EPA helps relieve psychological distress in women

The February, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported the outcome of a Canadian clinical trial which found a beneficial effect for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in middle aged women suffering from psychological distress. Eicosapentaenoic acid is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that occurs in fish oil, which, along with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been linked with numerous health benefits.
Michel Lucas and his associates at Laval University in Quebec enrolled 120 women between the ages of 40 and 55 with moderate to severe psychological distress, which can sometimes occur during menopausal transition and early menopause. The group was randomized to receive 1.05 grams ethyl-EPA plus 0.15 grams ethyl-DHA in divided doses, or a placebo daily for eight weeks. Self-rating of symptoms, the Psychological General Well-Being Schedule, and a depression scale symptom check list were completed at the beginning of the study, and at the end of four and eight weeks.
Twenty-four percent of the participants met the criteria of undergoing a major depressive episode. When these women were excluded from the analysis, psychological distress symptoms among those who received EPA were found to have improved significantly after 8 weeks compared to subjects who received the placebo. Women who received a placebo were likelier to drop out of the study than women who received EPA, and although the authors did not consider the amount significant, they remarked that lack of improvement in the placebo group could have increased this likeliness. Continue Reading

Fibromyalgia and Depression, Anxiety - Fibromyalgia

Linking Fibromyalgia to Depression and Anxiety - Chronic, widespread muscular pain and tenderness, sleep problems and fatigue, morning stiffness and headaches, concentration and digestive irregularities: All these symptoms...... Read more

FOOD MATTERS

Food Matters is a documentary film informing you on the best choices you can make for you and your family's health. Helping you save time, money and effort.

In this groundbreaking documentary you'll learn how to...

• Conquer Cancer naturally without chemo or radiation
• Overcome Depression and Mental Illness without the nasty side effects
• Prevent & Cure Heart Disease & High Cholesterol no matter what your genes
• Lose Weight Fast in a safe, cheap & effective way and how one man lost over 150 pounds!!!
• Choose the most ideal foods for Optimum Health and Longevity

In this day and age with so many companies interested in profiting from your misfortune and ill health this film will help keep your money in your pocket and your health in your hands. Continue Reading >>

Review finds St John’s wort effective for major depressive symptoms

A review published online by Cochrane Systematic Reviews on October 8, 2008 concluded that extracts of the herb St John's wort are as effective for treating major depression as standard drugs. A number of clinical trials since the 1980s have shown that the herb could be helpful for individuals with mild to moderate forms of this devastating condition, and several trials have recently evaluated the effect of St John’s wort in individuals with major depression.

For their review, Klaus Linde of the Centre for Complementary Medicine in Munich, and his colleagues at the University Medical Center in Freiburg, Germany analyzed 29 randomized, double-blinded trials which evaluated the effects of St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) on a total of 5,489 individuals with major depressive symptoms. The trials included 18 comparisons of the herb with a placebo, and 17 comparisons with standard antidepressant treatment (6 trials compared both placebo and antidepressant treatment to St John’s wort).

The review found that St John’s wort performed better than a placebo against major depression. In trials which compared St John’s wort extract to other treatments, the extract was found to be equally effective against depression, with significantly fewer people dropping out due to adverse effects compared to those who received selective serotonin uptake inhibitors or older antidepressants. Continue Reading

This flu season, try quercetin

The August 1, 2008 issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology reported the details of a study conducted by researchers at the University of South Carolina and Clemson University which found that quercetin, a compound that occurs in many fruits and vegetables, helped protect against influenza in mice exposed to the virus.

In the current study, conducted by J. Mark Davis of the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health and colleagues, one group of mice was given quercetin for seven days while the remainder received no quercetin. Half of the mice in each group were exercised to fatigue on the last three days of the treatment period.

One half hour following the final exercise session, the animals were inoculated with an influenza A strain, and were monitored for signs of illness for 21 days. Mice that experienced exercise-related stress demonstrated a greater susceptibility to influenza. Ninety-one percent of these mice developed signs of the flu, compared with 63 percent of nonexercising animals. Mice that exercised to fatigue also exhibited signs of the flu earlier than other animals that developed influenza.

