The Natural Health Hour

Natural Health Hour For The Week of 11/22/2008

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:49:57 Z

Healthy Diet Choices

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:47:46 Z

If you want to be healthy, you have to eat healthy, but making the right diet choices sometimes can be confusing. For example, I recently received a call for information on our newly introduced Zing Nutrition Bar. The caller had but one question; what is the fat content? When I told her that the Zing Bar contained 9 grams of natural fats, her response was “forget it”……click. Ladies and gentlemen, if you find nothing wrong with the response of this caller, you must listen to today’s show because if you think removing fat from your diet is healthy, you are doing your health a great disservice. The same holds true for the current “low carb” craze. Removing carbohydrates from your diet will not make you healthier. Just like your car’s engine needs both gasoline and oil, your body need a balance of nutrients for it to run efficiently. My special guest is Sandi Kaplan, MS, RD. She’s a graduate of Sydney University and holds an advanced degree in nutritional science from Bastyr University. She is a member of the team of nutritional scientists that developed the Zing Nutrition Bar. Will a low carbohydrate diet help you control your weight? Which carbohydrates does your body need and which should be avoided? Protein is essential to the growth and repair of tissue, but how much do you need and which type of protein is best? For the answers to these questions, join me, Frank Tabino, CN and special guest Sandi Kaplan MS, RD on November 15, 2008 for Healthy Diet Choices.

Stay Connected - Stay Protected

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:49:22 Z

We are literally swimming in a sea of electro magnetic radiation (EMR) produced by electrical appliances, power lines and a whole host of other technologies including cellular phones. It is estimated that there are in excess of 3 billion cell phones in use today around the world. In Australia, population 21 million, there are 22 million cell phones in use. And as the industry coverage expands, so does the number of communication towers to fulfill the needs of the nearly fifty thousand new cell phones subscribers each day. Because of increased cell phone usages, subscribers and subscriber/minutes, combined with the fact that it seems everyone over the age of three has a cell phone, it’s important that we understand the hidden dangers inherent in cell phone technology. Studies examining cell phone usage and brain cancer were conducted in Sweden in the 1990’s and today there is an ongoing controversy concerning the link between EMR emitted by cell phones and certain types of brain tumors. The cell phone industry wants you to believe that cell phones are completely safe, but there is growing evidence that long-term cell phone usage has health implications. And a quick review of the data shows no long-term studies exist. The death of noted attorney Johnny Cochran and the recent report of Senator Ted Kennedy diagnosed with a type of brain tumor linked to cell phone use has once again brought this issue into the spotlight. Recently, noted neuro-surgeon, Dr. Vini Khurana referred to the hazard of cell phones radiation as more dangerous than both smoking and exposure to asbestos. More recently, Dr. Ronald Heberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute issued a memo to more than three thousand staff and faculty to limit cell phone use because of a possible risk of cancer. In his memo, Dr. Heberman recommended that adults keep the phone away from the head and children’s cell phone usage should be limited to emergencies only. Joining me this week to discuss this important issue is Mr. Shelley Kalnitsky, an industry-insider who has been involved in the research of cell phone usage and an advocate for prudent use of this technology. Join me, Frank Tabino CN, and Mr. Shelley Kalnitsky for an in depth look into the Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation.

Glucose Control: The Key to Preventing CVD

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:49:54 Z

With all of the scientific advances made in modern medicine, heart disease continues to be our number one killer. High-tech surgical procedures that open clogged arteries, strategically place stents to keep arteries open, heart valve replacements even total heart transplants. Prescription drugs that target cardiovascular disease are the #1 selling drugs in the world. People with cardiovascular disease can be on as many as six separate prescription drugs. But if you look at the strategy of conventional medicine you’ll notice that it focuses on the symptom and totally disregards the body’s innate ability to heal itself and according to many experts, does not address the cause of cardiovascular disease. What causes cardiovascular disease? Why do blood vessels get clogged? For more than fifty years, conventional medicine has put the blame on the saturated fats and cholesterol we get in our diet. However, if you look at the statistics, the incidence of cardiovascular disease has actually risen while the consumption of saturated fats and cholesterol laden foods has decreased. To make matters worse, conventional treatment for cardiovascular disease centers on artificially lowering cholesterol levels. This week on the Natural Health Hour, my guest Integrative Physician Mitchell Fleisher, MD, and I, Frank Tabino, CN discuss the true cause of cardiovascular disease.

