A GUIDE TO NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

by Phillip Day

The following section outlines nutritional components that have been studied and used for specific purposes in relation to nutritional support for those who have a clinical illness or those wishing to exercise prevention. The purpose of this section is to inform and not to recommend any particular course of action or product. Health advice from a qualified health practitioner trained in nutrition is always advised.

INJECTABLE B-17/LAETRILE/AMYGDALIN

(available from www.cytopharmaexpress.com)

Pharmaceutical grade vitamin B-17 in metabolic therapy clinics is administered through injection for the first 21 days (Phase 1) and then orally afterwards (Home – Phase 2). 9 grams per day is used for the first 21 days in Del Rio Hospital. Dr Harold Manner used this protocol. Injectable B-17 is also sometimes administered with the tissue penetrating agent dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

Please note: Clinical tests have repeatedly shown that B-17 is only effective when used in conjunction with pancreatic enzymes to break down the pericellular coating of the malignant cell.¹ Optimised D-3 serum concentration, vitamins A and E in their emulsified form, along with high doses of vitamin C (IV and/or oral), are used in combination with B-17 to break down the cancer cell. Clinics administering metabolic therapy to their patients use these or similar supplements.

B-17 AMYGDALIN TABLETS

(available from www.cytopharmaexpress.com)

These pharmaceutical grade tablets contain the active B-17 ingredient derived from the apricot kernel ‘cake’. Available in 100 mg or 500 mg sizes. These tablets are always taken in conjunction with proteolytic enzymes or apricot seeds depending on body weight. Some doctors recommend:

• 2-4 100 mg tablets per day as a nutritional supplement for prevention (apricot seeds have been recommended by doctors in place of tablets for prevention also. See relevant section).

• 4-6 500 mg tablets per day as a nutritional supplement for clinical cancer sufferers, taken in conjunction with enzymes and vitamins A & E (emulsified). When seeds are added, the B-17 tablet dosage is reduced commensurately to avoid too much B-17 at one time. If patient has impaired liver function, B-17 should not be used.

MEGAZYME FORTE

Proteolytic enzyme supplement

Specific enzymes used in metabolic therapy for cancer include trypsin, chymotrypsin (human pancreatic enzyme), pancreatin and calf thymus (animal enzymes), papain (from papayas) and bromelain (from pineapples). These enzymes have been found to digest the protein coating on cancer cells, allowing the immune system and other agents to destroy the cell. If taking enzyme supplements as part of nutritional support for cancer, these should be consumed on an empty stomach an hour before a meal or two hours after.

EMULSIFIED VITAMIN A & E

(www.credence.org)

In 1963 when Francisco Contreras MD initiated his activities as a clinical oncologist, the use of vitamin A as a useful agent in malignant neoplasm was considered illogical and absurd. Now vitamin A is accepted as an agent of great use for the major epithelial cancers as well as for epidermis carcinomas, chronic leukaemia and transitional cells.

The first formal studies of the possible anti-tumour effects of vitamin A were initiated in Germany, by investigators of Mugos Laboratories in Munich. It was a proven fact that lung cancer in Norwegian sailors was less common than in other groups, even though they smoked since childhood. Logic indicated that it had to be the opposite. After studying this phenomenon, it was discovered that they ate abundant quantities of raw fish liver, high in vitamin A, since childhood. The logical conclusion was that high doses of such a vitamin prevented the growth of lung cancer in heavy smokers. But it was also found that high doses of vitamin A were toxic and could cause adverse reactions.

The main focus was to find out how to administer enough vitamin A to observe preventive or healing effects without injuring the liver. The solution was found when one investigator discovered that unprocessed milk had the vitamin, and children who were breast-fed never experienced toxic effects. Nature had the solution by including vitamin A in milk in the form of micro-emulsification.

Mugos investigators proceeded to prepare a variety of emulsified concentrations, formulating their famous High Concentration A-Mulsin. One drop contains 15,000 units. They were able to administer over a million units per day in progressive doses without producing hepatic toxicity. The explanation is that, in emulsified form, vitamin A is absorbed directly into the lymphatic system without going through the liver in high quantities. Having solved the toxicity problem, it was possible to test the product in high doses. It was demonstrated that emulsified vitamin A has the following effects:

• In normal doses, it protects epithelium and vision.

• In doses of 100,000 to 300,000 units per day, it works as a potent immune stimulant.

• In doses of 500,000 to 1,000,000 units per day, it works as a potent anti-tumour agent, especially in epidermis and transitional carcinomas.

• Manufacturers’ recommended dosage is 4 drops of A & E emulsified, up to two/three times a day under the tongue, or according to your physician.

VITAMIN C COMPLEX/INTRAVENOUS (IV)

(Ascorbic acid/ascorbates plus bioflavonoids, etc.)

Dr Linus Pauling, often known as the ‘Father of Vitamin C’ and twice awarded the Nobel Prize, declared that large intakes of up to 10 g of the vitamin complex each day aids anti-cancer activity within the body and also assists in repairing damaged arteries and removing arterial plaque (atherosclerosis) for heart disease sufferers. Pauling was largely derided for making these statements yet lived to be 94. Today, much higher doses of vitamin C complex are used by many practitioners for cancer/heart/stroke patients in nutritional therapy who believe Pauling was right and that the popular nutrient is indispensable to the body in its fight to regain health from cancer.

Heat destroys vitamin C. This means that for every meal you cook, 100% of the vitamin C content has been destroyed if it has been treated to sustained heat. Many go through an entire winter cooking their food because they like something warm. Since humans cannot make vitamin C in their bodies (unlike most mammals), and our only source of this valuable complex is dietary, vitamin C deficiency during the winter is extremely common, hence the need for supplementation and a high percentage of our diet to comprise raw, living, organic, whole plant-foods.

Vitamin C is not one nutrient but a complex of factors common in fruits, vegetables and many other foods. Several studies have suggested that vitamin C may reduce levels of lead in the blood. Epidemiological studies have shown that people with elevated blood serum levels of vitamin C had lower levels of blood toxicity. An examination of the data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, enrolling 4,213 youths aged 6 to 16 years and 15,365 adults 17 years and older from 1988 to 1994, found a correlation between low serum ascorbic acid levels and elevated blood lead levels. The authors conclude that high ascorbic acid intake may reduce blood lead levels.²

Ascorbic acid or the non-acidic ascorbates (calcium or magnesium ascorbates) should be taken along with bioflavonoids and a healthy, majority-raw, alkalising, plant-based diet for optimum effects. Effective supplementing is all about obtaining optimal blood plasma levels of the nutrient, say Drs. Steven Hickey and Hilary Roberts in their book, Ascorbate:

“An individual who wanted protection from, say, the common cold by taking vitamin C, would raise their blood levels more effectively by taking divided doses or slow-release formulations…. If a single dose of vitamin C raises blood levels for about six hours or one quarter of the day, the subject is unprotected for the other three quarters of the time…. The biochemical data supports Pauling’s hypothesis that, for a large proportion of the population, the optimal dose of vitamin C is several grams a day…. A single megadose tablet will only raise blood levels for a short period and is likely to be therapeutically ineffective. The aim is to raise plasma levels consistently and this requires either multiple tablets taken at short intervals throughout the day, or the use of slow release formulations.” ³

One of the greats of mega-dose vitamin C therapy was Frederick Robert Klenner MD, who was curing viral illness in the 1940’s using large amounts of the nutrient. He advocated a therapeutic use of vitamin C amounting to 350 mg of vitamin C per kilogram body weight per day (350 mg/kg/day), in divided doses.⁴ A kilogram is about 2.2 pounds, so:

Which makes a mockery of the ridiculous 60 mg RDA set by government departments around the world. Andrew Saul PhD, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, is a big fan of mega-dose vitamin C, and has two of the best websites on the subject.⁵ He introduces us to Dr Robert Cathcart III, an orthopaedic surgeon and inventor of a widely used hip replacement prosthetic, who advocated doses of vitamin C, often in excess of 100,000 mg per day, to reduce severe inflammation. In decades of practice Dr Cathcart effectively administered such treatment to tens of thousands of patients, titrating the amount of C given to ‘bowel tolerance’, i.e. to the point where dosage brought on diarrhoea, indicating a saturation of tissues. Many of his patients suffered from arthritis, back pain, or injury; some had ankylosing spondylitis.⁶ Andrew Saul writes:

“For those unable to obtain intravenous vitamin C, it is essential to pay special attention to one of the most important aspects of vitamin C therapy: dividing the dosage improves absorption and retention of vitamin C. High oral doses of vitamin C yield higher blood levels of the vitamin, and dividing the oral doses maintains those higher levels. Although initially seeming almost too obvious to mention, these are not self-evident concepts. Many a medical website and government-based dietary recommendation hinge on ignoring them. Hilary Roberts, PhD, writes: “Stressed and even mildly ill people can tolerate 1,000 times more vitamin C, implying a change in biochemistry that was ignored in creating the RDA. In setting the RDA, unsubstantiated risks of taking too much vitamin C have been accorded great importance, whereas the risks of not taking enough have been ignored. Real scientists understand that ‘no scientific proof’ is a fancy way of saying ‘we don’t like this idea.’”⁷

There is a hate campaign against vitamin C promulgated by the medical community, drug industry and their paid shills in the media. People are being told vitamin C doesn’t work or, more ridiculously, that it can harm you. The world witnessed the amazing case of New Zealand farmer Allan Smith, who was put on ECMO life-support after contracting white-out pneumonia through swine flu. Doctors were prevented from switching off Allan’s machinery only after his sons threatened court action if his father was not continually administered intravenous vitamin C. Allan’s recovery was swift and damning after the appalling spectacle of officialdom scoffing at ‘useless’ vitamin C as they repeatedly attempted to stop the treatment. Watch his story on the Credence homepage to understand precisely what you are up against.⁸

Such quoted studies which damn vitamin C as ‘useless’, when conducted at all, are low-dose trials around 100 – 200 mg. Other stories spook the public that vitamin C is harmful. These are utterly without foundation. There is not one scientific paper which shows high intakes of vitamin C cause kidney stones or any other problem. When too much is taken, the bowels become loose – the so-called bowel tolerance threshold – which is actually the best indicator of tissues saturated with C.

If you are sick, one effective way of high-dosing C is to get a glass bottle (1 – 1.5 litres), put in 20 – 30 g of vitamin C powder and fill with water, then drink throughout the day. Replenish when necessary. This ensures high potency dosage is delivered on a regular basis simultaneously with water intake. Vitamin C is very safe for kids and highly effective when they get fevers or childhood ailments. For adults, mega-dose vitamin C (oral and IV) is effective for all forms of infection, flu, muscle weakness, muscle pain, chronic lower back pain, general pain management, periodontitis, etc. Andrew Saul concludes:

“Dr. Klenner recommended daily preventive doses of 10,000 to 15,000 mg/day. He advised parents to give their children their age in vitamin C grams (1 g = 1,000 mg). That would be 2,000 mg/day for a two year old, 9,000 mg/day for a nine year old, and for older children, a levelling-off at about 10,000 mg/day. As for me, I simply say, “Take enough C to be symptom free, whatever that amount may be.” It worked for my family. I raised my children all the way into college and they never had a dose of any antibiotic. Not once. It is high time for medical professionals to welcome vitamin C megadoses and their power to cure the sick. Cure is by far the best word there is in medicine. It would seem that you cannot spell “cure” without “C.” I do not think Dr. Klenner would dispute that.”

Because smoking lowers levels of ascorbic acid in the body, researchers theorised that vitamin C supplementation may affect blood lead levels in smokers. A clinical study was performed on 75 adult men 20 to 30 years of age who smoked at least one pack of cigarettes per day, but had no clinical signs of ascorbic acid deficiency or lead toxicity. Subjects were randomly assigned to daily supplementation with placebo, 200 mg of ascorbic acid, or 1000 mg of ascorbic acid. After one week of supplementation, there was an 81% decrease in blood-lead levels in the group taking 1000 mg of ascorbic acid daily.⁹

Intravenous (IV) C: Studies show that when vitamin C is given intravenously in mega-doses, it is selectively toxic to cancer cells. Dosage varies from 30,000 mg to 200,000 mg IV/24 hours, sometimes more. There are no reported side-effects at the highest doses aside from a dry mouth and a spacey feeling in the head. The treatment is thought to work by producing large amounts of hydrogen peroxide at the cancer site (massive oxygen). Recent press reports of the effectiveness of this simple treatment have rekindled the public’s interest.¹⁰ Sadly, the pharmaceutical/medical establishment remains sceptical, chiefly due to the treatment’s lack of profitability and patentability.¹¹ www.doctoryourself.com states:

“There are many good reasons to give large quantities of vitamin C to a cancer patient. Ascorbic acid strengthens the collagen ‘glue’ that holds healthy cells together and retards the spread of an existing tumor. The vitamin also strengthens the immune system and provides a surprising level of pain relief.

But there is more. Vitamin C has been shown to be preferentially toxic to cancer cells. Laboratory and clinical studies indicate that, in high enough doses, one can maintain blood plasma concentrations of ascorbic acid high enough to selectively kill tumor cells. If you have not heard about this, it is probably because most of the best publicized (but worst designed) vitamin C and cancer studies simply have not utilized high enough doses. Now, however, Hugh Riordan MD and colleagues have treatment data which ‘demonstrate the ability to sustain plasma levels of ascorbic acid in humans above levels which are toxic to tumor cells in vitro and suggests the feasibility of using AA as a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agent.’”

VITAMIN P (bioflavonoids): another part of the Vitamin C ‘complex’. Dr Albert Szent-Gyorgi, 1937 Nobel Laureate for his isolation of vitamin C, later found other factors intrinsic to the action of C. Originally believed to be a single nutrient, vitamin C became the subject of further testing by Szent-Gyorgi, who fought long and hard to have the co-factor (bio)flavonoids included in the C complex. Coining the new bioflavonoids ‘Vitamin P’, Szent-Gyorgi argued that they were essential for proper cellular health, derived from plant pigments known as the flavonols and flavones. Bioflavonoids are widely accepted today for their health benefits and are available in hydroxylated and methoxylated forms. They are derived from the pith of fruits (mostly citrus). The term ‘Vitamin P’, on the other hand, has been less well received by the medical czars.

For more information on Vitamin C, obtain a copy of my booklet, The Essential Guide to Vitamin C.

VITAMIN D3 (CHOLECALCIFEROL)

Research shows the unequivocal benefits of vitamin D both in the prevention and treatment of cancer as well as rickets and other diseases. Lack of, and fear of sunshine, combined with processed, cooked diets has become the to-date, undeclared catastrophe of modern times. The Vitamin D Council writes:

“Technically not a ‘vitamin’, vitamin D is in a class by itself. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is actually a secosteroid hormone that targets over 1000 genes in the human body. Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more. Vitamin D’s influence on key biological functions vital to one’s health and well-being mandates that vitamin D no longer be ignored by the healthcare industry nor by individuals striving to achieve and maintain a greater state of health.”¹²

www.orthomolecular.org writes:

“If you search the US National Institutes of Health’s Medline online database for ‘cancer vitamin D’, you will find over five thousand papers… some dating back nearly 60 years.