Among those that received quercetin, however, the same rate of influenza occurred as in mice that did not exercise, demonstrating that the compound cancelled the temporary stress-related depression of immune function caused by intense exercise. Mice that did not engage in intense exercise also experienced a protective benefit from quercetin. Continue Reading

Withdrawing from Antidepressants Can be Dangerous

Prescription drugs are now one of the nation's leading killers!
source: Consumer Reports. The number of people needlessly hurt or killed by prescription drugs has become staggering. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that in one year, over two million patients suffered serious drug reactions, resulting in 106,000 deaths. Another article in JAMA estimated that only 1 in 20 reactions are reported.

Drug makers claim that antidepressants are not "habit forming" but fail to mention that all antidepressants can cause withdrawal. People often do not realize that withdrawal is causing their symptoms.

Gradual dose reduction (also know as tapering) will alleviate symptoms for most people. (For many people the reduction in dose needs to be in miniscule amounts requiring the painstaking cutting and measuring of medication.) And yet most doctors do not know the proper methods for withdrawal and fail to fully warn patients. Failure to come off antidepressants properly, can result in permanent WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.

ANTIDEPRESSANT WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS.

1. Crying spells
2. Worsened mood
3. Low energy (fatigue, lethargy, malaise)
4. Trouble concentrating
5. Insomnia or trouble sleeping
6. Change in appetite
7. Suicidal thoughts
8. Suicide attempts
9. Anxious, nervous, tense
10. Panic attacks (racing heart, breathless)
11. Chest pain
12. Trembling, jittery,or shaking
13. Irritability
14. Agitation (restlessness, hyperactivity)
15. Impulsivity
16. Aggressiveness
17. Self-harm
18. Homicidal thoughts or urges
19. Confusion or cognitive difficulties
20. Memory problems or forgetfulness
21. Elevated mood (feeling high)
22. Mood swings
23. Manic-like reactions
24. Auditory hallucinations
25. Visual hallucinations
26. Feeling detached or unreal
27. Excessive or intense dreaming
28. Nightmares
29. Flu-like aches and pains
30. Fever
31. Sweats
32. Chills
33. Runny nose
34. Sore eyes
35. Nausea
36. Vomiting
37. Diarrhea
38. Abdominal pain or cramps
39. Stomach bloating
40. Disequilibrium
41. Spinning, swaying, lightheaded
42. Hung over or waterlogged feeling
43. Unsteady gait, poor coordination
44. Motion sickness
45. Headache
46. Tremor
47. Numbness, burning, or tingling
48. Electric zap-like sensations in the brain
49. Electric shock-like sensations in the body
50. Abnormal visual sensations
51. Ringing or other noises in the ears
52. Abnormal smells or tastes
53. Drooling or excessive saliva
54. Slurred speech
55. Blurred vision
56. Muscle cramps, stiffness, twitches
57. Feeling of restless legs
58. Uncontrollable twitching of mouth

http://community.freespeech.org/node/ ...

Orthomolecular Medicine - For Health and Mental Illness

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body. The term "orthomolecular" was first used by Linus Pauling in a paper he wrote in the journal Science in 1968. This paper first described the theoretical foundations for what was later to become a specialty within complementary medicine.

The key idea in orthomolecular medicine is that genetic factors are central not only to the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical milieu. Biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability in terms of transcriptional potential and individual enzyme concentrations, receptor-ligand affinities and protein transporter efficiency. Diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are either causal or aggravating factors of the illness. In the orthomolecular view, it is possible that the provision of vitamins, amino acids, trace elements or fatty acids in amounts sufficient to correct biochemical abnormalities will be therapeutic in preventing or treating such diseases.Want to learn more? The following essays give a more detailed overview of the nature, efficacy and history of orthomolecular medicine. Continue Reading >>

Brain food

In the July, 2008 issue of the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience, UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science Fernando Gómez-Pinilla summarizes the latest findings concerning the effects of various foods on the brain, noting that some foods have a drug-like effect. "Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain," Dr Gómez-Pinilla stated.
"Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging."
In an analysis of over 160 studies, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, DHA, and ALA) emerged as significant dietary compounds to enhance learning and memory, and prevent mental disorders. "Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for normal brain function,” Dr Gómez-Pinilla observed. “Dietary deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in humans has been associated with increased risk of several mental disorders, including attention-deficit disorder, dyslexia, dementia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in rodents results in impaired learning and memory." Continue Reading

Nutrition and Your Mental Health

Nutrition and Your Mental Health

What does nutrition have to do with mental health? You might be surprised to find out the truth behind what happens when a person has a nutritional deficiency.

