Fructose – The Silent Killer

April 22nd, 2010

FRUCTOSE IS A SILENT KILLER

Dr. Richard Johnson is professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, where he runs the kidney division and is in charge of transplantation and research in blood pressure. He has also written the best book on the market on the dangers of fructose called The Sugar Fix.

About 70 percent of his work involves research and, for a number of years, he has been studying the effects of fructose on the metabolic system in animals and cell culture, as well as in clinical studies.

Most of this research is focused on how fructose might cause obesity, high blood pressure, kidney disease, fatty liver, and other health-related problems.

Here, Dr. Johnson discusses how uric acid in your blood can wreak havoc on your blood pressure, insulin production and even kidney function.

The majority of Dr. Johnson’s research has focused on how the number one source of calories in the American diet might cause obesity, high blood pressure, and a number of other common diseases.
He didn’t start by looking at fructose however. It began when he realized that uric acid is a major component of obesity high blood pressure and kidney disease.
He discovered that newly diagnosed adolescents with high blood pressure had elevated uric acid levels 90 percent of the time. By lowering uric acid in these obese, hypertensive adolescents, he was able to normalize blood pressure in 87 percent of all cases.
The question was: What raises uric acid?
It’s been known that meats and purine rich foods can raise uric acid, but it turns out that one of the most potent ways to raise uric acid is via fructose!
You probably already know that fructose is a sugar, but you may not realize is that its distinctly different from other sugars as iti s metabolized through very specific pathways that differ from those of glucose, for example, and through its distinct metabolic action, uric acid is generated.
In fact, fructose typically generates uric acid within minutes of ingestion.
Look at what uric acid is, and how it is linked to fructose consumption.

WHAT IS URIC ACID – HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

Uric acid is a normal waste product found in your blood. High levels of uric acid are normally associated with gout, but it has been known for a long time that people with high blood pressure, overweight, and people with kidney disease, often have high uric acid levels as well.

It used to be thought that the uric acid was secondary in these conditions, and not the cause but Dr. Johnsons research indicates that it could be a lead player in the development of these conditions, rather than just a supporting actor, when its levels in your body reach 5.5 mg per dl or higher.

At this level, uric acid is associated with an increased risk for developing high blood pressure, as well as diabetes, obesity and kidney disease.
Interestingly, uric acid functions both as an antioxidant, and as a pro-oxidant once inside your cells.
So, if you lower uric acid too much, you lose its antioxidant benefits. But if your uric acid levels are too high, it tends to significantly increase inside your cells as well, where it acts as a pro-oxidant.
Dr. Johnson believes the ideal range for uric acid lies between 3 to 5.5 mg per dl. As already mentioned, above this range your risk of developing all the problems listed correlate quite well.
In the following statement, Dr. Johnson explains just how closely tied uric acid levels are to fructose consumption:
If you give animals fructose, they develop diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and fatty liver. And in most of these conditions, if we lower uric acid, we can prevent many of these conditions, [although] not completely.
So lowering uric acid seems to benefit some of the mechanisms by which fructose causes disease.
So a very important point is that if you take two animals and you feed one fructose and feed the other one the exact same number of calories but give it as dextrose or glucose, its only the fructose-fed animal that will develop obesity, insulin resistance, fatty liver, and high triglycerides, signs of inflammation, vascular disease, and high blood pressure.

This bears out in humans as well. Over the last 20 years, we have seen a dramatic increase in fatty liver disease throughout the world. Studies done by Dr. Johnson and a group of researchers at Duke University showed that people who develop fatty liver drink a lot more soft drinks and ingest far more fructose than the average person in the community.

This is why I have been so passionate about educating you on the dangers of fructose! I am thoroughly convinced that it is one of the leading causes behind the massive rise in needless suffering from poor health and premature death. Our family-owned company, Healthy Habits (www.HealthyHabitsWeb.com) has been preaching against fructose for many years.

HOW MUCH FRUCTOSE ARE YOU CONSUMING?

It is no secret that we are eating more sugar than at any other time in history. In 1700, the average person ate 4 pounds of sugar a year. By 1800, it was 18 pounds. By 1900 it was about 90 pounds.

