The Health Plus Letter
November 5, 2003, Vol. 1, No. 15
By Larry Trivieri, Jr. – founder & publisher
Table Of Contents:
What’s New
Quote of the Day
Fast Facts
Medical Freedom Alert
What Causes High Blood Pressure: A Holistic Perspective
The Risks of FluMist Vaccine: An Investigation By Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
The Power of A Human Spirit (Part 2)
Recipe of the Week: Herb Salad
Reader Feedback:
Recommendations
Humor
What's New
Hello again, and my apologies for the slight delay in getting this week’s issue to you. In addition to The Health Plus Letter and 1HealthyWorld.com, I am at work on a number of book projects and last week one of them took precedence. Because of that, and the length of the articles in this issue, I am opting not to include my Health and Commentary feature, but it will return next week.
In this issue I’m excerpting selections from the eBook Burton Goldberg’s Definitive Guide to Heart Disease. Like all of the eBooks carried by 1HealthyWorld.com, you can preview its first two chapters for free. Below, you can also read some of the valuable information the eBook contains about proven methods for preventing and reversing high blood pressure, starting with the causes of high blood pressure from the perspective of holistic physicians.
Also in this issue is an article by Dr. Sherri Tenpenny, a leading expert on vaccinations and their potential health risks. In the article, she discusses the potential risks posed by the FluMist vaccine being widely touted in the media, and the information she provides has been altogether ignored by the mainstream media. To learn more about Dr. Tenpenny and the important information she is providing, I recommend you visit her website - http://www.nmaseminars.com
I am continuing my tribute to my sister Andrea with the second installment of The Power of A Human Spirit. I’m very pleased and grateful for the many emails I received from readers thanking me for sharing all I learned from her during her passage through cancer and onto the next stage of her Soul’s journey.
Please continue to send me with your comments and suggestions. You can email me at larry@1healthyworld.com. And please spread the word about The Health Plus Letter by passing it along to your friends and inviting them to subscribe.
Quote of the Day
"With great power comes great responsibility."
- Spiderman’s personal motto (I’m a huge comic book fan and wish more of our world leaders shared Spidey’s point of view.)
Fast Facts
According to the Physicians’ Desk Reference the following drugs are associated with hypertension (statistics refer to the percentage of individuals affected):
Alfenta Injection (18%)
Aredia for Injection (Up to 6%)
Clozaril Tablets (4%)
Dobutrex Solution Vials (Most patients)
Epogen for Injection (Up to 25%)
Habitrol Nicotine Transdermal System (3%-9%)
Lupron Depot 3.75 milligrams (5% or more)
Methergine Injection, Tablets (Most common)
Orthoclone OKT3 Sterile Solution (8%)
Polygam, Immune Globulin Intravenous (3%-6%)
Procrit for Injection (0.75%-24%)
Sandimmune IV Ampules for Infusion, Oral Solution (13%-53%)
Sandimmune Soft Gelatin Capsules (13%-53%)
Sufenta Injection (3%)
Tolectin (3%-9%)
Velban Vials (Among most common)
Ventolin Inhalation Aerosol and Refill (Less than 5%)
Wellbutrin Tablets (4.3%)
Source: Burton Goldberg’s Definitive Guide to Heart Disease. This eBook is available at
http://www.1healthyworld.com/ebooks/Heart-Book-Info.cfm
Medical Freedom Alert
Please do your part to ensure that the misleadingly named "Dietary Safety Supplement" Act (S. 722) is defeated. To become informed about S. 722 and to take action to help defeat its passage, please visit: http://capwiz.com/nnfa/S722.html
Update: Some weeks ago, my friend, Dr. Rashid Buttar alerted me to the fact that officials in the state of Utah were seeking to force parents of a child diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a fairly rare type of cancer, to have their son undergo chemotherapy. To recap the story which I covered at the time, the parents refused, questioning the wisdom of such an approach in light of the fact that the boy was symptom-free and the medical procedures the officials insisted upon are highly toxic and fraught with risk. The officials maintained their insistence, however, and threatened to take custody of the child, causing his parents to flee the state and be branded as fugitives. I’m happy to report that recently the officials relented and dropped the case, granting the parents what should have been their right all along - the freedom to make their own informed choices about the best course of action for their child. I suspect the reason the officials backed off was due to the adverse publicity they received for their threats against the parents, not because they came to an enlightened decision.
