YOU CAN NOW ORDER ANY AND ALL OF THE PRODUCTS I HAVE MENTIONED FROM Emerson Ecologics. buy products...
EFT: this is the Home Page...
You can sign up for a free, very informative EFT newsletter here...
Vital Nutrients: You can open an account at this link... Use 15228 as the Patient Code. You can get most of the supplements that are mentioned in the emails that I have sent out
Use this link:
https://www.youngliving.org/nicksoloway
Many of you know that I talk about triggerpoints as the most common source of pain in the body. I have found two website addresses that have all the trigger points and has a symptom index of common pains and ailments that may be caused by them. When you have a pain use the guide to help you find the muscle or muscles that may be causing it.
This is the page for upper body triggerpoints:
http://www.triggerpoints.net/_sgt/m1_1.htm
Lower body:
http://www.triggerpoints.net/_sgt/m2_1.htm
Related symptoms:
If you check here you’ll find it covers things like runny nose, Menstrual pain and lots more.
If you’d like an appointment call Stan and Treva Voreyer at 443-6074.
To see old Health Info emails and links to EFT sites use the links to the left.
Here is a link to Vital Nutrients where you can order most of the products mentioned in my emails.
http://www.vitalnutrients.net/register.asp
Register here to create an account and use 15228 as the Patient Code.
These are the links to product pages so you can purchase the supplements mentioned in this email.
Ipriflavone
Strontium
Calcium plus other nutrients
There are two supplements that have been shown to be effective in the treatment of osteoporosis. The first one is called ipriflavone and the other is called strontium. Both of these supplements have been shown to increase bone density in people taking them.
In most double-blind placebo-controlled studies of Ipriflavone, involving a total of over 1700 enrolled subjects, results demonstrated either a significant bone sparing effect or improvements in bone mineral density measured at the radius, whole body, or vertebra. In studies that ranged from six months to two years bone mineral density in the Ipriflavone groups increased from 0.7% to 7.1% over the course of the studies. In comparison, the placebo groups had losses as high as 5%. The dosage of Ipriflavone used was 200 mg daily plus 1 g of supplemental calcium.
In other studies looking at the rate of fractures Ipriflavone again showed significant effects. In one study there was a 50% reduction in the rate of new vertebral fractures in the first year of Ipriflavone treatment.
For the most part, all of the studies of Ipriflavone have been positive. In a very recent study Ipriflavone did not show any benefit. The explanation of this result may be that the trial group did not take sufficient calcium. In the previous studies, all of the participants took 1 g of supplemental calcium but in this study participants took just half of the amount.
Generally, Ipriflavone is well tolerated by people, although mild gastrointestinal distress can occur. In certain individuals with low white blood count numbers or immunosuppressed systems may want to avoid taking Ipriflavone. Similar to Grapefruit, Ipriflavone may cause an increase in the blood levels of certain medications. So if you are taking medication that says to avoid grapefruit you should maybe avoid taking Ipriflavone. In general, Ipriflavone can be used by the majority of people who are experiencing osteoporosis or want to maintain good bone density.
You can read a monograph on the Ipriflavone at the following site:
http://www.vitalnutrients.net/research.htm
The patent medicine osteoporosis remedy that kills bone cells—and the all-natural alternatives that save them.
This article is by Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD
A few months ago at the Tahoma Clinic I visited with a man—let’s call him Derek—who had been diagnosed with early osteoporosis. He had heard of the connection between good testosterone levels and healthy bones, and he wanted to have his levels checked to see if he should try supplementing with this hormone.
Derek’s regular medical doctor, a member of an insurance company preferred provider network, told him he should take Boniva, a “biphosphonate” patent medication. A two-year double-blind, placebo-controlled “prevention” study had shown that Boniva increases bone density in post-menopausal women by approximately 3 percent in the spine, and approximately 2 percent at the hip. A similar three-year treatment study had shown a very significant reduction in new vertebral fractures. Derek had done some basic Internet research and had found that millions of Americans were using biphosphonates for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.
Unfortunately, Boniva also kills certain bone cells.
I read the following excerpt to him from an information bulletin on the product: “Boniva is a biphosphonate, a metabolic poison that kills the osteoclast bone cells that help create the balance between bone resorption and bone building, thus forcing an increase in bone mass.” I skipped to the side effects section, which included the following: “dyspepsia [heartburn, indigestion, stomach pain], diarrhea, tooth disorder, vomiting, gastritis, infection, and allergic reaction.”
Derek was alarmed when he found out the truth, and I’m sure many of you are feeling the same—especially if you’re taking Boniva.
But you may be wondering, as Derek did, if testosterone and calcium are enough to improve your bone health. I told him I would certainly recommend testosterone if his tests showed the need. But there are other effective options for improving your bone health that don’t require hormonal therapy. In fact, the people I’ve worked with have experienced between 3 and 11 percent improvement in bone density in just one year by using calcium, strontium, vitamin D, and a variety of other nutrients.