Nutrition With a Zing

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 19:55:53 Z

There are many so-called energy bars or protein bars available to the consumer. Most of them, more than 95%, contain soy as the only protein source. Many people have been brainwashed into believing soy is a health food. Actually, soy is an incomplete, hard to digest protein that has well-documented estrogenic affects in humans. The only reason the use of soy protein is so widespread is because it is inexpensive. Besides containing soy protein, many of the available energy bars have undesirable ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, color, and preservatives. My guest this week, Minh-Hai Tran, MS, RD, and I will discuss just how healthy these so-called “health bars” really are. Minh-Hai is one of a team of Bastyr University nutritional scientist that have developed what is sure to become the gold-standard in nutrition bars. The Zing bar is the only nutrition bar available that has whey (a complete protein) as the protein source. Zing bars are nutritionally balanced. Zing bars have NO artificial anything. The developers even have natural preservatives to retain freshness. Join us as we discussed the future of nutrition and the all new Zing Nutrition Bar. Also on the program, you’ll hear the results of a new study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) on the quality of bottled water. A bottle of water at your local convenience store will cost about 2000 times the price of a glass of tap water. Because of this, it is only natural to assume that you are receiving high quality pure water. According to EWG, you might be getting more than you expected from your bottled water. The study showed chemical contaminants in bottled water samples from ten states around the country. One of the most fascinating parts of this enormous study included testing water samples for cancer cell proliferation. You’ll be surprised at the results.

The True Cost of Nutritional Supplements

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:48:58 Z

Recently, Bisphenol-A, a chemical used in the manufacture of water bottles, baby bottles and food packaging/storage containers, has been in the headlines. On September 16, a group of British and American scientists published their study results in The Journal of the American Medical Association on the medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities associated with high urinary concentrations of Bisphenol-A. The results of their research linked high concentrations of Bisphenol-A to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and abnormally high liver enzymes. Do all plastic containers contain toxic chemicals that can leech into food or beverages? Are some plastic food/beverage containers safer than others? How do you identify the safest and most dangerous ones? Are there any alternatives to plastic? Also on today’s program: You want to take Aloe Vera juice for your digestive dysfunction. You go to a health food and now you find yourself standing in front of shelves full Aloe Vera starting with the very cheap and going to what seems to be quite expensive compared to the cheap one. How do you choose the right one for you? Would you like the advice of a nutritionist? Remember a bargain is not a bargain if it doesn’t work. This is especially true of nutritional supplements. For example one nutritional supplement costs $10.00, but your body can absorb only 5% of it. Compare this to a professional quality supplement that costs $20.00, but over 90 % of it can be absorbed by your body, which one is a better deal for you? Join me, Frank Tabino, CN and special guest John Gemmel as we discuss these two important issues. I’ll give you tips on removing potentially toxic plastics from your food and the nutritional support you’ll need to protect your liver function and remove the hormone disruptive affects of synthetic chemicals like Bisphenol-A. John Gemmel, nationally-recognized Aloe Vera researcher, and I will give you an insight on choosing the right supplement that will give you the results you expect. Join us on Saturday October 18, 2008 for The True Cost of Nutritional Supplements.

The Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:47:54 Z

Cell phones have evolved from a clunky novelty to a sleek, indispensable and, for many, inseparable part of modern life. It is estimated that there are in excess of 3 billion cell phones in use today around the world and the fastest-growing segment of that population is children, some as young as six years old. While consumer demand for cell phones has grown, and as the technology has evolved to give consumers more options and faster connectivity, a vigorous debate has been taking place among scientists about whether long term use of cell phones causes brain tumors. Recently, that debate caught the public’s attention with the publication in July of a warning from a preeminent oncologist about the human health effects of cell phone use. On September 25, members of the Congressional Domestic Policy Subcommittee listened to testimony from several renowned scientists on evidence linking brain tumors to cell phone use, highlighting the potential risk for children who use mobile phones. Rep Dennis Kucinich, presiding over the meeting, expressed his regrets that the CTIA, the association of the wireless telecommunications industry, declined the committee’s invitation to testify, and he noted that, by their refusal, they have denied Members of Congress and the public the benefit of their testimony and the opportunity to pose questions and hear answers. The focus of our show this week is the relationship of electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) and your health. Joining me, Frank Tabino, CN, to discuss this issue is Shelly Kalnitsky, a wireless industry watchdog, and wholistic physician Dr. Bernard Burton. Join us on October 11, for The Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation.

