Yeast and the Weight Connection

Wonder where those extra pounds are coming from?

By Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.

If I were to tell you that there is a fungus living in your intestines that produces 180 chemical toxins capable of making you feel dizzy and fatigued, shutting down your thyroid, throwing your hormones off balance, and causing you to crave sugar and alcohol, all of which make you put on weight –would you believe me? You probably wouldn’t –few doctors even realize the extent of damage caused by yeast overgrowth but the above scenario is all too true.

To the great detriment of the health of our society, this fungus does exist and it is growing rampant in a large proportion of the population –mostly women. It’s one of the diseases of civilization – the culmination of the side effects of technology and the disservices of our way of life. The list of chronic diseases is getting longer and longer: heart disease, cancer, Chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, auto immune disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Chronic yeast overgrowth not only worsens all the above conditions but it’s in a whole disease category by itself.

The miracle of antibiotics has its downside because it causes an overgrowth of yeast. The refining of sugar and wheat has its downside by creating a simple food source for yeast. The tremendous levels of stress hormones that flood our bodies daily, hourly, and every minute in our sped up world make us prey to yeast. Continue Reading >>

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How to Be Heart Smart at the Supermarket

(HealthDay News) -- Taking the time to investigate food labels not only can improve your heart health, but also your overall wellness.

"Reading the labels is a great way to be guided toward healthier choices for your heart, and for general reduction of all chronic diseases today," Cathy Fitzgerald, registered dietitian with MFit, the University of Michigan Health System's health promotion division, said in a prepared statement. "So think about using the front of the package as well as the nutrition facts on the back when you are out shopping."

Start by educating yourself on what food label language truly means. Fitzgerald offered these tips:

• The claim, "May reduce the risk of heart disease." A company can only put this statement on a food if scientific evidence exists that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has decided is strong enough to support it.
• Nutrient content claims. The government regulates how a company can use terms such as "high," "low" or "reduced." For example, a food must have 3 grams of fat or less to be considered low fat, and a product that is high in a certain nutrient provides 20 percent or more of the daily value suggested by the FDA.
• Foods with fiber. Fiber helps the digestive system and lowers cholesterol. Look for the claims "high in fiber" or "excellent source of fiber," as these products have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. A food listed as a "good source" of fiber has 2.5 grams of fiber or more.
• Omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats have been shown to benefit the heart. Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and trout are good sources of omega fats and are low in saturated fat.
• Sterols and stanols. Plant sterols and stanols are cholesterol-lowering substances often added to products like margarine and salad dressings. Review the label carefully to make sure a product states it offers the cholesterol-lowering benefits of plant sterols and stanols.
• Sodium. Look for phrases like "low sodium" or "reduced sodium." This is especially important in processed and canned foods. If a food is labeled as "reduced" in sodium, it has 25 percent less salt than the regular product.
• Trans fats. Eat trans fats sparingly, as they raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol. Fried foods and processed foods that have a long shelf life are often loaded with them. The term "partially hydrogenated oil" on an ingredient's list indicates the food contains trans fats.
• Saturated fat. Butter, fatty cuts of red meat, and cheese made from whole milk are among foods with the highest amount of saturated fat -- a main dietary cause of high blood cholesterol. Opt for low-fat or non-fat dairy products, lean meats such as loin or round cuts, and liquid margarines instead of butter.

More information
The American Heart Association offers has more about how to read food labels.

Muscle Fatigue Drug May Fight Heart Failure

(HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug may help fatigued athletes and patients weakened by heart failure regain their energy, say physiologists at Columbia University Medical Center.

Tests on mice and humans found that, after extreme exercise regimens, tiny leaks of calcium continuously enter the muscle cells, according to the study published online in the Feb. 11 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The leak weakens the force produced by the muscle and also turns on a protein-digesting enzyme that damages the muscle fibers, leading to the overall feeling of exhaustion for days or weeks afterward.

This same leak was previously discovered by Columbia researchers in the muscles of animals with heart failure.

The researchers then developed an experimental drug to plug these leaks, and tested it on mice subjected to daily three-hour swims over three weeks. Without the drugs, mice were exhausted. With the drug, the mice were still energetic, had lost less exercise capacity after three weeks, and their muscles showed fewer signs of calcium leakage, atrophy and less muscle damage.

While extreme athletes, such as marathoners, often regain their strength and vigor after several days, the findings suggest the drug may provide relief from the severe exhaustion that prevents patients with chronic heart failure from performing simple tasks.

"People with chronic heart failure are subject to this same kind of muscle leak and damage constantly, even without doing any exercise," study senior author Dr. Andrew Marks, chairman of Columbia's department of physiology and cellular biophysics, said in a prepared statement. "One of these patients' most debilitating symptoms is muscle weakness and fatigue, which can be so bad they can't get out of bed, brush their teeth or feed themselves."

Plans are under way to test the drug at other medical centers in patients with heart failure to see if it relieves fatigue and improves heart function. Even if successful, it will take several years before the drug will be commercially available.

Fatigue experienced by heart failure patients does not stem from reduced blood and oxygen being supplied to the muscles by the heart, as one might expect. Instead, Marks' previous research in muscles of mice with heart failure suggested the cause is calcium leak in muscle cells, which reduce the ability of a single muscle to contract repeatedly before losing force.

"We then had a hunch that the process that produces fatigue in heart failure patients also may be responsible for the fatigue felt by athletes after a marathon or extreme training," study first author Andrew Bellinger said in a prepared statement. "Our new paper shows that fatigue in both patients and athletes probably stems from the same leak."

More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more facts about heart failure.

Saline Irrigation Eases Chronic Nasal Symptoms

(HealthDay News) -- Saline irrigation is a safe, inexpensive and effective method for treating chronic nasal and sinus symptoms, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Michigan Health System also concluded that saline irrigation -- the flushing of nasal passages with a salt water mixture -- is more effective than commonly used saline sprays at providing short-term relief of chronic nasal symptoms.

The study included 121 adults with chronic nasal and sinus symptoms. Sixty were treated for eight weeks with saline irrigation, and 61 were treated with saline spray.

The patients in the saline irrigation group showed greater improvement at two, four and eight weeks.

After completion of the study, 61 percent of patients in the spray group reported having symptoms "often or always," compared with 40 percent of patients in the irrigation group.

"The irrigation group achieved a clinically significant improvement in quality of life in terms of severity of their symptoms, whereas the spray group did not. Strikingly, (the irrigation group) also experienced 50 percent lower odds of frequent nasal symptoms compared with the spray group," lead author Dr. Melissa A. Pynnonen, clinical assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology, said in a prepared statement.

The study, published in the current issue of the journal Archives of Otolaryngology -- Head & Neck Surgery, received funding from NeilMed Pharmaceuticals, which makes a saline sinus rinse.

Tens of millions of Americans suffer from chronic nasal and sinus conditions. Treatments include antibiotics, antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. The findings of this study suggest that doctors should recommend saline irrigation more often for patients with chronic sinus and nasal conditions, Pynnonen and her colleagues said.

