Rheumatoid Arthritis - it's a hopeless diagnosis, right? Not Here It Isn't!

09/13/07

This Week In HealthBeat News:

• Extreme Sports, Nutrition, Vitamins, And Immunity - A conversation with my car mechanic got me to thinking and researching...

• Lung Disease In A Bag: Why do insist on exposing ourselves to these toxic chemicals?

• Patent Drugs: Prescription For Problems:
• Ginkgo Biloba and Longevity
• A New HealthBeat Feature: Readers Rants!
• We Get Questions: A potpourri this week...
• We Get Questions: Rheumatoid Arthritis - it's a hopeless diagnosis, right?
• Laughter is Good Medicine: Some Zen sarcasm...

Extreme Sports, Nutrition, Vitamins, And Immunity - A conversation with my car mechanic got me to thinking and researching...

A bit of car trouble took me to visit a local mechanic recently (I was an auto mechanic many years ago - when cars burned leaded gas and had points and condenser ignitions instead of computers - I know enough to take my car to an expert instead of trying to fix it myself!) Dave is a competitive athlete who trains hard - really hard: he was asking for my thoughts on vitamins and nutrition to help improve athletic performance. That got me to thinking and I promised some answers for him.

Extreme sports activities and military (especially combat) duty have a lot in common. They both require higher-than-normal levels of nutrients, water and calories to prevent immune suppression. Dave's question comes at a good time, because Dr. Myatt is currently busy preparing specialized "Extreme Duty" nutritional supplement packs and healthy foods for sending to US troops. But the same principals apply, and anyone involved in "Extreme Anything" can benefit from her research.

The combination of stress and intense training has been shown to decrease NK (Natural Killer) and T-cell activity (both of these are types of protective white blood cells) and result in increased risk of respiratory and other infections. Immune impairment, decreased energy, and altered hormone levels result from rigorous training and/or combat duty.

Dr. Myatt's research into the special needs of America's soldiers (which will also apply to those involved in "extreme sports" and heavy athletic training) is nearly complete. We'll keep you posted about our progress with the new "Extreme Duty" Nutritional Supplement Packs we are designing especially for our troops. If you're into heavy sport's training, these supplements will be beneficial for you as well.

Lung Disease In A Bag:

By Nurse Mark

Why do insist on exposing ourselves to these toxic chemicals?

Can there be a person in America who hasn't heard of or seen the news reports about the chemical diacetyl, used to "flavor" microwave popcorn, that can destroy the lungs of those exposed to it? See one article here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20620395/

It is true, and doctors, chemists, industry, and the government have known about this for years. But they have kept it quiet - a dirty little secret - in order to protect the profit-and-loss figures of the industries who use it and find it more profitable to pay out millions in compensation to the workers that have been harmed by it than to find a less toxic alternative.

Given the attention that this issue is getting now I'm guessing that we'll see some action: Congress is reportedly looking at legislation, the FDA is “carefully considering the safety and regulatory issues it raises”, and even the big manufacturers are looking for alternatives - presumably before the lawsuits get too expensive...

Here's my thought - popcorn is a great, if high carbohydrate, snack. Popcorn has been enjoyed safely for a very long time - probably since Alley Oop the caveman dropped an ear of dried corn too near the fire 'way back in the mists of history. On the other hand, diacetyl, the chemical that supposedly tastes like butter (it only tastes like butter if you don't really know what true butter tastes like!) has not been around for so long in it's highly purified industrial form and has proven to be toxic.

Let's continue to enjoy popcorn - but let's enjoy it with real, genuine, natural, organic butter melted over it! Have we ever mentioned that butter is a "Health Food"? Yep, it truly is...

What is diacetyl? Diacetyl is actually a natural substance: also known as butanedione or 2,3-butanedione it is a natural byproduct of fermentation. A vicinal diketone (composed of two C=O groups, side-by-side), it's molecular formula is C4H6O2. Naturally present in alcoholic beverages, it gives a slippery "mouth feel" to beers and wines, and at higher levels such as are found in the wine variety Chardonnay it is valued for the buttery flavor it imparts. In it's traditional form and usage it appears to be quite safe - however it would appear that by isolating it, concentrating it, industrializing it, and using it a manner unknown in nature we have turned this benign and pleasant by-product of yeast into a toxin.

Patent Drugs: Prescription For Problems:

More reasons to avoid the risks posed by "FDA Approved" drugs: In terms of patient safety "we're losing ground" says researcher...