What Causes High Blood Pressure: A Holistic Perspective
[An excerpt from the the eBook Burton Goldberg’s Definitive Guide to Heart Disease]
High blood pressure (clinically called hypertension) is the most common cardiovascular disease in industrialized nations and is a major cause of heart attack, stroke, and congestive heart failure. In 1994 alone, high blood pressure killed 38,130 Americans and was a factor in 180,000 additional deaths. Hypertension accounts for an estimated 28.3 million annual office visits to conventional physicians, or about 7.2% of all doctors’ appointments in a year. This amount is twice that for acute upper respiratory infection, the next most prevalent health condition on a list of the top ten, according to data compiled by Scott-Levin’s Physician Drug and Diagnosis Audit in 1996.
Approximately 50 million Americans (nearly one out of five) currently suffer from high blood pressure and two-thirds of them are under 65 years of age, which indicates that hypertension is not an inevitable result of aging but rather a condition affected by a number of risk factors, including smoking, obesity, stress, excessive alcohol consumption, and a diet high in fats and sodium chloride (table salt). According to W. Lee Cowden, M.D., of Fort Worth, Texas, "Individuals with diabetes are especially susceptible, as are those with a family history of hypertension. Stress and a sedentary lifestyle are other factors to consider when diagnosing and treating this condition."
The Heart Under Pressure
To understand high blood pressure, you need to know a few facts about the heart. The human heart beats on average 70 times per minute, 100,000 times a day, and 2.5 billion times in a lifetime. With each heartbeat, about 2.5 ounces of blood are pumped through the heart—that is 1,980 gallons every day. The term blood pressure refers to the force of the blood against the walls of arteries, veins, and the chambers of the heart as it is pumped through the body. More than normal force exerted by the blood against the arteries (when high blood pressure is present) begins to weaken the cell walls and makes it easier for harmful substances, such as toxins and oxidized cholesterol, to create dangerous deposits on the arterial walls.
Hypertension takes two forms: essential hypertension, when the cause is unknown; and secondary hypertension, when damage to the kidneys or endocrine dysfunction causes blood pressure to rise. Of the diagnosed cases of hypertension in the U.S., over 90% are essential hypertension. The symptoms of hypertension are far-reaching and include dizziness, headache, fatigue, restlessness, difficulty breathing, insomnia, intestinal complaints, and emotional instability. In advanced stages, the hypertensive patient often suffers from other forms of cardiovascular disease as well as damage to the heart, kidneys, and brain.
Diagnosing High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is measured by placing an inflatable cuff around the upper arm. As the cuff is inflated, the arm is squeezed tight. At this point the pulse cannot be heard through the stethoscope. As the cuff is slowly deflated, the pulse is heard again. This is the high number and measures the systolic pressure, when the heart is contracting to pump blood into the body. A second reading is taken as the cuff is deflated even further.
The pulse sound disappears again and when it returns, that reading is the low number and measures the diastolic pressure, when the heart is relaxing to refill with blood. The ratio of the two numbers represents blood pressure, as in 120/85, an "average" or healthy reading. A patient has hypertension if the high reading is above 140 and the low reading is above 90 when tested on two separate occasions.
Causes of High Blood Pressure
"High blood pressure often occurs due to a strain on the heart, which can arise from a variety of conditions, including diet, atherosclerosis [narrowing and hardening of the arteries], high cholesterol, diabetes, environmental factors, as well as lifestyle choices," according to Dr. Cowden. When these factors combine with a genetic predisposition, hypertension can occur in two out of three individuals.