More information
The University of Michigan Health System has more about sinus problems.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Boosts Heart Disease Threat

(HealthDay News) -- People diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis run a greater risk of developing heart disease.

But that risk can be spotted and hopefully modified by using the same criteria used to identify heart-disease risk in the general population, a new study suggests.

Those screening checks include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, older age, and family history of cardiovascular illness. And people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should be screened using those risk factors as soon as possible following their diagnosis of RA, the study authors said.

"The bottom-line is that RA patients are at increased risk of heart disease," said lead researcher Dr. Hilal Maradit Kremers, a research associate with the Mayo Clinic Department of Health Sciences Research in Rochester, Minn.

"But we need to know how can we predict which RA patients are at a higher risk than others, so that we can then put more effort in the prevention of heart disease in these people," she added. "And so, here we attempted to do just that, by using a typical cardiovascular risk profile to predict heart disease among these patients."

Kremers and her colleagues presented their findings this week at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting, in Boston.

The study findings follow a 2005 Mayo Clinic report that suggested that the increase in heart disease risk among RA patients may be due to the systemic inflammation brought on by the disease, which, in turn, prompts arterial plaque to form blood clots. The new findings also come on the heels of a Mayo Clinic study released last month that said RA patients are more than twice as likely to develop heart failure over a 15-year period than people who don't have the disease.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic and often disabling disease with no known cause or cure that affects just over 2 million Americans. It's characterized by inflammation of the lining of the joints and, over time, can lead to joint damage, severe pain, and immobility.

Treatments -- such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, analgesics and physical therapy -- focus primarily on controlling pain and limiting inflammation and joint destruction.

For the new study, Kremers and her colleagues set out to predict the onset of heart disease over the course of a 10-year period among more than 1,100 people, approximately half of whom had just been diagnosed with RA. The patients were 57 years old, on average, and nearly three-quarters were women.

The patients were evaluated on standard indicators for heart disease risk, as detailed by the American Heart Association. The indicators included: gender; having a family history of heart disease; having diabetes; and/or being black. Patients were also examined for other risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Risky lifestyle habits -- including smoking, lack of exercise, and being overweight -- were also considered, the researchers said.

Based on the risk-assessment scores, the researchers assigned the patients to one of five different risk categories for heart disease -- ranging from very low to very high risk. Then the patients were tracked for an average of 12 to 14 years, during which time all incidences of heart attack, heart failure, heart surgeries, and cardiovascular-related deaths were noted.

The researchers found that while 85 percent of the RA patients between the ages of 50 and 59 had an intermediate or high risk for developing heart disease within 10 years of diagnosis, just 27 percent of comparable non-RA patients did. Among patients between the ages of 60 and 69 at the start of the study, 100 percent of the RA patients had an intermediate or high risk for heart disease, compared with 79 percent of non-RA patients.

When looking at just "high risk" among the 60 to 69 age group, the difference was even more dramatic: 85 percent for RA patients, compared to just 40 percent for non-RA patients.

The researchers concluded that more than half of RA patients 50 to 59, and all RA patients over the age of 60, had a 10 percent or greater risk of developing heart disease within 10 years of an RA diagnosis.

In light of the findings, the Mayo researchers are encouraging doctors to conduct heart-disease assessment screenings similar to the ones used in the study for each of their RA patients. These screenings should be done as soon as possible following an RA diagnosis and prevention strategies put into place, the researchers said.

"By simply doing the things that we already know, such as measuring blood pressure, blood sugars, and cholesterol -- all the standard things that we look at for the general population -- we can help identify the risk for a major cardiovascular event among the RA population," Kremers said.

Dr. Hayes Wilson, chief of rheumatology at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, said he endorsed the Mayo researchers' work.

"Anything that helps us characterize and categorize risk factors helps us in the treatment of the disease," he said. "And, until we can figure out what the smoking gun is, hopefully this advice will help us prevent cardiovascular disease or related diseases by helping RA patients better appreciate the risks they face."

More information
To learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Arthritis Foundation.

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New Kidney Disease Can Be Fatal

(HealthDay News) -- Kidney disease patients with a newly identified disease called nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) are at increased risk of death, U.S. researchers report.

The researchers also concluded that exposure to gadolinium, a contrast agent used in MRI scans, is a significant risk factor for developing NSF, a painful and debilitating condition characterized by a thickening and hardening of the skin. It usually affects the arms and legs but can also affect internal organs. The disease can progress so rapidly that some patients are immobilized and confined to a wheelchair within weeks.

The study, led by Jonathan Kay of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, conducted skin examination of 186 kidney dialysis patients.

They found that 25 had skin changes consistent with NSF.

Within two years, 25 of the 186 patients (24 percent) had died. The death rate for those with NSF was 48 percent, compared to 20 percent for patients without the illness.

The researchers also found that 30 percent of patients exposed to gadolinium developed NSF compared to one percent of those who had not been exposed to the contrast agent.

The findings are published in the October issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

This is the first study to examine the prevalence of NSF in dialysis patients and the first to quantify the association between NSF and gadolinium exposure. Contrast agents containing gadolinium should only be used with extreme caution in patients with chronic kidney disease, the researchers concluded. If they are exposed to gadolinium, these patients should subsequently receive regular skin examinations.

In an accompanying editorial, experts at Yale University School of Medicine noted that a U.S. federal Public Health Advisory urges caution in the use of MRI scans for kidney disease patients and prompt dialysis for those who've had scans involving gadolinium.

More information
The FDA has more about gadolinium-containing contrast agents.

Dirty City Air Stunts Kids' Lungs

(HealthDay News) -- Long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution causes reduced lung growth and function in children, according to a study of almost 3,200 Mexico City eight-year-olds.

Previous studies have suggested that short-term exposure to air pollution is associated with reversible problems in lung function. The authors of this new study said the effects of long-term exposure to air pollution -- such as that experienced by people who live in cities with major air pollution -- have not been conclusively documented.

"Our study revealed significant deficits in lung function growth in children with long-term exposure to air pollutants. In addition to the important impact of lung health, early lung deficits may increase the risk of developing chronic obstructive lung disease later in life, as well as cardiovascular morbidity and general mortality," wrote lead author Dr. Isabelle Romieu.

It's not clear whether the lung damage in these children is reversible. The findings were published Aug. 15 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The researchers measured the children's lung function and looked at their exposure to common urban pollutants: ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and particulate matter (PM10).

"At the beginning of the study and at each phase of follow-up, children exposed to lower O3 and PM10 concentrations had better lung function values than children exposed to higher concentrations," the authors wrote.

They noted that the effect of air pollution on forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) -- a measure of lung function -- among children in the study was greater than the effect of exposure to mothers' smoking among children in the United States.

More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about air pollution and respiratory health.

Researchers Identify Cause of Rosacea

(HealthDay News) -- A combination of two abnormal factors cause the common inflammatory skin condition rosacea, a new U.S. study says.

Rosacea, a chronic condition that causes facial redness, affects about 14 million Americans. Triggers -- such as heat, alcohol, spicy foods and embarrassment -- that can worsen the condition are well known. But this is the first study to identify the actual cause of rosacea, the researchers said.