Nutritional deficiencies can cause all sorts of psychiatric symptoms including apathy, low energy, irritability, insomnia, low energy, agitation, fatigue, concentration problems, aches and pains, weight changes, including weight loss or weight gain. Sound a lot like the symptoms of depression? The truth is the average American diet of fast food is low in vital nutrition that you need for your body to function correctly.

This isn't to say that all depression is caused by bad nutrition but it's certainly a contributing factor in many cases and poor nutrition will always make depression worse. Antidepressant drugs also do not correct nutritional problems. So if your depressed because of nutritional problems an antidepressant will only partially cover up the problem and you body still won't function correctly.




Please visit Natalie's website at

http://www.nutritionbynatalie.com

To find out more about orthomolecular psychiatry visit,

http://orthomolecular.org/index.shtml

This video was produced by Psychetruth

http://www.myspace.com/psychtruth
http://www.youtube.com/psychetruth
http://www.livevideo.com/psychetruth

© Copyright 2007 Zoe Sofia. All Rights Reserved.

DEPRESSION, MENTAL ILLNESS CURED WITH NUTRITION

Orthomolecular Medicine News Service, October 7, 2005

Mental Health Treatment That Works
(OMNS) Doctors report that mental health problems including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, anti-social and learning disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders often have a common cause: insufficient nutrients in the brain. Nutritionally-oriented physicians assert that the cure for these problems is to give the body the extra nutrients it needs, especially when under abnormal stress.

Orthomolecular medical researchers say the future of psychiatry is in nutrition because nutrition has such a long, safe and effective history of correcting many mental problems. Nutrients such as the B-vitamins are most successful when taken regularly, taken in relatively high doses, and taken in conjunction with vitamin C, the essential fatty acids (EFA’s), and the minerals magnesium and selenium.

A summary of what has worked for many people follows below. The safety of vitamins and minerals is extraordinary, and the expense of trying them is much less than the cost of hazardous pharmaceutical drugs. These nutrients can be purchased in a discount or heath store.

Taking 1,000 mg of vitamin B-3 three times a day often cures mild to moderate depression. Dramatic results are often achieved within one week of beginning this nutritional program, especially in alcoholics. (1)

Sometimes a simple deficiency of vitamin D causes depression. 3,000 I.U./day from all sources can alleviate the problem. (2)

3,000 mg/day or more of niacin (vitamin B-3), along with the same quantity of vitamin C, taken in divided doses throughout the day can successfully treat both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. (3)

Vitamins B-3, B-6, C and the minerals magnesium and zinc frequently produce a good response in ADHD and autistic children. (4)

Vitamins B-6, folate, and B-12 taken together lower elevated homocysteine levels in the elderly while improving mental function. (5)

As pointed out by chemistry professor and vitamin discoverer Roger J. Williams, PhD (6), each individual has different nutritional needs and responds differently to nutrients. Are you tired of being depressed, suffering from anxiety, paying huge prescription drug bills for unsafe prescriptions that don’t solve the problem or produce undesirable side effects? Are you tired of the piece-meal trial and error approach to finding a solution to your mental or emotional problems? If so, adults should consider the following nutritional protocol, which will bathe your brain and nerves in natural nutrients and may well produce dramatic results. The cost of trying the program below is less than the cost of a typical doctor’s office visit. It is safe and convenient. All of these nutrients can be purchased at large discount stores. Continue reading >>

Treatment Protocol for Alcoholism

A Message from Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.:

"Ever since I met Bill W, the cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous and we became close friends, I have had a personal interest in the treatment of alcoholism.

