THE GREATEST MEDICINE OF ALL… IS TEACHING PEOPLE HOW NOT TO NEED IT
IF YOU DON’T MAKE TIME FOR YOUR WELLNESS - YOU WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE TIME FOR YOUR ILLNESS!
Can You Stand on One Leg for 10 Seconds? Your Answer May Predict How Long You'll Live
A new study found that middle-aged and older adults who could successfully stand on one leg for 10 seconds had a significantly lower risk of dying over the next 7 years compared to those who failed the simple balance test. This quick assessment may capture overall body strength and control that predicts longevity.
A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine assessed whether the simple ability to stand on one leg for 10 seconds predicts risk of early death (Araujo et al., 2023). Called the flamingo test because it resembles a pink bird balancing perfectly still on one spindly leg, this quick assessment of static balance captured overall muscle strength and joint flexibility that foretold longevity over a 7-year period. Out of 1,702 Brazilian adults aged 51-75 years, nearly 80% succeeded while 20% failed, waving arms or hopping to regain control. Just under 5% of flamingo test passers died during follow-up versus over 17% of failers. The one-legged stance remained strongly linked to survival even after considering age, sex, weight, diseases like diabetes, and medications. Failing at midlife more than doubled later mortality hazard.
Balance steadily deteriorates starting around age 50, raising risks of falls and fractures linked to earlier death and poorer quality of life. Yet many adults do not receive standard balance assessments during routine exams. This study confirms the value of incorporating a simple 10-second one-legged flamingo stance into checkups for middle-aged and older patients. Beyond signaling current fall risk, it may provide a snapshot of overall muscle and neurological health that predicts longevity as effectively as blood pressure and cholesterol scores. People who cannot balance for 10 seconds may require interventions like strength training, tai chi, medication adjustment, or home safety modifications to prevent future falls and prolong survival.
For the study, a trained instructor demonstrated proper one-legged standing technique with eyes open and bare foot lifted behind the body without touching the standing leg. Participants then attempted to balance steadily for 10 seconds with each reminder to resume the initial stance if foot position changed or arms waved. Most subjects chose their dominant leg and three attempts were allowed. Just over 80% passed on the first try and nearly 97% eventually met the 10-second benchmark before completing surveys on lifestyle, medical history and medications. Researchers tracked electronic medical records over the next 7 years to record deaths from any cause.
Failing the flamingo test more than doubled the risk of dying during follow-up after factoring in effects of age, sex, weight, diseases like cancer and heart conditions, and use of drugs influencing balance like sedatives. Adding the flamingo variable significantly improved a statistical model’s ability to predict individual risk of death based on age and health alone. Study authors speculate that inability to balance for 10 seconds signals bodily decline - like muscle loss, joint degeneration, and neurological problems - that foretells earlier mortality. They call for incorporating the simple flamingo stance into routine patient exams to screen for elevated risks prompting preventive measures.
The study relied on balance tests at one point in time, so cannot determine if intervening to improve stability might modify expected lifespans. Other limitations include the mostly male sample not generalizable to all populations and survival tracking based solely on electronic records. Still this well-designed study controlled key variables known to influence mortality like obesity and diabetes, so strongly suggests balance ability provides independent insight into expected longevity.
This study does, however, indicate how important intentional movement and exercise is for overall health and longevity. Our research database on exercise, based on nearly 1,000 studies, shows that exercise can prevent or improve over 240 different health conditions. This indicates, as does the study featured in this report, that moving your body, regularly, has profound benefits that can not be over-emphasized. Move it or lose it is saying that is becoming truer every day, as the science accumulates proving it continues to expand.
Frankenmeat: The Disturbing Reality of Lab-Grown Meat Production
Written by GreenMedInfo
As the demand for sustainable meat alternatives soars, companies like Upside Foods are gambling with consumer health by using potentially cancerous immortalized cells in their lab-grown products.
As consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental and ethical concerns surrounding factory-farmed animal agriculture, the demand for sustainable, regeneratively farmed, and cruelty-free meat alternatives has skyrocketed. In response, some companies have turned to a controversial method for creating lab-grown meat: using immortalized cell lines. While this approach may seem like a groundbreaking solution as far as the synthetic production of a large quantity of cells goes, it raises serious questions about the long-term safety of consuming such products.
