2015 Spring Health Action magazine by Health Action Network Society

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Health Action Spring 2015

Beneficial Bacteria—A Macro Look at Microbes

HANS

What have you done for your gut microbiome lately? Dr. Richard Calland makes a compelling argument for appreciating these many essential microorganisms, which are key players in the dynamics of health and disease.

The Zero Waste Kitchen: Making Fruits and Veggies Last North American households allow an estimated 30 to 40 percent of their food to go to waste. Turn your kitchen into a zero-waste cookery, courtesy of these tips from registered holistic nutritionist Christina Peressini.

Published quarterly by: Health Action Network Society

Get Feisty with Fermented Foods One of the most inexpensive and powerful nutritional tools that you can use to improve your detoxification, digestion and immune processes is fermented foods. Learn to incorporate them into your diet with these vibrant recipes from nutritionist and culinary artist Eden Elizabeth.

Can Homeopathy Prevent Disease during Epidemics or Pandemics?

You be the judge after reading this comprehensive review of homeopathic use during actual epidemics, along with comments and suggestions from classical homeopath Elena Cecchetto on what’s needed to improve research and public understanding of this natural health discipline.

Taking Antioxidants with Chemotherapy and Radiation If your oncologist, pharmacist or other members of your oncology team advises you to stop taking antioxidants during chemotherapy and radiation, please show them this review article by naturopathic oncologist Dr. Walter Lemmo.

Also in this issue Good Soil, Good Gut, Good Health..............................12 Antibiotics Not Working for You? Try Ancient Alternatives................................................................14 Gut Reaction: Consider Kefir..................................................16 HANS Member News...................................................................... 20 Healthy Marketplace........................................................................... 22 Confessions of a Baby Boomer............................................. 23 Simple Steps to Rejuvenate Your Liver....................... 24 To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse?........................................... 26 Free Yourself from Toxic Behaviours........................... 35 Osteopathy for Mothers, Babies and Children.................................................................................................. 36 Chinese Medicine Perspectives on Gynecological Disorders – Part 1..................................... 42 Gentle Chiropractic Care for Prevention of Headaches and Migraines..................................................... 44 How to Fight ... Lovingly................................................................ 46

Health Action Needed to Protect Oceans........... 48 Canada Blocks NAFTA Investigation into B.C. Fish Farm Impacts on Wild Salmon.................. 50 Update on Bill C-18 and a Call to Action for a New Seed Act for Farmers........................................ 52 Herbicide Pollution and GMO Labelling................... 54 Health & Green Shorts................................................................... 57 Put the Heat on Cancer................................................................. 60 A Mother’s Cancer Leads to a Daughter’s Life Purpose................................................................. 61 Take Fewer Drugs, Not More................................................ 62 Pioneer Profile: Dave Fuller...................................................... 63 Holy Basil—An Ayurvedic Tradition............................. 64

Director of Operations: Michael Volker Executive Director: Lorna Hancock Managing Editor: Michelle Hancock Assistant Editor/Proofreader: Julie Cheng Layout & Design: Annette Spreeuw Contributors: Carolyne Abrams, Richard Calland, Elena Cecchetto, Sabrina Chen-See, Alexis Costello, Eden Elizabeth, Kim Louise Easterbrook, Brenda Eastwood, Ron Gale, Brenda Gill, Sharon Gurm, Jim Harding, Elizabeth Innes, Walter Lemmo, Luannah Livermore, Colin Medhurst, Trish Lim-O’Donnell, Deane Parkes, Ingrid Pincott, Denise Rochon, Ann Slater, Neelam Toprani, Shelley Ugyan, Alison Vandekerkhove, Thierry Vrain, Chun-Kai Wang, William Ware Submissions: editorial@hans.org Letters to the editor and requests for article references may be sent to editorial@hans.org. HANS reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Health Action Network Society 214-5589 Byrne Rd., Burnaby, BC V5J 3J1 T: (604) 435-0512 F: (604) 435-1561 www.hans.org | hans@hans.org publication mail agreement #40050050 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 330-123 Main St., Toronto, ON M5W 1A1 circdept@publisher.com Health Action magazine is a free publication to its membership. The opinions expressed within are those of the writer and not necessarily those of HANS. Those with health concerns should contact their health-care provider. We acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia

Help for the Caregiver..................................................................... 65 Freedom in Hospital Care........................................................... 66 Health Action | www.hans.org

Revolutionizing Revolutionizing Revolutionizing

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Editor’s Note

by Lorna Hancock

ne of my favourite memories of growing up on a farm in Manitoba is being a young child, five or so, wearing clean gum boots and stomping around in a large wooden barrel of shredded cabbage. That barrel was huge, the size of a wine barrel, and I can’t

even guess how many cabbages my mother had to hand-shred to make such a massive amount of sauerkraut. We stored it in a dirt-floored root cellar, along with potatoes, carrots, squash and beets, and we dipped into it throughout winter. Can you imagine? What is the likelihood of doing that in today’s age? I find myself wondering how many Health Action readers have a similar childhood memory, and also how many don’t eat sauerkraut today. It seems to me that, as a culture, we have lost our connection with fermented foods. We’ve forgotten just how nutritionally amazing they are, let alone how to prepare them. In light of this, our editorial team decided it was high time for a refresher on the ins-and-outs of

Your Letters No GM Apples Please! In my position as an ordinary citizen of Oakville, Ontario, I will not ever purchase any genetically modified “ apples from any retailer! Do not allow this to happen, please. This serves as my formal commitment. – HT, Oakville, Ont.

Editor’s Note: More than 50 Canadian retailers and wholesalers have committed to not sell GM apples if approved for sale in Canada. Visit hans.org for updates on this campaign.

Tired of the Fight over Fluoride I picked up your magazine for the first time today in our local health food store here in Cranbrook, B.C. I love to read health news and related articles and recipes. What I don’t like to read are articles like the one in your fall 2014 edition titled “BC Fluoride Free Update.” I am so tired of this being an issue,

gut health, microflora balance and the benefits of adding fermented foods to your diet. I hope you enjoy this collection of articles enough to try out the recipe for fermented cabbage on page 33. This is a super easy recipe; trust me, I’m into “easy.” And it definitely does last for months in the fridge. Straight organic cabbage is great, but I have a friend who also mixes it up with different kinds of vegetables—carrots, beets, zucchini, cucumbers, or whatever tickles her fancy that day. Beautiful, colourful, extremely nutritious and simple. No gum boots needed! 2015 has been designated International Year of the Soils by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, so I can think of no better time to reintroduce this idea of

supporting our “inner soil” as well. Thank you to my parents and older generations who’ve kept this idea alive long enough to catch the imagination of the newest generation of natural health enthusiasts. Enjoy!

Let’s connect!

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Tell Us What You Think Send your comments and questions to editorial@hans.org, or HANS, 214-5589 Byrne Road Burnaby, B.C. V5J 3J1. because it should not be an issue. This debate has been going on for years. Talk more about the real problems of sugar, salt and fat intake. That is what is killing us, not a tiny little bit of fluoride. I am extremely happy that our community has voted in favour of continuing to add fluoride to our city water. It shows that the majority of our city’s residents are an intelligent and reasonable group of people. Amazing, plentiful tap water is taken for granted so easily. Many people in the world aren’t so lucky to have that kind of luxury. – GM, Cranbrook, B.C.

Health Action | www.hans.org

Our Beneficial Bacteria A macro look at microbes by Richard Calland, DVM

cience today is proving that Hippocrates was correct when he said 2,500 years ago, “All disease (imbalance) begins in the gut.” It is becoming increasingly clear that the balance or lack of it within our gut microbiome (the microorganisms in our gut), determines whether health or disease prevails. Whether in human, animal, plant or the environment, the balance of these invisible microbiological communities determines to which end of the health spectrum any biological system belongs. As we learn about the gut bacteria’s intimate relationship with each other and with the intricate immune system, we can appreciate the universal complexity of nature’s precise balance. When we consider that these seemingly simple one-celled organisms communicate with the cells of the body and the cells of the body with them, produce nutrients like B vitamins on demand, defend the sacred gut wall (and thus the rest of the body) from invaders, toxins, potential cancer cells and more, we begin to appreciate that the maintenance of balance of these interrelated complexities within the intestinal walls rivals the magnitude of universal complexity.

Whole is greater than the sum of its parts These intestinal microbes must first co-exist with each

Health Action | www.hans.org

other and with their host systems in a mutually synergistic way to efficiently deliver nutrients and energy contained within food to all parts of the body. I’m continually awed by how nature mixes and matches an infinite number of characters that are each doing their own thing to flourish themselves and, at the same time, perform essential functions for a greater community of which they are an integral part. In other words, in the natural world, not only does each part flourish, but so does the “whole.” Imagine a physiological system that is able to break down eaten substances into their

molecular parts that are used to build, maintain and defend the integrity of a whole living being, whether that be a bee or a human. Then imagine nature knowing that around 1,000plus (so far identified) microorganisms, totaling 1,000 trillion in number and weighing five to six pounds, must occupy the human gut and be able to live and work together for their own benefit, for the benefit of each other and for the benefit of their host.

Unsung heroes As a group, these single-celled micro-creatures are active and essential to all life forms,

but they are usually invisible to our physical senses. Most of us have a negative, fearful reaction to the word “bacteria” or “virus” and associate them with pestilence and disease. Marketers of antibacterial products of any sort know this and fan the flames of fear to sell their products. Worldwide, we are consuming antibiotics and many other substances that damage the balance of our gut microflora and destroy the balance within the bodies of the farmed animals we eat. Collectively, we have spread chemicals onto the soils that grow our foods, altering nature’s balanced arrangement of those microorganisms that help

move the soil nutrients into the plants we consume. The significant contribution that these unsung heroes make to the maintenance of balance—that is, health and well-being—of life simply doesn’t receive much of our consideration. However, any society that is going to thrive must consider microorganisms to be key players in the dynamics of health and disease.

Key to being creative humans To take this larger viewpoint a step further, consider this: science is discovering that damage to the human being’s gut flora can be a direct cause of many mental health imbalances. Since each human being is an inherent creator, it is im-

Any society that is going to thrive must consider microorganisms to be key players in the dynamics of health and disease.

possible to think that balanced creations can arise from a human brain that is not balanced. Our ability to thrive and invent new, more advanced ways of doing everything depends upon a healthy (balanced!) population of humans. Imbalances left long enough result in disease. How can a population of unwell people create a balanced, healthy “new” anything from a position of imbalance and disease? We need, instead, to begin do-

ing those things that we know will help these agents of health and well-being to maintain their balance so that they can help us to be our healthiest and most creative self.

Let’s maintain balance The general condition and health of digestive function has deteriorated in a very large segment of most modern societies. Doesn’t knowing this give us a new perspective, a new appre-

ciation for the importance of these tiny creatures? Doesn’t knowing that 80 percent of the weight of the solid waste that passes out of us is actually made up of these bacteria, or that up to 85 percent of our immune system is found in the gut and intimately interacts with these gut bacteria, weigh in as common-sense evidence that they likely play a very significant role in our lives? Science around the world has become most interested in understanding the gut microbiome’s role in the health and disease of humans, animals, plants and indeed of our environments. Our technological ability to examine their activities and understand the intimate relationships they have continued on page

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Our Beneficial Bacteria continued from page 9 with the entire body (they are now appreciated as an organ system) is evolving and what science is discovering, I believe, will change the way we look after ourselves. By being aware of what we all do to damage the natural balance of these microscopic organisms, we can be more aware of how dependent we are upon them for our health and for the continuance of life on earth. Simply stated, probiotics are generally the dominant, more permanent inhabitants of the collective intestinal microcommunity and are considered to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;beneficialâ&#x20AC;? when ingested. I believe it is important to anyone considering taking a probiotic supplement to first become informed about how it is made and what form they takeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both factors that greatly influence their efficacy. This will be discussed in the future along with an overview of our current state of knowledge about the microbiome and the kinds of things we do to harm it and what we can do to help it maintain its balance. Richard Calland, DVM, is a doctor of veterinary medicine practising in Vancouver, B.C. Dr. Calland believes that balance is the key to health, whether human, animal, plant or environment.

Health Action | www.hans.org

Dysbiosis and Cancer The microbial-imbalance link by William Ware, PhD

t is generally acknowledged that geneenvironmental interactions underlie the susceptibility to cancer and its progression. Nevertheless, only limited knowledge exists regarding the nature of these environmental factors and their relative importance in tumour genesis. Recently, there has been growing appreciation of the potential role in this context of the microbial communities inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract and other body sites. Colorectal cancer (CRC) provides an excellent example of rapid progress. In a study published in 2013, Ahn et al reported on a case-control study (comparison of cases and selected controls) which compared 47 CRC subjects with 94 controls. The CRC cases showed decreased overall fecal microbial community diversity, and when cases were compared to controls and the prevalence of various phyla (group of genetically related organisms) were examined, there were significant increases in two and a significant decrease in one. These observations were consistent with animal studies where again enrichment and decreases in various phyla were seen depending on the presence of colon tumours. Fecal transplantation results into gut-sterile mice suggested that, in fact, these imbalances were

causative for the colon cancer. These animal studies were followed by a report from the same group in 2014 announcing that by examining the characteristics of the gut microbiome in CRC and pre-CRC (adenoma) patients and CRC-free controls, it was possible to differentiate these three groups with remarkable accuracy, and this was suggested as an important screening tool. Incidentally, intestinal preparation for colonoscopy does not significantly alter the gut microbiome. There are a number of animal studies providing evidence of tumourpromoting effects of bacterial microbiota. In addition to CRC, gastric cancer and cancer of the liver, lung and breast have been studied. Human studies of gastric, skin and ocular cancers have been based on regression after eradication of specific bacteria. William Ware, PhD, is the editor of International Health News (IHN). He is an emeritus professor of chemistry at the University of Western Ontario in London whose retirement has been dedicated to evidence-based research in the preventive and complementary medicine field. Extracted with permission from IHN, Number 250, September 2014. www.yourhealthbase.com

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Good Soil, Good Gut, Good Health by Denise Rochon, ND, FCAH, CCH

at an early age may lead to a weakened system because of inappropriate immune activation.

s spring approaches, many of us turn to gardening. While choosing the area to grow our food with as much sunlight as possible, the quality of the soil is surely as critical to consider. Rich soil will provide for healthy and tasty food, and will help also to ward off disease and pest problems. Furthermore, it will offer real medicine! Have you ever thought of the relationship between our healthy intestinal microbiota (formerly called gut flora) and the health of a fertile soil? In the last decade, scientists are finally starting to understand not only the interdependence of our human cells within our organism but also within the super-organism that is our environment. Our health and future depends on the recognition of this intimate ageold evolving relationship, and in understanding and heeding the language of nature.

Building immunity from the start Unlike human genes, the gut bacterial flora may not be inherited genetically as it is sterile at birth, but depends strongly of the maternal microbiome as the child transits through the birth canal, to be breastfed. This way, key beneficial bacteria start colonizing the digestive tract, providing shelter against disease, helping in extracting nutrients, building healthy

Health Action | www.hans.org

Preserving diversity

intestinal mucosa, enhancing and preserving the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immunity and determining lifelong gut flora makeup.

According to the Hygiene Hypothesis, an exposure to fewer microbes and less complex microbial communities

Therefore, our immune functions depend heavily on the diverse microbial flora, linked to a sustaining environment. A diminished exposure to healthy microorganisms, caused by our western diets, lifestyles and impoverished soils, may have perhaps diminished certain infectious diseases, but at what cost? When the delicate balance between the host and microbiome is perturbed, dysbiosis (microbial imbalance) occurs. Many diseases may result, among them, allergic disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, metabolic syndrome,

Essential Functions of Gut Flora by Dr. Denise Rochon

ecently, about 20,000 single functions linked to the intestinal microbes have been identified. Among those, 6,000 are known to be essential functions for human beings. Just to name a few:

n p rotecting from invaders, allergens or overgrowth of different species of yeast, fungi and microbes, which otherwise can turn benign residents into superbugs n efficient harvesting, extracting, using and storing of nutritional energy n maintaining the immune systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at least 70 percent of our immune cells are known to be located in the gut n providing enzymes to metabolize certain carbohydrates and other substances that the gut cells canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break down n producing amino acids, vitamins such as B and K, minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron n producing hormones for absorption and storage of fats n facilitating chelation and excretion, and degradation of foreign compounds n metabolizing dietary carcinogens n promoting the growth and development of the intestinal nervous system

stress, anxiety, mental and autoimmune disorders and cancer. The loss of food diversity, the presence of genetically modified organisms, the use of agricultural chemicals and pesticides, conventionally raised livestock fed with antibiotics and genetically engineered grains, chlorinated and fluorinated water, processed and sweetened foods, antibacterial soaps and the overuse of antibiotics—these are some of the challenges we are facing today. We need to find solutions to these challenges that nurture the precious internal and external ecosystems upon which we depend. As such, it is important to maintain a whole-

some diversified diet with increased fruits, vegetables and unpasteurized, naturally fermented food. It is essential to preserve our original seeds that have been cherished and transmitted from so many different lineages and traditions all over the world, as they adapted to climate changes and different landscapes. We may also engage in ecological farming methods that preserve top soil, such as permaculture and biodynamics.