Bill taught that there were three components to the treatment of alcoholism: spiritual, mental and medical. AA provided a spiritual home for alcoholics that many could not find anywhere else and helped them sustain abstinence. But for many AA alone was not enough; not everyone in AA had achieved a comfortable sobriety. Bill recognized that the other two components were important. When he heard of our use of niacin for treating alcoholics, he became very enthusiastic about it because niacin gave these unfortunate patients immense relief from their chronic depression and other physical and mental complaints.

"Niacin is the most important single treatment for alcoholism, and it is one of the most reliable treatments. And it is safe, much safer than any of the modern psychiatric drugs. Niacin does not work as well when alcoholics are still drinking but in a few cases it has decreased the intake of alcohol until they were abstinent. This conclusion is based on the work my colleagues and I have done since 1953.

"I know of many alcoholics who did not want to stop drinking, but did agree to take niacin. Over the years, they gradually were able to reduce their intake until they brought it under control. Some alcoholics can even become social drinkers on a very small scale. I have not found many who could. But I think that if started on the program very early, many more could achieve normalcy. I suspect that treatment centers using those ideas will be made available one day, and will be much more successful than the standard treatment today. This all too often still consists of dumping them into hospitals and letting them dry out, with severe pain and suffering. When they are discharged, most go right back to the alcohol, the most dangerous and widely used street drug available without a prescription. Continue reading >>

Vitamin C and dairy linked to less abdominal weight

An increased intake of vitamin C and dairy could reduce the accumulation of weight around the abdomen, reported to increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, suggests a new study.

Over 900 Iranian women aged between 40 and 60 years were found to have more central fat accumulation if their intakes of vitamin C, calcium, and dairy are low.

Indeed, low vitamin C intake was associated with a 131 per cent increase in probability of central fat accumulation, while low calcium increased the probability by 30 per cent.

The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, looks set to continue the debate about whether dairy foods can promote weight loss, and what the mechanism behind such an effect could be.

Leila Azadbakht and Ahmad Esmaillzadeh from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences used a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to evaluate dietary intakes.

They report that the possibility of being centrally obese was increased in women with low vitamin C intakes (less than 56 milligrams), low calcium intakes (less than 398 mg), and low dairy consumption.

Others factors found to adversely affect weight around the waist were depression, smoking and menopausal state.

In terms of the mechanism or mechanisms behind the apparent benefits of the nutrients, the researchers state that both the vitamin and calcium have been reported to reduce fat absorption and may reduce abdominal adiposity.

"The mechanism by which milk consumption affects obesity indices is not accurately known. Most studies have cited calcium as a responsible factor. So, an inverse relationship has been suggested between calcium intake and body weight and body fat mass in various ways. Its simple effect is the inhibition of fat and fatty acid absorption," they stated.


"However, this is not the major cause; it seems that the major effect of calcium on body weight is mediated by its effects on controlling intracellular calcium," they added.

A previous study from Purdue University claimed that young women could burn more calories if they ate three or four dairy servings per day. However another report, also from Purdue, reported that increased dairy consumption had no effect on weight gain or loss.

On the other hand, Dr. Michael Zemel from the University of Tennessee told attendees at last year's Paris Anti-Obesity Therapies 2006 conference that dairy can help reduce body fat and that calcium only accounts for about 40 per cent of the effect.

Dairy industries in Europe and the US have been promoting milk-based products for consumers who want to slim for some time but the new findings underline that further work needs to be done to support such claims.

A diet low in dairy foods has been linked to an increased risk of accumulating fat

Indeed, the results have been welcomed by the UK-based Dairy Council. The council's director Dr. Judith Bryans said: "These results are exciting, as a number of other scientific studies have also suggested a possible link between regular consumption of low fat dairy foods and weight loss, particularly from the waist area.

"This study simply highlights the importance of a healthy lifestyle including plenty of physical and mental activity, and a diet that incorporates a good balance of all food groups, including dairy," she said.

