...more than 3/4 of the population suffers from hidden inflammationMost people don't know or care about inflammation. Should you? YES! Unless you're in a fortunate minority, you're suffering from chronic inflammation right now, and it's aging you and undermining your health.There's a big difference between acute inflammation -- the pain, redness and swelling that follow an injury -- and chronic inflammation that smolders outside of your awareness, causing internal damage day in and day out.  Chronic inflammation causes or contributes to all the chronic diseases -- allergies, Alzheimer's, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, overweight, skin rashes -- you name it. And even in the absence of overt disease, chronic inflammation generates a steady stream of free radicals, disturbing your cell chemistry and keeping you feeling sub-par.What causes inflammation? In large part our diets, which lack nutrients that help to prevent and cont…

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…

Would you like a solution to the problem of aging and its associated diseases? Well, we have one! Age Defense Formula (ADF) is Beyond Health’s newest product. ADF is a powerful antioxidant formula that even works at the genetic level.  Most chronic diseases and signs of aging are due in part to cell damage from free radical activity in the body. By suppressing free radical activity, ADF helps to slow and even reverse the aging process.  I am really excited about this product and proud of what we have accomplished—it’s a technological breakthrough. Highly protective against the effects of cancercausing chemicals, ADF helps to prevent and suppress cancer, as well as all other inflammation-driven diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. Inflammation drives the aging process; it is the foundation of every chronic, degenerative disease. Inflammation generates free radicals, causing what is called oxidative damage. Oxidative damage to genes, cells, tissues, and organs is d…

. . . only two are recommended There are only two forms of B12 we recommend: methylcobalamin is the form used by the body; hydroxocobalamin is a storage form from which methylcobalamin is made. Our B12/Folate formula combines fast-acting methylcobalamin with long-lasting hydroxocobalamin for maximum coverage. The most common form of B12 is cyanocobalamin. Used in low-quality supplements, cyanocobalamin is not a good source of B12 and can even break down into toxic cyanide in the body. The biggest danger of taking B12 in the form of cyanocobalamin is you may think you are getting the B12 you need, but you aren't because of its low biological activity. In addition, our B12/Folate comes in a sublingual tablet. This allows the B12 to be absorbed directly through the mucous membranes of the mouth and avoids various absorption problems caused by low stomach acid, lack of intrinsic factor, leaky gut and gut inflammation. Our sublingual can be used in place of painful shots as it is j…

. . . PLP, the bioactive form of vitamin B6, can make a world of difference If all it did was support methylation, vitamin B6 would be a very valuable nutrient. But it does a lot more. It’s a “neuronutrient” that feeds the brain and nervous system and is used to make important neurotransmitters. It is needed in blood sugar regulation and protects against glycation reactions. It’s an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that supports immunity. It’s used in the synthesis of CoQ10. It’s helpful in preventing and treating allergies, arthritis, asthma, cancer, heart disease, edema, food cravings, PMS, ADHD, carpal tunnel syndrome and kidney disease. A recent review of 9 different studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that having high levels of vitamin B6’s active form, PLP, in your blood (130-140 pmol/ml) could reduce your risk of colon cancer by 49%. However vitamin B6 can’t do any of these good things unless it’s converted into its bioactive form, pyridox…

. . .  a unique garlic supplement higher in antioxidants than fresh, raw garlic If you have heart disease, or are worried about developing heart disease, there are a number of factors you may be monitoring: cholesterol and triglycerides, blood pressure, and abnormal blood clotting. Did you know that AGE has been shown to have a powerful positive impact on each of these factors? If your doctor takes a more sophisticated approach, you may also be looking at inflammation, heavy metal chelation, stress levels, homocysteine, lipoprotein (a), and oxidative stress. AGE has also been shown to powerfully impact all of these factors as well! Many of these same factors are also risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and play a role in age-related cognitive decline (memory problems and slowed thinking). AGE is a unique garlic supplement developed and sold by Kyolic, a division of Wakunaga Pharmaceutical Company in Japan. It is produced by extraction and…