The researchers concluded that overproduction of two interactive inflammatory proteins leads to excessive levels of a third protein that causes rosacea symptoms.

"Too much SCTE (stratum corneum tryptic enzymes) and too much cathelicidin leads to the abnormal peptides that cause the symptoms of this disease," team leader Dr. Richard L. Gallo, professor of medicine and chief of the division of dermatology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.

"Antibiotics tend to alleviate the symptoms of rosacea in patients, because some of them work to inhibit these enzymes. Our findings may modify the therapeutic approach to treating rosacea, since bacteria aren't the right target," said Gallo.

The study results were published in the Aug. 5 online edition of the journal Nature Medicine.

More information
The American Academy of Dermatology has more about rosacea.

Gene Therapy Shows Promise Against Chronic Pain

(HealthDay News) -- Animal studies suggest that gene therapy might block tough-to-treat neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain -- a type of chronic pain in people for which there are few effective treatments -- is the result of injury- or disease-related damage to nerve fibers. Even after surrounding tissue has healed, the damaged nerve fibers continue to send pain signals to the brain, according to background information in the article.

For some people, neuropathic pain causes long-term disability and dependence on pain medications.

In this study with rats, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh introduced the gene for part of the human glycine receptor (GlyR). This gene is found primarily on the surface of nerve cells in the spinal cord and the lower brain but not in the nerves in the limbs.

The researchers used an engineered herpes simplex virus (HSV) to deliver the gene into the paws of some rats, while other rats received only the HSV vector without the inserted gene. All the rats were then injected with an irritant that simulated symptoms of neuropathic pain, followed by injections of glycine to activate the GlyR receptor.

The glycine injection halted pain response in GlyR-HSV-treated rats but not in the rats that received only the HSV vector.

The findings suggest that targeted use of GlyR-HSV and activation with glycine may help treat humans with neuropathic pain and other chronic pain disorders, the study authors said.

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene Therapy, in Seattle.

More information
The National Pain Foundation has more about neuropathic pain.

Early Use of Cholesterol Drug Boosts Outcomes After Angioplasty

(HealthDay News) -- Two new studies confirm and expand the usefulness of anti-cholesterol statin medications, both for relatively healthy patients and those treated for heart attack.

In one trial, patients admitted to a hospital with chest pain fared better a month after angioplasty if they got the statin Lipitor soon after admission to the emergency department.

Another study found that doses of the statin Crestor kept cholesterol plaque at bay in the carotid artery, the prime vessel leading from the heart to the brain.

"These two studies provide further evidence that these drugs are very beneficial against atherosclerosis," otherwise known as "hardening of the arteries," said Dr. Robert Bonow, a spokesman for the American Heart Association and chief of the division of cardiology at Northwestern University Medical School, in Chicago.

He was not involved in either of the trials, the results of which were to be presented Sunday at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting, in New Orleans. The Lipitor study is also being published in the March 27 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, while the Crestor trial results will appear in the March 28 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Trial after trial has highlighted the heart-healthy benefits and low side effects of statins, which include blockbusters such as Crestor, Lipitor, Pravachol and Zocor.

The two new studies add to that growing pile of research. In the Lipitor study, researchers in Italy first identified 191 patients at risk of heart attack who arrived at the hospital complaining of "unstable angina" (chest pain). The patients were not already taking any chronic statin medication.

According to Bonow, doctors typically prescribe a statin to patients after a heart attack to lower their risk for a second heart attack or serious complication in the days and weeks that follow. Many of these patients will also undergo an artery-opening procedure, such as angioplasty.

But in this study, half of the patients also received Lipitor in the 12-hour period before their angioplasty.

It seemed to have helped. "Even with this short pretreatment, there is improvement in outcomes," said the study's lead author, Dr. Germano Di Sciascio, director of the department of cardiovascular sciences at the University of Rome.

In fact, just 5 percent of patients who received Lipitor shortly before their angioplasty died, had a nonfatal heart attack, or required another invasive procedure within 30 days of angioplasty, compared to 17 percent of those who only got the statin after the procedure.

"I was not surprised, because we had done other similar studies that have shown a lot of good effects of atorvastatin (Lipitor)," Di Sciascio said. "The most important thing is that even a short treatment works, and it works in the unstable patients going for (angioplasty). Thus, atorvastatin needs to be part of the armamentarium of the interventional cardiologist," he added.

Di Sciascio stressed that his team's study was relatively small and should be confirmed by a larger trial before any major shift in cardiac care occurs. And he said that "it is possible that other statins would have the same effect, however, until now, the benefit has been demonstrated only with atorvastatin, which has been the subject of our study."

Bonow agreed that the findings could help change hospital practice. "Many heart attacks occur out of the blue, and people aren't aware that they have a problem, so many aren't already on these drugs," he said. "So, we tend to start them in the hospital before they go home. But this study suggests that we should do it even earlier, as soon as they hit the door."

In the second study, a team led by Dr. John R. Crouse III, of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., compared the effectiveness of Crestor (rosuvastatin) in nearly 900 patients. The patients were relatively healthy, with only "modest" elevations in LDL ("bad") cholesterol and a mild amount of plaque in their carotid arteries.

Patients got either 40 milligrams of Crestor daily or a placebo, and the researchers tracked carotid plaque levels over two years using high-tech ultrasound.

According to the study, daily Crestor treatment "slowed progression" of artery thickening in this important vessel "at all sites and each segment" tested.

"Carotid artery thickness is a good predictor of who's going to have a heart attack as well as a stroke," Bonow noted. "This (study) is further demonstrating that these drugs are very beneficial, because it is reducing the amount of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery and presumably a lot of other arteries, too."

He said the two studies add to the growing evidence that statin medications are an extremely useful therapy for preventing a wide range of cardiovascular ills.

But they are still not for everyone, Bonow said. "There is about a one percent risk of something bad happening with these drugs," he said. "So, you don't want to give them to everyone, because that one percent would add up to a lot of people."

More information
Find out more about statins at the American Heart Association.

The Different Options for Colon Cleansing Treatments

by Dr. Edward F. Group IIIupdated 7 days ago
The colon’s main function is the reabsorption of nutrients and water into our bodies and the elimination of toxic wastes through regular bowel movements.

When the bowel is impacted, however, problems arise such as constipation, hemorrhoids, ulcerative colitis and colon cancer. Common symptoms resulting from accumulated toxins in the bowel can include headaches, bad breath, allergy symptoms, PMS, fatigue, depression, irritability, bloating, and frequent infections.

As Dr James Balch writes, “Retained debris in the colon leads to the absorption of toxins resulting in systemic poisoning. Colon cleansing can rid the colon of debris and help prevent and treat a variety of health problems.”