Source: Public Health Nutrition
Doi: 10.1017/S1368980007000882
"Dietary and non-dietary determinants of central adiposity among Tehrani women"
Authors: L. Azadbakht and A. Esmaillzadeh

CURING ALCOHOLISM NATURALLY

Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD, ND and
Elissa Meininger
November 17, 2005
NewsWithViews.com

One of the most satisfying things about the natural healing arts is that when you are thoroughly committed to its principles, you discover a contentment you can never find in modern medicine. Natural healing is about making people whole. It’s about arranging all the elements of your life to be as supportive as possible in all ways so that when you pass from this life, you do so at peace with yourself and the world around you. It’s not about fighting off the evils of disease or postponing the grim reaper no matter what the cost. And it certainly isn’t about diagnosing some disease and declaring yourself a victim of that disease, a label you must carry through life like a scarlet letter branded on your forehead.

The worst part of having a drinking problem is giving the behavior a name with the implication that once you have been branded an alcoholic, the next unspoken thought is “always an alcoholic”. Softening this branding by claiming those who have stopped drinking are “recovering” alcoholics, is just sliding into another form of discrimination, believing that we are nothing more the diseases we suffer and are life-long victims.

The plain fact of the matter is that all of us have issues that involve emotional, spiritual and physical components. We all need to establish the parameters of how we shall live out our lives. Those of us who want to maximize our lives learn to wrestle with, in a positive manner, those issues which make life less than perfect. To claim that we are all victims of disease or victims of situations that scar us for life is about feeling sorry for ourselves and not embracing life to the fullest.

A good example of how not to fall into this trap is something my NewsWithViews.com writing partner, Elissa, experienced. She was so poisoned by mercury from her dental amalgams, she was in pain for months on end, trying to detox it from her system. Pain killers were out of the question, and when her spirits were particularly low, she’d muster what little sense of humor she had, call her naturopath and say, “Skip the rest of the herbs, send the hemlock”. In return, knowing that she was at the end of her rope emotionally, he, being a true blue naturopath of the best kind, would ask her, “What is the gift?” This was a signal for her to embrace her suffering so she could fully examine the lessons pain and suffering could teach her about the value of life, the learning of patience, and other deeply spiritual issues, so that when the suffering was over, she would be a much wiser person, more ready to really live life to the fullest.

How many of us have known people who have suffered a great deal and have become incredibly wonderful people? How many of us have taken the trouble to surround ourselves with a positive support system and how many of us have arranged to have good things come our way because we have become positive thinkers and doers? These are all important issues that when we are caught in the throws of suffering, might be worth thinking about.

When I suggested to Elissa that we provide information from my colleagues in Orthomolecular Medicine about how they successfully treat alcoholism through nutrition, Elissa quickly pointed out that having been trained in Transactional Analysis back in the 1970’s, she was well aware that TA practitioners were not into naming diseases, either, and, in fact, didn’t consider alcoholism a disease at all.

Created by Eric Berne, MD, Transactional Analysis is a system of analyzing people’s patterns of behavior. It became the first of several therapeutic models that is particularly adaptable to self-help by lay people. Central to its core philosophy is that the client has the capacity to change and that the teacher-therapist is largely there to assist the client in taking charge of his/her own healing. In allopathic psychiatry and similar therapies, the therapist’s role is to diagnose a “disease” and be the authority figure who helps the “patient” become more well adjusted, though rarely healed.

When it was introduced in the 1960’s, TA revolutionized our understanding of what really goes on during our most basic social interactions. Best selling books such as “Games People Play”, “I’m OK, You’re OK”, “Success Through Transactional Analysis”, and “Born to Win” were on everyone’s coffee tables and the concepts of TA was quickly adopted into common usage. Everyone was analyzing “games”, discussing “life-scripts”, giving and receiving positive “strokes” and making jokes about who was more “OK” than somebody else.

Back then Elissa would have been delighted to add to her TA knowledge information about nutritional approaches that support the health of people who’d been trashed out by too much alcohol. She pointed out that to a TA counselor, the goal is to teach the client about the principles and practical methods of clarifying true emotions, develop useful information about how to run you own life, clean up old baggage from the past without going on what she calls an archeological expedition to rehash how much you hate your mother or other old anger that has yet to be resolved. Establishing a good diet to improve and maintain better health would certainly be a major part of such a health-promoting plan of action. In addition, it can improve a person’s state of mind, as malnourishment can lead to depression and other emotional imbalances, not to mention muddled thinking.

