Jimi's Daily Health Articles

Biblical Medicine
But Not Just Christian For Readers
Frankincense (Boswellia species, various) is now well known as a holistic remedy, having positive action against a number of conditions, up to and NOT excluding cancer itself!

This piece is about its gentler, less well-known companion: myrrh. We all know the story of the Magi, travelling from afar, bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh. It’s actually pre-Christian, so we can all share!

All three substances have significant health properties. Yes, even gold. It’s used homeopathically as aurum met. and it is good for cardiac arrhythmias.

Myrrh is a resin that comes from trees belonging to the genus Commiphora, notably Commophora molmol, which grow in Northern Africa and the Middle East. The sap-like substance, which has a unique sweet and smoky aroma, has a wide range of uses.



Myrrh resin
Here are some notes from the Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine King Abdul Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The origins of myrrh and frankincense are traced to the Arabian Peninsula. According to Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC): "Arabia is the only country which produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia, and cinnamon… the trees bearing the frankincense are guarded by winged serpents of small size and various colors."

Diodorus Siculus, in the second half of the first century BC, wrote that "all of Arabia exudes a most delicate fragrance; even the seamen passing by Arabia can smell the strong fragrance that gives health and vigor."

He also mentioned gold mines so pure that no smelting was necessary!

The frankincense trade route, with transport by donkeys and later by camel caravans, reached Jerusalem and Egypt from the Dhofar region of what is today Oman, through Yemen, turning north to follow the Red Sea coast.

It is likely that the same or similar species of the resin-bearing plants grew across the Red Sea in the area that is now Somalia and Ethiopia, while the collection of the gum resins was initiated in Arabia.

As an aside, I have long written that the actual ORIGIN of the so-called “Spice Route” was actually in modern-day Sri Lanka. That’s where cinnamon was grown in ancient times and not Arabia, as Herodotus mistakenly reported (he never went as far as Sri Lanka, the head of the trail). From Sri Lanka—which the Arabs called Serendib, giving us our word serendipity—supplies went up the Arabian gulf and ashore in eastern Arabia.

Myrrh And Human Welfare
Myrrh contributed much historically in human welfare. Schistosomiasis was known in ancient Egypt since remote times. It affects over 200 million people in 74 countries and territories worldwide (WHO, 1999) causing several chronic complications. A characteristic symptom, haematuria (blood in the urine) with urinary bladder disturbances was mentioned in four Papyrus papers dated back to 1950-1900 BC, and Schistosoma eggs were detected in a cirrhotic liver of a mummy from 1200 BC (Ruffer, 1910).

Also, Fasciola eggs (liver fluke) were detected in a mummy. Flukes infect over 17 million people worldwide causing marked morbidity and mortality.

Treatment of fascioliasis required high or drug multiple doses often with unpleasant side-effect (Farid et al., 1990). In schistosomiasis, praziquantel (PZQ) in use for more than 20 years but was not very effective and was accompanied by potentially severe side-effects.

Well, it turns out that Myrrh and 200 related species does better, has almost no side-effects and is rather cheaper!

Myrrh acts as a natural remedy to treat pain, skin infections, inflammatory conditions, diarrhea, and periodontal diseases. In more recent history, products derived from Myrrh and various other species of Commiphora are becoming recognized as possessing significant antiseptic, anesthetic, anti-parasitic and antitumor properties.

So, the ancients were getting it right!

Very recently, studies have focused on applying clinical trial methodologies to validate its use as an anti-cancer therapy, an antiparasitic agent, and as an adjunct in healing wounds.1

Liver Protection
A study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology found that myrrh emulsion was able to protect against lead (PbAc)-induced hepatotoxicity.

The authors of the study concluded that myrrh (Commiphora molmol) emulsion is a "powerful antioxidant" that can "protect against lead acetate-induced hepatic oxidative damage and immunotoxicity by reducing lipid peroxidation and enhancing the antioxidant and immune defense mechanisms.2

Antioxidants are thought to help neutralize oxidative stress in the body that is caused by environmental pressures, such as pollution, and other factors.

Generally, our livers need all the help they can get in this toxic day and age.