Today, about 25 percent of all Americans consume over � pound of added sugars a day, according to Dr. Johnson’s research. That kind of consumption equates to more than 180 pounds of sugar per year! And it just so happens this statistic dovetails nicely with the statistics showing that one in four Americans is either pre-diabetic or has type 2 diabetes.

The two main sources of that sugar are high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and table sugar.

As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day.

However, for most people it would actually be wise to limit your fruit fructose to 15 grams or less, as it is virtually guaranteed that you will consume hiddensources of fructose from most beverages and just about any processed food you might eat.

Since 55 percent of HFCS is fructose, one can of soda alone would nearly exceed your daily allotment. It is easy to see that anyone who is drinking three, and certainly four will easily exceed 100 grams of fructose per day.

ARE FRUITS GOOD OR BAD FOR YOU?

Keep in mind that fruits also contain fructose, although an ameliorating factor is that whole fruits also contain vitamins and other antioxidants that reduce the hazardous effects of fructose.

Juices, on the other hand, are nearly as detrimental as soda, because a glass of juice is loaded with fructose, and a lot of the antioxidants are lost.

It is important to remember that fructose alone isn’t evil as fruits are certainly beneficial. But when you consume high levels of fructose it will absolutely devastate your biochemistry and physiology. Remember the AVERAGE fructose dose is 70 grams per day which exceeds the recommend limit by 300 percent.

So please BE CAREFUL with your fruit consumption. You simply MUST understand that because HFCS is so darn cheap it is added to virtually every processed food. Even if you consumed no soda or fruit, it is very easy to exceed 25 grams of hidden fructose in your diet.

While 25 grams may seem like a lot, it is only about one ounce. So it is my strong recommendation that most people keep their fructose from fruit consumption below 15 grams per day.

If you are a raw food advocate, have a pristine diet, and exercise very well, then you could be the exception that could exceed this limit and stay healthy. In my experience that is far less than one in 1,000 people and probably closer to 1 in 10,000 people.

GREAT SUBSTITUTES

Healthy Habits has some great natural fructose substitutes such as Xylitol, Stevia and Liqui-Sweet.

THE BIA IS A GREAT WAY TO MONITOR

The BIA (urine/saliva test) connection to uric acid is the Ammonia Nitrogen reading (bottom # on the ureas). The higher your Ammonia reading, the higher your uric acid level in your blood and the more you are prone to heart disease, high blood pressure, gout, arthritis and pain, in general. Make it a preventative practice and do the BIA on a regular basis to monitor this reading and follow our guidelines to immediately reduce it if it is excessive. http://BIA.biri.org

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Magnesium Lowers Coronary Risk

January 14th, 2010

 In the United States, the most common type of heart disease and the leading cause of death is coronary heart disease also known as coronary artery disease (CAD). Coronary artery disease occurs when a substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries). Plaque is made up of cholesterol deposits, which can accumulate in your arteries. When this happens, your arteries can narrow over time. This process is called atherosclerosis. Plaque buildup can cause angina, the most common symptom of CAD. This condition causes chest pain or discomfort because the heart muscle doesn’t get enough blood. Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle. This may lead to heart failure, a serious condition where the heart can’t pump blood the way that it should. An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, can also develop. For some people, the first sign of CAD is a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when plaque totally blocks an artery carrying blood to the heart. It also can happen if a plaque deposit breaks off and clots a coronary artery.

Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It is necessary for the transmission of nerve impulses, muscular activity, temperature regulation, detoxification reactions, and for the formation of healthy bones and teeth. It is involved in energy production and the synthesis of DNA and RNA. A U.S. Department of Agriculture survey revealed that approximately 75 percent of Americans do not ingest the RDA of magnesium. Sub-optimal magnesium intake compromises cellular activity, especially in tissues of the heart, nerves, and kidneys. Magnesium influences many of the activities associated with a wide variety of cardiac medications. For example, magnesium inhibits platelet aggregation, thins the blood, blocks calcium uptake (like calcium channel blocking drugs), and relaxes blood vessels (like ACE inhibitors). Magnesium also increases oxygenation of the heart muscle by improving cardiac contractility.