Sorting out the various elements of how a person came to have problems with alcohol is something TA counselors have had a great deal of success with because so many of the issues involved, are basically reviewing all the elements of a person’s life that may need to be updated. In fact, most people, once they understand TA, go over a checklist every now and again to keep on target to make sure they are maximizing their lives based on constantly updated information.

Since discussions about Transactional Analysis, and how to use it to deal with alcohol issues can get complicated in a short column like ours, Elissa suggests that readers interested in learning more about it, might like to read two books by TA’s premier alcohol treatment expert, Claude Steiner. Even though written in the 1970’s they are

1, Games Alcoholics Play: The Analysis of Life Scripts – (Random House, 1974)
2, Healing Alcoholism – originally published by Grove Press in 1971 – Now available as a free download

A book that I recommend about the nutritional approach to alcoholism is Food and Behavior by Barbara Reed Stitt. Barbara was one of the first parole officers in the country who put her charges on a good diet and saved most of them from further jail time. Knowing that diet can change criminal behavior should give you some indication of the power of good nutrition. It should also prepare you for the following Treatment Protocol for Alcoholism from Dr. Abram Hoffer, who, along with Linus Pauling is the father of orthomolecular medicine.

We include the full press release of July 1, 2005 from the Orthomolecular News Service.

Treatment Protocol for Alcoholism

A Message from Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D.:

"Ever since I met Bill W, the cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous and we became close friends, I have had a personal interest in the treatment of alcoholism. Bill taught that there were three components to the treatment of alcoholism: spiritual, mental and medical. AA provided a spiritual home for alcoholics that many could not find anywhere else and helped them sustain abstinence.

But for many AA alone was not enough; not everyone in AA had achieved a comfortable sobriety. Bill recognized that the other two components were important. When he heard of our use of niacin for treating alcoholics, he became very enthusiastic about it because niacin gave these unfortunate patients immense relief from their chronic depression and other physical and mental complaints.

"Niacin is the most important single treatment for alcoholism, and it is one of the most reliable treatments. And it is safe, much safer than any of the modern psychiatric drugs. Niacin does not work as well when alcoholics are still drinking but in a few cases it has decreased the intake of alcohol until they were abstinent. This conclusion is based on the work my colleagues and I have done since 1953.

"I know of many alcoholics who did not want to stop drinking, but did agree to take niacin. Over the years, they gradually were able to reduce their intake until they brought it under control. Some alcoholics can even become social drinkers on a very small scale. I have not found many who could. But I think that if started on the program very early, many more could achieve normalcy. I suspect that treatment centers using those ideas will be made available one day, and will be much more successful than the standard treatment today. This all too often still consists of dumping them into hospitals and letting them dry out, with severe pain and suffering. When they are discharged, most go right back to the alcohol, the most dangerous and widely used street drug available without a prescription.

"Orthomolecular treatment is the treatment of choice. The following protocol for alcoholism outlines the importance of the nutritional factors that have been shown to be very successful on treating this condition. The treatment can be used alone but is best combined with dietary advice and additional nutrients."

The late Dr. Roger Williams, a chemistry professor at the University of Texas and former president of the American Chemical Society, also wrote extensively on the alcoholism.[1] Dr. Williams recommended large doses of vitamins and an amino acid called L-glutamine.
What should the alcoholic do to help stop drinking and return his or her body to normal functioning? Supply the following nutrients to the body:

* Vitamin C to saturation (on the order of 10,000 to 20,000 mg per day and more). High doses of vitamin C chemically neutralize the toxic breakdown products of alcohol metabolism. Vitamin C also increases the liver's ability to reverse the fatty build-up so common in alcoholics.

* To titrate to saturation, take 1000 mg of vitamin C every hour. When saturation is reached, there will be a single episode of diarrhea; then reduce the dosage to 1000 mg every four hours.
* A B50-complex tablet (comprising 50 mg of each of the major B-vitamins, 6 times daily).