Cosmetic Value
A study from 2007 in France examined the impact of two types of antioxidant on sebum (a skin compound) and the effect of UV (sun) irradiation. The first type was free radical scavenger (BHT (butyl hydroxyl toluene if you are interested) plus an olive extract. The second type was the essential oil of Myrrh.

The results showed that Myrrh was the most effective in blocking the unhealthy decomposition of sebum, called squalene peroxidation. As a result, the researchers called for sun care cosmetics to include this and similar compounds.

Possible Anticancer Properties
A group of Chinese researchers revealed that extracts and compounds from Myrrh resin may be effective against human gynecologic cancer cells. Their findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research.3

Inflammation
Pain is inflammation.

Myrrh has long been used in parts of Asia as a traditional medicine for inflammatory diseases. In 2015, researchers published results of a rodent study indicating that it may help treat inflammation linked to rheumatoid arthritis (RA).4

In 2017, scientists published results suggesting that frankincense and myrrh might help relieve neuropathic pain, following positive results when treating pain in mice with a water extraction of frankincense and myrrh.5

A Very Special Place
Have you heard of “The Land Of Frankincense" Dhofar, in Oman, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?


Harvesting the precious resin in an annual event in March and now thousands of visitors go each year. Myrrh has been grown here too, since ancient times.

At the height of the Roman Empire, Dhofar was exporting immense quantities of frankincense, myrrh and other oils, by ship to Yemen and thence up the Red Sea, and by camel caravan overland to Petra and the Mediterranean. Astride that caravan route, at the southern edge of the vast Empty Quarter, lies the fabled port of Ubar, lost in the desert for over 1,500 years and rediscovered less than 20 years ago by a team led by British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes.

See? A pain-free visit, even for non-Christians!

Your Wide-ranging Journalist Doctor Friend… Ha ha!

Poor Hearing Linked to Alzheimer's

Hearing loss has emerged as an important risk factor for dementia.

Compared to people with normal hearing, many studies have found those with a declining ability to hear have an increased risk of cognitive decline or dementia. Depending on the study, the increase in risk varied from almost double to five-fold.

Yet a recent report from the World Health Organization didn't advise people to get their hearing checked. In their view, the studies supporting a link to Alzheimer’s were too small and therefore inconclusive.

By the time the researchers produce their next updated report they may have changed their minds.

Here's why. .

Improves Memory and Concentration

A recent report published in the Lancet found hearing loss in midlife increased the risk of dementia by twice as much as any other single factor.

As I often explain in these pages, this doesn’t prove it’s the hearing loss that brings on dementia. Both conditions could be brought on by some third factor not identified. Just as an example, there might be a virus or a gene that causes hearing loss and dementia.

But the Lancet findings – and much other evidence -- makes it important to establish if poor hearing is a genuine risk factor because it's something that can easily be set right in most people. Modern hearing aids are very good at improving hearing even if it's not possible to restore it fully.

To find out more, researchers at the University of Exeter and Kings College London made use of the 25,000 volunteers who are taking part in an ongoing online project called PROTECT.

This analyzes the health of people aged 50 or over who have not been diagnosed with dementia. Researchers hope to find the factors that affect how the brain ages. Participants also provide a sample of DNA through a simple at-home kit.

Among the whole group, 4,372 reported hearing problems but only 1,557 wore hearing aids. The researchers found those wearing hearing aids had better working (short-term) memory and aspects of attention, including faster reaction times - a measure of concentration - than those who didn't get treatment.

Protects the Brain

Study leader Dr. Anne Corbett said, “Our work is one of the largest studies to look at the impact of wearing a hearing aid, and suggests that wearing a hearing aid could actually protect the brain.”

Another member of the team, Professor Clive Ballard, added, “This is an early finding and needs more investigation, yet it has exciting potential. The message here is that if you’re advised you need a hearing aid, find one that works for you. At the very least it will improve your hearing and it could help keep your brain sharp too.”

The findings of this study, which has yet to be published, have been positively received.

Dr. Llwyd Orton, Lecturer in Neurophysiology, Manchester Metropolitan University, enthused, “This is an exciting preliminary finding...," and Dr Jana Voigt, Head of Research, Alzheimer’s Research UK, reacted with almost the same words.

