Randy Aiken believes his hands are “gifts.” He can turn a wrench with authority. His practical skills are broad.
In winter, he delivers fuel oil. He also installs and repairs heating and air-conditioning systems. He is a plumber and electrician. He removes asbestos and inspects buildings for structural soundness.

He is a chatty, affable man who is known by his trademark cowboy boots. He is 65 years old, but looks younger. His body is solid and muscular, and he exudes health and vigor. He hasn’t been sick in 33 years, he claims. He expects to live to age 100.

For many customers, he is a doctor, in the original sense of the word – a teacher. He fixes more than furnaces; he also tries to repair bodies.

“When I visit people’s houses, and see a kitchen table full of pills, it bothers me,” Aiken says.

He carries a loose-leaf binder in his service truck filled with articles from various sources about different ailments – heartburn, hair loss, high blood pressure, stiff joints – and their supposed remedies. He hands them out freely.

“He fixes my heater or my leaky faucet and then he gives me health advice,” says Alison Shoemaker of Wyndmoor.

In May, Aiken received a doctorate in naturopathy from Clayton College of Natural Health in Birmingham, Ala., after four years of online study. His interest was stirred when he was a teenager at Willow Grove High School. To repel bullies, he began lifting weights and exploring nutritional supplements to add bulk.

Proponents of naturopathy believe proper nutrition can secure and prolong health. For Aiken, the holy trinity of naturopathy is exercise; raw fruits and vegetables; and a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement.

Many in mainstream medicine look askance at naturopathy, dismissing it as folk medicine and quackery, unsupported by hard science and reliable studies.

“Natural healing has been around for thousands of years,” Aiken says. “Before aspirin, people chewed on willow bark to reduce fever, pain, and inflammation.”

Aiken finds it ironic that more progressive elements of the medical establishment have embraced naturopathic precepts under the label “alternative medicine.” There are many paths to well-being; naturopathy is the path that works for him, Aiken says.

“I’m carrying on Grandma’s tradition,” Aiken says. “When she told you to drink a shot of vinegar, to take a spoonful of cod liver oil, and to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, she was right.”

Aiken, a divorced father of five who lives in Plymouth Meeting, practices what he preaches by lifting weights five days a week at the Abington Y. In between sets, he runs in place.

For breakfast, he typically eats cereal with a banana (“the potassium keeps me from cramping up”), sausage (“the body needs fat and the protein keeps my blood sugar from dropping”), and a small glass of hot pepper juice topped off with apple cider vinegar.

For lunch, he eats salad greens, raw vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, radishes, onions), and fruit (grapes, apples, oranges, bananas, plums, pineapple).

Supper may consist of salmon, spare ribs, beans, and more raw vegetables. Every day, he drinks at least two cups of herbal tea and eats half a lemon and four celery stalks. He also takes a multivitamin, fish oil capsules, and a tablespoon of liquefied minerals.

He shuns white sugar, flour, and rice, and processed foods. Instead of table salt, he uses sea salt.

His bete noire is anything pharmaceutical. “Everyone wants a magic pill,” he laments, “so they can continue to do what they want uninterrupted.”

If there is a “magic pill,” it is this: moderation and balance. Too much stress can also derange the body’s chemistry, he says. Exercise is one way he relieves stress. His 34-foot motorboat is another. Recently, he learned to fly and earned a pilot’s license.

“The key is to have a clear mind,” Aiken says, “and to be content in your own skin.”

Read more: <a href=”http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/weekly/20100719_A_Mr__Fix-It_aims_to_repair_bodies_using_naturopathy.html#ixzz116wymc9c”>http://www.philly.com/inquirer/health_science/weekly/20100719_A_Mr__Fix-It_aims_to_repair_bodies_using_naturopathy.html#ixzz116wymc9c</a>

Dry Skin

A vitamin a deficiency can be a primary cause of dry skin. Supplement with vitamin A daily. Insufficient essential fatty acids can also be a causative factor for dry skin, particularly an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency. Cold-pressed flax oil found in the refrigerator section of most health food stores is an excellent choice. Add to your salads or in smoothies. Never heat this oil. If your dry skin started with menopause, try the herbs listed above to help balance hormones that may be contributing to the problem.