* L-Glutamine (2000 or 3000 mg). L-Glutamine is an amino acid that decreases physiological cravings for alcohol. It is one the two primary energy providers that burn glycogen to provide fuel to the brain and stimulates many neurofunctions. L- Glutamine is naturally produced in the liver and kidneys. Alcohol harms the kidneys and liver, thus supplementation is vital (concurrently reducing cravings for sugar and alcohol).

* Lecithin (2 to 4 tablespoons daily). Provides inositol and choline, related to the B-complex. Lecithin also helps mobilize fats out of the liver.

* Chromium (at least 200 to perhaps 400 mcg chromium polynicotinate daily). Chromium greatly reduces carbohydrate mis-metabolism, and greatly helps control blood sugar levels. Many, if not most, alcoholics are hypoglycemic.

* A good high-potency multi-vitamin, multi-mineral supplement as well, containing magnesium (400 mg) and the antioxidants carotene and d-alpha tocopherol.

In summary, the alcoholic’s body needs the proper nutrients in adequate quantities to return to normal metabolic functioning. The above nutrients are safe, effective, inexpensive and available from discount stores or health food stores without prescription. There is not even one death per year from vitamins. Pharmaceutical drugs, properly prescribed and taken as directed, kill over 100,000 Americans annually. Hospital errors kill still more. Most illness is due fundamentally to malnutrition. This not only includes the chronic diseases, but also viral and bacterial acute illness, which are greatly aggravated by inadequate nutrition. Supplements are not the problem; they are the solution. Malnutrition is the problem.

Editorial Review Board:
Abram Hoffer, M.D., Ph.D. Harold D. Foster, Ph.D. Bradford Weeks, M.D. Carolyn Dean, M.D. N.D. Eric Patterson, M.D.Andrew W. Saul, Ph.D.

References;
1, Williams, RJ, Roach, MK, "Impaired and inadequate glucose metabolism in the brain as an underlying cause of alcoholism--an hypothesis.", Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1966 August; 56(2): 566-571.

ACT FOR HEALTH FREEDOM NOW: Go to http://www.friendsoffreedominternational.org/ and purchase "Death by Modern Medicine" and view and purchase the new movie on Codex and Free Trade called "We Become Silent" by Kevin Miller. Proceeds from the sale of these products are crucial to help fund our health freedom action. For state action go to:

http://www.nationalhealthfreedom.org/ . To support HR 4282, the new Health Freedom Protection Act bill that we talked about in our November 7, 2005 article in News With Views “A Call to Action to Protect Free Speech” go to: www.stopfdacensorship.org and send a letter to Congress.

Schizophrenia and Orthomolecular Medicine

For 30 years the Canadian Schizophrenia Foundation has provided vital information, support and hope for effectively treating schizophrenia and related disorders.

What is Schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is not a split personality. It refers to a group of biochemical diseases which can affect a person physically, mentally and emotionally.

Schizophrenia can change the way a person hears, sees, tastes, think
and feels. Some studies have shown that the predisposition to schizophrenia is inherited. It affects one to three percent of the population and strikes mainly young people in all walks of life.

What Causes Schizophrenia? Some professionals blame fathers, mothers, society or environment. However, scientific evidence indicates that schizophrenia is caused by errors in body chemistry.

What are the Danger Signals? Schizophrenia can have symptoms which are similar to other illnesses and disorders. It is therefore necessary to see a competent physician if schizophrenia is suspected. The following are some of the most common complaints that persons with schizophrenia have:

• Extreme fatigue and feeling of weakness
• Dffficulty in concentrating and getting organized
• Loss of interest, withdrawal
• Depression unrelated to life circumstances
• Vague fears and anxieties
• Changes in sight, hearing, touch, taste or smell
• Change in character or behaviour
• Headaches
• Insomnia

How is it Diagnosed?

There is a great difference of opinion as to what constitutes schizophrenia and considerable variety in its diagnosis. Persons with schizophrenia or their relatives are often told the patient is emotionally disturbed, has had a nervous breakdown, has an immature personality, or is retarded. Unfortunately, no matter what terms are used, the majority do not get well on conventional treatments.

The principal method "used in diagnosing is clinical observation by the doctor. Avery useful psychological test, the Hoffer Osmond Diagnostic Tbst, which can be administered easily and quickly, has been developed to help in diagnosis.