Study: Injuries, Deaths Tied to Consumer Drugs Rise Sharply; 'Adverse events' more than doubled between 1998 and 2005

Regular readers are familiar with the on-going litany of deadly drugs that we bring to your attention in HealthBeat News. These dangers are not going unnoticed by more conventional researchers, and even the FDA has admitted that the results of this study are "in keeping with what the agency had been seeing" (then they go on to make a plea for more funding - saying they "need more staff resources" so they can do a better job of protecting us...)

It seems that the numbers of both serious adverse drug events and the numbers of deaths related to these "adverse events" has more than doubled between 1998 and 2005, with the numbers of deaths increasing even more. Even more alarming, this increase in deaths and injuries from drugs has increased even more than the numbers of prescriptions given - meaning that your odds of getting into trouble with a prescription drug are higher than ever.

Perhaps the take-home message here should be that none of these synthetics are really safe - though the boys at Big Pharma would like us to believe they are, and they continually massage their research and their high-pressure advertising to crow about the wonders of their latest miracle-pill while conveniently relegating the risks to that fellow at the end of the commercial who talks so fast you can't actually make out what he is saying or to that really, really tiny fine print at the bottom of the print ad... Even such lowly and common pharmaceutical offerings as Aspartame (the common sweetener Nutrasweet - which accounts for over 75% of "adverse events" reported to the FDA) or Aceteminophen (Tylenol - which is terribly toxic to the liver) are proving to be less than "blessings" in our modern lives.

Ginkgo Biloba and Longevity

By Dr. Myatt

Europeans have long-known about the longevity benefits of ginkgo. Now, another study has shown that people over 65 who take ginkgo may live longer.

A study done at the University of Bordeaux, France, followed 3,534 men and women age 65 and older for 13 years. Part of the subjects took ginkgo (called EGb 761 in the study) and the rest did not. Here are the researchers findings and conclusion:

"Subjects who took Ginkgo biloba had a significantly lower risk of mortality in the long term. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that treatment with EGb 761 may increase the probability of survival in the elderly population."

More specifically stated, people who took ginkgo were 24 percent less likely to die during the 13-year period than those who did not take it.

The longevity benefits of ginkgo aren't proven by a single study, but there are other reasons to take ginkgo if you're over 65. Gingko acts as a blood thinner, which helps improve circulation. It contains beneficial flavonoids, a special category of immune-boosting antioxidants. This combination of improved circulation and anti-oxidant effects makes ginkgo useful for deep vein thrombosis, depression, macular degeneration, glaucoma, asthma, erectile dysfunction, tinnitus, age related mental decline and a whole host of other age and allergy-related conditions.

Learn more about this amazing herb here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/ginkgo.htm

Suggested dose: 1 cap ginkgo, 1-2 times per day.
Target dose: 240 mg per day of 24% flavoneglycosides.

Anyone over 50 should consider adding ginkgo to their Longevity Supplement Protocol.

References:
1.) Dartigues JF, Carcaillon L, Helmer C, Lechevallier N, Lafuma A, Khoshnood B. Vasodilators and nootropics as predictors of dementia and mortality in the PAQUID cohort. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2007 Mar;55(3):395-9.
1. Drieu K. Preparation and definition of Ginkgo biloba extract. In: Rokan (Ginkgo biloba): Recent Results in Pharmacology and Clinic. Fünfgeld EW, ed. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 326.
2. Ferrandini C, Droy-Lefaix MT, Christen Y, eds. Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb 761) as a Free Radical Scavenger. Paris: Elsevier, 1993.
3. Lebuisson DA, Leroy L, Rigal G. Treatment of senile macular degeneration with Ginkgo biloba extract. A preliminary double-blind, drug versus placebo study. Presse Med 1986;15:15568 [in French].
4. Jung F, Mrowietz C, Kiesewetter H, Wenzel E. Effect of Ginkgo biloba on fluidity of blood and peripheral microcirculation in volunteers. Arzneimittelforschung 1990;40:58993.
5. Mix JA, Crews WD. An examination of the efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 on the neuropsychologic functioning of cognitively intact older adults. J Altern Complement Med 2000;6:21929.

A New HealthBeat Feature: Readers Rants!

Regular readers know that Neither Dr. Myatt nor Nurse Mark shy away from controversy - "we call's 'em like we see's 'em!" It should be no surprise that our readers are just as outspoken - we get letters that really aren't about health issues but that are worthy, none-the-less, of being shared with our other readers. So, starting with this issue, we'll be providing a forum where we'll post the rants that our readers email to us. We may edit for brevity, clarity, profanity, and to preserve privacy but we will make sure that the intent of the message remains intact.