Maintaining the natural balance The relationship between our diet, the gut microbiota and the fertile soil in which our food

Exposure to fewer microbes at an early age may lead to a weakened system because of inappropriate immune activation.

grows is not a one-way road. Not only does the composition of our microbial flora influence our digestive processes, but the quality of its flora reflects

the quality of the food we eat. Therefore the intact microbial diversity of the soil, our health and microbiome are also mutually intertwined. It is becoming clear that we depend upon a well-balanced microbial ecosystem. After millions of years of co-existence, animals, plants, fungus and microbes have adapted and have found mutualistic ways of functioning. Are we ready to understand and to learn from the language of nature? Denise Rochon, ND, FCAH, CCH, is a naturopathic physician specializing in classical homeopathy and Bowen therapy in Halfmoon Bay, B.C. www.drdeniserochon.com | (604) 885-3150

The Immune System, the Brain and the Gut by Dr. Denise Rochon

oday, numerous scientists in microbiology, gastroenterology and psychoneuroimmunology (the study of mind-body interaction) reaffirm that the gut’s microbial activities are strongly linked to the whole body— physically, mentally and emotionally. The immune system, the brain and the gut are tightly intertwined. There are trillions of bacteria in our gut and that those cells can be regarded as a whole organ unto itself, in constant communication with various organs and organ systems, including the central nervous system. In fact, the abdominal brain receives and generates information through a complex web of some 100 million neurons embedded in the walls of the digestive tract. Called the “second brain,” the gut has a mind of its own! For example, about 90 percent of the fibres in the primary visceral nerve, the vagus, carry information between the gut and the brain. The

emerging field of neurogastroenterology is beginning to uncover just how much the two brains communicate and how this secondary brain might influence our whole health. Indeed, both the central nervous system and the enteric (gut-related) nervous system originated from identical tissues during fetal devel-

opment. The vagus nerve is the primary route used by the gut bacteria to transmit information to the brain. Nearly every substance that helps run and control the brain has been found in the gut. Just like the brain, the enteric nervous system uses at least 30 neurotransmitters. For example, 95 percent of the body’s serotonin, the “feel good” hormone, is found in the gut. This second brain of ours is truly an amazing sensory apparatus that responds to our emotional state. And thanks to our “gut feelings,” we have the ability to understand the world and ourselves. In Tao and Chinese culture, tan tien defines the abdomen as the seat of feelings and awareness, and the source of chi or energy. In Japanese culture, it also reflects one’s state of mind and character. All over the world, and in ancient traditions, the belly has been acknowledged for its wisdom and power as our natural and spiritual centre. Health Action | www.hans.org

Antibiotics Not Working for You? Try Ancient Alternatives by Elizabeth Innes

s a result of our overuse of antibiotics, we now live in fear of superbugs and strains of bacteria that can no longer be controlled by antibiotics. The ancient wisdom of plant medicine and Ayurveda can offer solutions to this modern dilemma. When the miracle of penicillin showed up around the Second World War, even then scientists warned us to be careful as bacteria are extremely intelligent and can quickly develop resistance. Now we have superbugs resistant to the newest and most potent antibiotics. People are dying from infections that in the past would have responded to antibiotic therapy. Also many colon disorders are surfacing when the balanced environment of beneficial bacteria is disturbed, disorders such as Pseudomembraneous colitis (also called Clostridium difficile colitis or antibioticassociated colitis). As soon as bacteria sense danger from an antibiotic, they immediately start fighting for survival. Not only do they develop methods to resist this onslaught, but they also communicate it to all other bacteria in their community. Research shows that they do not have to even be in physical proximity to do this and that once resistance has been formed to one antibiotic, other antibiotics can be resisted as well. These are smart little critters! So what can we do about it?

Health Action | www.hans.org

When penicillin showed up around the Second World War, even then scientists warned us to be careful as bacteria are extremely intelligent and can quickly develop resistance.

First, keep our immune systems strong and, second, start using the many remedies available in western herbal medicine and also the ancient system of Ayurvedic medicine.

A personal approach I face this challenge in my practice as a community pharmacist. Pharmacy is a highly regulated profession and the College of Pharmacists of B.C. as the licensing body is there to protect the public. How then can I use herbal medicine, folk medicine, Ayurveda, meditation and all the tools I have gathered in my life and bring them to the pharmacy environment? For me, it all starts with the person standing on the other side of the counter. What does he or she want?

One client with a deeply infected wound on his hand came into the store looking for an alternative to his antibiotic, which was not doing the job. I recommended an herb, broad leaf plantain (pictured above), which grew on the trails around his home. Since herbs are complex life forms with over 200 chemicals as opposed to a single chemical structure of an antibiotic, bacteria do not form resistance to herbs. After one week of regular plantain poulticing, the wound was completely healed and he was ecstatic.

Turning to herbs Another client had a lifethreatening degenerative lung disease. She had been a 30-year smoker and had tried many

therapies, including stem cell treatments at great expense. She could not walk up a flight of stairs. Her latest antibiotic had caused a serious inflammation of her tongue. We put her on some rare Ayurvedic herbs, including kantekari and boswellia, that were specially formulated to increase their effectiveness. In addition we did weekly transdermal marma treatments (Ayurvedic massage with herbs at bioenergetic points), which bring more prana or life force to the tissues. After three months, she was walking up stairs and going dancing with her husband. These are just two examples of the many successful possibilities for alternative health solutions to antibiotic therapies. Elizabeth Innes is a community pharmacist on the Sunshine Coast in B.C. and also has a private practice as a certified herbalist and Ayurvedic educator. www.ayurvedheals.blogspot.com | innes108@gmail.com

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Gut Reaction Consider kefir to strengthen immunity and digestion by Brenda Gill, ND

’d like to tell you about a probiotic food that improves the vigilance and effectiveness of your immune system and keeps your digestive system healthy. Probiotic foods contain active, healthy, live bacteria. When we ingest them, they travel to our intestines and not only help our body break down our food effectively, but they also increase absorption of your nutrients and maximize elimination of your breakdown

Kefir has over 50 different species of beneficial yeasts and bacteria. products. We have about 10 times the number of bacteria and yeast in our digestive system as we have cells in our body.

Kefir culture Kefir is a probiotic food similar to yogurt. It has a slightly sour taste and has a combination of healthy bacteria and healthy yeast, whereas

Did you know?

Health Action | www.hans.org

yogurt only contains bacteria. The beneficial yeasts in kefir are one of the tools to rid the body of C. difficile, a bacteria that is antibiotic resistant and often fatal in at-risk populations. These Saccharomyces yeasts help to re-establish the proper balance of intestinal flora. It is estimated that kefir has over 50 different species of beneficial yeasts and bacteria, and it is a great absorbable form of protein. It also helps to increase the number and activity of our immune cells, so there are more bacteria and yeast to identify and eliminate detrimental bacteria, viruses, yeast or moulds. They help provide vitamins A, B2, B12, K and D, as well as the

minerals calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. They aid in decreasing inflammation in the body by reducing cytokines, therefore not only decreasing acne but also allergies, asthma, hay fever, eczema, atherosclerosis and bursitis or any other “itis.”

Body boost Because it increases the bacteria and yeast in our digestive system, kefir will ensure proper digestion of fibres and carbohydrates, keep the colon clear and clean to minimize diverticulosis, maximize absorption of our nutrients and minimize gas, bloating, indigestion,

constipation or diarrhea. All of this results in better energy, increased drive and motivation, decreased depression and worrying due to the decrease of inflammation that can create a mental or emotional imbalance. It also nourishes the hair, nails and skin. This amazing food also helps in pancreatitis, atopic dermatitis, stomach ulcers, psoriasis, gout, rheumatism, arthritis, osteoporosis and anemia. You can eat kefir every day and it is usually made from goat’s or cow’s milk. It is an example of another one of those fermented foods that should play a larger role in our diets, due to all the wonderful things they help our bodies do. Most cultures have their fermented foods, such as pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, sour veggies and yogurt. So add some of those good bugs to your body and get on those bad bugs before they become a problem! Brenda Gill, ND, is a naturopathic doctor who treats the cause of problems by rebalancing the body using herbs, supplements, homeopathy and exercise. She practises at The Natural Path Clinic in Rossland, B.C. (250) 362-5035

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PREMIUM HEALTH

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Our Innovation Through an impressive legacy of devoted individuals, a sincere dedication to quality and ongoing innovation, Flora has rapidly evolved into one of North America’s premier natural health products companies. Current production facilities include state-of-the-art equipment for processing quality herbal teas, liquid tonics, encapsulating herbal extracts and cold-pressing certified organic seeds into health-benefiting oils.

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Our Commitment Flora’s focus on research and development has resulted in production methods which are among the finest in the world. The staff at Flora are proud to have been honoured with numerous awards for their fine products over the past 48 years. The company remains familyowned and a leader in the field of natural health products. Flora is committed to its mandate of offering only premium quality products that positively impact people’s lives.

Flora Firsts • First to produce truly cold pressed, unrefined flax oil • First to introduce the world to the wonder of Flor•Essence® • First to pioneer freshly pressed, unrefined, nutritional oil combinations • First to develop the correct ratio of omega-3, -6 and -9 • First to use and still be committed to glass for product packaging and recycling

flora’s top three Flora herbal liquid extracts

salus ® natural tonics

udo’s choice ® oil blends

All Flora liquid extracts are manufactured

Salus is a company with a vision of health and

“Low-fat diets are risky and may increase your

in-house in our state-of-the-art production

well-being. With a production facility and test

chances of infections, allergies, behavioural

facilities under strict guidelines and Good

farms in Germany and a certified organic farm

problems and exhaustion,” says world-

Manufacturing Practices. Our liquid extracts

in Chile, Salus always considers ecological

renowned nutrition expert Udo Erasmus,

have had a long and successful history in

and social criteria, while aiming for the least

Ph.D., author of the best-selling book Fats

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environmental degradation as possible.

That Heal, Fats That Kill, and formulator of

around the world.

Udo’s Oil™.

flor•essence ®

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With its powerful cleansing action, Flor•Essence® clears the way for a more energetic and vibrant you. The combined energy of 8 special herbs – burdock, slippery elm, blessed thistle, red clover, sheep sorrel, rhubarb root, watercress and kelp – gently encourages your body to remove toxins more efficiently than it would on its own. The absence of the waste material enables your organs to operate at peak efficiency – the way they are meant to when they are not weighed down. True health begins and ends within your digestive system. Taking Flor•Essence® encourages regular bowel movements and less gas, bloating and indigestion.

A world famous iron supplement, Salus Floradix® effectively prevents iron deficiency and assists with the formation of red blood cells and their proper functions. It also supports tissue formation, proper growth and enhanced iron absorption and utilization through organically bound iron gluconate, vitamin C and B vitamins. Floradix® is non-constipating, safe for long-term, daily use and contains no dairy, lactose, alcohol, GMO, chemical preservatives, colouring or flavouring.

Udo’s Oil™ 3•6•9 Blend is a fish-free blend of plant-sourced oils designed to supply the ideal 2:1 ratio of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids. It contains all the good fats you need, without any of the bad fats you should avoid. It’s pressed in a state-ofthe-art, low heat, low light and oxygen-free environment to optimize freshness and provide maximum nutritional value. All of the ingredients in Udo’s Oil™ pass rigorous quality control testing and are certified organic whenever possible. It’s packed in amber glass bottles and refrigerated for storage to ensure optimal freshness.

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HANS Member News Natural Solutions for Thyroid Health—New Online Program Dr. Jeda Boughton of BodaHealth has launched an informative, easy-to-follow, web-based wellness program to help thyroid sufferers balance hormones, boost energy, lose weight and improve sleep. Download a free report at www.naturalthyroid health.net Healthy Business Consulting Expands to China Maggie Gale, a senior partner with Healthy Business Consulting Ltd., has taken on an additional portfolio, overseeing the company’s international franchise development into mainland China. Ms. Gale will work closely with franchisees and their assigned

project supervisor to ensure a smooth transition of their mangosteen health beverage into the marketplace. www.healthy business.ca | info@healthybusiness.ca Gaia College Wins Award Gaia College recently received the prestigious 2014 BC Real Estate Foundation Private Sector Land Award for its work in teaching sustainable land care. www.gaia college.ca New Organic Green Tea Treatment New Visage Advanced Skin Care and AntiAging Ltd. now offers an organic green tea treatment that contains polyphenols that help to remove deep fibrous collagen due to ber Friday, Decem

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d the study nes of De Wit admitte various discipli e because t in New West, preventative car was less relevan ing hav gley City ed she was frustrat Burnaby and Lan ients to isn’t as much to refer her pat because there Mario Bartel ewsleader.com r s in those use ove all nho photo@newwestn e further car focus on tow inland. sn’t the Lower Ma municipalities. Allana Polo doe study, se the tho to all l h ing wit hica ord w, Acc No the myt spot, have a map to de up only disciplines in one th. townhouses ma fountain of you t of completed consistency and a cen hic re’s per pat the 10 uro But the nat e. elopment in New continuity of car nt residential dev 2011 to 2013. doctor is confide That means a Westminster from was by far new Polo patients at her sing n can last up hou atio ent sult artm ity con Ap gev of 71 per cent, Health + Lon ead at re, inst r et sha to an hou the lion’s umbia Stre Centre on Col ily detached n-minute the usual seve while single-fam live longer will be able to per cent. standard a 18 for n was ing atio ctis sing dur hou by pra and healthier per cent was tor’s office, The other one ve visit to the doc a little preventati housing. said Polo. semi-detached medicine. ioners st of ctit mo pra said er the eth eve All tog Gri Polo has pulled nhouses rly to discuss NEWSLEADER meet regula New West’s tow ctitioners in MARIO BARTEL/ ir 15 holistic pra trated in t pain at her the care regimes of the t cen trea foo con to the are and at n her new clinic s. for detoxificatio a that is used inster common patient Queensborough. infrared saun body of the old Westm best place ks out from an mbia Street. “It’s mind and “That’s not the Allana Polo pee to provide centre on Colu Trust Building ison (of fees) o. “We’re holistic health Pol new op said e,” p-sh to do a compar medicin d plain a sort of one-sto of floo ater ds a gre in dre a t of because it’s ing to stop composed of hun She said it’s par for people seek costs. 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It’s like attention people to deal with chr medical issues their ss the region, on. re acro cati whe ing oxifi eat, par y det s. com it is onion.” the things the nerve pain, and become problem site. lders will say, lth + Longevity , and the impact pharmacy on , clinicians, even home bui • The Polo Hea ia food comes from There’s even a They’re doctors s. lier,” said Grieve. at 711 Columb have on their tative acupuncturist a bit of an out Cnetre is located lifestyle choices Polo said preven go to counsellors and Westminster as tion New ition rma er, ant trac s info e wev ing Ho include St. For mor overall health. medicine is gain Their expertise h more ided the time h.com e “fed up” wit wouldn’t mind e, women’s and www.polohealt Polo said she dec people becom aging medicin y housing like g together the medical system es, colon medium-densit was right to brin the traditional men’s health issu e. n, ctiv ritio s. rea use nut re townho diet and ds to be mo ten t tha hydrotherapy, being proposed y neural therap Most of those t prolotherapy and inland are par for the city’s ma residential for ium of the pod rict.” towers. the school dist an Coté start while ed in Oliver. Mayor Jonath Having Lorenz ool district bas see more und was been an grateful,” sch ik was still aro said he’d like to anu t means there’s we asked. We’re Bal Tha job any s in New West. ays has financial Campbell. use alw of NT PAGE r said nho “Al FRO ove ll. ial, tow from efic pbe turn ed ben entire said Cam ⫸ continu ng that needs ved acti ing be arri l eth the an is he’l som nt w s iptm No “It’ Janet Gra staff since Ga lots on the go. in our official tendent. r retiring as e to work on d working. to be addressed ew associate superin in February afte finding more tim “Al was very har Pace had of the plan (OCP) revi job dra EO nity the t/C San mu of den ud s.” and com ten pro She superin those project He was very ion. We do not district. directors of easurer an extremely as being an opt Victoria school n the district’s nt secretary-tr ater bee ista Gre Ass New in it that he did and n of r was Joh ual. He will be , recently hired have very much instruction. His predecesso Kevin Lorenz h , well liked individ said Coté. so red but hasn’t took a job wit school district Westminster,” colleagues who Pace recently reti Woudzia, who a from the Vernon missed by his OCP review munity College He added the rict’s acting g with him,” said been replaced. Vancouver Com t areas of is now the dist enjoyed workin nt hire, said determine wha rece er. uld er sur sho . oth trea An ago y r yea secretar Gaiptman. appropriate day Nicholson erienced ll be is the exp ld pbe y y Chr wou onl ver Cam was city not ina two the Gaiptman, nday was “We have Mo ment. of Board chair Jon l elop had cipa the e dev hav prin also use vice , it was for townho will continue Both of them as the district y Balanuik retired said Balanuik ctor people. . associate secretar k for new dire in education student services experience as Nagel first day of wor ring to be involved “I am Jeff reti r an. n from es the bee iptm file ano Jam s Ga ady ices alre – with He replace treasurer,” said of financial serv with projects he’s ne Halkett. they will be able vious post was employee, Dia very confident in Pocher. His pre working on. duties of finance etary treasurer teful for his to handle the as assistant secr “We’re very gra n t mee eren ilka diff gan Sim e many for the Okana service. He wor on willing to take hats, and was

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DRIVE, 810 QUAYSIDE ER Dr. Allana Polo and her new clinic ST IN TM NEW WES Polo Health + Longevity Centre on Columbia Street, 94 604-524-18 B.CA New Westminster, LEWHEELERPUB.C., were featured in the New West Newsleader PADD

Weekend

Hangov Health Action |erwww.hans.org Breakfast choice 2 eggs, your or of bacon, ham d with

glycation; it boosts the immunity of DNA and assists stem cells to produce collagen. www.newvisage.ca | (604) 893 8872 BodaHealth Welcomes Rachel Guymer, RMT Rachel has been practising as a registered massage therapist for over 15 years. Her preferred area of focus is on deep tissue therapy; as an athlete, she is well versed in sports-related injuries. www.bodahealth.ca | (604) 733-2632 Clearmind Attains Accreditation Clearmind International, a global personal development and counsellor training school, is now accredited through the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA). PCTIA is the regulatory body for private career training institutions in B.C. www. clearmind.com Group Relationship Sessions Start in New West Trish Lim O’Donnell’s Relationship Sessions will be starting this spring at Moody Park Health and Wellness Centre in New Westminster, B.C. Sessions will be an hour long, four to six people, $20 per person. Participants share their stories and are coached on the spot. www.trishlimodonnell.com | trishlimodonnell@aol.com | (604) 5442902 Standing Committee on Health Submission In December 2014, the B.C. Naturopathic Association submitted a report to the B.C. Select Standing Committee on Health, in response to their request for comment on improving the quality and sustainability of health in B.C. Read the executive summary or download the full report via www.bcna. ca/blog

8th Annual Cancer Prevention & Healing Event

8th Annual Cancer Prevention & Healing Event Presented by:

Saturday, June 6

Alanby: Emmott Centre Presented

6650 Southoaks Cres. Burnaby, BC

12PM-3PM (Doors open at 11:30) Tickets: $30 ($20 HANS Members)

Saturday, June 6

Tickets can be purchased via www.hans.org or by calling HANS at 604-435-0512

with Dr. Adam McLeod, a naturopathic oncologist at the Yaletown Naturopathic Clinic and best-selling author of the Dreamhealer self-help series

“I have had the opportunity to see Adam three times. Each time I have come away with sense of control and contentment. I continue to visualize my immune system being activated and the cancer being burned up. This cancer has met its match being exposed to Adam! Namaste.” -P

Alan Emmott Centre 6650 Southoaks Cres. Burnaby, BC

“I wanted to say thank you for writing Dreamhealer. I could not put it down. I am going to take the information in your book and see if I can help my sister who is fighting cancer right now. You might see a soar in your book sales as I tell all my friends about you and your incredible gift. I attend Unity Church where we talk a lot about visualization, meditation and sacred healing, and I think you are right: we all have the power; we just don’t know where to start.” -L

12PM-3PM (Doors open at 11:30)

www.hans.org

Tickets: $30 ($20 HANS Members) Health Action | www.hans.org

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kinesiology

Take care of yourself and your family or find an amazing new career Specialized Kinseiology classes with Alexis Costello

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naturopathic doctors

Dr. Dorothy Fairley, ND

General family practice treating women’s health, digestion, insomnia, and more. Ask about Theralase Cold Pulse Laser Treatments and Food Sensitivity Testing.