In order to prevent such problems, it is recommended that one regularly cleanses their colon, small and large intestine. This is known as ‘colon cleansing.’ As the average adult has between 5 and 40 pounds of compacted waste in their bowels, a good colon cleanse would be of great benefit. It is important to know that all colon cleansing treatments are not equal, however.
The five major ways that one can cleanse their colon:

• Colon Hydrotherapy (also know as colonic irrigations)
• Enemas
• Herbal supplements
• Laxatives
• Oxygen-based Cleansers

Each of these treatments has their pros and cons. For most, however, an oxygen-based cleanser will do the best job of removing the most toxic waste and improving the health of your colon. Let’s review each type of treatment to find out why.
The Different Types of Colon Cleansing
Colon Hydrotherapy

Colon hydrotherapy is the process of warm, filtered water being gently fused into the colon through the anus via a plastic tubing that is disposable. This procedure must be performed by a certified or licensed professional for optimum results and safety.

Visit http://www.cathysheaschool.com/ for a list of GRADUATES who are qualified by international standards. Colon hydrotherapy cleanses the large intestine only and the instrument used must be FDA cleared to ensure sanitary conditions.

When used in conjunction with an OXYGEN based cleanser, it is possible, over time, to rid the body of toxins and impacted toxins in both the small and large intestine. Home use systems are available and are best used as an adjunct to the therapy performed by one's professional colon hydrotherapist.

Colon hydrotherapy is also know as ‘colonic irrigation’ and ‘using colenemas.’

Enemas
Enemas are a treatment that has been used for many centuries to treat constipation. Their effectiveness, however, depends on the type of enema that is used. In general, enemas will only remove material from the lower part of the colon and none are able to oxidize or melt away the compaction. They are useful, however, for emptying the rectum , which is the lowest 8 to 12 inches of the colon. On the other hand, many do not like having to insert the enema into their rectal cavity.

The main types of enemas are water enemas (similar to hydrotherapy except using a bag as much less water), coffee enemas, and clay enemas.

Herbal Supplements
You’ll find many products online and on store shelves that contain psyllium husk. These are classified as herbal supplements and come in pill or capsule form. Psyllium is a bulk-forming laxative and is high in both fiber and mucilage. The laxative properties of psyllium are due to the swelling of the husk when it comes in contact with water. The resulting bulk when ingested stimulates a reflex contraction of the walls of the bowel.

The psyllium acts as a hard sponge as it works it way down. This often causes an emptying of the bowel. Why herbal supplements can be effective for short term bowel emptying, they are not effective in fully cleansing the bowel, removing much of the toxic waste, or improving the health of the villi in the colon. In a sense, these types of products cause contraction but not oxidation—they do not internally cleanse. While these products are fairly inexpensive ($20 or so for a month’s supply), persons who either want to properly cleanse their colon or are suffering from constipation will want to use a proper oxygen-based colon cleanser.

Laxatives
Laxatives are used as temporary treatments of constipation. While they are often effective at clearing you out, they do not cleanse. They don’t touch the compaction one bit. Further, there are serious contraindications including dehydration and loss of muscle around the colon lining. This is the most dangerous treatment for constipation. If you want to treat temporary blockage, a laxative may be helpful. If you want to experience the benefits of a proper colon cleanse or have mild or chronic constipation, however, they won’t be of much use to you.

Oxygen-Based Colon Cleansers
The hands down best way to get a thorough colon cleanse is through oxygen-based colon cleansers. The only true way you’re going to melt away that compacted matter is through an oxidation reduction reaction. Oxygen based cleansers use specialized ozonated magnesium oxidesto reduce the solid toxic mass into a liquid or gas form. The good ones work in the whole system, not just the large intestine as the other forms of constipation treatments. The ozonated magnesium oxides are able to clean the entire intestinal tract and deliver much needed oxygen along the way.

While psyllium and other fiber products simply scrape matter out through the center of a clogged colon, oxygen therapy removes old, impacted fecal matter as it detoxifies and cleans the entire colon. By thoroughly cleansing the entire intestinal tract, it allows room for a normal bowel processes. It is important to note that the very large majority of the so-called oxygen-based cleansers, however, have failed independent oxygen release tests. They simply release much less oxygen then they claim to release. This is due to the fact that they use a low-quality form of magnesium oxide that has not gone through the specialized ozonating process that allows the higher quality products to properly and fully detoxify and cleanse the entire intestinal tract.

The oxygen cleansers on the market include:
Homozon
Oxy-Powder®
Oxy-OxC
Oxy-Mag
Oxy-Mega
Aerobic Mag 07
Colozone
Colosan

In independent laboratory tests, only two products release the amount of oxygen needed to properly and completely cleanse and melt away the mucous and compacted matter in the colon. These are Homozon and Oxy-Powder®. Homozon has been around since it was invented in 1898 by Dr. Eugene Blass. Oxy-Powder® on the other hand, was developed recently, is 20% stronger in laboratory tests, contains an in-capsule catalyst, and the immune system stimulant Germanium-132.

In review, colon cleansing rids the colon of debris, and years of compacted waste and toxic material. It can prevent and help reduce a variety of health problems and is essential for anyone suffering from constipation. The treatments out there for constipation include colon hydrotherapy, laxatives, enemas, herbal supplements, and oxygen based cleansers. While each treatment has its pros and cons the recommended treatment for a proper cleansing is to use an oxygen-based colon cleanser, one of which is the aforementioned Oxy-Powder®.

This product uses ozonated magnesium oxides to clean the entire intestinal tract and remove old, impacted fecal matter as it detoxifies and cleans the entire colon.

more info at: http://www.dreddyclinic.com/products/oxypowder.htm

Colon Cleanse

One of the necessary measures for maintaining a clean and healthy internal environment is conducting a colon cleanse. The colon is a vital organ for overall health maintenance. Nutrient absorption, allergies, skin health, liver and kidney health, digestive health, and overall wellbeing are all directly affected by the health of the colon.

When debris, putrefaction, impacted fecal matter, and intestinal invaders are allowed to reside in the intestines, many health problems begin to arise. Toxins build up over time and the excess fecal matter may put pressure on internal organs.

This pressure can slow the natural muscle movement of the colon, leading to constipation and the accumulation of toxic waste in the bowels. To avoid these problems, which can eventually lead to more serious health issues like irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, and Diverticulitis, it is vital to carry out colon cleansing on a regular basis.

Reasons for Colon Cleansing
Colon cleansing will help the gastrointestinal tract become free of toxins and buildup and will allow for bowel movements that are more regular. The need for a cleanse increases if a person adopts poor dietary habits, a sedentary lifestyle, or maintains low consumption of water and high-enzyme foods, though everyone can benefit from an occasional cleanse. The consumption of white sugar, white flour, and preserved foods make efficient digestion increasingly difficult to achieve, and these habits contribute to a lack of healthy evacuation of toxins.

A sedentary lifestyle inhibits natural colon movement thereby causing the intestinal tract to move less and hold fecal matter too long. The high preservative content in many modern foods means the enzymes naturally occurring in foods have already been destroyed, adding additional stress to the digestive tract as it works to break down the particles because they aren’t receiving enough nourishment. Without a colon cleanse to help now and then, toxins accumulate, putrefy, and can harden to the sides of the colon.

The safest and healthiest method of removing this matter for promoting a healthy body is colon cleansing. The colon can be compared to a pipe system needing occasional cleaning to flow efficiently. Colon cleansing can occur in a variety of ways, and some methods are safer than others. The most beneficial, natural and safe method uses natural herbs and minerals to remove hardened matter stuck to the intestinal walls.