So, without further ado, here is our first rant:

Mark from Tucson wrote in response to Cheri's upset and unsubscription of a couple weeks ago: He discusses guns, politics, and peace, and says "I have to question the reasoning behind Cheri's decision to unsubscribe from Healthbeat..." Read Mark's Letter in it's entirety.

We Get Questions: A potpourri this week...

Phyllis asks if our products are "organic":

Is your whey protein organic?
HOPE so!

THANKS!
Phyllis - VA

Dr. Myatt replies:

Hi Phyllis:

As stated on the website, the MRM whey is "Hormone Free, Antibiotic Free, and BSE Free.
No Artificial Sweeteners And No Artificial Flavors." A full disclosure label is also located on the page: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/whey.htm

Hope this answers your question!

In Health,
Dr. Myatt

And Nurse Mark adds: Remember Phyllis, "Organic" isn't always organic! Please refer back to my article The Decay Of Organic Foods in our June 13th HealthBeat News for more details about this scandal!

Janet asks about essential oils in cancer treatment:

I so appreciate your offer to suggest a topic to be discussed in your newsletter! Might you consider writing about the use of essential oils in the treatment of cancer?
Thank You!

Well We Might! Dr. Myatt replies:

Hi Janet:

Fortunately, you've asked about a topic that is one of my specialties! Unfortunately, there is no solid research concerning essential oils and cancer, so there's not much I can say here.

One component of lemon, tangerine and lavender essential oils, a compound called "limonene,'" has known anti-cancer properties, but how exactly to use this in essential oil form in cancer patients has not been studied. I've used these essential oils topically on visible tumors but can't say I saw any effect.

Lavender and other essential oils can have good anti-anxiety and anti-insomnia effects, so these could be used for "peripheral" problems associated with cancer.

I'll let you know if any "new news" develops on this score!

In Health,
Dr. Myatt

Audra asks about breast reduction surgery:

Hi Dr. Myatt:

A patient of yours has told me good things about you and I was wondering, in general, how you feel about breast reductions for women with over DDD bra sizes who have problems with cysts? I qualify under medicare for a reduction and also do whatever I can naturally. I would value a response as I can't seem to make up my mind.

Audra

And Dr. Myatt advises: "you go, Gal"!

Hi Audra!

Breast reduction for DDD breasts? Yes! In a heart-beat!

I have NEVER ONCE had a patient with overly-large breasts have any problems with breast reduction surgery, and all have been OVERJOYED with the results and how wonderful it feels not to be carrying around such a heavy load. Big breasts are a burden and actually a health-hazard (hard on your back and musculo-skeletal system).

Cysts can happen in large or small breasts. We should check your iodine levels after you have healed from the surgery. Low levels are the most common cause of breast cysts and we NEVER check for this in conventional medicine. (If you asked a conventional doc about iodine deficiency, they'd look at you like you just landed here from Mars).

Please keep me posted about this but I say "you go, Gal"!

In Health,
Dr. Myatt

Bill tapped us with a brief note about urinary frequency:

Dear Dr Myatt

To be concise, my request is information on your product(s) that may be useful in treating incidents of frequent urination, probably as a result of an enlarged prostate. I'm aged 72.

Thanks for your reply,
Bill

Dr. Myatt sent Bill's note along to me for reply;

Hi Bill,

To be concise, the information you seek can be found on our webpage discussing Benign Prostatic Enlargement AKA Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. To be a little more verbose, The most likely cause of frequent urination in a man of your age is indeed enlargement of the prostate: an estimated 60% of men over age 40 have an enlarged prostate gland. Enlargement of the prostate gland causes obstruction of urine outflow and symptoms include increased urinary frequency, nighttime urination, a sense of urgency, and reduced force of urine stream. Support for this includes:

• Maxi Multi: 3 caps, 3 times per day with meals. Optimal (not minimal) doses of zinc are especially important for the health of the prostate.
• Flax seed: 1 TBS. per day ground seed OR Flax seed oil: 2 caps, 3 times per day with meals.
• Saw Palmetto: (160mg) 1-2 caps, 2 times per day. (Target dose: 160-320 mg per day). In clinical studies, Saw Palmetto has worked as well as the drug Proscar (finasteride) with no negative side effects.

And Janet writes with compliments: (I couldn't resist including this - it just made our day!)