It’s true: physician reports on vitamin D stopping cancer have been ignored for decades. In 1951, T. Desmonts reported that vitamin D treatment was effective against Hodgkin’s disease (a cancer of the lymphatic system).¹³ That same year, 57 years ago, massive doses of vitamin D were also observed to improve epithelioma.¹⁴ In 1955, skin cancer was again reported as cured with vitamin D treatment.¹⁵ In 1963, there was a promising investigation done on vitamin D and breast cancer.¹⁶ Then, in 1964, vitamin D was found to be effective against lymph nodal reticulosarcoma, a non-Hodgkin’s lymphatic cancer.¹⁷

The American Cancer Society has been obsessed with finding a drug cure for cancer. Pharmaceutical researchers are not looking for a vitamin cure. And when one is presented, as independent investigators and physicians have continuously been doing since 1951, it is ignored.”¹⁸

VITAMIN D RDA AND SUN-DOSING

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D in adults is set at 200 – 400 international units a day (IU). This is thought to be the level above which overt cases of the classic vitamin D deficiency disease rickets will not be observed. Alas, it’s not that simple. You actually need around 4,000 IU/day just to maintain the vitamin D level you already have as an adult. Do you think government scientists know this already? Of course they do. To understand vitamin D’s playing field a little better, consider the following.

Let’s say you went out to the local park in June between 11 am and 2 pm, stripped completely naked and laid out on the grass. In the half an hour it took for the local police to arrest you, scientists say you can generate around 20,000 IU of vitamin D. Of course, the mitigating factors are skin pigmentation, where you are on the planet, cloud cover, pollution, speed of police, etc. Then you get bailed out at the station, return home with your clothes on, strip off again for a shower… and wash all that vitamin D down the plug!

That’s right. Though some D is made in the epidermis (under the skin surface), it takes around 48 hours for the surface vitamin D to penetrate the skin. Being oil-soluble, vitamin D is broken down by soap and washed away in your power shower. To avoid this happening after adequate sun exposure (enough for you fair-skinned types to turn pinkish), wash off the skin with water and tend to the underarms and groin area separately. Smelly old farmers live longer – pungent but true. Dark-skinned folk need much more sun than light-skinned folk to make the same amount of vitamin D.

Watch to see when your shadow is shorter than you are. Dr John Cannell says this is a useful thumbnail to determine when the wavelength is conducive to making vitamin D. Unfortunately in the UK, your shadow is longer than you are for a good six months of the year, worse if you are above Buckingham. Trying to get sun exposure behind glass won’t work either since the vitamin-D-making UVB wavelength is disrupted. UVA gets through, however, and that’s not good news.

Every member of the population should take reasonable sun exposure not only more seriously, but view it as one of the cardinal prerequisites for a longer life. If you have dark skin and have moved to a northern country, you are especially at risk from vitamin-D-deficiency problems. Numerous studies indicate that ‘all-cause mortality’ is significantly higher if you are vitamin-D-deficient.¹⁹

VITAMIN D TESTING

If you have cancer or other serious condition, the first thing to do is find out your blood serum level of D-3. You can do this even if you are healthy and just want to know. I used to recommend getting the 25 hydroxy D test done via your GP but most have proved hopeless in understand the necessity for it as they have not been properly trained. I am therefore pleased to recommend a highly efficient mail order service hosted by Birmingham City Hospital’s Pathology Department (UK),²⁰ which will send you a test kit for £27 by mail for UK dwellers or £35 if you live abroad. When you receive the kit, you prick the underside of your fingertip with the lancet provided, place some blood spots on the card, then return the card to the hospital in the envelope provided. The lab will return your result in 5 – 10 working days depending on where you live. The D-3 reading is the one you want. My only contention with how the lab depicts your results lies in what it considers adequate or deficient. The latest research recommends the following interpretations:

< 20 nmol/L – seriously deficient – immediate action required

40 nmol/L – very deficient

40 – 100 nmol/L – deficient

130 – 150 nmol/L – normal

170 – 200 nmol/L – therapeutic

>230 nmol/L – toxic threshold²¹

Should your results processed by other means be expressed in one of the two other scales, they can be read as follows:

The ng/ml and μg/L scales

<20 ng/ml – grossly deficient

20 – 40 ng/ml – deficient

50 – 60 ng/ml – normal

70 – 90 ng/ml – therapeutic

>110 ng/ml – toxic threshold

Dr Bruce Hollis remarks that no circulating D-3 can be found until levels are 40 – 50 ng/ml (100 – 125 nmol/l). By this measure at least 85% of the US population are vitamin-D-deficient. Consider that America is below the 52^nd parallel, so the UK and northern Europe will be far worse.

If your test comes back deficient, your vitamin D level should be raised using sunlight and/or supplementation, then re-tested four weeks later to see if progress is being made. To save on time, for those who have never sorted the vitamin D-3 question, I encourage adult females to take 10,000 IU/day of D-3 for a month, during which they should obtain a vitamin D-3 test either from their GP or via the Birmingham UK facility. Supplementation can be adjusted (usually upward) to the target zone of 150 nmol/L, and this can be confirmed via a re-test in four to six weeks after the initial test. Adult males can take 15,000 IU/day for a month, during which they should get the test. Supplementation should not be continued for longer than a month without assessing the blood serum concentration of vitamin D-3 via the test.

There are specially designed, electronic-ballast ‘safe’ tanning beds, too, which emit predominant UVB wavelength. Dr Joseph Mercola recommends these but they are expensive and not to everyone’s tastes.²² In my view, the best options are sunlight and/or vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation. If you are pushing the limits with very high supplementation, the experts advise that you to get tested often and watch for calcium levels rising – an indication of the toxic threshold. There is a good margin for safety, however. Risks from toxicity with D-3 are commonly overblown and true problems only come from overdosing for months on end.

For most people, D-3 oral supplementation will be the only option during winter months. The level of supplementation is irrelevant, it’s the serum level that matters. Dr Mercola states that normal healthy individuals can supplement 3,000 IU/day per 100 lbs bodyweight and for those undergoing treatment for cancer or other serious illnesses, 5,000 IU/day per 100lbs bodyweight. Once again, if you are pushing the limits with oral supplementation to get your serum level up in a hurry, it is vital to monitor levels not only to avoid the aforementioned overdosing, but to ensure the therapeutic margin is gained.

Some people require huge initial doses of D-3 to get them into the game (50,000 – 100,000 IU). I find that for most adults who have never supplemented, though, 10,000 IU/day for a month followed by 5,000 IU/day thereafter gets them optimised without undue delay. If in doubt, you simply won’t know where you stand without testing and monitoring your level. Remember also that you weren’t designed to take vitamin D orally, so you won’t get all of the benefits associated with normal sun exposure, which is by far the most safe and efficient method of vitamin D production when done reasonably:

“There is no way to know if the recommendations given below are correct. The ONLY way to know is to test your blood. You might need 4-5 times the amount recommended below. Ideally your blood level of 25(OH)D should be 60ng/ml.” ²³

AGE ORAL DOSAGE

Below 5 35 IU per lb per day

5-10 2,500 IU/day

18-30 5,000 IU/day

Pregnant women 5,000 IU/day

TIP: If you miss a day’s supplementation, simply tack it onto the following day.

TIP 2: If you have a two year-old whose allocation is 1,000 IU/day, and you have 5,000 IU capsules, give them one every five days.

TIP 3: Now book a holiday!

For more information on vitamin D, see the Credence booklet, The Essential Guide to Vitamin D.