Immortalized cell lines, which are capable of continuously dividing and growing, bear a disturbing resemblance to cancer cells. The article "Lab-Grown Meat Firms Don't Know If Their Food Is Safe Long-Term: REPORT" highlights this concern, stating that "Lab-grown meat is often made using immortalized cell lines, which, unlike regular cells, are capable of continuously dividing and growing in a manner similar to cancer cells." Despite this alarming fact, many companies developing lab-grown meat have remained silent about the connection between their products and these potentially dangerous cells, possibly in an attempt to prevent consumers from becoming skittish about their offerings.
One such company is Upside Foods. In November 2022, it became the first company in the world to receive the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s green light for cultivated meat. Upside Foods has attracted investments from several high-profile individuals and companies, including Bill Gates, Cargill, Tyson Foods, and Softbank Group. The involvement of these well-known investors has helped to raise the profile of Upside Foods and the cultivated meat industry more broadly. However, it also raises questions about the potential conflicts of interest and the influence these investors may have on the company's decision-making processes, particularly when it comes to prioritizing safety and transparency.
One of the most concerning aspects of using immortalized cell lines in lab-grown meat production is the lack of long-term studies on the health effects of consuming these products. As noted in the article, "While there is no evidence to suggest that these cells -- which are either cultivated from cancer cells or created with genetic modification -- are dangerous for human consumption, there have also been no long-term studies on the health impact of these foods." This absence of crucial data leaves consumers in the dark about the potential risks they may face when consuming synthetic meat derived from immortalized cells.
The article also cites an October 2021 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, in which MIT researchers emphasize the need for further investigation into the safety of consuming genetically engineered animal cells. The researchers state, "Confirming that future products made from immortalized animal cells expressing oncogenes, either through spontaneous immortalization or genetic engineering, would be safe represents a gap in knowledge in this field."
Some companies, recognizing the potential backlash associated with using immortalized cell lines, have begun to explore alternative methods. Japan's IntegriCulture, for example, has shifted towards using cells taken directly from live animals in their production process, in an effort to distance themselves from the association with cancer. IntegriCulture CEO Yuki Hanyu acknowledges the potential controversy, stating, "There will be someone who will be poking at this issue. And it could basically flare up."
As the demand for lab-grown meat continues to grow, it is crucial that comprehensive, long-term studies be conducted to assess the safety of consuming these products. MIT researcher Robert Weinberg, whose work demonstrated the genetic basis of cancer in the 1980s, suggests that the "best way" to permanently resolve the potential issue would be a 20 to 30-year-long study to determine if consumers of lab-grown meat were more likely to develop cancer than others. However, he acknowledges that such a study is not practical, and companies are more likely to focus on gaining regulatory approval to soothe public relations concerns and allow consumers to try their products.
Until thorough, long-term research is available, consumers should be aware of the potential risks associated with synthetic meat derived from immortalized cells and make informed decisions about what they choose to consume. As the race to bring lab-grown meat to market continues, it is essential that companies like Upside Foods prioritize transparency and invest in research to ensure the safety of their products for human consumption, regardless of the potential influence from their high-profile investors.
One Man's Astonishing Results from a Nutritional Self-Experiment: Side Benefits, Not Side Effects
Published by Orthomolecular News
What if a simple vitamin regimen could not only heal your heart, but also cure a host of other chronic conditions? One man's remarkable self-experiment reveals the astonishing power of targeted nutrition.
My 5-year-long self-experiment with lipoprotein(a) therapy -- to cure my heart disease -- has not been without side effects. However, these side effects are not ones that I would ask my doctor or pharmacist about. (The familiar statement "For risks and side effects, read the package leaflet and ask your doctor or pharmacist," which I am alluding to here, is obligatory for advertising medicines in the media). These side effects are also not the ones that most doctors over-caution about: for example, hypervitaminosis, toxicity, heart damage, inflammation of the stomach lining, and even carcinogenic effects.
No, to the contrary, during my self-experiment I experienced a whole series of miraculous healthy side effects that I only mentioned in passing in the documentation of my experiment with Linus Pauling's vitamin therapy.