The Best Colon Cleanser Product
Oxy-Powder® is the most effective colon cleanser as it safely melts years of toxic waste away from the intestinal lining, and creates an inhospitable environment for yeast, harmful bacteria, and intestinal invaders. This colon cleanse option will promote an improved pathway for waste to move through, optimizing regular bowel movements, and helping you to develop a cleaner complexion, increased energy levels, and overall general health. The majority of colon cleansers are unsafe to take over prolonged periods of time, but Oxy-Powder® is safe for long-term use, and the colon will not become dependent on it to produce a bowel movement like it would with common laxatives.

Benefits of Colon Cleansing
A variety of seemingly unrelated health issues stem from an unhealthy, impacted colon. This is because a large percentage of the immune system is housed in the intestinal tract. When toxins accumulate in the colon, this affects the body’s ability to fight off infection, to eliminate waste, and to absorb sufficient nutrients from food.

A colon cleanse using Oxy-Powder® will aid in relieving and preventing many of these health issues. Fatigue, Diverticulitis, colitis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, bad breath, chronic constipation, and acne are conditions that can be diminished by maintaining a clean colon. Colon cleansing will also promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and will enable the body to better absorb nutrients from food, as well as expel undesirable waste via healthy bowel movements.

While carrying out a colon cleanse, it is important to allow the digestive system a period of rest. Digestion is a complex process, and healing this system can occur more easily when it is allowed a reprieve from digesting complex substances. During a thorough colon cleanse regimen, it is wise to consume easily digestible foods such as soups, broths, vegetable juices, and likewise to avoid high-starch and high-protein foods such as white flour, white sugar, nuts, red meat, and beans.

Conclusion: Colon Cleanse Your Way to Better Health!
Oxy-Powder® will not only help remove the buildup of years of toxin accumulation, but will promote the healing of cell walls within the intestines; it will also allow the intestines to naturally produce regular bowel movements again. Colon cleansing is a vital measure for maintaining a healthy and efficient digestive system and aiding in the prevention of chronic digestive disease. Full colon cleanses should be carried out two to three times a year for optimal health, but it is important to remember they should be instituted for temporary periods only.

Colon cleansing with harsh herbs, synthetic chemicals, or binders of any kind should be avoided, as these can cause further damage to the intestinal walls. For these and many other reasons, Oxy-Powder® is generally regarded as the safest, most natural colon cleanser that is also not habit-forming, and will promote the greatest amount of healing and sanitization of your internal digestive system. Try it and you’ll begin to notice the difference. You have nothing to lose but except what you don’t want and definitely don’t need—a bunch of internal garbage!

more info at: http://www.dreddyclinic.com/products/oxypowder.htm

Health Tip: Understanding End-Stage Renal Disease

(HealthDay News) -- End-stage renal disease (ESRD), sometimes called kidney failure, occurs when kidney damage becomes so severe that the organs function at less than 10 percent of normal capacity. When this happens, the kidneys are almost completely unable to help the body excrete waste and regulate bodily fluids.

Long bouts of chronic kidney disease, most often brought on by diabetes, is the most common cause of ESRD, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

People with ESRD must undergo lifesaving dialysis, in which a machine performs many of the normal functions of the kidneys.

Children and Harmful Acidic Toxins

It is NOT just about the food we eat. It is what we think, feel, ingest, and digest emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Asthma, allergies, hyperactivity, cancer, developmental disorders, aggressive and violent behaviors...where does it end? You want to protect your child from the bad things in the world and provide the best nourishment so that he or she will have the best foundation possible for a strong, well-developed immune system.

You buy organic food, use organic cotton clothing and diapers and buy all of your baby's personal care products at the local health food store. Regulations define the word organic for the foods that you buy. Sadly, there are no regulations defining the word organic for labeling of personal care products.

Did you know that?

We think that natural body care products that are labeled as organic should contain ingredients that you wouldn't be afraid to eat. After all, isn't that how the word organic is interpreted in the natural health food industry--to define the purity of food? You've got enough on your mind.

Why do you need to study labels on body care products?

The 1993 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report "Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children" included recommendations that: all sources of (pesticide) exposure be considered (when attempting to reduce your child's pesticide exposure).

The NAS report concluded that in the absence of other factors, "infants and children are subject to rapid tissue growth and development, which will have an impact on cancer risk." Did you know that 60% of what you rub onto you or your child's skin is absorbed through the skin and can be detected in the blood within minutes?

Children's bodies are small and because they do not have an adult's ability to detoxify and excrete toxins, they absorb proportionally higher doses of toxins per unit of body weight, which means that their organs may suffer permanent and irreversible damage more quickly because they are not fully developed.

Chemicals in body care products have been linked to reproductive problems in both women (e.g., endometriosis and the increasingly early onset of puberty in young girls) and men (e.g., falling sperm counts and congenital birth defects of the reproductive organs) and to some cancers. Many synthetic chemicals have also been linked to developmental deficiencies and learning disabilities in children.

The FDA web site has an update that lists some body care chemicals (some found in "natural" baby body care products!) that were found cause to cancer in laboratory animals. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently found that repeated application to skin of some of these chemicals (that the FDA lists)--diethanolamine (DEA), or its fatty acid derivative cocamide DEA--induced liver and kidney cancer.

NTP also emphasized that DEA is readily absorbed through the skin and accumulates in organs, such as the brain, where it induces chronic toxic effects.

Chemicals from the FDA list likecocamide DEA, lauramide DEA or MEA or triethanolamine (TEA) don't belong in baby products or body care for anybody! (These chemicals are also found in dishwashing detergents.)Because children are more susceptible to these toxins than adults, we need to be especially careful about what they inhale and what we rub onto their skin. Problems from synthetic "fragrance" reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation.

Exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. Did you know that fragrance chemical ingredients don't need to be included on product labels? Remember, babies can't tell you that they are experiencing a migraine or lung tightness when you use the lotion with a synthetic "fruity" fragrance.

Here's the bottom line: chemicals pollute the planet in their manufactured form and they pollute your body and your home. They don't benefit you or your children in any way. So why use them at all?I have said if you can't eat your hair or skin care products then don't put them on your skin! For this reason I have created the first all natural chemically free (acid free) alkalizing hair and skin care product line on the planet called, "phorever Young."

TMFor more information on pH Miracle Living for you and your children and/or the "phorever Young" TM hair and skin care products,
visit our website at:
http://www.phmiracleliving.com/

Update: A Common Misconception

It is often said that 'acidic ' fruits like lemons, limes and grapefruits will acidify the blood and tissues.

In fact, the citric, lactic, and other acids in such low sugar fruits - unlike high sugar fruits - exsist primarily in their anionic (basic or electron) form, especially as their Na+ and K+ salts (e.g., potassium citrate). Following absorption, these anions (bases or electrons) are metabolized to sodium bicarbonate.

Thus, lemons, limes and grapefruits alkalinize - not acidify - blood and tissues.Alkalinization occurs - even though the pH is typically low - because free cations (protons or acids) are more than directly offset by the generated sodium bicarbonate from the low sugar fruit.

