Supplements After Surgery
Surgery creates a level of physical and emotional stress that we aren’t programed for. The machines, the anesthesia, the knives, the traffic coming in and out of the OR...
Then, when you start to come around and finally push past the anesthesia fog, the hospitalist starts throwing instructions -- and drugs -- at you.
There's one easy thing you can do to get back on track faster...and it's one thing you'll never hear from the hospital lackeys.
That one simple thing is a very specific supplement protocol.
Now, supplement use after surgery will depend on your condition, of course. But there is some new evidence that the right supplements can help you get back on your feet much faster. Researchers looked at in-hospital use of nutritional supplements by more than one million patients. They came away with three remarkable findings...
* Patients who used oral supplements spent less time in the hospital -- more than two full days, on average
* This resulted in a savings of nearly $5,000 per patient (who used supplements)
* The supplement users were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge
Less time in hospital. More cash in your pocket. Lower risk of relapse. It's a no-brainer!
Here is a list from Dr. Spreen to see which supplements he would recommend for post-op patients. He came up with this list of the essential 11...
* A good multivitamin (whole food only) such as Megafoods brand.
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin A
* B complex
* Vitamin E
* Selenium
* NAC (n-acetyl cysteine)
* Alpha lipoic acid
* Milk thistle extract
* Zinc
* Omega 3 fatty acids
And why wouldn’t you want to take supplements, especially if it could help you get home sooner and get back on your feet faster?
Surgery creates a level of physical and emotional stress that we aren’t programed for. The machines, the anesthesia, the knives, the traffic coming in and out of the OR...
Then, when you start to come around and finally push past the anesthesia fog, the hospitalist starts throwing instructions -- and drugs -- at you.
There's one easy thing you can do to get back on track faster...and it's one thing you'll never hear from the hospital lackeys.
That one simple thing is a very specific supplement protocol.
Now, supplement use after surgery will depend on your condition, of course. But there is some new evidence that the right supplements can help you get back on your feet much faster. Researchers looked at in-hospital use of nutritional supplements by more than one million patients. They came away with three remarkable findings...
* Patients who used oral supplements spent less time in the hospital -- more than two full days, on average
* This resulted in a savings of nearly $5,000 per patient (who used supplements)
* The supplement users were less likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge
Less time in hospital. More cash in your pocket. Lower risk of relapse. It's a no-brainer!
Here is a list from Dr. Spreen to see which supplements he would recommend for post-op patients. He came up with this list of the essential 11...
* A good multivitamin (whole food only) such as Megafoods brand.
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin A
* B complex
* Vitamin E
* Selenium
* NAC (n-acetyl cysteine)
* Alpha lipoic acid
* Milk thistle extract
* Zinc
* Omega 3 fatty acids
And why wouldn’t you want to take supplements, especially if it could help you get home sooner and get back on your feet faster?
Keep in mind that supplement use in the hospital might be frowned on by hospitalists, schooled in the ways of Big Pharma. The best way to avoid that issue is to make a hospital checklist with your primary care doc before you're admitted. With their signature, you should be able to start up your supplement use as soon as it's appropriate without any lip from the lackeys.
My Comment:
Always use whole food supplements. They are much more effective than the fractionated or synthetic vitamins found in most supplements. Megafoods brand is a very high quality and well-known brand that uses whole food to produce their vitamins and has many options to choose from. You can find Megafoods on Amazon.com at a good price.
Costco.com is now selling the Well-Roots brand whole food vitamins. Shipping is usually free from Costco. Here is a link to Costco’s multivitamins which are currently on sale at $5 off http://www.costco.com/Well-Roots%E2%84%A2-Raw-%2526-Whole-Food-Smart-Multi%E2%84%A2%2C-120-Liquid-Softgels.product.100055802.html?catalogId=10701&keyword=whole+food+vitamins&langId=-1&storeId=10301
Note: If you have had trouble in the past taking vitamins because they upset your stomach, you will find that whole food vitamins do not upset your stomach and can even be taken on an empty stomach. Another example of how everything works better when it is natural.
Angioplasty, Stents, and Heart Health
An article by Jenny Thompson at Health Science Institute
Heart specialists use balloon angioplasty to open narrowed arteries. The doctor inserts a stent to keep the artery open. Then he removes the balloon.
Doctors will tell you it's a routine procedure. Nothing to worry about. Happens hundreds of times a day. Which might be hundreds too many.