Natural Solutions for Prostate Health:
Avoiding Prostate Cancer

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:48:12 Z

Prostate cancer is the most frequent new cancer diagnosis in the Western world. 250,000 men this year will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, but the good news is that ninety percent of these men will die WITH prostate cancer rather than OF prostate cancer. So why do men rush to draconian surgical procedures immediately upon diagnosis. According to my guest this week, there are times when treating the disease with surgery and/or radiation and/or feminization of the patient through hormone replacement therapy will have a heavy impact on the patient’s quality of life and very little impact on the patient’s mortality. The main diagnostic tool for predicting prostate health is the PSA (Prostate Speci8fic Antigen) blood test screening. Here’s the problem. For years we have known that the PSA test is flawed. In men with a PSA level between 4.0 and 10ng/ml its predictive value is low. Seventy percent of the time a man receives an elevated PSA on a blood test, HE DOES NOT HAVE PROSTATE CANCER. In addition, PSA serum levels are poorly correlated with grade (aggressiveness) and stage of prostate cancer, and clinically significant prostate cancers have been found in patients with serum PSA levels lower than 4.0ng/ml. The widespread use of PSA screening programs led to over-diagnosis and unnecessary biopsies, which can actually release cancer cvells throughout the body. Some experts believe prostate cancers’ reputation as being highly metastatic is due to unnecessary biopsies based on elevated PSA serum levels. My guest, Wholistic Urologist Dr. Ron Wheeler, MD says that this test is barbaric and can actually spread as many as 100,000 cancer cells when the doctor retracts the surgical instrument. Dr. Wheeler says there is a better way. He is one of the pioneering doctors using newly-developed computer assisted diagnostics that will one day become the gold standard of prostate diagnosis. If you or someone you love has concerns about prostate health, this show is a must-listen. Join me, Frank Tabino, CN and Ronald Wheeler, MD for Natural Solutions for Prostate Health: Avoiding Prostate Cancer.

Immune System Function: The Key to Health

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 19:50:07 Z

It’s apparent that a healthy functioning immune system is an excellent marker of health. Your immune system play a key role in the preservation of homeostasis, a term used to describe the maintenance of balance or a stable bodily state. Moreover, since the immune system has a key role in preserving homeostasis, scientists have long considered it a true regulatory system comparable to the nervous and endocrine systems. Your immune system does not work in isolation but it functions in close relationship with the nervous system and the endocrine system, the glands that secrete hormones that help to control metabolic activity. As we age, there is a gradual decline of the immune system. Researchers call this phenomenon immunosenescence, characterized by a decrease in the resistance to infections, and an increase in autoimmune processes and cancer. These are all clear indications of a less competent immune system. Furthermore, this age-related decline of immune function is actually pro-inflammatory, which scientists believe may underlie the appearance of diseases such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), dementia, osteoporosis, arthritis and cancer. The focus of our show today is your immune system and the role it plays in your health and longevity. Special guest, pharmacologist James Jamieson and I discuss recent research concerning antibiotic therapy and its affect on the immune system. Why doctors are less amenable to dispensing antibiotics and what they’re recommending as an alternative? It’s a well known fact that hormonal activity changes as we age. Could this be linked to the age-related decline in immune function? Can immune modulating nutrients anti-age you by naturally improving hormone production? Join me, Frank Tabino, CN and Pharmacologist James Jamieson as we explore Immune Function: The Key to Health.