 I recently wrote asking Dr. Myatt a question regarding Lymphoma. She took time to respond in a very caring way and suggested I sign up for the newsletter. What a wealth of helpful information on a wide variety of subjects! Just wanted to express my appreciation for the work all of you do.

Sincerely,
Janet

Nurse Mark says: "Aww, shucks - we're blushing..." and Dr. Myatt says "Well doesn't that make me feel good right down to my toes!"

We Get Questions: Rheumatoid Arthritis - it's a hopeless diagnosis, right? At least that's what the rheumatologist said... Well not here it isn't!

Ganay writes to ask about alternatives to methotrexate - a truly nasty drug with a bunch of ugly side effects:

My sister has rheumatoid arthritis she has been on methotrexate and plaquinil for a year. My sister does not want take the methotrexate any more. Please tell me what supplements that she can take in place of this nasty drug.

Thank you very much,
Ganay

Dr. Myatt has this to say, and lets another RA patient tell of her experience:

Hi Ganay:

I wish it were as simple as "here, take these supplements" to cure RA. Unfortunately, every case of RA has a different set of contributing factors. A personal telephone consultation with me would be highly advisable. In the meantime, here's a page from our website with the best "generic" information about RA: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/rheumatoidarthritis.htm

Let's let Debbie, a "former RA patient" of mine, explain how this works:

"At age 35 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms were effecting my ability to function; swollen and painful knees and hands, a feeling of tiredness and having to drag myself through the day. My primary care physician referred me to a rheumatologist who prescribed medication, drained my knees every other week, advised me to accept the disease and to recognize that it would progress over time and require increasingly intense treatment. I thought about my grandmother who had been crippled with arthritis and spent 25 years of her life in pain in a chair. I started searching for an alternative.

A book arrived at my house entitled "A Physician's Diary." The autobiography of a medical doctor who was also a trained naturopath. Her book sited examples of people with "hopeless" cases of illness, whom she helped by employing naturopathic care. I tracked down that doctor, Dr. Dana Myatt, and arranged a phone conference with her.

Dr. Myatt spent an hour understanding many things about me; the symptoms and treatment for arthritis, how I was eating, sleeping and working, how my marriage, children and other relationships were going. She then requested all of the test results that had been done for me to-date. Dr. Myatt came back with an action plan that included changes in diet, stretching exercises (I've been doing yoga every day ever since), nutritional supplements, visualizations and letting go of a conflict I was having with my Mother-in-law.

I began implementing her recommendations. Within months the symptoms improved and within 2 years, the symptoms were gone. I have been tested for arthritis a few times over the thirteen years that have passed since my first diagnosis and the results are negative ---- I am cured. Since then I have had other minor health issues. I work with local doctors and Dr. Myatt to truly direct my own health care.

At the age of 48, I am a happy, healthy, productive Mother, Humana associate and member of the community. I tap dance, do yoga every day and fully participate in life. As I approach 50, my mind set is that I am probably beginning the second half of my life and relishing the though of all that I might do, see, be and learn in the coming years. The difference between this and my Grandmother's life can only be imagined.

The cost of my self-directed arthritis treatment has been a total of about $1,000 spent on castor oil packs, nutritional supplements, a yoga map and tape.

If I would have continued down the path on which the rheumatologist had sent me, the cost to my insurance carrier and me would have easily exceeded $100,000 to-date." --- Deb G., Louisville, KY

(Debbie goes on to recommend to Humana higher mucky-mucks that they would be FAR ahead of the game to cover the cost of naturopathic care)

So... my "generic recommendations" are on the website and my specific recommendations can be given when sis has a phone consult with me!

In Health,
Dr. Myatt

Laughter is Good Medicine: "Ahh, so, faithful Little Grasshopper, attend well the wisdom that our revered HealthBeat reader has gifted to us..."

Zen Sarcasm

1. Do not walk behind me, for I may not lead. Do not walk ahead of me, for I may not follow. Do not walk beside me either. Just pretty much leave me the heck alone.

2. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.

3. It's always darkest before dawn. So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.

4. Don't be irreplaceable. If you can't be replaced, you can't be promoted.

5. Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.

6. Never test the depth of the water with both feet.

7. If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of car payments.

8. Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.

9. If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

10. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

11. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

12. If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

13. Some days you're the bug; some days you're the windshield.

14. Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

15. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

16. A closed mouth gathers no foot.

17. Duct tape is like 'The Force.' It has a light side and a dark side, and it holds the universe together.

18. There are two theories to arguing with women. Neither one works.

19. Generally speaking, you aren't learning much when your lips are moving.

20. Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

21. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

22. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.