Ankh Healthcare

All ancient (and not so ancient) cultures have always extolled the values of ‘the bitter taste’. In Chinese there is a phrase that translates as ‘You have not tasted life if you have not tasted sour, sweet, bitter and spicy’. The Schisandra berry is much revered based on the fact that it stimulates all your taste senses. It’s Chinese name is the five-flavored berry. In India, bitterness is very much a fact of Ayvedic medicine and one of the most popular herb in India, as well as China, is Kalmegh, its Indian name is the ‘King of Bitters’. In juicing, we know that the dark green leafy vegetables are good for you although they taste really really bad. In Germany, Swedish Bitters is sold and still very popular until this day. It is a household remedy known to stimulate the appetite and energy.

We now know that experiencing the taste of bitter and the taste of bitter ONLY, stimulates the gall badder and bile production like no other experience we know. This is very important to digesting the food we eat. For although the stomach is stimulated to produce acid by sensing the presence of solids in it, this acid has to be neutralised for it is ultimately bad for our health in the long run. (See Acid Alkaline Diet). And that is why bile and bicarbonates are produced in the gut. The bitter taste also makes the pancreas produce enzymes and our own indigenously produced enzymes are very good for our health. (See Enzyme therapy).

In the diet that is in America today, this experience is poorly lacking. Learn to taste bitter foods and have them a few times a week. I am not asking you to appreciate them simply accept the fact that having such foods in your diet is good for your health.

The bitter vegetables Dendelin and Bitter Gourd have always been recommended for people with diabetes. We now know that they contain plant analogues of insulin that help the body deal with sugar.

I would like to share that a client of mine that is HIV+ has recently come back with a very good improvement in his regular 3 month blood work. His viral load has dropped from 52,000 to 28,000 and his CD4 count has gone up from 490 t0 520. He has been tested HIV+ for over a year now and over the year his viral load has been increasing. He came to me for a consultation and I have been tinkering with the dosage and combinations of supplements to see what works. This is great news. Testimonials available upon request.

Please note that he is not on any HIV antiviral drugs. The whole point of coming to me was to use MCM methods to stay off antivirals and their toxic side effects as long as he can as well as keep the viral load down with natural herbs. Depending on the client MCM approach can be either a pleasant experience or a hassle.

Honestly my opinion of Vinegar in whatever it’s forms is pretty low. It’s been touted as this miracle cure-all of and for so many things that it is really hard to keep track of any more. So many of the claims are just rubbish. Let’s start.

… that it is a good source of minerals. It is true that it contains Calcium and Potassium and even the form of it (mostly citrates) is highly absorbable by the body. But do you know how much vinegar you must take to even meet the mineral RDA allowance ? Cupfuls of it. Will you be able to stomach all that acid ? Most likely not and your teeth won’t forgive you either as they erode away at the highly acidic (low pH) content of vinegar. And if vinegar is really so rich in minerals, has anybody ever wondered why it is so acidic ?? Minerals are basic, they form the cation of whatever compound they make up, they are alkaline. There is alot more freely floating acid in vinegar than there are minerals.

… that it is a good source of probiotics (friendly bacteria) And this is usually why the ‘Veil of the Mother’ is highly touted. Much like the ‘Mother culture’ in Kombucha or even Kefir (not yogurt). A gelatinous mass of bacteria, biofilm really. First of all none of the bacteria present in Vinegar or Kombucha occur naturally in the guts of higher mammals. This is just not possible because they prefer a lower temperature to grow. We know this because wine turns into vinegar in cool dark vats. All evidence points to the fact that if they were brought up to body temperature they will just die. It is impossible for them to implant themselves in our gut and thrive as a colony. They are transcient, meaning that they will have to be ingested continually to exert any beneficial effect at all. Now we come to the question of whether they have any beneficial effects at all. As a rule it is almost impossible to tell exactly what species or strain is growing in any particular vat because they occur spontaneously in the air and it varies every where you go. As a rule it is also true that some species like Lactobacillus or Bifidus are benign whatever their growing temperatures are. But if this is true, wouldn’t it be wiser anyway to supplement with those strains that we know are what is present in humans ? The only thing I can say is that these transient benign strains will still have the ability to crowd out other more pathogenic strains and this is still a plus when it comes to intestinal health. Everyday there is a war going on inside side and any kind of help helps. So what do I think is the secret to Vinegar and its popularity ? The acids inside it. Besides ethanoic (acetic) acid, vinegar also contains citric and fumaric acid. Consuming these acids will move them immediately into the Krebs Citric acid cycle which powers every cell in the body and essential for energy production. That’s right, EVERY CELL in the body needs these acids to function, esp. citric acid, and chances are if you give cells what they need to function more effectively, ailments that have been bothering them in the first place will go away.

