Ronald L. Hoffman, M.D.
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 Other nutrients, such as magnesium, copper, chromium, vitamin C, and b vitamins all help protect against the effects of lead by blocking its effects on enzymes.
Several kinds of tests are available to check lead levels in your body. A simple and accurate method of determining toxic levels of lead in your system is hair analysis. While not 100 percent reliable, it provides a convenient, inexpensive screening test for toxicity. By itself, it's insufficient evidence for a program of therapy, but if the result is positive for lead, use other screening tests. |
Neal Barnard, M.D.
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 Certain b vitamins can help prevent heart attacks. Vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid help break down an amino acid called homocysteine, which tends to build up in the blood in some people and encourages artery blockages. A study of American physicians found that those in the top 5 percent of homocysteine levels had triple the risk of a heart attack, compared to those with lower levels. Researchers are still defining what is a dangerous homocysteine level, but numbers above 12 micromoles per liter are likely to be considered high. |
Paul Pitchford
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 Sufficient b vitamins, vitamin A, and protein are also necessary for a harmonious menstrual cycle. These nutrients help the liver convert powerful hormones present before menstruation into less provoking substances. Vitamin Bg and folic acid are especially important; B6 is found abundantly in whole grains; folic acid as well as vitamin A (in the form of provitamin A) are concentrated in green vegetables. Provitamin A is also richly supplied in the deep yellow vegetables—carrots are especially helpful for hormonal regulation. Sufficient vitamin B12 is essential to menstrual cycle health. |
Carlton Fredericks, Ph.D.
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| Often the b vitamins are components of enzyme systems, and it may be that the antiestrogen effect derives from one of these enzymes, as yet unidentified. The last phrase tells you that there are factors of the Vitamin B Complex we have not yet isolated and chemically identified, though we know they are there, and that their actions do not derive from the known vitamins of this group. |
Bill Gottlieb
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 Bifidus (also known as bifidum) is one of the helpful bacteria that inhabit the large intestine, keeping nasty bacteria at bay, manufacturing b vitamins, and helping the bowels stay regular. But, says Dr. Crinnion, it has another very handy property: It detoxifies acetaldehyde, a digestive by-product of alcohol that is theorized to cause most of the symptoms of a hangover. "The level of acetaldehyde is dramatically lowered when a person takes bifidus after drinking," he says.
He recommends the product Bifido Factor from Natren. Mix 1 teaspoon in 8 ounces of water and drink before bedtime. |
| Take a daily high-potency B-complex supplement that supplies 100 milligrams of most of the b vitamins.
PROFESSIONAL CARE
Acne can affect self-esteem, causing problems in many areas of life, but it is not a threat to physical health, says Esta Kronberg, M.D., a dermatologist in Houston. There is however, a very rare form of acne called acne fulminans, with fever and boils that cover the face, that is quite severe and needs immediate medical attention.
• Vitamin C: It is considered essential for the health of collagen, a component of the skin. Take 1,000 to 3,000 milligrams a day. |
| A high-potency supplement should supply a daily dose of at least 50 milligrams of most of the b vitamins, 15 milligrams of beta-carotene, 30 milligrams of zinc, and 200 micrograms of selenium.
VITAMIN C: A Must for a Healthy Lens
"Vitamin C is the king of antioxidants and can both prevent and heal cataracts," Dr. Grossman says. He points out that the lens of the eye contains more vitamin C than any other part of the body except the adrenal glands and that vitamin C levels in the lens may be "very low and sometimes nonexistent" if a cataract is growing. |
| He recommends taking a high-potency B-complex supplement that supplies a daily dose of 50 milligrams of most of the b vitamins.
MSM: Get the Pain-Relieving Sulfur Your Body Needs
Do you eat lots of processed foods? Are you under constant stress? Then you're a typical American. Those two lifestyle factors rob your body of sulfur, a crucial anti-inflammatory, tissue-healing, anti-pain nutrient, Dr. Braly says.
"It is my opinion that sulfur is an essential nutrient that conventional medicine has overlooked," he says. |
| B-complex vitamins: For prevention, take one capsule a day of a high-potency supplement that provides at least 50 milligrams of most of the b vitamins.
QIGONG: Make a "V"—For Victory Over Earaches A qigong massage—a technique from Traditional Chinese Medicine—can help beat an earache, says Kingsbury. To do the massage, place your middle finger on your face in front of your ear and your index finger behind your ear near your hairline; your fingers will form aV-shape. |
Dr. Cass Ingram
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 Two cans of herring provide a complete array of nutrients in the form of fatty vitamins, b vitamins, protein, minerals, and fuel fats, enough for an entire day—perhaps longer. The only thing it lacks is vitamin C. The fatty acids in herring are readily digested, offering fish oils, fat soluble vitamins as well as fuel calories. Herring plus dried fruit or tomatoes is a nutrient dense meal.