Fairley-HANad.indd 1 traditional chinese medicine

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2490 Blenheim Street, Vancouver, BC V6K 0A4 Phone: 604. 738. 2205 www.dorothyfairley.com 7/30/14 8:16 AM

Confessions of a Baby Boomer Intelligent choices to slow down aging by Ron Gale

discussed. Old age came to mind only when we witnessed our grandparents pass away as early as in their 60s and 70s. Who thought that far ahead anyhow?

my wife’s 20-year journey with leukemia (see Health Action, summer 2014 issue). His words have never left me to this day. After he complimented my wife on how well she was doing without drug intervention, I commented that we believe in proper supplementation, healthy food choices, moderate exercise, staying hydrated and getting enough sleep, not to mention staying positive and associating with positive people. His totally unexpected reply was, “There’s no proof any of that works.” I was beyond surprised to hear this from a medical professional. Interestingly enough, over the years, the good doctor could clearly see Maggie’s overall progress, and at her most recent checkup his encouraging words were: “Keep on doing all those things you’re doing.”

Proof positive

Advice for the ages

One of the most disheartening comments from an oncologist on this subject was made a few years ago as part of

I have always looked at aging with great interest. To date no male in my family has lived past 72 without having a major

or those of us born nine months after the end of the Second World War, we are now in our 70th year. This spring, the graduating classes of Burnaby South (1964/65) will be having their 50th anniversary. When I reviewed the class lists, I was shocked to see how many of my classmates are no longer with us. I am certain that even with the ones attending our reunion, many are finding that their current health is not what they had hoped it would be. If we were to gather the debating team from 1964 and pose the question, “Do we have control over how we age?” I wonder what they would say? I, for one, strongly believe that we do have control over aging. We all know how to speed up the aging process by the choices we make, so it stands to reason that we can make intelligent choices to slow it down. When we graduated, this was not a topic that you would ever hear

Ron Gale in his high school yearbook photo from Burnaby South Secondary School, 1964

heart attack. Consequently, I have made many choices about healthy living over the years, always with my family history in mind. Recently I discussed this with a friend of mine, Dr. Frederic J. Templeman. His comments on aging make so much sense: “Supplements do have a prominent place, along with diet and physical activity, in antiaging measures, in my opinion, but spend your money where the clinical evidence of benefit exists. The effects at three, six or nine months should show up in blood work done by your doctor.” When it comes to our longevity, there are no guarantees. However, as I said earlier, we certainly know how to speed up our aging process, but why not learn how to slow it down? Your choice. Ron Gale is the president of Healthy Business Consulting Ltd., past president of Health Action Network Society and the former fitness coordinator for the Vancouver Police Department. info@healthybusiness.ca

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Simple Steps to Rejuvenate Your Liver And enhance your fat-burning and detoxifying abilities by Brenda Eastwood, RNCP

our liver is very busy performing more than 500 functions. Here are five that relate to weight control and the detoxification process. 1. Most fats are formed in your liver, and when sugar enters your liver, it decides whether to store it, burn it or turn it into fat.

The liver must break down virtually everything toxic to the body. 2. Your liver will “dispose” of estrogen after it has been used. If the liver does not metabolize estrogen properly, estrogen dominance can result,

creating PMS symptoms such as heavy periods, cycle-related headaches and migraines, sore breasts and weight gain. 3. Carnitine is the only known nutrient that can “escort” fats into the mitochondria, where those fats can be “burned” to generate energy. One of the ways the liver helps you burn

New Study: Probiotics Lower Fat Accumulation in the Liver

n a new study in the journal PLOS One (May 2014), University of Grenada researchers fed obese rats three strains of probiotics (Lactobacillus paracasei, Bifidobacterium breve and Lactobacillus rhamnosus) over 30 days. They found the probiotic-fed rats had a significant reduction of fat in their liver and less inflammation in the liver compared with those that were not fed probiotics. The accumulation of fat in the liver, called steatosis, constitutes the first stage in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is linked to obesity and diabetes. According to the researchers, probiotics show promise as support therapy with other treatment for liver disease.

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fat is by manufacturing the amino acid carnitine. 4. A healthy liver will convert the thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) into its more active form triiodothyronine (T3). Inadequate conversion of T4 to T3 by the liver may lead to hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory and a host of other problems. 5. The liver is the main poison-detoxifying organ of the body. It must break down virtually everything toxic to the body.

How’s your liver doing? Most people assume if they don’t drink alcohol or just drink moderately that their liver is doing fine. But the liver can get swamped with work doing everything from processing nutrients to pulling out all the toxic compounds,

such as insecticides, herbicides and food additives, and detoxifying them. Couple this toxic overload with a lack of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients from our nutrient-poor foods and you get subclinical liver dysfunction. This means your liver still works; it just doesn’t function optimally.

10 symptoms of liver dysfunction Chronic fatigue Feeling tired after meals Depression, mood instability n Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) n Nausea n Dietary fat intolerance n Foul-smelling gas n Swollen belly n Constipation and diarrhea n Headaches, especially behind the eyes n n n

3 steps to rejuvenation Unfortunately, a large amount of liver tissue must be damaged or destroyed before the customary tests of liver function reveal abnormality. Yet health practitioners know from experience that many people with no apparent liver damage improve their health by rejuvenating their liver. Start with these three steps.

1. Eat cruciferous vegetables n Consume broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, bok choy, collard greens and watercress as well as garlic, onions and turmeric to help the detoxification ability of the liver. n Other good liver foods are spinach, beets, beetroot tops, parsley, mint, wheatgrass, dandelion greens and alfalfa sprouts.

2. Add supplements to your daily regime n B -complex vitamins work individually and synergistically to facilitate energy release and the manufacture of new cells. n Vitamin C, even in as low a dose as 500 milligrams daily, helps prevent fatty buildup and cirrhosis (much more serious diseases than “liver dysfunction”).

itamin E reduces scar tisV sue production. n MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) must be present in the body for the liver to make its own powerful antioxidant, glutathione. n Omega-3 essential fatty acids help the liver to reduce the inflammation of its cells, which aids in its healing process. n Green tea extract protects and helps cleanse your liver. n

3. Reduce your exposure to chemicals n Use certified organic skin care products and swap out high-chemical cleaning products for low- and nontoxic cleaning products. n Don’t microwave food in plastic containers. n Instead of plastic water bottles, use stainless steel or BPA-free reusable plastic bottles. n Buy certified organic food products as often as you can. Brenda Eastwood, RNCP, is an author and women’s health and hormone specialist with 17 years in private practice, hundreds of seminars and workshops, regular radio and television interviews, CD series, newsletters, teleclasses and an online coaching program. Her new book is Get off the PMS and Perimenopausal Roller Coaster: Learn 9 Natural Fast Track Solutions to Balanced Hormones. www. HormoneRollerCoaster.com

Breeding Ground for Yeast!

I get chronic yeast infections. Could this be due to the fact that I wear a panty liner every day?

We all have some yeast in our system; it is a natural part of our flora. An overgrowth of yeast is what is considered a yeast infection. Yeast needs a few things in order the flourish, including a warm, damp, mucous-dense, nutrientrich environment. If your body has these characteristics, you are now a breeding ground for yeast. The yeast infection becomes chronic when the environment that causes the yeast in the first place has not changed, allowing an overgrowth to continue. When most women get a yeast infection, they take an overthe-counter yeast-buster—either herbal or pharmaceutical— and may take a probiotic along with some short-lived dietary changes. Success! The yeast will disappear—for a while. But if you do not change the environment and continue to have a warm, damp, mucous area with nutrients, the yeast will grow right back. Now let’s discuss panty liners. These products are designed to be used on light days of menstruation, in other words, only a few times per month. The panty liner holds the moisture in this warm area, making it a perfect area for yeast. The panty liner is also holding bodily discharge (for example, urine, blood or mucous), and by doing so, affecting pH and making it a more nutrient-dense area. Voila—a perfect breeding ground. Is there anything that can be done to help this? My recommendation would be to work on the reason you’re wearing a panty liner daily in the first place. Do you have chronic spotting (potential hormone imbalance)? Is it due to incontinence (there are treatments that can help this). Perhaps a chronic mucous discharge from a flora imbalance? Going after the cause of your issue will help to reduce the factors contributing to the yeast. Your chronic yeast infections are a symptom of bigger issue. Fix the cause and then you’ll be able to eliminate the daily use of panty liners! Dr. Alison Vandekerkhove is the founder and owner of A New Leaf Naturpathic Clinic, 4061 200 Street, Langley, B.C. www.anewleafnaturopathic.com | (604) 514-8555

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To Cleanse or Not to Cleanse? Try something new and you just might regain your quality of life by Luannah Livermore

lady recently questioned on social media whether she really needed to change her diet; she wrote that she loves baked goods and sweets and won’t give them up even though her doctor says her blood sugar levels are high. She posited that if she is of “high consciousness,” she should be able to eat anything and it shouldn’t affect her, that because everything is energy, she shouldn’t have to change anything. Everything is consciousness and energy for sure; I live by that understanding and it enables me to live my life with awareness. But it is important to see though our own denial mechanisms that cause us to take such life wisdoms out of context. I have studied and worked in the natural healing arts for 22

years now and I still feel like a newbie. I have an insatiable curiosity about life and how to live it to its fullest. Negating anything from the get-go may rob me of an experience that could benefit me.

Restore vitality This is how I feel about trying out cleanses. Having done many cleanses, I highly recommend them to my clients. Some I liked better than others, but there has always been a benefit of some kind. Last year, an acquaintance of mine, Laura, posted about a cleanse that she was following and having incredible results. Her depression of 20 years had disappeared. She’d been crippled with pain for 23 years and now it’s gone. She is riding her Harley again! She also doesn’t wear glasses anymore, and has

lost 47 pounds and 55 inches. She feels more energized, focused and effective in her life. Who doesn’t want to feel that? Over the previous three years, I had experienced two serious

concussions and was struggling to get my health back. I had also gained about 25 pounds. So I messaged Laura and felt my body say, “I need this!” as she described the pro-

A Gentle Flow: Colon Hydrotherapy to Flush Out Toxins

olon hydrotherapy is an effective treatment for detoxification and restoring regular bowel function. The treatment involves flushing the colon with sterilized water to remove accumulated toxins from the body and stimulate normal bowel activity. Colon hydrotherapy can help to treat fatigue, chronic pain, bloating/gas, weight gain, skin conditions, hormonal issues and an irritable bowel. The beneficial bacteria play an important role in our health, manufacturing shortchain fatty acids (acetate, butyrate, propionate), which are the preferred fuel of our

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intestinal cells and contribute to a healthy bowel pH level. These bacteria also inhibit the overgrowth of yeast, parasites and pathogenic bacteria. Chronic constipation, digestive problems, food allergies, poor diet and medications such as antibiotics and steroid medications often contribute to poor colon health, which may lead to many other chronic illnesses. Colon hydrotherapy is a session, or series of sessions, using a gentle “flow” of water to flush out intestinal material from the bowels. Unlike enemas, which only cleanse the last 12 to 18 inches of the five-foot

bowel, colon hydrotherapy directs water flow through the entire length. Together with proper diet, exercise and supplementation, constipation of various types can be effectively resolved. Colon hydrotherapy promotes the effective elimination of toxins and helps rectify digestive dysfunction, fatigue/fibromyalgia, intestinal infections (candida, parasites, worms, pathogenic bacteria), irritable bowel syndrome and a multitude of other conditions. Village Health Clinic, #105 – 15153 Highway 10, Surrey, B.C. www.village healthclinic.ca | (604) 575-7275

cess to me. After my concussions, I would get active and work for a few days then I would get sick, over and over again. I was so tired of it. I had been so active before and couldn’t handle the loss of quality of life any more. Since doing this cleanse, my health is back—my strength and vitality have returned and I have lost 24 pounds. I feel great!

Why greens are important Greens contain phytonutrients not found in other foods. They contain chlorophyll that oxygenates the blood; enzymes that rejuvenate the body; trace minerals that alkalize; and light-weight polypeptides that

we release more carbon dioxide, which reduces stress on the body and increases energy and endurance. Diseases don’t just appear; diseases incubate, over months, years, decades. We may think we look healthy, but if we are not giving our body the essentials that it needs to maintain an alkaline diet, that supports the aerobic bacteria, and nourishes us deeply, there is a strong possibility that disease is building. We need to stop disease from incubating. Regular cleanses and a change in diet can do that. If we stay in denial, thinking we are the exception to the rule, like that lady, what do you think the outcome will be? Yes, it requires discipline at

Since doing this cleanse, my health is back— my strength and vitality have returned and I have lost 24 pounds. I feel great!

enhance the immune system and strengthen the skeletal and muscular system, making us less susceptible to stress. Chlorophyll also creates an oxygenated environment that supports aerobic bacteria— good bacteria like acidophilus—to thrive, thereby acting as defenders of our gut. This is why consuming greens is so important. Disease cannot take hold in an aerobic environment. When we consume chlorophyll-rich foods, we create an environment with an abundant ability to carry oxygen to the extremities, and when we absorb and carry more oxygen,

the beginning, but eventually it becomes a pleasure because you feel so good. Cleansing will absolutely bring incredible benefits to everybody. Luannah Livermore’s practice began in Europe 22 years ago, with massage, nutrition and energy healing. She integrates multiple healing disciplines to promote awareness of self and effective choices and actions that can better one’s health and mental/emotional/physical well-being. She works from her Healing Studio on Galiano Island and practises regularly in Ladner, B.C. healing@hawaiian healinghub.com | (604) 782-9197

Relaxing, Revitalizing Sauna Therapy

oday’s busy lifestyles can prevent us from actively sweating on a daily basis, but numerous medical studies show that deep sweating has multiple health benefits. Using an infrared sauna, you may experience: Pain relief: The deep heat helps blood vessels dilate, bringing relief and healing to muscle and soft tissue injuries; Detoxification: Sweating in the infrared sauna takes the detoxifying load off your liver and kidneys by the direct elimination of toxins through the skin; Weight loss and cardiovascular fitness: As the body increases sweat production to cool itself, the heart works harder to pump blood at a greater rate to boost circulation, supplying the conditioning benefits of continuous exercise. Heart rate, cardiac output, and metabolic rate increase; Athletic performance: Athletes are using the infrared sauna to warm their muscles before and after working out, to prevent injuries and also to promote relaxation; Boosts immune system: By raising the core temperature, the infrared sauna improves the immune system and stimulates the body’s own natural healing processes; Improves skin: Sweating in the infrared sauna carries off deeply embedded impurities and dead skin cells, leaving the skin glowing and clean. Skin tone and elasticity are improved as well as relief from acne, eczema and psoriasis; Clears cellulite: Infrared sauna therapy can help clear cellulite—the gel-like lumps of fat, water, and debris trapped in pockets beneath the skin—by increasing blood flow and removing stored toxins.

Polo Health + Longevity Centre, 711 Columbia Street, New Westminster, B.C. www.polohealth.com | (604) 544-POLO (7656)

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North American North Americanhouseholds households allow an allow an estimated estimated30 30toto40 40 percent of percent of their theirfood foodtotogo gototo waste. AA large waste. largepercentage percentageofofthat that is fruit fruit that thatgoes goesblue blueand andfuzzy fuzzy on the counter counterand andgreens greensthat that turn soupy soupyin inthe thedark darkcorners cornersofof the crisper. crisper. Understandinghow Understanding howto tostore store produce and produce and how howlong longititlasts lasts once you you bring bringitithome homeare are surefire ways to reduce food waste and waste and save saveon ongrocery grocerybills. bills.

GeneralGuidelines General Guidelines

TheShelf The ShelfLife Life of Foods of Foods

Keep foods Keep foodswhole whole Produce stored in its whole form will keep longer than if you chop it up or remove its outer leaves. The exception is green tops cut off of vegetables like beets and carrots. Removing tops an inch away from the root vegetable ensures that nutrients are not robbed from it. Many tops are also edible but should be stored separately.