Dietary Factors
Hypertension is closely associated with the Western diet and is found almost exclusively in developed countries. Recent studies of residents in remote areas of China, New Guinea, Panama, Brazil, and Africa show virtually no evidence of hypertension, even with advanced age. But when individuals within these groups moved to more industrialized areas, the incidence of hypertension among them rose. The studies concluded that changes in lifestyle, including dietary changes and increased body mass and fat, significantly contributed to the higher levels of blood pressure.
"Although a combination of genetic and environmental factors such as behavior patterns and stress are believed to contribute to hypertension, the main cause appears to be a diet high in animal fat and sodium chloride, especially if high in relation to potassium and magnesium organic salts," says Dr. Cowden. Research concurs that a diet high in sodium chloride and deficient in potassium has been associated with hypertension. Potassium and other nutritional deficiencies play a significant role in the development of hypertension. Magnesium levels have also been found to be consistently low in patients with high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also develop as a symptom of adult-onset diabetes.
Lifestyle Factors
Lifestyle choices, including smoking and consumption of coffee and alcohol, have been shown to cause hypertension. A recent study conducted in Paris, France, showed higher systolic and diastolic levels in coffee drinkers compared to nondrinkers, with levels rising in direct correlation to the amount of coffee consumed each day. Even moderate amounts of alcohol can produce hypertension in certain individuals, and chronic alcohol intake is one of the strongest predictors of high blood pressure. In the face of this evidence, restricting alcohol and avoiding caffeine are recommended.
Smoking is a contributing factor to hypertension, due in part to the fact that smokers are more prone to increased sugar, alcohol, and caffeine consumption. However, even smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacco, snuff, etc.) causes hypertension through its nicotine and sodium content.
Atherosclerosis and High Blood Pressure
Atherosclerosis involves the accumulation of plaque in the blood vessels which restricts blood flow and increases blood pressure. Consequently it is a common cause of hypertension as well as the main cause of coronary heart disease and strokes. According to Leon Chaitow, N.D., D.O., of London, England, "Blood pressure rises when the blood leaving the heart has to be pumped more vigorously due to a thicker consistency of the blood or to a greater resistance from the blood vessels themselves. The vessels may have become narrower, less elastic, or the muscles that surround them may be exerting more tension. The function of the muscles and breathing apparatus may also be inefficient in helping the heart to function properly. The relative health of the kidneys and liver (which filter the blood) also influences blood pressure."
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors such as lead contamination from drinking water, as well as residues of heavy metals such as cadmium have also been shown to promote hypertension. People whose hypertension has been left untreated have been shown to have blood cadmium levels three to four times higher than those with normal blood pressure. It is important to rule out both lead and cadmium toxicity when treating hypertension.
A low level of lead exposure and accumulation in tissues in adults is linked to both hypertension and impaired kidney function, according to The Journal of the American Medical Association (April 1996). In two studies involving over 1,000 men, the exposure to lead was at levels previously considered safe. Those with the highest levels of bone lead were 50% more likely to have hypertension than those with the lowest.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that high levels of childhood exposure to lead are linked to adult obesity, according to their 1995 study of 79 overweight adults. Adults who had absorbed high lead levels as children gained the most wei/ght between the ages of seven and 20. Both excess wei/ght and high lead concentrations are associated with high blood pressure in adults.
Heavy Metal Toxicity
Jonathan Wright, M.D., of Kent, Washington, treated Jonas who had unexplained high blood pressure (156/100). His blood, urine, and kidney examinations were all normal and his lifestyle habits were exemplary. He avoided sugar, refined flour, caffeine, and added salt; his diet was high in vegetables and fruits; and he took vitamin C and E supplements. He also exercised regularly and did not smoke. However, Jonas was an industrial painter and Dr. Wright suspected that heavy metals in the paints were the problem. Pubic hair analysis confirmed his suspicions, showing higher than usual amounts of lead, cobalt, and cadmium.