IODINE

Much has come out in recent times about the global iodine deficiency. Lynne Farrow’s book, The Iodine Crisis, explains why over 70% of the world’s population is thought to be affected by an iodine deficiency disorder.²⁴ Iodine deficiency is heavily implicated not only in the sex organ cancers (breast, prostate, ovarian, etc.) but also in cancers in general. Iodine deficiency plays a major role in hypothyroidism, hair-loss (alopecia), menopausal issues, Parkinson’s, chronic headaches, fibrocystic breast disease, cysts, chronic fatigue type syndromes (ME, fibromyalgia, etc.), ADD/ADHD-type disorders, prostatitis, depression and other mental disorders, infertility and infections.

Iodine is required to manufacture not only thyroxine but all other hormones of the body. Hormone-producing sites other than the thyroid depend on iodine, e.g. the adrenals, thymus, ovaries, hypothalamus and pituitary. Iodine has been found to alter gene expression in the breasts, modulate estrogen activity, and preventing problems with abnormal BRCA1 expression.²⁵ Female breasts are major storage sites for iodine, and iodine-deficient breasts are more vulnerable to abnormal cell architecture, cysts, fibrocystic disease and cancer. Breasts require 6 mg/day of iodine, the thyroid, 6 mg/day, and that’s just two organs. Overall, an iodine-replete adult will hold up to 2,000 mg of iodine in sites throughout the body.

Iodine presents powerful antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic and anti-cancer properties to the body. It should be the mainstay in treating breast cancer, fibrocystic breasts and ovarian cysts reckons Dr David Brownstein, author of Iodine: Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, and a world-renowned authority on iodine:

“Every cell in the body contains and utilizes iodine. Iodine is concentrated in the glandular system of the body. The thyroid gland contains a higher concentration of iodine than any other organ of the body. Large amounts of iodine are also stored in many other areas of the body, including the salivary glands, cerebrospinal fluid and the brain, gastric mucosa, breasts, ovaries, and the ciliary body of the eye. In the brain, iodine concentrates in the substantia nigra, an area of the brain that has been associated with Parkinson’s Disease.” ²⁶

The thyroid gland has an affinity for iodine brought into the body through food and water intake. The thyroid can contain 50 mg of iodine and performs an important germicidal role since the body’s entire blood supply traverses the thyroid gland every 17 minutes. This system allows viruses, giardia, bacteria and other blood contaminants to be weakened and subsequently destroyed on successive passes.

So what has happened to make such a high percentage of the population iodine-deficient? In simple terms, iodine has been driven from us by industry’s increased use of other halogen elements, namely chlorine, fluorine and bromine compounds which compete for the body’s iodine (halogen) receptors and iodine transporter cells. The use of chlorine and fluorine in the public drinking water supply has ensured that iodine has been steadily supplanted. Similarly, the use of bromides and bromates in antibacterial pool cleansers, agrichemicals, brominated vegetable oils, pharmaceutical drugs and inhalers, and fire-retardant materials has created the modern, linked epidemics of bromide toxicity and iodine deficiency.

In the 1960s, iodine was used as a dough conditioner. Due to erroneous concerns that this might cause problems with the thyroid gland, scientists advocated iodine to be replaced by bromine in the 1980s.²⁷ Iodine supports fertility, bromine suppresses fertility. Did our social architects know this? I imagine they did. Lynne Farrow’s book will also explain how iodine came to be labelled ‘dangerous’ and ‘a poison’ due to Big Pharma profit motives – an unwarranted worry that exists to this day. They even have a word for it: iodophobia.

In the same way that harmful chlorine, fluorine and bromine compounds displace iodine, a steady intake of iodine in the correct form can detoxify these poisons and remove them from the body. Guy Abraham MD, a leading researcher on iodine, reports that “…increasing iodide intake should lower bromide levels in the thyroid, preventing and reversing its thyrotoxic and goitrogenic effects.” In plain English, put in the iodine using therapeutically relevant doses, and the bad stuff like fluoride, bromide, perchlorate, etc. comes out.

WHICH BEGS THE QUESTIONS:

What is the best iodine to use?

Lugol’s Iodine Solution (15%) Each drop from the dispenser is nominally calibrated at around 7.5 mg of iodine per drop, plus 11.25 mg of potassium iodide, though the drops do vary in size.²⁸

Iodine Plus is a special tabletised version of Lugol’s, yielding 12.5 mg per tab. Both types of Lugol’s are available from the Credence store for international shipment at www.credence.org.

How much should you take?

The RDA is 150 mcg, which is, like most RDAs, therapeutically irrelevant for adults. Adults can start at 12.5 – 18 mg/day (1 drop or 1 tablet) for a week, then increase to 50 mg/day (3-5 drops, or 4 tablets) or more, according to advice from your iodine-literate practitioner. I encourage everyone to read Lynne Farrow’s excellent book, The Iodine Crisis, as a matter of first resort. This is an excellent resource which comprehensively answers the questions people have about iodine supplementation.

NOTE: The important element selenium is also required for the creation of at least 11 essential selenoenzymes, two of which (glutathione peroxidase and iodothyronine deiodinase) are required for activating and deactivating thyroid hormone.²⁹ Selenium is best taken in its most effective, organic form of selenomethionine along vitamins A, C and natural E. An ideal combo supplement, Selenium Plus, (200 mcg selenium) is carried by Credence to accomplish this.

SUMMARY

Iodine has the ability to resist radiation and disease and is necessary for the thyroid gland to perform properly.

The thyroid gland is located in the neck, and all the blood in the body passes through it every 17 minutes. Because the cells making up this gland have an affinity for iodine (‘symporter’ tissues), during this 17-minute passage the gland’s secretion of iodine kills germs that may have gained entry into the blood through an injury to the skin or the lining of the nose or throat, or from being eaten and absorbed by the digestive tract. Virulent pathogens are rendered weaker during successive passes through the thyroid gland until they are finally destroyed, but only if the gland has its normal supply of iodine.

It is well established that the iodine content of the thyroid gland is dependent upon the iodine available in the food and water intake of the individual. If the iodine intake is low, the gland is deprived of a vital element needed to do its work.

Iodine:

• Is the heaviest essential element (halogen) next to tungsten used in biological functions

• Is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-cancer

• Concentrates in the body’s endocrine/glandular systems

• Breasts need up to 6 mg/day of iodine. The thyroid 6 mg/day

• The thyroid should store 50 mg in an adult in sufficiency

• Total body content of iodine should be 1,500 – 2,000 mg

• Estimated 96% deficiency in general population

• Deficiency causes goitre, thyroid issues, mental retardation, breast and prostate cancer, behavioural disorders like ADHD, hypertension, fatigue, infertility, SIDS, SADS, ovarian and breast cysts, multiple sclerosis, excess mucus production

• Is contained in land soils, sea salt, sea vegetables, fish

• Was added as a dough conditioner to bread, then replaced by bromine

• All halogens (halides) compete in life systems and interfere with absorption (fluorine, chlorine, bromine)

• Iodine content in the body is best tested via the iodine loading test

• Supplementation: therapeutic range: Adults 12.5 – 75 mg/day; pregnant mums 12.5 mg/day; children .11 mg/lb/day

B COMPLEX

B, B, B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-8, B-9, B-12, B-15, B-17

One of the most important groups of nutrients for mental health is the B-group. A dip in the intakes of any member of the group will cause problems and fast. Together however, working in synergy with a sensible, varied diet, the great effects of the ‘B’s can be startling. B vitamins are water-soluble and rapidly pass out of the body so a regular intake of a good B-complex is essential. We have variously looked at the B-vits in my other books as we’ve made our way through the nutrition maze, so let’s sum up.