Knowing the relative longevity of fresh produce can help you shop and plan meals strategically so that nothing goes to waste. This is a general guide. Shelf life will vary depending on when the food was picked, how it was transported and how it is stored.

One Onebad badapple apple Toss any produce that is showing signs of starting to go off. There’s There’s a agood goodreason reasonforforthe thephrase phrase “one “one bad apple the barrel. bad apple spoilsspoils the barrel. ” See ”also See also “Ethylene Emissions.” “Ethylene Emissions”. Ideal temperature Idealrefrigerator refrigerator temperature A warmer fridge will allow foods to spoil while a cooler one will freeze foods. The ideal refrigerator temperature setting is anywhere from 1.7º to 3.3ºC (35º to 38ºF).

Christina Peressini Christina Peressini is a graphic designer, writer and nutritionist. She is passionate about educating and informing people about natural health in a way that’s meaningful and memorable. foodhead.ca info@foodhead.ca 604 730 1123

Standing room Standing room only only Packing produce tightly together in the fridge will encourage swifter deterioration. Provide breathing space between foods and see “How and Where to Store Fresh Produce” on the next page. Choose local Choose local If you’ve ever bought directly from a farm or grown food yourself, you know it lasts much longer than most grocery store purchases.

Veryshort Very short

Short Short

(~1to (~1 to22days) days)

(~3to (~3 to55days) days)

Asparagus Avocados Bananas Broccoli Cherries Corn Mushrooms Raspberries Strawberries

Cantaloupe Collard greens Cucumbers Eggplant Grapes Green beans Lettuce Limes Papaya Peaches Zucchini

Longer Longer

Longest Longest

(~6to (~6 to77days) days)

(8 days (8 days+)+)

Bell peppers Blueberries Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Kale Leeks Lemons Oranges Parsley Pears Plums Spinach Tomatoes

Apples Beets Cabbage Carrots Celery Garlic Onions Potatoes Sweet potato Winter squash

EthyleneEmissions Ethylene Emissions

Cool, dry Cool, dryand and in the in the darkdark Potatoes, onions, garlic and winter squash are sensitive to the cold and should not be kept in the fridge. Keep the first three items in their own individual paper bags.

Knowing which foods give off ethylene (a ripening agent) can be a strategy you use to your advantage. Ethylene emitters, like ripe bananas, can be put into a paper bag with another piece of fruit to ripen it quickly for quickly, forinstance. instance.But Butin ingeneral, general, foods in these two categories aim keep to keep foods in these two categories separate from one another to ensure ethylene-sensitive foods do not ripen prematurely.

On the thekitchen kitchen counter On counter Tomatoes, eggplant, bananas, avocados (and other fruits that you want to ripen) are all best kept at room temperature. Uprightininwater water Upright Green onions, asparagus and most fresh herbs are best stored in the fridge standing upright in a shallow glass of water with a plastic bag covering them. In the thecrisper crisper In The humidity in a crisper is slightly higher than in the rest of the fridge so put foods here that can benefit from this environment, including apples, lettuce, celery, oranges and grapefruit. Keep washed lettuce rolled in a damp tea towel and keep celery wrapped in foil or plastic. Store mushrooms in a paper bag. Covered the fridge Coveredinin the fridge The best way to store cauliflower,, cherries, zucchini and bell peppers is in a breathable container or covered with a damp cloth.

Uncovered inin Uncovered thethe fridge fridge Brussels sprouts and cabbage do well uncovered in the fridge. Sealed ininthe Sealed the fridge fridge Lemons can last four times longer if sealed in a plastic bag versus left out on the counter. Carrots keep best if completely covered with water. Oddballs Oddballs Once cut, leave the pit in and store the avocado in a sealed container, or include a slice of onion in the container. Wash berries in a bath of 3:1 vinegar to water, spin dry in a salad spinner and store in a container in the fridge with the lid slightly open. A cucumber wrapped in plastic lasts longer than one that is unwrapped. The The freezer freezer is your is your friend friend Most people already know about the old favourites that keep so well in the freezer (e.g., berries, bananas, blanched vegetables), but did you know that you can also freeze cooked beans, avocados and ginger root? Even eggs can be cracked into ice cube trays (with yolks poked), and then kept in a sealed container in the freezer for up to one year.

Ethylene-producing Ethylene-producing Apples Melons Apricots Nectarines Avocados Papayas Bananas Peaches Figs Pears Kiwi Plums Mangoes Tomatoes Ethylene-sensitive Ethylene-sensitive Asparagus Leafy greens Broccoli Parsley Brussels sprouts Peas Cabbage Peppers Carrots Summer squash Cauliflower Sweet potatoes Cucumbers Potatoes Eggplant Watermelons Yams

Cut out and keep nearby as a handy reference

How&&Where How Where to to Store Store Fresh Fresh Produce Produce

Traditional Fermented Foods with a Modern Twist Balance your inner ecosystem and rebuild digestive health by Eden Elizabeth, RHN, RYT

ne of the most inexpensive and powerful nutritional tools that you can use to improve detoxification, digestion and immune processes is fermented foods. This simple and inexpensive way of storing and preserving fresh vegetables has been a beneficial ingredient in many cultures across the world. Fermented foods are often paired with fatty foods such as sauerkraut with perogies or kimchi with fried rice. We now know that this practice is proven to be beneficial for digestion due to the fermented foods’ ability to encourage the release of digestive juices and bile from the gall bladder. Traditionally fermented foods go through a lacto-fermentation process, which preserves the food and also creates enzymes, B vitamins and probiotics. Not only do fermented foods help to break down and digest fats, but they also create a delightful balance of flavours and add interest to a meal.

Cleansing and healing Fermented foods are great chelators of heavy metals, toxins and pesticides, making them an essential tool for cleansing and detoxifying the body. Many people suffer from irritable bowel syndrome

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Not only do fermented foods help to break down and digest fats, but they also create a delightful balance of flavours and add interest to a meal.

and inflammatory bowel diseases. Fermented foods can be a missing link in healing and regulating the digestive processes. The large probiotic content of these foods helps to restore balance in your digestive track. A recent study has shown that probiotics can actually help to modulate the immune system and may curtail inflammation. Fermented foods can also help the body produce acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that helps facilitate the communication of nerve impulses. This is essential in

reducing constipation by improving the movement of the bowel and also increasing the release of digestive juices. Eating fast food depleted of fibre and nutrients and full of refined sugars and fats puts stress on the digestive system, leading to inflammation and a reduction in the amount of good bacteria in our gut. By reducing the amount of these foods and increasing the probiotic-rich fermented foods, we can help to rebuild our digestive health. In the 1950s, sauerkraut was used in Europe to treat typhoid

fever due to its ability to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Unfortunately, with the advances in technology, food preparation and storage, these traditional foods have been, for the most part, lost in our North American society. Although pickles, sauerkraut and kimchi are all available in the grocery store, they are often not fermented naturally and have been pasteurized to extend their shelf life, therefore eliminating the nutritional benefits. In order to find fermented foods with all of their inherent benefits look for products that are located in the fridge with “raw” or “unpasteurized” on the label. To get started on your path to better digestive health try adding in one-quarter cup of fermented foods per day. There are quite a few to choose from: coconut yogurt, miso, fermented seasonal vegetables often found at farmers markets, kimchi, sauerkraut and aged nut cheeses. Why not try making some of these delicious condiments yourself? Eden Elizabeth, RHN, RYT, is a registered holistic nutritionist, culinary artist and cancer thriver. She co-founded Feed Life, a Vancouver plant-based lifestyle company educating people on how to increase energy and heal their bodies through food. Courses are offered online and in person. www.feedlife.ca | (604) 790-9358

Bi Bim Bap Vegan and Gluten Free

Colin Medhurst

Serve this traditional Korean dish made with rice and fresh vegetables with kimchi for a deliciously tangy flavour. I like to use forbidden rice (an heirloom rice) as the base as it’s easy to digest and fast to make compared to brown or wild varieties.

Rice base: 2/3 cup forbidden black rice or your favourite rice 1/2 cup green onions, sliced thinly (green and white parts) 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp minced garlic 1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos 2 tbsp sesame seeds

Toppings: You can really get creative with your toppings; here are some examples of what I like to use. Try to get a variety of colour and texture. You can use both raw and slightly cooked/ steamed/sauteed vegetables and mushrooms. 1 1 1 cup 1 cup 1/2 cup 1 1–2 tbsp

carrot, julienne small zucchini, julienne mushrooms (such as shiitake, portobello, crimini), sliced greens (kale, spinach, arugula, swiss chard), sliced thinly beets, grated or spirolized into noodles green onion, sliced thinly sesame seeds

Method: Prepare the rice base. Cook the rice as directed on package. While rice is cooking, sauté mushrooms in a medium fry pan with coconut oil, adding in water if they begin to stick to the pan. In the meantime, prepare the toppings. Once rice is cooked, add it to sautéed mushrooms in fry pan. Add remaining ingredients listed under rice base and warm over medium heat until everything is combined and the flavour is consistent throughout. Spoon the rice base into bowls and then place the toppings on top to create a beautiful, colourful dish. Serve with kimchi. Bon appétit! Health Action | www.hans.org

Kimchi This tangy, sweet and spicy condiment is a staple in Korean cuisine and is typically eaten with every meal. You can add it to grains and legumes to instantly create a flavourful dish or use kimchi as a side to ease digestion.

Colin Medhurst

Ingredients: 1 napa cabbage, cut into quarters and then sliced into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup pink Himalayan salt 6 cups water 1 red apple, cored and cut into eighths then sliced thinly 1/4 cup jicama, grated 1/2 cup white onion, diced 2 green onions, chopped (white and green parts) 1 tbsp chili pepper (cayenne is good) 1 tbsp Hungarian paprika 1 tbsp ginger, grated 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp sea vegetable flakes or 1 nori sheet cut into thin 1-inch-long strips Method: Dissolve salt in 2 cups of room-temperature water. Place cabbage in a large bowl and pour the salt water mixture over top and then add the remaining water. Stir to combine. Let the cabbage sit in salt water on countertop overnight so that it wilts. Use a pie plate or something similar to submerge the cabbage so that it wilts evenly. While the cabbage is wilting, prepare all the other ingredients. In a blender or food processor, add remaining ingredients and pulse until combined well but not puréed. Once cabbage is wilted, drain off the salt water. Place cabbage back into the bowl and toss with chili mixture until completely covered. Boil water and pour into glass jars to sterilize the jars. I like to use small mason jars. Let the boiling water sit in jars for one minute then pour out. Spoon kimchi into jars, leaving about 3/4 inch at the top. Pack the kimchi down so that there are no air pockets. The liquid should rise to the top. If there is no liquid on the top make a small amount of brine (1 tbsp Himalayan salt dissolved into 1 cup warm water) to cover the kimchi. Let kimchi set at room temperature for 24 hours with lid securely in place. After 24 hours, open jar and press the mixture down with a clean spoon so that there is liquid on the top. You may notice bubbles forming; this is the kimchi fermenting. The longer you leave the kimchi on the counter, the more the flavours will develop. It should be sweet, spicy and salty. Leave for a maximum 48 hours. Once completed it will keep in the fridge for up to one month, if you use a clean spoon every time you take some out to eat.

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Simple Sauerkraut This is a very simple recipe for making sauerkraut. You will need two 1-litre mason jars, two small jam jars that fit inside the mouth of the mason jars, and cheesecloth.

Colin Medhurst

Ingredients: 1 cabbage (red or green), shredded 2 tbsp Himalayan salt 1 tbsp caraway seeds 2 cabbage leaves Method: Boil water and pour inside mason jars and let sit for one minute to disinfect. Prepare cabbage, making sure to remove any brown or limp leaves. You can use a mandolin to shred the cabbage or slice it into eighths and then slice each wedge crosswise very thinly. In a medium bowl, combine cabbage with salt. Massage the salt into the cabbage until liquid starts to come out of the cabbage and it becomes soft. Squeeze the cabbage to wring out the moisture. Expect to do this massaging and wringing for up to 10 minutes to make a watery, limp consistency. Add in caraway seeds. Pack the cabbage into the two 1-litre jars, making sure to remove air bubbles. As you pack down the cabbage, the water should rise above the ingredients. Pour extra liquid left in the mixing bowl on top of the cabbage when you are done packing it down. Â Place a piece of a cabbage leaf on top of the shredded cabbage and liquid. Then fill a jam jar with water or something heavy and place on top of the cabbage leaf. This will keep the cabbage submerged and the liquid will start to rise above the leaf. Place the cheesecloth over top of the jar and secure with a rubber band. This prevents any dust or pests from entering your jar. Store in a spot at room temperature away from sunlight. Over the next 24 hours, press down the jam jar to submerge the cabbage in its own juice. If after 24 hours the juice has not risen above the cabbage leaf, you can add some brine (1 tbsp Himalayan salt dissolved into 1 cup warm water). Add in enough to submerge the cabbage. After three days, see how the shredded cabbage tastes. You can keep it fermenting up to one week. It is up to you how long to ferment it as the longer it ferments the stronger the flavour will be. You will notice white foam and bubbles forming on topâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this is normal. You can skim off the foam with a spoon every couple of days. You can store the sauerkraut in the fridge for at least two months. Health Action | www.hans.org

Yam Perogies with Cashew Cream and Sauerkraut Vegan and Gluten Free

Colin Medhurst

A simpleto-make and guilt-free alternative to regular doughy perogies. Serve on a bed of greens and enjoy as an entrée or as a side to a large bowl of soup.

Ingredients: 1 medium yam, peeled and cubed 1/2 yellow onion, chopped 2 tsp coconut oil 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp paprika 10 rice paper dumpling wrappers Cashew cream: 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours 1/4 cup water 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tsp lemon juice 1/2 tsp salt

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Method: Place the cubed yam in a steaming basket and steam until soft. In a fry pan over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion with coconut oil until onions are soft. Place yam in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until there are no lumps. Add in all remaining ingredients including the onion and garlic. Mix until combined. Pour 1/2 cup water onto a dinner plate and submerge one dumpling wrapper. Make sure the wrapper is very wet but not soggy. Place wrapper on cutting board and spoon 1 tbsp of the yam mixture onto one side of the wrapper. Fold the other half on top and press the edges with wet fingers to seal. If you have a perogy press, you can use that to seal the edges and create a decorative edge. To prepare the cashew cream, place all ingredients in a blender and purée. Serve perogies on a bed of greens (arugula has a complementary peppery flavour) with a dollop of cashew cream and sauerkraut.

Free Yourself from Toxic Behaviours The detox your mind and body really need by Shelley Ugyan

he buzz around detoxing, cleaning out the old and making room for the new is always a welcome energy in spring. It is a time to rid the body of toxins, to start a new food plan and to get back to that exercise regime. But what if, instead of focusing on the outside, we look inside—at the stories and perceptions that create the same habits we get into every year, month, day or hour. What if we look closely at the belief systems, the unwritten rules that shape our lives, and investigate how well—or not well—they are working in creating a life full of joy, presence and selflove—not just in spring but all year long.

At the mercy of a belief system We all have rules and assumptions that guide our everyday perceptions. If we don’t uncover what they are, we continue to feed them and let them control our lives. An assumption that fed my compulsive overeating for years was, “If I look like a supermodel, I will be loveable. And if I don’t, I’m unloveable.”

Living at the mercy of a belief system is like being in prison.

This core belief became a pattern that affected my behaviours daily. With that rule governing my happiness, I was ever searching for love, and my body was never good enough. Every day, I inflicted a grueling pattern of exercise combined with a lack of food but plenty of negative self talk, “You aren’t doing enough, you should eat less, you are too fat”—and on and on. Living at the mercy of a belief system, a pattern of rules that determine happiness or create misery, is like being in prison. Freedom is not possible when the same distorted perceptions are creating the same toxic behaviours, with the same negative consequences and continuous self-sabotage day after day. The pattern may show up in a relationship ending time and time again, or a lack of pros-

Spring clean your min

perity, a sense of feeling alone or an eating disorder. But when you are only looking on the surface at what is going on, you never really get to the source of the problem.

Stop feeding the lie If you are struggling with problematic eating and you continue to focus on your weight, your shape and your beauty, you continue to feed the lie that has you stuck. To get to the source of the distorted belief pattern, you must give up the diet mentality. You must let go of the rules you have around body image, shape and beauty. You must embrace the possibility that by letting go of this obsession with weight, you will heal—for good. Letting go of a belief system

f a belief o o g g t t in

takes time, patience and, most of all, love. Trust you are exactly where you are meant to be, that the next right step will present itself. It is not a perfect path. It’s OK to make mistakes. Your job is only to be open and to commit to living a life free of rules. I have been healed for over 14 years and I have a life I could never have dreamed possible— freedom with food! And I want you to have this, too. Shelley Ugyan is a board-certified health coach, education teacher and yoga instructor. She empowers healing from problematic eating. She offers group programs and Skype sessions. Visit emergingjewel.com about her next online program and receive a copy of her book, 12 Weeks to Heal Problematic Eating … for Good!

system takes time, patience an

d love

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Osteopathy for Mothers, Babies and Children To support optimal health and development by Carolyne Abrams

s everyone knows, giving a child the best start possible in life is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Osteopathy, and particularly cranial osteopathy, can help give a child that start. That start happens even before a baby is born when the mother has treatment during pregnancy.

Before and during birth Gentle techniques are used to align the motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pelvis and spine to help the baby get into the best possible position for birth. This helps ensure a problem-free delivery. However, not all births are easy. Sometimes there can be a long, drawn-out labour that results in an emergency Caesarian section, vacuum extraction or the use of forceps. Any of these can affect a babyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health by compromising the nervous system and body alignment. Osteopathic treatment restores function and alignment. The task of the osteopathic practitioner is to understand what has gone wrong and why, and to use her hands to allow the body to correct itself. Mechanical disorders have a profound effect on the functioning of all body systems. In babies and children it is particularly important to pay attention to the body, not only for

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immediate help with distress and disease, but to encourage optimum health for a lifetime.

relaxing. Osteopathy can play an important part of establishing health in a baby.