The mineral that can make calcium even more effective
Taking strontium in addition to calcium is more effective than calcium alone. Numerous studies have demonstrated that strontium does much more than slow the deterioration of your bones—it actually stimulates rapid bone formation. A 2004 double-blind, placebo controlled study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that a combination of strontium ranelate, calcium, and vitamin D increased bone density by 9 to 15 percent over three years.1 Research conducted in the 80s by one of the same researchers showed under-the-microscope improvement in bone density with strontium carbonate and calcium. And research done at the Mayo Clinic in the 50s showed both clinical and x-ray improvement with a third form of strontium.
For best results, I also recommend having a gastric analysis. Twenty years of tests done at the Tahoma Clinic have shown that 90 percent of individuals with osteoporosis have low stomach acid. If your stomach acid is low, your body won’t be able to absorb calcium, strontium, and other minerals nearly as well, and your results won’t be as good.
You can take these and other bone- building nutrients separately, or all together in one bone-building combination formula. If you take them separately, be sure to always use at least twice as much calcium as strontium. Because some leading researchers state that calcium and strontium mutually inhibit each other’s absorption, either calcium or strontium should be taken in the morning and the other taken at night.
Citations available upon request and on the Nutrition & Healing website: www.wrightnewsletter.com
One of the most important nutrients involved with bone health is Vitamin D
Many people don't get enough Vitamin D. You may need to reexamine your Vitamin D intake to make sure you get at least 1000 Units a day The following link is to an article on Vitamin D. You can also do a search for Vitamin D at this site to learn more.
http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20050430/food.asp
Other important nutrients include Vitamin K, boron, and vanadium. If you are taking a high quality multi-vitamin these should be in the formula.
You should be taking a high quality multi-vitamin!!!!
I have introduced to many of you the technique called EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique). There are two links to websites that I would like to share with you. EFT is a simple but highly effective tool to deal with stress and old emotional issues. People who have used it have been freed from panic attacks, sore throats, differing types of pain, stress and many other complaints. It can be used to release old emotional issues. It is also a wonderful thing to teach children so that they can manage their lives.
The first website is from Dr. Joseph Mercola and I have given out over a 100 copies of the course material that he provides.
http://www.mercola.com/forms/eftcourse.htm
This second site if by the founder of EFT, Gary Craig. You can download the full manual for free. You can also sign up for the free newsletter which has many case studies which show the effectiveness of EFT on a wide range of problems. It is a rich source of information.
The EFT Home Page is Here...
The learn more in depth go to the Tutorial Page...
Check out all of the tutorials here. You may find the Personal Peace Procedure to be very helpful.
If you'd like to share some of your experiences of EFT with others, email your story and if I get enough I will email them to my whole list as an encouragement to try doing EFT. I will not personally identify you in the email I will just use your initials.
Nick
This is quite a long email about the benefits of low dose lithium.
If, after reading this you’d like to get some lithium go Vital Nutrients to see the list of supplements that they have available. This link should bring you to the regitration page to set up an account so that you'll be able to order supplements.
http://www.vitalnutrients.net/register.asp
To order online you need to register your account use the number 15228 for the Patient Code.
Lithium is cited here to help gout, immune problems, alcoholism, depression, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s disease, brain cell death, herpes, Grave’s disease, anorexia, cluster headaches.
The information below is from:
http://www.wrightnewsletter.com/
You can go there and sign up for a snailmail newsletter and access to the entire site of searchable past articles.
LITHIUM The misunderstood mineral, Part 1:
Think young into your 90s with this anti-aging secret for your brain
By Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.
The biggest problem with lithium treatment is people's perception of it. Since its most well known use is for bi-polar disorder, lithium sometimes encounters the same stigma as mental illness itself.
I've been taking a lithium supplement every day for several years. When I tell people about it, they sometimes get funny looks on their faces and start eyeing the corners of the room for straight jackets. These reactions don't surprise me, since, as I said, lithium is usually associated with mental illness. But I've never suffered from a mental disorder (although certain mainstream medical doctors and possibly a federal agency or two might disagree).
Treating manic-depressive (bi-polar) illness is lithium's most widely known use--but it isn't an anti-psychotic drug, as many people believe. In fact, lithium isn't a drug at all. It's actually a mineral-part of the same family of minerals that includes sodium and potassium.
You might remember reading several editions of Health e-Tips a few months ago that discussed various benefits of lithium. In addition to the benefits mentioned in the e-Tips, like controlling gout and relieving rashes caused by sebhorric dermatitis, lithium also has some great brain-boosting effects. In fact, I've reviewed both recent lithium research and the research spanning the past few decades, and I'm convinced that lithium is an anti-aging nutrient for human brains. And there are also some very strong reasons to believe that lithium therapy will slow the progression of serious degenerative mental problems, including Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, and Parkinson's disease.
