Coenzyme Q10 supplementation can improve heart function and long term survival in patients with congestive heart failure. The key, says Stephen Sinatra, MD, is to begin CoQ10 as soon as the diagnosis is made. The earlier one starts, the more likely the coenzyme will help.
Do antioxidant vitamins help or hinder conventional cancer treatments? The science on this topic is incomplete and there are strong opinions on both sides. The reality is there may not be a clear-cut single answer. Antioxidants may be extremely helpful in some types of cancer, in combination with some forms of chemo or radiotherapy, but detrimental in others.
For years, Nicholas Gonzalez, MD, has been treating patients with advanced cancers using intensive nutritional interventions. Mainstream oncologists have ostracized him for his unorthodox approach, and he’s weathered a few nasty lawsuits. However, a study sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) shows that his regimen can markedly increase survival time in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Many commonly used pharmaceuticals deplete key nutrients, leading to a progressive decline in nutrition and health status. This chart, the first of a series, identifies nutritional depletions associated with diuretics, cholesterol lowering drugs and other cardiovascular medicines, and outlines simple nutritional interventions to correct the problems.
There are wide variations in the quality of herbal medicines, and it is important to do some “due diligence” on herbal product lines. Before taking or recommending herbs, it is wise to call companies and ask about their quality control protocols. Manufacturers should be able to provide you with spec sheets and current certificates of analysis documenting the quality of their products.
Pycnogenol, an extract of French Maritime Pine bark, and Avocado-Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU), compounds extracted from soy and avocado oils, work as well or better than available anti-arthritic medications. They also have fewer side effects and cost less.
Say the word “probiotic” and people think, “gastrointestinal health.” That’s natural, since probiotics are invaluable in the management of digestive system problems. But they are also helpful for other health challenges, including infections of the female urogenital tract, like bacterial vaginosis, vulvovaginal candidiasis and related problems.
There’s much more to botanical medicine for menopausal symptoms than red clover and soy isoflavones. Three recent studies show strong benefits from a standardized extract of a specific species of Rhubarb. Maca, an Andes mountain root widely touted for enhancing men’s sexual health, also benefits menopausal women.
A couple of drops of Lugol’s solution on a patient’s wrist can tell you a lot about how “hungry” someone is for iodine. If the Lugol’s stain disappears within a few hours, the patient probably needs iodine supplements.
Say the word “iodine” and most physicians automatically think, “thyroid.” But iodine is also essential for maintenance of healthy breast and ovarian tissue in women, and fostering optimal neurocognitive development in babies. It may even have a role in preventing or treating breast cancer. The problem is, many women are iodine deficient.
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