After birth

Toddlers

An osteopathic checkup following the birth can help pinpoint potential problems and ease the dramatic transition from life inside the womb to the outside world. This initial adjustment involves many bodily processes such as breathing and digestion. Stresses and strains from the labour or pregnancy can lead to unsettled behaviour, colic, and difficulties with feeding, burping, bowel movements and sleeping. Relieving any physical strains with gentle osteopathic treatment can be very helpful and

As well, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to monitor the progress of early developmental milestones so as to address any effects of major physical mishaps or developmental lag to prevent problems developing in future. For toddlers who are newly mobile and therefore prone to falls and minor accidents, osteopathy can resolve any problems arising from an injury. At this age they also begin mixing with other children at daycare or preschool and are exposed to many infections, including frequent or persistent coughs,

colds and runny noses, as well as common childhood infections. Osteopathic treatment not only supports the development of the immune system but often helps children get over an illness more quickly. Often, this is the age at which developmental problems relating to communication (including speech) and social interaction become evident. Autism or being on the autistic spectrum may be diagnosed and osteopathy can be a supportive health measure of therapy.

School age and beyond School-aged children may have difficulty concentrating, coping with learning and writing, or with acquiring and

Osteopathic treatment not only supports the development of the immune system, but also often helps children get over an illness more quickly.

mastering fine and gross motor skills. Osteopathy aims to support the child through this phase of their development. Rapid growth and development occurs at this age and regular osteopathic checks and treatment where necessary are vital. Some of the issues that arise at this age include spinal asymmetry, postural fatigue, growth-related bone pain, anxiety and headaches. The osteopathic management of children at all ages is rewarding as the aim is to ensure that every aspect of growth is taking place appropriately, resolving issues promptly as they arise. Pre-adolescent children come for treatment with a variety of conditions such as headaches, dyslexia, dyspraxia (a developmental coordination disorder), chondromalacia patellae (damage to the cartilage behind the knee) and constipation. I also treat children who have more serious conditions such as epilepsy, asthma, hydrocephalus, autism and genetic syndromes. It’s not possible to cure these children but my experience is that osteopathy can significantly improve their quality of life.

For moms Many women seek treatment during pregnancy, either for a problem caused by or exacerbated by the pregnancy, or to ensure good health and structure to ease the course of

delivery. The postural and weight changes of pregnancy are often difficult to cope with. Many pregnant women will complain of back pain, swelling, breathlessness and heartburn. These can all be treated with gentle osteopathic care. After birth, women come for treatment for a number of reasons. Usually there is a specific complaint as a result of the delivery or trying to establish feeding, for example, back pain, pelvic pain and mastitis. External treatment of perineal stitches as well as Caesarian incisions can help healing to happen more quickly and completely. Women also come for a general postpartum checkup to ensure everything is getting back to normal, particularly after a difficult pregnancy or delivery. In recognition of how the mother’s health affects the well-being of her baby, it’s important that mothers receive treatment, too. Carolyne Abrams is an osteopathic practitioner who has been treating pregnant women, babies and children for over 20 years. She trained in London, England, at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine and then obtained a postgraduate training diploma in pediatric osteopathy at the Osteopathic Centre for Children, also in London. She practises in Vancouver, West Vancouver and North Vancouver, B.C. www.lighthealing.ca | (778) 2294532

HealingRetreats Retreats Healing Retreats Healing on on Healingon Retreats GalianoIsland Island Galiano Island Galiano on Healing Retreats Galiano on Island Release Exhaustion Release Exhaustion

Release Exhaustion RaiseYour Your Energy Raise Energy Galiano Island Raise Your Energy RenewYour YourHealth! Health! Renew Release Exhaustion Renew Your Health! Raise Your Energy Release Exhaustion Step away from the hustle and bustle and Step away from the hustle and bustle and let yourself fully unwind, Your Energy Renew Your Health! Step awayRaise from the hustle and bustle and let yourself fully unwind, relax and nurtured this island paradise. let yourself fully unwind, relax and bebe nurtured inin this island paradise. Renew Your Health! relaxaway and be nurtured in this Step from the hustle andisland bustleparadise. and

Step away from the hustle and bustle and Retreat Create Your Own Personalized Retreat Create Your Own Personalized let yourself fully unwind, let yourself fully unwind, Create Your Own Personalized Retreat relax and this island paradise. relax andbe benurtured nurtured ininthis island paradise.

TraditionalHawaiian HawaiianShamanic ShamanicHealing Healing Traditional Lomi Lomi Create Your Own Own Personalized Retreat Lomi Lomi Create Your Personalized Retreat Traditional Hawaiian Shamanic Healing CrystalSinging Singing Bowl Sound Healing Crystal Bowl Sound Healing Lomi Lomi Ho’oponopono Life Coaching Traditional Hawaiian Shamanic Healing Ho’oponopono Life Coaching Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Healing Traditional Hawaiian Shamanic Healing Lomi Lomi Reflexology Reflexology Ho’oponopono Life Coaching Lomi Lomi Crystal Singing Sound Healing DeepTissue Tissue&Bowl &Relaxation Relaxation Massage Deep Massage Reflexology Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Healing Ho’oponopono Life Coaching Bodymind Acupressure Bodymind Acupressure Deep Tissue & Relaxation Massage Reflexology Ho’oponopono Life Coaching SRT-Spiritual Response Therapy SRT-Spiritual Response Therapy Deep Tissue & Relaxation Massage Bodymind Acupressure Reflexology Meditation Meditation Bodymind Acupressure Therapy SRT-Spiritual Response Deep Tissue & and Relaxation Massage Movement and Expressive Dance Movement Expressive Dance SRT-Spiritual Response Therapy Meditation Bodymind Acupressure Meditation and Expressive Dance "Receiving a Lomi Lomi healing treatment from Luannah Livermore, was a deeply “Receiving aMovement Lomi Lomi healing treatment from Luannah Livermore was a deeply "Receiving a Lomi Lomi healing treatment from Luannah Livermore, was a deeply SRT-Spiritual Response Therapy Movement and Expressive Dance moving experience and something far more authentic and powerfully healing than moving experience something farmore more authentic powerfully than moving experienceand and something far authentic and and powerfully healinghealing than Meditation any othe rmassage or Lomi Lomi session I had experienced. It was an eye-opening any othe rmassage or Lomi Lomi session I had experienced. It was an eye-opening any other massage or Lomi Lomi session I had experienced. It was an eye-opening "Receiving a LomiLomi Lomi healing fromfrom Luannah Livermore, was a deeply "Receiving ainto Lomi healingtreatment treatment Luannah Livermore, was adialogue, deeply voyage the true wisdom of Hawaiian teachings, and one-to-one voyage into the true wisdom of and Hawaiian teachings, thethe one-to-one dialogue, voyage into the true wisdom of Hawaiian teachings, andand the one-to-one dialogue, moving experience and something farfar more authentic and powerfully healing than Movement Expressive Dance moving experience and something authentic and powerfully healing than physical body work, traditional song,more and massage helped bring awareness,

physical body work,work, massage helped bring awareness, any othe rmassage ortraditional Lomi Lomi song, session I had experienced. It bring was an eye-opening physical body traditional songand and massage helped awareness, any othe rmassage orwisdom Lomi Lomi session had and experienced. Itenabling was an eye-opening connection, and release. It was a Iprofound experience healing, voyage into truth thetruth true of Hawaiian teachings, the one-to-one dialogue, connection, and release. ItItwas a profound experience enabling healing, connection, truth and release. was a profound experience enabling healing, voyage into the true wisdom of Hawaiian teachings, and the one-to-one dialogue, integration, and transformation within. Having worked with Luannah over the course physical body work, traditional song, and massage helped bring awareness, "Receiving a Lomi Lomi healing treatment from worked Luannah Livermore, was deeply integration, and transformation within. Having worked with Luannah over the course of integration, and transformation within. Having with Luannah over the a physical body traditional and massage bring awareness, connection, truth and release. It song, was aLuannah profound experience enabling healing, a few years, I have experienced to be ahelped wonderfully rich, joyful, a few years, Iwork, have experienced Luannah toauthentic be a wonderfully rich, joyful, moving experience and something far more and powerfully healing than course of a few years, I have experienced Luannah to be a wonderfully integration, and transformation within. Having worked with Luannah over the course of connection, truth and release. It was a profound experience enabling healing, compassionate therapist with purpose and vision. therapist with purpose and vision. anycompassionate othe orexperienced Lomi Lomi session I had experienced. It was an eye-opening aHer fewrmassage years, I have Luannah to be awith wonderfully rich, joyful, rich, joyful, compassionate therapist purpose and vision. integration, and transformation within. Having worked with Luannah over the course deep sense of caring and authenticity translate her work, practice and energyo Her deep sense ofwisdom caring and authenticity translate to to her work, practice and energy.” voyage into the true ofpurpose Hawaiian teachings, and the one-to-one dialogue, compassionate therapist with andtranslate vision. Her deep sense of caring and authenticity to her work, practise and energy.” -Grace Park , Vancouver BC a few Iwork, have experienced Luannah to betoaher wonderfully -Grace Park , Vancouver BC Heryears, deep sense of caring and authenticity work, practice andjoyful, energy.” physical body traditional song, andtranslate massage helped bringrich, awareness, -Grace Park, and Vancouver BC compassionate therapist with vision. -Grace Park , Vancouver BCpurpose connection, truth and release. It was a profound experience enabling healing, Her deep sense of caring and authenticity translate hercall work, 604-782-9197 practice andcourse energy.” www.hawaiianhealinghub.com or integration, and transformation within. Having workedtowith Luannah over the of

www.hawaiianhealinghub.com or call 604-782-9197

-Grace , Vancouver BCLuannah to be or call 604-782-9197 a fewwww.hawaiianhealinghub.com years, IPark have experienced a wonderfully rich, joyful, compassionate therapist with purpose and vision. Her deep sense of caring and authenticity translate to her work, practice and energy.”

www.hawaiianhealinghub.com or call 604-782-9197 -Grace Park , Vancouver BC

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www.hawaiianhealinghub.com or call 604-782-9197

Can Homeopathy Successfully Prevent Disease during Epidemics or Pandemics? A review of the evidence by Elena Cecchetto, CCH, RSHom (NA)

pathic treatments for the 1918 flu were limited to aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid compared to what is available now. It is also plausible that the results are lower for allopaths because the allopathic medicines used between 1798 and 1918 were not as sophisticated as present ones.

an homeopathy help to prevent disease in epidemics or pandemics? For seven years, I have been using Dr. Isaac Golden’s homeoprophylaxis (or HP, the use of homeopathic remedies to prevent a specific disease) program for children in my homeopathic clinic. However, when clients and others ask for the scientific evidence, my reference to historical accounts of homeopathic use during actual epidemics doesn’t always seem to satisfy them. As I am questioning what is science and what is knowledge, I am also unsure.

There are challenges to the understanding and acceptance of using homeopathic remedies for epidemics and pandemics.

Here I aim to explain the use of homeopathy for the prevention of illness in epidemic or pandemic diseases. Further, I explore whether historical references,

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The doctors of the day

random control trials (RCTs), population studies and provings (observations and records of signs and symptoms conducted according to Samuel Hahnemann’s instructions) are sufficient to demonstrate that homeopathic treatment can have an impact on infectious diseases. Are there factors limiting the research or use of the information generated?

How did the use of homeopathy for epidemics start? It was Dr. Samuel Hahnemann’s discriminating observation in 1789 that began the exploration of disease prevention with homeopathic remedies. In his Lesser Writings of 1852, he first described his experience preventing scarlet

fever by giving Belladonna to all those who contracted it as well as their family members.

Physician’s records Historical references of hospital reports are one way to directly compare homeopathic and non-homeopathic treatment. The chart on page 39 compares the numbers of patient deaths in hospitals. The rate of success for homeopaths in specific hospitals is shown as a mortality rate of less than 10 percent for the treatment of scarlet fever, cholera, typhus fever, pneumonia, yellow fever and Spanish influenza. The mortality rates for the conventional doctors of the time (termed allopaths) are more than 10 percent for each of these diseases. Allo-

In the 1800s and early 1900s when homeopaths were working as physicians within the medical system of the society of the day, they had access to a statistically significant number of patients. Because these reports were created centuries ago, the information is open to interpretation. Reading the information in the chart on the next page, different people will have different conclusions depending on their prior knowledge, beliefs and filters. A person educated in homeopathy (already believing that homeopathy works) might ask, “What remedies did they use?” while a person unfamiliar with homeopathy might simply ask, “How?” The homeopathic physicians had the same or similar access to clinical surroundings and tools available to the allocontinued on page

Year

Location

Disease

Treatment by Homeopathy

Treatment by Allopathy

Treatment with No Medicine

1799

Königslütter, Germany

Scarlet fever

Mortality <5%

1830–1831

Russia

Cholera

Mortality 11% Reported by Imperial Council & Foreign Ministry of Russia

Mortality 63% Reported by Imperial Council & Foreign Ministry of Russia

Not recorded

1830–1832

Vienna, Prague, Hungary and Moravia

Cholera

Mortality 7% Reported by Dr. Kath, appointed by King of Bavaria

Mortality 31% Reported by Dr. Kath, appointed by King of Bavaria

Not recorded

1836

Vienna

Cholera

Mortality 33% Lead Homeopath Dr. Fleischmann

Mortality 66%

1847

Ireland

Typhus fever

Mortality 2% Lead Homeopath Dr. Joseph Kidd

Mortality 13% Lead Allopath Dr. Abraham Tuckey

Not recorded

1847

England

Typhus fever

Mortality 2%

Mortality 13%

Mortality 10%

1848

Edinburgh, Scotland

Cholera

Mortality 24% Reported by Edinburgh Dispensary

Mortality 68% Reported by Edinburgh Dispensary

Not recorded

mid 1800s

Austria

Pneumonia

Mortality 5% Lead Homeopath Dr. Fleischmann

Mortality 20% Lead Allopath Dr. Dietl

Not recorded

1853–1855

South of America

Yellow fever

Mortality 5.4% Lead Homeopaths Dr. F. Davis and Dr. W. Holconibe

Not available

Not recorded

1854

London, England

Cholera

Mortality 16.4% Reported by Royal College of Physicians

Mortality 59.2% Reported by Royal College of Physicians

Not recorded

1878

New Orleans, USA

Yellow fever

Mortality 5.6% Mortality 17% Special Commission Special Commission reported the statistics reported the statistics

Not recorded

1918

Pittsburgh, USA

Spanish influenza

Mortality 1.05% Reported by Dean, Pittsburgh Hospital

Not recorded

Mortality 30% Reported by Dean, Pittsburgh Hospital

Source: “Lives Saved by Homeopathy in Epidemics and Pandemics” by Iman Navab , President of the Applied R esearch in Homeopathy Foundation of C anada . www. arhfc.ca Health Action | www.hans.org

the only thing that can change a strong prior belief.

RCTs of Japanese encephalitis (JE) Homeopathy continued from page

pathic physicians. During the 1918 influenza in California, Elsa Engle was a nurse practitioner using homeopathic remedies under instruction from Dr. Engle. In an interview, the then 97-year-old Elsa Engle explains their success at Hahnemann Hospital: “They all had about the same symptoms. You didn’t have to do anything else but give them a bottle of Gelsemium, followed with a bottle of Eupatorium perfoliatum ... In five days practically all of them were well.” Gelsemium and Eupatorium perfoliatum are homeopathic remedies that are still commonly used for influenza.

Seeing is disbelieving A 2009 CBC report explained that many homeopathic clients were turning to the remedy Gelsemium that was “used extensively during the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918” for the H1N1 flu. However, given the information and its style of presentation, each person will come to a different conclusion depending on prior experiences and beliefs. Because it might clash with a strong prior belief, even the highest quality research might not be enough to change one’s mind about something like homeopathy. Perhaps only a strong personal experience (seeing is believing) might be

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Two random control trials (RCTs) were done on the effects of the homeopathic remedy Belladonna on the infectious disease Japanese encephalitis (JE). In one study, the authors found statistically significant success showing Belladonna to be effective in preventing disease indicators. Their results showed decreased viral infection found in unhatched chicks dosed with Belladonna. The second study showed that the average survival rates of infected suckling mice treated with Belladonna 200C daily for 14 days had almost double the survival rate than those not treated with Belladonna 200C. That’s a 47 percent survival rate for untreated mice versus 79 percent and 81 percent for the Belladonna treated mice for seven and 14 days. In the discussion of this successful study, the authors state that homeopathic practitioners have historically been using the homeopathic remedy Belladonna for the prevention of JE without any RCT experimental proof of how it works and therefore there is further need to test how Belladonna has an ability to prevent JE. This study has successfully shown a specific outcome. Yet the authors chose to recommend further study of Belladonna‘s properties that made it work.

Population studies in India and Cuba In India, 2009, a swine flu patient study involving 23

homeopaths and 1,146 patients was conducted. The study took a set of previously agreed upon (by the Centre for Clinical Research of Homeopathy (CCRH) group of symptoms defining swine flu by homeopaths working in government-approved health centres in India. The homeopaths agreed to record their results in a formatted excel chart between October 2009 and February 2010. The most frequently prescribed remedy that helped the patients as the primary care for the swine flu was Arsenicum album, the very same remedy that the CCRH had identified as the prophylactic genus epidemicus (an individually selected remedy for a particular outbreak) for this pandemic. Results like this can tempt the enthusiast to proclaim this as proof that homeopathy can be used in epidemics. However, the overarching challenge in demonstrating the proof that homeopathy can be successful for epidemics and pandemics through research and information is that it goes against the current prevailing paradigm. As Dr. J. P. Vandenbroucke of the Leiden University Medical Center wrote, “Accepting that infinite dilutions work would subvert more than conventional medicine; it wrecks a whole edifice of chemistry and physics.” With this in mind, the work shown in this swine flu study could present different conclusions to people with different prior beliefs. If accepting the validity of homeopathic remedies is not a possibility within the belief system then accepting this study as successfully demonstrating that homeopathy can help in epidemics is also not a possibility.