Dr. Wright started Jonas on a zinc supplement to force the cadmium out of his system, and increased his vitamin C intake to bowel tolerance. He also recommended extra vitamin B6 to prevent the increased vitamin C from causing kidney stones, and added selenium which is known to protect against cadmium toxicity. Dr. Wright further suggested linseed oil, which contains essential fatty acids noted for reducing hypertension. After six months, Jonas’ blood pressure had dropped to 154/96; after 12 months to 142/90; and after 18 months to 134/80. At that point, Dr. Wright cut the supplement dosages, but zinc and vitamin C were continued to prevent recurrence since Jonas continued in his profession.
The Hypothyroidism Connection
According to Broda O. Barnes, M.D., low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is correlated with a tendency to develop high blood pressure. "I have seen many patients with hypertension—mild, moderate, and even severe—respond to thyroid therapy," Dr. Barnes said.
Hypothyroidism is a condition of low or underactive thyroid gland function that can produce numerous symptoms. Among the 47 clinically recognized symptoms: fatigue, depression, lethargy, weakness, weight gain, low body temperature, chills, cold extremities, general inappropriate sensation of cold, infertility, rheumatic pain, menstrual disorders (excessive flow, cramps), repeated infections, colds, upper respiratory infections, skin problems (itching, eczema, psoriasis, acne, dry, coarse, scaly skin, skin pallor), memory disturbances, concentration difficulties, paranoia, migraines, oversleep, "laziness," muscle aches and weakness, hearing disturbances, burning/prickling sensations, anemia, slow reaction time and mental sluggishness, swelling of the eyelids, constipation, labored, difficult breathing, hoarseness, brittle nails, and poor vision. A resting body temperature (measured in the armpit), below 97.8 degrees F, indicates hypothyroidism; menstruating women should take the underarm temperature only on the second and third days of menstruation.
The thyroid gland, one of the body’s seven endocrine glands, is located just below the larynx in the throat with interconnecting lobes on either side of the trachea. The thyroid is the body’s metabolic thermostat, controlling body temperature, energy use, and, for children, the body’s growth rate. The thyroid controls the rate at which organs function and the speed with which the body uses food; it affects the operation of all body processes and organs. Of the hormones synthesized in and released by the thyroid, T3 (tri-iodothyronine), represents 7%, and T4 (thyroxine), accounts for almost 93% of the thyroid’s hormones active in all of the body’s processes. Iodine is essential to forming normal amounts of thyroxine. The secretion of both these hormones is regulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH, secreted by the pituitary gland in the brain. The thyroid also secretes calcitonin, a hormone required for calcium metabolism.
Based on a long-term study of 1500 of his own patients, Dr. Barnes concluded that thyroid treatment (supplementation with an oral thyroid extract) yielded considerably fewer cases of high blood pressure than would be expected in a population of that age and health status. Patients on thyroid therapy had "marked protection against the development of elevated blood pressure" despite their age, and those who were initially hypertensive, experienced a reduction in their high blood pressure from thyroid therapy alone (without antihypertensive medications).
[To be continued next week.]
Unabashed Plug
Learn the Truth about Heart Disease, Stroke and Hypertension. Most of what conventional medicine has to offer for treating these conditions is based on faulty and potentially dangerous assumptions. Discover the real causes behind these diseases and learn what you can do today to prevent and reverse them using safe and natural alternatives that have been scientifically proven to be effective. Read the critically-acclaimed eBook Burton Goldberg’s Definitive Guide to Heart Disease, featuring the contributions of Dr. Garry Gordon, Dr. Stephen Sinatra, and many other leading heart specialists. To order or to find out more about this potentially lifesaving guide, visit
http://www.1healthyworld.com/ebooks/Heart-Book-Info.cfm.