Here, I refer to the successful treatment or prevention of sometimes serious illnesses as "side effects" because the threats and arrogance of pharma-fixated doctors towards the use of natural remedies is annoying and deceptive. Often they say hardly a word about the sometimes very serious side effects of the drugs they prescribe as standard. Of course, the term "side effects" does not do justice to my personal experience in disease treatment and prevention. Each successful experience is a reason to provide more detail.
The most gratifying "list of successes":
- Raynaud's syndrome cured
- High blood pressure (arterial hypertension) disappeared
- Cardiac arrhythmias no longer occur
- Heart rate significantly reduced
- Vitiligo stopped
- No coronavirus infection
How can the successes be explained? Here is a brief explanation:
I am convinced that the decisive basis is the "therapy package" that I put together as part of my experiment with the Pauling therapy, supplemented by recommendations from the German physician Dr Ulrich Strunz. First, I got blood tests and identified a combination of micronutrients to compensate for nutrient deficiencies in my body. Then I took adequate doses of nutrient supplements every day, based on my body's needs. The blood testing has become routine for me. It helps me to maintain the right, optimum level.
I have not taken any medication, not a single one.
OMNS readers will likely know which individual essential nutrients played a particular role in my success. They include adequate doses of vitamins C,D,E, and the B vitamins, along with minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and selenium, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. How and to what extent what actually worked cannot be traced in detail because my self-experiment had a different goal, namely to cure my heart disease, and was not specifically focused on these "side effects". However, according to my findings, the following assumptions are reasonable:
With Raynaud's syndrome (a circulatory disorder of the fingers or toes caused by paroxysmal vasospasms, which are particularly noticeable when exposed to cold. Named after its discoverer, the French doctor Maurice Raynaud. Individual fingers become white and numb, as if they are dying. Painful and frightening), magnesium, as well as the amino acids arginine and citrulline are likely to have been the key factors. As already mentioned, the disease is cured.
Blood pressure has been significantly and persistently reduced, especially after increased intake of arginine, citrulline, taurine, potassium and magnesium, and is now regularly in the range of 120 to 65 mmHg.
The cardiac arrhythmia (ventricular arrhythmia), which was particularly evident under stress, has not occurred for five years now, as observed by regular cardiological examinations. Magnesium, potassium, taurine and probably also omega-3 have likely contributed significantly to this. I have raised my omega-3 index to 14%. (Dyerberg/Passwater have reported on the effect of omega-3 on arrhythmias in their book "The Missing Wellness Factors - EPA and DHA" and William Sears/James Sears in "The Omega-3 Effect".
I attribute the calming of the heart rate (now 55 - 60 bpm) primarily to magnesium, potassium, taurine and an adequate salt intake, which I have based on the recommendations of Brownstein "Salt Your Way to Health" and Dinicolantonio "The Salt Fix", controlled by measuring the sodium level. My exercise and meditation sessions certainly also played a part. I did not take the beta blockers prescribed to relieve my heart "as part of heart failure therapy". For most individuals, eating plentiful servings of vegetables and fruits can provide adequate potassium.
For the last 10 years, the spread of vitiligo (an autoimmune skin disease in which white patches form on the skin due to the loss of pigment cells in various parts of the body) has been halted. The complete therapy package certainly plays a fundamental role here too. However, I suspect that the high-dose vitamin D intake makes a decisive contribution. My vitamin D level has improved from 18 ng/ml - measured after my first heart attack - to 100 ng/ml. Jeff Bowles had similar experiences with vitamin D in his unconventional experiment (described in the book "The Miraculous Results of Extremely High Doses of the Sunshine Hormone Vitamin D3". Michael Holick also discusses autoimmune diseases and vitamin D in his book "The Vitamin D Solution".
In the last 6 years I have not had a cold or flu. I attribute this in particular to the high-dose intake of vitamin C and vitamin D in particular, but also to the combined effect with magnesium and the other micronutrients that strengthen the immune system (e.g. zinc, selenium). I have also been spared coronavirus-related illnesses.
All of this seems an unbelievable result for conventional medicine that mainly relies on drugs from pharmaceutical companies. I am tempted to illustrate the helplessness of this medicine with the advice of one of its representatives. To deal with Raynaud's syndrome, he advised me to place my hands under my armpits or buttocks to protect them when it is cold, e.g. in the car. He himself would always do this with his hands, which are also affected by this condition. Apart from wishing him a safe journey at all times, there is nothing more to add.