Recently I got into a conversation with some doctors that specialise in HIV and only treat HIV+ patients. The topic somehow drifted from the treatment that we have nowadays to the increasing use of it by people practicing unprotected sex as a prophylactic. The jury on it is not as undecided as it seems. Already CDC protocol on rape victims and care givers who work with HIV patients is a regimen of 28 days if you think you could have been infected. The drugs that they are using in this case are Sustiva and Isentress. Isentress is as far as I know the newest of the HIV antiviral drugs at the time of this writing. This is to be taken for a period of 28 days.

For people that truly want to use it as a preventative, gay men mostly or women working in escort. They take only Sustiva and that take it for one day, on the day of sexual activity itself.

This brings about 2 issues, one being that it increases the chance of the AIDs virus mutating. Indeed there is a 1 in 6 chance of running into a mutated that is resistant to whatever it is that you are taking. And 2 the cost of getting your hands on the drug if you are able to get a Dr to prescribe it for you. Even with say a 20% copay, it can come up to hundreds of dollars.

* Before you go all crazy on me and think that I am talking nonsense, I would like you to know that this information have been obtained from real HIV doctors who are willing to talk about what really is happening behind the scenes of treatment and prevention of HIV.

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I just watched the Dr Oz show last week and he mentioned that more and more US men are being diagnosed with Erectile Dysfunction. Not withstanding all the ads running around on Viagra and Cialis, etc, and how embarassing it is when your 7 yr old asks you what ED is in public, there is a deeper problem and that is that over the years, there has been a decline in testosterone rates in US men. Nobody quite knows the reason why although this decline correlates highly with increasing obesity and larger waistlines in many states. On some levels this can become quite ironic. Doctors have known for sometime now that a very effective way of stimulating testosterone production is to eat rich foods. Foods rich in oil/fats stimulate testosterone production. It’s just that we shoud not be eating saturated fats. Although there 3 kinds of sat fats, long, medium and short chain, and not all of them are bad for you. You just have to avoid long-chain sat fats. The kind present in bacon and beef. Then again even these fats have some protective benefits and research is still trying to figure out how much of it is good. Another interesting effect of having a rich diet (besides gout of course) is that if you are trying to become pregnant, you will more likely have a boy. This applies both to men and women. The body takes your diet as a sign that all is well in the world outside and that it is alright to have a boy. This is because the default state of all fetuses in the womb is a girl. Nipples on men are just breasts that were told to turn off (well most of the time, alot of guys I know have moobs) genetically once the male sex has been chosen. Biologically and energetically it is harder to raise a boy than a girl and nature is aware of this. Many old world cultures are aware of this and in many boy-crazy cultures like India and China there are many anecdotal tips on how to have a baby boy. Many of them are true and effective too. I guess it should not always count in China where they kill baby girls artificially raising the sex ratio in favor of boys but you know what I mean.

Given that the flu vaccines are so hard to get this year I have been getting some questions about the natural alternatives that are out there. I think that the swine flu is really something to be bothered about. It was active during the summer when it is generally a down time for viruses so it is expected to get even stronger during the cold.

I have some suggestions though, a mix of both Eastern and Western sensibilism that have always seen me through the Winter cold with good results. When ever I feel something coming on I will double the dosage but generally I stay on it for 3-4 months. Believe me, they work and it makes the flu one less thing to worry about.

1. Lysine - I cannot emphasis how important this cheap and easily obtainable amino acid is for keeping viruses at bay. It is directly needed by the immune system to manufacture new immune system cells and it interferes with viral replication. Viruses need Arginine, another amino acid, to replicate and they mistake Lysine for it. But once Lysine gets pulled into their DNA or RNA, it disrupts the replication process and kills them. There is a catch though. You need to take a diet low in Arginine as well as keeping your intake of Lysine up. At least 1000mg or 1 gm a day and more. So NO CHOCOLATE OR NUTS (INCLUDING PEANUTS) if you feel you are coming down with something. These are Arginine-rich foods.

Also Lysine is preferentially sacrificed by the body in times of stress depleting your body’s resources. All in all many reasons to take this amino acid during the winter.

