Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
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 Still others, especially the antioxidant vitamins c and e, and the carotenoids, actively guard against the metabolic conditions that lead to heart disease. The key to prevention and health is balance making sure you get the right amounts of the right nutrients. Chapter 16 will offer good base levels of the key nutrients that affect cardiovascular health. Let's look at some of the most important ones. |
James F. Balch, M.D.
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 Three of the best antioxidants are vitamins c and e and beta-carotene, which have been proven to protect the body against oxidative damage. They are found in many types of foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin C is the most studied antioxidant, so it should not be surprising that we know more about what it can do. Vitamin c boosts the body's immunity by strengthening the thymus and lymph glands. The best sources of vitamin c are tropical fruits, such as papaya and kiwi, but the more readily available citrus fruits, like grapefruits and oranges, are good sources of vitamin C as well. |
Linda B. White, M.D.
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 Clinical studies have confirmed that best results are obtained when using combinations of selenium, vitamins c and e, and beta-carotene.
When macular degeneration is detected early, its progress may be slowed by laser surgery, which preserves your sight for a longer period of time. Laser surgery is also used for a rare variety of the disease called exudative macular degeneration, in which a part of the retina discharges a pus-like substance.
Herbal Remedies
Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
This anthocyanoside-rich herb has strong antioxidant effects. |
James F. Balch, M.D.
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| Seleniumworks with vitamins c and e to detoxify the body.
Radiation
It is popular today to laugh at the mid-1950s science fiction movie Godzilla in which a giant mutant-monster born from the fallout created by a nuclear explosion rises up from the Pacific Ocean to wreak havoc on Tokyo. But, while this movie takes its message to the point of camp, it does underline one frightening truth: the world is filled with free radical radiation, most of which is the result of modern technological advances. |
| Lipoic acid interacts synergistically with vitamins c and e, potentiating and conserving them. When your body is deficient in lipoic acid, the other antioxidants do not work as well together.
Lipoic Acid and Diabetes, Retinal Disease,
Cataract Formation, and Peripheral Nerve and Heart Damage
Lipoic acid is good for the diabetic, normalizing the blood sugar, and even more important, protecting against glycation, which causes many of the disorders associated with diabetes. |
| Vitamins C and E have proven to be more effective than Pycnogenol in other tests against other free radicals. It really depends on what you are testing.
Recommendation
Consider this as very important. The best course of action is to use as many sources of antioxidants as you can and let them all work together. Every antioxidant has specific functions and all of them are needed to fight the variety of free radicals that we must confront. I suggest a dosage of 50 to 100 mg daily of Pycnogenol. |
Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
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| Reducing free radical damage with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin E, and the carotenoids may slow or even prevent certain degenerative diseases. vitamins c and e may also help prevent cataracts, and vitamin E may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.4 Other nutrients, such as zinc and selenium, are precursor elements that the body uses to manufacture its own antioxidants. |
Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D.
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 They also add color, creaminess, and a delightful taste to a salad, not to mention that they are rich in B vitamins, vitamins c and e, and most minerals. Mix them with citrus and the combination is heavenly. |
| In addition to hefty doses of antioxidant nutrients such as vitamins c and e and selenium, folic acid, and fiber, vegetables and fruit contain more than 12,000 compounds that boost your body's natural defenses against disease. They encourage cells to raise their levels of enzymes that hinder cancer-causing substances from initiating cancer, act as antioxidants to fend off cancer, and regulate hormones that otherwise encourage cancer growth. Here's a partial list of what you'll find on a plateful of plants. |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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 ALA has the ability to restore missing electrons and extend the life of other antioxidants, such as vitamins c and e. This activity is crucial in neuropathy because it is difficult to remove inflammation from the affected nerve tissue due to its complex barriers. The concentration of antioxidants that ALA supports seems to slowly build up in the tissue, removing inflammation and allowing repair to occur over several months.
To reduce the general inflammation, I use evening primrose oil. The Ayurvedic herb bala can be useful. Acupuncture often benefits neuropathy. |
| General Guidelines for a Healthy Diet and Lifestyle
Take a high-potency multivitamin and multimineral supplement each day (add extra doses of vitamins c and e when indicated).
Drink plenty of fresh water.
Get fresh air and exercise every day.
Eat meals at a regular time.
Avoid rushing meals.
Limit snacks.
Avoid late-night or bedtime eating.
Chew food thoroughly.
Read labels.
Don't eat anything you can't pronounce.
Don't smoke.
Don't drink excess alcohol.