The reason why hearing loss is linked to cognitive decline is not yet known. It could be biological or social. It may harm the brain in some way or it could leave people feeling socially isolated or cause them to become depressed, both of which are risk factors for dementia in themselves.

Meanwhile, hearing is not the only sense we need to be concerned about.

Combined Disabilities Multiply the Risk

At the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Los Angeles in July, scientists from the University of Washington reported on their study into the effect of both hearing and visual impairment in 2,051 people aged 75 or older.

Over seven years they found a reduction in either of these senses increased the risk of Alzheimer's by ten percent. But impairment in both at once more than doubled the risk to 112%.

In another presentation, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco studied the combined effects of partially losing the senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch.

Of the 1,810 participants aged 70 to 79, those in the bottom quarter of function had almost seven times the risk of dementia compared to those in the highest quarter.

But even mild impairment in all four senses was linked to a more-than-two-thirds higher risk of dementia.

Just an extra thought for today:

You be you and let the world adjust.

Tending Our Inner Garden
https://nutritionfacts.org/video/fl...-25718665&mc_cid=785bdd9e54&mc_eid=2fc2f620bb

The 5 Symptoms You Need To Worry About (and how to correct it)
https://www.jaylabpro.com/omega-3-deficiency-and-your-health.html?advert_id=CN

In an article published on August 28th, the Wall Street Journal called Bayer’s purchase of Monsanto “one of the worst corporate deals” in recent history… a dubious distinction that has put the German company in a precarious position.

Before Bayer purchased Monsanto last year, shares of the company were selling for around $30 each. Despite concern surrounding Monsanto’s blighted name, Werner Baumann (who had just stepped up as Bayer’s CEO) began purchase negotiations, and bought Monsanto for an astounding $63 billion.

Before the purchase was even complete, Monsanto began to lose lawsuits over their products causing cancer.

As of today, Bayer/Monsanto has lost three cancer lawsuits and owes more than $190 million in damages. There are 18,400 similar lawsuits waiting for their day in court in the U.S., with more being added daily.



Not surprisingly, Bayer’s stock plummetted in the year following what amounts to a 63 billion dollar impulse buy. Stockholders are understandably furious over the acquisition and resulting asset losses. During April’s shareholder meeting, the top management of the company received a majority vote of disapproval over the company’s business practices for the year.

Just how bad of a deal was the purchase of Monsanto?

Bayer lost a whopping 46.6 percent of its stock value in year following its purchase of Monsanto.

That means that stockholders lost nearly half of their investment, and there is no good news on the horizon for Bayer as the lawsuits continue to pile up and the public becomes increasingly aware of Monsanto’s dirty dealings, cover-ups, and corporate greed.

To put this into perspective, in the year following Bank of America’s purchase of Countrywide Financial (a debacle that began a chain of infamous lawsuits, bail-outs and policy changes) it saw a stock drop of $44.6 percent… a full 2 percentage points less than the drop in Bayer’s stock.

Where does that leave Bayer?

The company is holding to Monsanto’s position that glyphosate is not harmful, despite mounting evidence to the contrary. In the meantime, they face lawsuits not just in America but in other countries around the globe, and are in the spotlight over a “hit list” kept by Monsanto that contained names of individuals and organizations that were outspoken against the company’s products and policies.

There is no foreseeable end to the trouble Bayer has purchased, and shareholders have every right to be furious.



Bayer itself has a past they’d rather not remember, having been a manufacturer of ******-based children’s cough syrup in the early 1900’s, a chemical warfare giant in 1925, and later becoming part of the infamous IG Farben group…Nazi sympathizers who used slave labor in concentration camps during WWII.

Most Americans are unaware of Bayer’s history, and know it only as the company that invented aspirin. The company itself may not warrant sympathy, but Bayer has created a headache for its shareholders that no amount of aspirin is going to cure.

The drug industry is FURIOUS that this Medical Doctor is recommending a natural way to lower blood pressure WITHOUT expensive prescription pills.


They are trying to keep these natural remedies a secret because overpriced cardiac drugs are their cash cow.


They want you to keep buying them.



But you don’t have to, if you follow Dr Sears’ advice!


If you struggle with High Blood Pressure, you NEED to see this...

When dinner needs a flavor boost, you probably turn to the classic duo: salt and pepper. Together, they are a force to be reckoned with.