In Cuba, researchers conducted a study with 2.3 million people on the effects of homeopathic intervention against a 2007 epidemic of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection. The population above one year of age was given oral doses of the leptospirosis nosode (a preparation of substances secreted in the course of a disease) then another two oral doses 10 to 12 months later. One year of comparison between the area that received doses (the intervention region, IR) and the rest of the country (RC) showed a significant decrease of cases of leptospirosis in the IR. The authors conclude that these findings lend to a high degree of confidence that using homeopathic remedies to prevent disease in populations is a useful tool for epidemics and pandemics. This study shows that homeopathy can be successfully implemented in a population during an actual epidemic and that homeopathy can successfully prevent epidemic or pandemic illness. The other positive aspect of this study is that millions of Cubans willingly took homeopathic remedies in compliance with their predominant health professionals, thereby quite possibly changing their belief system regarding homeopathy. That way a previous belief will not continue to stand in the way of accepting other data or research that show homeopathic remedies work.

Closing cautions I’ve brought to attention various demonstrations of homeopathic use for epidemics and pandemics, including some that are the accepted standard for medical science. Using exam-

ples of RCT studies, population studies plus historical records, it seems possible to demonstrate the specific success with the use of homeopathy during epidemics and pandemics. It is also possible to conduct further studies with a significant level of confidence that homeopathy will prove itself as a valid way to address the health of populations during epidemics/ pandemics. However, the criteria required to conduct this type of research isn’t always easily available to homeopaths in various parts of the world. So far it seems that there is a facility in Cuba and certain homeopaths in certain clinics in India that are already established for these types of studies. There are challenges to the understanding and acceptance of using homeopathic remedies

for epidemics and pandemics. Part of it lies within the current predominant paradigm. The disbelief that highly diluted substances such as homeopathic remedies could have a therapeutic action limits the acceptance of studies on homeopathy despite their successful outcomes. Any further studies to address the ability to use homeopathy for epidemics and pandemics should acknowledge that whether the reader concludes the study acceptable or not has to do with the challenge of the paradigm surrounding how homeopathic remedies work. Elena Cecchetto, CCH, RSHom (NA), provides certified classical homeopathic treatment at Access Natural Health in Vancouver, B.C. References available upon request. www.AccessNaturalHealing.com | (604) 568-4663

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Chinese Medicine Perspectives on Gynecological Disorders – Part 1 The link between menstrual pain, cysts and endometriosis by Chun-Kai Wang, DTCM, R.Ac

ynecology has ironically become a huge medical discipline because it is a constant source of trouble for both patients and practitioners. To a certain extent, every woman will experience gynecological complaints at one point or another in her menstrual lifetime over the course of roughly 50 years. Today gynecology may be a wide discipline, but for the majority of females it centres around menstruation and its related disorders. Unfortunately to most females, many of these pathological phenomena are only loosely associated. For example, it is likely hard to correlate breast distention (swelling) with a cyst in the ovary, or find the link between hot flashes and waist soreness during one’s period, or even try to relate a chronic shoulder and neck tightness with the monthly cycles. They don’t seem to add up, but the fact of the matter is quite the opposite: they are all connected. From the viewpoint of Chinese medicine, gynecology has a long history owing to the accumulated experiences of past doctors in trying to figure out the woman’s body. Here I will talk about one of the more important points we can make about women’s pathology, that the three common gynecologi-

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Common gynecological disorders are not only related, but are one and the same.

cal disorders—menstrual pain, cysts (and fibroids) and endometriosis—are not only related, but are one and the same.

Functional stage: Menstrual pain and associated disorders Menstrual pain and its related issues are often regarded by most mainstream doctors as normal. Frequently complaints

are generally considered pathological only if they are extremely severe. And even then they may be completely neglected because nothing wrong is found in scans. In Chinese medicine, however, the idea of pathology is not based on scans or reports since by that time things tend to be a bit late. The reason is that we firmly believe internal imbalances are what cause

menstrual disorders and these typically exist before any substantive lab finding comes out. The things Chinese medicine pays attention to are instead menstrual cycle regularity, presence of pain and bloating, amount and quality of menstrual discharge, duration of period, and other accompanying symptoms such as chest distention, mood disorders, abnormal vaginal discharge and temperature fluctuations. To Chinese medicine, the above aspects are key indicators of the quality and flow of energy and blood throughout the body, as well as markers for the existence of any pathological

redundancies. So while reports likely indicate nothing wrong, Chinese medicine usually finds the opposite in our diagnostic procedures. We usually call this the “functional” stage, which typically occurs when a woman is still quite young, between her 20s and early 30s. As a result, such issues largely end up being neglected.

be surprised by these findings, given that the root of these issues has existed for many years prior. To Chinese medicine, of course, even at the initial functional stage, all the clinical signs are present already even if lab findings remain inconclusive.

Cysts and fibroids

Internal imbalances are what cause menstrual disorders.

Generally at the functional stage, Chinese medicine understands the pathology as merely confined to the intangible energetic or “qi” level. As a stage usually characterized by nothing particularly definitive in terms of reports and scans, patient’s complaints may be perceived as “all in your head” (or psychosomatic). Because of this, western doctors may be limited in what they can do. Patients might go home thinking there’s nothing wrong, despite having to endure a few days of discomfort every month, or feel even more confused because of a lack of clear diagnosis. Over the next few years, however, the issue will likely continue at their previous levels or gradually worsen. By the time she’s between 35 and 40, the previous energetic blockages no longer remain intangible, but instead assume some shape and form. This arises partly because the blockages accumulate over time and also because she has entered a state of aging decline, causing her internal systems to cope less efficiently as in her youth. In scans and reports, this usually comes up as various-sized cysts, fibroids, and hormonal and endocrine deficiencies or excesses. Women should not

Endometriosis Many reasons underlie why women are not alert even when diagnosed with cysts and fibroids. The majority of females, however, do become worried by the time they’ve been diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition that is now medically believed to influence pregnancy. For Chinese medicine though, endometriosis is simply a more severe version of regular cysts and fibroids. A cyst is a fluid-filled sack with a fibroid being a nodular mass; endometriosis resembles a mix

of the above except there may be the component of bleeding, clotting, bigger size, and more pronounced blood flow impairment involving bruiselike colouration. To us, these are exacerbated extremes of energetic blockages that end up severely hampering the flow of blood as well. What further defines endometriosis is its location. The name is actually a general term referring to the abnormal growth of inner uterine tissue (endometrium) outside the uterus, and could be found anywhere in the lower abdominal cavity and its organs. Currently different schools of the mainstream medical community differ in their positions when explaining why uterine tissue decides to one day grow somewhere else. To me that’s not important; what’s more crucial is the clinical sequence of events. Specifically, an initial functional imbalance where no physical abnormalities are yet present progresses first to more defined blockages such as cysts and fibroids, confined to the reproductive organs, to a final stage where these growths become more severe and greater

in number, spreading to neighbouring systems. From the lens of Chinese medicine, it is the same problem from beginning to end, differing only in scope. From functional pain to endometriosis, modern medicine has no methods other than drug therapy and surgical intervention. Both methods in most cases fail to deal with the root of the issue, and from my experience, the problem comes back eventually. This becomes more obvious the more chronic the condition and the older the patient in her reproductive years. Patients should not be scared, however. Chinese medicine with its thousands of years of experience regards the above situations as commonplace clinical phenomena. Likewise Chinese medicine has its own methods of treatment, something we will discuss in the next installment. Chun-Kai Wang, DTCM, R.Ac, is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and registered acupuncturist who practises internal medicine. Dr. Chun-Kai Wang also lectures at PCU College of Holistic Medicine. www.drwang.ca | 604-8363968

Perimenopausal Hot Flush Study

he Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research is now recruiting Canadian women for this Canadian Institute of Health-funded randomized controlled trial to test whether oral micronized progesterone is more effective than placebo for hot flushes and night sweats in perimenopausal women. The study is open to perimenopausal women ages 35 to 58 (who have menstruated within the past 12 months) with moderate-to-severe hot flushes (four per day) and/or night sweats (waking twice weekly). Participants should not have used estrogen, progesterone, progestin or hormonal birth control within the past six months. For more details contact the study coordinator Andrea Cameron at (604) 875-5960. Toll free: 1 (855) 875-5960. Email: andrea.cameron@ubc.ca.

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Gentle Chiropractic Care for Prevention of Headaches and Migraines The neurological link between the neck and head pain one after another, in increasingly higher doses until none of them worked. The next option was to try narcotics or expensive new medication prescribed by my family doctor. Neither of these options addressed my main concerns: 1. Why am I getting headaches? And 2. How can I prevent them?

by Sabrina Chen-See, DC

s early as 10 years old, I remember having headaches and stomach aches. Sometimes together, sometimes not. My mother told me how she used to have stomach aches as a kid and that it was in my genes, so I had to live with them. As for the headaches, they became more regular with puberty—and more severe.

Headaches affect an estimated 47 percent of adults at least once per year.

A range of pain I had a whole classification system in place as a teenager. There was the light-headed headache that could hang around for days or weeks. These could sometimes be temporarily alleviated by eating sugar or candy. Then there were the headaches that felt like someone was squeezing my head, trying to squeeze my brains out. Other ones felt like a vac-

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The neurological link

uum tearing my brain from the inside of the skull. Sometimes it would be a stabbing pain. Worst of all were the migraines. I had the whole gamut of symptoms: nausea, hypersensitivity to light and sound, aura, and throbbing pain so bad I wanted to cut my head off. It sounds like a gross exaggeration unless you’ve experienced it yourself. At their peak, I was having three migraines a month, with week-long residual headaches. When I wasn’t having a migraine, I was living in fear of setting off another one. Triggers included exerting myself with exercise, heading the ball (soccer), stress (I was a university student), sunny days, lack of sleep, menstrual periods, certain smells, getting jostled, strobe lights and probably

other unidentified factors as well. I had a very limited, unsatisfying life.

Just medicate? Headaches are among the most common nervous system disorders, affecting an estimated 47 percent of the adult population at least once per year, according to World Health Organization statistics. The Canadian Headache Society estimates that migraines affect more than three million Canadian women and one million Canadian men, making it more prevalent than osteoarthritis, diabetes and asthma. Most headache suffers don’t seek help from health care professionals and self-medicate with over-the-counter painkillers like Tylenol or Advil. I did. I tried

Back in the 1990s, my doctor couldn’t answer these questions. Instead of taking the addictive or expensive medications, I chose to suffer the migraines. In 1996, I started getting regular chiropractic care. Not just a few visits here or there when I was in pain, but regular threetimes-a-week care over a span of several months for starters. In less than six months, I had no headaches or migraines, no stomach ulcers, better sleep, much more energy and I enjoyed exercising again. Long before anatomists could find a physical link between the neck and headaches (the rectus capitus posterior minor muscle and ligamentum nuchae), chiropractors have known about the neurological links between the upper neck and headaches (brainstem, trigeminal nucleus, superior cervical ganglia and dorsal rami of C1). Now Canadian Family Physician states, “over 70 percent of all

headaches arise from problems with the cervical spine and its related structures.”

Unknown spinal injuries Back then, I didn’t know I had problems with my neck. I certainly didn’t complain of neck or back pain even though x-rays showed a chronic issue dating back at least 10 years. It’s common that children don’t feel or announce neck or back pain with spinal misalignments. Much more common symptoms of childhood spinal stress include child immune weakness (frequent colds, allergies, asthma, postnasal drip), behavioural issues (hyperactivity, poor focus), social/emotional issues (anxiety, depression, avoidance, hypersensitivity), physical impediments (poor coordination, poor

endurance, slow to learn new skills, poor balance) or gastrointestinal problems (diarrhea, constipation, food sensitivities, acid reflux, indigestion). I don’t recall any single major injury to my neck, but I was an active child and had my fair share of falls—off bikes, from a tree, from the monkey bars (once landing face first) and while playing sports. My parents didn’t know these small and not-so-small injuries could have caused lasting damage to my spine. Over the years, these uncorrected spinal injuries accumulated, like layers of an onion, waiting for physical, emotional or chemical stressors to make me feel their effects.

Gentle chiropractics I was lucky to start chiropractic care early enough

to reap the benefits quickly. When I had my first car accident, with whiplash and all, I knew I needed chiropractic care to recover, but my neck was too unstable and I couldn’t tolerate the neck adjustments I had been receiving. Then, I heard about the atlas orthogonal technique, which uses precise x-rays to measure the direction and displacement of the atlas bone in relation to the skull and neck in three dimensions. A precision instrument is then used to tap the atlas bone back into its proper position. It worked for me and I returned to the happy state of life without headaches and migraines. Board certified neurologist Dr. Mahan Chehrenama calls the instability of the upper cervical spine “the neglected link in headache” and

encourages other neurologists to consider atlas orthogonal care for patients with suspected injury or instability of the upper cervical spine. In particular, she recommends assessing certain populations for misalignments of the atlas bone, including athletes or soldiers with postconcussive headaches, chronic TMJ (temporomandibular joint) sufferers and headache sufferers who don’t respond to standard treatment options. I know first-hand how chiropractic and atlas orthogonal can bring a person back to life. Sabrina Chen-See, DC, is a board-certified atlas orthogonal chiropractor. Dr. Chen-See has advanced training in head and neck traumas, concussions and brainstem-related issues. www.Dr ChenSee.com | (604) 566-9088

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How to Fight ... by Trish Lim-O’Donnell

BioSil Advanced Collagen Generator ™

Clinical Trial Results

• Reduces Fine Lines and Wrinkles • Increases Skin Elasticity • Thickens and Strengthens Hair • Strengthens Nails

By now you know. Adding body collagen directly reduces wrinkles, increases skin elasticity, and adds vital moisture to your skin. Indirectly, collagen thickens and strengthens your hair. You may also know that collagen production slows by 1% per year after the age of 21. Can you gain it back? Yes. But not by eating collagen. You see, collagen is a protein. When you ingest it, your body breaks it down, like any other protein, and uses it as food. When you want the real beauty benefits of collagen, you have to generate it.

Come from an honest place

BioSil™ generates collagen by activating the collagen producing cells in your body known as fibroblasts. It is clinically proven to increase collagen formation. In fact, in the clinical trial the women taking BioSil™ reduced wrinkles by 30%, increased skin elasticity by 89% and thickened and strengthened their hair by 13% compared to women not taking BioSil™. So when you want genuine visible results from collagen, generate it, don’t eat it. Experience the beautiful difference for yourself!

Dr. Marita Schauch, BSc ND

debunks myths about collagen “creams,” beauty industry promises and plastic surgery to show you how and why building and generating collagen is an essential component to true health and beauty in her newest book Collagen Myths & Misconceptions.

Available at Health Food Stores and Select Natural Pharmacies For more information go to:

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he safety and security of a long-term loving relationship is, for many, a journey of fighting to be heard, recognized, understood, accepted and respected. It stands to reason that our work on this earth is also to perfect the art of fighting with one another in a manner that is truthful, grounded in spirit and loving as a result.

PNO.CA

Fighting is tough for most people because it takes a lot of energy. To fight with integrity and courage takes heart, patience, perseverance and awareness. To enter into fighting requires you speak honestly

in places where you could not or did not before. Using your emotional anger energy in this context to help you push through your fear of speaking would be a worthwhile venture. When you love someone, you will be able to pay attention to how your truth telling (same thing as criticism) is hurting your partner. Pain goes both ways, so be clear you are not “attacking” to cause hurt. If you are fighting to hurt another, it is a very different place from fighting to be heard or standing your ground.

Listen with love For both parties to be heard, you have to work on the listening no matter how raw and hurt you feel. You do your best to listen to the charge

Lovingly against you and to address it directly when you disagree. Be OK when you have to redo your explanations to make it clearer. Calm your emotional energy by exhaling from your tummy to reduce the fright and distress you feel at the confrontation. You will find your partner slowing down as well. This is your leading and pacing. When your partner can feel your loving, pure energy of wanting to be closer as a couple as well as your need to be understood and heard, he or she who loves you will meet your heart. Be aware your partner is hurting, too, while this is going on. Keeping this in mind will help you be mindful and watchful over your partner’s facial expressions of pain, tension and sorrow. Feel free to go

into softness and vulnerability at any time—it is worth it and worth your love. To fight with a spirit that is honest and loving is a special gift of grace. These encounters are defining moments for the rest of your life together. We all want to be loved, understood and accepted. Couples who achieve the sweet ability to make up after they fight discover hidden continents in their partners and the depth of love and commitment they share. You fight because both are worth it. Trish Lim-O’Donnell, CCP, is a relationship coach and spiritual guide, ISMT teacher and E.Q. Music recording artist with 28 years of personal and professional life coaching experience. www. trishlimodonnell.com

“I recommend Vitamin C and Lysine for Heart Health” W. Gifford-Jones, MD

ixteen years ago following my own coronary attack I decided to follow the research of Dr. Linus Pauling, Professor Williams Stehbens and Dr. Sydney Bush and take high doses of vitamin C plus lysine.

Dr. Linus Pauling, two-time Noble Prize winner, was ignored for reporting that large amounts of vitamin C and lysine are needed to prevent coronary attacks. Twenty-five years ago Pauling reported that animals make vitamin C but humans do not and must supplement this important vitamin. Lysine must also be supplemented. Vitamin C is required to manufacture healthy collagen, the glue that holds coronary cells together, just like mortar is needed for bricks. Lysine, like steel rods in cement, makes collagen stronger. Pauling claimed it takes a mere 10 milligrams of vitamin C to prevent scurvy, but several thousand to prevent heart attack. Williams Stehbens, Professor of Anatomy at Wellington University in New Zealand, proved Pauling was right. Stebhens’ research showed that coronary arteries closest to the heart are under the greatest pressure. This causes collagen to fracture resulting in the formation of a blood clot and death. Dr. Sydney Bush, an English researcher, has now proven that vitamin C can reverse atherosclerosis. Bush took retinal photographs, then started his patients on high doses of vitamin C and lysine. One year later additional pictures showed atherosclerosis had regressed in retinal arteries. Now you can take the right combination of Vitamin C and Lysine in a powder form I developed called Medi-C Plus™. The dosage for Medi-C Plus is one flat scoop with breakfast and the evening meal, mixed in water or juice. Ask for at your local Health Food Store and Select Natural Pharmacy.

