. . . What's the difference? If you get the 25(OH)D test for vitamin D status that we urge everyone to get, you’re likely to find you’re deficient. It’s also likely your doctor will offer you a prescription for Drisdol, a synthetic form of vitamin D. Thank your doctor, but call us rather than fill that prescription. Drisdol is vitamin D2, a form of vitamin D that is less effective than vitamin D3 (the form of vitamin D we carry) and may even be harmful. There are two basic forms of vitamin D – vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. D3 (cholecalciferol) is the preferred form. It’s what’s made in our skin from sunlight; it’s also found in eggs, organ meats, animal fat and fish oil. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is synthesized by irradiating yeast or fungi. It isn’t generally found in the human body. Because it’s easier and less expensive to manufacture, D2 is the form most often used for food fortification and in medications. But it’s more difficult for the body to utilize and may even be detrim…

. . . let's make the common cold rare! Although viral infections are considered normal, they’re actually quite unusual among cultures where people consume a healthy diet and follow a healthy way of life. Likewise, people I’ve worked with who follow the Beyond Health lifestyle rarely get colds, and I myself have had only two colds in 27 years. How do you eliminate colds and the flu from your life? By building and maintaining a superior level of health and immunity. Your diet should be 80% alkaline, with plenty of fresh, raw vegetables and fruits, as well as beans, legumes, nuts, seeds and healthy oils. Avoid allergens (every allergic reaction weakens your immunity) and omit the Big Four (sugar, wheat, processed oils and dairy/excessive animal protein). Eating sugar alone is enough to knock out your immune defenses for the next 6-8 hours, yet each American now consumes an average of 160 pounds a year (one big reason colds have become “normal”). Get on a high-quality basic sup…

. . . why gluten in your diet could be making you fat! The buzz at the Beyond Health office these days is from customers who tell us they’ve been losing 10, 20 and even 30 pounds by doing nothing else except cutting out wheat! Of course we’re all biologically unique, and this doesn’t work for everyone, but wheat (and the gluten in wheat) isn’t healthy for anyone, so if you’re looking to lose excess weight, going gluten-free is certainly worth a try! Why would eating wheat make you fat? Well, you might be one of the up to 50% of the US population that has a gluten allergy or sensitivity and is “gluten intolerant.” Food allergies and sensitivities can cause both water and fat retention. I’ve known people who lost almost 10 pounds in the first week after giving up gluten, most of it water-weight. It takes longer to release the fat, but that comes off in time too. Also, we often become addicted to foods we’re allergic to, leading to intense cravings for these very foods and compul…

. . . women who ate more chocolate had less heart disease! Yet another study has found that eating chocolate is good for you. Researchers in Australia observed more than a thousand older women (average age 75) for 10 years. About half of them habitually ate chocolate. The study found that the women who consumed chocolate most frequently were much less likely to develop heart disease – including ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, and atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery – than women who rarely ate chocolate. The frequent chocolate eaters were also much less likely to be hospitalized or die from heart disease. Why is chocolate healthy? It’s the flavonoids. Cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate, is very high in heart-healthy flavonoids. If you want to get the most flavonoids, get dark chocolate with over 70% cacao (avoid white and milk chocolate). Of course you don’t have to rely on chocolate to get flavonoids. Green tea, wine and grape juice, garlic, an…

. . . many heart conditions have been reversed or significantly improved In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re making February “heart health” month at Beyond Health, and there’s no better supplement for heart health than Coenzyme Q10, better known as CoQ10. If you have heart problems, you would do well to take 200-300 mg a day of this wonderful supplement. This is especially true if you’re taking statin drugs, because statins deplete the body of CoQ10. Although our bodies make CoQ10, CoQ10 production drops off more and more with age. By the age of 50, anyone with a chronic disease or experiencing energy problems should start taking at least 100 mg a day. CoQ10’s main function lies in the production of energy, so it’s needed everywhere in the body, but the need is greatest in our most metabolically active tissues, such as heart muscle. What most forms of heart disease have in common is low energy production in the heart muscle cells, leading to a condition called “energy-starved hear…

. . . easy ways to get more garlic into your diet Garlic inspires much love, much hate in social circles everywhere. Not unlike its vegetable cousin, the onion, garlic is notoriously tricky to peel, rubs off on fingers, lingers in your breath and stands out in every dish it is tossed in. Is its flavor worth it? Garlic lovers enthusiastically say, “Yes!” To them, it tastes great, is a healthier and tastier alternative to salt, and enhances just about any savory dish. Beyond flavor, however, garlic packs one heck of a health benefit punch: according to several studies, it lowers blood pressure and, when taken in large amounts, thins the blood. Because of this, it serves as an important dietary ally to reducing high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension). The Dangers of HBP If the force of blood flow in your cardiovascular system is too high, over time, the tissue that makes up the walls of arteries gets stretched beyond its healthy limit and gets injured. This can ultimately pr…