To keep it simple, I have left out cold and dry as separate entities. |
Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
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| People who regularly exercise strenuously need higher levels of antioxidant nutrients, especially vitamins c and e.
Also at some risk are people who go on exercise binges, engaging in strenuous exercise for short periods and then stopping cold. This kind of short-term stress weakens the immune response without giving the body a chance to establish a balance. People who are accustomed to regular exercise and then stop may also experience some degree of immune suppression. |
Frances Darragh and Louise Darragh Law
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 HERBS
Recurrent problems indicate a mineral imbalance, so drink herbs rich in Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamins C and E: Valerian,
Dandelion, Comfrey, Thyme, Chamomile, Yellow Dock, and Sage.
Stomach Cramps: Use one or more of the following: Peppermint, Chamomile, Fennel Seed, Catnip, and/or ground Cloves. Apply a few drops of Teatree oil externally to the affected area.
HOMEOPATHIC
Calc Carb 30c: Helps to remove a tendency to cramps. Cocculus 30c: Cramps in chest.
Colocynth 30c: Cramp in hip or stomach, causing child to bend double. Cupric 30c: For cramps in calves, soles, and palms. |
Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND
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 Deficiencies of vitamins c and e are common. Left untreated, Crohn's disease can become life-threatening in some cases.
Once rare, Crohn's disease is becoming more and more common. There are about twice as many cases today as there were thirty years ago, and as many as 500,000 cases are diagnosed annually. This disorder is four times more common in Caucasians and Jews than in people of other races and ethnic backgrounds. Although it is not contagious and no genetic markers have been identified, it does tend to run in families. |
Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A.
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 Moreover, it has the remarkable ability to recycle several other important antioxidants including vitamins c and e, glutathione, and coenzyme Q , as well as itself. This is truly a universal antioxidant.
Alpha lipoic acid helps diabetics normalize blood sugar levels. Research has shown that it protects rat pancreatic islet cells from free radical damage.4 It was also found to stimulate glucose uptake by muscle cells in a manner similar to insulin. |
The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
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 What's more, people who got less of the antioxidant vitamins c and e and carotenoids such as beta-carotene were more likely to develop cataracts and macular degeneration, a vision-destroying disease that affects mainly older people. People who got plentiful supplies of these antioxidants were 37 percent less likely to have heart attacks.
So not only do antioxidants seem to prevent the diseases that accelerate us into old age, they also seem to be helping us to maintain quality of life.
Getting people to eat more as they age is important, says Jeffrey Blum-berg, Ph.D. |
| It's especially important to key in on good food sources of vitamins c and e and beta-carotene." Good sources include orange and yellow vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
"In addition, I'd go so far as to advise people who want to take steps to slow down the aging process to take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement," he says. "The idea behind this is that you can die 'young' as late as possible."
Alcoholism
Repairing Nutritional Damage
"Vou probably know someone with a drinking problem. In fact, maybe that person is you.
Problems with alcohol are fairly common in the United States. |
| Antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins c and e neutralize free radicals by offering their own electrons and so protect healthy molecules from harm.
Although your body is armed with a hefty supply of antioxidants, free radical activity is so rampant after a serious burn that your supply is quickly depleted, giving free radicals free rein. |
| And when you do indulge, down vitamins c and e with your meal. Vitamin C neutralizes nitrosamines, while vitamin E inhibits their formation.
Don't get too sweet. Diets rich in sugar can increase your risk of cancer, studies show. Experts point out that a high-sugar diet is likely to also be high in fat and low in fiber and other nutrients.
Go easy on the alcohol. Drinking by itself can increase the risk of cancer two to three times. But mix even moderate levels of alcohol with smoking, and your risk of mouth and throat cancers skyrockets 15-fold, according to one study. |
Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A.
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| Other antioxidant defenses include vitamins c and e, alpha lipoic acid, polyphenols, and the enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. Each antioxidant is important, and each has a separate role in protection against free radical damage.40 Oxidative damage resulting from free radical attack has been linked to the onset of a number of degenerative diseases and conditions. |
The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
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| Antioxidant Onslaught
Another way to thwart the effects of endometriosis is by upping your intake of these antioxidant nutrients: vitamins c and e, beta-carotene (which converts to vitamin A in the body) and the mineral selenium. Antioxidants are best known for their ability to fight free radicals, the naturally occurring unstable molecules that cause tissue damage in the body by stealing electrons from healthy molecules to balance themselves. Doctors know that antioxidants can also build immunity, lessen cramping and reduce excessive menstrual bleeding. |
Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A.
