25:51 AM |

    Atherosclerosis is a slow process, so I am not surprised that strategies to halt or reverse it are also slow (but powerful).

  • majkinetor

    7/9/2011 12:05:32 PM |

    From "Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases"

    There have been a number of clinical trials assessing the benefits of dietary supplementation with fish oils in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and migraine headaches. Many of the placebo-controlled trials of fish oil in chronic inflammatory diseases reveal significant benefit, including decreased disease activity and a lowered use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

  • majkinetor

    7/9/2011 12:09:32 PM |

    I wonder, what is exact reason that some doctors don't recommend large doses of fish oil (and 5g EPA/DHA is large dose, its around 25-50 ml of liquid fish oil equals 2 - 4 tbsps), because that is what I heard as doctors response from several people with cvd problems. I always thought its because of rancidity. I put extra 200 IU of mixed tocopherol in my 100 ml liquid fish oil and keep it in fridge just to be sure.

  • Anne

    7/9/2011 2:32:05 PM |

    Thrombocytopenia and anemia - have you looked into a possible connection to gluten. Anemia is a very common problem in those with any kind of gluten sensitivity. If you do a PubMed search for "thrombocytopenia" and "gluten" you will bring up some references. There are also some references in The Gluten File - just scroll down to the bottom of this page

    Have you stopped eating wheat as recommended by Dr. Davis. It may be important for you to go 100% gluten free. Gluten can damage any and all organs and systems and you don't have to have celiac disease for this to happen.

  • Dr. William Davis

    7/9/2011 2:45:00 PM |

    HI, Might-o--

    As always, a fascinating suggestion. Sadly, there are no investigations that shed any light on precisely why. An anti-inflammatory mechanism is a very good possibility. I also wonder if there is an effect at the transcription level, given the modification of apo(a) tail length.

  • Dr. William Davis

    7/9/2011 2:47:04 PM |

    Hi, Easy--

    It sounds like you need an explanation for your thrombocytopenia.

    Putting the question of thrombocytopenia aside, I have never seen any excess bleeding when adding fish oil at any dose to aspirin and Plavix.

  • easybleeder

    7/9/2011 4:54:01 PM |

    prasugrel, while having a better cvd profile, in studies, i believe, has  a worse profile in bleeding episodes. it is usually given to those who are non-responders to plavix as determined by genetic profile (ususally done at time of angioplasty and afterwards). ticagrelor, unfortuneatly, has yet to gain FDA approval. maybe soon though. drs. will be slow to adopt to a new drug.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    7/9/2011 5:58:55 PM |

    Hi c-classes,
    That tweaked edible oil is a  formulation from Brian Peskin not the link's Rowen, M.D. remarking on Peskin's product inducing  better elasticity of blood vessels in comparison to fish oil.  There are other effects of fish oil's  EPA/DHA that  are not related to vascular elasticity;  such as the benefit of reducing Lp(a) that Doc Davis reports.  If you have decided to personally set a limit on fish oil intake it would be interesting to hear your experience.

  • cancerclasses

    7/9/2011 10:08:38 PM |

    Hi Might-o,
    Yeah,  that oops comment is a correction to a comment I submitted which has not yet passed the moderation.  You can find my original comment here:  http://goo.gl/fyVfH   and a related comment here: http://goo.gl/WrQKK

    As I note in the related comment I started taking fish oils around 2002 for shoulder pain due to 30 years of heavy construction work.  They were effective, but after researching Peskin's & MANY others work re lipids I found something better & stopped taking the fish oils, moved higher up the metabolic pathway and now follow Peskin's protocol & take around 2 or 3 grams of organic O-6 in either evening primrose, sunflower, safflower or hemp seed oils & 1 gram of O-3 organic flax to maintain his recommended 2.5 or 3 to 1 O-6 to O-3 ratio.  

    Haven't had a workup since my 45th b'day 9 years ago, but I have no health issues at all that I am aware of.   I occasionally check my bp with the free machine in drug stores, it's always within normal range between 117/77 to 121/81-82, no palpitations, angina or other symptoms at all.

    Only problem I've noted since starting that regimen is I seem to always be clipping my hair & nails, growth seems to have accelerated.

  • Mary A

    7/10/2011 1:16:23 AM |

    Is it safe to presume that adding  Dr.Peskin's edible oil formulation to my intake along with 2.5 Gm of fish oil would be beneficial?  Does fish oil not affect the vascular elasticity as well?  BTW, what is the recommended amount of fish oil   one should take daily?  I too am afraid of the potential of oxidation.  Is there any way to measure the level of oxidative stress related to taking too much fish oil?

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    7/10/2011 5:10:42 AM |

    "Server Error" keeps eating my comments ... anybody else?

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    7/10/2011 5:25:22 AM |

    Hi Mary A,
    Peskin is not a medical doctor, although some medical doctors use his protocols and products; Peskin thinks "parent"  omega 6 & omega 3 fatty acids are all that is needed for anybody to make enough "derivative" omega 6s & 3s (inc. EPA/DHA). His theory is taking fish oil is giving us the incomplete benefit of a "derivative" and incurs an excessive level over-loading in un-natural way  ;   claiming risks potential lower natural tumor cell killing, increased bacterial infection, worse  insulin resistance, less glucose tolerance, "resting" blood sugar rises, brain damage and discounts lower triglycerides as "irrelevant".  Doc Davis probably has heard of Peskin and still finds fish oil useful.

  • Denton Holland

    7/10/2011 9:00:12 AM |

    Does fish oil (or Borage oil)  to a regimen of Crestor (currently prescribed 20 mg/d) & Niancin ER (1g/d) make sense?   ...Have read that high doses of oils & statins taken together effectively cancel benefits of both.

  • cancerclasses

    7/10/2011 8:27:18 PM |

    Peskin did not invent the theory of the dangers of taking pharmacological overdose levels of omega 3 derivatives, it is a well known biochemical fact that has been thoroughly researched by many other groups.  Check any of his writings & you'll see he always cites the sources of his findings.  

    Peskin himself has only been led to his conclusions by simply analyzing ALL the available literature from many research groups, separating the true wheat from the false chaff, then he simply republishes the results of his analysis of the literature to make it understandable to all, some of which has been known & available for decades but has been either suppressed, discredited, discounted, sidestepped, ignored or just not talked about or publicized by the mainstream media because it's contrary to the financial interests of the medical & pharmaceutical "sick care" industries.

    A perfect example of that is M.D., Ph.D. biochemist Otto Warburg who was awarded the 1931 Nobel Prize for his work in defining the prime cause of cancer.  But who has ever heard of him & the prime cause?  It's staggering how few M.D.'s & oncologists have ever heard of him, or have ever been taught about Warburg in med school. And if the medical profession doesn't teach their students, it's a slam dunk guarantee that people will never hear about Warburg & the prime cause of cancer from their doctors.   I'm 53 years old & I had never heard of him or his work, & if I hadn't stumbled across Peskin I most likely would have lived my entire life, contracted some kind of cancer along the way, most likely prostate, then later would have died & STILL would never have known about Warburg.

    Anyone that wants to do more in life than just parrot the opinions published in the popular & "peer reviewed" press can find the true facts.  I find it quite ironic that at our point in human history, when we have even freely available to us the most powerful information & truth gathering tool ever devised by man, science is DEvolving into the realm of belief, tradition & superstition, and people are being polarized into affinity groups based on those beliefs, traditions & superstitions instead of gathering together to honor real scientific truths.

  • Might-o'chondri-AL

    7/11/2011 6:20:27 AM |

    Hi c-classes,
    Warburg is famous enough for describing cancer cells proclivity for performing aerobic glycolysis as an edge to thrive; I think this is best described as a modality of function and modern research is showing the causes  of cancer are complex. You may be interested in this weeks published details of the molecular development promoting cancer  cells replication; see journal Molecular Cell, vol. 43, issue 1, 122-131 "Failure of Origin Adaptation in Response to FORK Stalling Leads to Chromosomal Instability at Fragile Site".

    A synopsis : Kerem, et.all.,  give 1st details of how fragile sites of a single DNA molecule breaks in early cancer due to "perturbed" DNA replication; normally DNA copying slows and sometimes stalls at fragile sites so that the cell sometimes has to shift to use stress mechanisms in order to finish single molecules DNA copy. But, in the case of an incipient cancer cell which has already utilized the stress mechanics  that cell has no more stress mechanisms to call on that can do enough at a fragile site to keep proper replication going; then the DNA molecule actually breaks whereby normal protein expression suffers, functional changes occur and cancer defects particular to that type of cancer replicates.

  • Mary A

    7/11/2011 2:44:18 PM |

    I guess my question still remains does the edible oil formulations of Dr. Peskin hold any health benefits for a person and if so, then how much would a person take and with or without fish oil?  Are there any other blogs or websites that are dedicated  to his research?   BTW, great info Might-o'chondrl-AL and cancerclasses.

  • Mary A

    7/11/2011 4:20:08 PM |

    Forgive me for asking the previous question before I read Dr. Peskin's  website. I am not a scientist but the research he identifies seems to support his conclusions.  Cancerclasses, you seem to be a supporter of his.  Are you following his protocol and, if so, what have you experienced?  I would appreciate others opinions regarding Dr. Peskin and his protocol.  I think this is a very important area especially since many physicians and PhDs (i.e. Dr. Sears et al) encourage the use of fish oil in the dietary regime.

  • cancerclasses

    7/11/2011 9:39:09 PM |

    Hi Mary A:
    I have submitted several replies to this article that have not passed moderation and have not been posted here, just click on my name at the top of my comments & it will take you to my Twitter channel where I have posted my comments. Click on the link at the comment that starts with "My study & research of..."  then also click on the one 2 posts down about  bursitis & arthritis.  You may also scan my posts for anything else that interests you, as I post info there from a wide variety of subjects & sources I find interesting & relevant while conducting my own research.

  • Might-o'chomdri-AL

    7/11/2011 9:42:28 PM |

    Hi Mary,
    Peskin refers to 1988-1992 rodent studies showing brain "damage" from  extra EPA/DHA; maybe elsewhere he cites newer brain damage indications. The extrapolation to humans is not certain ; since we have +/- 1,100 million synapses per cubic mm. , while rodents have 1,397 million synapses per cubic mm.  Humans gain not only from having astrocytes 2.5 times wider than rodents, but also we function with 1 astrocyte for each 270,000 to 2,000,000 synapses in a neurological domain; while rodents must use 1 astrocyte for each 20,000 to 120,000 synapses in a neurological domain.

    As for Peskin's assertion that lowering triglycerides is "irrelevant" Doc Davis elaborated for us why they are worth controlling; when more trigs going into circulation hitched to VLD Lipid  this morphs into trig rich LDL and small LDL particles increase in numbers. The same trig laden VLDL  contributes to formation of some HDL,  but the result is rapid degradation of that HDL; so the HDL circulating is small HDL particles and the net amount of HDL is also reduced.  Doc Davis has been seeing human clinical success using fish oil (EPA/DHA) to lower the VLDL and co-administering niacin to act on reducing the number of small LDL particles (to ideally maximum 10% of total LDL number of particles);  while the fish oil & niacin combination work synergisticly to keep down circulating  triglycerides  (to ideally 60 mg/dL). This is a synopsis of what I l learned here.

    Peskin's PEO, "parent essential oils", are touted as offering measurably better vascular membrane flexibility in comparison to fish oil; this may not  (may be, I don't know) necessarily translate to reduction &/or protection from the circulating small LDL molecules that oxidize and foster plaque.  He quotes USDA that only 0.05 % of alpha linolenic acid we ingest is made into DHA and 0.20% made into EPA; extrapolating from there that supplementing EPA/DHA radically exceeds what we are designed to need.  The fact that age remodels many of our functions to me suggests that  taking extra EPA/DHA is akin to dosing one for  therapeutic purposes (ie:  reduce VLDL, trigs &  Lpa the theme of this thread) that are more critical to survival  from sudden death than vascular flexibility alone is.   If someone on Peskin's PEO protocol has before and after Lp(a) & NMR lipid profile data that would be interesting to see.

    Peskin exclaims fish oil raises blood sugar and insulin resistance; my own experiment 4 months after adding large dose of EPA/DHA  (also started niacin) laboratory data show I did  elevate my fasting serum blood sugar an extra 5mg/dL,  with HbA1c going up 0.3; yet had fasting insulin measuring only 4.1.  Personally I was happy to trade that  blip in  glucose tolerance for the drop in number of small LDL particles from 1,021 nmol/L (out of  1,676 nmol/L total) down to small LDL particles numbering 96 nmol/L ; and triglycerides dropping from 90 mg/dL down to 42 mg/dL.  Blood sugar control seems ammenable to more dietary interventions to compensate  against  and  I'm relieved to see Doc Davis'  advice worked for my unruly small LDL.

  • Mary A

    7/12/2011 4:58:59 PM |

    Thank you Cclasses and Might-o for your responses.  Could something so simple be so valuable as PEO.
    I did read Prof Peskin's Iowa study along with a couple of posted letters from physicians supporting the benefits of PEO found in their patients along with the results of an actual scan taken of Brian Peskin's heart  which showed NO plaque at all--.  Correct me if I am wrong but it is my understanding that if the intimal lining is healthy there is less /no inflammation. A healthy intimal lining prevents the events that cause a thrombus from occurring thereby preventing plaque build up and the adverse sequelae from developing. I know this is a simplistic understanding but, like I said, I'm no scientist.  It seems like it would be worth a good controlled study since Prof Peskin says positive results can be seen in as little as three months.   Hopefully, any study would include looking at various inflammatory markers as well as the total cholesterol profile.
    Might-O..I have been reading lately about the effectiveness of delta and gamma tocotrienols in reducing LDL, Lpa as well as increasing insulin sensitivity.  There is some research to support this.  I don't know if Dr. Davis utilizes this in his Tx protocols.

  • cancerclasses

    7/12/2011 7:39:41 PM |

    Yes, fats ARE simple, but you don't have to be a scientist to know that fats are crucially important to have as a regular part of our diets.  I find most people are seriously deficient in knowledge (which is intentional & by design) of the critical physiological & biochemical importance of regular dietary intake of essential fatty acids & good saturated animal fats, and thus are seriously deficient in those EFA's & natural saturated animal fats.  

    The medical & pharmaceutical "sick care" industries both perpetuate & exploit the public's fear of fats, cholesterols, protein, salt, etc, the very same substances that every one of our 100 trillion cells are made of, and this is why the average American is chronically sick & tired, diabetic, dehydrated, cancerous & cardiovascularly compromised.  As even you have learned & now know, there is NO omega 3 or derivatives in arterial intima & media, or even in human skin, it' all omega 6.  Yes it's true that a healthy arterial intima indicates less inflammation & vice versa, but EFA's & PEO's only facilitate healing & proper structural conformity, they won't PREVENT arterial damage if a person continues the high carb & TRANS fat intake that leads to the elevated serum glucose & LDL & VLDL levels that damage & alter the structure of endothelial cells & cholesterol.

    The studies you would like to see have been done, they are out there, Peskin writes about & references them all the time.  His book The Hidden Story Of Cancer and his website are not just about cancer, he includes a large amount of information about heart disease, statins, nutrition & related issues. Go to brianpeskin dot com & see Reports & Publications, and in particular go to Reports - Medical Reports - New Look LDL

  • Mary A

    7/13/2011 4:45:56 PM |

    Thanks CClasses for your help.  You are so right....the public at large have been taught to be afraid of so many things regarding their health.  Some try to seek out valuable information and others don't.  Many people look to their physicians to tell them all they need to know and that is a mistake.  Maybe with this new crisis going on in health care, people will begin to take an even more active role in their health.

  • cancerclasses

    7/14/2011 9:31:09 PM |

    @ easybleeder:
    Plavix CAUSES Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).   From Wikipedia search Plavix,
    "Clopidogrel is an oral, thienopyridine class antiplatelet agent used to inhibit blood clots in coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, and cerebrovascular disease. It is marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Sanofi-Aventis under the trade name Plavix. The drug works by irreversibly inhibiting a receptor called P2Y12, an adenosine diphosphate ADP chemoreceptor. Adverse effects include hemorrhage, severe neutropenia, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP).

    Also Google Brian Peskin, aspirin.   From the cover of his article "Aspirin Is Awful":   “...Low-dose aspirin, which enhances platelet adhesivity, increases thrombosis (clotting) when platelet adhesion dominates as the response to injury.” Buchanan, MR and Jejana, E, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 67503-508

    So your doctor has you on Plavix which ostensibly prevents thrombosis, but also causes thrombosis, and also has you on aspirin which causes thrombosis?!?!  His theory must be that the effects of the two drugs cancel each other out, so theoretically you should be perfectly healthy.  No wonder you feel so out of control.

  • cancerclasses

    7/14/2011 9:40:17 PM |

    Hi Might-o,
    Yeah, that oops comment is a correction to a comment I submitted which has not yet passed the moderation. You can find my original comment by clicking on my name at the top of my comment.

    I started taking fish oils around 2002 for shoulder pain due to 30 years of heavy construction work. They were effective, but after researching Peskin’s & MANY others work re lipids I found something better & stopped taking the fish oils, moved higher up the metabolic pathway and now follow Peskin’s protocol & take around 2 or 3 grams of organic O-6 in either evening primrose, sunflower, safflower or hemp seed oils & 1 gram of O-3 organic flax to maintain the biochemically optimum recommended 2.5 or 3 to 1 O-6 to O-3 ratio.

    Haven’t had a workup since my 45th b’day 9 years ago, but I have no health issues at all that I am aware of. I occasionally check my bp with the free machine in drug stores, it’s always within normal range between 117/77 to 121/81-82, no palpitations, angina or other symptoms at all.

    Only problem I’ve noted since starting that regimen is I seem to always be clipping my hair & nails, growth seems to have accelerated.

  • cancerclasses

    7/14/2011 10:17:21 PM |

    Mary A:  Sorry I didn't reply to this sooner.  Taking fish oils along with Omega-6 & Omega 3 would be redundant & that much Omega-3's would negate the effect & benefit of the O-6 by dominating the desaturase & elongase enzymes the body uses to produce the derivative forms of the fats that are further down the metabolic pathway, as PhD lipid researcher Mary Enig explains in her article "Tripping Lightly Down the Prostaglandin Pathways."  Just google the title of the article & also study the metabolic pathway chart there, I can't include the links here or this comment won't pass moderation.

    If you take a look at the O-6 & O-3 metabolic pathway chart in that article, it becomes readily apparent that by taking any single derivative form of O-6 or O-3 you are jumping into the pathway at the point of that particular derivative, creating an oversupply & IM-balance of that derivative, and you are also cheating your body & yourself out of ALL the other derivative forms your body needs & would otherwise use for the formation of the critical BALANCE of prostanoids, leukotrenes, lipoxins & thromboxins you'd have if you instead just took the parent base substrate Omega-6 & Omega-3 at the top of the pathway. People just don't understand the importance of supplying your body ALL and complete, natural organic forms of the materials it needs for ALL it's metabolic processes, and that's why people are sick & diseased.  

    To be completely truthful, there is a list of diseases & conditions that deactivate the desat & elongase enzymes necessary for the breakdown & utilization of the base substrate oils, so some  persons with those conditions require & will only benefit by taking the derivative forms.  However, in analyzing that list of diseases it's also easy to deduce that many of them only exist because of a primary & earlier deficiency of essential fatty acids.

  • Cholesterol and Heart Disease

    8/2/2011 6:23:02 PM |

    Hi,

    DR Davis recommends taking fish oil for curing heart disease, but I also read somewhere that fish oil is also anti-inflammatory and inflammation is the real cause of heart disease, not high cholesterol.

    What you think of that? Is inflammation more dangerous than high cholesterol?
    Thank you!

  • mgts24

    5/4/2012 8:49:06 AM |

    I'm new to the site, and I just wanted to say how much I'm appreciating it.  I began taking krill oil capsules a month ago, and haven't had a single heart palpitation since.  In fact they stopped after only two days of taking it.

  • heart disease in apes

    5/11/2013 1:43:29 AM |

    Hello there! This is my first visit to your blog!
    We are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community
    in the same niche. Your blog provided us beneficial information to work on.
    You have done a wonderful job!

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