A study conducted at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah was published in the Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. The scientists found six randomized control clinical trials and prospective studies that met their criteria for the study which was to investigate the safety and efficacy of magnesium supplements in patients with coronary heart disease or patients at risk for the disease. Magnesium dosages ranged from 130 to 800 milligrams per day. The results were a higher magnesium intake was associated with reduced risk of CHD in male subjects but there was no decrease in the development of CHD in women who also had a high magnesium intake. There were no adverse effects reported. The researchers suggested that “There is a possible association between a modestly lower risk of CHD in men and increased magnesium intake; therefore, it is reasonable to encourage diets high in magnesium as a potential means to lower the risk of CHD.”1

The type of Magnesium you want to take is Magnesium Chloride. In my opinion, the best formula containing Magnesium Chloride is IMMUNI-D by Healthy Habits.

1 Mathers TW, Beckstrand RL. Oral magnesium supplementation in adults with coronary heart disease or coronary heart disease risk. J Am Acad Nurse Pract. Dec2009;21(12):651-7.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits LLC in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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Chocolate And Magnesium

January 14th, 2010

Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate 2+ times weekly cut their heart disease risk about three-fold compared to those who never eat chocolate.

It is the antioxidants in chocolate that are beneficial. There was a study of 22 heart transplant patients that had measurable improvements in vascular function and anti-clotting factors in just 2 hours after eating chocolate!

It is also the Magnesium in chocolate that is responsible for benefits. Pre-menstrual women are known to crave chocolate. This is believed to be due to a Magnesium deficiency. Magnesium deficiency, along with Vitamin D, is rampant. Depression and other emotional disorders of the heart are addressed most directly with Magnesium.

Magnesium for cardiac patients is not an option, it is a necessity. Magnesium is required for muscle relaxation. Magnesium deficiency can result in tachycardia and fibrillation symptoms along with constriction of the arteries, angina and instant death. 40% of all heart attacks end in death!

A ten-year study in Wales found that those eating magnesium-low diets had a 50% higher risk of sudden death from heart attacks. High magnesium eaters were only half as likely to have cardiovascular problems such as non-fatal heart attacks, strokes, angina or heart surgery.

Because of the above information, and more, Healthy Habits IMMUNI-D was formulated, using the only natural form of Vitamin D  along with Magnesium Chloride, the form that is easiest used by the body.

 

PLEASE NOTE:Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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Thyroid Problems Are Cause of Early Death

January 14th, 2010
Thyroid hormones affect virtually every organ system in the body. In children, thyroid hormone is critical for normal growth and development. In the adult, the major role of thyroid hormone is to maintain metabolic stability.

Hypothyroidism is defined as the clinical and biochemical syndrome resulting from decreased thyroid hormone production known as thyroid under-activity. Overt hypothyroidism occurs in 1.5 to 2 percent of women, and 0.2 percent of men, and its incidence increases with age. The vast majority of hypothyroid patients have primary hypothyroidism, or thyroid gland failure. Less common causes include pituitary failure (secondary hypothyroidism) or even more rarely, generalized resistance to thyroid hormone. Without enough thyroid hormone to keep metabolism humming along as it should, we simply do not function very well, physically or mentally.

Hyperthyroidism is just the opposite scenario. The thyroid gland is overactive instead of underactive. It secretes too much thyroid hormone. In this case, more of a good thing is definitely not better. Excess thyroid hormone can cause rapid heartbeat. Body temperature is elevated. The hyperthyroid individual may experience extreme weight loss, in spite of a huge appetite, because they burn up calories too fast. Hyperthyroidism can make a person nervous, emotionally unstable, and unable to sleep.

A study published in the European Journal of Endocrinology investigated the relationships between subclinical (early stage) thyroid disease and cardiometabolic profile and cardiovascular disease. A total of 1,110 Japanese-Brazilians aged above 30 years, free of thyroid disease and not taking any thyroid medication at baseline were included in the study. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were assessed for participants followed for up to 7.5 years. It was determined that 99 (8.7%) of the participants had subclinical hypothyroidism and 69 (6.2%) had hyperthyroidism. At the start of the study, no association was found between subclinical thyroid disease and cardiometabolic profile or cardiovascular disease. After follow-up it was found that all-cause mortality was significantly higher for individuals with both subclinical hyperthyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism than for participants with normal thyroid function. Cardiovascular mortality was significantly associated with subclinical hyperthyroidism, but not with subclinical hypothyroidism. Therefore it appears that subclinical hyperthyroidism is an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, while subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with all-cause mortality.1    