Psoriasis or Eczema

While psoriasis and eczema can have many causes, these conditions are usually helped by improved nutrition and lessening the body’s toxic load. Many people suffering from these disorders are deficient in essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids. To supply essential fatty acids, add cold-pressed flax or hemp oil to your diet. Never heat these oils as they become rancid quickly. Add the oil to salads or in shakes.

            People with psoriasis or eczema are also typically deficient in vitamins A, D, E, and B-complex vitamins. Supplement your diet with vitamin A, vitamin D3, and vitamin E. To supply the B-complex vitamins, take a supplement containing at least each of the major vitamins, three times per day.

            The most common mineral deficiencies leading to these skin conditions include zinc and selenium. Consume zinc gluconate daily in a lozenge form and selenium daily in a capsule.

            Allergies or sensitivities can play a role in psoriasis and eczema. The most common ones are citrus foods, dairy products, sugar, wheat, and white flour products.

            Caring for your body by avoiding harmful foods, eating healthily, and using herbs will yield greater results than simply trying to deal with the symptoms as they appear on your skin. Burnett states. “Psoriasis, eczema, acne, and other skin problems are usually not a disease, but a symptom of a different disease-identifying that disease is the challenge. Frequently it is diet related, often an allergy or nutritional deficiency or an accumulation of toxins.” Addressing the root of the problem may take patience and diligence before you see an improvement in the appearance of the skin, but the improvements will last.

Cook, Michelle (2008) Well Being Journal, Carson City, NV: a newsletter

Diet and Environment:

·         Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar at an appropriate level and do not go longer than 3 hours without eating.

·         High fiber diet, including vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains.  Apples, beans, nuts and oat bran are water-soluble fiber and helps balance blood sugar.

·         Use “good fats” such as salmon, nuts and oil.  Oil and flaxseed oil can be combined and mixed with salad.

·         Consume vegetable proteins such as peas, legumes and nuts.  Lean animal protein, such as turkey, chicken and fish should be included in every meal.  Protein helps to regulate blood sugar levels. 

·         Grapes contain phytochemicals that help to protect vision.

·         Chromium deficiency is linked to diabetes and can be prevented by consuming brewer’s yeast (100 mg/daily), wheat germ, cheese, onions and garlic.  Garlic and onions also helps to lower blood sugar.  However, refined sugar can reduce the body’s level of chromium and should be avoided.

·         Do not consume alcohol, red meat, cow’s milk, which can cause an autoimmune reaction with the pancreas.

·         Diabetics are vulnerable to toxins including paint, degreasers and other unhealthy inhalants and should be avoided.

Supplements:

·         High potency multivitamins daily.

·         Ground flaxseed:  1 teaspoon taken with each meal and plenty of water.

·         Cinnamon:  Reduces serum glucose, triglycerides, LDL and total cholesterol.  This can be taken in capsule form- 500mg 2x daily 

·         Gymnema extract (400 mg/daily for 18 months):  Can decrease the need for insulin and studies have shown that it can revitalize pancreatic cells.

·         Fish oil (1000 mg/daily) Needed for proper insulin function and supports nerve health.  Fish oil must contain DHA and EPA. 

·         Magnesium (750 mg/daily):  Aids in insulin production.

·         Fenugreek (10 grams/daily):  An herb that stabilizes blood sugar

·         Ginko Biloba (120 mg/ 2x daily):  Stimulates blood flow.

·         Pancreas extract (500 mg/ 2x daily):  Supports the function of the pancreas and must be taken on an empty stomach.

·         COQ10: (80 mg/ daily for 3 months): Typically low in diabetics.  Lowers blood sugar and prevents LDL oxidation.

·         Vitamin B Complex:  Reduces the need for insulin.