Separately, they offer a plethora of health benefits you might not even know about. But, while salt has its fair share of upsides, it also comes with some downsides like contributing to high blood pressure, heart disease, and dehydration.


Pepper, on the other hand, has next to no downsides. It isn’t touted as one of the “kings of spices” for nothing!


This natural wonder comes from black peppercorns, a fruit grown on the Piper nigrum plant, which can be made into a variety of flavors depending on when it was plucked.


It provides natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which are needed in the body. You can use this common spice every day to help with everything from quitting smoking to improving the skin.


Here are four potential health benefits of black pepper:


1. Can Curb the Need for a Cigarette

A small study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that smelling black pepper for two minutes decreased nicotine cravings and delayed the need for a cigarette for chronic smokers.


Want to give it a try? Pour about a half a cup of freshly ground black pepper into a bowl. Place your nose over the grinds, and take a deep breath. Repeat for a total of two minutes.


2. May Improve a Damaged Nervous System

In a research study funded by McCormick Science Institute, black pepper extract improved the swallowing function of stroke patients by activating specific regions of the brain.


Other research, published in 2012 by the Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters found that piperine, an active ingredient in black pepper, blocks a type of enzyme that degrades the neurotransmitter dopamine.


Dopamine Definition: A neurotransmitter in the brain that involves many functions such as memory, motivation, and body movement regulation.


As a result, it may be beneficial for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. How much of an impact pepper may have on the nervous system is still undetermined, though.


Want to give it a try? You can inhale the black pepper essential oil in one of two ways: directly, either poured onto a tissue or other absorbent surface or through a diffuser. Try to make a conscious effort to inhale its spicy goodness at least once a day.


3. Tones Down Skin Blemishes

With its coarse texture, the black pepper plant makes a great exfoliant for ridding your epidermis of dead skin cells. It stimulates blood circulation for better, healthier skin by delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your trouble spots.


Want to give it a try? Ground some peppercorns up as finely as possible using a food processor or by hand if you prefer. Mix a pinch of pepper into your favorite face mask (or make your own) and layer it on!


4. Shows Promise for Breast Cancer Prevention

Piperine, which is also responsible for the potency of the spice, was found to be effective in its ability to limit the growth of breast stem cells in a lab study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. The same was found with curcumin. It can also help prevent the development of cancerous cells in the breast.


The spice hasn’t undergone clinical studies just yet, but this is promising research.

Mercury Exposure and Hashimoto’s
https://thyroidpharmacist.com/articles/mercury-exposure-hashimotos/

One article two posts

Overcome the Yuk Factor and
Consider This Cancer Remedy
In the 1960s and ‘70s a popular and highly eccentric food scientist named Magnus Pyke was a regular on UK television.

In one of his entertaining demonstrations he implored viewers to eat insects for their outstanding nutritional qualities.

You won’t be surprised to learn most of the British public spurned his advice.

Well, guess what: Dr. Pyke was well ahead of his time, because eating insects is now being taken seriously. In fact, if you live in the U.S., insects may already be available at a store near you.

If we want to lower our risk of cancer, it might be time to get past the yuk factor and consider having a medicinal bug or two for lunch. . .

Eating insects for food is called entomophagy. It’s not as odd as you may think. In many cultures around the globe insects are a traditional food. About a quarter of the world's population consumes insects or at least sees nothing strange in the idea.

In Western cultures, honey is about as close as most people get to eating insects, but enthusiasts who try them say they’re tasty and nutritious. Taste aside, they’re an excellent source of proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Insects are also believed to possess many health-enhancing properties and are used in traditional medicine in China and Korea. Medical applications include wound healing, and the treatment of respiratory disorders and stomach ache.

In Northeast India, people crush ants into a paste and apply it to treat scabies, wounds and boils. They mix ground-up ants with water and swill the solution around the mouth to treat toothache. They also swallow ants to reduce high blood pressure.

Modern science views insects as a possible source of drugs with immunological, pain-killing, antibacterial, diuretic, anesthetic, and anti-rheumatic properties.

There's also a good reason to suppose insects have anti-cancer activity. They do so by way of a familiar bunch of friends – antioxidants. . .