Symptoms of Hypo-Thyroid are: 

  1. Constantly fatigued
  2. Stiff muscles in a.m.
  3. Morning dizziness / nausea
  4. Motion sickness
  5. Skin thick, wrinkly or puffy
  6. Heart skips beats
  7. Night coughs or cramps
  8. Slow pulse (under 65)
  9. Outer third of eyebrows are thin
  10. Bothered by cold weather
  11. Can’t concentrate
  12. Ringing in the ears
  13. Sleepless, restless
  14. Poor memory
  15. Lack drive or initiative
  16. Could or do cry easily
  17. Morning headaches
  18. Gag easily
  19. Heart pounds after sleep
  20. Neuralgia-like pains
  21. Constipation
  22. Hard to lose weight
  23. Cold sweats
  24. Morning armpit temperature below 97.5

Symptoms of Hyper-Throid are:

  1. Can’t work under pressure
  2. Fast pulse (90+)
  3. Tongue quivers when protruded
  4. Hands shake or tremor
  5. Start fast but tire quickly
  6. Poor balance (on one foot)
  7. Thin skin or hair
  8. Insomnia or nervousness
  9. Flush easily
  10. Heart palpitates
  11. Eyelids or face twitch
  12. Hot weather is bothersome
  13. Irritable and restless
  14. Breathless when resting
  15. Often worry or are anxious
  16. Hard to gain weight

Either one of these conditions may respond well to a product called Thytrophin. Contact me for the best source. Anyone with Hypo-Thyroid symptoms should also consider BioVitale-H20 and CellFood.

  1. Sqarbi J, Matsumura L, Kasamatsu T, et al. Subclinical thyroid dysfunctions are independent risk factors for mortality in a 7.5 year follow-up: the Japanese-Brazilian thyroid study. Eur J Endocrinol.Dec 2009.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits LLC in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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Live Long & Well With Coconut Oil

January 6th, 2010

Do you still think fat is bad? Most people do not eat a high fat diet. We eat less fat than our ancestors did, but we are the ones with obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, clogged arteries and high blood pressure.

I have what may be news to you. Real butter is good for you! Saturated fats are a natural part of your diet and are essential to life. Fat makes up the basic building blocks of compounds that help your body perform everyday functions. This includes things like regulating blood pressure, blood clotting and bolstering your immune system.

Saturated fats have been on the media hit list for a generation or more. Butter is just one example. Red meat is another. Coconut Oil is one of the worst victims of this low-fat propaganda. A new study shows that Coconut Oil can:

  • Lower total cholesterol
  • Boost good cholesterol (HDL)
  • Lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
  • Shrink waist size

Compare that to soybean oil which:

  • Lowers good cholesterol
  • Raises bad cholesterol
  • Raises total cholesterol
  • Does nothing for waist size

 Shrink Your Waistline By Using Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike longer-chain fatty acids, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil are tiny enough to enter your cells’ mitochondria directly. This means your cells use the fat from coconut oil for energy instantly, instead of storing it for later use.

A Boston University study gave one group corn oil (longer-chain fatty acids) and the other medium-chain fatty acids. After 90 days, those that got the medium-chain fatty acids lost weight, increased their insulin receptivity and even lowered their overall cholesterol.1

Another study published this year in the journal Lipids compared coconut oil with soybean oil. The women taking coconut oil saw their waist lines shrink and their HDL “good” cholesterol levels increase. Meanwhile, the women taking soybean oil didn’t see any change in their waist size. Plus, LDL, or “bad”, cholesterol levels rose and HDL levels dropped.2

Another study found that coconut oil can help reduce the symptoms of type-2 diabetes and that “people who incorporate medium-chain fatty acids, such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat.”3  Coconut oil can help turn your body into a fat-burning furnace. Plus, it can help you eat less. It controls your hunger by leaving you feeling satisfied, longer.4

Boost Your HDL Levels

Contrary to what mainstream medicine tells you, eating high amounts of fat does not automatically equal higher cholesterol. And that’s certainly the case with coconut oil.