. . . it’s absolutely critical to bone health Many people, including many doctors, believe all you need to build bones is calcium and vitamin D — and more recently vitamin K. But you need all the nutrients working together as a team to produce the health that supports healthy bones, and none is more important than vitamin C. One of the symptoms of scurvy (caused by extreme vitamin C deficiency) is deteriorating bones and teeth. Most animals produce their own vitamin C (humans, along with apes, guinea pigs and fruit bats have lost this ability), but animals who through some genetic defect can’t, develop severe osteoporosis. Vitamin C is critical to building healthy bone because it is needed in forming collagen. The most abundant protein in the body, collagen is a stiff, jelly-like substance found in all body tissues, including bone (yes, bone is considered a tissue). Collagen is, in a sense, what holds us together. It is what forms the matrix in bone where minerals are embedded…

Question:  There has been a lot in the news lately about Vitamin E and its link to prostate cancer. However, you recommend it for individuals with cancer. Why is this? C. K. – Ashland, OR Answer: Rest assured that the vitamin E you get from Beyond Health will help to prevent cancer, not cause it. The news items about vitamin E causing prostate cancer referred to a particular study using a synthetic form of vitamin E. This study, conducted under the auspices of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2011, was looking at the potential benefits of vitamin E and selenium for preventing prostate cancer. It was terminated when researchers found 400 IU of vitamin E daily was actually increasing the risk of prostate cancer. But what form of vitamin E were these scientists using? The wrong kind! Synthetic alpha tocopherol acetate! Gazillions of taxpayer dollars are spent on meaningless studies like this that u…

Olive oil is good for us. Studies have shown that olive oil is an especially healthy food that is good for the heart, protects against cancer, reduces pain, lowers blood pressure, protects against oxidative damage, prevents gallstones, protects against ulcer development, controls cholesterol and protects against cognitive decline. The road to getting healthier includes incorporating natural olive oil into your diet. So you probably have some “extra virgin” olive oil in your cupboard that you use to make “healthy” salads. But what if you found out that your olive oil was a sham—a fake food designed to fool both regulators and the public, made from a mixture of olive oil and processed sunflower, soy or hazelnut oil? That it wasn’t healthy at all; in fact it wasn’t any better or less toxic than the processed supermarket oils you must avoid. You’d probably be pretty angry about it. Well, if you don’t already know about the olive oil scandal, be prepared to be outraged. One of the…

Ever feel like you’re aging faster than your years? For Baby Boomers, premature aging is cause for concern. According to a recent AARP survey, nearly 3 out of 4 adults age 48 to 66 fear they’ll need to work at least part-time into retirement to survive financially, while half anticipate never retiring at all. This highlights the importance of preventing chronic diseases in aging Boomers. Yet, if you’re like many Boomers, you regularly engage in unhealthy habits that produce dangerous free radicals and cause you to age faster than your years. As you probably already know, free radicals are highly reactive atoms or molecules that are produced in the body by natural biological processes or introduced from the outside. They can damage cells and tissues through a process called oxidation. Some free radical production is normal and your body is designed to handle it. Yet, excessive free-radicals damage your cell’s DNA, membranes, mitochondria and other structures, and over time, cau…

Most people aren’t. Most Americans get about 15 grams of fiber daily. In 2002, the US government recommended that the average adult get between 21 and 38 grams each day. These recommendations were based on several large studies that found people who consumed 14 grams of fiber for each 1,000 calories had significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Many nutritional experts believe 35-45 grams would be even better. What is fiber? It’s the indigestible portion of plant foods. Most people think of fiber as bulk that helps move the bowels, but there’s much more to know about fiber. There are two kinds of fiber—soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber becomes gelatinous in the intestines. It’s soothing to intestinal walls and helps make bowel movements easier. Studies show it also decreases cholesterol. Insoluble fiber acts like an intestinal broom. Both kinds ease elimination by increasing fecal bulk and making stools softer. Both kinds of fiber absorb and remove toxins,…