Risks of FluMist Vaccine: An Investigation By Dr. Sherri Tenpenny
"MedImmune, the manufacturer of FluMist, recently announced that it signed an agreement that makes FluMist, the new intranasal influenza vaccine, readily available to people as they shop at Wal-Mart, the worlds biggest retailer." [1]
As the physician in charge of a bustling Integrative medical clinic, questions about vaccines frequently arise. After reading about the MedImmune-Walmart joint venture, I felt compelled to warn our patients and our Internet subscribers of the potentially serious complications that may come from direct and passive exposure to this new vaccine. I also wanted to give a "heads up" to everyone regarding the onslaught of advertising that is about to besiege them.
Hundreds of TV and print advertisements have been designed to persuade everyone into taking the FluMist plunge. The campaign will be the "most intense, direct-to-consumer marketing campaign ever waged for a vaccine," costing an estimated $25 million over the next 2.5 months [2]. In addition, Wyeth, MedImmune’s partner, plans a three-year, $100 million campaign to encourage use of the nasal flu vaccine among physicians.[3]
The television arm of the blitz campaign will focus on the "inconveniences" that your family, friends and co-workers will endure if you don’t get the flu shot and subsequently contract the flu. Print advertisements and magazine articles apparently will use scare tactics–similar to those that were used while promoting the smallpox vaccine–which warned of the high possibility of a "bioterror attack using the flu virus."[4]
Apparently, the goal seems to center around frightening–or inducing enough guilt–that everyone would begin to demand the vaccine as soon as it is available. And at nearly $70 a dose, this will be a financial bonanza for MedImmune and Wyeth, who are expecting the vaccine to become the blockbuster new drug that will push MedImmune’s revenues to more than $1billion/year. [5]
However, there are many reasons for caution. FluMist contains live (attenuated) influenza viruses that replicate in the nasopharynx of the vaccine recipient. The most common side effects include "cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever > 100&##778; F."[6] These symptoms are nearly identical to those the flu vaccine is designed to prevent. [7]
A cause for significant concern is the vaccine’s most prevalent side effects: "runny nose" and "nasal congestion." It has been documented that the live viruses from the vaccine can be shed (and potentially spread into the community) from recipient children for up to 21 days,[8] and even longer from adults.[9] Viral shedding also puts breastfeeding infants at risk if the mother has been given FluMist.[10]
In addition to shedding via nasal secretions, the virus can be dispersed through sneezing. What is the normal physiological response when an irritant enters the nasal passages? A sneeze… sometimes a big sneeze… sometimes several big sneezes. Therefore, the risk for shedding–and spreading–live viruses throughout a school, church, workplace, or store — especially one which is administering the vaccine.
In the section of the FlumMist package insert labeled "Precautions," the manufacturer states the following warning:
"FluMist® recipients should avoid close contact with immunocompromised individuals for at least 21 days."
The warning is specifically directed toward those living in the same household with an immunocompromised person, but the on-going release of live viruses throughout the community may be a significant risk to everyone who has a weak, or weakened, immune system.
The number of immunocompromised people in the United States is enormous:
It is estimated that at least 10%, or more than 28 million people have eczema. [11] More than 8.5 million people have cancer. [12] There are reported to be 850,000 individuals with diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV infection or AIDS [13] and, based on 2001 data, there were 184,000 organ recipients [14] An even more extensive list of at-risk people includes the untold millions on drugs called corticosteroids. Prednisone®, Medrol®, and a variety of similar medications are given to both adults and children. These drugs are prescribed for dozens of conditions including asthma; allergies; eczema; emphysema; Crohn’s disease; multiple sclerosis; herniated spinal discs; acute muscular pain syndromes; and all types of rheumatoid and autoimmune diseases. As much as 60% of the entire population could be considered to be "chemically immunosuppressed."
It is important to realize that FluMist is contraindicated for people who are immunocompromised. People who receive FluMist and are living with an immunocompromised person put their loved ones at risk.
Will this make stores that administer the vaccines–like Walmart and the other pharmaceutical chain stores that have announced they will carry FluMist [15]–risky places to shop for large segments of the population? What measures will be taken in these stores to ensure that the virus will not become commingled with food? What hand washing policy is going to be enforced in the stores for all Walmart employees and customers who have received FluMist? These are reasonable questi^ns that deserve answers.