Antioxidants prevent cancer

Just to quickly go over the basics for people who are totally new to natural medicine, antioxidants protect cells from free radicals - unstable molecules that, if left unchecked, inflict damage on healthy cells and can potentially cause cancer. At least that's the theory.

And it's borne out in lab studies in both culture and animals. Considerable evidence exists that antioxidants slow or prevent the development of cancer by stopping DNA damage and the adverse effects caused by oxidation (another word for damage caused by free radicals).

The antioxidant theory of disease has been around for about 40 years, and yet evidence from nine randomized controlled trials of dietary antioxidant supplements in humans did not show any benefit in cancer prevention.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer. . .

However, all the trials tested either a single antioxidant such as beta carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) or vitamin E in the form of alpha tocopherol, or a small number of antioxidants together. These are not considered “good” antioxidants (e.g., there are eight forms of vitamin E; taking just one of them is not especially helpful).

On top of that, most of the trials were too short to yield any results. The benefits of good eating habits show up over a period of decades, not in a study conducted for a few months – or even in one lasting several years.

It's also difficult to get positive results from trials involving just a few antioxidants when the body has a vast number of antioxidant defenses – some of them produced by the body itself – in addition to those from food.

The antioxidants found in food comprise a very large and diverse group in terms of chemical structure and biological properties.

The most abundant natural antioxidants come from thousands of polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables, tea, and wine. Certain vitamins, carotenoids and minerals also act as antioxidants.

And tens of thousands of published studies support their effectiveness in improving health and relieving medical problems.

Antioxidants do matter

A review by Spanish scientists in 2010 concluded that "antioxidants are acquiring great importance. It is believed that antioxidants can prevent the development of cancer due to their effects on cell cycle regulation, inflammation, the inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and invasiveness, the induction of apoptosis [cancer cell death], and the stimulation of the detoxifying enzyme activity.

"The antitumor effect of some polyphenols, such as catechins, isoflavones, lignans, flavanones, resveratrol, ellagic acid, quercetin, and curcumin, has been extensively studied."

You’ll notice the list is a little different from beta carotene and the alpha tocopherol form of E.

Looking at the full diversity and complexity of antioxidants, the Spanish scientists went on to say, "It has been found that these compounds are able to reduce tumor growth through various action mechanisms, in different locations such as mouth, stomach, liver, lung, duodenum, colon, mammary gland, and skin."

Antioxidants are clearly one of the most important ways we can protect ourselves against cancer. If insects are high in antioxidant activity it would give us a good reason to eat them.

Grasshoppers beat orange juice hands down

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations issued a report in 2013 called Edible Insects. The authors wrote:

"Insects as food and feed emerge as an especially relevant issue in the twenty-first century due to the rising cost of animal protein, food and feed insecurity [i.e. shortage of food in some countries], environmental pressures, population growth and increasing demand for protein among the middle classes."

With this in mind, researchers from the University of Rome investigated 12 commercially available edible insects and two other types of invertebrates, measuring both their water and fat-soluble extracts for antioxidant activity.

After removing the inedible wings and stings and grinding down the samples, the scientists used two different assays to measure antioxidant status. One was called TEAC and the other FRAP.

In the water-soluble extracts, grasshoppers, silkworm and crickets displayed the highest values, 5-fold higher than fresh orange juice as measured by the TEAC assay.

Grasshoppers, African caterpillars and crickets had the highest FRAP levels, twice that of orange juice.

For the fat-soluble extracts, silkworm, evening cicada, and African caterpillars had the highest TEAC values, double that of olive oil.

I want to point out that high antioxidant activity per se is not proof these foods will treat or prevent cancer. But we do know that antioxidants in general do so.

Part 2

Need encouragement to eat insects?

Professor Mauro Serafini, who led the research, observed, “At least two billion people - a quarter of the world’s population - regularly eat insects. The rest of us will need a bit more encouragement.

“Edible insects are an excellent source of protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and fiber, but until now, nobody had compared them with classical functional foods such as olive oil or orange juice in terms of antioxidant activity.

“In the future, we might also adapt dietary regimens for insect rearing in order to increase their antioxidant content for animal or human consumption.”