Last summer, an inquiry revealed that heart doctors in Florida had ripped off thousands of patients with unnecessary cardiac procedures. And this wasn't some rogue heart practice with a few doctors. It occurred in the largest for-profit hospital chain in the U.S.
Investigators said more than 40% of angioplasty cases were completely unnecessary.
A few years ago, another health care system paid out more than $50 million to settle allegations of unnecessary cardiac procedures in California.
Earlier this year, a community hospital in Ohio agreed to a similar settlement.
Ohio. Florida. California. These cases span years, and span the continent. This is NOT an isolated scam. It's happening right now in other hospitals, other states. Maybe right in your neighborhood.
Now, that's bad enough. It's criminal! But that's not even the worst of it. These unnecessary procedures often produce complications. So they put many patients at risk for only one reason... To jack up profits.
So where are the front page headlines to warn people so they are aware of the problem? Patients are still vulnerable because they're not getting the message.
In one survey, nearly 9 in 10 patients said they believed angioplasty reduced heart attack risk. Almost three-quarters said they believed they would have had a heart attack within five years without it.
Now look at responses from cardiologists...
More than 60% said they used angioplasty simply to relieve symptoms. Nothing more.
But MOST amazing... When surveyors gave two hypothetical scenarios where angioplasty provided ZERO benefits, more than 40% of the doctors said they would still go ahead with the procedure.
How could they possibly justify such wildly irresponsible malpractice! They're literally robbing patients. They're defrauding Medicare. They're frightening the weak and taking their money.
If your doc recommends an angioplasty, INSIST on a second opinion. And if possible, get it from a specialist who has a track record for using angioplasty sparingly. Unfortunately, they might be very hard to find.
Doctors will tell you it's a routine procedure. Nothing to worry about. Happens hundreds of times a day. Which might be hundreds too many.
Last summer, an inquiry revealed that heart doctors in Florida had ripped off thousands of patients with unnecessary cardiac procedures. And this wasn't some rogue heart practice with a few doctors. It occurred in the largest for-profit hospital chain in the U.S.
Investigators said more than 40% of angioplasty cases were completely unnecessary.
A few years ago, another health care system paid out more than $50 million to settle allegations of unnecessary cardiac procedures in California.
Earlier this year, a community hospital in Ohio agreed to a similar settlement.
Ohio. Florida. California. These cases span years, and span the continent. This is NOT an isolated scam. It's happening right now in other hospitals, other states. Maybe right in your neighborhood.
Now, that's bad enough. It's criminal! But that's not even the worst of it. These unnecessary procedures often produce complications. So they put many patients at risk for only one reason... To jack up profits.
So where are the front page headlines to warn people so they are aware of the problem? Patients are still vulnerable because they're not getting the message.
In one survey, nearly 9 in 10 patients said they believed angioplasty reduced heart attack risk. Almost three-quarters said they believed they would have had a heart attack within five years without it.
Now look at responses from cardiologists...
More than 60% said they used angioplasty simply to relieve symptoms. Nothing more.
But MOST amazing... When surveyors gave two hypothetical scenarios where angioplasty provided ZERO benefits, more than 40% of the doctors said they would still go ahead with the procedure.
How could they possibly justify such wildly irresponsible malpractice! They're literally robbing patients. They're defrauding Medicare. They're frightening the weak and taking their money.
If your doc recommends an angioplasty, INSIST on a second opinion. And if possible, get it from a specialist who has a track record for using angioplasty sparingly. Unfortunately, they might be very hard to find.
One last word on the topic of widespread artery stenting...
These days, stents are "drug-eluting." That is, they're treated with a drug. This is necessary to reduce artery scarring and inflammation.
And what causes the scarring? Stent insertion. Amazing, isn't it? But it doesn't end there.
Drug-eluting stents sometimes cause blood clots. Yes, you read that right. The stent, inserted specifically to reduce risk of blood clots, might actually CAUSE a blood clot! But your doctor already knows that. That's why he'll prescribe a blood thinner like Plavix or Effient.
Unfortunately, all blood-thinning drugs increase bleeding risk. In fact, Effient comes with a black box warning about the risk of death due to "unexplained or excessive bleeding."
So this "routine" procedure can suddenly become quite dangerous. And in most patients, it appears to provide no real benefit.
No real benefit, that is, unless you're the one submitting the bill for the procedure.
These days, stents are "drug-eluting." That is, they're treated with a drug. This is necessary to reduce artery scarring and inflammation.
And what causes the scarring? Stent insertion. Amazing, isn't it? But it doesn't end there.