The target market for FluMist is "healthy children and adults, ages 5 to 49 yrs." Some believe that by vaccinating these people, a type of "herd immunity" will occur that will protect the very yo/ung and the elderly who are excluded from getting this vaccine. However, it is these very "at-risk" populations who may suffer the most from the flu by being exposed to people who are given FluMist.
According to information presented at the May, 2003 National Influenza Summit,[16] approximately 85% of Americans between the ages of 20 and 50 go unvaccinated, and nearly 66% between the ages of 50 and 64 do not receive the flu vaccine. Have there been "raging epidemics" across the country due to lack of flu vaccinations? It appears that the massive campaign to vaccinate everyone this year appears may be motivated, in part, by economics.
The viruses suspected to be the most likely cause for the flu this season were negligibly different from the strains used in last year’s flu vaccine. Therefore, the influenza vaccine produced for the 2003-2004 season is identical in composition to the one used last year. This marks only the second time that the same strains have been used during two consecutive flu seasons.[17] Consider that antibodies from other viral vaccines–such as MMR, polio and chickenpox vaccines–last at least 3 years, and in some instances, up to 15 years. If the viruses used in the vaccine are the same as last year, why is this year’s vaccine even necessary?
An even greater concern about FluMist is the contents within the vaccine. Each 0.5ml of the formula contains 10 6.5-7.5 particles of live, attenuated influenza virus. That means that between 10 million and 100 million viral particles will be forcefully injected into the nostrils when administered. The viral strain was developed by serial passage through "specific pathogen-free primary chick kidney cells" and then grown in "specific pathogen-free eggs." That means that the culture media was free of pathogens that were specifically tested for, but not a culture that was necessarily "pathogen-free." The risk that the vaccine may contain contaminant avian retroviruses still remains. In addition, a stabilizing buffer containing potassium phosphate, sucrose (table sugar) and nearly 0.5 mg of monosodium glutamate (MSG) is added to each dose.[18]
One of the most troubling concerns over the injection of this "chemical soup" is the potential for the viruses to enter directly into the brain. At the top of the nasal passages is a paper-thin bone called the cribriform plate. The olfactory nerves pass through this bone and line the nasal passages, carrying messenger molecules to the brain that are identified as "smells" familiar to us. The olfactory tract has long been recognized as a direct pathway to the brain. Intranasal injection of certain viruses has resulted in a serious brain infection called encephalitis, presumably by direct infection of the olfactory neurons that carried the viruses to the brain.[19] Time will tell whether the live viruses in FluMist will become linked to cases of encephalitis.
The pharmaceutical companies do not necessarily always do a reasonable job of considering the "down side" when they are pushing new drugs or new vaccines. FluMist has the potential for causing the worst, most severe flu epidemic seen in years. Parents tell their yo/ung children not to put things up their noses because they might cause them harm. It would be wise to consider that advice for adults. With all the risks involved, one should be extremely cautious about what one allows to be sprayed in one’s nose.
References:
1. DowJones Business News. Sept. 12, 2003. FluMist Available In Pharmacies This Fall. http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030910/0017000011_2.html
2. Washington Post. Nasal spray for flu to get big media launch. Sept.10, 2003, pg. E01
3. Washington Post. Spray vaccine for flu wins FDA clearance. June 18, 2003. pg. A01.
4. Mohammed, Madjid. Influenza as a bioweapon. J.R.Soc.Med. 2003;96:345-346.
5. Adler, Neil. MedImmune awaits the $1 billion mark and a new flu drug. The Business Gazette. Feb. 7, 2003. www.gazette.net/200306/business/news/143250-1.html
6. FluMist package insert.
7. Vesikari T., et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the safety, transmissibility and phenotypic stability of a live, attenuated, cold-adapted influenza virus vaccine (CAIV-T) in children attending day care. Presented at the 41st Annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, (Chicago, IL). 2001
8. ibid. (Chicago, IL). 2001
9. Zangwell, Kenneth. Cold-adapted, live attenuated intranasal influenza virus vaccine. The Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal 2003; 22(3):273-274.
