Grant Cooper, M.D., co-director of the Princeton Spine & Joint Center in Princeton, NJ, has written several journal articles and books about arthritis and pain. In his years of treating patients with osteoarthritis (OA), he's made an interesting observation: patients with terrible-looking x-rays (bone-on-bone) may have no pain at all, while others reporting excruciating pain may have x-rays showing relatively little joint deterioration. What makes for the difference? According to Cooper, even with joint deterioration you don't need to be in pain. His keys for preventing and reversing arthritic pain are gentle exercise, including strengthening and stretching your muscles appropriately, learning how to perform daily tasks so that you're not over-stressing your joints, and an anti-inflammatory lifestyle, including good diet and anti-inflammatory supplements. A few sessions with a good physical therapist can be worth their weight in gold to learn specific exercises and new, less…

 . . . the odds of getting cancer have never been worse, but you don't need to be a victim! Even if you don't have a cancer diagnosis, I wrote Never Fear Cancer Again for you. You see, it's predicted that almost half of all Americans WILL get cancer at some point in their life. Those are pretty frightening odds, and the odds keep getting worse. Over the age of 50, 40% of men now have prostate cancer and 40% of women have breast cancer, and most don't even know it. Cancer is also striking people at younger and younger ages; in fact the fastest growing incidence of cancer in any age group is now among children. After accidents, cancer is the leading cause of death among children and those in their twenties and thirties. To make matters worse, cancer treatments are agonizing, expensive and usually don't work. At the time of diagnosis, three out of four cancers have already metastasized. Once this happens, conventional treatment is less than 1% effective. But there's some go…

People are always asking me about the latest fad -- from goji berries to colloidal minerals, you name it. Sometimes there's something of value in the fad (goji berries are high in antioxidants, however I'd need to know how they were grown and processed to have an opinion about a specific brand) and sometimes not (I've yet to see a worthwhile colloidal mineral product). But the truth is my interest is rarely piqued by most of them because at Beyond Health we already have the fundamentals needed for optimal health covered. We've got antioxidants and minerals, for example, in the best and most bioavailable forms you can find anywhere. And with our products, even though it costs a lot to make the best, you'll always get the most value for your money. Fad products, on the other hand, are just about always way overpriced for any benefit you get. And because they're almost always poorly made, you get contaminants that both interfere with any benefits and add to your toxic load. Combi…

. . . it's not that hard to virtually eliminate the risk! Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the largest cause of natural death in the US. Most people who die from a sudden heart attack never realized they were at risk, especially women. But by taking care of the fundamentals, you can bring your risk of SCD down to virtually zero! A recent study published in JAMA analyzed data from the Nurses' Health Study, which followed 81,000 women over a 26-year period to see how four healthy lifestyle factors affected risk for SCD. Although only women were involved, the findings would apply to men as well. 1. Not smoking - reduced risk by 75% 2. A Body Mass Index of less than 25 - reduced risk by 56% 3. Exercising at least 30 minutes a day - reduced risk by 72% 4. Following a Mediterranean-type diet, emphasizing high intake of vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, whole grains and fish, along with moderate alcohol consumption - reduced risk by 40% All four factors combined reduced the…

. . . almost all disease can be prevented and reversed. Because I maintain that almost all disease can be prevented and reversed, I'm sometimes asked if type 1 diabetes can be reversed. Most type 1 diabetes results from an autoimmune illness in which the body destroys insulin-producing cells (beta cells) in the pancreas. Once these cells are gone, I don't know anyone who has grown new ones. However, if caught early, it may be possible to reverse or at least mitigate the autoimmune process causing the damage. To do this, you would need to give strong support to your immune system with good diet (get rid of The Big Four!), minimize toxins in your life, identify and address food sensitivities and allergies, and get onto a comprehensive, high-quality supplement program. Vitamin D is particularly helpful with autoimmune issues. Even when irreversible damage has been done to the beta cells, there is much you can do to optimize your health. Many studies, for example, have found th…

. . . tips for better health Easy Does It. Don't increase fiber intake too fast, or you'll get gas and bloating, even cramping and/or constipation. It's best to add about 5 grams a day for a week. So if you're starting at 10 grams a day, take 15 grams for a week before adding more. Keep going up 5 grams a day, a week at a time, until you reach your target amount. Even with gradual change, you may experience some transition symptoms. It takes a while for the bacteria in your gut to adjust to more fiber. Drink Plenty of Water. Make sure you get your 6-8 glasses a day, and drink a glass whenever you take a fiber supplement. Additional water will help optimize fiber's actions in the body and will prevent constipation. How Much Fiber? Aim for 35-40 grams a day; more if you're dealing with diabetes or trying to lose weight. There are roughly 3 grams of fiber (a mix of soluble and insoluble) in a typical piece of fruit; 4 in a cup of vegetables, and 7 in a half cup of beans. Juici…

