Unjustly maligned for decades, coconut oil is reemerging as a miracle fat that boosts energy, burns fat, is antibiotic, and helps with thyroid problems. In the past, poorly done, misleading studies were used to discredit the saturated fats in coconut oil in order to displace it in our diet with soybean oil. Now that soybean oil has caused an epidemic of health problems, healthy coconut oil is being reintroduced. Coconut oil has been safely used for thousands of years. Natives in tropical climates who consume lots of coconut oil don’t suffer from the heart disease, cancer, colon problems, and other health challenges that we do. Because it is highly saturated, coconut oil is very stable, stores well, and is suitable for cooking. But don’t let the saturation bother you. These saturated fats are different. The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easy to absorb, digest, transport, and metabolize in the body. Unlike other saturated fats, the medium-chain fatty acids…

Ever since it saved his life, Raymond Francis has considered vitamin C—if it’s the right kind—to be the most miraculous molecule you can put into your body. Years ago, before Beyond Health was a gleam in Raymond’s eye, he wasn’t thinking much about the future. The truth is, he wasn’t sure he even had a future. Near death, he called his brother Bernie, who flew across the country, fearing the worst, to be by his side. What Bernie found was shocking. Raymond looked like a skeleton and was in a semi-comatose state. However, the stars must have been aligned that day, because Bernie had brought with him a book he’d heard about: it was "Norman Cousin’s Anatomy of an Illness." Although Cousins is known primarily as the man who cured himself of a devastating “incurable” illness with laughter, the other therapy Cousins used for his miracle cure was megadoses of intravenous (injectable) vitamin C. Too weak and discouraged to do much lau…

Are you bothered by abdominal bloating, gas, flatulence, belching or an irritable bowel (constipation alternating with diarrhea, or maybe predominantly one or the other)? You may have a condition called “small intestine bacterial overgrowth,” or SIBO, a relatively newly recognized form of intestinal dysbiosis. You may already know about one kind of intestinal dysbiosis, where candida and/or other bad bugs get the upper hand over the good bugs in your intestines. SIBO is another kind of intestinal dysbiosis found only in the small intestine—that twenty-foot long convoluted tube curled up in your abdomen that leads from stomach to colon. When bacteria and other microorganisms that usually live in the small intestine, with beneficial or at least neutral effects, proliferate abnormally (“overgrow”), a pathological situation develops. This leads to the kind of symptoms mentioned above, as well as to nausea, leaky gut, malabsorption and deficiencies in certain n…

By age 80, about 90% of men have an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It’s now considered inevitable in most men. While BPH can be asymptomatic, when symptoms occur, they range from bothersome to life-threatening. LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) are produced when the prostate, which encircles the urethra, begins squeezing it, interfering with urinary function. Symptoms can include a weak, interrupted urine stream; a sense of incomplete bladder emptying; dribbling; difficulty starting or stopping urination; frequent urination, especially at night; a painful, burning sensation during urination; and sudden urgent needs to urinate. Damage to the urethral lining encourages urinary tract infections. BPH sometimes gets progressively worse, causing bladder stones, incontinence, pain during intercourse, impotence and even life-threatening conditions such as complete blockage of urine flow or irreversible bladder or kidney damage…

Calcium, once lauded as a superstar for preventing and curing osteoporosis, now seems to be a nutrient-non-grata among both conventional and alternative “experts.” Vitamin C researcher, Thomas E. Levy, has even entitled a book Death by Calcium! How did an important nutrient, in which most Americans especially the elderly are deficient, come to such a sorry pass? The calcium saga goes back several years to a time when it was anointed a “magic bullet” to solve the problem of osteoporosis. Need more bone? Just take lots of calcium! When that didn’t work as well as hoped, the experts said well you should probably take your calcium with vitamin D. This worked a little better, but was still less than ideal. In fact, calcium needs a whole “team” of nutrients for its absorption and proper utilization. Vitamins D and K (especially K2) and the mineral magnesium are star players on the team, but check the label on Beyond Health’s Bone Mineral Formul…

This is a good news/bad news story. First the good news. As reported by investigative journalist Lynne McTaggart, in The Optimist, there is a doctor in England, originally from India, named Joseph Chandy, who has become renowned over the past forty years for miraculously curing hundreds of patients of their depression, as well as multiple sclerosis and chronic fatigue. In 2006, a BBC segment on him featured grateful patients whose lives had been turned around. Multiple sclerosis patients said they were able to get up out of the wheelchairs. Dr. Chandy’s miraculous treatment? Vitamin B12 injections. It seems that Dr. Chandy discovered early on one of the two causes of disease: nutrient deficiency. As Raymond Francis wrote back in 2003: Proper nutrition is the single most important factor in preventing and reversing depression. Consider that the inventor of the anti-anxiety drug Valium later discovered that B vitamins could produce exactly the same benefits as Valium, without side…

