The amount of vitamin C you should take is the amount your body needs to stay healthy. This is determined by three factors: your genetic makeup, your environment and your current state of health. There is no clinical way to measure what this number is. It is something you have to determine on your own. The average adult would be well advised to take 8 to 10 grams of vitamin C per day. I personally take 16 grams. People with infections or chronic disease problems may need 40, 50 or even as much as 100 grams per day. Here is how to determine what your body needs: Gradually increase your vitamin C intake by one or two grams per day until you develop loose stools. Once this happens, back off to where this doesn’t happen. The rule of thumb is about 80 percent of where you were when the loose stools occurred. This amount is called "bowel tolerance. It is the amount your body needs, and what you should be taking.…

To prevent the flu, the one thing you don’t want to do is get a flu shot. There is no scientific proof that flu shots prevent the flu. In fact, they are known to cause the flu; we know they are dangerous, so why get them? Remember that people who get a flu shot five years in a row increase their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 1000 percent. Sweden’s Medical Products Agency has opened an inquiry into the problem of swine flu vaccinations causing narcolepsy, a chronic sleeping disorder. This action was provoked by reports concerning children aged between 12-16 years who developed symptoms compatible with narcolepsy that occurred one to two months after swine flu vaccinations. Finland is also looking into the possible link between narcolepsy and the swine flu vaccination. Instead of dangerous vaccinations, there are a number of things you can do to prevent yourself from getting the flu. Vitamin D supplementation is a far better, safer and more effective option…

For decades, pioneer doctors have used vitamin C with spectacular results when nothing else was working to save patients’ lives during viral epidemics and pandemics. Not in the puny doses employed by researchers who sought to discredit Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling’s claim that he’d found the cure for the common cold, but in megadoses, up to 150 grams a day intravenously (IV). However their work, even when they painstakingly recorded it in medical journals, was summarily dismissed by the medical establishment.  In a desperate search to help patients dying of COVID-19 related respiratory failure, the Chinese began using high-dose IV vitamin C, and last month the Shanghai government announced its official recommendation that COVID-19 should be treated with intravenous vitamin C at dosages equal to about 4-16 grams depending on body weight and severity of disease. Since IV vitamin C is ten times more powerful than oral vitamin C, this dosage would equal 40-160 grams…

A few months ago, we wrote about the five supplements we felt were the most important supplements to be taking at this time to support immune health.  They are: A high-quality multivitamin, like our Beyond Health Multi.   Vitamin C (either powdered or in tablets), 6 grams a day or to bowel tolerance, in divided doses.  Enough Vitamin D3 to achieve a high-normal level on a 25(OH)D blood test. Beyond Health Cell Repair Formula or Beyond Health Quercetin Pro, 2-4 tablets daily. Zinc.  Under age 40, 25 mg per day from Beyond Health’s Multi.  If over 40, an additional 25 mg from Beyond Health’s Zinc Formula for a total of 50 mg per day.  Most health-minded people today are aware that a multi, vitamins C and D, and zinc are good for the immune system.  But quercetin? Some people haven’t even heard of it.  So what is quercetin (pronounced kwer’-si-tin)?  And why do we believe it&rs…

We all want to keep our immunity strong these days, and if you’ve been around Beyond Health for long, you know that means staying away from sugar. Sugar hammers your immunity in two ways. First, it competes with vitamin C to get into your cells. Immune cells cannot function without vitamin C, and they need lots of it—in an infection, your need for C can multiply by a factor of ten or more. But taking extra vitamin C isn’t going to help if you can’t get it into your immune cells. Too much sugar in the bloodstream blocks C’s entry into the cells, creating an artificial vitamin C deficiency. Second, sugar can create dramatic blood sugar spikes followed by deep dips. Your immune system also needs oxygen, and an erratic blood sugar level can weaken your immunity by preventing oxygen from getting into your cells. Wouldn’t it be nice, then, to have a sweetener that didn’t compete for with vitamin C or affect blood sugar levels? Well, there is such a s…

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…

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…

Q: I purchased your book, “Never be sick again” and would like to implement your plan, but I don’t know where to begin.  I am 58 years old and have developed osteoarthritis in my hands.  I also have joint pain in my knees, diagnosed as patello femoral pain syndrome, but still have discomfort in my knees. Do you have a detailed eating plan or any other information that would be helpful? A: It’s is so good to hear that you have purchased Raymond’s book and that you wish to incorporate many of Raymond’s suggestions. As you know, we believe that there is only one disease – malfunctioning cells – and only two reasons cells malfunction – toxicity and nutrient deficiency.  Osteoporosis is like any other disease. It has two causes (toxicity and nutrient deficiency) and can be reversed with our approach.  The United States has one of the highest osteoporosis rates in the world. Americans suffer more than 1.5 million fract…