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Health Action Needed to Protect Oceans

Five major threats to what sustains us by Jim Harding, PhD

e call it earth even though 75 percent of the planet is covered by water. And being rather self-centred as a species, we think that what happens on land, where we live, is more important than what happens at sea. But once we account for the vastness of life existing at every depth of the seemingly bottomless oceans, we find that 99 percent of the planet’s biological environment is enveloped in water. We ignore the ocean’s health at our peril; perhaps we should rename planet earth, “planet water.”

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We are slowly getting the message and extreme weather is one teacher. As the atmosphere warms from climate change, it holds even more moisture, which will be drawn up from the warming oceans. This won’t just affect coastal areas with more intense storms, but will also alter inland weather. Next time you look at clouds building up for a downpour, remember that the ocean isn’t as far away as you might think. There’s a lot of false consciousness about the oceans’ role on the planet. Not only do ocean currents, winds and water cycles shape the earth’s

climate, but most of the biosphere’s oxygen on which we completely depend comes from the phytoplankton in the oceans, the true lungs of the planet. We don’t want to mess with these instruments of life. No matter where we live we should pay homage to the ocean and its life-giving water.

Dead zones, acidity and reef decline There are five major threats to ocean health and they all result from human-induced corporate activities. Dead zones occur when the oxygen level in the oceans gets so low

Restoring ocean health clearly requires a shift in human land practices.

that underwater biodiversity is endangered. The fish and crabs typical of a healthy seabed get replaced with layers of sediment filled with bacteria. The spread of agricultural fertilizers into coastal runoff feeds oxygendepleting plankton, which accelerates this “deadening.” There were few dead zones in the 1960s, but by this decade,

over 400 coastal dead zones have been documented, mostly due to chemical agriculture. One of the largest dead zones is in the Baltic Sea. In the Gulf of Mexico, a dead zone expands during the agricultural season and then undergoes some biological recovery when the agricultural discharges stop. Restoring ocean health clearly requires a shift in human land practices; how we grow food must take ocean impacts into account. Rising ocean acidity also threatens biological stability. In one century there has been a 0.15 drop in pH, and if the trend continues ocean water could move outside the chemical range within which existing ocean life has evolved. The calcium in shellfish could deteriorate and quick regime changes in aquatic life could occur. Anyone who has had an aquarium knows that the health of the “pets” depends on maintaining chemical stability. Too much acidity will kill the kid’s fish. Fossil fuels don’t just threaten ocean health through contamination, such as has occurred with BP’s oil drilling disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Ocean acidification is also caused by the massive global burning of fossil fuels; as CO2 rises in the atmosphere it also rises in the oceans, making them more acidic. This is more evidence of the pressing need for a quick change to renewable energy. Federal deregulation of West Coast waters to transport

Wake-up call

The oceans can’t wait forever for us to alter our ways.

and export more fossil fuels is not going to protect ocean health. Acidification combined with ocean warming also accelerates the deterioration of the world’s coral reefs. Over the last quarter century bleaching has occurred on all tropical reefs. Because of their rich biodiversity, the reefs are often called “the rain forests of the ocean.” On “planet water” it might be more accurate to call the rain forests “the coral reefs of the land.”

Overfishing and industrial debris We all know about the collapse of the cod fishery off Canada’s East Coast, but it hasn’t yet sunk in that the majority of ocean fish are threatened by industrial extraction. Big ocean fish have declined by 90 percent over the last century and the resilience of many fish species is now questionable. The decline of so many species at once can quickly unravel the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. Overfishing has escalated over the last century. First, many rich river systems were depleted, then many coastal areas. Now industrialized “fishing” threatens deep sea life. As one species is depleted, the fishing industry moves on

to overfish another and on it goes. Sharks, which bear few offspring, are now also in decline, being overfished for a lucrative Asian shark-fin soup. The oceans are treated as an unlimited resource to satisfy humanity’s voracious appetite; economic growth is literally killing the oceans. The shift from an emphasis on production and consumption to sustainability must come quickly. Most telling is the humanproduced debris that ends up in the oceans. Non-biodegradable plastics are building up in ocean gyres, which are large systems of rotating currents, like vortexes, that form a soup of toxicity. We have made the ocean the planet’s largest landfill site and industrial disasters such as occurred at Fukushima, Japan, after the 2011 tsunami further contaminate the oceans. One plastic-gathering gyre off Hawaii is particularly huge; some estimates have it larger than Texas. Marine biologists are concerned that these plastics are already entering the planet’s food chain and threatening the nutrient cycle needed for ocean health.

Decompartmentalizing Knowledge of these interrelated threats to ocean

health is essential. But marine biology specialists don’t always connect the dots among the ocean hot spots to see the larger picture or the common socioeconomic causes. Scientists can also fall victim to compartmentalization. Thankfully Canada’s worldrenowned environmental journalist Alanna Mitchell took time to connect many of the dots. After visiting researchers studying these five ocean threats she crawled into bed and went into what she called a “clinical depression” until she could muster the perspective and energy to write Sea Sick: The Global Ocean in Crisis. We are all grateful for her perseverance. You might want to read her book but avoid the depression. Getting depressed after discovering what we are doing to the oceans will not help the oceans recover. This will take committed political and economic action, including health action from Canada’s growing consumer health movement. A few courageous scientists and activists have worked on this for decades but change will require collective muscle. The oceans can’t wait forever for us to alter our ways. Our collective health will inevitably deteriorate if we continue to allow ocean health to decline. Jim Harding, PhD, is a retired professor of environmental and justice studies. www.crowsnest ecology.wordpress.com

fish are threatened by industrial ex n a e c o t r ac t i ority of on . j a m e Health Action | www.hans.org

Canada Blocks NAFTA Investigation into B.C. Fish Farm Impacts on Wild Salmon by the Center for Biological Diversity

petition by tribal, fishing and conservation groups calling for an investigation into Canada’s failure to enforce laws regulating damage to wild salmon caused by aquaculture operations in B.C. has been wrongly dismissed by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, an environmental dispute body established under the North American Free Trade Agreement. Mexico joined Canada in blocking preparation of a factual record on whether Canada is failing to enforce its federal Fisheries Act by allowing wild salmon to be exposed to disease and parasites from industrial fish farms in B.C. The United States supported a NAFTA inquiry, stating that the process was wrongly terminated.

Hiding harm “I am very disappointed that Mexico sided with Canada to block international inquiry into whether Canada has violated its Fisheries Act,” said Alexandra Morton, an independent biologist who has helped expose Canada’s failure to protect wild salmon from disease and parasites from industrial fish farms.

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“One day Canadians will be ashamed that they gave up wild salmon.” Alexandra Morton, independent biologist

“This politicized decision serves to shield the harmful effects of the Norwegian aquaculture industry from scrutiny. I think one day Canadians will be ashamed that they gave up wild salmon for this industry.” “I am deeply disappointed in Canada continuing to put wild salmon at risk,” said Kwikwasutinuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation Chief Bob Chamberlin. “This process may have ended but our struggle to safeguard wild salmon will not falter for a moment.” “This NAFTA process is supposed to shine light on whether environmental laws are being enforced, but the process has become

increasingly politicized and it’s clear Canada does not want the facts revealed about the damage to wild salmon from industrial fish farms,” said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity.

Proliferation of farm feedlots Canada has permitted more than 100 industrial salmon feedlots in B.C. to operate along wild salmon migration routes, exposing valuable salmon runs to epidemics of disease, parasites, toxic chemicals and concentrated waste. Salmon feedlots are linked to dramatic declines in wild salmon populations

worldwide and the spread of lethal salmon viruses and parasites. Scientific evidence of threats to wild salmon swimming through B.C. waters from fish feedlots has been mounting, as has public concern that feedlots could spread epidemic diseases. These poor aquaculture practices jeopardize the health of every wild salmon run along the Pacific Coast, since U.S. and Canadian fish stocks mingle in the ocean and estuaries. Since the NAFTA petition was filed, the Canadian government’s own Cohen Commission of Inquiry into the decline of sockeye salmon in B.C.’s Fraser River issued a final report concluding that salmon farms have the potential for “serious or irreversible” harm to wild salmon through disease transfer. The commission recommended a freeze on new salmon farm licenses along part of the Fraser sockeye migration route until 2020.

Yet in January 2014, without any response to the commission recommendations, Canada opened the B.C. coast to more salmon farms. B.C. tribal groups are now forming the First Nation Wild Salmon Alliance to demand that the Canadian government fulfill its duty to safeguard wild salmon and the environment.

Background When a country that is signatory to the North American Free Trade Agreement fails to enforce its environmental laws, any person may petition the Commission for Environmental Cooperation for an investigation. Canada’s Fisheries Act prohibits harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat or addition of “deleterious substances.” In 2012 tribal, fishing and conservation groups submitted a formal petition asking for investigation into Canada’s failure to enforce the Fisheries Act. The petition documented pollutants, viruses and parasites from open-water industrial fish farms that are harming B.C.’s wild salmon runs. Earlier this year the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation recommended a formal investigation. More than half a million Atlantic salmon were culled and quarantined in May 2012 in B.C. fish farms due to a viral outbreak. Recent research shows that a Norwegian strain of piscine reovirus appears to have entered B.C. around 2007. This virus, known to spread easily and to be associated with a disease that weakens

the heart muscles of salmon, has been identified in nearly all farmed salmon raised and sold in B.C. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency also revealed recently that there has been no followup testing on the deadly ISA fish virus, despite positive test results in samples of B.C. farmed salmon. Canada and Mexico claimed to dismiss the NAFTA matter because of pending judicial proceedings that supposedly address the same issues regarding operations and impacts of salmon farms in B.C. (Kwicksutaineuk/AhKwa-Mish First Nation v. British Columbia and Morton v. Minister of Fisheries). The petition before the Commission addressed Canada’s failure to enforce Fisheries Act section 35, which prohibits the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat, and section 36, which prohibits the addition of deleterious substances to fish habitat. The First Nation action filed in 2009 challenges Canada’s failure to protect aboriginal fishing rights under section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act, a separate matter. The Morton application for judicial review does not involve any arguments about sections 35 or 36 of the Fisheries Act. Rather, it challenges the legality of aquaculture licenses that allow companies to transfer fish with diseases or viruses into the marine environment. Therefore, neither proceeding addresses the concerns raised in the NAFTA petition. Source: Media release by the Center for Biological Diversity, December 12, 2014

Essential Work to Save Wild Salmon

“I

f we want wild salmon it is up to us.” So says Alexandra Morton, a biologist who has worked for 25 years to protect wild salmon from salmon farms. She has been featured on 60 Minutes and has engaged in every government process on this issue. Alexandra is aiming to launch an advertising campaign to tell the consuming public a different side of the story than the one the salmon farming industry puts out. She already has a pledge of $60,000 and needs our support in raising the remaining amount of $150,000 to run a series of ads. “Wild salmon are declining everywhere they are exposed to farmed salmon,” she notes. “Wild salmon feed the trees that make the oxygen we breathe.” “Our planet needs them.” Alexandra Morton has started a Go Fund Me initiative to raise these funds. Go to http://www.gofundme.com/isk8bw to find out more and share, tweet and donate.

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Update on Bill C-18 and a Call to Action for a New Seed Act for Farmers Let’s keep seeds in the hands of farmers by Ann Slater

ith the passing of Bill C-18 or The Agricultural Growth Act by the House of Commons on November 24, 2014, we now have a new Plant Breeder’s Rights Act in Canada which conforms with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants ’91 (UPOV). The Conservative party and the Liberal party both supported Bill C-18. The NDP, Green party and Bloc Quebecois voted against it. Last winter, the National Farmers Union (NFU) published the Fundamental Principles of a Farmers Seed Act. The first sentence of that document is: “The National Farmers Union calls for a new Seed Act for Farmers in which Canada recognizes the inherent rights of farmers—derived from thousands of years of custom and tradition—to save, reuse, exchange and sell seeds.” We will continue to advocate for a Seed Act for Farmers to replace our new Plant Breeders Rights Act and Seeds Act. We need your continued support and help! Although Bill C-18 has passed, the regulations that flow out of it have not yet been written. There will be regulations written to describe

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how end-point royalties will be implemented and collected in Canada. There will also be regulations written to place limits on the “farmers’ privilege”—for example, to remove crop kinds or varieties. We need to make sure when the above, and other, regulations are written they recognize our inherent right as farmers to save, reuse, exchange and sell seeds. Who controls our seeds needs to continue to be part of our political and public discussions. What can you do? Share our message through social media. Stay up to date by following us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ nfuCanada) and on Twitter @NFUcanada.

Sign the Right to Save Seeds petition MPs from all political parties have presented our petition in the House of Commons—it is an action they are expected to take on behalf of their constituents, even if they do not support the petition. Each time a petition is presented in the House, it is a reminder to other politicians that Canadians want our laws to recognize the inherent rights of farmers to save, reuse, exchanges and sell seeds. The petition is available

at http://www.nfu.ca/issue/ petition-right-save-seeds. At least 25 signatures are required for a petition to be recognized.

Hand out the Fundamental Principles of a Farmers Seeds Act Make copies of the Act and other NFU material to hand out at Seedy Saturdays, conferences, meetings and other public events over the coming months. Available at http://www.nfu. ca/issue/stop-bill-c-18.

Inform 2015 federal election candidates Candidates have already been or are being nominated to run for all parties. Talk to your sitting MP and to candidates running in the election about the need

for a seed act for farmers. Give them some reading material from the NFU website, and ask for their support to keep control of seeds in the hands of farmers and our communities when they are elected to a seat in the House of Commons. Along with our partners in the Trade Justice Network, the National Farmers Union is continuing to draw attention to the unprecedented power handed to multinational corporations through the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). If CETA is finalized, multinational seed companies will be handed powerful new enforcement powers to maintain their control over seeds. When you talk with MPs, candidates and the public about the need for a Seed Act for

World’s Top 10 Seed Companies, 2011 Rank

1. 2.

Company

Monsanto DuPont Pioneer (USA)

Seed Sales, 2011 US$ millions

% Market Share

8,935 6,261

26.0 18.2

Syngenta (Switzerland)

3,185

9.2

Vilmorin (France) (Groupe Limagrain)

1,670

4.8

WinField (USA) (Land O Lakes)

1,346 (est.)

3.9

KWS (Germany)

1,226

3.6

Bayer Cropscience (Germany)

1,140

3.3

Dow AgroSciences (USA)

1,074

3.1

Sakata (Japan)

548

1.6

10.

Takii & Company (Japan)

548

1.6

25,951

75.3

Total Top 10 Source: ETC Group, Phillips McDougall

Farmers, you can also ask them to not support CETA or other trade agreements with InvestorState Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms or additional tools to enforce intellectual property rights, such as gene patents or plant breeder’s rights. The NFU appeared before the Agriculture Committee as part of the committee’s ongoing study of CETA. Our brief on CETA is posted on the NFU website (www.nfu.ca/story/ agricultural-impacts-ceta).

Renew your membership and make a donation Support the National Farmers Union so that we may to continue to work with you to advocate for a strong, healthy, democratically controlled food system based on the principles of food sovereignty. The NFU does not accept sponsorships or funding from multinational seed and chemical companies, so donations from members and non-farm supporters are critical to continuing our work. Join, renew and/or donate at http://store.nfu.ca/

membership.html. During the debate on Bill C-18, Minister of Agriculture Gerry Ritz said that “there is only one small splinter farm group” that is against moving ahead on Bill C-18. A “splinter” is also a small piece of wood that gets stuck in your finger and can be really annoying. We are happy to be annoying when we are advocating on behalf of farmers and those who eat the food we grow and harvest. Minister Ritz also said during the debate on Bill C-18 that he was “not interested in hearing from people in downtown Vancouver or downtown Montreal.” I would like to thank all of the non-farmers, including people in downtown Vancouver and Montreal, for their ongoing support in the NFU’s campaign to keep seeds in the hands of farmers. A food system based on the principles of food sovereignty requires the democratic participation of both those who grow and harvest food and those who eat it. Ann Slater is vice president (policy) of the National Farmers Union. Health Action | www.hans.org

Herbicide Pollution and GMO Labelling Open letter to the Minister of Health by Dr. Thierry Vrain

o the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health: The confusion about the safety of GMOs is quite simple to address. The only GMOs in our agriculture are glyphosate modified organisms, also known as RoundUp Ready (RR) crops, and the only GMOs in our food supply are from those crops. RoundUp Ready crops are engineered to be sprayed with the herbicide RoundUp and this technology has become so successful that RoundUp has become a major pollutant. This chemical pollution is antibiotic, it impacts the microbiome, impairs CYP enzymes and depletes food of essential mineral micronutrients. I recently spoke on these points to the American College of Nutrition conference in San Diego (Texas), and most of the studies I cited were published in the last five years.

Descaling agent Glyphosate is the active ingredient of the herbicide RoundUp, a new molecule created in 1960 by Stauffer Chemicals—a U.S. company with a business of cleaning industrial pipes and boilers of mineral scales. The mineral deposits (same as in electric kettles) are called scales, and the pipe-cleaning chemicals are called descaling agents. Glyphosate was patented in

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1964 in the U.S. as a powerful and very broad-spectrum descaling agent. Meaning, it binds to metals indiscriminately and does a great job at “dissolving and preventing minerals from being reactive or bioavailable in solution.” When the descaling solution was disposed of in nature, it was obvious that it killed plants. The chemical company Monsanto promptly bought the molecule, patented it as an herbicide in 1969, and got it commercialized in 1974. This molecule is making history because glyphosate has become the most successful agricultural chemical in North and South America wherever RR seeds are used. The farmers using this technology get simpler and cheaper weed management and, despite higher input bills, sometimes disappointing yields and fast-spreading weed resistance, they adopted it in droves.