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 is Heart Month, and an absolutely critical nutrient for the heart and cardiovascular system is vitamin E. When experimental animals are deprived of vitamin E, they die of heart disease. The two principle roles vitamin E plays in heart health are as an antithrombin, preventing clots inside blood vessels, and as an antioxidant, preventing lipid peroxidation, or oxidation of fats. While vitamin C is our body’s major water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin E is its major fat-soluble antioxidant. Maintaining healthy arteries, free of plaque, is key to maintaining a healthy heart. Plaque forms when cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), which is a type of fat, becomes oxidized. Vitamin E plays an essential role in protecting LDL from such oxidation. Cell membranes are composed primarily of fats. As we age our cell membranes tend to become stiffer, primarily due to oxidation. The blood cells themselves become thicker, which increases blood viscosity and impedes circulation…

Many different nutrients are involved in managing blood sugar. If you are deficient in even one, your blood sugar regulation will be impaired. This is why it’s so important to cover the basics by taking a good multivitamin, and getting the right fats (especially the essential fatty acids) and enough vitamin C and vitamin D, all of which are critical for healthy blood sugar regulation. Best of all would be our Ultimate Wellness Kit. If you have chronically high blood sugar, you are especially at risk for nutrient deficiencies in some of the very nutrients required for healthy blood sugar control. Even in controlled diabetes, blood sugar levels frequently spike to 160-170 mg/dL after meals. The body gets rid of high levels of sugar like these with excessive urination. This removes unwanted sugar, but also depletes the body of water-soluble vitamins and minerals (all the B vitamins, for example, which are so important in energy production). A seminal 1987 study found diabetics defici…

Old man winter is right around the corner. That means most of us will likely be hit by a variety of cold or flu viruses. However, just because we’re exposed to them does not mean we are destined to catch them. In fact, by strengthening our immune system, almost anyone can fight off seasonal viruses. What’s the best thing you can do to boost your body’s defenses? It’s no secret that reliable ol’ vitamin C is our perennial favorite for keeping you healthy in this change of seasons. And for good reason. This essential nutrient works nothing short of a miracle as it pumps antioxidant protection into your body’s cells. In fact, during the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, scientist discovered antioxidants such as vitamin C held the key to preventing the flu virus from wreaking havoc on our lungs. And, other studies have shown vitamin C particularly effective at fighting both swine and avian flu. Of course, there is significant research including this study showing vitamin C can reduce ordina…

All parents want their children to be healthy. The question is: what’s the most important thing can we do to boost the immunity of our little ones so they stay disease-free? Hands down, our best recommendation is to provide the maximum amount of vitamin C in their daily diet. What makes Vitamin C so special? For starters, vitamin C is a powerful reducing agent, meaning it readily donates electrons to recipient molecules, making it a powerful antioxidant that works to keep disease out of cells in the first place. That’s critically important to the most fragile of us, our children. That’s why we recommend kids get plenty of vitamin C in their diet so seasonal viruses like colds and flus don’t put a damper on school and play. In fact, vitamin C ranks as one of the best defenders against cellular malfunction—the only “real” disease—caused by nutritional deficiencies or toxicity. Studies show that vitamin C can reduce the duration of colds up to 14%. In other words, it can boos…

How can you tell if you’re deficient in essential fatty acids (EFAs)? Here are some clues. There are two families of EFAs, the omega 6s and the omega 3s. Omega 6 Deficiency Dry, flakey skin is the cardinal sign that you aren’t getting enough omega 6, which maintains the skin barrier against excessive water loss. Your skin should be soft and velvety, but water loss can lead to “alligator skin,” “chicken skin,” thick patches of skin, cracked skin (especially on heels or fingertips), or frequent nosebleeds. Also look for brittle nails that break easily; dry eyes; dry, dull and unmanageable hair; dandruff or hair loss; itchy skin, eczema and other skin lesions. Canker sores in your mouth may be another sign. Water Loss can lead to excessive thirst. Other signs of deficiency include poor immunity, wounds that are slow to heal, PMS and other reproductive problems, kidney malfunction, joint pain and heart beat abnormalities. Omega 3 Deficiency Fatigue can be caused by many thin…