2. Kalmegh - A very popular Ayurvedic herb that is also very popular in China where it is know as chuan1xin1lian2 穿心莲. The literal translation for that is the herb that threads through the heart. It’s scientific name is Andrographis Paniculata. It is an amazing herb with effective immune-stimulating/ adaptogenic properties. It works by enzyme-induction, facilitating processes in the body that would otherwise be slowed down by lower temperatures. This herb has actually been referred to in the past in both Indian and Chinese cultures for stopping plagues. (More research needs to be done on this). But I can say that from my own personal experience of consulting and recommending it for HIV, it does work ! Strangely enough, it is the number one selling cold remedy in Sweden, of all countries !

3. Olive Leaf - This is most definitely a Western offering although the preserved olive fruit is a very popular snack in Asian culture too. Definately worth taking. It’s popularity speaks for itself. It’s worth noting that taking olive oil is not enough and you need to take the leaf itself. They contain different compounds.

4. Green Tea - I know many people get very tired of hearing about the health benefits of green tea but it is really worth repeating over and over and over again. It is anti-viral, anti-cancer and benefits the cardiovascular system too. Gram for gram ECGC is a more effective antioxidant than Ellagic acid that some brands are promoting. Ellagic acid is mostly obtained from raspberries and is not the same as ECGE. Caution : If you are taking large amounts of GT daily take a Folic acid supplement as well, about 800 mcg.

5. Enzyme therapy: Pancreatin, Bromelain (Pineapple), Papain (Papaya). Enzymes basically speed up matabolic processes in your body. Great trick to have especially in the winter where it raises your core body temperature. Besides the more exotic enzymes that I have listed in previous blogs, these 3 everyday ones will work just as well too. If you are taking these enzymes, consider taking a B vitamin supplement as well. B vitamins are co-enzymes, assisting the real enzymes in their processes.

6. Sea Cucumber: See previous blog. ‘Nuff said.

It would be wrong of you to underestimate the value of any of these supplements and especially when they are taken together. Natural supplements in general are broad spectrum and work on a variety of illnesses because they work on a fundamental level. For example Kalmegh is used for both cancer and HIV because it strengthens and modulates the immune system. If you cannot get your hands on the vaccine or are against using vaccines in general try the supplements listed above. They will help.

I have been trying to think of another TCM ingredient that can top those that I have already mentioned previously (gross factor). Earth worms, Placenta, etc … and I think I have (or at least equal them ). Please welcome a new addition : the lowly Sea Cucumber. A slug-like bottom-dwelling, dropping-scavenger that Eastern herbal medicine revere and relish. (Well not so much relish, its a real pain to prepare and rather bland to eat by itself). If you go into any Chinese Medicinal shops, you would be able to find these little suckers in large clear glass jars. They are usually available in the kilos and can cost up to $800 a kilo. (I kid you not !) Not very much to look at, they look like dark dried up personal dildos that can fit in a small purse, but put it in water and some of them can swell to the size of your arm ! What’s interesting about the Sea Cucumber is that the chinese name for it is 海参 which literally means Sea Ginseng. And modern research has confirmed that the Sea Ginseng contains the same saponin glycosides that are in Ginseng roots. Now, how did the ancient chinese people know that ? It’s all in the podcast.

I had already published a podcast about this sometime ago but a recent article in the New York Times validates me alittle more about what I have been saying about probiotics. The article has a somewhat neutral (to slightly positive)view on probiotics focussing on the problems of buying store bought probiotics and how some companies actually over state their claims, aka the Activa false advertising lawsuit.

The article did not mention several problems that are also posed by store bought probiotics though. More in my podcast.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/health/29well.html?_r=1

I think that it is unfortunate that I had to introduce Traditional Chinese Medicine with two of its mentions, Earth Dragon and the Placenta, so close to each other and so soon. (I wonder how many listeners I have lost). But what’s done is done and I still think that they are podcasts worth listening to and if anything are very thought provoking.

Here Placenta ! There Placenta ! Everywhere, Placenta, Placenta !

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Have you ever noticed that if you consume alot of of yogurt daily you will pick up less of the white plague when you floss ? I know that this is not the best image to start a topic with but it is one of the most easy ways to to see that the benefits of probiotics are not just for the gut but they exert their effect all throughout the body as well. You will notice that you will have less body odor as well, your underarms and feet will smell less if you suffer from those issues. Probiotics that you consume are absorbed into the body and have beneficial effects all throughout. Especially on the immune system and as well as having natural and safe anti-biotic properties.

P.S. - I make my own yogurt and drink it everyday. Try and beat that for healthy living !!

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