Q: One of my friends told me that certain foods are related to arthritis. Is this true?

Dr. Wright: Believe it or not, eliminating all of the nightshade vegetables including tomatoes, potatoes, Bell peppers of all colors, eggplant, and (if you haven’t quit already), tobacco can make a big difference.

Over the years, I’ve found that sensitivity to this family of plants can play a significant role in many cases of arthritis. Unfortunately, there’s no test for nightshade sensitivity, so the only way to tell if they’re contributing to your problem is to eliminate all of these foods for several months and observe whether it helps you or not. (If you want more details, go to www.noarthritis.com.)

The mainstream will have you believe that effective prostate cancer treatment depends on dangerous radiation or going under the knife.

But that’s simply not true. And the latest advance in prostate cancer treatment could be waiting for you in your local natural food shop or at the farmers market. In fact, it could be hiding in plain sight right next to a favorite sweetener.

Propolis is the stuff honeybees use to make repairs in their hives. Beekeepers make a tidy business selling the stuff to people in the know. After all, propolis has a strong reputation as a natural healer. It’s used for sore throats, allergies, burns, and a wide range of other illnesses and ailments…including cancer.

But, like many natural remedies, propolis hasn’t been accepted by the mainstream as a serious healer. That could change, though, with studies like this one from the University of Chicago Medicine.

Researchers looked specifically at caffeic acid phenethyl ester, or CAPE. CAPE is a compound in propolis. And it shows serious potential for early-stage prostate cancer treatment.

In fact, research shows that CAPE stops tumor cells in their tracks. How? It shuts down their ability to find nutrition sources. That means the cells can’t find the food they need to keep growing. Just six weeks of treatment with CAPE cut the growth rate of tumors in half.

Now, CAPE doesn’t flat out kill the tumors. If treatment is stopped, they can start growing again. But it can indefinitely stop them from growing. Researchers have found this to be true in studies with mice as well as in studies with cultured cells from human prostate tumors.

One of the best things about this finding is that researchers weren’t testing megadoses, either. The researchers found that CAPE was a powerful prostate cancer treatment even at concentrations expected from oral administration.

And what makes this research different from many other studies claiming they’ve discovered the latest and greatest in prostate cancer treatment is that the researchers don’t just know that CAPE works. Thanks to some serious advances in research technology they also know HOW it works. This makes the treatment much more likely to gain traction even among the strongest naysayers.

The researchers are saying CAPE could be a valuable complement to traditional treatments. But what could be even more exciting is what this study means for natural medicine in general. This experiment marks a new wave in research. We’re starting to identify the actual biological mechanisms that make natural remedies work.

This means that we now have a growing body of evidence that will get harder and harder for the mainstream to ignore. So not only is this news exciting when it comes to natural prostate cancer treatment, it also marks a potential sea change in the level of respect given to natural and alternative medicine. And that’s sweet news indeed.

P.S. Keep reading to learn about the family of vegetables that could be linked to arthritis.

Sources:

“Beehive Extract Shows Potential as Prostate Cancer Treatment,” Science Daily (sciencedaily.com)

“Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Suppresses the Proliferation of Human Prostate Cancer Cells through Inhibition of p70S6K and Akt Signaling Networks,” Cancer Prevention Research (cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org)

It’s a secret we’re all desperate to uncover: how to live longer.

There are many factors, to be sure. And here’s a new one that could gain you an extra six or so years.

Danish researchers recently found that jogging can help you live longer. In their study, jogging was associated with a 44 percent reduction in relative risk of death over a study period of 35 years compared to non-joggers.

Not only could it help you live longer, it could also help you live happier. Joggers in the study reported that they have an overall sense of well-being.

Here’s the really good news: You don’t actually have to work too hard to take advantage of the benefits of jogging. All it takes is a slow-to-average pace and one to two and a half hours spread over two or three sessions during the week. And the researchers say that jogging can benefit people getting started at any age.