Vitamin B (choline) is the base ingredient of lecithin. Choline helps in the formation of the ‘memory’ neurotransmitter molecule, acetylcholine, and has been used to great effect in treating Alzheimer’s. It is often used medically in the form phosphatidylcholine.

Vitamin B (inositol) is another B nutrient used to treat mental illness. ‘Bipolar’ mental disorders, characterised by interchangeable periods of depression and euphoria, have responded well to high doses of the nutrient. Inositol is mentioned repeatedly in the scientific literature in connection with treating panic attacks and anxieties.³⁰

Vitamin B (PABA), also known as paraaminobenzoic acid, is a component of B-9 (folic acid) and acts as a co-enzyme in the body. PABA assists other B vitamins in making red blood cells, metabolising proteins, and helping with skin disorders. Nasty red bumps caused by the sun respond well to PABA applied externally or 400 mg internally. Many skin lotions have PABA to help prevent wrinkling of the skin and greying of the hair. A facial mask comprised equal parts of PABA, aloe vera and honey left on the face while sleeping will tighten loose skin and help some wrinkles to vanish. The face mask is removed the following morning with cotton balls saturated in rubbing alcohol followed by warm water. Not for nothing is this nutrient referred to as the ‘Cosmetic B’.³¹

Vitamin B-1 (thiamine) deficiency leads to beriberi. The nutritional pioneer Dr W Henry Sebrell attributed his razor-sharp memory to a daily supplementation of 150 mg of B-1 for almost 29 years. Sebrell explains that thiamine is often severely lacking in up to 50% of psychiatric patients. Thiamine binds to lead molecules, thereby assisting in excreting the heavy metal from the body. Sebrell estimated that a daily intake of 100 mg of B-1 would afford protection against lead poisoning.³²

Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) appears under the microscope as a yellow, crystalline substance. This vitamin assists in body growth, repair and cell respiration. It’s excellent too in maintaining the health of the nervous system, the assimilation of iron and, along with Vitamin A, for great vision. Those suffering from chronic fatigue, oily skin and intestinal gas may test positive for low levels of this nutrient and iron.

Vitamin B-3 (niacin) deficiency causes depression and psychosis. Subjects of various ages taking 141 mg of niacin a day demonstrated a measurable improvement in memory of 10 – 40% in all age groups.³³ Its RDA is only 18 mg in the UK, and yet studies, as we have seen, demonstrate that mega-doses (3,000 mg upwards) can prove ‘extremely beneficial to schizophrenics’. This nutrient is also sometimes prescribed with great effect for rheumatoid arthritis in doses between 150 – 300 mg to improve joint function and mood.

Those taking B-3 niacin for the first time should exercise caution by commencing with a dosage not exceeding 200 mg and drinking plenty of water. Niacin usually causes a skin flush (vasodilating effect) across the body which can alarm the unwary, but the flush is harmless and passes within 60 – 90 minutes. There are occasional over-reactions to high doses of niacin in a small minority of people, hence the commencement at lower dosage. Regular use of B-3 will cause flushing to cease. Avoid ‘no-flush’ niacin formulations. B-3 is also reported in the scientific literature to be useful in treating and preventing certain forms of heart disease and cancer.³⁴ High-dose niacin supplementation should be conduced under guidance of a physician.

Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid), as it is also known, has been hypothesised to increase cholinergic activity in the body, specifically the central nervous system. This increase in cholinergic activity could result in increased memory, learning, and cognitive abilities. B-5 (pantothenate) is another potent memory enhancer, assisting in the creation of the essential memory neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Supplementing 250 – 500 mg of B-5 along with choline may improve memory.

Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) is essential for making neurotransmitters. It converts amino acids into serotonin, a deficiency of which brings on irritability, violence, poor memory and a dive in overall cognitive and social performance. Folic acid deficiency encourages anxiety and depression. One study showed that about a fifth of depressed people are deficient in pyridoxine.³⁵ Supplementation is ideally between 30 – 100 mg a day or more for normal dream recall (B-6 can be toxic at high doses. Do not exceed 600 mg).

Vitamin B-8 (biotin) is known as the energy and beauty nutrient and assists our cells’ mitochondria in producing the energy molecule adenosine-triphosphate (ATP). Biotin is used in the transformation of consumed carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy, which is then stored in the liver and muscle tissue in the form of glycogen. Glycogen, when needed, is released from these stores and readily converted into glucose, which the body then chemically ‘burns’ as a fuel to produce physical energy. Biotin is very much an enzyme helper and catalyses many enzymatic reactions in the body.

Vitamin B-9 (folic acid) was discovered almost simultaneously with B-12 and indeed works in conjunction with this essential nutrient. Folic acid is well known in helping to avoid birth defects, such as Spina bifida and neural tube defects. Folic acid, like B-12, is essential for oxygen delivery to the brain. A deficiency in either causes anaemia. Ideal supplementation for folic acid is around 400 mcg daily.

Vitamin B-12 (methyl/cyanocobalamin) has been shown to improve the rate at which rats learn. Lack of B-12 leads to anaemia, confusion and poor memory.³⁶ Several of these B nutrients can be raised to larger doses as part of a program to eradicate chronic shortages, as we have seen, with spectacular results. Methylcobalamin is the most effective form of B-12 supplementation and has been shown in studies to methylate the build-up of homocysteine which leads to cognitive impairment and dementia. Therapeutic dosage is between 500 – 1,000 mcg a day.

Vitamin B-15 (pangamic acid) is another ‘controversial’ nutrient, traditionally pilloried by the establishment. B-15 has been described as ‘instant oxygen’, and has been used by Russian athletes for years to gain a competitive edge. Almost all research into this nutrient has come from Russia and is therefore viewed with scepticism by the American establishment. Pangamic acid has been variously described as the “hottest substance to hit the ergogenic scene in recent memory,” and was apparently capable of delivering “flashy brilliance” to orgasms and mopping up free radicals “like mad”. It is used in certain clinics today as part of the nutritional support for cancer patients. Some mainstream nutritional references still carry information about pangamic acid. Others mention it but disassociate themselves from its B-vitamin status.

Vitamin B-17 (Laetrile, laetrile and amygdalin) is often referred to as the anti-cancer vitamin. Like B-15, this nutrient has been clouded with controversy and been the subject of repeated attacks by the medical establishment. Nevertheless, unlike B-15, there is an impressive track record of Western success with B-17, which is contained in the seeds of the common fruits (excluding citrus), and a wide variety of grasses, legumes, pulses, vetches and vegetables. I deal with the subject of vitamin B-17 in some detail in my books Cancer: Why We’re Still Dying to Know the Truth, Health Wars and B-17 Metabolic Therapy: A Technical Manual. B-17 is renowned for its analgesic qualities and ability selectively to target and kill cancer cells while nourishing non-cancerous tissue. Broken down in the body, one of its by-products, sodium thiocyanate, reacts with the liver precursor hydroxycobalamin to form the other vitamin with a cyanide radical, vitamin B-12. (see section entitled ‘Apricot Kernels’)

ESSENTIAL FATS (INC. VITAMIN F)

KRILL OIL (www.credence.org)

EFA Krill, EFA Recovery Plus &

Omega-3 EPA (www.neways.com)

Krill oil is derived from krill, a shrimp-like crustacean which inhabits the frigid waters of the north, comprising one of the largest animal biomasses on the planet. Dr Joseph Mercola, the Internet’s most visited health professional, recommends it to all his patients:

“Krill oil, like fish oil, contains omega-3 fats such as eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). However, in fish oil, these omega-3 fats are found in the triglyceride form. In krill oil, they are found in a double chain phospholipid structure. The fats in human cell walls are in the phospholipid form.