Although we recommend eating most of the diet raw, a number of studies have shown that steaming preserves more nutrients than other forms of cooking, and in certain instances can even increase or release nutrients over and above what you’d get from eating the vegetables in question raw. Glucosinolates are compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts) that protect against cancer. Scientists suggest that 3-5 servings a week of cruciferous vegetables provide a substantial cancer protective benefit. But to become properly activated, glucosinolates need to be mixed with the plant enzyme myrosinase. This mixing happens when you bite into your broccoli or Brussels sprout and crush the cellulose walls that otherwise keep the glucosinolates and myrosinase separated. But cooking can destroy myrosinase, and who wants to eat raw broccoli? Fortunately, according to a recent article in Tuft’s Health and Nutrition Letter, scientists at the Un…

An international team of researchers, including the renowned Charles Benbrook at Washington State University, reviewed 343 peer-reviewed studies comparing organic with conventional produce. Their conclusions?  Organic food is more nutritious, especially in antioxidant polyphenols that have been linked to lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, neurodegenerative disease and cancer.  Organic produce is safer. Conventionally grown crops were 4 times more likely to contain pesticide residues and, in addition,they had significantly higher concentrations of the toxic heavy metal cadmium. When interviewed, Benbrook noted that the quality and reliability of comparison studies has greatly improved in recent years leading to the discovery of significant nutritional and food safety differences not detected in earlier studies. In 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported finding pesticides in every one of the 9,000+ Americans they tested. The…

Although experts agree that diet and lifestyle are the keys to preventing and reversing diabetes, the ballooning number of diabetics and pre-diabetics (estimated at over 10% and 1/3 of our population respectively) is too big a market for drug companies to ignore. With one toxic drug after another, they’re trying to convince the public that blood sugar regulation is a problem pills can solve. However an all-natural alternative approach is both safe and effective. Introduced last year, canagliflozin (Invokana) is the first in a new family of diabetes drugs called sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors to be approved by the FDA. However, consumer advocate group Public Citizen has put it on their “do NOT use” drug list as having minimal benefit and dangerous side effects. Nonetheless, Forbes predicts it will reach $416 billion in sales by 2016. Although Invokana lowers blood sugar somewhat, it does so by doing what drugs always do—interfering with normal…

By now, you know about the huge health benefits of eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Rich in essential nutrients, previous research shows fruits and veggies help promote mental well-being, control weight, improve digestion and vision, lower blood pressure and more. But how much is enough? The latest U.S. dietary guidelines for fruits and vegetables suggest consumers eat 2-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups per day—or about 5-13 servings—depending on calorie requirements. Yet, Americans get a paltry three servings per day on average.Now, according to a new study from the University College London, you need to eat 7 or more daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables if you want to live longer. Using the Health Survey for England, British researchers analyzed the eating habits of 65,226 adults, age 35 and older. They discovered that the more fruits and vegetables they ate, the lower their chance of dying prematurely. In fact, compared to those eating less than one serving of fru…

. . . garbage removal may be one of exercise’s primary benefits Each one of our cells is busily engaged in self-renewal. As new parts are built, debris from worn-out parts must be disposed of.  While toxins are continually pushed out through the cell’s membrane, larger trash is handled by a process called “autophagy” or “self-eating.” Through autophagy, shreds of used material, inactivated microbe invaders and other waste is broken down and burned by the cell as energy. This tidy cleaning process appears to become less robust with age, and faulty autophagy may contribute to many chronic degenerative diseases and to aging itself. In animal models, healthy autophagy has been shown to protect against cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, infections, inflammatory disease, aging and insulin resistance. A mouse study from the University of Texas has shown yet another benefit of exercise: it accelerates autophagy. Further, this accelerated autophagy was…

Question:  I noticed that the Multi-Vitamin does not contain iron. Why is this? H. B. – New York, NY Answer: There is a simple reason for not including iron. Iron is a prooxidant and will destroy antioxidants in a supplement formula (like vitamin C, D, E, selenium, zinc and others). Iron should always be taken separately. If you find iron in a multi, it is a good indication that the supplement manufacturer either doesn’t know what they’re doing or that they are pandering to consumer ignorance. At one time I worked as a consultant to supplement companies. One company I worked for asked me to evaluate their multi. Their multi contained iron, and I told them it should be removed as it was contaminating the pill. After checking with their marketing people, they decided not to remove it. Their marketing department told them that consumers are looking for a complete multi, including iron, and omitting it would affect sales. Most people in advanced countries don’t…