Honey
Honey provides fuel, that is calories, and nutrients, plus it is a lifesaving medicine. It is a relatively inexpensive natural remedy with a versatility unmatched by modern drugs. |
| Mackerel is an excellent source of b vitamins, notably pyridoxine, niacin, and biotin. It is also an excellent source of vitamin D, which is very difficult to procure in the diet. Be sure to drink the juice of the mackerel; it is rich in fat soluble vitamins as well as fish oils.
Whole milk, dried/powdered
It would be difficult to find a more useful, nutritious, and vitamin-packed food than powdered milk. The individual can essentially live on powdered milk, with a bit of vitamin C, for prolonged periods, perhaps years. |
| These nutrients should be taken to prevent it as well as to eradicate it after it strikes. b vitamins which protect against it include pyridoxine and riboflavin. Selenium and zinc also offer protection. As always, be sure to seek medical care if a suspicious lesion develops.
Melanoma Combat Kit
• wear white/light colored cotton clothing that covers most of the exposed parts
• large brimmed hats are mandatory
• top quality sunscreen containing antioxidants
• oil of oregano — rub into the lesion three times daily. Also, take 2 or 3 drops under the tongue twice daily. |
Neal Barnard, M.D.
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| Nutritional yeast—yeast produced specifically to provide nutrition, including protein and some b vitamins. Certain brands are a source of vitamin Bi2. Sold in natural food stores. Do not confuse with baking yeast.
Poultry seasoning—a commercial blend of marjoram, sage, and thyme. Sold in supermarkets.
Prune puree—can be used in place of fat (eggs and some or all oil) in baked goods. Commercial brands are WonderSlim and Lekvar. Prune baby food or pureed stewed prunes may also be used. Also called prune butter. |
Dr. Cass Ingram
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| The broth remaining is extremely nourishing, being high in both b vitamins and minerals; be sure to drink it or use it as a soup base, never waste it.
Wild rice is one of the most sustaining of all types of carbohydrate sources. The protein and starch it contains are easily digested. This makes it an excellent food for children. It is also very nourishing for the elderly. Use it as the preferred grain type starch for a high level of nourishment without risk for allergy or intolerance. |
James S. Gordon, M.D.
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 For example, recent studies on several of the b vitamins have shown that people who have both normal intake and normal blood levels of B12, B6, and folate are, in fact, suffering from functional deficiencies of these vitamins. In one recent and careful study, five percent of people suffering from neurological symptoms clearly attributable to B12 deficiency had normal levels of B12.
Williams's findings, and the studies that have subsequently appeared, confirmed my sense of the importance of understanding and treating each person as unique. |
Dr. Cass Ingram
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| Sardines possess everything required for the basic needs: amino acids, fatty acids, b vitamins, and minerals. They are also the top source of nuclear nutrients, that is RNA and DNA. Thus, with the exception of vitamin C, two or three cans of sardines provide the daily necessary ration.
Buy sardines packed in mustard, tomato sauce, or pure olive oil. Another option is sardines packed in their own fish oils, known as sild sardine oil. The latter is the most nutrient dense of all sardines, and offers a unique aromatic flavor. |
Carlton Fredericks, Ph.D.
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| Not only does lack of the b vitamins raise estrogen levels by interfering with inactiva-tion, but high levels of the hormone will cause symptoms of Vitamin B Complex deficiency. This has been observed in women who take estrogen-based birth control pills, which are now known to cause deficiencies in Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and folic acid.
I have seen administration of estrogen worsen the effects of nutritional inadequacy. I have watched symptoms of such dietary deficiencies intensify as women enter the high-estrogen phase of the menstrual cycle. |
| By observing the sexual receptivity of female rats, which is triggered by female hormone, it was then proved that the flow of estrogen through the liver could be turned on or off by feeding or withholding the b vitamins in the diet. |
| This degradation of estrogen was demonstrably inefficient with a diet low in b vitamins and highly effective in the presence of an adequate supply of these nutrients, provided by a good diet.
All the early research, though, was performed with laboratory rats. Not only were its implications for women not considered—because estrogen then had not been linked with cancer—but the thesis, even when involving only laboratory animals, became the focal point of the disagreements which surround any scientific advance. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 However, lack of acid makes it more difficult for the body to absorb b vitamins, calcium, iron, and vitamin K.
LM Take small doses of vitamin C. Taking 500 milligrams of vitamin C a day protects against the development of stomach cancer. Taking very large doses—that is, over 3,000 milligrams a day—may increase stomach irritation and cancel out the anticancer effect.
LM Avoid spicy and salty foods, and eat moderate portions of other foods. Spicy and salty foods, and large portions of other foods, cause chronic inflammation of the stomach, which increases the risk of cancer. |
Carlton Fredericks, Ph.D.
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| All this doesn't mean that the other b vitamins, known or unknown, don't play a part in control of estrogen, but inositol and choline are key factors.
Earlier, when I noted that I learned more about nutrition from the veterinarian journals than from those published for physicians, I wasn't jesting. All animal husbandry schools include in their courses a great deal of instruction in (animal) nutrition, while there are many medical schools which don't teach the subject at all, or give grossly inadequate time to it. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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| This mineral complements the b vitamins by allowing the eye's focusing muscles to use glucose more efficiently.
Ll Avoid steroid drugs of all kinds. These drugs can bring about glaucoma by destroying collagen structures within the eye. If you must take prescribed steroid drugs, ask your physician to prescribe the smallest effective dosage for the shortest time possible.
Ll Avoid all sources of caffeine, including coffee, green and black tea, cola, and over-the-counter medications for staying awake. Both coffee and tea have been shown to raise eye pressure. |
Carlton Fredericks, Ph.D.
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| Here the animal experiments fail us and the reactions of women become the necessary criteria, for in the rat, thiamin (Bi) and riboflavin (B2) are critical in helping the liver to break down estrogen, but in the human being others of the b vitamins are involved, including the elusive antiestrogen factor best supplied by desiccated (dried) whole raw liver.
After watching the responses of women to supplements of the Vitamin B Complex for the past twenty-five years, I have been able to identify two known vitamins which are directly involved in supporting liver degradation of estrogen. |
Dr. Cass Ingram
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| It is one of the few fish which contains a rather complete array of b vitamins, and it is exceptionally rich in niacin, pyridoxine, and pantothenic acid. What's more, it is one of the few excellent meat sources of vitamins D and E, both of which are difficult to procure in the diet. Because it contains bones, canned salmon is one of the best supermarket sources of calcium, containing a greater amount per ounce than milk.
Alaskan wild salmon is the superior choice versus Atlantic or fresh water salmon. Wild salmon is richer in the critical essential fatty acids than the farm raised types. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D., Joseph E. Pizzorno, N.D.
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 Biotin: 3 mg twice per day
• B-complex: Follow the dosage recommendations for the various b vitamins given in the chapter Supplementary Measures. |
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.
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 Several of the b vitamins are vitally important to brain function. Thiamine and B12 are both needed to produce acetylcholine. B12 also helps build the myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers, and, in addition, prevents pernicious anemia, which can rob the brain of oxygen. Thiamine prevents nerve damage from beriberi, and prevents brain damage in alcoholics. (As noted earlier, a deficiency of thiamine causes Korsakoff's psychosis). |
| Other b vitamins also have a strong calming effect on many people, and so do calcium and magnesium.
A deficiency of any of the above mentioned nutrients can create agitation and restlessness. These nutrients will not narcotize you, as a sleeping pill does. Instead they will help balance your brain biochemistry, and naturally allow you to get as much sleep as you need.
Another obvious aspect of insomnia that many people ignore is caffeine consumption. The stimulation from caffeine can take two to four hours to peak, and stimulation can persist for up to twenty hours. |
| These nutrients are lecithin, the b vitamins, vitamin C, and certain minerals. Of these nutrients, lecithin is by far the most important.
Acetylcholine is the most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain. As you might imagine, it is particularly concentrated in the brain's memory center, the hippocampus. But acetylcholine also helps perform many functions outside the brain. For example, it helps nerve cells in the muscles to trigger muscle action. |
Paul Pitchford
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| Often, persons with celiac disease are deficient in b vitamins and other nutrients supplied by whole grains. This need not be a problem—one can always choose from the non-glutinous varieties of grains such as rice, corn, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, and amaranth as well as oats. Sweet rice, a glutinous grain, is among the various specific remedies for deficient spleen-pancreas qi (above) and deficient blood (below). Obviously, celiacs with these deficiencies should avoid sweet rice and use the other recommended remedies. |
| Even so, baking powder and baking soda both are chemicals which deplete baked goods of the b vitamins thiamine and folic acid. These compounds also create a type of alkalinity in the body that eradicates vitamin C.2 The sourdough natural leaven process described in the recipe section is nutritionally superior for all leavening purposes.
An excellent use of baking soda is as a dentifrice. Its highly alkaline properties neutralize plaque acids and eliminate the bacteria that cause tooth decay. |
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