The phospholipid structure of the EPA and DHA in krill oil makes them much more absorbable. Krill oil also contains vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D and canthaxanthin, which is a potent antioxidant. The anti-oxidant potency of krill oil is, in terms of ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorptance Capacity) values, 48 times more potent than fish oil. The astaxanthin found in krill oil also provides excellent protection against ultraviolet light and UV-induced skin damage.”³⁷

EFA Recovery Plus is a daily essential fatty acid mix that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. It was designed to help balance one’s diet with a 40/30/30 caloric ratio of the three macronutrient sources, carbohydrate, protein and fat, for optimal health and better performance. EFA refers to the ‘essential fatty acids’ required in our diet, because these fatty acids cannot be synthesised by our body. ‘Recovery’ refers to EFA’s role in restoring and maintaining general health as well as biochemical recovery following physical exercise and work.

The two major energy sources for the production of ATP energy during exercise are carbohydrates in the form of muscle glycogen and fats in the form of fatty acids. Fat is the most misunderstood of the three macronutrient sources. The association between a high-fat diet and serious health problems is widely advertised. This is the reason for today’s trend to buy ‘fat-free’ food products. However, it is important to know that dietary fat consists of three basic types of fatty acids: (1) saturated, (2) monounsaturated, (3) polyunsaturated.

Long-chain saturated fat, ‘bad fat’, found in most animal fat, margarine, shortening, etc. can raise blood cholesterol levels. Partially hydrogenated oils contain trans-fatty acids that are also classified as ‘bad fats’. Unsaturated fat, ‘good fats’, are composed of cis-fatty acids typically found in vegetable oils, cold-water fatty fish (e.g., salmon, herring, etc.), avocado, nuts and some beans. These foods are known for their ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels.³⁸

It is just as important to regulate the kinds of fat we ingest as the amount of fat itself. Unsaturated fats play a beneficial role in our body. Fats are the most concentrated source of energy in the diet. Many sources of fat provide important nutrients, carry fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream, maintain healthy skin, and are crucial for foetal brain development. The typical Western diet does not include a sufficient amount of EFA’s, especially those referred to as omega-3 fatty acids. EFA Recovery Plus is a combination of the natural sources of all cis-fatty acids as: alpha-lipoic acid, linoleic acid (omega-6), EPA (omega-3) and DHA (omega-3). These fatty acids are essential. Essential fatty acids are involved in a variety of biochemical processes. EFA’s are vital in the role of energy production for muscle cells during exercise and assisting in muscle relaxation.³⁹

In addition, EFA’s affect the control of blood coagulation.⁴⁰ They also affect the release of CCK, a hormone that signals the brain that you’re full and to stop eating.⁴¹ EFA’s are involved in maintaining conduction velocities for sensory and motor nerves.⁴² EFA’s are also present in cell membranes and support suppleness of skin⁴³ and help to lower high blood pressure.⁴⁴

Alpha-lipoic acid is a sulphur-containing essential fatty acid. Alpha-lipoic acid is directly involved in the availability of brain and skeletal energy during exercise.⁴⁵ Alpha-lipoic acid has been used in Europe to help the body control diabetic effects.⁴⁶

Alpha-linolenic acid is an omega-3, polyunsaturated, cis-fatty acid found in flax seed oil. Alpha-linolenic acid is converted to EPA and DHA.

Linoleic acid is an omega-6, polyunsaturated, cis-fatty acid found in safflower oil. Linoleic acid in incorporated in phospholipids – phospholipids are key components of healthy cell membranes.⁴⁷ Linoleic acid is converted to special prostaglandins⁴⁸ – prostaglandins control blood-clotting.

OMEGA 3 FATS

Food processing has wrought havoc on daily intakes of omega 3 fats. It is estimated that the population today may be consuming around one sixth of the omega 3s that our ancestors ingested back in 1850, due mainly to today’s food choices and processing.⁴⁹ Omega 3 fats are more susceptible to corruption during the cooking process. EPA and DHA are omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids – the ‘good fats’. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are in high concentrations in cold-water fish (e.g. salmon, tuna, mackerel and herring). EPA is used to support against high cholesterol and to form membranes surrounding cells.⁵⁰ EPA is required for the production of prostaglandins, which control blood clotting and other arterial functions.⁵¹ DHA is a component of human brain tissue⁵² and the retinal tissue.⁵³ DHA serves in the transmission of nerve impulses in the nervous system.

Omega 3 Deficiency Symptoms: Dry skin, lack of co-ordination or impaired vision, inflammatory health problems, memory or learning ability impaired, tingling in the arms or legs, hard to lose weight, high blood pressure or triglycerides, prone to infections.

OMEGA 6 FATS

Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 polyunsaturated cis-fatty acid found in evening primrose oil that helps to increase circulation. Research has shown that it aids in the reduction of platelet aggravation, lowers cholesterol and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.⁵⁴ Evening primrose oil added to the diet of alcoholics undergoing withdrawal dramatically reduces symptoms and, in the long-term, improves memory.⁵⁵ This feature prompted researchers to see whether the oil would improve the memory of Alzheimer’s patients. During a controlled trial, significant improvements were seen.⁵⁶ Other sources of Omega 6 fats are the seeds of hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, safflower, sesame, corn, walnut and wheatgerm oil. Omega 6 fats must have adequate levels of zinc, magnesium, B-6 and biotin accompanying them to drive the enzyme that makes the conversion to GLA.⁵⁷

Omega 6 Deficiency Symptoms: High blood pressure, eczema or dry skin, PMS or breast pain, dry eyes, blood sugar imbalance or diabetes, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, alcoholism, depression and mood swings, excessive thirst.

PROSTAGLANDINS

Essential fats are, as their name suggests, essential for creating prostaglandins. These are extremely active, hormone-like substances which variously keep blood thin, relax blood vessels, thereby assisting in lowering blood pressure, boost immunity, assist in maintaining the water balance in the body, decrease inflammation, and assist the operation of insulin for correct blood sugar balance.⁵⁸ Prostaglandins (series 1 & 3) themselves cannot be supplemented, due to their short-lived and volatile nature. However, an adequate intake of essential fats will equip the body with the raw materials it needs to create them. These two supplements from Neways assist in doing just that. The intake ratio between Omegas 6 and 3 should ideally be around 2:1.

EFA Recovery Plus ingredients: Alpha-lipoic acid, Linoleic acid, Alpha-linolenic acid, Gamma-linolenic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega 3 EPA ingredients: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), Docosahexaenoic (DHA), Vitamin E (natural d-alpha tocopheryl).

VITAMIN F: The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s) have been described as ‘Vitamin F’, a classification that once again hit rough waters with the medical establishment. Saturated fats have no hydrogen atoms missing in their carbon chains, whereas PUFA’s may have two, three, four, or more double-bond linkages in the carbon chain with four, six, eight, or more hydrogen atoms missing. PUFA’s are long-chain and extra-long-chain fatty acids which naturally occur in nature and are used by the body to prevent hardening of the arteries, normalise blood pressure, enhance glandular activity and assist in physical growth early in life. Despite the American Medical Association loudly denouncing the moniker ‘Vitamin F’ as quackery, PUFA’s have rightly gained prominence in recent years as essential, life-sustaining nutrients. And what are essential, life-sustaining nutrients if not a vitamin?

OIL PULLING

Are you interested in a simple detoxifying technique that could have the most profound and beneficial effect on your health? Welcome to oil pulling, the elementary process of popping two teaspoons of coconut oil into the mouth and working the fatty liquid about the oral cavity like a mouthwash for twenty minutes, then spitting it out.

That’s it?

