SEPTEMBER 6 2022 BROCCOLI

As a child I was never fond of broccoli. I ate it but didn’t like it I preferred peas or string beans. Go figure

Broccoli has a reputation as being a remarkably healthy food, and that reputation is deserved. It’s a great source of vitamins C, K1, and A, as well as folate, potassium, iron, manganese, iron, and calcium. It even has protein . Today I love broccoli

It is a member of the Brassica Family which includes cauliflower, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, and Brussell sprouts. Broccoli is essentially a large edible flower . Its name comes from the Italian word broccolo, which means “the flowering crest of a cabbage,” as well as the Latin word brachium, which means branch, shoot, or arm.

It contains great vitamins and a powerful vegetable full of anti oxidants. The two active compounds found in broccoli are glucoraphanin and glucosinolates. As part of the digestive process, our bodies convert glucoraphanin into sulforaphane a compound known to fight many types of cancer. I use many compounds with sulforaphane as DIM, Super Greens and Greens First . I use these compounds to support my patients with cancer especially breast cancer. There are many studies citing the benefits of broccoli in fighting cancer Some researchers are beginning to use broccoli (and broiccoli sprouts in particular, which contain 20–100 times higher concentrations of glucosinolate, sulforaphane’s precursor, than adult broccoli) as an adjunct to chemotherapy. There are other herbs used in Europe as Mistletoe which can used adjunct to chemotherapy

It appears that sulforaphane can conduct multipronged attack on cancer cells (including inducing apoptosis, which is basically convincing carcinogenic cells to kill themselves for the sake of the organism).

So the conclusion is …. EAT BROCCOLI

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 BENEFITS OF MUSHROOMS

Do you remember when seeing a mushroom as a child ? Were you fascinated by the shapes and colors of mushrooms ? I know I was intrigued even at a very early age. I was fascinated with plants , bugs , insects and birds as a child. Mushrooms are often seen as a bland and boring food, but they actually offer a surprising amount of health benefits

Certain mushrooms can increase your vitamin D levels. Certain mushroom contains a naturally lowering agent for cholesterol and some for autoimmune disease and anti-cancer benefits.

We all should eat mushrooms. Mushrooms are anti-inflammatory and have a multitude of anti-oxidants. Mushrooms can help improve your immune system function. This is because mushrooms contain compounds that help to stimulate the immune system. Mushrooms can protect your brain and support good cognitive function. Mushrooms are also heart healthy. There are some studies to s8uggest that mushrooms can lower your blood pressure.

I believe that gut health is essential for general good health. The gut is the gateway to all disease. Mushrooms have been shown to improve gut health

So, start eating mushrooms. I recommend all to watch ‘Fantastic Fungi” on Netflix Amazing film and so educational

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 31, 2022 KOLA NUT

This is not a nut you hear about al lot. It is called the Kola Nut. It is from the cacao Family of Trees. Its botanical name is Cola acuminata. The native tree is African and can grow up to 60 feet. I have never seen the tree but it is described with pale yellow flowers streaked with purple. It must look spectacular. The fruit is wrinkled, and each fruit contains about a dozen seeds

The seeds are the kola nut. The Africans treat the seeds as a burst of energy—caffeinated that is.

Medicinally the Kola elixirs have been prescribed for seasickness and as an appetite stimulant. I have seen it prescribed with quinine and genitan. There are Kola wines. There was one well known wine from Kola called Toni - Koli

I couldn’t find this wine anywhere on the internet

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 30, 2022 CHIVES

Chives are used in cooking as are other plants in the Lily Family. The botanical name for Chives is Allium schoenoprasum. The better known Allium plants are Garlic ( Allium sativum ) and Onion ( Allium cepa ) Chives are the smallest of the Onion Plants. They do have a delicate onion taste without being overwhelming The flowers are edible as are with Garlic and Onions.

Chives are easy to grow in pots. I always grow Chives because it adds a wonderful flavor to food. In addition, I eat the flower. Chives like partial sunlight and plenty of water To get new growth always separate your chive clumps.

Energetically chives excel at protection ( as do Garlic and Onion) and absorb all negative energy

Grow all Allium plants in your garden

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 29, 2022 FAKE HONEY

I was amazed by an article in the Insider ‘ “ Honey is one of the most faked foods in the world, and the US Government isn’t do anything about it “ This bothers me so much. Is fake honey or adulterated honey plaquing the beekeeping industry. I am a small beekeeper and prodduce honey and propolis. I utilize bee venom in my life.