In this short three minute clip, Raymond Francis discussed the problem with vitamin C, one of the most important molecules you can put into your body. Although everyone should be supplementing with vitamin C, there is one big problem with the world’s current supply of this essential vitamin. Take a moment to watch this short, yet highly informational clip to find out which forms of vitamin C you should avoid and where you can find the best quality vitamin C supplements.…

. . . 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…

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…

. . .  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…

. . . flu shots are ineffective and dangerous I’m not a doctor and can’t advise you not to get a flu shot, but I am a scientist, and after studying this subject in depth, I’ve concluded that flu shots are a fraud. They’re not effective and can do serious harm. A hundred and forty-nine different kinds of adverse reactions to vaccines have been reported to the government Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). These include seizures, anaphylaxis, onset of autoimmune illness, and death. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Vaccines cause permanent damage to everyone who is subjected to them. Vaccines over stimulate the immune system, causing excessive inflammation and, paradoxically, overall immune suppression. They also trigger brain inflammation, leading to short term and long term brain damage. Renowned immunologist, Dr. H. Hugh Fudenberg found that adults who took flu shots five years in a row increased their risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 1,000%. M…

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. Writing in the Townsend Letter, sports medicine experts Jason E. Barker and Chris D. Meletis say that using the large muscle groups at about 40-50% of your exercise capacity six days a week, with resistance training at least two days a week, has been shown repeatedly to reduce the risk of getting heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, obesity, depression, anxiety and other chronic diseases. But, they warn, exercise itself can have some hazards, especially when it comes to wear and tear on your joints. They recommend glucosamine, as well as vitamin C to maintain healthy muscles and joints if you engage in regular strenuous exercise. Glucosamine is the precursor for glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), the building blocks of hyaluronic acid and synovial fluid. These lubricants protect the joints from friction. Glucosamine is also used to build cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. Glucosamine stimulates the producti…

Although maintaining strong immunity is important during the winter to avoid colds and flu, a healthy immune system is one of the foundations for optimal health all year round. While necessary to every cell in the body, the antioxidant mineral selenium is particularly valuable to the immune system. Selenium plays a key role in our antioxidant system, helping to make glutathione, and regenerating major antioxidants like vitamins C and E so that they can be reused again and again. One way immune cells kill pathogens is with oxidative poisons. Without the protection of selenium, these poisons can harm the immune cells themselves, weakening them and making them less effective—sometimes even killing them. Selenium has also been shown to keep viruses from mutating into forms that are many times more destructive. Cumulative oxidative damage to immune cells over time causes the immune system to weaken with age. However selenium and other antioxidants can prevent and even reverse age-rel…

February was Heart Health month, and we honored it by writing about two nutrients that are critical for a healthy heart, vitamin E and CoQ10. However no discussion of nutrients that benefit the heart would be complete without talking about our favorite vitamin, vitamin C. We’ve told you before about a theory advanced by one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century, two-time Nobel laureate, chemist Linus Pauling. He hypothesized that heart disease may actually be a vitamin C deficiency disease. Pauling observed that animals don’t get heart attacks. Most animals (humans, apes, guinea pigs and fruit bats excepted) make their own vitamin C—out of blood sugar! According to Andrew W. Saul, PhD, most mammals make the human equivalent of more than 5,000 mg of vitamin C daily, and considerably more when under stress. Pauling also knew that one of vitamin C’s primary roles in the body is helping to build collagen, the basic material in connective tissue, including blood vessel wal…

How you take your supplements and what you take them with can make a big difference in how your body absorbs and uses the nutrients they provide. At Beyond Health, our formulas are designed to combine nutrients in the most synergistic way so that they support rather than compete with each other. If you take too much of one nutrient it can suppress absorption of another—this is the case with zinc and copper. To prevent this, the two nutrients must be present in a balanced ratio. B vitamins work together, so they should almost always be taken together as a “team.” Also, most supplements should be taken with food. You can trust Beyond Health to provide balanced formulas, so, for the most part, all you have to do is follow the directions on the label. However, fat-soluble vitamins should always be taken with a good amount of fat in a meal for best absorption. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. Customers who’ve been trying to get their vitamin D levels up have sometimes re…

Most people who call us at Beyond Health believe, as we do, that supplementation has become essential (see this report if you need convincing). What they want to know is how to get the most bang for their supplement buck. “What supplements do I really need?” is a common question. Well, the first thing to consider is this: The most expensive supplement you can buy is the one that doesn’t work AND does you harm! Unfortunately, that’s what you get with a lot of the cheaper brands. If money is tight, it’s always better to take fewer high-quality supplements from a company you trust than to buy cheap, low-quality brands. Next, what do you want to accomplish? What you purchase should always be related to your health goals. Our three wellness kits address different health goals. The Basic Wellness Kit For those who are healthy and want to stay that way, our Basic Wellness Kit includes our multi, EFA (Essential Fatty Acid) Formula, and vitamin C. It costs about $2.50 a day. Everyo…