. . . lowers systolic blood pressure by as much as 17 mm Hg Dr. Thomas Frieden, Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has called uncontrolled high blood pressure “public enemy #2” when it comes to threats to our nation’s health. A major risk factor for heart attack and stroke, and even kidney disease, high blood pressure affects one-third of our population (two-thirds of those over the age of 65), costs our economy an estimated $131 billion in health care costs annually, and contributes to more than 1,000 deaths each and every day. Medications don’t necessarily control high blood pressure, and they produce side effects that make many loathe to take them. Dizziness, nausea, arrhythmias, sexual problems and many other unpleasant and even dangerous symptoms have plagued those who dutifully take these drugs. Yet in a recent study, taking just two capsules of Kyolic garlic daily for four months reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP --the top number) fr…

. . . an apple a day keeps the cardiologist away It turns out that eating an apple daily really is a valuable health practice! A recent study at Ohio State University found that it reduced LDL oxidation by 40% in just four weeks! Why is this important? Well, as you may have read in this month’s Beyond Health EZine, cholesterol doesn’t cause heart disease . . . unless it’s oxidized. The first step in developing atherosclerosis is the oxidation of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL cholesterol). Although we are a nation obsessed with lowering our cholesterol numbers, half of all heart attacks occur in people with normal cholesterol levels, and there are as many heart attacks in people with cholesterol over 300 as there are under 200. What we should become obsessed with is reducing oxidation and inflammation . . . in managing oxidative stress by getting plenty of antioxidant nutrients in fresh fruits and vegetables and in supplements, and by adopting an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.…

. . . oxidative damage appears to be the major culprit in age-related vision loss Can you imagine losing your eyesight as you get older? It happens all the time, and unfortunately, it’s on the increase. The major culprit in age-related vision loss seems to be oxidative damage – the remedy: getting plenty of antioxidants in food and supplements. The eye is a fatty organ, and its fatty content can easily be oxidized by sunlight, ozone, radiation from TVs and computer monitors, and other environmental toxins. Oxidizing damage to proteins in the eye’s lens causes opacities known as cataracts. Another major cause of vision loss is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which involves oxidative damage to the retina. Since a major study called the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) was published in 2001, antioxidants have become a standard recommendation in even conventional optometry and ophthalmology. This multi-center study found that taking vitamins C and E with beta-carotene…

. . . rebuild damaged joints with glucosamine and chondroitin Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the US today. More than 20% of our adult population has been diagnosed with arthritis, and almost half of these experience some form of activity limitation as a result. What these statistics fail to convey is the tremendous pain and suffering arthritis can cause. NSAIDs taken for this pain damage joints even further, making the disease worse long term. Fortunately, arthritic pain can be greatly reduced and often eliminated without drugs, and the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA), can even be reversed. An anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle, including a good supplement program (see my article, “Inflammation: the Common Denominator of Disease”), weight loss if needed, and the help of a good physical therapist in devising an appropriate exercise program can minimize and even alleviate pain in all but the most severely damaged joints. Meanwhile, osteoart…

. . . lose the sugar and includ the good oils and vitamin D for good eye health While AREDS (see first article), started the conversation about nutrition and the eyes in conventional medicine, subsequent studies have focused on other nutritional factors. A Harvard study published in 2011 that followed over 38,000 women for 10 years found that those consuming the most DHA and EPA had the least risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Consumption of one or more servings of fish per week was associated with a 42% lower risk of AMD compared with consumption of less than one serving per month. An earlier Australian study of almost 7,000 participants, found that a diet low in trans-fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids and olive oil could reduce the risk of AMD. (I used to recommend one serving of fish a week, however unfortunately I now believe it’s best to avoid fish – too much mercury and other pollutants – and to get your omega 3s from our cod liver oil or fish o…

If you are more than five pounds over your normal weight, you need to read my book Never Be Fat Again.  A catastrophic epidemic of overweight disease is sweeping America.  More than two-thirds of all Americans are overweight.  This is not a cosmetic problem - it is a serious, chronic and degenerative disease.  Even a few extra pounds will accelerate aging, increase susceptibility to cancer and other diseases, increase disability and shorten life.  Overweight is not a benign disease, and no one should be or needs to be fat.  Lean people live longer, have less disease, less disability, more energy, and a higher quality of life. While millions spend billions trying to lose weight, this epidemic is getting worse every year.  More than one-third of our children are overweight.  Because of this, life expectancy is expected to turn down, after two hundred years of increases. When I look at this problem, I wondered why, after all those diets and all that money, time, effort, diet books,…