Drug-eluting stents sometimes cause blood clots. Yes, you read that right. The stent, inserted specifically to reduce risk of blood clots, might actually CAUSE a blood clot! But your doctor already knows that. That's why he'll prescribe a blood thinner like Plavix or Effient.
Unfortunately, all blood-thinning drugs increase bleeding risk. In fact, Effient comes with a black box warning about the risk of death due to "unexplained or excessive bleeding."
So this "routine" procedure can suddenly become quite dangerous. And in most patients, it appears to provide no real benefit.
No real benefit, that is, unless you're the one submitting the bill for the procedure.
Taking aspirin as little as once a week triples risk of blindness
Reported by NaturalNews
Reported by NaturalNews
Many conventional doctors advise their patients to pop one every day like a multivitamin in order to supposedly ward off heart attacks, strokes, and even cancer. But taking an aspirin as few times as once a week, especially when you are not actually sick or in pain, can be incredibly dangerous, especially for your eyesight. This is the conclusion of a recent study published in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which found that "supplementing" at least once a week with aspirin can triple the risk of going blind.
For their study, researchers from Australia tracked nearly 2,400 middle-aged and elderly individuals for 15 years. Among this group, 257 individuals were determined to be "regular" uses of aspirin who took the drug at least once a week, while the rest were occasional users that took the drug less frequently. All participants were evaluated at the end of the study to determine their health status in conjunction with aspirin intake.
Upon analysis, the team found that only one in 27 of the "occasional" aspirin users developed a condition known as "wet" age-related macular degeneration, or neovascular AMD, which can lead to blindness. This figure represents 3.7 percent of all "occasional" users. But among "regular" aspirin users, nearly one in 10 developed the condition, or 9.4 percent, which represents a nearly threefold increase in blindness risk among those who take aspirin at least once a week.
"Regular aspirin use was significantly associated with an increased incidence of neovascular [wet] AMD," wrote the authors in their study conclusion. "The increased risk of age-related macular degeneration was only detected after 10 or 15 years, suggesting cumulative dosage of aspirin may be important," added study author Jie Jin Wang from the University of Sydney.
The study's authors and other commentators were quick to dismiss the findings, suggesting that they do not imply that patients should stop taking daily aspirin for disease prevention -- after all, just think of the immense profit losses that would result for the pharmaceutical industry. Some doctors even went so far as to manufacture ridiculous fear phrases like, "a healthy eye with full visual capacities is of no use in a dead body," suggesting that not taking aspirin will somehow kill you.
At the same time, these same doctors and researchers were unable to deny the fact that previous studies have also found a link between aspirin intake and blindness, including a 2011 study out of Europe which found that daily aspirin intake can double the risk of vision loss. Similarly, other previous studies have uncovered the fact that low-dose aspirin intake can lead to other serious health problems including intestinal bleeding and ulcers.
For their study, researchers from Australia tracked nearly 2,400 middle-aged and elderly individuals for 15 years. Among this group, 257 individuals were determined to be "regular" uses of aspirin who took the drug at least once a week, while the rest were occasional users that took the drug less frequently. All participants were evaluated at the end of the study to determine their health status in conjunction with aspirin intake.
Upon analysis, the team found that only one in 27 of the "occasional" aspirin users developed a condition known as "wet" age-related macular degeneration, or neovascular AMD, which can lead to blindness. This figure represents 3.7 percent of all "occasional" users. But among "regular" aspirin users, nearly one in 10 developed the condition, or 9.4 percent, which represents a nearly threefold increase in blindness risk among those who take aspirin at least once a week.
"Regular aspirin use was significantly associated with an increased incidence of neovascular [wet] AMD," wrote the authors in their study conclusion. "The increased risk of age-related macular degeneration was only detected after 10 or 15 years, suggesting cumulative dosage of aspirin may be important," added study author Jie Jin Wang from the University of Sydney.
The study's authors and other commentators were quick to dismiss the findings, suggesting that they do not imply that patients should stop taking daily aspirin for disease prevention -- after all, just think of the immense profit losses that would result for the pharmaceutical industry. Some doctors even went so far as to manufacture ridiculous fear phrases like, "a healthy eye with full visual capacities is of no use in a dead body," suggesting that not taking aspirin will somehow kill you.
At the same time, these same doctors and researchers were unable to deny the fact that previous studies have also found a link between aspirin intake and blindness, including a 2011 study out of Europe which found that daily aspirin intake can double the risk of vision loss. Similarly, other previous studies have uncovered the fact that low-dose aspirin intake can lead to other serious health problems including intestinal bleeding and ulcers.