Avoiding Metabolic Syndrome: A 21st Century Epidemic

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:48:31 Z

I’m issuing a health BOLO; Be On the Lookout for persons exhibiting any three of the following identifying characteristics: Waist size greater than 40 inches in men, greater than 35 inches in women. Serum triglyceride level above 150mg/L.. HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dL in men, below 50 mg/dL in women. Blood pressure elevated above 135/85, or taking a hypertensive medication. Fasting blood glucose above 100mg/dL or taking anti-diabetic medication. If you see any of these persons of interest, and by the way there are about seventy five million in the U.S. alone, instruct them to listen to the Natural Health Hour this Saturday. And here’s why. The focus of our show this week is metabolic syndrome, the most significant health epidemic of the 21st century. More than sixty years ago, scientists uncovered the link between metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. In the 1980s this link became more clearly defined and the term metabolic syndrome (aka: syndrome X) was coined to designate a cluster of metabolic risk factors that come together in a single individual. As is true with many medical conditions, genetics and lifestyle both play important roles in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Genetic factors influence each individual component of the syndrome, and the syndrome itself. A family history that includes diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease greatly increases the chance that an individual will develop metabolic syndrome. Environmental issues such as low activity level, sedentary lifestyle, and progressive weight also contribute significantly to the risk of developing the metabolic syndrome. Obesity is probably the greatest risk factor for metabolic syndrome. While metabolic syndrome is present in only 5% of people with normal body weight, twenty-five percent of those who are overweight (BMI >30) and sixty percent of those considered obese (BMI >40) are diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. Adults who continue to gain five or more pounds per year raise their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by up to 45%. Metabolic syndrome is worth caring about because it is a condition that can pave the way to both diabetes and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of type 2 diabetes anywhere from 9-30 times over the normal population. As to the risk of heart disease, studies vary, but metabolic syndrome appears to increase the risk 2-4 times that of the normal population. There are other concerns as well that should be mentioned. Metabolic syndrome is associated with fat accumulation in the liver (fatty liver), resulting in inflammation and the potential for cirrhosis. The kidneys can also be affected as can your brain. There is a strong link between metabolic syndrome and increased risk of age related dementia and accelerated cognitive decline. The Natural Health Hour welcomes back Ms. Valerie Hall, CNHP and co-host, wholistic physician Dr. Bernard Burton for an in depth discussion of the spreading health conce

What You Don’t Know About Inflammation

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 19:48:23 Z

Recently, America encountered a shockwave when it learned that Tim Russert, a famous and seemingly healthy political journalist, suddenly died at the age of 58. It was even more alarming when it was later reported that Mr. Russert visited his doctor regularly and was taking prescribed medication for high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Mr. Russert exercised regularly, in fact, it was reported that he exercised on a treadmill at the NBC studios the morning that he suddenly died. Now here is the disturbing fact. Tim Russert had access to the finest doctors, and the most effective pharmaceuticals that conventional medicine had to offer. You could say that Mr. Russert had the gold standard of conventional cardiac care. Obviously it was not enough and here’s why. As is the case with allopathic physicians, they treat the symptoms. Doctors prescribe medication to artificially lower blood pressure and cholesterol but they fail to address the underlying cause of these symptoms. It is a well established fact that low grade chronic systemic inflammation is present in all cardiac patients. In fact, inflammation is a factor in every disease. Most people believe that inflammation is a painful condition that should be eliminated immediately. What they don’t know is that inflammation is your body’s immune system trying to repair something and inflammation is one of the stages of healing. Inflammation is a defensive strategy of the immune system and when your body has the necessary resources to gradually eliminate (resolve) this inflammation you avoid disease. The focus of our show this week involves the research of Harvard Professor, Dr. Charles Serhan. According to researchers around the world, Dr. Serhan’s work is a major step in identifying the underlying cause of cardiovascular disease. What Dr. Serhan and his colleagues have accomplished is to map the mechanism of the body’s inflammatory response and how the body resolves this inflammation. At one time, it was thought that this process was passive and that the inflammation just naturally subsides. What Dr. Serhan has found is that the process to totally resolve inflammation relies on the availability of certain dietary factors. Joining me this week to discuss this groundbreaking research is wholistic physician Bernard Burton, DC and National Educator for Nordic Naturals, Mr. Stuart Tomc. This show promises to be one of the most important shows I have ever done. Knowing that chronic inflammation is at the root of all disease, Dr. Serhan’s findings are invaluable. Knowing how the body totally resolves chronic inflammation and what dietary components are essential, may be the biggest step in the prevention of heart disease in the last half-century. Join us on Saturday September 13, 2008 for What You Don’t Know About Inflammation. If you can’t listen live, you can listen to the show in our internet radio archives.