·         Zinc (30 mg/daily):  Essential for production of insulin.

·         Digestive enzymes:  Helps digest fats and vegetable oils that are not digested properly because of poor pancreatic operation.

James F Balch, MD, Mark Stengley, ND.  Prescription For Natural Cures 2004.  John Wiley & Sons Hoboken New Jersey

The gallbladder is a digestive organ located in the upper right portion of the abdomen, directly underneath the liver.  It is responsible for storing and concentrating bile that is produced by the liver.  Bile is a greenish-yellow color and is composed of bile acids, water, electrolytes, bilirubin, cholesterol, and phospholipids.  As food enters the small intestine, hormonal and nervous system activity causes the gallbladder to contract and sends bile through the common bile duct into the beginning portion of the small intestine, known as the duodenum.  Bile has several different functions, which include the digestion and the absorption of fats, and the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients, the retention of water in the colon to promote bowel movements, the excretion of bilirubin (degraded red blood cells), the elimination of drugs and other compounds in the body, and the secretion of various proteins involved in gastrointestinal function.  As you see, dysfunction in bile production and secretion can result in many different health problems.

The most common problem associated with the gallbladder is gallstones.  It is estimated that 20 percent of people over the age of sixty-give have gallstones.  Every year, more than 500,000 people have surgery to remove their gallbladders.  The symptoms of gallstones can greatly vary, from person to person.  Most people with gallstones often have no symptoms throughout their lives, as the stones pass without problems.  Symptoms may include right-sided abdominal pain (or pain anywhere in the abdomen) and radiating pain that goes to the right shoulder blade.  Abdominal bloating, gas, belching, and recurrent pain are common, too.  Most often, gallstones have been found with a routine exam, and if they are causing no symptoms, they are left alone.  Gallstones that cause pain and other symptoms are treated conventionally, with surgery (often using laparoscopy), bile acids taken orally (for stones that are noncalcified), or, more commonly, lithotripsy, the use of shock waves to fragment the stones so that they will pass.

Gallstones are formed as a result of the bile becoming saturated with cholesterol and calcium.  This can be due to an increase in cholesterol secretion or decreased bile and lecithin secretion.  This then causes other particulate matter to attract cholesterol and sets the stage for stone formation.  As you will read in this chapter’s treatment section, there are natural ways to decrease the saturation of cholesterol in the bile via diet and nutritional supplementation.

Risk factors for gallstones include:

• Sex:  women are two to four times more likely than men to have gallstones.  This, in part, may be due to the use of oral contraceptives and synthetic hormone replacement.

• Race:  Gallstones are more common in women of North American Indian ethnicity.

• Obesity:  Causes an increased secretion of cholesterol into bile.  Also, it should be noted that rapid weight loss (during the initial phases) can contribute to gallstone formation.

• A Western diet is a contributing factor.

• A positive family history predisposes one to this problem.

• Digestive tract diseases, such as Crohn’s disease, increase one’s risk.

A persistent obstruction of the bile duct can also result in fever, nausea, and vomiting.  At this point, the condition is termed acute cholecystitis.  This is an acute inflammation of the gallbladder wall as a response to the gallstone obstruction.  In rare cases, infection and pus may fill the gallbladder or cause perforation of the gallbladder wall.  These situations are dangerous and require immediate surgery.  While most cases of acute cholecystitis are surgically treated, people who improve greatly within one to two days may not require surgery if the gallstones are small enough to pass through into the intestinal tract.  Ultrasound and x-rays are used to diagnose gallstones and acute cholecystitis.

The natural approaches in this chapter are highly successful in preventing further gallstone formation and gallbladder inflammation/attacks, as long as the present stones are not too large.  People with asymptomatic or ”silent” gallstones should not require surgery, if the proper diet and supplemental measures are followed.