Question: Is there any particular weight-loss diet that you think is better than the others? S. B. - Sausalito, California Answer: Two out of three Americans are overweight, so it is not unusual to be seeking a weight-loss diet. Of the many available diets such as the Atkin's, South Beach, and Zone, I don't favor any of them. They are most likely dangerous to health if pursued for a long period. In fact, problems with low-carb/high-protein diets have been surfacing, including kidney impairment, bone loss, heart arrhythmias, low energy, constipation, and problems with concentration. The British government's Medical Research Council has condemned low-carb diets because they are known to cause kidney damage. I look on all of these diets as fads. They sell lots of books and products and make lots of money, but do little lasting good. In 2010, Americans spent over $42 billion trying to lose weight, and they obviously didn't succeed. A study by the National Institutes of Health foun…

. . .  drugs just aren't cutting it. The poor drug industry has been hard put to come up with a drug for hypertension that doesn't significantly reduce quality of life with side effects like dizziness, nausea, arrhythmias and sexual problems, and in addition contribute over time to chronic disease. The new angiotensin receptor blockers were recently linked in The Lancet Oncology with developing prostate, breast and lung cancers. It's also been hard for them to come up with drugs that do the job. In a 2008 Canadian Family Physician, Richard Nahas, MD, CCFP, says only about 1/3 of those taking hypertension meds achieve optimal blood pressure control. Therefore it's not surprising, although refreshing, to see some serious attention being paid in medical journals to non-drug therapies. Recently, in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, two MDs discussed the value of the low-sodium DASH diet (see my article on the DASH diet for a description), exercise, weight reduction, moderate a…

Question: Hi! Can one take too many supplements?  I take quite a large number, but only the minimum dosages -- I just take all of them once daily.  The only prescription med I take is one 50 mg Toprol daily.  Again, thanks so much -- JC, Internet Answer:  Supplements are qualitatively different from drugs in that drugs are far more dangerous.  For example, drugs properly prescribed are the third leading cause of deaths yearly, whereas no one has ever died from taking supplements.  If what you mean by "minimum dosages" is the RDA, you're probably not getting enough!  The RDA is meant to prevent overt deficiency diseases, but not to prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's, etc. Check the "Wellness Kits" on our website to see the amounts of specific nutrients we recommend to supplement a good, nutritious diet.  In addition, we recommend at least 3-6 grams of vitamin C daily (more for anyone with a diagnosed disease) and getting tested for your vitamin D l…

A quick and easy way to get more phytonutrients into your life is using a VitaMix to make green smoothies. See Victoria Boutenko's book "Green for Life" for some great green smoothie recipes. Available at health food stores and on the internet. According to Dr. Blaylock, you absorb only 20-30% of the phytonutrients in raw fruits and vegetables when you eat them, but about 90% when you blenderize them. He recommends drinking 8 oz. of juice twice a day. Fresh fruits and vegetables are always preferred, but freezing doesn't destroy phytonutrients. So make use of frozen berries and other fruits if fresh aren't available. Drinking several cups of green or white tea daily is another way to get more phytonutrients. White tea provides more than green tea. Tea acts as a diuretic and causes some loss of minerals. If you're using a sauna or doing heavy exercise, you will also lose some minerals in sweat. Be sure you have a good source of minerals in your diet like our B…

. . .  another reason to choose raw foods. There are a number of problems with cooked foods; that's why I recommend eating at least 80% of your diet raw. One problem that hasn't gotten much press recently is acrylamide. I thought of it again when I ran across a 2008 study showing that curcumin greatly reduces the toxic effects of acrylamide. In 2002 Swedish researchers set off worldwide alarm bells when they reported that cooking starchy foods at temperatures over 120 degrees C (245 degrees F) -- temperatures reached in baking, roasting, frying and toasting -- creates a compound shown in animal studies to be highly carcinogenic and neurotoxic. That compound is acrylamide. It appears to be formed primarily when sugar reacts with an amino acid called asparagine. The higher the heat, and the longer the heating time, the more is formed. Boiling, steaming and stewing, which use lower temperatures, don't cause this reaction. According to a 2004 report by the FDA, the top 10 acrylami…

Question: Can you take too much 'oils'? I take flax oil, sometimes primrose and sometimes fish oil. With so much confusing info out there, how do you know which one to take, for how long and best time of day, with or without food? etc. Is it best to alternate or take them all at the same time? Due to the cost, I tend to stock up when they're on sale.  - JS, Internet Answer:  By "oils" I take it you are referring to essential fatty acids found in flax oil, primrose oil (GLA) and fish oil.  Although most Americans are deficient in these essential fatty acids, it's conceivable to go overboard and take too much of them.  It's also very possible to buy low-quality versions of these otherwise healthy oils that are actually detrimental to health -- always get them from totally trustworthy sources like Beyond Health. For most people either the Beyond Health EFA Formula as directed on the label OR a tablespoon each of Udo's Choice and Cod Liver Oil, Professional Formula a day is sufficien…