The truth is it does the exact opposite. It helps improve your HDL to LDL ratio (“good” vs. “bad” cholesterol), lower overall blood levels of serum cholesterol, and reduce the amount of fat your body stores.5

In Sri Lanka, about 50% of calories from the typical diet come from coconut oil. Yet, heart disease there is virtually non-existent. Researchers, perplexed by this, decided to see what happened when they took a group of young men and had them substitute coconut oil for corn and soybean oil.

The results weren’t pretty.

Their HDL level plunged 42 percent – which put them far below what’s considered healthy. Their LDL/HDL ratio increased 30 percent.6 That’s a recipe for heart disaster.

These results simply confirm what countless studies are finding. Coconut oil is good for your heart and helps increase your good HDL cholesterol.

For example, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition studied 25 women. They were given three different diets. A diet high in coconut oil, a low-fat diet with small amounts of coconut oil, and a diet high in polyunsaturated fats. Each diet lasted 3 weeks.

As you might guess, the highest increase in HDL was when the women ate the high fat, coconut oil diet.7

Bulletproof Your Immune System

Coconut oil contains lauric acid, a powerful immune system booster. Lauric acid has antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial and antiprotozoal properties that help bullet proof your immune system against everything from free radicals, to a latent virus that’s waiting to wreak havoc. It’s so powerful, in fact, that preliminary research suggests it’s effective against lipid-coated viruses, such as HIV.

A recent study took a group of 15 men with HIV. They had not received any prior treatment. After 3 months of supplementing with coconut oil, half of the patients showed a decrease in viral load.8

Good Health Can Taste Great

It’s pretty easy to get all the coconut oil you need in your diet.

Just follow any one of these simple tips:

Fry with it. Coconut oil has a high smoke point. That means that it won’t degrade at high temperatures – leaving all the fatty acids intact. It’s especially great for pan searing. If you do cook with it, consider getting it with no flavor. This is known as “expeller-pressed” coconut oil.

Make a smoothie. Scoop a healthy serving of coconut oil (it’ll probably be solid, but that’s okay) into the blender. Mix in your favorite fresh fruits. Maybe even add some protein powder. Add organic milk and a little ice. Blend it all and enjoy a tasty, heart-healthy smoothie.

Bake with it. It’s okay to have your favorite foods from time to time. And if you like to bake cookies, brownies, or anything else, go for it. Just substitute expeller pressed coconut oil for vegetable oil. Not only will everything taste better, but most of the fat you’ll be eating will get burned off right away.

The War Against Saturated Fat

The war against saturated fats started way back in the late 1950’s. A researcher by the name of Ancel Keys was investigating cardiovascular disease. His goal was to prove eating high amounts of saturated fat was linked to heart disease.He published the “7 Countries Study,” successfully showing fat as the major cause of heart problems.

His research was praised and soon became gospel. He even became known as the “father” of the Lipid Hypothesis. That’s the theory that high cholesterol causes heart disease… and in turn, eating a lot of fat causes high cholesterol.

There was a slight problem with Keys’ research. Something he deliberately ignored. Keys only chose to use data from seven countries that matched exactly what he wanted to prove. The truth is there were at least a half-dozen other countries with examples that proved the exact opposite. Countries where people routinely ate tons of fat – yet rarely experienced heart disease. When it didn’t fit his hypothesis, he ignored the data.

Unfortunately, Keys’ research caught on over the years. One group in particular — the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) – ran with Keys’ ideas. They launched what began an all out-war against all saturated fats. In fact, CSPI coined the term “artery-clogging” fat. Sadly, coconut oil got caught up in it all.

Decades ago, food manufacturers used tropical oils like coconut oil in their baked goods. Movie theatres used it for their popcorn. CSPI argued that coconut oil was terrible for your health. It was laden with saturated fat. Instead, they demanded that these companies use vegetable oils instead (this of course benefited the American Soybean Association, who in the past has made generous donations to CSPI).

The food industry gave in. Coconut oil became taboo. Even the government joined in.

The National Cholesterol Education Program even issued a statement, encouraging margarine and partially hydrogenated fats, stating that “…coconut oil … should be avoided.”

So, now we have the  ”Monkey See – Monkey Do” syndrome.  I highly recommend Healthy Habits Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil.