The Importance of Maintaining Oral Health

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:50:04 Z

According to the American Heart Association, the major risk factors for heart disease that you can modify, treat or control by changing your lifestyle is avoiding tobacco smoke, getting regular exercise and keeping cholesterol, blood pressure and bodyweight within a normal range. However, there is a growing body of evidence linking the health of your mouth to your risk level for cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes. The most recent research from around the world shows that people with poor oral health, periodontitis or periodontal infection, are twice as likely to suffer from coronary artery disease. Additional studies have pointed to the relationship between periodontal disease and stroke. People with oral infections have a 2-4 times greater risk of stroke than those people with a healthy mouth. Swollen, inflamed or infected gum tissue can also exacerbate existing heart conditions. Recent research is showing that people with periodontal infection have a tendency to accumulate arterial plaque at a faster rate that people with a healthy mouth. More than twenty years ago, scientist first realized the body/mouth connection. Dentistry has always view the mouth as being separate from the body. That changed forever when scientists found DNA remnants of oral bacteria the arterial plaque of heart patients. According to our guest, Dr. James Harrison, “what bleeds out, bleeds in”. If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, the bacterium in your mouth has an express lane to your bloodstream and on to every organ in your body. Fluoridated toothpaste is not the answer. Fluoride, an industrial waste product, has never been shown to prevent tooth decay and it is a poison. If fluoride is safe, why does every tube of fluoridated toothpaste have a warning not to swallow? Fluoride is one of the biggest frauds perpetrated against the American people. It just gave big business a way to profit on an industrial waste product it would have been costly to safely dispose of. Here’s another myth. Mouthwash has to be harsh to kill bacteria that cause bad breath and oral infections. According to our guest, alcohol in mouthwash can certainly kill bacteria, but what is the alcohol doing to the delicate gum tissue. Why do you think you can’t hold mouthwash in you mouth very long? Your body is trying to tell you that you’re destroying gum tissue. The way to keep bacteria from overtaking your mouth is to create an environment that discourages bacterial growth. You do this with regular professional visits and proper home oral hygiene. It is the consensus of researchers and practicing physicians that periodontal disease can be reversed or prevented by using proper oral hygiene techniques. But American’s are obviously using the wrong technique because the latest Surgeon General’s report indicated that nearly 75% of the over-50 population in this country has some degree of periodontal inf

Sleepless in America

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:47:49 Z

If you suffer from sleepless nights on a regular basis, you’re not alone. Sleeplessness is a big problem in America. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s (NSF) 2008 Sleep in America Poll, nearly 65% of the American population report having insomnia at least a few nights weekly. It’s estimated that insomnia costs the U.S. approximately $100 billion each year in medical costs and lower productivity. In the U.S., as many as 100,000 automobile accidents and 1,500 deaths from these accidents are caused by sleepiness. A review of Department of Transportation records indicates that a large percentage of the people involved in these accidents were taking prescription sleeping medications.

The use of prescription sleeping drugs, such as Ambien, Lunesta and Sonata, has been steadily increasing. Global sales for all sleeping medications, called hypnotics, will top $5 billion in the next several years. When taken over long periods of time, these drugs stay in the bloodstream, giving a hangover-feeling the next day and beyond, and impair memory and performance on the job and at home. Hypnotics can be very addictive and there will come a time when you won’t be able to sleep at all without them.

Restful sleep is essential to the health of the human body and it is only when some bio chemical process fails that we experience insomnia, which may be classified as primary (not related to any other health problem), or secondary when it is caused by a separate medical issue or as is the case for many, a side effect of a prescription drug. There is no doubt that chronic insomnia is frustrating and can ruin your quality of life. However, researchers are uncovering evidence linking insomnia to serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, depression and the latest health concern to be linked to insomnia is obesity. That’s right, not getting enough quality-sleep can make you fat. The 2008 Sleep in America Poll indicates that nearly 75% of insomniacs are overweight and 50% of that group is obese.

