NOVEMBER 16, 2021 MUSHROOMS

There are many benefits for mushrooms. Some of the pertinent points are:

1. Valuable mineral content , especially trace minerals

2. Mushrooms are a great slimming food

3. Many mushrooms regulate cholesterol especially Shiitake and Pleurotus

4. Mushrooms are high in fiber as chitin, lignan and cellulose

5. Mushrooms are high is vitamins especially B vitamins

6. There is very little fat in mushrooms ; There is no cholesterol

7. Mushrooms are an excellent source of protein , including all amino acids

8. Some of the species are

   1. Lentitins edodes Skittake

   2. Trametes versicolor Turkey tail

   3. Ganoderma lucidem Reishi

   4. Inonotus obliquus Chaga

   5. Wolfiporia cocos Hoelen, Fuling

   6. Pleurotus spp Oyster Mushroom

   7. Cordyceps militaris Cordyceps

   8. Hericeum erinaceous Lion’s mane

NOVEMBER 15, 2021 GARLIC AND ITS RELATIVES

There is one genus that can make you smile or cry but definitely can make you healthier. It is the Genus Allium. You know the genus by the species in it contains- garlic , leeks, shallots, and onions. There are also scallions and chives. The genus was originally in the Lily Family (Liliaceae) but now it is placed in the Amaryllidaceae Family best known for the amaryllis.

"TOMATOES AND OREGANO MAKE IT ITALIAN; WINE AND TARRAGON MAKE IT FRENCH; SOUR CREAM MAKES IT RUSSIAN; LEMON AND CINNAMON MAKE IT GREEK, SOY SAUCE MAKES IT CHINESE; GARLIC MAKES IT GOOD." - Alice May Brook

Garlic (Allium sativum) is widely known for its medicinal benefits. I published a paper on Garlic 3 years ago which is available at http://www.fratellonemedical.com/ under published papers. I reviewed many other papers and reviewed the benefits of garlic. There are many species of garlic - hard neck and soft neck garlic. Who do you think is the largest producer of garlic? No it is not Italy, but China. There is even an elephant garlic which is not a true garlic but closely related to leeks.

This year in the Black Rock CT gardens I planted many allium species. Onions (Allium cepa) is easy to grow. There is even a tree onion which is a cross between the common onion and the Welsh Onion.

This summer due to the Beekeeping and our 'girls' I planted chives on the patio in clay pots. Chive (Allium schoenoprasum) is a perennial that produces pretty violet flowers which attracts bees. The common onion with its white/yellowish flowers attracts bees also (see photograph above - credit R. Byrd).

From growing the allium species before with my Poppy I can tell you you must make sure of one thing. The soil for the allium species has to be weed free. If grown from seedlings you must not let these fragile seedlings compete with the weeds. The weeds will win out.

Once the seedlings are well along you can mulch them with a shallow layer of straw and other leaves to prevent weed growth. I never understood why my Poppy surrounded most vegetable plants with mulch in his garden along the side of the house. Now I understand it was to reduce competition with weeds. Little did I know as a child. I sometimes wander in my thoughts wondering what if my Poppy and I could garden together now- how different would it be!

Many years ago I purchased the book Garlic and Other Alliums. I have read this 454 page book continuously between reading other books. There are 800 species of Allium. I was entertained by the history of garlic and its cultivation. I love the history of different plants. I learn more of the history by reading older herb books. I also found out how Allium has been portrayed in literature, poetry and art. If you are a fan of garlic whether involved in medicine, or a cook, or a garlic lover, I strongly recommend this classic book.

Allium species are mentioned in James Duke's Medicinal Plants of the Bible.

"We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick: But our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes."

-Numbers 11:5-6 (KJV)

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 11, 2021 B12

What kind of B vitamins do you take? I always recommend a multi B. It is sometimes a B-50 multi or a B-100 multi. There is a problem with this as the B12 and folic acid need to be the methylated form in order to be absorbed.
The methyl form of Vitamin B12 and folic acid have important differences from other forms of the other B vitamins.
The methylated form of B12 called methylcobalamin is the bio active form. The body has to transform B12 from the diet into the methylcobalamin in order to have the best activity. So take the methylated version.

B12 is a very important vitamin for many body systems especially the red blood cells and neurological health. It is also important for a bad amino acid, called homocysteine which is reduced by using higher dosages of B12, especially the methylated form. A high homocysteine can affect the cardiovascular system, the bones and brain health. So ask your doctor to write for the higher dosages of methylated B12

The same is true of folic acid. You need a methylated folic acid. The folic acid needs to be converted to a more bio active form for the body to have the full capacity to use it for the many biochemical pathways. The bio active form is called MTHF. There are many individuals who are placed on folic acid (non methylated) for high homocysteine levels and get no response. One in twenty of these individuals have a genetic metabolic defect.

So it isn't so easy and direct for the physician to just give B12 and folic acid. Some thought process needs to take place on what form to use. I prefer the methylated form of both B12 and folic acid. I also use more than the RDA requirements for both B12 and folic acid- again always the methylated forms.

I usually prescribe 2.5 - 7.5 mg of folic acid (methylated) per day

I formulated a high dose folic acid with a methylated B12 for Botanical Bounty called Methylated B Call 646 723 1823 for your order

Until tomorrow

NOVEMBER 10, 2021 POST COVID SYMPTOMS

I have seen many patients with post COVID symptoms. The symptoms vary from patient to patient. Symptoms are not limited to cough, fever and shortness of breath ( dyspnea) Other symptoms can be neurological, gastrointestinal and even cardiovascular. The most common symptom has been fatigue, followed by fever and then body aches. Headache occurs in about 72 % of post covid patients and brain fog has been seen in 68 % of individuals The gastrointestinal symptoms vary but are seen in about 66 % of patients Your physician should not ignore your post covid symptoms.

There is no magic bullet. I use by functional and integrative background to help these patients. I use high dose intravenous Vitamin C with glutathione IV push after the antioxidant drip. Not every office has this ability. I use many supplements that are high quality as well as research based. Some of these supplements include high quality curcumin ( tumeric) as well as zinc and reduced glutathione .

I also want to balance the clotting mechanisms as clots have been a real issue with acute and post COVID patients. I balance the clotting mechanisms using omega 3 oils, nattokinase, and some herbs as ginkgo and garlic

The last but not forgotten system to balance is the energy system. You must restore the mitochondria ( the powerhouse of the cell) to give the patient energy. You start by restoring sleep using herbs and supplements. You must balance the three hormone systems- thyroid, female or male hormones and the adrenals. This is not a magic bullet . This could take some time. The patient has to understand the importance of balance in the body. This was all disrupted by the COVID virus. The autonomic nervous system needs to be looked at Many patients develop postural orthostatic tachycardia or neural mediated hypotension. This is called POTS. This is also commonly seen in Lyme patients. I can alleviate these symptoms by using compression stockings, adjusting salt intake and using adaptogenic herbs

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 9, 2021 MYCOTOXIN DETOX

Mycotoxins have been linked to a variety of diseases. It depends on the type of mold and the toxin that is associated with that disease. The mycotoxins from the mold Aspergillus are linked to Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer Disease. Many of the mycotoxins are carcinogenic, and decrease your immune system

An effective treatment that I have used is inhalation glutathione via a nebulizer. There are effective treatments using liposomal glutathione. This has been confirmed in published studies . I have read the use of liposomal glutathione cream have a 28 % increase in glutathione levels, a 400 % increase in NK cell function and a 25 % reduction in lipid peroxidation. Other treatment that have been used are charcoal and the medication cholestyramine. From my clinical perspective these last two treatments have side effects and most patients do not tolerate them.

I have used zeolite as a mycotoxin binder with some effectiveness. I have recommended MyoPul by Researched Nutritionals that features in its product two components. One is G-PUR a natural zeolite characterized by higher amounts of silica. This allows it to bind to mycotoxins, the metal aluminum and ammonia. Also in the product is humic acid. Humic acid increases binding.

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 8, 2021 IVERMECTIN

Ivermectin is not a new treatment for certain diseases. It has been used since the 1970s for certain parasitic infections. Besides parasitic infections , Ivermectin has shown some activity against viruses as HIV, influenza and even Zika viruses. In my office we use a homeopathic flu infection. I have never taken a flu vaccine. Ivermectin has been shown to be very effective against COVID 19 virus. It had a 98.8% reduction in viral RNA after 48 hours.

Ivermectin can significantly reduce mortality in patients with COVID Upon reviewing studies. It should be used within 48 hours. This is a prophylaxsis medication. Some patients are using it daily as prophylaxsis, but there is no data to support this.

It is not an expensive medications $25-$60 depending on dose and course of treatment. If the medication has to be authorized and the patient does not have a parasitic infection, it most likely will not be covered. Many patients are paying out of pocket for the medication if the pharmacy has it in stock. Many pharmacies will not stock the ivermectin.

Unti tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 4, 2021 HERBS

There are many ways to find out about herbs. There are hundreds of books on herbs individually or as a collective. In my training about herbs I learned a lot from Tierna LowDog, MD ( www.drlowdog.com ) and her colleagues at the University of Arizona Fellowship of Integrative Medicine. In addition spending time with 7Song at the Northeast School of Botanical Medicine greatly enhanced my learning curve. Of course I read many books about herbs/plants and flowers.

There are many useful websites. I always site articles from the American Botanical Council website There website is https://abc.herbalgram.org

Another website which is complete is www.herbalreference.com This website discusses many herbs in its data base in addition to different diseases and conditions

Until tomorrow…

NOVEMBER 3, 2021 VACCINE INJURIES

REPRINTED FROM NATURAL NEWS website

In the interview, Dr. Jessica Rose discussed the systemic flaws of the VAERS system, flaws that stop the passive reporting system from working in the public’s interest, as was originally intended. The pharmacovigilance system was set up in 1990 to detect issues with vaccines, to alert regulatory agencies and the public about serious adverse events and contraindications for specific vaccines. The data is managed by the Department of Health and Human Services. Healthcare professionals input the data into the system, and have a narrow thirty-minute window to complete the report. In 2021, healthcare workers have been overwhelmed with vaccine injury reports and have not had the time to enter them all into the system. Many medical concerns associated with the covid vaccine are overlooked, discarded or discounted as coincidental or normalized reactions to the vaccine

The hundreds of thousands of adverse event reports that have been filed paint a grisly picture of medical malfeasance. These serious public health issues have yet to be addressed by any regulatory agency or judicial process. In the past, vaccines were pulled from the market if the VAERS system documented more than fifty deaths from a single vaccine. In 2021, there have been more than 20,000 deaths recorded in just ten months. Up to 97 percent of these issues are coming from the new mRNA covid vaccines, not the rest of the vaccine supply. Instead of pulling the deadly products from the market, the federal government has issued unlawful mandates, coercing individuals to take part in the depopulation experiment. This might be the biggest flaw with the system yet: The agencies that are supposed to oversee the data and alert the public to medical atrocities are the same entities trying to push a narrative forward – that vaccines are “safe and effective.” (Related: COVID vaccine experiment causes monstrous spike in vaccine injuries and death serious adverse events under-reported by a factor of eight.)

I urge you to read Natural News . www.naturalnews.com

Until tomorrow…