One study found that 100 percent of a group of patients were symptom free after following an elimination diet that included beef, rye, soy, rice, cherries, peaches, apricots, beets, and spinach for one week.  Eat more fiber to rid the body of cholesterol.  Foods that were most likely to cause gallbladder symptoms in this study included eggs, pork, and onion.  Other common triggers included fowl, citrus fruits, milk, coffee, corn, beans, and nuts.  Dr. Breneman believes that food allergies cause inflammation and swelling of the bile duct, which restricts bile flow from the gallbladder. 

Once study found that men who drank coffee had a lower risk of gallstones that men who did not drink coffee.  However, coffee initiates gallbladder contractions, so people with known gallstones should avoid its use.

Super Prescriptions – Gallbladder Problems

·         Prescription #1 – Wild yam root (Dioscorea villosa)
Take 2 to 3 ml or 500 mg of the capsule form every hour for the relief of gallbladder spasm and pain.  Wild yam root has an antispasmodic effect on the bile duct.

·         Prescription #2 – Milk thistle
Take a milk thistle extract standardized to contain a daily total of 420 mg a day.  Milk thistle increase bile flow and decreases bile cholesterol saturation.

·         Prescription #3 – Lipase enzymes
Take 1 to 2 capsules of lipase enzymes with each meal to improve fat digestion.

·         Prescription #4 – Homeopathic China
Take a 30c potency twice daily for two weeks and then stop using it, unless symptoms return.  This remedy is helpful for people with gallstones and gallbladder disease that causes bloating, nausea, flatulence, and diarrhea, as well as gallbladder pain.

·         Prescription #5 – Dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale)
Take 2 ml of tincture or 500 mg of the capsule form with every meal.  Dandelion root improves bile flow.

·         Prescription #6 – Turmeric (Curcuma longa)
Take a product standardized to contain 150 mg of curcumin with each meal.  Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, improves bile flow, and relaxes the bile duct.

·         Prescription #7 – Globe artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
Take 1 to 2 ml of the tincture or 500 mg of the capsule form with each meal.  Globe artichoke improves bile flow.

·         Prescription #8 – Magnesium
Take 250 mg daily.

The mucus layer and alkalizing bicarbonate prevent the stomach’s hydrochloric acid from eating away the stomach lining. This creates a weak spot called a peptic ulcer. Another reason an ulcer can form is due to the Helicobacter pylori bacteria, which can be eliminated by taking an antibiotic and/or natural and helpful bacteria. Liquid Acidophilus-bifus prevents the bacterial infection. Antacids should not be taken because they suppress the stomach acid formation and cause digestive problems. Stomach acid is needed for the digestion of proteins and liquefaction of food. It also provides absorption of vitamins and minerals and also note that long term use of antacids can cause mineral deficiency.

Recommended foods and supplements:

Fiber: Oats aid in repairing the ulcer.
Vitamin K: Leafy green vegetables and cabbage juice aid in healing.
Yogurt: Contains friendly bacteria.
Zinc: Heals the digestive tract. 30mg daily
Vitamin C: Retards Helicobacter pylori bacteria growth. 100mg daily
Acidophilus-bifus: Contains 4 billion active organisms. Liquid form, 2x daily.
Slippery Elm: Coats the stomach lining. 500mg capsules or lozenges 3x daily.
Mastic Gum: Heals ulcers. 500mg 3x daily.
Research shows that mastic gum impaired ulcers in 80% of people who used Mastic Gum.

Saw Palmetto – 320 mg daily

Pygeum Africanum – 200 mg daily

Fish oil – 3000 mg daily

Zinc – 100 mg daily for 2 months then 50 mg daily or a maintenance program

Bata Sitosterol – 90 mg daily

Stinging Nettle Root – 120 mg 2x daily

Rye Pollen extract – 3 tablets 2x daily

Licorice Tincture – 5 drops daily. Prevents conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestoterone

Pumpkin Seeds – 2 handfuls daily – increase urine flow

Drink (1) glass of water every 2 waking hours to flush kidneys and detoxify toxins of processed foods. Stay away from sugar as it worsens prostate disorders, as does caffeine.

Proper hormone balance through diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements along with detoxification is the key to prostate control.