Disclaimer
I am not a doctor and therefore advise you to consult your doctor if you wish to use any of the experiences I have gained from my self-experiment. These are my personal experiences and do not constitute medical advice. Do not discontinue any medication without the consent of your doctor.
How Pomegranate Juice Dramatically Reversed Arterial Plaque in Landmark Study
Written By: GreenMedInfo Research Group
Could a simple fruit hold the key to reversing heart disease? A groundbreaking study from 2004 suggests that pomegranate juice may possess unparalleled potential in the fight against atherosclerosis, yet this natural solution has been largely ignored by the medical establishment.
In the face of an epidemic of heart disease, the search for effective preventive solutions has never been more urgent. While pharmaceutical therapies dominate the landscape of cardiology, a groundbreaking study from 2004 suggests that a natural approach--drinking pomegranate juice--may hold the key to combating atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque in the arteries that underlies many forms of cardiovascular disease.
The study, led by Dr. Michael Aviram and published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, followed 19 patients with severe carotid artery stenosis, a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the brain. Ten of these patients consumed 50mL of pomegranate juice daily, while the other nine served as a control group. The results were nothing short of remarkable: after one year, the pomegranate group experienced a significant reduction in the thickness of their carotid artery walls, a key measure of atherosclerosis progression.
Even more strikingly, five patients continued drinking pomegranate juice for a total of three years, and the benefits only increased with time. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a measure of arterial wall thickening, decreased by 35% after one year and remained reduced for the duration of the study. In contrast, IMT increased by 9% in the control group over the same period.
So how does this unassuming fruit wield such power against a formidable disease? The answer lies in its unrivaled antioxidant content. Pomegranates are rich in polyphenols, tannins, and anthocyanins, all of which scavenge the free radicals that contribute to oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. This is critical because oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is a key player in the development of atherosclerosis.
Indeed, the study found that pomegranate juice consumption reduced oxidative stress markers and increased antioxidant capacity in the participants' blood. Serum levels of antibodies against oxidized LDL decreased by 19%, while total antioxidant status increased by 130% after one year of daily pomegranate intake. The juice also boosted the activity of paraoxonase, an enzyme that protects against LDL oxidation, by up to 83%.
But the benefits didn't stop there. Pomegranate juice appeared to reduce blood pressure as well, with systolic blood pressure decreasing by 21% after one year. This is likely due to the juice's ability to improve endothelial function and reduce oxidative stress in the blood vessels.
Perhaps most intriguing of all, the study examined carotid artery plaque specimens from two patients who had consumed pomegranate juice before undergoing surgery. Compared to plaques from control patients, these specimens showed significantly lower levels of oxidized lipids and higher antioxidant content, suggesting that pomegranate juice may directly impact the atherosclerotic lesions themselves.
The implications of these findings are profound. While current medical therapies focus primarily on risk factor management, such as surrogate measures like lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, pomegranate juice appears to target the root cause of atherosclerosis by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, and healing the underlying damage to the endothelium and arteries. And unlike many pharmaceutical drugs, it is a safe and well-tolerated food, and accessible to virtually everyone.
Yet despite the extraordinary results of this study, pomegranate juice has not been widely embraced as a therapeutic option by the medical community. This raises questions about a potential bias against natural remedies, even when they are supported by rigorous scientific evidence. If a drug showed similar effects on atherosclerosis, it would undoubtedly be hailed as a major breakthrough and rapidly incorporated into standard treatment protocols.
The time has come for a paradigm shift in our approach to heart disease prevention and treatment. While pharmaceuticals certainly have their place, we cannot afford to overlook the immense potential of natural therapies like pomegranate juice. With millions of lives at stake, it is imperative that we prioritize further research into this remarkable fruit and its cardiovascular benefits.
In the meantime, the message to patients is clear: incorporating pomegranate juice into a heart-healthy lifestyle may offer a safe, effective, and delicious way to protect against atherosclerosis and its devastating consequences. As we continue to unravel the mysteries of this ancient fruit, one thing is certain--the humble pomegranate may just hold the key to a brighter, healthier future for us all.
Until next time, stay healthy and happy
Jim 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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