. . . be sure to take vitamin D supplements with fat for proper absorption One of the fears men have about growing older is the increasing risk of prostate cancer that comes with age. But here’s some good news: a study at the Center for Cancer Research at Purdue University found that having adequate levels of vitamin D may help to prevent prostate cancer and slow down the growth rate of already existing prostate cancer. Investigators gave three groups of male mice different amounts of vitamin D in their food and tested their blood levels of vitamin D with the same 25(OH)D test that’s used for humans. The first group was deficient, at 10.5 ng/ml; the second was normal, at 31 ng/ml; and the third exceeded the high normal range at 95 ng/ml. The more rapidly cells divide, the more likely cancer is to develop or spread. Conversely, the more quickly cells die a normal death (called apoptosis), the less likely cancer is to develop or spread. The scientists found that prostate cells i…

Question:   I have been taking a beta carotene supplement and I just read that a study showed that people who take beta carotene have a higher incidence of cancer.  Is this true?  I'd like to know what you think. K. E. – Macon, GA Answer:  There were actually two studies, in 1994 and 1996, which I am aware of that demonstrated a higher incidence of cancer in those taking beta carotene supplements.  I think the studies were well done, but there are lots of ifs, ands, and buts that muddy the water so that the conclusions can confuse people. Beta carotene is one of a family of compounds known as carotenoids.  Carotenoids are yellow, orange, and red pigments that are abundant in plants and fruits.  For example, the orange pigment in carrots is from beta carotene.  Carotenoids are known for their anti-oxidant properties, and they are known as the dietary source of Pro Vitamin A.  Vitamin A is necessary for normal metabolism and growth and it is important for vision and immune syste…

. . . Carotenoids for a long life and for life-long clear vision! Beyond Health recently introduced our new beta-carotene product, Carotene Formula. Carotenes are part of a family of more than 600 antioxidant pigments found in fruits and vegetables (they give produce their vivid colors) called carotenoids. Carotenoids are vastly under-appreciated in today’s supplement world, but a 1984 study conducted by the National Academy of Sciences found the carotenoid content of tissue to be the most significant factor in determining maximal lifespan potential in humans and other mammals. In other words, the more carotenoids you consume, the longer you’re likely to live! One reason for this, no doubt, is the important role carotenoids play in detoxification. Certain carotenoids are also central to the health of the eyes. Beta-carotene, for example, converts in the body as needed into vitamin A. Two other antioxidant carotenoids that have been getting a lot of attention recently are lutein a…

. . . maintain a sharp brain for life Most of us hope to live to a ripe old age with our wits about us. Indeed, there are many examples of people living into their hundreds with all their faculties intact to inspire such a hope. Unfortunately, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, one in eight people over the age of 65 and nearly half age 85 and older has Alzheimer’s disease. Many more have other forms of dementia. By 2050, it’s probably going to be a lot worse; the number of people over 65 with Alzheimer’s is projected to triple. Projections weren’t given for those over 85, but it certainly doesn’t look good for those of us planning to live well into our nineties and beyond. But wait a minute. We’re not helpless victims here. As disturbing as these statistics may be, Alzheimer’s is just disease (aka malfunctioning cells), and we know that all disease has only two causes: nutrient deficiency and toxicity. As diets become more devoid of nutrients and as toxins proliferate in o…

. . . flawed studies suggest fish oil is ineffective in treating heart disease It’s become an all-too familiar story. Studies of healthy populations find that a natural substance, let’s call it “substance X,” provides protection against one or more diseases. A significant body of research accumulates validating substance X’s health benefits. It becomes popular with the public, and even doctors begin prescribing it. Sales boom. But then studies begin to appear in prestigious medical journals saying substance X is ineffective and may even be dangerous. The media jump on the story like flies to a sticky bun, and the public is led to believe that none of the so-called experts really knows what they’re talking about. A confused public gives up on being proactive about their health and simply waits to get sick. When they do, they are scared enough to suspend critical judgment and blindly trust their doctor and his or her expertise in administering pharmaceutical drugs. All of this serv…

Although it is the number one killer in America, heart disease is also one of the most easily prevented. Heart attacks, strokes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and arrhythmias are all caused by the cumulative effects of poor lifestyle choices. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is deficient in nutrients, highly acidic and inflammatory, and laden with toxins. Our increasingly stressful, isolated, and sedentary lives compound the problem. Fortunately, all of these factors are completely under your control. The heart is an amazingly well designed and efficient pump. It will beat over 2.8 billion times during an average person’s lifetime. It cannot take breaks, go on vacation, or go offline for periodic maintenance—it is always on duty. It is self-repairing, so it knows how to maintain itself while it is working. However, to extend its reliability decade after decade, it requires nutritional support and other favorable conditions that only you can supply. The kind of support yo…