So there are obviously quite a few "pros" to using lithium, but you're probably wondering about the "cons." In the 1930s and '40s, lithium chloride was sold in stores as a salt substitute. But (as frequently happens) some people used way too much and suffered toxic overdoses, so it fell out of common use. Fortunately, lithium toxicity is entirely preventable, and it's also easily treatable if it ever does occur -but more about that later. Right now, let's get into some of the specifics on just how you (and your brain) can benefit from lithium.
Taking (grey) matters into your own hands
Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's famous fictional detective, had an amusing quirk in his incessant concern for his "little grey cells." I thought of Hercule several years ago when I saw the following headline in an issue of the Lancet: "Lithium-induced increase in human brain grey matter."
That may not sound like an earth-shattering piece of news, but it actually was quite a major discovery. To that point, medical experts believed that once our brains matured, it was all downhill from then on. Decades of autopsies, x-rays, and, more recently, brain scans have repeatedly shown that brains shrink measurably with aging. But according to their report in the Lancet, Wayne State University (Detroit) researchers found that lithium has the ability to both protect and renew brain cells.1 Eight of 10 individuals who took lithium showed an average 3 percent increase in brain grey matter in just four weeks.
Lithium may help to generate entirely new cells too: Another group of researchers recently reported that lithium also enhances nerve cell DNA replication. 2 DNA replication is a first step in the formation of a new cell of any type.
The Wayne State study used high-dose lithium, but I'm certainly not using that amount myself, nor do I recommend it. Prescription quantities of lithium just aren't necessary for "everyday" brain cell protection and re-growth. Studies done years ago have shown that very low amounts of lithium can also measurably influence brain function for the better.
Protect yourself from brain damage you didn't even know you had.
Aside from boosting brain mass, recent research also shows that lithium can help protect your brain from the "beating" it gets in the course of everyday life. Your brain cells are constantly at risk of damage from exposure to toxins of all sorts-even ones produced by your own body. Toxic molecules are formed naturally during the course of normal brain metabolism.3-7 Since these "normal" toxic molecules (sometimes called "excitotoxins") are produced every day of your life, eventually they start to wear down or erode away brain mass.
Another well-known cause of brain cell injury is overactivated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Lithium can inhibit this overactivity.8 And lithium also increases production of a major brain protective protein called "bcl-2" in both human and animal brain cells.9
So it appears that lithium can protect against normal brain erosion and shrinkage that would otherwise occur over the course of our lives. But lithium also protects the brain from other less "normal" problems too, like damage caused by prescription medications and strokes.
When a clot or other obstruction occurs in a blood vessel serving the brain, it causes a reduction of blood flow to that area. If it's bad enough, the lack of blood flow will cause a stroke and death of brain cells. (This type of stroke is known as an ischemic stroke.) Research in experimental animals with deliberately induced ischemic strokes has shown that lithium reduces the areas of cell death.10,11
In one of these studies, researchers blocked a brain artery in rats. Some were pre-treated with lithium for 16 days, the rest weren't. The researchers reported that the lithium-treated rats experienced 56 percent less cell death and significantly fewer neurologic deficits than the control rats.12
And sometimes medications designed to treat other problems end up having a negative impact on the brain. For example, anti-convulsant medications cause abnormal levels of brain cell death. But lithium significantly protects against this type of cell death-so much so that this effect has been called "robust" (a term scientists use to mean "It really works!").13
In fact, based on its general neuroprotective effect, researchers have recently suggested that "the use of lithium as a neurotrophic/ neuroprotective agent should be considered in the long term treatment of mood disorders, irrespective of the 'primary' treatment modality being used for the condition.
"14 Translation: Lithium should be used along with any patent medicine being used for depression, anxiety, or any other "mood-altering" reason, since it will protect brain cells against their unwanted toxic effects. The researchers didn't say so, but I will: Any list of "mood altering substances" should include alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, "uppers," "downers," and-for those who do inhale-marijuana. Harmless as some of them might seem, these substances can cause brain damage with medium to long-term abuse.
Keeping your brain's lines of communication open -and healthy.
Scientists determine how healthy brain cells are by measuring levels of a molecule called N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA). A decrease in NAA is thought to reflect decreased nerve cell viability, decreased function, or even nerve cell loss.15 In a study of 19 research volunteers given four weeks of lithium, 14 experienced a significant increase in NAA, one had no change, and four had a small decrease.16
Now, what about the interaction between those new, protected, healthy brain cells? Communication between brain cells and networks of brain cells is called "signaling." And lithium is actually necessary for at least two signal-carrying pathways.17 Researchers have also reported that lithium may help to repair abnormally functioning signaling pathways in critical areas of the brain.18
Lithium and Alzheimer's: New hope for a "hopeless" situation.
As you know, there's no cure for Alzheimer's disease and there's very little available for patients (and families) that can offer even partial relief from the turmoil it causes. So when new treatments are developed or discovered, it's usually big news -a ray of hope for people stuck in a seemingly hopeless situation. One of these newly developed patent medications, called Memantine,(tm) was recently approved in Europe. Even though it's not officially "approved" in this country (yet), thousands of people are already importing Memantine to the U.S. via various Internet sources. But why go through all the trouble (not to mention risk) of getting and using this new patent formula?
Apparently, it "works" by protecting brain cells against damage caused by a major excitotoxin, glutamate. But protecting against glutamate-induced nerve cell damage is also one of the well-known actions of lithium. So if it's true that this newly approved patent medication slows the progress of Alzheimer's disease in this way, then lithium should slow Alzheimer's disease progression, too. Of course, lithium treatment, which isn't patentable and doesn't have nearly the profit potential of patented Alzheimers medications, hasn't made any headlines. But that doesn't mean it isn't a promising option for patients struggling with Alzheimer's disease.
There are many other research findings that also strongly suggest that lithium will protect against potential Alzheimer's disease and slow the progression of existing cases. Researchers have reported that lithium inhibits beta-amyloid secretion, and also prevents damage caused by beta-amyloid protein once it's been formed.20-23 Beta-amyloid peptide is a signature protein involved in Alzheimer's disease: the more beta-amyloid protein, the worse the Alzheimer's becomes.
Overactivation of a brain cell protein called tau protein also contributes to neuronal degeneration in Alzheimer's disease, as does the formation of neurofibrillary tangles Lithium inhibits both of these nerve-cell damaging problems.24,25
And you've likely read that individuals with Alzheimer's disease usually have excess aluminum accumulation in brain cells. While it's not yet known whether this excess aluminum is a cause, an effect, or just coincidental, most health-conscious individuals take precautions to avoid ingesting aluminum. Unfortunately, it's impossible to completely avoid all aluminum, since it's naturally present in nearly all foods. But lithium can help protect your brain against aluminum by helping to "chelate" it so that it can be more easily removed from the body.25
Although Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia aren't technically the same, they do share many of the same degenerative features so there's every reason to expect that lithium will help prevent or slow the progression of senile dementia too.
A younger, healthier brain with just one small dose a day
As I mentioned earlier, some of these studies used rather high doses of lithium. And in some instances, as in the case of manic depression, doses as high as 90 to 180 milligrams of elemental lithium from 900 to 1800 milligrams of lithium carbo-nate are necessary. Quantities of lithium in that range must be monitored closely to guard against overdose and toxicity.
But you really don't need large amounts to improve your "every-day" brain function. Studies have repeatedly shown that substantially lower amounts of lithium can significantly improve brain function (as reflected in behavior).
The amounts of lithium I recommend for brain anti-aging range from 10 to 20 milligrams (from lithium aspartate or lithium orotate) daily. I've actually been recommending these amounts since the 1970s. At first I was exceptionally cautious and asked all of my patients taking lithium to have regular "lithium level" blood tests and thyroid function tests. After a year or so, I quit asking for the lithium level blood tests, since 100 percent of them came back very low. Another year after that, I stopped requesting routine thyroid function tests, too, only doing one when I was suspicious of a potential problem. In the 30 years since, I've rarely found one.
Protect your brain starting today--no prescription necessary
High-dose lithium is available only by prescription. But low-dose lithium (capsules or tablets containing 5 milligrams of lithium from lithium aspartate or lithium orotate) is available from a few natural food stores and compounding pharmacies,he Tahoma Clinic Dispensary (see page 8).
If you're interested in keeping your brain as young as possible for as long as possible, you should definitely consider lithium therapy. Review this information with your physician...but make sure he is skilled and knowledgeable in nutritional and natural medicine! (If yours isn't, see "Resources" on page 8 for a list of organizations that can help you find one near you who is.)
A sneak peek at even more lithium secrets:
Next month, I'll review lithium's many other effects-from preventing anorexia to relieving cluster headaches, to lowering blood sugar (and that's just to name a few!). I think you'll be surprised at just how versatile this misunderstood mineral can be.In the meantime, if you'd like to read the Health e-Tips on lithium (or to sign up to begin receiving these free e-mail updates), visit the Nutrition & Healing website at www.wrightnewsletter.com. JVW
Citations available upon request and on the Nutrition & Healing website: www.wrightnewsletter.com
A better sense of direction in just 24 hours:
"Spatial memory" is the scientific-lingo term for what most of us call "sense of direction." If you've ever "lost" your car in a crowded parking lot, you know just how handy a good "spatial memory" can be. Now it looks like it might be possible to improve your sense of direction in as little as 24 hours.
When researchers study this concept they usually use animals in mazes. The experiments generally involve examining what effects various things have on the animals' ability to remember how to navigate their way through the maze. In one such study, researchers observed the navigating ability of lithium treated and untreated rats for four months. They found that lithium improved the rats' spatial memory with as little as 24 hours of exposure.19
Using lithium safely:
Over a decade ago, a woman visited the Tahoma Clinic on the advice of her psychiatrist. She was severely bipolar, requiring a maximum dose of lithium carbonate to keep her symptoms under control. Despite close monitoring of serum lithium levels to maintain a safe range, she was starting to show many signs of lithium toxicity, including hypertension, tremor, nausea, and protein in her urine. She and her psychiatrist had tried other medications, but none provided the control of her bipolar symptoms that lithium did. So she came to the Tahoma Clinic to see if there were any natural options for her.
Fortunately, there was a simple solution. Without changing her lithium dose, the clinic doctor treating her asked the woman to start taking 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil along with 800 IU of vitamin E (mixed tocopherols) three times a day. One month later, the woman's blood pressure had normalized, her tremors and nausea were gone, and there was no further protein in the urine. And best of all, her bipolar symptoms remained under control. At that point, she was able to cut the flaxseed oil to 1 tablespoon daily along with 400 IU of vitamin E. Several years later, her lithium toxicity hasn't returned.
To be on the safe side, I always recommend that anyone taking lithium also take a teaspoonful or two of flaxseed oil (or other essential fatty acid) along with 400 IU of vitamin E (as mixed tocopherols) each day.
The misunderstood mineral, Part 2:
Lithium fights crime and some of your most nagging health concerns
By Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.
Turns out it's not only the strict use of the death penalty lowering crime rates in some areas of Texas. And while I'm sure "Dubya" would be quick to take credit, it's not stricter laws or changes in sentencing guidelines either. Using 10 years of data accumulated from 27 Texas counties, researchers found that the incidence of homicide, rape, burglary, and suicide, as well as other crimes and drug use, were significantly lower in counties whose drinking water supplies contained 70-170 micrograms of lithium per liter than those with little or no lithium in their water.
The researchers wrote: "These results suggest that lithium at low dosage levels has a generally beneficial effect on human behavior...increasing the human lithium intakes by supplementation, or the lithiation [adding lithium] of drinking water is suggested as a possible means of crime, suicide, and drug-dependency reduction at the individual and community level."
And that's not to mention all of the lithium health benefits we went over last month: It may be useful in treating Alzheimer's disease, senile dementia, and possibly Parkinson's disease. Lithium not only protects brain cells against normal wear and tear, but also offers additional protection against a whole variety of toxic molecules, including patent medications. It can also promote brain cell regeneration and increase brain cell mass. In essence, the research suggests that lithium is a brain anti-aging nutrient.
All of these results are every bit as good as (if not better than) the data that led to dumping toxic waste (fluoride) into so many public water supplies. So why haven't public health and safety "authorities" been pushing for further intensive research on water-borne lithium and criminal behavior?
I'm certainly not in favor of the government adding anything to pure drinking water. But if it insists on forcibly mass-medicating us through our water supply (a thoroughly un-American concept I'm 100 percent against no matter what the added substance is), why haven't they considered adding something that might actually do some real good for people's health and safety? Isn't the possibility of reducing homicide, suicide, rape, robbery, burglary, theft, mental hospital admissions, and drug addiction related arrests just as important as the possibly of preventing tooth decay?
Call me pessimistic, but I suspect lithium is still being ignored because no huge, politically connected industry has enormous quantities of lithium-containing waste lying around. (In the 1940s, that's exactly how water fluoridation began, by using up huge quantities of fluoride-containing toxic waste generated by the politically connected aluminum industry.)
But if there's one thing we all know about the U.S. government, it's that we shouldn't wait for the people running it to do anything to help us, especially when we can help ourselves. So today let's go over a few more of lithium's benefits and I'll tell you how you can help yourself to this valuable mineral right now.
Lithium tackles another addiction:
In 30 years of nutritionally oriented practice, I've been told by many alcoholics and their relatives that low-dose lithium can be very helpful for both alcoholism and associated mood disorders. For "practicing" alcoholics, I recommend a trial of lithium orotate, 10 milligrams three times daily (along with diet advice, niacin, glutamine, and other supplements). I ask recovering alcoholics to try 5 milligrams, three times daily (occasionally more). The majority of these patients report improved mood and decreased desire for alcohol after about six weeks using lithium therapy.
According to one review article in the British Journal of Addiction, "both controlled and uncontrolled experiments show that symptoms of both alcoholism and affective disturbance are reduced in patients treated with lithium."2 (All of the studies reviewed used high dose prescription lithium.)
I also often recommend direct blood relatives of alcoholics (parents, children, or siblings) consider a trial of lithium orotate, 5 milligrams two or three times daily, even if they have never noticed a mood problem. I explain that this is a "personal clinical trial," and a safe one, that they can discontinue in six to eight weeks if they don't feel a difference. I also ask that the individual discuss this personal clinical trial with their husband, wife, or other close household member, since I've found that the individual doesn't always notice subtle (or even not-so-subtle) mood changes in himself. But immediate family members notice-particularly when the changes are for the better! I haven't kept a count of exactly how many individuals have tried this approach over the last 30 years, but it's probably somewhere in the vicinity of 300 to 400-maybe more. And the majority report positive changes: less depression and irritability for women, and less irritability and "temper" for men.
Can lithium help solve your health mysteries?
So far, you've read about how lithium can help combat mental illness, mood disorders, and chemical dependency. All of these benefits, in turn, help communities become safer places overall by reducing rates of violent crime. And, yes, increased safety does benefit you and me. But right now, let's discuss some ways that you might be able to put lithium to work in your own life with some surprising applications for a few rather "mysterious" conditions.
By "mysterious," I don't mean brand-new, mutated viruses like the recent outbreak of SARS. No, the conditions I'll go over today have been around for quite a while. But the mystery lies in the fact they each of them is still considered "incurable." Let's start with one of the most painful.
Fibromyalgia relief: This "last resort" could rank No. 1
This condition primarily strikes women and causes debilitating pain and stiffness. Lithium can help alleviate these symptoms without the problems associated with conventional fibromyalgia treatments, which include tranquilizer, antidepressant, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (which only temporarily mask the pain and sleeplessness that often occur).
One study examined three women suffering from fibromyalgia, none of whom had responded to conventional treatment. When researchers added lithium to the women's current treatment, all three noticed a marked reduction in their symptoms.3
The authors of the study didn't explain why they didn't have the women discontinue their ineffective conventional treatments, but I've got a pretty good idea that their motives might have had something to do with the fact that the conventional treatments, as useless as they were for these women, are the "standard" protocol.
But I digress.
The gout-eliminating combination that tastes as good as it feels
You might remember reading the Health e-Tip on lithium and gout several months ago (2/3/03, subject line: "Help! My big toe is on fire!"). As the e-Tip mentioned, gout occurs when the body can't process and eliminate excess uric acid. The result is a painful burning or stabbing sensation usually in the ball joint of the foot.
Although there are no published studies on this topic, over the years I've found the combination of low-dose lithium (10-15 milligrams twice daily) and vitamin C (2 grams twice daily) can be very effective in preventing recurrent attacks of gout. Vitamin C significantly reduces serum uric acid levels. Lithium makes uric acid more soluble so it doesn't crystallize into painful "needles." These two actions combine to significantly reduce gout attacks. If you have gout, I also recommend that you drink 32 oz. of cherry juice at the first sign of an attack. Just please make sure it's real cherry juice--no sugar added. Although no one is sure why or how it works, studies have shown that cherry juice usually eliminates the pain of acute gout.
85 percent cluster headache relief in just two weeks
Cluster headaches are another one of those inexplicable conditions that my patients tell me always seem to come on at exactly the wrong time. In fact, they might actually be one of the most "myst-erious" of the conditions I've listed so far since, like fibromyalgia, the cause isn't known. They tend to attack relentlessly for weeks to months and then often go into remission for months or even years. But lithium (in relatively high doses) can significantly reduce both the severity and frequency.
One study examined lithium's effects on 19 men with cluster headaches. Eight had rapid improve- ment-an average 85 percent reduction-in their "headache index" in just two weeks. Four individuals had both cluster headaches and psychiatric symptoms; these four had almost complete elimination of their headaches. The remaining seven had only a slight benefit.5
Another research group tried lithium therapy (again, relatively high quantities) for 14 individuals with cluster headaches. Five indiv-iduals had complete disappearance of their headaches, four had significant improvement, and four had no change.6
There's no guarantee that lithium will cure your cluster headaches, but there is a good chance that it might help. With so few other options available, it's at least worth a try.
Simple relief from those annoyingly persistent problems
Along the same lines as these mysterious conditions are a few other conditions that lithium can benefit. But these are less on the mysterious side and more in the vein of annoyingly persistent. Even so, lithium can still help in a number of ways.
One research group reported that lithium inhibits the reproduction of several viruses, including herpes simplex viruses (HSV 1, HSV 2), adenovirus (the "common cold" virus), cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus (associated with mononucleosis and many cases of chronic fatigue), and the measles virus.7
Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of lithium carbonate (doses ranging from 150-900 milligrams daily) demonstrated "a consistent reduction in the number of herpes episodes per month, the average duration of each episode, the total number of infection days per month, and the maximum symptom severity. In contrast, treatment with placebo resulted in an increase in three of the four severity measures."8
In addition to lithium, selenium, lysine, and other nutrients can also help suppress the reproduction of herpes simplex (and other viruses) and speed the recovery process should an active infection occur. I tend to think it's better-and safer-to follow this approach (using small quantities of several effective nutr-ients rather than a larger quantity of just one), so nearly 10 years ago I worked with Bio-Tech Pharmacal to create a useful anti-herpes formula. We combined low-dose lithium with selenium, lysine, vitamin C, olive leaf extract, and other nutrients into two formulas, one (called HPX) for prevention of herpes simplex, and the other (called HPX2) for treatment of outbreaks. Those who have used it tell me it does the job, cutting down or eliminating recurrent herpes infections and/or helping them heal more quickly when they do occur. HPX and HPX2 are both available through natural food stores, compounding pharmacies and the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary.
A quick end to a Grave disease
Hyperthyroidism can be persistent and difficult to treat. It comes on either very suddenly or very gradually-so gradually, you might not even notice that something is really wrong until the symptoms become severe. Graves' disease is one of the common names for hyperthyroidism. In this condition, the immune system disrupts the functioning of the thyroid gland, causing it to become enlarged and to secrete too much hormone.
Mainstream treatments completely shut down the production of thyroid hormone using dangerous patent medicines. But lithium can get to the root of the problem much more safely.
In 1972, Mayo Clinic researchers published the first clinical investigation of lithium treatment for Graves' disease.9 Using high-dose lithium for 10 individuals, they reported that thyroid hormone levels fell by 20-30 percent within five days.
Twenty-six years later, in a review of more than 10 successful trials of lithium therapy for Graves' disease, the authors wrote: "a small number of studies have documented its [lithium's] use in the treatment of patients with Graves' disease... it's efficacy and utility as an altern-ative anti-thyroid [treatment] are not widely recognized..."10 They also note lithium's rapid effect: "Lithium normalizes [thyroid hormone] levels in one to two weeks..." But they also caution that "toxicity precludes its use as a first-line or long-term therapeutic agent." If they'd just added flaxseed oil and vitamin E to their treatment, they would have basically eliminated the risk of toxicity. (See the box on page 5 for details.)
Lithium's benefits: Ripe for the picking
Perhaps the budding evidence about lithium and brain protection will spark even more interest in researching this mineral. Maybe researchers will accumulate enough evidence to prove that lithium can slow or even reverse brain aging. And perhaps researchers will conclude that putting very low dose lithium into drinking water to reduce violent crime is even more important than adding fluoride to prevent tooth decay.
But I won't hold my breath. Lithium isn't patentable, so I doubt that patent-medicine companies will even consider funneling huge amounts of research dollars into it. And if the patent-medicine companies aren't interested in it, it isn't likely to be "approved" for these or other uses any time soon. But remember, "approval" does not ensure safety or effectiveness; it just means that procedures have been followed, forms have been filled out, and money-lots and lots of money-has changed hands.
Now for the good news: Just because lithium won't be formulated into the next wonder drug and isn't likely to be making the headlines of your local news, that certainly doesn't mean you can't enjoy all of its benefits-from brain anti-aging to headache relief--right now. Low-dose lithium supplements are available in some natural food stores or from the Tahoma Clinic Dispensary.
If you decide to give lithium a try, as with any new treatment or preventive measure (even an all-natural one), it's always a good idea to consult with a physician skilled and knowledgeable in natural medicine as part of your decision. See the Resources section on page 8 for a list of sources that can help you find one in your area. JVW
Citations available upon request and on the Nutrition & Healing website: www.wrightnewsletter.com
A light at the end of the anorexia tunnel
Eating disorders remain a mystery to many people because those who battle with them keep their struggle a secret for as long as they possibly can. By the time someone recognizes the problem, it's often very difficult to help the victim. Lithium may offer a bit more hope to these people and their families. Although zinc is a usually successful mainstay of anorexia treatment, lithium can help in regaining much-needed weight. Two adult women suffering from anorexia for many years were given (high dose) lithium; in just six weeks, one gained 26 pounds and the other 20 pounds. Although neither woman was cured of anorexia, they both experienced significant improvements.4
High, low, very small: Which lithium dose is which?
Mainstream uses of lithium usually call for 300-milligram lithium carbonate capsules, which contain approximately 30 milligrams of elemental lithium per capsule. A typical daily recommendation is one or two capsules, three times daily for a total of 90 to 180 milligrams of elemental lithium. It's much more likely that you could experience toxic effects with these amounts, so if you need this much, you should work closely with a physician who can monitor your levels.
But most of the uses for lithium covered in this issue and in last month's issue don't require such high amounts. Low-dose lithium is available in supplement form in natural food stores. The most commonly available forms include lithium orotate and lithium aspartate, each containing 5 milligrams of elemental lithium per tablet.
Even at a quantity of two low-dose tablets three times daily (for a total 30 milligrams of elemental lithium), patients' serum lithium usually stay in the "non-detectable" or "below therapeutic." range, which means that they're very safe. In my 30 years of practice, I've never had a patient report symptoms of lithium excess. But just to be on the safe side, I always recommend taking extra quantities of essential fatty acids to prevent any possibility of lithium toxicity (see the box titled "Using Lithium Safely" on page 4 of last month's Nutrition & Healing issue for more information).
Some of the research I wrote about this month didn't use either higher dose prescription lithium or lower dose supplemental lithium, but examined the effects of "very small dose" lithium present naturally in some drinking water. But even these very small doses produced some amazing effects in lowered crime rates and other general benefits.
Build a better internal defense with just two doses a day
Keeping a normal white blood cell count is one of the very basic necessities for good health. Your body uses white blood cells to fight off viruses, bacteria, and all sorts of potentially harmful foreign invaders. If your levels fall for some reason, you're much more prone to illness. Chemotherapy and radiation are probably the most well-known offenders causing low white cell counts, but levels can fall for any number of reasons. This is where lithium comes in: Researchers have found that it can increase white cell numbers again in people whose levels fell due to radiation and/or chemotherapy (and even if the person continues those treatments).
Lithium achieves these effects by stimulating the stem cells in bone marrow, which then turn into platelets and white blood cells. I've observed that low dose lithium (5-10 milligrams twice daily) will also usually raise a low count to normal even if radiation and chemotherapy aren't the culprits.
Misunderstood mineral shields your brain and wipes out mild depression
If you haven't thought much about lithium since we covered it last August and September, it's still worth considering. Despite the stigma associated with it, this mineral is one of the most effective natural brain boosters available. And I can personally vouch for its effects, since I take a small amount every day. Now the results of another recent study have proven its ability to protect against brain damage caused by strokes.
The study in experimental animals has shown that low-dose lithium protects brain cells against the effects of lack of blood flow, which occurs in humans during ischemic strokes.1 Two groups of animals (in this case, gerbils) had their carotid arteries cut off for five minutes. One group had five days of pre-treatment with low-dose lithium, the other had no lithium pre-treatment.
Twenty-four hours later, the lithium pre-treated group showed significantly less brain cell death than the non-treated group. The number of remaining brain cells after five minutes of no blood flow was 470 in the lithium pre-treated group and 370 in the lithium-free group. While the lithium pre-treated group definitely suffered brain cell loss, the loss was much less than that suffered by the lithium-free group.
Obviously, it's best to prevent a stroke before it happens. (For a few tips about stroke prevention, see the July 2002 issue of Nutrition & Healing.) But just in case, and especially if you have a family history of stroke, please consider using low-dose lithium to protect your brain cells-not only against brain cell death from stroke, but against dementia and many, many other causes of brain cell deterioration.
The treatment turning lives around
In addition to the new research boosting lithium's reputation, the first-hand accounts continue to trickle in too. Every few months, someone calls the Tahoma Clinic or writes to me to report that his or her life has turned around thanks to low-dose lithium. It happened again just last week.
I'd seen Lynn T. just once for an initial consultation. We'd gone over her health history, done a physical exam, and I suggested some tests for her to consider. Although she reported no problem herself, she had a family history of alcoholism on both sides. Before she left, I explained the research concerning alcoholism and lithium, and told her how, over the years, I'd found that low-dose lithium often helps relatives of alcoholics, particularly in mood and attitude. Although she didn't think she had a problem, she said she'd like to try it, so I recommended 15 milligrams daily, along with a small amount of flaxseed oil and vitamin E, to prevent even the remote possibility of adverse effects.
Lynn said she "couldn't believe it, but it's like I'm almost a different person." Before, she'd been shy and withdrawn, but within three weeks she found herself starting conversations with people she didn't know at all. She decided she must have been mildly depressed for much of her life, because after just three weeks of the lithium she was more optimistic and cheerful. She told me she was "just enjoying life more."
Only a small percentage of relatives of alcoholics-as well as alcoholics and recovering alcoholics-experience these kinds of dramatic changes. But most people who try it report that low dose lithium helps at least a little. If you have alcoholism in your family, it can't hurt to try.
For further details about low-dose lithium and brain function, as well as about the safety of low-dose lithium, see Nutrition & Healing for August and September 2003.