  1.  Han JR et al. Effects of dietary medium-chain triglyceride on weight loss and insulin sensitivity in a group of moderately overweight free-living type 2 diabetic Chinese subjects., Metabolism., 2007 Jul;56(7):985-91.
  2. Monica L. Assunção et al. “Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity,” Lipids Volume 44, Number 7 / July 2009
  3. http://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/how-coconut-oil-could-help-reduce-the-symptoms-of-type-2-diabetes.html
  4. Van Wymelbeke V, Himaya A, Louis-Sylvestre J, Fantino M. Influence of medium-chain and long-chain triacylglycerols on the control of food intake in men. Am J Clin Nutr. 1998 Aug;68(2):226-34.
  5. Kaunitz, H. 1986. Medium chain triglycerides (MCT) in aging and arteriosclerosis. J Environ Pathol Toxicol Oncol 6(3-4):115.
  6. http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/coconut_oil.html
  7. Hanne Müller et al. The Serum LDL/HDL Cholesterol Ratio Is Influenced More Favorably by Exchanging Saturated with Unsaturated Fat Than by Reducing Saturated Fat in the Diet of Women. J. Nutr. 133:78-83, Jan 2003
  8. Tayag E, Dayrit CS, Santiago BC, Manalo MA, Alban PN, Agdamag DM, Adel AS, Lazo S and Espallardo N: Monolaurin and Coconut Oil as Monotherapy for HIV-AIDS. Pilot Trial. For Publication

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits LLC in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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The Most Healthful Food

January 5th, 2010

Micronutrients are the most healthful food. They are  lifesaving for children and for women who may become pregnant. It is the lack of micronutrients that cause brain and spinal cord birth defects. Tragically, this is happening all over the workd, including the USA. If you have ever witnessed these deformities, you will never forget it.

The doctors believe the reason for these deformities, called neural tube defects, was that their mothers did not have enough micronutrients, particularly B12 and folic acid, while pregnant. If a pregnant woman has insufficient folic acid (also known as vitamin B9) at the beginning of her pregnancy, her baby may suffer neural tube defects.

Equally important is another micronutrient, iodine. The worst consequence of iodine deficiency isn’t goiters, but malformation of brains. The result can be 10 to 15 points reduced I.Q.

Adequate Zinc reduces child deaths from diarrhea and infections. A lack of Iron can cause anemia. Approximately 670,000 children die each year because they don’t get enough vitamin A, which remains the world’s leading cause of childhood blindness. If a child is not getting the right micronutrients, the effect is permanent.

It is much cheaper to prevent birth defects than to treat them. This is why Healthy Habits line of Maximum Wellness products is so important. Your best insurance is the Maximum Wellness EZ-PAK. For proper development and brain function, the B-12 Energy Patch is outstanding. Healthy Habits has many wonderful products. Make sure your entire family is covering their micronutrient bases. Spread this news to your friends and associates.

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Comfort Foods Alert!

January 5th, 2010
Comfort Foods Alert!
A study in the The British Journal of Psychiatry found that people who eat more whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and fish, are less likely to be depressed later, but those who eat a lot of processed meat, chocolate, sweetened desserts, fried foods, refined cereals and high fat dairy products have a higher risk for depression.

The researchers suggest several mood-boosting possibilities: the high folate content in certain cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens and legumes; the high omega-3 fatty acid content in fish; the high antioxidant content in fruits; or all of the above (i.e., the foods and nutrients work in combination).

The interesting thing is that sales of natural ingredients for an enhanced psyche have risen over the past year even as consumers pinched pennies during the worst recession in 60 years. Some popular ones, like fish oil, 5-HTP, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and S-Adenosyl methionine (SAM-e) got a boost upwards of 15 percent in the conventional channel, according to SPINS, a Schaumburg, Ill.-based market research company.

Healthy Habits Omega-3, Omega -3X, Feel Good Tea, Night Tea and Night Tea Capsules are very popular items and fit into the above category.
PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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Vitamin D & Athletic Performance

November 4th, 2009

New Research Shows Vitamin D Can Dramatically Increase Athletic Performance

According to a new review of research, evidence suggests that adequate treatment of vitamin D deficient athletes could dramatically improve their performance. Activated vitamin D is a steroid hormone which regulates more than 1,000 human genes. Recent research indicates that intracellular vitamin D levels in numerous human tissues, including nerve and muscle tissue, are increased when inputs of its substrate, the pre-hormone vitamin D, are increased.