How in Schizophrenia Treated? If left untreated, there is a natural recovery rate of about 35%. The usual forms of treatment are tranquilizers, psychotherapy or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). There are many schools of thought and many opinions regarding the treatment of schizophrenia. It has been shown, however, that psychotherapy alone is not an effective treatment. ECT and tranquilizers may be useful as part of a good treatment program but cannot produce lasting benefits alone.

Orthomolecular treatment is reported to be effective in 80% or more of the cases and is the best treatment developed so far. This treatment usually includes a special diet, vitamins and minerals in accordance with the individual needs of the patient, and other therapeutic aids such as tranquilizers, supportive psychotherapy, and other treatments which the doctor thinks will be useful. Many persons with schizophrenia have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and allergies which are treated.

How Does Schizophrenia Affect Society? Schizophrenia is a frightening disease which can bring about a great deal of suffering to the patients and the family and severe problems to society. Schizophrenia is an important factor in social aid and welfare costs, health care costs, employment inefficiency, impaired learning ability, alcoholism, broken homes and suicide. The average person with schizophrenia will cost one to two million dollars to society, directly and indirectly, in his/her lifetime.

What Can be Done to Control Schizophrenia? Schizophrenia will only be conquered with effective diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the Canadian Schizophrenia Foundation is to conquer schizophrenia by:

• Informing the public about schizophrenia, its danger signals and what can be done about it.
• Helping the person with schizophrenia and the family to learn how to deal with this illness.
• Ensuring that effective diagnostic and treatment methods are instituted, and that people with schizophrenia are given a better chance of getting well than they have at present.
• Promoting research.
• Improving mental hospitals and treatment centres.

Orthomolecular Treatment
What is it? Orthomolecular treatment is defined as providing the brain and the body with the best possible biochemical environment, especially with those substances normally found in the body such as vitamins, minerals, amino acids and other essential molecules.

What are the Principal Components of the Treatment? Vitamins and minerals are administered according to the individual needs of patients. A good diet is considered to be an important part of the therapy. Treatment for such disorders as low blood sugar, allergies, and thyroid problems are included when necessary. Sometimes tranquilizers are used for brief periods, and other treatments and supportive therapy are included.

For Which Disorders is it Used? The orthomolecular treatment can be used for a wide variety of disorders such as schizophrenia and other mental illnesses, behaviour and learning disorders in children, problems of aging, alcoholism and addiction, arthritis, heart and circulatory problems and many other diseases.

How Can a Person Receive Orthomolecular Therapy? A physician sh6uld be consulted for all medical problems. The vitamin dosages and diet and other therapies should be regulated to suit the needs of the individual patient. If the physician is not familiar with the therapy, he can consult other physicians who are. In addition, the CSF can provide literature. Manuals for physicians are available, as well as a wealth of publications.

Are there anyAdverse Effects? The orthomolecular treatment is generally a very safe one. A small percentage of people experience some discomfort when taking vitamins, but the doctor can prescribe other forms ofthese vitamins or adjust the dose.

How Effective is Orthomolecular Treatment? In the treatment of schizophrenia, the American Schizophrenia Association Committee on Therapy reported 80% recoveries based on a follow up of 1,500 patients. Other physicians report a recovery rate of more than 75% and considerably higher in children. The orthomolecular treatment has been found to be highly effective in treating many other disorders including depression, behaviour and learning problems in children, alcoholism and problems associated with aging.

For additional information: http://www.orthomed.org/

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.

The term "orthomolecular" was first used by Linus Pauling in a paper he wrote in the journal Science in 1968. The key idea in orthomolecular medicine is that genetic factors affect not only the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical milieu.

Biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability and diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are causal or contributing factors of the illness.

Want to learn more?

The following essays give a more detailed overview of the nature, efficacy and history of orthomolecular medicine.
Principles That Identify Orthomolecular Medicine.by R. Kunin, MD
On the Orthomolecular Environment of the Mind.by Linus Pauling, Ph.D.
Orthomolecular Psychiatryby Linus Pauling, Ph.D.
Orthomolecular Medicine - Revisited.by Ray C. Wunderlich, Jr., M.D.