10. Drug information. www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202297.html
11. Diepgen TL. Is the prevalence of atopic dermatitis increasing? In: Williams HC, ed. Atopic Dermatitis: The Epidemiology, Causes and Prevention of Atopic Eczema. New York: Cambridge Univ Pr; 2000:96-112.
12. National Cancer Institute. CanQues. Available at http://srab.cancer.gov/Prevalence/canques.html. Accessed January 3, 2002.
13. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Epidemiological Fact Sheets on HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections: United States. Available at
www.unaids.org/ fact_sheets/index.html. Accessed January 14, 2002
14. United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). All Recipients: Age at Time of Transplant. Available at www.unos.org /. Accessed January 14, 2002.
15. Allan and Harold Rubin, MS, ABD, CRC. September 26, 2003. Vaccinations and the Elderly. www.therubins.com/aging/vacine.htm
16. May 20-21, 2003, the National Influenza Summit. Chicago, IL.
www.partnersforimmunization.org/meetingupdates52021.html
17. ibid.
18. FluMist package insert.
19. Knipe, David. M. Ed. Fields Virology. Philadelpthis: Lippincott, 4th ed. 2001. pg. 1057
The Power of A Human Spirit (Part 2)
[Part 1 of this article appeared last issue and is available at http://www.1healthyworld.com/ezine/Vol1No14.cfm]
Having made up her mind about the treatment approach she wished to undergo to treat her breast cancer, Andrea resumed her daily routine with cheerful optimism. As the time drew near for the full, radical mastectomy, she among all of us was least nervous. Although I know she would come through the operation just fine, privately I had serious reservations about the wisdom of her choice. For one thing, her cancer was limited to one breast and therefore a lumpectomy seemed to me to be the better choice. For another thing, I knew from conversations I had with various holistic physicians who had good success with treating cancer that the surgical procedure Andrea had opted for carried the risk of causing cancer cells to be dislodged from the tumor site to spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream, where they could take root and grow undetected. But I honored my sister’s request of me that I accept her decisions, and so kept my mouth shut.
Andrea chose her surgery based on the extensive research she had conducted about breast cancer. Based on what she read, she discovered that a high percentage of women who elected to undergo either lumpectomy or only the removal of the affected breast later developed breast cancer in the remaining breast and had to deal with the situtation all over again. This, plus the assurances of her oncologist, decided her. But what neither he nor the studies told her is that one of the main reasons the women experienced a recurrence of cancer is because conventional cancer care does absolutely nothing to deal with the underlying causes of the illness, focusing solely on dealing with cancer itself, not the myriad factors that make a person susceptible to it. As a result, no attention is given to such approaches as detoxification, diet and nutrition, immune enhancement, and the elimination of environmental and emotional stressors involved in the onset of cancer. Moreover, very few oncologists even seem to be aware of the value of these approaches, and those who are are often skeptical and dismissive of them.
There were two other reasons I did not try to get Andrea to consider all of this. One had to do with a discussion I had with Dr. Patricia Norris, a leading expert in the field of Mind/Body Medicine and a genuinely kind and compassionate person. Pat told me that once patients make up their mind about their course of action, the best thing we can do for them is to support their choice so as not to create burdensome stress for them. My other reason was one of simple practicality. Even had Andrea accepted what I might have told her, none of the therapies I could have suggested to her were available anywhere near our home, as is the case with almost all communities in the U.S. outside of a few isolated places. And even had such therapies been available to Andrea, no insurance would cover them. Such is the stranglehold that the cancer industry has in this and other countries. So I kept my mouth shut and the day of her operation arrived.