Researchers reviewed the world’s literature for evidence that vitamin D affects physical and athletic performance. Numerous studies, particularly in the German literature in the 1950s, show vitamin D producing ultraviolet light improves athletic performance. Furthermore, a consistent literature indicates physical and athletic performance is seasonal; it peaks when vitamin D levels peak, declines as they decline, and reaches its nadir when the levels are at their lowest.

Vitamin D also increases the size and number of fast twitch muscle fibers. Most cross-sectional and randomized controlled studies show that vitamin D levels are directly associated with musculoskeletal performance. (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise May 2009; 41(5):1102-1110)

In my opinion, the best Vitamin D formula is IMMUNI-D, from Healthy Habits. Tell your favorite athlete about it, today.

 
PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits LLC in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

 

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Magnesium Is Important

November 3rd, 2009

 Why is proper daily intake of Magnesium important?

 

Magnesium is needed for muscle actions and is therefore important to cardiovascular health, as the heart is a large muscle.

 

Magnesium is also of great importance regarding healthy hormonal activity.  For this reason women have a greater need for magnesium than men due to their greater hormonal operation as compared to men, therefore the tendency of women to be more drawn than men to magnesium-rich salad greens and whole grains should not be surprising. Magnesium is also an underlying factor to a host of other health issues including diabetes and high blood pressure.

 

About 75 per cent of magnesium is removed by food. About 50 years ago, magnesium was shown to dramatically reduce follow-up heart episodes in those presenting with angina or thrombosis.  About 20 years later, with a little help from the Bayer Corporation, doctors got the foolish idea that aspirin would help.  The first several studies testing this crazy idea had no results.  It was only when they used buffered aspirin that positive heart benefits were recorded.  The buffering agent was a significant dose of magnesium! Magnesium will address high blood pressure symptoms more quickly than restoration of other minerals.

 

Magnesium is important for hormonal health, premenstrual, pregnant, post- partum and menopausal women.

 

Guy Abraham, M.D., an obstetrician and gynecologist and a former professor at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine has accomplished extensive research and has been widely published in medical and scientific journals yet, sadly, his work remains little known.

 

Abraham was one of the pioneers who helped establish premenstrual syndrome (PMS) as not “just in your head”.  His work established specific nutritional protocols regarding PMS and other female hormonal issues of which magnesium is a central tenet. His work established the biochemical explanation for the superior need of magnesium over calcium for bone health. His opinion is that increasing calcium intake can impede bone health. In short, increased magnesium intake, not calcium, stimulates the production of calcitonin which causes calcium to be deposited into bone.

 

The recommended daily intake of magnesium is not set too low as much as the recommended daily intake of calcium is set too high.  When people follow the calcium recommendation more than following the magnesium recommendation, the problems of magnesium deficiency can be more exaggerated.

 

High magnesium intake with low calcium intake encourages deposition of calcium into bone, whereas higher calcium than magnesium intake discourages deposition of calcium into bones. Increased calcium intake stimulates the production of parathyroid hormone, which causes calcium to be deposited into soft tissue.

 

There is little need for calcium in soft tissue, which is what happens if you increase calcium intake – as almost all of the so-called experts of both medicine and nutrition recommend.  Is it any wonder that osteoporosis continues to spiral out of control? Atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis and arthritis are names for excess calcium in soft tissue. Magnesium is more abundant than calcium in the environment.  It is only natural that magnesium would be more important than calcium.

 

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studies show that as many as two thirds of all Americans do not consume enough magnesium. The latest government study shows a staggering 68% of Americans do not consume the recommended daily intake of magnesium, which is already set too low. Even more frightening is data from this study showing that 19% of Americans do not consume even half of the government’s recommended daily intake of magnesium.

 

The primary dietary sources for magnesium are whole grains of which hardly anybody eats enough and dark leafy greens that are being consumed less and less by more and more.

 

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

 

  • Sensitivity to stress
  • Not sleeping well
  • Problems with menstruation, pregnancy or menopause
  • Leg cramps
  • Muscle spasm
  • Bone problems
  • Kidney stones
  • Kidney problems

 

Why is calcium promoted as being more important than magnesium?