Can be the result of nutritional deficiencies, especially magnesium, B6 and fatty acids (Omega 3), and poor digestion. Migraines can be the result of flavor enhancers such as MSG and Aspartame, which overloads the brain cells and causes their demise. Plus try 500 milligrams of magnesium lactate or gluconate for 1 week, then switch to 200 milligrams a day thereafter.

Additionally, not enough fiber in the diet can cause migraines. Toxins build up in the body and without regular excretion the toxins and cholesterol remain. Take Metamucil or ground flaxseed with water first thing in the morning. Otherwise, eat lots of fruit, especially apple a day, raw carrots daily.

Calcium (1,000 mg daily) with 500 mg magnesium and 500 mg of vitamin D also can prevent headaches.

A study of 49 people taking 400 mg of riboflavin daily for 3 months had a 67% reduction in migraine attacks. Additionally, Vitamin B2 in another study reduced the attacks by 50%.

Sugar latent foods cause blood sugar levels to rise sharply and then crash. The result is a headache. Good carbs like pasta metabolizes slower for energy but white bread and junk food produce the sugar rush.

Supplements:

• Magnesium 200 mg 3x daily
• Riboflavin 400 mg daily for 3 months
• #5-Hydroxytryptophaan (5-HTP) 100 mg 3x’s daily – prevents migraines by effecting seratonin levels increasing circulation and endorphin levels (natural painkiller).
• Omega 3- Fish oil and flaxseed combo – improves circulation and reduces inflammatory prostag landins that contribute to migraine attacks
• Vitamin B6 – 50 mg daily increases seratonin which is a neurotransmitter
• Calcium 10000 mg daily
• Full Spectrum Enzyme or Digestive Enzymes before each meal

Phlebitis:

Need nutritional support for the liver. If the liver becomes congested the vein system backs up, puts pressure on veins, and damages the valves in the veins. Take milk thistle daily to provide a protective coating in the liver plus dark fruits like blueberries (1-cup daily), also vitamins B & C.

Some of the same circulatory suggestions for migraines will also help in circulation for Phlebitis are outlined below:

• Bromelain (found in pineapple) reduces inflammation, helps prevent blood clots 500 mg 3x’s daily.

• Vitamin C 8000 mg daily strengthen vein walls.

• High potency multi-vitamin

• An herb called Go To Kola 60 mg daily (make sure product has Triterpenic acids). Helps strengthen vein walls.

• Red grapes – eat daily for antioxidants, improve circulation, and strengthen vein walls.

• Familiarize yourself with the glycemic index of carbohydrate foods – these convert to glucose rapidly – avoid high glycemic foods.

• Consume no more than 40% of daily calories from carbohydrates.

• Eliminate candy and soft drinks.

• Eliminate the use of table sugar and high-glycemic carbohydrates, which include dry cereals, breads, and other bakery products. Reserve sugar-containing desserts as rare treats on special occasions, but only when part of a 40:30:30 balanced meal.

• Appetite (hunger) cannot be controlled unless carbohydrates, in the form of sugar and starch, are controlled.

• Do not use sugar substitutes. Even though they are not carbohydrates, they behave like carbohydrates in stimulating insulin production and promoting synthesis of body fat and cholesterol.

• Obtain your dietary carbohydrates primarily from fruits and vegetables. Use low-glycemic whole grain foods sparingly.

• Substitute apples for bread. For people who consider a meal incomplete without a slice of bread or a dinner roll, try quartered or sliced apples as a satisfying and healthful substitute. They are a good bread substitute because their flavor compliments all kinds of foods, from breakfast eggs to dinner steak, and they have the added advantage of being available year round.

Zero In On Proteins

Unlike glucose (carbohydrate) and fatty acids (lipids), protein is not stored by the body. It is required to make muscle tissues, hair, nails, tendons, hormones, enzymes, antibodies, and a wide variety valuable biochemicals. Regular intake of good quality protein is necessary for optimum health.