For example, a liter of lime juice with a pH of 4, has 10 to the minus 4 moles of free cations (protons or acids). The quantity of organic anions (bases or electrons) in the lime juice far exceeds this number of free cations (protons or acids) and therefore, a net alkalinization will occur. This net alkalinization does not occur with high sugar fruit drinks like grape juice or grape juice concentrate, pear juice or pear juice concentrate, apple juice or apple juice concentrate - all found as ingredients in the Himalayan Goji Juice.

The Himalayan Goji Juice has a pH of 3.65, an ORP of +181 mV, a rH2 of 25.81. Furthermore, with the additional 132 grams of sugar per liter or 4 grams per 30 ml (1 liter of Goji Juice contains over 1/4 pound of sugar) , the cations (protons or acids) from sugar metabolism will drive the pH as low as 1.50, the ORP in excess of +500 mV, and the rH2 over 30, making this beverage highly acidic and toxic to the body.Summary: The quantity of organic cations (protons or acids) from high sugar fruits and fruit drinks like Himalayan Goji Juice significantly exceeds the number of free anions (bases or electrons).

Therefore, a net acidification occurs in the blood and tissues.When testing the saliva or urine after drinking a high sugar fruit drink like the Himalayan Goji Juice, your result will be a false positive. The acidic fruit juice beverage with its high sugar content (Goji juice has 4 grams of sugar per ounce or 20% sugar by volumn) will cause the pH of the saliva or urine to immediately increase by 1 or 2 points, or 10 to 100 times on the pH scale.

This activates the body's buffering system and causes a release of sodium bicarbonate from the salivary glands to nuetralize the cations (protons or acids) from the highly acidic fruit or fruit juice. This release of sodium bicarbonate from the salivary glands causes a reduction in the overall alkaline reserves of the body, and further acidifies the blood and tissues.

A prime example of this is found when the bones of our body are used to buffer the acids from eating or drinking acidic fruits.About two thirds of bone mass consists of inorganic minerals, especially hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), but also brushite (CaHPO4) and the sodium, potassium and calcium salts of carbonate (CO3). When you mentally dissect these formulas it becomes clear that bone contains a huge potentail source of cation (proton or acid) acceptors, including PO4-, HPO6-, OH-. and CO3-.

Thus, bone dissolution can help mitigate a fall in pH from eating or drinking high sugar fruits and fruit drinks.During metabolic acidosis from the sugars in the fruit and fruit drinks, carbonate on the bone surface acts as a proton acceptor. An important mechanism appears to be the chemical exchange of free protons from the acidic fruit sugar bound to the carbonate.

The buffering reaction is:2H+ + CO3- <=> CO2 + H2ODuring states of metabolic acidosis buffering takes place through a combination of (1) direct chemical exchange with bone cations (protons or acids), just as during as the buffering of metabolic acids from the acidic fruit sugars, and (2) increased activity of osteoclast cells, which help mobilize additional bone mineral.

Both acute and chronic bone buffering lead to the urinary excretion of bone calcium, which will reduce bone mass (osteopenia), cause calcium stone formation in the kidneys, and cause a sudden rise in the pH of the urine. All of this high sugar fruit eating and drinking may not only cause bone loss and calcium stone formation, but also eventually lead to renal damage and then renal failure.Conclusion: Eat and drink all the low sugar fruits and fruit drinks like avocados, peppers, lemons, limes and grapefruits because they will alkalize the blood and tissues.

They add to the alkaline reserves, not reduce the alkaline reserves of body and therefore a net alkalinization occurs. Do not eat or drink high sugar fruits or fruit drinks from apples, organges, mangos, pineapples, bananas, peaches, pears, watermelons, strawberries, blueberries, just to name a few.

Even the popular exotic fruit juice drinks like Mangosteen, Noni, Xango, Thai-Go, G3, and Goji will acidify the blood and tissues and deplete the alkaline reserves of the body which may result in bone loss, calcium stones in the brain, breast, liver and kidneys, and/or renal failure.

In order to achieve outstanding health, energy and vitality one must maintain the alkaline design of their body with an alkaline lifestyle and diet.For more information on alkalizing the body and pH Miracle Living,

visit our website at: www.phmiracleliving.com

ph Miracle Center

Aspergillosis

Definition

Aspergillosis is a large spectrum of diseases caused by members of the genus Aspergillus(see Table below). The three principal entities are: allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, pulmonary aspergilloma and invasive aspergillosis. Colonization of the respiratory tract is also common. The clinical manifestation and severity of the disease depends upon the immunologic state of the patient. Lowered host resistance due to such factors as underlying debilitating disease, neutropenia chemotherapy, disruption of normal flora, and an inflammatory response due to the use of antimicrobial agents and steroids can predispose the patient to colonization, invasive disease, or both. Aspergillus spp. are frequently secondary opportunistic pathogens in patients with bronchiectasis, carcinoma, other mycoses, sarcoid, and tuberculosis.

Forms of the disease

¹This is the most common site of primary invasive aspergillosis.

Prognosis and therapy

Special resources: You may also want to refer to the Infectious Disease Society of America-Mycoses Study Group (IDSA-MSG) Practice Guidelines for this disease. It is available at the IDSA website. In addition, The Aspergillus web site offers an in-depth look into all aspects of invasive aspergillosis.

Prognosis depends upon the type and severity of disease as well as the immunological status of the patient. Allergic aspergillosis is typically a chronic entity, but evolves from episodes of acute corticosteroid-responsive asthma to fibrotic end-stage lung disease. Allergic aspergillosis has been successfully treated with corticosteroids, and intraconazole. The prolonged use of steroids in cases of chronic aspergillosis should be approached with caution.

Aspergillomas may be treated by surgical resection. However, this approach may cause significant morbidity and mortality, therefore it should be reserved for patients at high risk to develop severe hemoptysis.

Invasive aspergillosis may be treated with voriconazole, amphotericin B (deoxycholate and lipid preparations), and itraconazole [574, 2171]. The ability of voriconazole to effectively treat invasive aspergillosis and to reduce associated mortality was recently demonstrated by a large well-conducted randomized trial and is particulary noteworthy. A large number of new investigational drugs (posaconazole, ravuconazole, caspofungin, FK463, and anidulafungin (LY303366)) have activity against Aspergillus spp. and are being extensively evaluated. Caspofungin was also recently licensed in the United States for treatment of invasive aspergillosis in patients who are refractory to, or intolerant of other therapies (i.e., amphotericin B, lipid formulations of amphotericin B, and/or itraconazole). However, despite these advances in therapy, the invasive forms of aspergillosis are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality.

Selection of therapy also needs to consider the certainty of the diagnosis. Voriconazole, itraconazole, the investigational azoles with anti-mould activity, and amphotericin B all possess a reasonably broad-spectrum of activity against Aspergillus and the related hyaline moulds. Their activity does, however, vary for the agents of zygomycosis, with posaconazole being the azole with the most reliable activity against this class of fungi. The echinocandin glucan synthesis inhibitors (caspofungin, FK463, and anidulafungin) possess a narrower spectrum of activity and should only be used if the infection is known to be due to Aspergillus spp.