An interesting finding was that the total polyphenol content of all insects was far lower than orange juice. So don’t write off fruit just yet.

So where does the insects' antioxidant power come from? It wasn't from the vitamin and mineral content. Dr. Serafini could only suggest it must lie in unknown compounds.

It's possible that insects provide a source of antioxidants not found in any other food source. That's a very good reason to add them to the diet.

Cricket pasta, anyone?

A survey found 72 percent of Americans would be unwilling to eat insects. And yet we probably already do.

It would be extremely difficult and costly to eliminate every bit of bug from our food, so the FDA allows 100 grams of chocolate, for instance, to contain up to 60 "insect fragments" while peanut butter can contain as many as 30.

The key to making insects acceptable in the West, where our culture is repelled by the thought of eating them, is to make sure they're camouflaged so they don’t look like creepy-crawlies.

The easiest way is to eat products made from cricket flour, which is about 70% protein by weight.

Tortilla style cricket chips, called Chirps, are already available. So are protein bars and cricket pasta.

Don Bugito, a San Francisco firm, produces a range of snacks that include spicy meal worms and dark chocolate-covered crickets.

For the more adventurous, Entosense of Maine offers a wide variety to choose from including dried forest scorpion, winged weaver ants, gourmet black ants, giant scarab beetle, mopane worms and housefly pupae.

An American encounters his first insect dish

Jason Brink, an American living in Thailand, overcame his aversion when he sat in a bar and took advantage of the free snack sitting in the bowl in front of him.

It was a crunchy treat but didn’t have the taste or texture of peanuts; he discovered he was eating crickets.

He's now a big fan, saying, "There are few snacks you can eat at a bar that are better tasting and more healthy than crispy crickets dusted with salt and chili pepper or giant locusts; you just need to remember to remove the legs and head."

Are You Prepared To Be Gluten Free During an Emergency?

https://www.glutenfreesociety.org/s...f64db1823f53d439ba9b9299d2556817aecd2c093d30d

A Single Class of Drugs May Cause
One Out of Ten Dementia Cases

"Avoid them like crazy," was a recommendation I gave three years ago. We've had to wait a while, but the lead author of an important new study now says the same thing.

Okay, she didn't put it quite as strongly as I did. In sober academic language she said, "The risks of this type of medication should be carefully considered...and alternative treatments should be considered where possible."

My translation: Avoid, avoid, avoid.

The drugs she's so concerned about are taken by up to half of older adults every day. If you’re one of them, you need to sit down with your doctor and try to find another solution.

Here's why. . .

The drugs I’m talking are called anticholinergics. Alert long-time readers have heard us warn about them not just once, but a number of times.

Many types of drug have anticholinergic activity, including antidepressants, bladder medications, anti-psychotics, drugs that treat epilepsy, Parkinson's and pulmonary diseases, and gastrointestinal antispasmodics.

Negative Short-Term Effects on the Brain

Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine, an important central and peripheral nervous system neurotransmitter needed by brain cells to communicate and to stimulate muscles to contract.

A lack of acetylcholine blunts memory and learning and impairs muscle function.

Some of the drugs are available over the counter, such as first-generation antihistamines, motion sickness tablets, sleep aids and anti-diarrhea medication. Well-known brands to avoid include Benadryl, Dimetapp, Dramamine, Unisom and Imodium.

This class of drug is known to cause short-term confusion, cognitive problems and memory loss in older adults, and evidence has been accumulating for over a decade that long-term use increases the risk of dementia.

The evidence against them was not conclusive because previous studies were subject to bias, the population sizes were not large enough, and they didn't cover a long enough time period to produce dependable results.

So in this new study a research group from the UK tried to cover all the bases. They published their results in JAMA Internal Medicine in June.

Risk of Dementia Rises by Almost Half

They analyzed 12 years’ worth of data collected from 58,769 dementia patients aged 55 or over, and matched them to 225,574 controls without dementia.

Compared to those who didn't take any of the 56 strong anticholinergic drugs included in the study, patients in the highest category of intake who took these drugs for three years or more had a 49% increased risk of dementia.

That is a horrendous boost in your risk.