. . . probiotics -- essential to good health If you haven't been particularly interested in the bugs in your tummy, this study should catch your attention. Scientists have been able to predict the likelihood of a heart attack in lab rats by studying types and levels of bacteria found in their intestines. In addition, certain probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus plantarum 299y, were also found to decrease the size of a heart attack and lead to better recovery. According to John E. Baker, PhD, who led the study, the "discovery is a revolutionary milestone in the prevention and treatment of heart attacks." The editor of the FASEB Journal, where the study was published, commented, "We may soon evaluate our body's susceptibility to disease by looking at the microbes that inhabit the gut." Antibiotics use has been a disaster for human health by decimating healthy intestinal bacteria. If you've ever taken an antibiotic, build up your good bugs with Beyond Health's Probiotic Form…

. . .  with cooking and green tea. Wild fish are chock full of healthy omega 3 fats; unfortunately they're also usually chock full of toxic mercury. But here's some great news from researchers at the University of Montreal. They discovered that cooking fish and consuming it along with coffee or tea reduces the mercury that gets into your system to almost negligible amounts! Using laboratory techniques that simulate digestion, these scientists tested three kinds of fish (tuna, shark and mackerel) raw, boiled or fried. Compared with raw, boiling reduced mercury bioaccessibility by 40%; frying by 60%. In separate experiments they combined the fish with black coffee or black or green tea. All three beverages lowered mercury bioaccessibility by 50-60%. The combined effect of cooking and coffee or tea ingestion reduced bioaccessibility to extremely low levels. Here's another reason to add green tea to your healthy lifestyle -- a far healthier choice than either…

Share and Enjoy: . . . extra support is optimal as we age The kind of general health program described in Never Be Sick Again will support a healthy brain.Your supplement program should include ample vitamins - A, B, C, D and E, and a good balance of essential fatty acids. The brain is largely made of fat, and the type of fats you ingest are crucial for brain health. Get transfats out of your diet, and include flax oil, Udo's Choice and fish oil for extra omega 3 fats. There are several nutrients that the body can make, provided it has the right raw materials, that are essential for brain health and function. These nutrients begin to decline more and more after the age of 45. Growing deficiencies of these nutrients -- CoQ10, phosphatidyl serine and, my favorite brain nutrient, acetyl-L-carnitine, can play a large role in age-related cognitive decline; supplementing them can slow down and in some cases even reverse the brain-aging process. Aging tends to increase infl…

. . . a common surgery that can go very wrong. Having a hip replacement is now considered a normal part of aging for many Americans. About 400,000 of these surgeries are performed each year, and with Medicare or private insurance picking up most of the $40,000 tab for each, most people seem happy they've had them. If all goes well they can last 20 years or more. But all doesn't always go well. My good friend Dr. Len Saputo found out the hard way that a certain type of hip replacement -- metal on metal, or MOM -- can be disastrous. Eleven months after his own surgery, he was in agonizing pain and became increasingly disabled, with exhaustion, weight loss, night sweats, peripheral neuropathies, and inflammatory blood markers that went through the roof. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. A replacement involves both a ball (with a stem implanted into the femur bone) and a socket. These can be ceramic, plastic or metal. It turns out that when both ball and socket are made of me…

Share and Enjoy: . . . more reasons to choose a safe deodorant Last year Newsclips reported on a British researcher, Dr. Philippa Darbre, who observed a parallel rise in breast cancer in the upper outer quadrant of the breast (where deodorant is applied) and increased underarm cosmetic use in Britain, Scotland and Wales. In a 2004 study, she found accumulations of parabens, preservatives found in many underarm deodorants, in all malignant breast tumors she analyzed. Parabens are known endocrine disruptors and suspected carcinogens. Now a new study from Darbre and co-researcher, surgeon Lester Barr, again found parabens in the breast tissue of all 40 participants in the study, women who had had mastectomies due to breast cancer. As explained in my book Never Fear Cancer Again, many factors contribute to developing cancer; however there are only two fundamental causes for all disease, nutrient deficiency and toxicity. Parabens are one of thousands of harmful chemicals i…

. . . a prudent response to increasing environmental radioactivity Share and Enjoy: Radiation does its harm by generating massive amounts of free radicals that do oxidative damage to DNA and cause cancer years later. To combat oxidation, optimize your antioxidant status by eating plenty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Take vitamin C to bowel tolerance (call our office for instructions), and supplement with other antioxidants like vitamins A, D and E, N-acetyl cysteine, alpha-lipoic acid, curcumin, quercitin, selenium, CoQ10 and tocotrienols. Gamma tocotrienols have been proven protective against radiation exposure. Lipoic acid also has powerful anti-radiation effects: Giving lipoic acid to children who lived in areas damaged by Chernobyl for 28 days normalized radiation-related abnormalities. A combination of lipoic acid and vitamin E even improved the children's health markers above what was considered normal. Support DNA repair with vitamins B3, B6, B12 and…