Seaweed extract outperforms chemo drug in shrinking breast tumors - but without the toxic side effects
(NaturalNews) The extract of an edible red seaweed was found to be 27 percent more effective than standard chemo in shrinking breast tumors in rats while showing much less toxicity to liver and kidneys, and even improving the rats' antioxidant status in both blood and tissues.
(NaturalNews) The extract of an edible red seaweed was found to be 27 percent more effective than standard chemo in shrinking breast tumors in rats while showing much less toxicity to liver and kidneys, and even improving the rats' antioxidant status in both blood and tissues.
Eucheuma cottoni - A potential natural treatment for breast cancer
The seaweed used in this remarkable study was Eucheuma cottonii L., an edible, tropical red seaweed which grows naturally within about 20 degrees of the equator and is most commonly found around Southeast Asia. The Euchema group of seaweeds is already widely commercially farmed for use in the production of carrageenan. Researchers at the University Putra Malaysia harvested the seaweed from the coastal waters of North Borneo during January. The extract was found to be rich in iodine, quercetin, catechin, rutin, carotenoids, and more exotic antioxidants such as phytopheophylin and phlorotannins.
27 percent more effective than chemo while improving antioxidant status
Rats treated with the chemo drug for four weeks showed a 71 percent decrease in the size of their tumors, but those treated with the seaweed extract had their tumors shrink by 91 percent - an improvement of 27 percent over chemo. The chemo drug also caused significant toxicity to the rats' kidneys and livers, causing visible lesions on those organs. Not only did the seaweed show no toxicity (no liver or kidney lesions), it actually improved the rats' antioxidant status. MDA (malondialdehyde) is a key marker of oxidative stress, with higher MDA levels indicating increased oxidative damage (MDA levels often rise with cancer). Treatment with the chemo drug decreased rats' MDA levels by 27 percent, but again, the seaweed performed better and decreased MDA levels by 46 percent. Conversely, an important marker of antioxidant status is the glutathione level in erythrocytes (red blood cells), with higher glutathione levels indicating improved antioxidant status. Chemo treated rats saw their levels drop by 57 percent. But glutathione levels actually increased by 78 percent in seaweed treated rats - showing a sizable advantage for antioxidant status.
27 percent more effective than chemo while improving antioxidant status
Rats treated with the chemo drug for four weeks showed a 71 percent decrease in the size of their tumors, but those treated with the seaweed extract had their tumors shrink by 91 percent - an improvement of 27 percent over chemo. The chemo drug also caused significant toxicity to the rats' kidneys and livers, causing visible lesions on those organs. Not only did the seaweed show no toxicity (no liver or kidney lesions), it actually improved the rats' antioxidant status. MDA (malondialdehyde) is a key marker of oxidative stress, with higher MDA levels indicating increased oxidative damage (MDA levels often rise with cancer). Treatment with the chemo drug decreased rats' MDA levels by 27 percent, but again, the seaweed performed better and decreased MDA levels by 46 percent. Conversely, an important marker of antioxidant status is the glutathione level in erythrocytes (red blood cells), with higher glutathione levels indicating improved antioxidant status. Chemo treated rats saw their levels drop by 57 percent. But glutathione levels actually increased by 78 percent in seaweed treated rats - showing a sizable advantage for antioxidant status.
Seaweed for cancer - an established history
Various seaweeds have been used for centuries in Chinese and Japanese traditional medicine against breast cancer. Epidemiological studies have also showed that daily seaweed consumption may dramatically lower breast cancer risk, and is considered one reason why Japanese women have 83 percent less breast cancer than those in the West. More recently, a clinical trial in the U.S. showed that just five grams per day of dried seaweed (Undaria) decreased levels of a key pro-cancer protein (uPAR) by 47 percent in postmenopausal women.
This new study provides yet more good science to the case for using seaweed against breast cancer. And while this latest seaweed still must be proven out in human patients, it is impressive that the effective dose is likely attainable in human patients, using the extract of a seaweed which has been routinely eaten by Malaysian locals for decades with apparently no ill effects.
This new study provides yet more good science to the case for using seaweed against breast cancer. And while this latest seaweed still must be proven out in human patients, it is impressive that the effective dose is likely attainable in human patients, using the extract of a seaweed which has been routinely eaten by Malaysian locals for decades with apparently no ill effects.
Until next time, stay healthy and happy
JD Roma
The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).
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