Oil pulling (OP), an old Ayurvedic therapy, has been around for thousands of years, yet has only become known and practised in Western cultures quite recently. Few proper studies have been done on its profound effects since there’s no financial gain at the end, but informal studies have been carried out illustrating how well the technique works to relieve immune system stress. The full story is covered in Dr Bruce Fife’s definitive book on the subject, Oil Pulling Therapy. You should be aware of this procedure and what it is capable of achieving.

Science now recognises that the state of a person’s oral microflora influences systemic health, and this in turn offers some surprising ‘new’ tools in dealing with major illness. Toothpaste adverts now sound off about the link between poor oral health and heart disease. While some think this information new, Dr Weston Price, a renowned dentist in the early 1900’s, researched this surprising connection over eighty years ago.

Patients practising oil pulling two to three times a day have reported a wide range of astonishing remissions over the years, ranging from asthma, autism, arthritis, periodontitis and chronic fatigue to sinus and hormone issues, skin disorders, diabetes and cancer. OP does not work in isolation for systemic illness though dental health does improve dramatically, gums tighten, bad breath is banished and teeth are whitened. Combine OP with other metabolic approaches Credence promotes, however, and prepare to be very surprised.

The technique itself can be carried out with any vegetable oil, such as olive, sesame and sunflower, but the most popular and, in my view, effective tool is virgin coconut oil for its mild taste, middling texture and well-known antifungal/antibacterial properties. A teaspoon or two of the oil or solid coconut cake is popped into the mouth and worked until it has liquefied (over 24 C). It is then pulled through the teeth and swished around the oral cavity in the manner of a mouthwash, ensuring that all areas are covered. While oil and water repel one another, one oil will blend with another. In like manner, the coconut oil blends and dissolves the fatty cell walls of bacteria, fungi, toxins, debris, pus and other detritus. When the mix is ejected 20 – 30 minutes later, these enemies of the immune system are sent packing. The spring-back effect on the immune system is sometimes very noticeable. Dr Bruce Fife comments:

“Toxins are pulled from the body the very first time you try it. One of the first cleansing symptoms you will experience is an increased flow of mucous from your throat and sinuses. Mucous drainage is one of the body’s methods of removing toxins. While you are pulling, mucous may build in the back of your throat. You may even have to expel the oil and clear the mucous from your throat before reaching a full 20 minutes. That’s okay, take another spoonful of oil and continue until you’ve pulled for a total of 15-20 minutes.

You may also experience a little nausea and perhaps even need to vomit as your body expels toxic waste. Other symptoms may also arise temporarily. These symptoms will subside as your body becomes cleaner and you become more comfortable with oil pulling. Unlike other methods of detoxification that last for only a short time, oil pulling should become a regular part of your daily schedule, like brushing your teeth.” ⁵⁹

Leading Internet physician Dr Joseph Mercola is also a big fan:

“When done correctly, oil pulling has a significant cleansing, detoxifying and healing affect, not only for your mouth and sinuses but also for the rest of your body. Candida and Streptococcus are common residents in your mouth, and it’s these germs and their toxic waste products that cause plaque accumulation and tooth decay, in addition to secondary infections and chronic inflammation throughout your body. Oil pulling can help lessen the overall toxic burden on your immune system by preventing the spread of these organisms from your mouth to the rest of your body, by way of your bloodstream. The potential benefits of oil pulling extend well beyond your mouth. Oil pullers have reported rapid relief from systemic health problems, such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.” ⁶⁰

The best time to commence OP is on an empty stomach first thing in the morning when the concentrations of bacteria and toxins are highest in the mouth. Other times of the day to get swishing might be half an hour before lunch and half an hour prior to your evening meal. You won’t die if you swallow the mix but don’t, it’s a toxic bag after it’s done its work. Don’t spit it down the toilet or sink either since coconut oil has the disconcerting propensity to re-solidify under 24 C and then you’ll have to call out the plumber. Spit into the rubbish bin or other receptacle or bury it in the garden like I do.

In a minority of cases, oil pulling may generate a cleansing or Herxheimer’s reaction such as skin-breakouts, rashes or other apparent deteriorating of symptoms. Oil pulling is not dangerous so you should not be concerned about continuing and working through any temporary overload. It’s all a mess but it’s leaving. For more information, obtain Bruce Fife’s excellent Oil Pulling Therapy book.⁶¹

ESSIAC (RENE CAISSE’S HERBAL REMEDY)

In 1923, a Canadian nurse, Rene Caisse, came upon an ancient Ojibway Indian herbal concoction that appeared to have remarkable powers to offer the sick. In the years since, thousands of patients, many considered beyond hope, have testified that this simple, natural treatment saved their lives where modern medicine had failed. Reported benefits of Essiac include:

1. Preventing the build up of fatty deposits in artery walls, heart, kidney and liver

2. Regulating cholesterol levels by transforming sugar and fat into energy

3. Destroying parasites in the digestive system and throughout the body

4. Counteracting the effects of aluminium, lead and mercury poisoning

5. Nourishing and stimulating the brain and nervous system

6. Promoting the absorption of fluids in the tissues

7. Removing toxic accumulations in the fat, lymph, bone marrow, bladder, and alimentary canals

8. Neutralising acids, absorbing toxins in the bowel and eliminating both

9. Clearing the respiratory channels by dissolving and expelling mucus

10. Relieving the liver of its burden of detoxification by helping to convert fatty toxins into water-soluble substances that can then be eliminated through the kidneys

11. Increasing the body’s ability to utilize oxygen by raising oxygen level in the tissue cell

12. Increasing the production of antibodies like lymphocytes and T-cells in the thymus gland, which is the defence of our immune system

13. Inhibiting and possibly destroying benign growths and tumours

For more information on Essiac, please obtain a copy of the Credence title, The Essiac Handbook.

APRICOT SEEDS/KERNELS

Apricot kernels are an inexpensive, rich and natural source of vitamin B-17. They also deliver the vitamins, minerals and enzymes not found in the pharmaceutical derivative of B-17. Consumption should be spread throughout the day, not taken in one sitting.

• 7 g of seeds per day for life are recommended by Ernst Krebs as a nutritional supplement for those exercising cancer prevention. (This equates to 10 – 12 of the larger kernels or 20 – 25 of the smaller pea-sized ‘Shalkur’ type).

• 20 g of seeds per day are recommended by Ernst Krebs as nutritional support for clinical cancer sufferers (30 – 40 a day of the smaller type, 25 – 30 of the larger).

In a minority of cases, cancer sufferers may experience nausea when taking seeds. In this event, clinics recommend that dosage is reduced and then gradually increased as tolerance is gained. Intake should commence with four apricot seeds a day (spread throughout the day) for the first four days, increasing up to 10 – 15 per day for a further four days and then to a maximum of 20 – 28 g per day. If of low body weight, then scale down intake accordingly.

Not all apricot seeds are effective. They must have the characteristic bitter taste indicating that the active ingredients are present. Not to be eaten whole. May be pulped, grated or crushed.

Please note: Some cancer sufferers believe that apricot kernels alone are all that is required to fight cancer. Consultation with a qualified health practitioner familiar with Metabolic Therapy is advised for further information. Apricot kernels are usually part of the nutritional support for those exercising cancer prevention for life as well as cancer patients undergoing Phase 1 or Phase 2 Metabolic Therapy.