• Protein, primarily from meat, fish, eggs, or cheese, should constitute 30 percent of the calories at every meal.

• Do not exclude animal proteins from your diet plan, if possible. Animal proteins are more efficient sources of amino acids than are vegetable proteins. In addition, they contain certain valuable nutrients that are present in limited quantity or not found at all in vegetables.

Zero In on Lipids

Dietary fats perform valuable and necessary functions in the body. They are much more than merely fuels to provide energy. Enig’s Know Your Fats (6) contains important and factual information about dietary fats that every person who is interested in a healthful diet should know.

• Dietary fats cannot make excessive body fat or cholesterol unless accompanied by excessive carbohydrate intake.

• A variety of lipids, including saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and essential fatty acids, should constitute at least 30 percent of your diet. Do not exclude from your diet whole eggs, full-fat dairy products, and reasonable amounts of fat from beef, lamb, chicken, or pork.

• Control your omega-6 fatty acid intake by reducing to a minimum products that are based on or contain vegetable seed oils, including salad oils, shortenings, and margarine. Instead, use virgin olive oil, butter, lard, and coconut oil.

• Control your trans fat intake. Trans fats are unhealthful fats. They occur primarily in refined vegetable oils, vegetable shortenings, and products labeled as containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

• As a general rule, learn to read food labels so you are aware of the contents of products and can control what you eat.

• Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential for life, but an excess of omega-6 fatty acids is detrimental to good health. For optimum health the ratio of omega-t to omega-3 fatty acids should be less than 4 to 1. Improve your omega-3 intake by including 1,000-2,000 milligrams of alpha-linolenic acid (flax oil) and 600-1,000 milligrams of EPA + DHA (fish or fish oil) a day. Fish oil supplements are especially important for people who do not eat cold-water fish at least several times per week. Simopoulos’ book (3) is a good reference for planning a healthful essential fatty acid program.

• It is extremely important to remember that an imbalance of essential fatty acids and an excess of glucose-forming foods (sugar and starch) are two of the most important nutritional causes of the modern nutritional diseases.

Review Your Use of Nutritional Supplements

Make a list in your diary of the amounts of each vitamin, mineral, other nutritional supplement, and herbs you are regularly taking. This will document your current status, enable you to evaluate your current intakes, and determine where they may be lacking, or even possibly in excess.

Murray’s Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements and Duke’s The Green Pharmacy are excellent sources of information about nutritional supplements and commonly used herbs, respectively.

Supplement Your Diet

At a minimum, take a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. If you are taking prescription drugs, talk to your physician before taking any other supplements or herbs. After medical consultation and/or reviewing your current program, consider taking the following supplements in addition to a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. The following are especially important for people past middle age:

• Vitamin C – consider taking 1,000-2,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily. Take it in divided doses, preferably as ascorbic acid crystals dissolved in a glass of water. One quarter of a teaspoon of crystals equals approximately 1,000 milligrams.

• B Vitamins – consider a daily B-complex supplement that contains at least 10 milligrams of B6, 400 micrograms of B12, and 400 micrograms of folic acid. If you cannot find a combination product, take them as individual supplements. The combination will help protect against cardiovascular damage caused by excessive blood homocysteine levels, as described by Kilmer McCully in The Heart Revolution. Individuals worried about cardiovascular damage and high cholesterol levels should also read Ravnskov’s The Cholesterol Myths and Sears’ Enter the Zone on the impact of diet on cholesterol levels.

• Calcium/Magnesium – for bone health, drink at least a quart of whole or 2 percent milk (not skim) a day. A quart provides about 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 130 milligrams of magnesium. Body needs calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium ratio for absorption of calcium and to keep it liquid to stop calcium deposits and hardening of arteries.

Because dietary magnesium should be about half to three quarters that of calcium (for good heart health and function), take a supplement of about 500-600 milligrams of magnesium for each quart of milk you drink. If for any reason you do not drink milk, take daily supplements containing about 1,200 milligrams of calcium and 600 – 750 milligrams of magnesium.