As she fully expected, she sailed right through it and had a speedy recovery. After she regained consciousness, her children and some of us visited her in her hospital room. She was tired and somewhat groggy, but otherwise very much herself. Whatever fears remained with us, she quickly dispelled them and the hospital room filled the love and closeness that has always been a part of my family. Then our brother Daryl arrived. Always too sensitive for his own good, he took one look at her lying weak and bed and started to cry. "Oh, Andrea!" he exclaimed through his sobbing.
"Daryl, don’t be sad!" Andrea soothed him. "I only lost my breasts, it’s okay." And then she smiled cheerfully. "Besides, once I’m done with my chemo, I’m going to buy some news ones!" And with that, we all were laughing again.
[To be continued next week.]
Unabashed Plug
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To order this life-changing guide, visit
http://www.1healthyworld.com/ebooks/Mind-Mastery-Book-Info.cfm.
Recipe Of The Week
Herb Salad
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon best-quality sherry wine vinegar
1 teaspoon best-quality red wine vinegar
Fine sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 ounces (60 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, carefully stemmed, rinsed, and dried
2 ounces (60 g) fresh chives, rinsed, dried, and minced
2 ounces (60 g) fresh dill leaves, carefully stemmed, rinsed, dried, and chopped
2 ounces (60 g) fresh tarragon leaves, carefully stemmed, rinsed, dried, and leaves separated
2 ounces (60 g) fresh mint, stemmed, rinsed, dried, and leaves separated
In a large, shallow salad bowl, whisk together the vinegars and salt. Whisk in the oil and pepper. Taste for seasoning. Add all the herb leaves and toss to evenly coat the greens with the dressing. Taste for seasoning. Serve in small portions as an accompaniment to roast chicken or grilled or poached fish.
This recipe comes from the book Patricia Wells at Home in Provence by Patricia Wells.
Reader Feedback
Many of you have been emailing me continuing to express your condolences for the loss of my sister. I really appreciate all the kind and caring messages I’ve received. And I wish to assure all of you that I am over my sorrow and have reclaimed my Joy. I will always miss my sister, of course, but a number of experiences have recently occurred for my family members that reaffirm what I already knew – Andrea is not dead; she’s simply graduated, having completed her life mission. I’ll be sharing more about this in later installments of The Power of A Human Spirit.
Thanks again for all of your wonderful support.
Recommendations
Websites:
http://www.johnleemd.com - as I wrote last week, the field of Alternative Medicine lost a giant recently with the passing of Dr. John Lee. But his work lives on and you can learn more about it at his website. I highly recommend it.
http://www.acupuncture.com - This is a wonderfully comprehensive educational resource for anyone interested in learning more about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine (including Tai Chi and Qigong). Also includes a practitioner database and much more.
Books:
Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein. Heinlein was one of the grandmasters of speculative and science fiction, as well as a fiercely independent freethinker and libertarian. This is one of his best and most controversial novels, and also one of my favorites. Be sure to read the unabridged edition, which was only released a few years ago (I told you it was controversial).
Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins. Tom Robbins fits the definition of a "zany, madcap" writer to a T. He’s also really good at slipping in a lot of profound wisdom in his novels. This one is my personal favorite.
Humor
If you are like me, you will not be able to resist laughing when you visit the following website:
http://www.revelate-rock.com/elasticbaby.html - I discovered it a few days ago and have been a daily visitor ever since, laughing out loud each time. Move your mouse around at random when you get there to enhance your fun.
See you next Tuesday.
Health and Blessings!
Larry Trivieri, Jr. (larry@1healthyworld.com)
Disclaimer: The Health Plus Letter is a weekly eZine published by Larry Trivieri, Jr. and Library of Health, LLC (dba www.1healthyworld.com). It is made available without charge for information purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical care. If you are experiencing a health problem, seek prompt medical attention.
Legal Notice: The information in this eZine may be freely and widely disseminated so long as full attribution is made as follows: The Health Plus Letter, November 5, 2003, Vol. 1, No. 15. Copyright © 2003 by Larry Trivieri, Jr. All rights reserved.
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