MAGNESIUM OXIDE

COLON CLEANSE (www.credence.org)

Colon cleansing, while not a pleasant topic to address, is a subject that cannot be overlooked in the quest for extended youth, weight loss, and total health. Mucoid plaque, parasites and impacted toxic metabolites can be removed with a modified diet as well as with certain purgative agents that can assist in restoring the colon and intestines to full function. It is essential to allow the body to clean itself of detritus that has collected in the digestive system over the years, hampering the body’s ability to absorb the nutrients it craves through the intestinal lining. Magnesium oxide, when used as directed, hydrates the colon and assist in flushing the entire length of the digestive tract. For more information, see our booklet, Digestive Health.

MELATONIN

Melatonin (MLT) production is a key component of the regenerative benefits of good sleep. Melatonin is a protective, oncostatic (anti-carcinogenic) hormone produced in the pineal gland in response to circadian rhythm-induced sleep. Production of this hormone is shut down with exposure to light. Even momentary exposure to white or blue light – for example, switching a light on while going to the bathroom in the middle of the night – is enough to shut down melatonin production (‘chrono-disruption’), thus losing the antioxidant benefits of this valuable hormone while significantly raising cancer risk.⁶² Those people interchanging night- for day-shifts have been found to have higher levels of breast, prostate and colorectal cancer incidence than those who have regular sleep patterns. This is now known to be due to the disruption of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which controls the body’s circadian rhythm or ‘clock’.⁶³

During the day, circulating levels of MLT are uniformly low among individuals. However, during the onset of sleepiness (after 9 pm), melatonin production kicks in (the dim-light melatonin onset (DLMO). When measured, the net increase in melatonin over daytime levels is markedly different among some individuals and remains consistent. For instance, those with robust MLT production at night are consistent high-producers of the hormone night after night, while those with an attenuated production of MLT are consistently weak producers. The question in science circles has been, “Is this difference statistically and physiologically relevant?”

Yes, it is. Today’s modern society is a 24-hour, indiscriminate light-polluter. MLT production is especially sensitive to shutdown when exposed to a narrow zone of blue light (460 – 480 nm) within the overall spectrum. Traditional red/orange firelight does not affect human circadian rhythms and this was the only type of light mankind had available at night prior to Thomas Edison’s famous 1879 invention (the lightbulb). Unfortunately, all incandescent and fluorescent lightbulbs today give off this band of blue light so almost everyone is deficient in MLT on an ongoing basis. Dr Reiter, of the University of Texas, states,

“The only thing your brain interprets light to be is day. Day means you alter the biological clock via the eyes to the suprachismatic nucleus and you suppress melatonin.”⁶⁴

The best way to boost melatonin and remove the risk of a shutdown is to switch house or office illumination when the sun sets from blue/white to orange, red or other coloured spectrum light, such as with the use of salt-lamps.

Which brings us to night-time TV. Guess which type of narrow band of blue light your TV gives off? Are you staying up late at night watching TV and truncating your melatonin production? Do you drive at night? What about the blue/white lighting given off from headlights coming the other way? What about the highly illuminated 24-hour petrol stations you pass, or the light blazing out from advertising billboards, supermarkets and corner-stores? How about the flashing blue lights from an ambulance, fire-truck or police patrol car coming the other way, or even appearing in your rear-view mirror? Light acts as a drug due to its consistent ability to truncate MLT production and disrupt the biological clocks of all living organisms.

MAXIMISE YOUR MELATONIN PRODUCTION

Maximum melatonin is required to assist the body in protection, repairing and healing. The following points should be noted:

• Ensure you have blackout liners to your curtains, especially if you live in a house with close to external street lighting. If the job is done right, you’ll need an alarm clock to awaken you

• Ensure you have a dim red or orange light available if you need to arise during the night

• Try to get to bed at the same time every night and wake up the same time every morning to normalise your body’s circadian rhythm

• After sundown, it helps to switch to red or orange lighting until you go to bed

• Watching TV late into the night will disrupt melatonin production. So does driving late at night

FERMENTED VEGETABLES

A cheap and highly effective way to boost your bowel flora and hence immune system is to prepare a ready supply of home-prepared, fermented vegetables, such as sauerkraut. Any vegetables may be fermented, and this was the standard method your forebears used in centuries past to preserve vegetables as winter closed in. A cupful or two per day added to the diet will provide the body with billions and sometimes trillions of colony-forming bacteria, which help regain a healthy balance over harmful pathogens such as Candida, staphs and others.

Here’s how to run up your first batch of home-prepared sauerkraut: Take one white cabbage and three carrots. Ensure they are organic and have not been irradiated by food suppliers to the supermarkets. Chop up the cabbage to sauerkraut consistency (thin short ribbons) and do the same with the carrots (I usually coarse-grate them). Put the mix into an open kitchen basin and add 1.5 tablespoons of Himalayan salt. Mix in then leave the lot for 45 minutes to wilt.

Return, roll up your sleeves and get the fingers into the mix and squeeze and scrunch the sauerkraut to break down the cell walls and release the liquid into the basin to mix with the salt to create brine. Do that for 10 minutes until the mixture is thoroughly wet and squishy.

Next, take a medium sized Kilner jar (those air-tight, lock-down sealable jars) and pack with the sauerkraut. As you push down tight, you’ll notice the brine level will rise. When you’ve packed to the top, take a couple of uncut cabbage leaves, which are springy, and place on top of the mix as an arch so that when you close the lid, the springy leaves push the sauerkraut pulp under the brine. Lock the kinder jar and put away.

Leave for 7-10 days to ferment. Make sure you keep as much air out of the jar as possible. After fermenting, remove the uncut cabbage leaves and the mixture is now ready for use. It will last almost indefinitely but best kept in a fridge and withdraw for use. You may vary the recipe according to taste. Sauerkraut goes with a surprisingly wide variety of dishes.

For more information, log on to YouTube and search on ‘How to prepare fermented vegetables’ for some quick tutorials.

EARTHING/GROUNDING

The body is a bio-electrical machine constantly interacting with its environment (viz. EEG monitoring of voltage fluctuations resulting from electric neuron activity in the brain). Compelling, recent studies are now suggesting that our modern inability to earth our bodies due to our indoor lifestyles, synthetic carpets and penchant for non-organic, plastic or rubber footwear may have grave ramifications for our health. Dr Joseph Mercola writes:

“When walking on the earth barefoot, free electrons from the earth transfer into your body via the soles of your feet. These free electrons are some of the most potent antioxidants known to man. Lack of grounding, due to widespread use of rubber or plastic-soled shoes, may have contributed to the rise of modern diseases by allowing chronic inflammation to proliferate unchecked.

Experiments have shown that free electrons from the earth cause beneficial changes in heart rate, decrease inflammation, reduce pain, promote healthy sleep, and thin your blood, making it less viscous, which has beneficial impact on cardiovascular disease. Ideal locations for earthing are on the beach, close to or in the water, and on dewy grass.” ⁶⁵

Dr James Oschman is one of the foremost authorities on grounding, with a Batchelor’s Degree in Biophysics and PhD in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh. He writes:

“What we have discovered that is truly profound is this: we now understand why you get the inflammatory response, which has five characteristics: pain, redness, heat, loss of range of motion, and swelling. All of those are the five hallmarks of inflammation and it turns out that that doesn’t have to happen.

Inflammation, which in medicine is considered an important part of the healing process, is really an artefact caused by lack of electrons in your tissues. What happens is, the neutrophils deliver the Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) to the site of injury, but in so doing, some of those free radicals can leak into the surrounding tissue and damage healthy tissue. That’s what creates the inflammatory response…. So really what is happening with grounding or earthing is that you’re protecting your body from – I call it – collateral damage; damage that was not intended to take place but does take place because we have disconnected ourselves from the Earth by putting rubber and plastic on the bottoms of our shoes.” ⁶⁶

One of the best books to get on the subject is Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? by Clinton Ober, Stephen Sinatra MD and Martin Zucker.