Highlighted in the Sleep in America poll was the connection between sleep disorders and psychological disorders. In a classic example of which came first, the chicken or the egg, it’s quite common for insomniacs to experience mood disturbances. Does a psychological disorder cause insomnia or is lack of sleep the cause of the mood disturbance? According to NSF, 40% of people with insomnia also had a psychiatric disorder; 70% of people with depression experience insomnia and as many as 25% of people with anxiety disorders also experience insomnia. Substance abuse, especially alcohol, cocaine, and sedatives, plays a role in an estimated 10 to 15 percent of chronic insomnia.

The inability to sleep increases the activity of the hormones and pathways in the brain that cause stress, and changes in sleeping patterns have been shown to have significant affects on mood. Ongoing insomnia ma

Smart Diet Choices That Can Save Your Heart

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:08:17 Z

With all of the scientific advances made in modern medicine heart disease continues to be our number one killer. High-tech surgical procedures that open clogged arteries, strategically place stents to keep arteries, heart valve replacements even total heart transplants. Prescription drugs that target cardiovascular disease are the #1 selling drugs in the world. People with cardiovascular disease can be on as many as six separate prescription drugs. But if you look at the strategy of conventional medicine you’ll notice that it focuses on the symptom and totally disregards the body’s innate ability to heal itself. If you treat your body well, regular exercise and a healthy diet, your body’s self-regulating mechanisms can function to their optimum. Essential fatty acids and essential amino acids are terms that most people have heard. But do they truly understand the meaning. When used in this context, “essential” means that your body cannot make it so it better be in your diet. Humans can produce 10 of the 20 amino acids. The others must be supplied in the food. Failure to obtain enough of even 1 of the 10 essential amino acids, those that we cannot make, results in degradation of the body's proteins and in turn the body’s muscle, the most active of which is your heart. Unlike fat and starch, the human body does not store excess amino acids for later use—the amino acids must be in the food every day. The same holds true for essential fatty acids. These fats must be included in your diet but with fat phobia rampant in this country, there are a significant number of people who are not getting these “essential” fats. People who eliminate the majority of fat from their diet do not fully understand what they are doing to their health. Fats are an important part of your body’s self-regulating mechanism. Fats are used to construct membranes around cells, which will allow the efficient transfer of nutrients in and waste products out. Without the proper “essential” fats the efficiency and ability of cellular transfer is limited and it sets the stage for a whole host of disease states. The consumption of organic foods in this country is growing at a surprising rate. Eating organic fruits and vegetables is far superior to conventionally grown food. A recently concluded study showed organic fruits and vegetables to have a higher vitamin and mineral content than produce grown conventionally. But organic produce is expensive, so do you really need it? Tune in to learn what foods you don’t have to buy organic. What’s fueling the amount of heart disease in this country is diabetes. Diabetic complications are the #1 case of cardiovascular disease. Last week researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine published the results of a study showing a combination of dietary supplements that “demonstrated beneficial effects on the complication-causing pathways of diabetics”. Tune in and learn what the researchers at Albert Einste

The Hidden Dangers of Cell Phone Radiation

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:49:06 Z

Advice For the Heart

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:49:36 Z

According to the American Heart Association, the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease include elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes. In this official release from the AHA, the word”diet” appeared only once and that was as a contributor to high cholesterol. However, it’s a poor diet that will lead you to all of the AHA major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Simply put, what will put you at highest risk for cardiovascular disease is a poor diet. And big business knows this. Just look at the way processed and fast food is marketed, especially to young children. If I didn’t know better, I could possibly be convinced that fast food and processed packaged food has nutritional value just based on the health claims made on the package. A recent study from Britain reveals that nine out of ten food items produced specifically for kids have incredibly poor nutritional content. But here’s my point, 62% of these foods with incredibly poor nutritional value had a nutritional claim prominently displayed on the front of the package. In a study recently published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation researchers found that drinking soda, any soda including artificially sweetened “diet” soda, increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and will put you on a fast track to metabolic syndrome (Syndrome X) and diabetes. The researchers arrived at this conclusion through data collected in the “Framingham Offspring Study”, a study which began in 1971. In this study, nearly 5,200 men and women, offspring’s of the original Framingham Study participants, were surveyed and examined. The Participants were split into groups based on the amount of soda they drank. When all data was evaluated, the results were truly startling: Researchers found that drinking soda increased the likelihood of getting heart disease, as the risk of metabolic syndrome, was 48 percent higher among those who drank soda more often than the occasional soda drinkers. Furthermore, the risk of heart disease increased with each additional soda per day by 44 percent! Making the wrong diet choices can increase your risk for degenerative disease. Our food supply is replete with hidden dangers that masquerade as “healthy choices”. Join me, Frank Tabino, CN and syndicated columnist Mr. Suzy Cohen for an in depth discussion on the proper diet choices to insure a long and healthy life when we explore Advice For the Heart.

Colostrum: The Ultimate Anti-aging, Weight-loss and Immune Supplement

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:50:12 Z
The key to total health and self-healing is a strong immune system, which protects us from everything from the common cold, to cancer cells. Science tell us that cancer cells regularly form in the body and it is only through a vigilant immune system response that keeps these potentially harmful cells from proliferating. More than their mainstream counterparts, holistic doctors believe that a weak immune system plays a key role in causing disease. Antibiotics fight infection, but they don't affect whatever weakened the immune system in the first place. This is why holistic doctors focus less on things that cause diseases and more on those that affect the body's defenses. Your immune system is composed of many different and interdependent cell types and proteins that collectively protect us. When your immune system is functioning properly it can engulf and destroy harmful bacteria, kill viral, fungal and parasitic infections and even stop the growth of cancer cells. Your immune system works around the clock in thousands of different ways, but it does its work largely unnoticed. One thing that causes us to really notice our immune system is when it fails for some reason. We also notice it when it does something that has a side effect we can see or feel such as an allergy. The thymus gland, the commander in-chief of the immune system lives in your chest, between your breast bone and your heart. It’s responsible for producing T-cells, a vital immune system component, and is especially important in newborn babies; without thymus gland function, a baby's immune system collapses and the baby will die. A properly functioning thymus gland is essential to immune function no matter what age you are. However, as we age, the thymus gland shrinks to just a fraction of its original size, which has an impact on T-cell maturation, a necessary part of the total immune function. According to my guest, conventional wisdom notwithstanding, it’s possible to regenerate the thymus gland and keep the immune system balanced and strong. It is with great pleasure that I welcome back Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith, ND, Ph.D back to the Natural Health Hour for an in depth discussion on the immune system. According to Dr. Kleinsmith, knowing how the immune system functions takes us a step closer to understanding immune deficiencies and the potential avenues of modulating the immune system to attain total Health. Join Me, Frank Tabino, CN and Anthony Kleinsmith, ND, Ph.D. on August 2, 2008 for “Colostrum: The Ultimate Anti-aging, Weight-loss and Immune Supplement”

Maintaining Your Health As You Age

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:11:46 Z
The dramatic rise in population over the last century has been accompanied by an even more phenomenal rise in life expectancy. When the U.S. population reached 100 million in 1915, the average lifespan was 54 years. When we hit 200 million in 1967, it was around 70. Today, the average lifespan of someone living in the U.S. is approximately 78, and there is little reason to think that we won't continue to push the life expectancy envelope. Despite wide-ranging concerns about getting older, most Americans want to live longer than the current average; but not too much longer. According to a national poll, if it were up to them, Americans on average would like to live to be 87 years old -- nine years older than current life expectancy. Only 25% of the respondents indicated that they'd like to live to 100 or older. Quality of life is a major concern. One reason more people don't want to live to 100 is that most -- nearly two-thirds of adults -- don't think they could be that old and still enjoy a good quality of life. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what matters is your quality of life. According to the US Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, 75% of cardiovascular disease, 60% of women's cancers, and 40% of men's cancers are related to nutrition and diet. Nutritional science has shown us that certain nutrients, or the lack thereof, are responsible for your level of risk for serious degenerative diseases. However, with all that science has uncovered, there is still no definitive answer as to why we age. The best that science has done to this point is to arrive at several theories of aging, each of which has a nutritional/lifestyle component. Knowing this, I believe, as does my guest on this week’s show, that you can maintain and even improve your quality of life as you age well into your nineties. It is with great please that I welcome back world-renowned pharmacologist Mr. Jim Jamieson to discuss the nutritional/lifestyle components embedded in the theories of aging. Join me, Frank Tabino, CN and Pharmacologist Jim Jamieson on July 26, 2008 for Maintaining Your Health as you Age.