Histopathology

The tissue reaction in aspergillosis is acute suppurative inflammation with areas of ischemic necrosis. The fungus proliferates as septate hyphae 2.5-4.5 µm in diameter . The hyphae can be characterized as branching dichotomously (approximately 45°C angle) with the overall appearance of an army on the march. The hyphae may branch irregularly and appear similar to hyphae found in zygomycosis. Blood vessel invasion, thrombosis, infarction, and dissemination are extremely common.

Laboratory

Direct examination

Clinical material, such as fluids, sputa, or tissue, is mounted in 10% KOH. Long, branching, hyaline, septate hyphae approximately 3.0 µm in diameter typify aspergillosis. The demonstration of hyphae in the clinical specimen and the repeated recovery of the same species of Aspergillus in culture is critical in supporting the diagnosis of aspergillosis. It must always be remembered that a number of other fungi can be morphologically identical to Aspergillus in tissue. On rare occasions, the hyphae of an Aspergillus sp. may have lateral conidia in tissue.

Isolation

Inoculate the clinical material onto Sabouraud glucose agar, Inhibitory Mould Agar (IMA) or other proper medium with antibiotics (gentamicin or chlorampenicol) and incubate at 30°C. The aspergilli are sensitive to cycloheximide, hence they will not grow on media containing this antimicrobial agent. Discard negative cultures after 4 weeks.

Mycology (principal fungi)

- Aspergillus flavus

- Aspergillus fumigatus

- Aspergillus glaucus group

- Aspergillus nidulans

- Aspergillus niger

- Aspergillus terreus group

Detection of galactomannan antigen in serum

The mortality rate of invasive aspergillosis is as high as 50-100% and definitive diagnosis by culture may take as long as 4 weeks. Thus, early diagnosis is of remarkable significance for earlier initiation of antifungal therapy and reduction of mortality rates. Detection of galactomannan antigen, an exoantigen of Aspergillus, has recently been shown to be a useful screening test for early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Platelia Aspergillus EIA (Bio-Rad Laboratories) is a commercially available kit used to detect galactomannan antigen in body fluids. This method can detect as little as 1 ng/ml of galactomannan in the tested sample. Serum is the most frequently tested specimen and appears to provide highest sensitivity. Use of other samples such as bronchoalveolar lavage and cerebrospinal fluid also appears to provide promising results.

Galactomannan antigen positivity is among the microbiological diagnostic criteria proposed by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EUORTC) and Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (MSG) for diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. This tool continues to gain acceptance: the US Food & Drug Administration approved the marketing of Platelia Aspergillus EIA kit in USA on 16 May 2003.

Galactomannan antigen positivity can be detected 5-8 days (average) before clinical signs develop (in 65.2% of patients), findings on chest X-ray are visible (in 71.5% of patients) and culture results become positive (in 100% of patients). The test should be used as a screening test for patients at high risk of developing invasive aspergillosis. Detection of positive results particularly in two consecutive serum samples provides strong support for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis. Platelia Aspergillus EIA can also be used for follow-up of clinical response to antifungal therapy. The titer of the antigen tends to decrease in case of clinical response, except for patients who are treated with an echinocandin compound.


The overall sensitivity and specificity of the method were 80.7% and 89.2%, respectively, in the dataset submitted to the US FDA. False positive reactions have been observed in 1-18% of the tested samples and may be due to cross reactivity or false positive antigenemia. Cross reactivity may be due to the existence of other fungi, such as Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium digitatum, Rhodotorula rubra, and Paecilomyces variotii in the tested sample [2216]. The mechanism of false positive antigenemia, on the other hand, has not been fully clarified. It appears to be more frequent in children and may develop after translocation of galactomannan antigen found in various food stuff (bread, pasta, corn flakes, rice, cake, turkey, sausage, etc.) through the damaged intestinal mucosa. In addition to these, very recent data have shown that the serum samples of patients receiving piperacillin/tazobactam (Zosyn^®), an injectable antibacterial combination product from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, may also yield false positive galactomannan antigen test results. Detection of galactomannan antigen in certain batches of Zosyn^® strengthened this finding. Thus, Bio-Rad, the manufacturer of the Platelia Aspergillus EIA kit, now states that positive galactomannan antigen test results in patients treated with Zosyn^® should be interpreted cautiously. Since the existence of invasive aspergillosis cannot be ruled out in these patients, other methods should be used for confirmation of the diagnosis. You may refer to the practice caution document (released on November 20, 2003) concerning Zosyn^® and the Platelia Aspergillus EIA test kit for more detailed information.

You may also want to review our subpage for more detailed information on the key data regarding the use of the galactomannan antigen test in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis.

Natural habitat

Aspergillus spp. are ubiquitous in the environment. They are especially common in the soil and decaying vegetation.

Susceptibility Testing

Susceptibility testing is not routinely used to guide therapy of aspergillosis. We offer both a general discussion of susceptibility testing and a searchable database from which you can retrieve specific results from a variety of published articles.

Related Sites and Therapy Information

• The Aspergillus web site is an excellent and comprehensive resource on all aspects of diagnosis and management of invasive aspergillosis.


• The Infectious Disease Society of America-Mycoses Study Group (IDSA-MSG) Practice Guideline for treating aspergillosis is available at the IDSA website.

Search for Aspergillosis articles
PubMed

References


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2171. Stevens, D. A., V. L. Kan, M. A. Judson, V. A. Morrison, S. Dummer, D. W. Denning, J. E. Bennett, T. J. Walsh, T. F. Patterson, and G. A. Pankey. 2000. Practice guidelines for diseases caused by Aspergillus. Clin. Infect. Dis. 30:696-709.


2172. Stevens, D. A., H. J. Schwartz, J. Y. Lee, B. L. Moskovitz, D. C. Jerome, A. Catanzaro, D. M. Bamberger, A. J. Weinmann, C. U. Tuazon, M. A. Judson, T. A. E. Platts-Mills, A. C. DeGraff, Jr., J. Grossman, R. G. Slavin, and P. Reuman. 2000. A randomized trial of itraconazole in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. N Engl J Med. 342:756-762.


2216. Swanink, C. M. A., J. F. G. M. Meis, A. J. M. M. Rijs, J. P. Donnelly, and P. E. Verweij. 1997. Specificity of a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting Aspergillus galactomannan. J. Clin. Microbiol. 35:257-260.


2323. Verweij, P. E., K. Brinkman, H. P. H. Kremer, B. J. Kullberg, and J. Meis. 1999. Aspergillus meningitis: Diagnosis by non-culture-based microbiological methods and management. J Clin Microbiol. 37:1186-1189.


2324. Verweij, P. E., J.-P. Latge, A. J. M. M. Rijs, W. J. G. Melchers, B. E. De Pauw, J. A. A. Hoogkamp-Korstanje, and J. F. G. M. Meis. 1995. Comparison of antigen detection and PCR assay using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients receiving treatment for hematological malignancies. J. Clin. Microbiol. 33:3150-3153.