Okay, let’s be honest, jogging is just not everyone’s cup of tea. And if it isn’t yours, I have more good news. It turns out that ANY type of daily physical activity has a big added bonus.

Getting a little activity in every day isn’t just a key to living longer it’s a key to living better. Studies have found that it can help you ward off Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. In fact, one study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Neurology found that people in the bottom 10 percent of daily physical activity were 2.3 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s as people in the top 10 percent.

Again, it’s never too late to start. People over the age of 80 were able to reap the benefits of starting a program of daily physical activity.

Researchers found that any kind of activity, including exercising or even cooking or washing dishes, is associated with the reduced risk of cognitive decline. So even if you’re not able to start an exercise program–and you don’t feel like strapping on some jogging shoes–building a little more activity into your day could dramatically help your mind.

P.S. Want to start a jogging routine, but afraid you just don’t have the energy? You can harness the power of pomegranate for a surge of energy-boosting, heart-healthy antioxidants. Click here to find out more from our affiliate supplement company NorthStar Nutritionals.

Sources:
“Joggers Live Longer, Possibly Happier, Lives,” Medpage Today (medpagetoday.com)

“Daily Physical Activity May Reduce Alzheimer’s Disease Risk at Any Age,” Science Daily (sciencedaily.com)

Q: I’m so embarrassed by the cold sores I get from time to time. Is there any way to stop them?

Dr. Wright: For this question, I’ve turned to my colleague Kerry Bone:

Creams containing lemon balm can be very effective for relieving the cold sores brought on by the oral form of the herpes simplex virus (Type 1). In fact, one study found an improved healing rate for 75 percent of patients using lemon balm, as well as an increased time between outbreaks in 50 percent of cases. Compared to conventional treatments the average healing time of lesions was halved to about five days and the time between outbreaks was approximately doubled.

In another multicenter study on 115 patients, 87 percent of the participants using lemon balm were completely healed within 6 days of treatment. And 69 percent of these patients had an extended time between outbreaks that was a full month longer than those using conventional drug treatment.

In a more recent clinical trial, 66 patients with recurrent herpes-related cold sore outbreaks were treated with either the lemon balm cream or a placebo. The cream was applied to the affected area four times a day for five days. Compared to the placebo, symptoms were significantly reduced by the second day, which is important because this is around the time when symptoms are typically at their worst.

Since these studies found that lemon balm cream effectively lengthened the time between outbreaks, it’s reasonable to assume that it might also be able to prevent outbreaks altogether or at least increase the time between breakouts even more if its applied regularly to cold-sore-prone areas.

Lemon balm cream can also be used to treat herpes simplex Type II infection, and probably other similar viral skin infections including shingles. (A technical note: If you decide to try this approach, the creams used in the studies contained 1 percent of a concentrated 70:1 extract of lemon balm.)

Q: My daughter has developed discoloration on her face. Her doctor says it’s melasma. Is there any natural treatment?

Dr. Wright: Melasma is a dark skin discoloration occurring on the face, usually the forehead, nose, cheeks, and upper lip. Women, particularly younger women, develop this condition much more often than men.

Also called chloasma or “pregnancy mask,” melasma is especially common during pregnancy, and is also associated with use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, both synthetic and bio-identical. Although it isn’t associated with or causative of any other problems or symptoms, it’s usually of cosmetic concern.

Both retinoic acid (a natural, acid form of vitamin A) and azaleic acid (a natural component of human skin) can lessen the abnormally heavy pigmentation of melasma, but in 2002 Chinese investigators reported another simple, but effective, remedy.

The researchers investigated the effects of pycnogenol (a standardized antioxidant rich extract of the bark of the French pine tree Pinus pinaster) against melasma in thirty women with the condition.

After standardized measurements of area and degree of melasma pigmentation, each woman took 25 milligrams of pycnogenol three times daily for 30 days. Both the area covered by melasma and the intensity of the pigment were significantly reduced. The “general effective rate” was 80 percent and no side effects were reported. Other symptoms also decreased during the 30 days, including fatigue, constipation, pains in the body, and anxiety.

The researchers wrote: “To conclude, pycnogenol was shown to be therapeutically effective and safe in patients suffering from melasma.”

Want to make some quick cash? If you purchased a jar of Nutella during the past few years, you could have a check coming your way.

All you have to do, basically, is admit that you don’t take responsibility for your own nutrition or that of your family. That you don’t take the time to read nutritional labels and instead rely on meaningless marketing in making your health decisions.

My reaction may seem a little harsh, but frankly this is ridiculous. Back when I first told you about this in a “Believe it or not” Week-in-review letter, I laughed at the situation. In that letter, I told you about a mother who was actually “shocked” to learn that a jar of what is basically chocolate frosting isn’t actually health food.

And rather than trying to brush off her embarrassing assumption after her friends clued her in, she decided to air it out for everyone to see. She filed a class action lawsuit. Why should she be held responsible for things like reading labels and ingredients lists? Come on!

The claims against the company included that they omit the sugar and fat content of Nutella in their advertising. Right–because they want people to buy it. That’s what advertising is for. It’s your job to then read the labels and make a decision when you go to the store.

Listen, I’m not arguing that Nutella is a health food, but what I AM saying is that this whole lawsuit is ridiculous. It’s like saying that commercials for Snickers and Hershey bars should say “by the way, there’s a lot of fat and sugar in here!”

They don’t of course, because we already know these things. After all, it’s candy. And so is Nutella, basically. Nobody would claim it’s healthy. It’s a chocolate spread, not fresh fruit and an organic egg in a jar.

Needless to say, I was disappointed to learn that there was actually a settlement. Two settlements, in fact, in two lawsuits…and that Ferrero, U.S.A., Inc. is actually paying up a total of over $3 million dollars. A whopping $2.5 million is going to consumers who are shameless enough to admit they can’t comprehend, or won’t take the time to read, nutrition labels. The rest is going to changing labels and advertising. Score one point for irresponsibility!

P.S. Keep reading for a reader’s tale of stomach-acid success!

Sources:
Nutella Class Action Settlements (nutellaclassactionsettlement.com)

Q: I tried on some of my summer sandals the other day and was horrified to find that my toenails are becoming discolored and thick. Do you know what might be happening and what I can do about it?

Dr. Wright: While I can’t say for sure without seeing it, it sounds like a case of toenail fungus. Check with your doctor to be sure. If it turns out that fungus is the culprit behind your problem, there are several things you can try.

While there are some over-the-counter drugs as well as prescriptions that can clear up the problem, these remedies can adversely affect liver function.

Instead, try rubbing in oregano oil, geranium oil, or tea tree oil, all over and around the toenail. Then immediately rub in DMSO, which will “carry” the oil right through the nail and start inhibiting the fungus. It does take a while to clear up toenail fungus with this method–sometimes eight or nine months or more. It’ll even take three to four months before you start seeing any results at all. But most of the drugs take that long too, and this is a much safer alternative.

Oregano oil is too strong for some people, especially blonds and redheads. If you start getting persistently red and irritated, quit until the reaction goes away and then switch to one of the other oils.

You already know that building muscle is essential to maintaining good health. After all, strong muscles support your bones and keep you balanced. Stay strong and you won’t have to worry about taking a nasty fall, for example.

Before I moved to an apartment building with a private fitness center, I worked out at a gym in my community. And I have to be honest with you–I avoided the weight area. I thought that, to see results and build strong muscles, I’d have to join the gym rats. You know, those guys who grunt and groan as they push heavily stacked bars over their heads.

But do you really need to heft hundreds of pounds to see serious muscle-building results?

Conventional wisdom says yes. That’s why I usually walked straight past the weight area on my way to the treadmills and elliptical. But new research from McMaster University in Canada shows that conventional wisdom isn’t always right. Their findings are changing the way I’m working out. Why not join me in building muscle without all that heavy lifting?

Here’s the thing–the key to muscle gain is not how much weight you lift. It’s working to the point of fatigue. And you can do that with lighter weights just as effectively as you can with the heavy ones.

Most people think the best way to grow muscle is to lift heavy weights, which can only be lifted about six to a dozen times before your muscles hit the point of fatigue. Not all of us are built for that kind of lifting though. Joint problems can make heavy lifting impossible, and sometimes the weights are just too intimidating.

But when the researchers examined different kinds of resistance training, they found that heavy weights aren’t necessarily the key to results. They had volunteers complete sets of as many reps as they could possibly do with their assigned weight loads. One group of volunteers did a single set at 80 percent of their maximum load. A second group did three sets at 80 percent of the maximum load. And the last group did three sets at 30 percent of the maximum.

After 10 weeks of training three times per week, all three groups had gained a significant amount of muscle volume. In fact, there was no difference in the results between the three groups. And the group that lifted 80 percent of the maximum load for a single set showed only half the increase in muscle size seen in the group lifting lighter weights.

The bottom line is this: Don’t let conventional wisdom keep you from resistance training. It’s crucial to your health and it doesn’t require you to become a grunting bodybuilder. Instead, you can turn to lighter loads. The key, according to the supervisor of the study, is to lift the weights to the point at which it’s difficult to maintain good form. That’s where you’ve hit the fatigue point, and it’s how you’ll build muscle and strength.

P.S. Want to start wearing those warm-weather shoes but your toenails aren’t playing along? Keep reading.

Sources:
“Light Weights Are Just as Good for Building Muscle, Getting Stronger,” Newswise (newswise.com)

Q: I heard someone mention nattokinase at a natural market recently. What can you tell me about it?

Dr. Wright: Nattokinase is a powerful enzyme isolated from boiled and fermented soybeans, a food which the Japanese call natto.

The Japanese have eaten natto for centuries to promote good cardiovascular health. In more than 15 studies (including two human trials) nattokinase has been shown to prevent and dissolve blood clots, and may also help prevent hardened arteries, heart attack, stroke, angina, and senility.

Nattokinase prevents plaque buildup, thus improving circulation. This in turn improves your overall health by boosting the supply of oxygen and nutrients throughout your body’s cells.

I know, I know…it’s a heck of a time to be talking about winter, when summer isn’t even in full swing yet.

But I just couldn’t wait to share this news with you. If you ask me, it’s well worth filing away until winter.

And it does have to do with a vitamin we strongly associate with the summer. I bet you’ve already guessed what it is, haven’t you?

That’s right–it’s that good old e-Tips favorite, vitamin D. New research in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology shows that vitamin D is more than just the “sunshine vitamin.” (Of course, any e-Tips reader could have told them that.)

They found that insufficient levels of vitamin D actually weaken the immune defenses that protect us against infections and autoimmune diseases. Our levels of vitamin D naturally decrease during fall and winter, when we’re not spending as much time in the sun. This could help explain why we’re all more likely to get viral infections during those colder months.

The study suggests that ramping up your vitamin D intake could make your body better prepared to fight off those infections. The researchers concluded that vitamin D supplements should be considered helpful when conventional therapies are not enough.

But why wait until conventional therapies fail? The evidence is clear–getting enough vitamin D is crucial to your continued health. And it looks like that’s especially true in the winter, when vitamin D could very well keep you cold-free throughout the season.

They might have been cautious about their recommendations, but the finding about vitamin D was encouraging enough that the editor of the journal called it “a really exciting discovery.”

Spend some time soaking up the sun this summer, and once the sun starts to hide again, be sure to get plenty of supplemental vitamin D to boost your immune system and keep those nasty viruses at bay!

Sources:
“Vitamin D May Protect Against Viral Infections During the Winter,” Science Daily (sciencedaily.com)