The risk for specific categories within the larger group was even higher. Anti-psychotics increased the risk by 70%, and drugs prescribed for an overactive bladder, such as Ditropan, raising the risk by 65%. There was also a strong association between antidepressants and anti-epileptic drugs and the onset of dementia.

While large and well designed, the authors pointed out this type of study can only show an association, not cause and effect.

It isn't possible to rule out all possible factors that could impact the result, and it's possible the diseases the drugs were prescribed for affect the brain, rather than the drugs themselves.

"However," said lead author Carol Coupland, "if the association is proven to be a causal effect, we can estimate from our results that anticholinergic drugs could be responsible for about 10% of new cases of dementia."

New Trial Will Test Cause and Effect

Dr. James Picket, Head of Research at the Alzheimer's Society UK, commented on the results: "Our own researchers have already shown a strong link between anticholinergic drugs and risk of dementia. This study builds on this information."

Dr. Noll Campbell, from Purdue University College of Pharmacy, West Lafayette, Indiana, added, "The suggestion that this effect may be responsible for about 10% of new cases of dementia is new. I have not seen that quantified before."

"That might not seem like a lot, but in the US there are about 500,000 new cases of dementia every year, so if this relationship is shown to be causal and we can get patients off these drugs, then that could prevent about 50,000 cases of dementia every year just in the US. To me, that's worth going after."

Something else I've been urging for a long time is for doctors to take patients off drugs where possible and see what happens. They might be pleasantly surprised to see their patients regain mental sharpness.

And in fact -- after a long wait – we might get additional evidence for that. The National Institute on Aging has awarded $3.3 million to an American research group to carry out a randomized "deprescribing" trial of anticholinergic drugs. The aim is to eliminate them and compare the results with a control group of people who continue with the medications.

We should have an answer in about three to four years. In the meantime, if you’ve been prescribed one of these drugs, it's worth having a word with your physician. In many cases there are safer alternatives that work by a different mechanism.

Jimi said:

Baking Soda May Reduce Premature Death Risk
https://thenutritionwatchdog.com/baking-soda-may-reduce-premature-death-risk/

I use baking soda 3 times a day it alkalies' the system (raises the PH level in your body) cancer can "NOT" grow in an alkaline environment, but..... your oncologist wont tell you that

Click to expand...

where did you hear about cancer being ph sensitive?
i kinda doubt that,

I picked that up on "The Trurh About Cancer- Quest for the cure" and it has proven that cancer can not grow in an alkaline environment. It seems to work for me as part of my daily cancer protocol.

thanks, jimi, but that was what i was asking.
where has it been proved?
for that matter, i can see baking soda could change ph in my mouth, but in the whole body?

You still awake Jimi?.............

susieqz said:

thanks, jimi, but that was what i was asking.
where has it been proved?
for that matter, i can see baking soda could change ph in my mouth, but in the whole body?

Click to expand...

I think i do remember there being a something on it, been a while, I'll check my archives when i get some spare time. I think i heard Andy Hurrell, you can find him on youtube, did a clip about baking soda and cancer and he sighted his references

Yes I am Dale. Hey did i spell Andy Hurrell's name wrong?

Jimi said:

I think i do remember there being a something on it, been a while, I'll check my archives when i get some spare time. I think i heard Andy Hurrell, you can find him on youtube, did a clip about baking soda and cancer and he sighted his references

Click to expand...

You are correct, Jimi.....there is info on Dr Sircus website https://drsircus.com/

inspects said:

You are correct, Jimi.....there is info on Dr Sircus website https://drsircus.com/

Click to expand...

I'm not sure, but Dr Sircus had a wealth of info on his site about Bicarbonate

Have a good one, Jimi....6:00 AM comes in 6 hours.....

inspects said:

You are correct, Jimi.....there is info on Dr Sircus website https://drsircus.com/

Click to expand...

Yeah I haven't read that article yet, did it cover baking soda against cancer?

Good night Dale, see you tomorrow my friend

I am heading there too it's 2 am here

Jimi said:

Cow Cancer Virus Implicated in Breast Cancer
https://nutritionfacts.org/2019/09/...-25718665&mc_cid=3b5e5faf08&mc_eid=2fc2f620bb

Click to expand...

Gaah, that is scary. Glad I’ve been drinking almond milk for the last few months! Thanks, Jimi.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk