October 2006 Archives

Question:

Jon recommends taking pancreatic enzymes (which include proteases) with every meal. I have HIV and am on a HAART regimen that includes Protease Inhibitors. Are we talking about the same thing here? Would it not be detrimental to my HAART regimen to take an enzyme with something that the medications work to inhibit?

Answer:

Actually, I recommend taking digestive enzymes (which include proteases) with meals, and a systemic proteolytic enzyme formula between meals, which is slightly different. It is important to use precise wording here, because it actually matters.

Proteolytic enzymes, or protease is an overall descriptive term to describe the myriad of enzymes that work on proteins. Most proteases are very specific, and work on very specific bio-chemical reactions. In other words, protease, depending on how it's used, can be either an overall or a specific term.

A study released by the Society for Neuroscience, shows that when it comes to the brain, it's a question of "use it or lose it."

Until recently, scientists thought that no new neurons grew in the brains of adults and that over time the number of brain cells you had just withered away and diminished. Over the last ten years or so, those same scientists have come to realize that the brain is constantly producing new brain cells. It's just that in most people, those cells never fully develop, and just die off - thus no benefit. The new study shows us how we can keep those new cells, and keep "growing our brains" throughout our entire lives.

There is general agreement among medical experts that flu immunization is unquestionably a major life saver.

Dr David Salisbury, the director of immunization at the UK Department of Health, said just last night: "Flu vaccine is the best way to protect against influenza, and that is why countries around the world use these vaccines to protect their vulnerable communities.

"We know that flu vaccines can give up to 70 to 80 per cent protection against infection."

Like clockwork, every month or so, I receive a question on laetrile. Does it work? Does it cure cancer? I can't answer that question; the evidence is decidedly mixed. Depending on how you look at the studies, you can come to completely different conclusions. What I am willing to say is that most people don't understand what laetrile is, or how it works. Once you do understand though, you can make a very strong case for why it should at least be considered by anyone who has cancer.

The presence of cyanogenic glycosides in the diet is normally not a big deal. Any vague possibility of problems is directly related to the dosage and to the overall nutritional status of the person consuming the food. Many, many foods (not just apricot pits) contain cyanogenic glycosides. They are used by the plants as a natural insectiside. Flax seed meal, for example, contains two cyanogenic glycosides, linustatin and neolinustatin. But as I mentioned, MANY foods are slightly cyanogenic (e.g. wheat, barley, lima beans, apples, almonds, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc -- not to mention vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)). But as a result of evolutionary adaptation (so we can eat these foods), our bodies have developed a capacity to detoxify low concentrations of cyanide through the addition of sulfur (from amino acids) to form thiocyanate or through a reaction with cysteine to form beta-cyanoalanine.

Urinary tract infections are often difficult to get rid of and can easily spread to the kidneys. You need to knock the infection out, acidify the urine, and use D-Mannose to carry any E coli out of the urinary tract. Here is a protocol that has proven effective for many people.

• D-Mannose: 1 teaspoon 4 times a day for 3 days.
• Cranberry: (to acidfy the urine) Take 2 capsules, twice a day for one week.
• Juniper Berry: (to flush the kidneys) Take two capsules three times daily at mealtimes for one week. Increase fluid intake throughout the day.
• The herb forskolin to help flush bacteria out of the bladder.
• Also recommended are an antipathogenic formula that contain things like garlic, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract, and grapefruit seed extract to directly take on the infection...and a good probiotic formula to provide long term protection. (Probiotics need to be replenished whenever you have had a round of antibiotics, which leaves you vulnerable to a whole range of opportunistic infections.)

Question:

I went through radiation therapy for Optic Nerve Sheet Meningioma (ONSM) recently. What damage does that do? What would be the future caution and steps to take to minimize that damage?

Answer:

Let's be absolutely clear here. Whatever benefits radiation therapy may have in terms of treating cancer (on whatever body part), it is profoundly damaging to the tissues, cells, and genetic structure of the human body -- not to mention, if nothing else, it is a known carcinogen.

Restless Legs Syndrome is indeed one of the hot new "conditions" being pitched in TV ads. It's even got it's own Foundation. Rest assured (no pun intended). There really are options.

What is RLS?

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations in the legs and an uncontrollable urge to move them for relief. Individuals affected with the disorder describe the sensations as burning, creeping, tugging, or like insects crawling inside the legs. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.

What Causes It?

No one really knows what causes restless leg syndrome. It does tend to run in families, however, and may appear as "growing pains" in children or as pregnancy-related "leg cramps." And it tends to get worse as people get older.

Question:

My grandson is four years old and has high levels of lead. Can he use your Metal Magic formula to remove the lead?

Answer:

You certainly want to run anything you give a child by his pediatrician for approval, but you can remind the pediatrican that Metal Magic is made from the foods chlorella and cilantro. If he doesn't see a problem with your grandson eating chlorella and cilantro, then he shouldn't have a problem with him eating them together in a liquid formula.

His one area of concern might be the alcohol content -- Metal Magic (as all my liquid tinctures are) is an alcohol extract. But when looked at realistically, that should not be a problem. Metal Magic is approximately 50% alcohol by weight, or approximately 1 oz per bottle. For an adult using 12 droppers a day, a bottle will last one week, give or take. For a child using half that dosage, about 2 weeks. That means that each day he would be getting about 7/100 of an ounce of alcohol -- virtually nothing.

In general, all of the formulas I make (with the obvious exceptions of things like Men's and Women's formulas) are suitable for children in modified amounts. These are not medicines, they are technically foods, and just as you wouldn't feed a child a 28 oz lumberjack steak special, you wouldn't give him/her a full portion of an herbal formula. Use common sense.

Keep in mind that sciatica is a symptom, not a diagnosis. It is a non-specific term commonly used to describe pain that radiates from the butt on down through the back or side of the leg. It is usually caused by compression of the sciatic and/or posterior femoral cutaneous nerves. But the pain itself may be caused by trigger points in the surrounding soft tissue. And even at that, the actual cause of compression may not even be in the immediate area.

It may happen due to the effects of general wear and tear of the disks and vertebrae of the lower back, and it may happen if a disk suddenly herniates. When a disk herniates, it may press directly on nerve roots that become the sciatic nerve. The nerve may also get inflamed and irritated by chemicals from the disk's nucleus that seep out when the disk is herniated.

Last year we held our 4th Annual International Group Liver Detox and had over 270 participants from over 30 countries join us. And, as with the previous years, we had so much fun, we're going to do it again this year! Our 5th Annual International Group Liver Detox will run from Wednesday, January 3rd through Sunday, January 7th. We're formally announcing it now so that you will:

- Be able to plan for it well in advance.
* Lock in your commitment.
* Have time to do a colon detox, if you need to, in preparation for the liver detox.
* Allow people not in the United States the time to get everything together in order to join us. (We have thousands of readers from all over the world -- Europe, Asia, Africa, the MidEast ... in fact just about everywhere.)

Question:

I would like to become a vegan. What approach do you recommend? How should I make up the dietary deficiencies, if any?

Answer:

That's a bigger question than I can answer here. The problem is that there are many ways to go as Vegan.

- Raw food
* Modified Mediterranean
* Indian vegetarian
* No grain
* Etc.

The deficiencies are different depending on which way you go. Your best bet is to find a version you like, then find a book that walks you through that particular version, as it is likely to address any possible deficiencies associated with that particular version.

PS: A book that I usually recommend is Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman. Except for Dr. Fuhrman's lack of recognition of the importance of good fats, I like his approach.

According to a study published earlier this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the consumption of cola soft drinks is associated with significantly lower bone mineral density.

Wow! I certainly hope none of my tax dollars went to fund this profound study of the obvious.

The researchers then went on to state that they were not sure what it is in cola that undermines the health of women's bones. They "suspect" that phosphoric acid, an ingredient found in all colas, may be the culprit.

'Perhaps," they hypothesized, the chemical makes the blood too acidic, which then requires calcium to be taken out of the bones to balance that out.

My goodness, was it really over eight years ago that I wrote in Lessons from the Miracle Doctors that "Many sodas, particularly colas, are high in phosphoric acid, which leaches calcium out of your body at an astounding rate?" And it's not like I was the only one, or even the first, to say it.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed this delicious coincidence?

Today, the FDA lashed out at online vendors marketing diabetes alternatives. To quote from the announcement.

"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), working with government agencies in Mexico and Canada, have launched a drive to stop deceptive Internet advertisements and sales of products misrepresented as cures or treatments for diabetes."

Question:

I had my gallbladder removed several years ago and just haven't felt the same since. What can I do?

Answer:

You definitely need to make up for the lost functions of the gallbladder when it comes to digestion. You might want to consider using digestive enzymes and ox bile tablets with your meals to aid in the breakdown of fats -- a function normally provided by the gallbladder.

And keep in mind, even with your gallbladder missing, you can receive major benefit from a liver detox. In most cases, removing the gallbladder doesn't actually get rid of the problem -- just the place the symptoms show up. The problem usually is that liver function is compromised and the bile the liver produces is too thick and "sludgy" so it forms stones in the gallbladder before it can pass out through the bile duct. If you don't clean the liver out, the thickened bile will eventually "harden" and destroy areas of the liver, in much the same way it formed stones in the gallbladder.

More and more women are now opting for voluntary breast removal (bilateral prophylactic mastectomy) after testing positive for what is being called "the breast cancer gene."

This is obviously not a simple issue with a simple one-size-fits-all conclusion. It's also important to note that there is one huge piece being left out of the equation -- a piece that could significantly affect outcomes.

First, understand, a positive test for the BRCA gene mutation does not mean that you will definitely get cancer, but it definitely increases the likelihood that you will get it during your lifetime.

Women who have a mutation in one of the known breast cancer genes, BRCA1, and a strong family history of the disease, can have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. That's huge. That means that approximately 8 out of 10 women with this gene mutation AND a strong family history can expect to develop breast cancer. On the other hand, the gene mutation WITHOUT a strong family history results in only a 10% chance of developing breast cancer. That's an 800% variation in outcome -- depending on family history. It's also worth noting that the odds of getting breast cancer if you have the mutated gene and no family history are actually just about the same as if you didn't have the bad gene at all. Which brings us to the missing piece of the equation that I alluded to above.

Question:

I have had a mild case of gynecomastia (benign male breast enlargement) since I began entering puberty. I found a gynecomastia removal product on the internet that contains a blend of oyster shell calcium, coral calcium, egg shell calcium, alum dehydrated, and magnesium silicate. In two months, it nearly completely reversed all signs of gynecomastia. However, once I stopped supplementation, the condition returned. I have two questions. Do you have any idea how this seemingly simple product removed the gynecomastia? Also, it seems that the return of my gynecomastia is hormonal, and if so, what can be done to balance these hormones?

Question:

What can you tell me about Spinal Stenosis?

Answer:

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spine, either in the center of the spine, in the canals where the nerves branch out, or in the spaces between the vertebrae. This narrowing puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and can cause pain. It is not uncommon in men and women over 50. Surgery is the standard medical solution.

Question:

You mention that you don't like most vegetable oils for cooking. What oils should I use?

Answer:

The bottom line is that when possible, buy and use organic, unrefined, cold-processed vegetable oils. Use extra virgin olive oil in salads or to add to cooked foods, but not for high temperature cooking. Unrefined walnut oil is also good, but again only for low temperature uses.

Question:

Do you consider the oil in flax seeds to be superior or inferior to fish oil? Some experts say Fish oil is better and that Flax oil is bad.

Answer:

Neither. There are advantages to both:

Fish oil is good because it is already broken down into the forms of Omega-3 fatty acids that your body can use, EPA and DHA.

Question:

I was recently diagnosed with a small hernia. The surgeon would like to do surgery. I was wondering what you would recommend I do to prepare my body for this surgery. As long as there is no pain I can hold off on the surgery for a little while. Possibly a month or two. Are there specific things you recommend before a surgery to get your body prepared? I do not know if during or after the surgery I will be required to take antibiotics. I would rather not, but seeing as how this surgeon is not a holistic type of doctor, I do not see him giving me an alternative. Is there an alternative? If not, will taking a higher dose of the probiotics after the antibiotics are done, reverse the damage caused by the antibiotics?

A just released New England Journal of Medicine study concludes that as the first generation of patients to survive pediatric cancer nears middle-age, more than 73% of patients cured of pediatric cancer will develop a chronic illness within 30 years of diagnosis. And about 42% will develop a severe, disabling, life-threatening or fatal condition. Their health problems -- which include heart disease, lung scarring, strokes and second cancers -- can be caused both by their original tumors, as well as the harsh treatments used to cure them, says lead author Kevin Oeffinger, director of the program for adult survivors of pediatric cancer at New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The amazing thing about this study is not the results as published, but that the doctors involved and the media reporting on it seem to think this is a revelation. Let's be clear here.

• Virtually all chemotherapy drugs are known carcinogens. How could this come as a surprise that they might cause serious illness down the road?
• Chemotherapy drugs are at best a short term solution. They do not address the reason someone got cancer. Or to put it another way, no one ever got cancer because they were suffering from a chemotherapy deficiency.

For a better understanding of the nature of cancer, check out my talk: Cancer, the Big Lie.

Also, the newsletter article, Chemotherapy, an Interesting Choice.

Question:

I am scheduled to begin the Liver detox. MY FIRST DETOX !!! I just ordered the intestinal detox package to begin my intestinal detox before the liver detox as recommended. My question is: I have MS, and I need to start slowly. I don't want it to be too much of a shock to the body since this is my first detox.

Since the detox pack includes the metal detox,

- Should I do the metal detox and the intestinal detox at the same time to be safe?

- Should I do the liver and blood detox together as recommended or separately to be on the safe side?

Question:

My 12 years old daughter is regularly grinding her teeth when she sleeps at night. Please advise me what cause this and any way to stop it?

Answer:

There are many possible causes for grinding of the teeth -- AKA bruxism.

Particularly in adults, stress can be a major factor. In fact, studies have shown that one of the causes of bruxism is a deficiency in pantothenic acid and calcium -- both anti-stress nutrients. Supplementing with some extra B vitamins during the day and having a little extra calcium in the evening can help in this regard.

Almost like a boxer under assault in the ring, organic produce seems to be suffering rapid fire body blows. First there was organic spinach contaminated with E. coli. Then organic carrot juice paralyzing people with botulism. Now we see contaminated lettuce being pulled from the shelves. And even as Walmart has announced that it intends to become the largest provider of organic foods in the world, the backlash has begun. What is going on here?

Articles such as Only hype makes organic food healthier go right for the throat, but ignore several key facts. They focus on isolated incidents and miss the big picture of health.

Question:

What advice could you offer someone who recently had quadruple bypass surgery?

Answer:

Question:

Answer:

During the liver detox, I recommend taking a break from optional supplements, but continuing on any medication. Since the Triple Jointed is not really optional in your case, you probably should continue using it during the liver detox...just like you would a medication.

Question:

What information do you have on Vasacor, the all-natural formula which supposedly targets the two types of cholesterol; LDL and HDL.

Answer:

As a general rule, I don't comment on different companies' products -- not because I don't like them, but because it's an impossible task. First, there are just too many requests. Of the 10,000 plus emails we receive each month at the Foundation, several hundred ask for my opinion on different products. It's just an impossible road to go down. But the bigger problem is that I have no way monitor other companies' ingredient sources or manufacturing techniques. And those things matter.

Question:

On my recent blood test, the lipoprotein(a) level of 58 was in the "At Risk" column. It should be less than 30. My HDL is 102; LDL is 141; total cholesterol 253. Any suggestions to get that 58 down?

Answer:

For obvious legal reasons, I cannot diagnose or prescribe for specific medical conditions -- merely provide information. With that in mind...

You might want to read Lessons from the Miracle Doctors. It's almost a specific course in getting heart conditions under control. You can download a free copy at www.jonbarron.org.

Check out the following newsletters.

• The Cholesterol Myth
• Glucotor v.2, Clinically Proven

And most important of all, since your liver is actually a dominant factor in your cholesterol and triglyceride levels, you might want to consider doing a liver detox. For information about liver detoxing, check out the Annual Liver Detox Event homepage.

Question:

Do you have any reports on osteoporosis?

Answer:

Actually, the following two reports will provide a wealth of information

• The Calcium Question
• Special Report on Progesterone Creme
  

Question:

When buying sea salt, do I need to buy the iodized or non-iodized kind?

Answer:

For a full discussion on sea salt, check out my article, A Pillar of Salt. But for a specific answer to your question on iodized salt, the answer is to buy unrefined, minimally processed, non-iodized sea salt. A good quality sea salt like Celtic Sea Salt will actually contain more natural iodine per gram (approximately 150 mcg, 2/3 of your body's daily requirement) than iodized table salt (approximately 50-80 mcg). For more on iodine and salt, check out Iodine: Geting it Right.

Question:

Hi, I love your products and educational materials. My father is 74 and had a kidney transplant about 2 years ago. He takes medication to supress his immune system. How does taking immune boosting products affect him? Is this advisable?

Answer:

Immune boosting supplements would be contraindicated.

Question:

I just read your newsletter, Counting Camels. It looks like you're endorsing canola oil. Is that true?

Answer:

No, no! I didn't actually endorse canola oil in the article. I used a quote from a restaurant owner who used canola oil merely as representative of the kinds of supportive statements being touted by proponents of NYC's ban on trans fats. In fact, one of the key points of the article was that increasing the amounts of refined polyunsaturated fats that people would eat under the new proposal was harmful.

And as for canola oil, specifically: just because something is all over the net doesn't make it true. Urban myths spread just as easily on the internet as fact.

Was it just last newsletter that I mentioned that despite everyone's obsession with E. Coli and spinach, E. Coli in hamburger was a far bigger problem -- and one that got far less publicity? Why yes it was.

Anyway, as if on cue, there was an announcement this morning of a recall of 5,200 lbs of ground beef because of E. Coli contamination.

Question:

On the website for magnets I read that I should not use them if I have a pacemaker. I do have one. So I cannot magnetize my water? Or what strength is safe for me?

Answer:

The problem is with the magnets themselves, not the water. The water does NOT pick up a magnetic charge. It is restructured by exposure to a magnetic field. It's pH is changed. It is moved to a higher energy state. But it is not magnetized. It will not affect your pacemaker.

Bottom line: If you have a pacemaker, you do not want to get near a high gauss magnet, which can affect the pacemaker. But drinking water that has been exposed to a magnetic field is a non issue. If you have not already done so, check out the following newsletters:

• Magnetizing Water
• Magnets and the Bioavailability of Water
  

Question:

I think your whole program is marvellous and read every bulletin with avid interest. At the age of 72, I have prostate cancer, with bony secondaries in my hip joint and pelvis. Could you outline a list of your products that might help me?

Answer:

Question:

I just suffered through another painful gallstone attack. I want to do a Liver and Gallbladder Cleanse in order to avoid the recommended surgery, but I have the following questions:

Won't the ingestion of such a large amount of olive oil trigger an attack? If not, why not?

When the stones pass, won't they block the different ducts if they are too big? What are the risks of causing a blockage with this cleanse?

Answer:

Check out the Optional Program for Softening Gallstones Before the Detox on the liver detox event homepage. Softening the stones before the doing the detox significantly minimizes the chances of discomfort. It's also highly recommended that you do a colon detox before doing the liver detox as it opens up the channels for eliminating waste from the liver and gallbladder. You can find a link to instructions for doing the colon detox on the liver detox homepage.

Question:

I have partially clogged arteries. I won't go to a doctor. What do you recommend I buy for supplements, etc.?

Answer:

For obvious legal reasons, we cannot diagnose or prescribe for specific medical conditions -- merely provide information. With that said...

I addressed the nature of cardivascular disease and how to deal with it in the newsletter, The Cholesterol Myth. That should get you started.

According to an article in today's Scientific American's Science News, new studies show that chemotherapy promotes a lingering intellectual deficit. Here's a quote from the article.

"More people survive cancer than ever before. With early detection, for example, women stricken with breast cancer are often successfully treated and go on to live long lives. But concomitant with this cheering rise in cancer survival is a worrying increase in complaints about cognitive impairment as life goes on. Some cancer survivors have trouble with concentration or fatigue. New research shows this is not just in their minds but, in fact, in their brains...It remains a mystery how chemotherapy--and tamoxifen--impact the brain, but it is increasingly clear that these treatments may create a cognitive deficit."

Experts say a commonly used sweetener found in chewing gum, candies, baked goods, and toothpaste could cause liver failure in dogs.

Even a small amount of the sugar substitute Xylitol can trigger a significant insulin release, which experts believe causes a drop in a dog's blood sugar level. The decline in blood sugar can be fatal.

Does this mean Xylitol is harmful to humans?