• Fish Oil – Omega-3 keeps clots from forming and supports brain and heart functions. Also supports blood vessels in the body, especially the smaller blood vessels in the eyes and helps to prevent depression.

• Beta Carotene (1-raw carrot daily) – Food for eyes, protects against cancer and will help keep arteries clean as will 4-sticks of celery daily.

• Sulfur/Methylsulfonylmethaane (MSM) – organic sulfur in the average diet is provided only by the two sulfur amino acids in protein, cysteine and methionine. Low-protein diets are deficient or, at least, only marginal in organic sulfur. Take 750 – 1,000 milligrams of methylsulfony methane (MSM) a day. The only sulfur the body can use to make skin, hair, connective tissue, hormones, enzymes, and helper of biochemicals of all sorts is organic sulfur. The great importance of sulfur is described by Jacobs in The Miracle of MSM: The Natural Solution for Pain.

• Selenium – be cautious in supplementing with selenium. The margin of safety between the amount that is essential and the amount that is toxic is very narrow. Check the label of any vitamin and mineral supplements you are taking to make sure you are getting at least 50 micrograms and no more than 100 micrograms a day.

• Bilberry – This is an herb that supplies valuable anthocyanosides that are important for the integrity of blood vessels, especially those in the retina of the eye. The same or similar anthocyanosides are found in blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

Rather than taking a daily herbal preparation, consider an ice-cream-like dish that contains blueberries. The recipe is ¼ to 1/2 cup of plain full-fat or plain low-fat yogurt, 1 heaping teaspoon lecithin granules, 1 teaspoon flax oil, and ¼ to ½ cup frozen blueberries. Mix ingredients together well, and eat before the blueberries thaw completely. This is a delicious, healthful dessert for any meal.

• Alpha-Lipoic Acid – take 30-100 milligrams of alpha-lipoic acid a day. Alpha-lipoic acid is an important antioxidant and coenzyme that participates in many biochemical reactions. Although the body can make alpha-lipoic acid, its biosynthesis declines with age, while the need for it increases.

• Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ) – take a daily supplement of 30-100 milligrams of CoQ. CoQ is of vital importance in the utilization of oxygen by all cells and tissues of the body. The heart with the greatest oxygen demand of any tissue, needs a good supply of CoQ. The aging process increases the need for CoQ, but reduces the ability of the body to synthesize it.

Perhaps more important, many drugs, including the commonly prescribed statins for high cholesterol, produce deficiencies of CoQ. A deficiency of CoQ leads to heart disease, including congestive heart failure, caused by a weakened heart muscle.

• Lecithin – Lecithin, which should be classed as a food, is an inexpensive yet very important nutritional source of phospholipids. A heaping teaspoon a day mixed in with any food provides a good supply of phosphatiddyl groups. Lecithin is an excellent emulsifier that can be used in soups and stews to blend together the oil and water phases. The blueberry dessert mentioned above is a good way to take lecithin.

• Vitamin E – 100 mg daily prevents cholesterol from oxidizing.

• Trimethylglycine (TMG) – TMG is widely distributed in plants and animals, albeit in small amounts. In nutrition, it supplies methyl groups (one-carbon unites) that are required for a number of important biochemical processes. Therefore, an occasional or even daily supplement of 50 milligrams is appropriate for a reasonable supply of methyl groups.

• Artichokes – Main ingredient is cynarin same thing cholesterol lowering medicine is made from.

Dry Skin
A vitamin a deficiency can be a primary cause of dry skin. Supplement with vitamin A daily. Insufficient essential fatty acids can also be a causative factor for dry skin, particularly an omega-3 fatty acid deficiency. Cold-pressed flax oil found in the refrigerator section of most health food stores is an excellent choice. Add to your salads or in smoothies. Never heat this oil. If your dry skin started with menopause, try the herbs listed above to help balance hormones that may be contributing to the problem.