2341. Viscoli, C., M. Machetti, P. Gazzola, A. De Maria, D. Paola, M. T. Van Lint, F. Gualandi, and M. Truini. 2002. Aspergillus galactomannan antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid of bone marrow transplant recipients with probable cerebral aspergillosis. J Clin Microbiol. 40:1496-1499.

Oxygen Therapies, A New Way of Approaching Disease

Ed McCabe's 1988 bestseller Oxygen Therapies, A New Way of Approaching Disease sold over 250,000 copies by word of mouth and without a major publisher! He has also appeared on over 1,500 TV, radio, and lecture platforms. The people want what he has to say! Now, after 14 more years of intensive international researching, visiting clinics, lecturing to huge crowds, and interviewing thousands of successful oxy-therapy users, Mr. Oxygen , wrote it all down for you and announces his brand new project, the best Oxygen Therapy book in history, Flood Your Body with Oxygen .
Part 1 Problems: Everybody gets sick eventually. Here's why. In the process of creating all these conveniences and marketplace choices, we have made a lot of bad choices and let our daily air and water become polluted, and this pollution has increasingly been collecting inside us. Also, our mass-produced processed foods are grown on mega-farm soils that are de-mineralized and also lacking natural oxygen. These two major conditions are chronically hampering our ability to get and absorb enough fresh oxygen inside us at the cellular level. This chronic low oxygen condition that we all have causes our cellular oxygen levels to drop so our blood becomes more and more polluted. Dirty blood sets the stage for all the diseases. Because we all have this condition, our health officials tell us it is 'normal' to have dark brown-purplish blood.

Is it 'normal' that so many are sick? The increasing rates of viral infections and cancers are not by coincidence. The proof of this can easily be seen by looking at your own blood with specialized darkfield microscopes. You will be amazed what you find there. Our too-low cell oxygen levels encourage toxic buildups and the growth of anaerobic (can't live in active oxygen) microbes such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogens inside us and inside our animals and pets, and in our plants. Anaerobes and toxicity slowly building up and overtaking us until we break down are the ultimate cause of most human, animal, and plant health problems as well as being the precursors to the whole list of 'incurable' diseases.
Part 2 Solutions: There are proven, safe, and effective re-oxygenating and re-mineralizing techniques not presently taught in our medical schools and they're not just simply breathing oxygen from a tank and eating dirt. These little known (in our country) techniques have been used safely and effectively on the international scene daily for over 50 years by thousands of doctors. The international Oxygen Therapy doctors commonly surround anaerobic microbes, viruses, bacteria and cancer cells with active forms of oxygen they can't live in. This first oxidizes the offending toxins and microbes and cells, and then flushes them out. Flood Your Body With Oxygen lists and explores all known active Oxygen Therapies, devices, and products and ranks their effectiveness. Flood Your Body With Oxygen has plenty of photos and reveals how the doctors all over the world use these active Oxygen Therapies, and offers consumer-patient and physician-healer guidelines showing "What to watch out for".
Part 3 Evidence: Flood Your Body With Oxygen lists piles of historical and modern studies proving active oxygen's effectiveness, showing its 50-year prolific use internationally, and revealing the top quality documentation proving its safety. Lists of doctors, Naturopaths, clinics, products, and contacts are included. Flood Your Body With Oxygen is written in a lively conversational style for everyone with a body. You, your doctor, the animal and plant owners, the farmers, and everybody else will be amazed at the simple profound and powerful results obtainable from these unpublicized professional techniques.

FUNGUS

FUNGUS
The species specific understanding of, and difference between bacterial phase and fungal phase developments in blood pictures.

©Copyright 1997 by Michael Coyle, Petaluma, California, USA(Explore Issue: Volume 8, Number 3)
Diseases of the skin, digestive organs, urogenitary tract, mouth, etc. are caused by the multiplication and spread of fungal microorganisms known as mycelia. Mycoses (fungal infections) range in degree from unnoticed to fatal. They are directly related to asthma and allergic alveolitis reactions. They are dealt with by the immune system and competition from other microbes or earlier developmental phases of their own cyclogeny.
Fungal infections can be classified as;
Superficial -- those that effect hair, skin, nostrils, genitals, and oral mucosa
Subcutaneous -- those which occur beneath the skin
Deep -- those which effect the internal organs, lungs, liver, bones, lymph, brain, heart, and urinary tract
These infections often occur in those on long-term antibiotic therapies, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressant drugs. This type of opportunistic infection is common in those with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, commonly known as AIDS, and also CFIDS (chronic fatigue syndrome).
Some of these fungal forms are received from the environment, are transmitted sexually, or are transmitted through mother's milk (Candida albicans). Candida remains in non-virulent phases of development until the terrain allows for its progression into more complex pathogenic forms. The efficacy of many of the SANUM fungal remedies is based on the sexual activity of the particular species of microorganisms (and/or the benign effect altogether, through competition, on the terrain) which is initiated through the process of reinstalling the microbial flora in the body in it's apathogenic earlier phases of development. The flora that was installed then copulates with the pathogenic variety and shares the sexual information of the earlier phases, which, all things being equal (terrain modulation, removal of stressors, proper diet, lifestyle, etc.) causes the pathogenic form to convert or be reduced to the apathogenic variety. It is believed that the pathogens are also reduced in valence through the actual activity of the copulatory process.
The main causes of pathogenic albicans overgrowth are indiscriminate antibiotic application and dental inclusions from mercury tooth amalgams. Other factors include addictions to coffee, chocolate, drugs, unsafe sexual pratices, immuncompromisation, stress, chemicals, radiation, improper diet, etc.
The fungal overgrowth occurs because its natural competitors have been removed, in the case of antibiotic usage. In the case of dental amalgams or metals, it is due to decreased immunity from immunocompromisation. The candida also adsorbs the mercury in the gut, thereby serving the function of keeping it from moving deeper in the system, to some degree. A good inclusion in a program of remedies for alleviation of mercury toxicity in the nervous system and brain is broken cell wall chlorella, because not only is it similar to the fungus in that it adsorbs the mercury, but also carries it away.

Clinical Trials Update: Aug. 26, 2005

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of CenterWatch:

Yeast Infections
If you are 18 years of age of older and are experiencing itching, burning and/or irritation in the vaginal area, you may qualify for a clinical research study on yeast infection. All office visits, medical evaluations and study medications related to this study will be provided at no charge. Research site located in Clarksville, Tenn.

More Information
Please see
www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat249.html.
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Ulcerative Colitis
Multi-Specialty Research Associates of NC is conducting a clinical research trial of an investigational medication for maintenance of ulcerative colitis remission. Qualified participants will receive study-related physical exams, study-related lab tests and study medication. Research site located in Raleigh, NC.
More Information
Please see
www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat152.html.
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Chronic Back Pain
Coastal Medical Research Group, Inc., is conducting a clinical trial in which eligible participants will receive all study-related physician visits, laboratory services, and study medications at no charge. You may qualify if you are 21-75 years of age and have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the hip/knee or chronic low back pain. Research site located in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
More Information
Please see
www.centerwatch.com/patient/studies/cat19.html.
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Copyright 2005 CenterWatch.
All rights reserved.
Last reviewed: 08/26/2005 Last updated: 08/26/2005