 

Chalk (calcium carbonate) is cheap. Chalk is the primary source of calcium supplements that is also substantially controlled by Big Pharma. The primary science supportive of calcium is the science of economics. Calcium is cheap to produce, so the profit margin is greater.

 

In the case of osteoporosis, the cultures around the world with the lowest rates of osteoporosis are those with the lowest intake of calcium and those cultures with the highest rates of osteoporosis are those with the highest intake of calcium.

 

What is the proper ratio of calcium to magnesium?

 

The general belief has been for a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium.  As in the case of most any myth there is a basis in reality. The blood has a 2 to 1 ratio of calcium to magnesium, which is the primary basis for the general belief, however, the blood maintains that ratio as a matter of survival. 

 

The body maintains blood calcium levels in order to maintain life.  The blood must maintain a fairly rigid pH. If it becomes over-acidic then death follows.  The calcium to magnesium ratio in blood is great for survival, but it is not a good indicator for nutritional need.

 

There has always been the opinion, held by many, that the proper supplementation ratio of calcium to magnesium should be 2:1 in favor of magnesium, not calcium, but this opinion has not had the support of the majority. My opinion is that the ratio should at least be 1:1 and I do lean toward favoring the “more magnesium than calcium” opinion. I have seen thousands of hair mineral analyses and I see many more sick people having high calcium than with high magnesium. Calcium has the tendency to “plug up the works” as my grandfather used to say.

 

Eating habits common to Americans such as consumption of refined, bleached white sugars and flour as well as excessive protein intake can cause increased acidity. The body pulls calcium from bone to offset this acidity, however, the correct response is not more calcium but is to reduce white sugar and white flour and to avoid excessive protein intake.

 

What is the best form of Magnesium?

 

I prefer magnesium chloride. You do not see this used very much because there are less expensive forms of magnesium. Magnesium chloride is only 12% magnesium, whereas magnesium oxide is almost 60% magnesium. Thus, you get more magnesium in magnesium oxide, but the real issue is how well is it absorbed and utilized by the body. My experience is that magnesium chloride is the best choice.

 

What is the best way to take Magnesium?

 

The best way to take magnesium is with a glass of water the first thing in the a.m. and the last thing before you go to bed. Magnesium intake is intensified when not having to compete with other nutrients or with digestive processes.

 

Healthy Habits has a great immunity boosting product called Immuni-D that contains both Vitamin D and Magnesium Chloride.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocol mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

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Sugar Addiction – Dangers

September 28th, 2009

Sugar has been proven to be more addictive than cocaine. When consumed, sugar increases serotonin levels within the brain. This increases the production of endorphins, which trigger opioid receptors, thereby eliciting the sensation of happiness. This causes the body to down-regulate its natural production and release of serotonin.

Addiction creeps in. Serotonin is responsible for controlling mood and appetite. Without it, you get depressed and crave more sugar. This forges an emotional bond between sugar and happiness. Sugar addicts become dependent on it to increase serotonin and therefore make them feel happy. Soda manufacturers are making a fortune by knowing this and not disclosing it to the consumer.

Sugar addiction leads to obesity and diabetes. One soda daily increases your risk of diabetes by 85%, which can reduce your lifespan by 11-20 years.

You can overcome the addiction in about 3 weeks. To do it, you need plenty of exercise, sunshine along with L-tryptophan from grass-fed beef and whey isolate. Natural sweeteners such as Healthy Habits Liqui-Sweet , Liqui-Sweet Vanilla and Xylitol can help you make the break. Also use their Green Tea Concentrates.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE:Dr. Gary A. Martin is a DSc and PhD. He is not a medical doctor. He has retired from his busy wellness clinic practice of 20 years. He is still active with his Foundation (Biological Immunity Research Institute) and assisting Healthy Habits in the proper formulation of their fine products. This information is presented for educational purposes only. It has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not meant to cure, treat, prevent disease, nor prescribe or to be used for diagnosis. Please consult with your licensed Health Practitioner before following any of the protocols mentioned on this website. Please be aware that you accept all risk associated with using any of the protocols suggested by Dr. Martin.

Posted in Healthy Habits Products | No Comments »

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