Either these manufacturers of faux bee honey are diluting the honey with syrup, or they chemically modify the sugars they put into this faux honey. This is a shame as the purchaser of the honey is being robbed of the benefits of honey. I prefer raw honey right from the hive

The US government got involved in 2013 and charged to honey manufacturer. There needs to be more regulation on honey Manufacturers from 2008 were changed and so were individuals manufacturing this adulterated honey It is a shame that such a pure product from what i consider the most respected insects can get a bad rap. It is so unfair

Yet 10-12 years later there is still fake honey on the shelves of stores. You as the consumer should look into the manufacturers before oyu buy honey. I would buy from your local beekeeper. He is not selling volume Like me, he/she is selling about 20-30 lbs from each hive You need to support the local beekeeper. It is better than buying from a store. He might have it a bit higher in price, but it supports their love for their bees and the environment. It is not just the honey you buy in plastic jars that be adulterated but think about all the honey used in the food industry. This is a bigger problem. I try to do my part by warning individuals about honey calling people out, but I cannot do it all.

Be an activist. Take up this cause or any cause you believe in

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 25, 2022 VITAMIN E

Vitamin E is not just a single compound., It is composed of a family of eight similar compounds, There is much known about Vitamin E as compared to when I was in medical school , a mere 30 years ago.
The alpha tocopherol Vitamin E has fallen from the sky as a crashing comet, but you must give credit to the other compounds, especially tocotrienol. This is the lesser known Vitamin E. There are great studies on this type for cardiovascular disease, and now I look forward to the new studies for cancer therapies.

For one the tocotrienols have a different chemical structure and there is a wider range of cell membrane coverage versus the alpha tocopherol group. The other fact which I find the most important is the superiority of the antioxidant effect for the tocotrienols as compared to the alpha tocopherols.

There are many more pathways that are activated by the tocotrienols. Due to this fact alone, there will be in the future more cancer prevention and cancer therapies studied for the tocotrienols. This group has repeatedly in studies been shown to inhibit cancer cells. This is not true of the alpha tocopherols. Astonishing a third of all the research on Vitamin E has been published in the last 2 years, even though there are studies dating back to the 1970's on Vitamin E

For those who take Vitamin E ...take a mixed tocotrienols. Do not take one specific Vitamin E as alpha tocopherols. You must move with the times. You must be well informed.

AUGUST 24, 2022 DIABETES

As a integrative physician I must always keep abreast of new studies involving botanicals and supplements. I keep abreast of any new conventional for diabetes. Recently an in vivo study was done on rats in Lima Peru. The study involved a commercial prepared extract called GlucoMedix. This product contains Stevia rebaudiana and Uncaria tormentosa ( Cat’s Claw) Historically Cats Claw has been used successfully as a herb to treat Tick Borne Infections ( such as Lyme Disease and other species)

These two herbs in GlucoMedix was successful in addressing the co- morbidities of diabetes mellitus. The positive or beneficial results could be due to the Stevia alone, the Uncaria alone or the combination.

This study is proof that herbal medicine can assist and support many conditions including diabetes. More work needs to be done. For the full study you can obtain it from www.townsendletter.com

Until tomorrow…

AUGUST 23, 2022 LYME TESTING

All lyme testing is NOT the same. I am not an infectious disease doctor. I as a integrative physician have learned about Lyme Disease as with most diseases through research papers, appropriate books and clinical experience. I had a good patient —my son who has had Lyme disease twice. I use Stony Brook, IgenX and Vibrant Labs for testing. The later Vibrant Tickborne Disease testing tests for ig G and ig M antibodies for Borreliosis/Lyme as well as coinfections and opportunistic infections. It tests along with DNA of the species causing these infections. The PCR test is a real time assay designed for qualitative detection of the infectious group specific DNA. This Ig G test looks for VlsE1 or C6 peptide as by the CDC criteria which no lab as Quest Lab Corp, Bioreference etc look for. Most labs look for 5 out of 10 bands. Lyme ig M is reported positive if VlsE1 or c6 peptide or WCS ( whole blood sonicate ) is positive or 2 of the 3 bands are positive - 23, 39, 41. Most labs only look for 2 out of the 3 bands and not the other criteria

This is why Vibrant is a more sophisticated and accurate test. The lab tests for classic Borrelia burgorferi and the usual co- infections ( Bartnella, Erlichiosis, and Babeosis. The lab tests for other Borrelia species which many labs do NOT test for. For example it tests for other Borrelia species which cause Lyme Disease. Some of these species are Borrelia bavariensis, Borrelia hermsii, Borrelia andsersonii and other species. It does test for Human granulocytic anaplasmosis ( HGA) caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilium.

I have done extensive reading on Lyme treatments for my patients . The treatment for Lyme disease goes BEYOND conventional antibiotics. I discuss herbal treatments, bee venom therapy, ozone therapy, infrared sauna, supportive oligonucleotide therapy and even stem cell treatments.

Seek out a Lyme literate health care professional

Until tomorrow…