. . . all drugs are dangerous -- even OTC Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are usually considered safe when in fact they're not. A study done in 2006 showed that of those taking the maximum recommended dosage of acetaminophen -- present in Tylenol and hundreds of other prescription and OTC medications -- over 30% experienced severe liver damage. ALT is an enzyme present in liver cells. When the liver is damaged, ALT levels in the bloodstream rise. In this study, 31-44% of those taking 4g of acetaminophen daily for 2 weeks had ALT levels that were more than 3 times the upper limit of normal, indicating considerable liver damage. Acetaminophen is metabolized in the liver, where about 5% of it breaks down into an extremely toxic compound called N-acetyl-parabenzoquinoneimine. This chemical can be neutralized by glutathione. But if the amount of toxin exceeds the available supply of glutathione, damage is done to the liver. Because virtually everyone living in the US today is in toxic overload…

Q:  I have a child who suffers from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).  I would like to know what supplements Beyond Health would recommend for ADD.  A:  Here are the supplements that we recommend for ADD sufferers.  I do not know how young your child is, therefore, some of this will have to be modified. But, it’s a start.   The Basic Wellness Kit (multi, vitamin C, and EFA).  In addition to: Acetyl L-Carnitine   It helps to improve eyesight and brain function including mood, learning, short-term memory, blood sugar, chronic fatigue, and sleep.  ALCAR is an occurring form of L-Carnitine that specifically benefits the brain. ALCAR helps supply the brain with energy by improving energetics in the mitochondrion, the cell's energy generator. ALCAR promotes biosynthesis of acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter for brain and nerve function. Vitamin D3 - Works to prevent osteoporosis, cancer, MS, infections, Alzheimer’s and auto imm…

Question:  I wish you offered a separate strontium product. I notice that you have included strontium in both your bone and joint formulas, but I want to take amounts far greater than what I would get in either of these formulas. Also I’ve read that strontium should be taken separately from calcium and vitamin D, etc. since they interfere with one another’s absorption. I am a 51-year-old, healthconscious woman who does not appear to have appreciable bone loss except for substantial bone loss in my gums due to early orthodonture. The bone loss has been stable for decades, but I’m now preimenopausal, so I want to stay on top of it. At this point I am seeking a way to both build some bone in the jaw and protect my overall bone structure going forward. A few months ago I bought a strontium supplement from another company, but had some weird reactions every time I took it (a sudden feeling of nausea during the day, and in the middle of the night horrible – and I…

by Raymond Francis Deficiencies in vitamin B12 and its partner folate are extremely common, and these deficiencies can show up in a vast array of health issues. Too often people suffer for years with illnesses that might be alleviated simply by taking enough B12 and folate, or at least by addressing B12/folate deficiency as part of a more comprehensive treatment plan. Before a government-sponsored study that surprised everyone was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000, it was assumed that most B12 deficiency occurred among the elderly. But this study, which spanned ages 26-83, found 40% deficiency across the board, regardless of age. Very severe deficiency was found in 17%. The situation with folic acid (or folate) is even worse. Most Americans get considerably less than half the RDA – a standard set to avoid severe symptoms and not to achieve optimal health or prevent chronic illness. Many authorities believe folic acid is tied with essential fatty acid…

. . . well, it’s really NOT “all in your head” You may not know this, but you have two brains. That’s right. One in your skull…and one in your gut. Of course, you’re quite familiar with the brain in your head. Previous research shows this brain sends signals to your gut. Which explains why you get “butterflies”—or experience other physical symptoms in your gastrointestinal tract—when you are stressed or anxious. Now, studies done on animals and humans suggest the exchange of information between brain and gut is a two-way street. Of mice and men…what the studies prove One such animal study compared mice bred with no digestive bacteria to “control” mice with normal gut flora. Scientists discovered that the “no-bacteria” mice displayed increased hyperactive and risky behavior as adults. However, if given normal bacteria early in life, they grew up with the same normal behavioral traits as the contr…

Question: A few months ago I had a tetanus shot and have had one infection after another since then. I was wondering if there might be a connection. P. V. - Santa Cruz, CA Answer:  It is not possible to say with certainty whether there is a connection between the tetanus vaccination and your infections, but there is certainly a high probability. I have been preaching for years about the dangers of vaccinations. I would not consent to any vaccination. I always refuse them because they are ineffective and dangerous. So, naturally, we give lots of vaccinations to children who are too young to know any better. Regarding your situation, it may be interesting to note that back in 1984, there was an entry in the New England Journal of Medicine that reported significant drops in T-helper cells following tetanus vaccinations in healthy people. After receiving tetanus booster shots, all of these healthy subjects experienced reductions in T-helper cells. In 36 percent of them, the T cells dr…