Psoriasis or Eczema
While psoriasis and eczema can have many causes, these conditions are usually helped by improved nutrition and lessening the body’s toxic load. Many people suffering from these disorders are deficient in essential fatty acids, especially omega-3 fatty acids. To supply essential fatty acids, add cold-pressed flax or hemp oil to your diet. Never heat these oils as they become rancid quickly. Add the oil to salads or in shakes.
People with psoriasis or eczema are also typically deficient in vitamins A, D, E, and B-complex vitamins. Supplement your diet with vitamin A, vitamin D3, and vitamin E. To supply the B-complex vitamins, take a supplement containing at least each of the major vitamins, three times per day.
The most common mineral deficiencies leading to these skin conditions include zinc and selenium. Consume zinc gluconate daily in a lozenge form and selenium daily in a capsule.
Allergies or sensitivities can play a role in psoriasis and eczema. The most common ones are citrus foods, dairy products, sugar, wheat, and white flour products.
Caring for your body by avoiding harmful foods, eating healthily, and using herbs will yield greater results than simply trying to deal with the symptoms as they appear on your skin. Burnett states. “Psoriasis, eczema, acne, and other skin problems are usually not a disease, but a symptom of a different disease-identifying that disease is the challenge. Frequently it is diet related, often an allergy or nutritional deficiency or an accumulation of toxins.” Addressing the root of the problem may take patience and diligence before you see an improvement in the appearance of the skin, but the improvements will last.

Cook, Michelle (2008) Well Being Journal, Carson City, NV: a newsletter

Intestines…The average person carries around several pounds of impacted fecal matter on the intestinal walls, which can create constipation, emotional repression, and an environment conductive to bacteria and disease. To help with this problem, a detoxification drink can be made from ground flaxseeds, psyllium seeds, and bentonite, a liquid clay. This formula is excellent for colon cleansing because the clay absorbs toxins while the seeds expand in water and brush the intestines clean. Certain herbs, such as rhubarb root, buckthorn bark, Ramnus frangula, cascara sagrada, Ramnus purshiana and goldenseal, are powerful laxatives. Furthermore, sanicle roots and leaves help remove poisonous waste matter from the body. Lastly, sumac berry and bark tea is cleansing to the system.
Another helpful technique is colonic irrigation. This therapy gently but thoroughly washes the intestines by infusing water into the large bowel in small amounts at steady intervals. Water travels the entire length of the colon. In the process, old encrustations of fecal matter are dislodged and swept away. Often this material has been attached to the bowel for many years, and is laden with millions of bacteria. Unless eliminated, this sets up the perfect environment for disease.
Colonic irrigation restores the colon to its natural shape and function so that food is better absorbed and eliminated, skin improves, and irritability, fatigue, and constipation disappear. A healthy colon means a healthy body.
Kidneys…The herbs dandelion leaf, Echinacea, and corn silk are beneficial to the kidneys. Short fasts, during which apple juice is mixed with small amounts of parsley, also improve kidney health. The uva ursi leaf is a great remedy in cases of kidney infection.
Liver…Milk thistle protects liver function and helps this organ expel toxins. That, in turn, promotes health and youthfulness. The herbs licorice, pau d’arco, Tabebuia heptaphylla, stilingia root, prickly ash, St. John’s wort (wort means “plant”), wood betony, chickweed, fennel and sassafras leaf and root protect the liver by drawing toxins from the blood, thus helping to avoid blood toxicity.
Lungs…With each exhalation, waste products are removed from the system. And one of the best ways to improve lung capacity is through regular aerobic exercise. Of course, exercise has other age-defying benefits; it facilitates lung functioning. Exercise enables us to detoxify, as we sweat, through the outlet of our skin. It allows more blood to flow to tissues throughout the body, which keep cells from dying prematurely. By oxygenating brain cells, exercise prevents or minimizes senility. It also improves metabolism, so that the body can easily maintain a normal weight. Finally, weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, and weight lifting, enhance bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis.

Gary Null, PHD Encyclopedia of Natural Healing
2006 Bottom Line Book – Stamford, CT Page 7 Chapter 1