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| Antioxidant defenses that protect the body from free radical damage include the enzymes superoxide dismutate, catalase, and glutathione peroxides; vitamins C and E; carotenoids; alpha-lipoic acid; and the bioflavanoids. There is extensive evidence to implicate free radicals in the development of degenerative disease and conditions.25
Both exogenous and hereditary factors are believed to be involved in cancer development. In humans, it has been estimated that 80 to 90 percent of all cancers are environmentally induced, approximately 3 5 percent of them by diet. |
Frances Darragh and Louise Darragh Law
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| FOR BOTH HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEATSTROKE
HERBS
To help stabilize the temperature levels and provide adequate Vitamins C and E: Lavender, Rosemary, Skullcap, and Lemon Balm can be sipped often. These can be taken together or separately.
HOMEOPATHIC
Belladonna 30c: Bounding pulse, delirium, burning red hot and dry skin. Pupils are dilated and fixed.
Bryonia 30c: Splitting headache, worse from sitting up and moving about which makes child nauseated.
China 30c: Great exhaustion brought on by excessive sweating; hot face with cold hands. |
Sharol Tilgner, N.D.
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 Consider Beta carotene and vitamins c and e.
Quercetin
Ground flax seeds or flax oil
Profiles of herbs used in this formula:
Khella, Ammi visnaga, is a powerful antispasmodic for the bronchioles, partially because it is a calcium antagonist.6-7 It is slow to take effect so it is more specific for long term treatment of asthma rather than acute treatment. Its effect lasts up to 6 hours.
Ma huang, Ephedra sinica/spp., is an alpha and beta adrenergic agonist. It also releases norepinephrine from sympathetic neurons. |
| Consider Beta carotene and vitamins c and e.
Quercetin
Ground flax seeds or flax oil
Profiles of herbs used in this formula:
Ma huang, Ephedra sinica/spp., is an alpha and beta adrenergic agonist. It also releases norepinephrine from sympathetic neurons. It is a diuretic, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, decongestant, bronchodila-tor, anti-inflammatory and antitussive.58,59 It keeps the airways open, allowing free flow of air due to its antispasmodic nature. It is also an extremely drying herb, decreasing congestion in the respiratory tract. |
Jean Carper
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 Evidence has been mounting over the last decade, showing that antioxidant vitamins, notably vitamins c and e, can ward off blockages of coronary arteries. Studies in monkeys, our closest relatives, have found that clogged arteries, induced by a high-fat diet, are prevented and reversed by modest doses of vitamin E. In a remarkable six-year research project Anthony J. Verlangieri, Ph.D., of the University of Mississippi's Atherosclerosis Research Laboratory, fed monkeys a high-fat lard-cholesterol diet. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 Effective antioxidants include vitamins c and e, zinc, selenium, and cysteine.
Carnitine
Although the use of lipotropic agents (nutritional compounds that promote the flow of fat to and from the liver) appears warranted in treating alcoholic fatty liver disease, many commonly used lipotropic agents, including choline, niacin, and cysteine, appear to have little value.1516 One lipotropic agent, carnitine, does significantly inhibit alcohol-induced fatty liver disease. It has been suggested that chronic alcohol consumption results in a functional deficiency of carnitine. |
Jean Carper
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| That's why many doctors now say that antioxidant vitamins c and e in particular have crossed the line from preventive to therapeutic, becoming a new heart medication that can help save you from cardiac disability and death.
Some researchers and doctors are now pioneering the use of antioxidant vitamins as adjunct therapy to stop the deterioration of arteries and even to restore heart function and clear arteries, with amazing success. We are entering a new age of the practice of "antioxidant medicine," says Balz Frei, Ph.D. |
Prevention Magazine
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 Three of the strongest antioxidants ate beta-carotene and vitamins c and e. Each of these nutrients has been shown to be very effective against age-related illnesses like cancer and heart disease. Although you can get some protection by taking antioxidant supplements, most doctors agree that the antioxidants in foods are a bettet choice and should be your first line of defense.
"The problem is, if you take too much of one antioxidant, the others shut down," explains Richard Cutler, Ph.D. |
The Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
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| They help thwart the harmful ways of those pesky free radicals just as vitamins c and e do.
(continued on page 146)
What If You Already Have Cancer?
IVlost research regarding nuttition and cancet is geared toward preventing the disease. Some doctors, however, believe that optimum nutrition can help people with cancer live longer and better.
Doctors who consider nutritional therapy an important addition to cancer treatment tend to go far beyond the usual three squares a day recommended by hospital dietitians. |
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