Novel kill The herbicide RoundUp had a completely novel chemistry

for an herbicide in 1969. It was deemed to kill plants by bonding to only one protein enzyme in the chloroplasts— the same enzyme that is also in bacteria and fungi. Enzymes are metalloproteins with a metal atom as a cofactor at the active site of the molecule. Bacteria and plants and fungi have a metalloprotein called EPSPS for short and 5-enol pyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase if you want to know what it does. It works with other metalloproteins to “make” several of the building blocks of proteins, the aromatic amino acids. These molecules are also building blocks for a large number of aromatic molecules we call secondary compounds. Glyphosate binds tightly to the manganese atom at the centre of the EPSPS metalloprotein, so tightly that the protein cannot move and do its work making aromatic amino acids. No protein synthesis means there is no metabolic work possible, a quick death for the plant, or the fungi or the bacteria. Animals do not make their own aromatic amino acids since

they lack the shikimate pathway with the EPSPS metalloprotein. Because of its presumed mode of killing plants, glyphosate was pronounced innocuous to humans and registered as such in 1974 in the USA. Glyphosate has no acute toxicity, and at the time of registration in the U.S., and even since, nobody has bothered to check for chronic effects beyond three months. Considering the chemical properties of this pollution one would expect long-term chronic effects, very similar to rickets, scurvy or beri beri, for lack of micronutrients. The industrysponsored feeding studies proving the safety of GMOs do not include testing for the safety of glyphosate. None of them bother to mention the residue levels of glyphosate in the feed. Meanwhile, a fastgrowing series of independent studies in various countries published in the last five years have ascertained the impact of glyphosate on various cellular enzymes and organs of animals and human cells.

RR crops The first RoundUp Ready crops to be commercialized were soy and corn, released in 1996. Since then, a handful of RR crops have been adopted enthusiastically by farmers, particularly in North and South America. Today close to 500 million acres of soy and corn, and cotton, canola and sugar beet, are engineered to be

sprayed with RoundUp. About 40 percent of all RR crops are grown in the USA, most of the rest are grown in Brazil, Argentina, Canada and a few other countries. RR crops are now sprayed with close to two billion pounds of glyphosate every year, and so much of that finds its way into processed food and feed that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had to raise the legal residue limits last year to accommodate a new reality.

Suppresses the microbiome Glyphosate is a powerful and broad-spectrum antibiotic. The mode of kill is again alleged to be very selective. The glyphosate molecule impairs the functioning of the shikimate pathway in bacteria the same way it does in plants. Only one enzyme is affected in a pathway that animals do not possess. The antibiotic patent describes its effectiveness to kill bacteria at one part per million (ppm) and this was confirmed last year in Germany. At this point I usually spend a minute or two explaining why a low-level antibiotic diet for the rest of your life is not a good idea. I describe the recent interest of the medical field in a large joint research project involving many universities to decipher the huge community of thousands of species of bacteria that call us home. The Human Microbiome project is the equivalent of the Human Genome project in its scope. We are vastly outnumbered, roughly 10 to one—one hundred trillion bacterial cells call our lower intestine

home. They are forever sending signaling molecules to each other and to all human organs, particularly the brain. All animals depend on their symbiosis with these bacteria, and humans are no exception. They are the teachers of our immune system, they make many neurotransmitters for our brain, and have a strong connection to the heart and the whole digestive tract. They literally feed us all kinds of molecules that we require— we call them essential, like vitamins. They digest and recycle most of our food. Most human organs rely on molecular signals from the microbiome for normal functioning. As goes the microbiome, so does its human shell. A recent review of the medical literature on celiac and other diseases shows the link to imbalances of the microbiome that are fully explained by the antibiotic properties of glyphosate. And the same authors published another review of the impact of glyphosate on the CYP enzymes and the microbiome. Samsel and Seneff have suggested that glyphosate’s suppression of CYP enzymes and its antibiotic effect on the human microbiome are involved in the etiology of many chronic degenerative and inflammatory diseases that have grown to epidemic proportions since 1996, since the advent of the RoundUp Ready technology.

Customizable nutrition fact sheets and other design strategies for your natural health business.

continued on page

High residue limits We lack any official data on residues of glyphosate in food continued on page

foodhead.ca

56 Health Action | www.hans.org

Herbicide Pollution continued from page 55 or in water in Canada—no epidemiological studies of any kind have ever been done. All we have are the legal maximum residue limits now allowed by the EPA in RoundUp Ready foods: human cereal 30 ppm, animal grain 100 ppm, soybean 120 ppm, and everything else in between. Here an inquisitive mind will ask why there is such a high residue limit for cereal when none of the grains are engineered to be sprayed with RoundUp. This is when you learn that RoundUp is sprayed on many non-engineered crops with the intent to kill them right before harvest. This is done to mature and dry the crops quickly to make them easier and cheaper to harvest. The RoundUp herbicide has now become a dessicant.

There is direct toxicity to animal cells because glyphosate binds to metals indiscriminately, and not just in plant cells. It binds to metals in solution and to metal co-factors at the centre of metalloproteins anywhere. For example, glyphosate binds to the iron atom at the centre of a large family of protein enzymes called CYP. There are 57 different CYP enzymes in the human body and approximately 20,000 in animals, plants, bacteria and fungi. The CYP enzymes are oxidizers, the first line of digestion and detoxification of most substrates. David Nelson wrote in a review of the CYP enzymes: “The CYP enzymes of humans are essential for our normal physiology and failure of some of these enzymes results in serious illnesses.”

Links to chronic illness Nancy Swanson has made public her statistical analyses of the US Centre for Disease Control’s statistics about the health status of America when placed next to the statistics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture about the spread of RoundUp Ready soy and

corn. Her correlation analyses show very high coefficient values suggesting strong links between glyphosate residues in RoundUp Ready food and chronic illnesses. Medical and chemical reviews and peer-reviewed studies have explained the mode of action of glyphosate and its impact on many metalloproteins. Human cell studies have shown acute toxicity and animal studies have shown chronic toxicity. Glyphosate bioaccumulates in the plants and in any animal that eat the plants. Glyphosate accumulates in the lungs, the heart, kidneys, intestine, liver, spleen, muscles and bones, and chronically ill people have higher residues in their urine than healthy people. To conclude this presentation of the nutritional status of glyphosate modified organisms, I would say that crops sprayed with RoundUp, whether they are RoundUp Ready or not, contain residues of glyphosate, that foods made from RoundUp Ready soy and corn and sugar and canola are depleted of the minerals that are bound to the glyphosate molecules. Foods made from crops containing residues of glyphosate are by

definition depleted of minerals and toxic. Minister, your reassuring words have been quoted widely. “Currently, there is no ... scientific evidence that says genetically modified foods are unhealthy. It is impossible for us to mandate a label, because our labels have to be based on evidence that it is an unhealthy product for Canadians.” I hope you have found here the scientific evidence you require to act and that you join over 60 governments in the world who have found this evidence compelling enough in the past few years to legislate some form of protection, from labelling to banning RoundUp Ready crops and the herbicide RoundUp. Dr. Thierry Vrain wrote this letter on October 27, 2014. He is a retired soil biologist and genetic engineer who spent his whole research career with the Department of Agriculture in Canada. He was the head of a research group of 40 professionals in biotechnology, the vice president and president of national and international associations of soil biologists, and an associate editor of several scientific journals in Europe and in the USA.

Let’s Create a Demand for a Glyphosate Lab in Canada

ony Mitra is on a mission to get a lab to test for glyphosate in Canada—and he needs your help. An engineer, Tony knows that glyphosate is the poison ingredient in Montanto’s RoundUp and that exposure to it is linked to the rise of various chronic diseases in North America. While currently a few Canadian labs offer glyphosate testing in water and

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soil, there are no labs in this country that will test for traces of glyphosate in the foods we buy and in the urine, blood or breast milk of humans. “Labs are commercial ventures,” Tony notes on his website www.tonu.org. “They will provide a service only if there is sufficient demand.” Therefore, he is appealing to Canadians to create a demand. To do this, you are encouraged to ask your doctor,

hospital or clinic to test for glyphosate in your urine, blood, or breast milk for nursing mothers, as well as brands of foods your family uses, such as milk, bread or meat. The goal is to generate a demand that labs will respond to by offering this service. On Tony’s website you’ll find sample letters you can use to request a glyphosate test. For more information, visit www.tonu.org.

Health & Green Shorts A Compromise Too Far: A Review of Canadian Direct-to-consumer Drug Advertising Since the mid-1990s, Canada has introduced partial direct-toconsumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs through administrative policy shifts. Little documentation exists on how regulation occurs in practice. To evaluate Health Canada’s response to complaints about DTCA, researchers from the University of Toronto recently used case studies about DTCA spanning from 2000 to 2011 to examine the stringency of regulation by Health Canada. They identified six weaknesses

Watershed

in how Health Canada deals with DTCA: failure to act on concerns about promotion for unapproved “off-label” uses; possible financial inducements to use a product; advertisements perceived to stimulate unwarranted fear about disease risks; and advertising of products with serious safety concerns identified in Health Canada safety advisories; ineffective enforcement actions undertaken by Health Canada; and lack of transparency in Health Canada’s decision-making. Their conclusions, published in the International Journal of Risk and Safety in Medicine on November 24, 2014, were that “there is an astonishing degree

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of discordance between public health priorities and regulation of DTCA in Canada. The current approach to enforcement is notable both for its lack of teeth and lack of accountability and transparency.” Water Fluoridation in B.C. Update Last November’s municipal election provided three B.C. communities with the opportunity to vote on whether to fluoridate public water supplies: Cranbrook, Prince George and Sparwood. Of these three, Prince George and Sparwood voted to end fluoride. According to the 2009 population figures, with the reduc-

tion of 78,351 less people drinking artificially fluoridated water, there is a balance of only 55,836 left. This figure indicates that 98.75 percent of B.C.’s population is fluoride-free according to 2009 statistics of 4,455,207. Three remaining communities, Cranbrook, Fort St. John and Terrace—which represent the remaining 1.25 percent of B.C.’s total population—still administer fluoride. Two of these communities, Cranbrook and Fort St. John, have had referendums that voted fluoride back in, so it will take a while for this issue to resurface. Perhaps by the next election in four years, fluoride will be back on the ballot. www.fluoridealert.org.

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Antioxidants along with Chemotherapy and Radiation Do prescription and over-the-counter drugs interfere? by Walter Lemmo, ND

f your oncologist, pharmacist or other members of your oncology team advises you to stop taking antioxidants during chemotherapy and radiation, then please show them this review article. There is a common view, especially in the field of oncology, that antioxidants typically consist of dietary supplements, vitamins and minerals and natural health products. Good quality foods such as fruits and vegetables are also included in this area. There are also antioxidant-type medica-

Growing evidence demonstrates that common and well-known medications are also antioxidants.

tions known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;protectantsâ&#x20AC;? used in oncology but are incorporated carefully or conservatively in some protocols. For more than 15 years, there has been ongoing discussion on whether antioxidants should be used along with chemotherapy and radiation for fears that they may interfere with such treatments. Consequently,

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you will find the majority of the oncology community will advise patients to discontinue such antioxidant-type ingredients, which may also include intakes of fruits and vegetables that are used in higher quantities than the typical recommended diet (such as juicing, blending and smoothies).

Drugs with antioxidant action Outside the area of oncology, growing evidence demonstrates that common and well-known medications are also antioxidants, including drugs used for treating high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma, inflammation and swelling, mood disturbances, poor sleep quality, upset stomach, allergy and pain. For example, the blood pressure medications

Coreg and Captopril are noteworthy antioxidants along with cholesterol-lowering statin medications. Table 1 lists some common pharmaceuticals that have demonstrated antioxidant properties. Such medications may also have comparable effects to dietary supplements, natural health products and the same protectants used in standard oncology. We have not observed the oncology community to advise patients to discontinue such medications or even consult pharmacists or the physicians involved in the prescriptions to see if any changes should be made during chemotherapy and radiation.

Differing standards Within the oncology area there are medications that

are prescribed as a direct consequence of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diagnosis and continued care. For example, because nausea may be an issue for some chemotherapy protocols, select medications are given to assist in this area before, during and after treatment. Ironically, these pharmaceuticals may also possess antioxidant properties and again have comparable effects to dietary antioxidant supplements as well. In addition, some pharmaceuticals contain good evidence for having negative interactions together with chemotherapy and radiation (that is, they can interfere and protect the cancer). We have not observed the oncology community to mention this subject with patients including those with advanced disease or challenging cancers who are not responding well to treatment. If this area is such an important concern for oncologists, pharmacists and the other health-care providers involved in standard oncology care, why has there been such an emphasis placed on more natural medicines and foods and not on the standard and commonly used pharmaceuticals that also possess antioxidant properties? It is the above reasons that have prompted a general review on this subject looking at a much broader platform

of antioxidants, pharmaceuticals.

including

Why has there been such an emphasis placed on more natural medicines and foods and not on common pharmaceuticals with antioxidant properties?

Potential for harm For those health-care providers who are concerned, there exists the potential for harm in this area with pharmaceuticals, and more attention and research is required. For example, the widespread use of the steroid medication dexamethasone in oncology is especially concerning for most solid mass tumours (such as brain, breast, colon, lung cancers) as it is the strongest antioxidant that I am aware of and it has

also generated the largest bulk of negative research on its use together with chemotherapy and radiation. Table 2 lists various chemotherapy agents and radiation that have not worked well when used with dexamethasone in different cancer types. In

Table 1. Common Medications with Antioxidant Properties Medication ACE Inhibitors (Lisinopril, Captopril) Analgesics (Morphine, Tylenol, Advil, Aspirin, Celebrex, Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Naproxen) Anti-Diabetics (Metformin, Glyburide) Anti-Epileptics (Keppra) Anti-Psychotics (Seroquel, Zyprexa)

one paper, 89 percent of 157 tumour samples analyzed were protected by this steroid. In fact, some research suggests the cancer can be protected from chemotherapy up to three weeks following just a single dose of dexamethasone. In humans, steroids have been correlated with increased metastasis in breast cancer treatment and worse survival using more than 4 mg of dexamethasone in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) at the end of radiation (along with temozolomide). Only one paper from 2004 reported that there was no evidence

that steroid treatment had a negative effect on outcome in patients with ovarian cancer (receiving cisplatin, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide)â&#x20AC;&#x201D;and this is all we have found on the subject. Again, the oncology community questions the use of natural medicines with antioxidant capabilities and yet a drug that has significant negative data and commonly used during treatment is somehow missed from the discussion. Walter Lemmo, ND, is the medical director and founder of LEMMO Integrated Cancer & Care Centre in Vancouver, B.C., the longestrunning naturopathic medical clinic primarily focused in cancer care in Canada, servicing patients since 1999. Dr. Lemmo has also received government permission for the compassionate use of innovative hyperthermia technology in Canada. www.lemmo.com | (604) 428-1991

Beta-Blockers (Coreg) Bone Building (Clodronate, Pamidronate, Actonel) Diuretics (Thiazides) / â&#x20AC;&#x153;Water Pillsâ&#x20AC;?

Table 2. The Protective Effect of Dexamethasone on Human Cancers Cancer Type

Chemotherapy/ Radiation

Cervical Cancer

radiation, cytarabine, cisplatin, gemcitabine, 5-FU, methotrexate, paclitaxel, etoposide

Lung Cancer

cisplatin, gemcitabine

Metoclopramide/Maxeran

Glioma, Glioblastoma, Astrocytoma, Medulloblastoma

cisplatin, gemcitabine, temozolomide

Zopiclone, Ambien

Breast, Ovarian Cancer

Viagra, Cialis Proton Pump Inhibitors/Stomach Protectant (Nexium, Prevacid)

paclitaxel, cisplatin, 5-FU, gemcitabine, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide

Prostate, Urological Cancer

radiation, paclitaxel, cisplatin, 5-FU, gemcitabine

Hepatocellular Carcinoma

cisplatin

Pancreatic Cancer Melanoma

cisplatin, gemcitabine cisplatin

Colorectal Cancer

5-FU

Neuroblastoma Osteosarcoma

cisplatin, 5-FU cisplatin

Benadryl H2 Blockers/Stomach Protectant (Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid) Corticosteroids (Betamethasone, Dexamethasone, Hydrocortisone, Prednisone) Phenothiazines (Chlorpromazine, Prochlorperazine)

Effexor SSRI Antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft) Statins (Simvastatin, Atorvastatin) Trazodone, Mirtazapine TCA Antidepressants (Amitryptiline, Desipramine, Imipramine) Allopurinol

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Put the Heat on Cancer Hyperthermia effective alongside standard treatments by Sharon Gurm, BSc, ND, FABNO

tumour suppressor gene that is silenced in most cancers. In addition, LRHT has application post-surgery to treat potential rogue cells liberated by biopsy or surgery.

orldwide, evidence for the benefits of hyperthermia in integrated cancer care continues to mount. In Germany, hyperthermia, also known as “oncotherm” or “oncothermia,” has for many decades been used concurrently with chemotherapy and radiation. There are currently over 100,000 oncothermia treatments provided globally every year, to patients with different cancer types and stages.

Are there any adverse side-effects? Clinical trials have demonstrated that LRHT presents minimal risk and limited adverse side-effects. Heating the tumour has minimal effect on adjacent healthy tissue. Healthy tissue dissipates the heat efficiently while cancerous tissue is incapable of this due to its more primitive blood supply. Surface effects are generally limited to slight reddening of the skin.

What is hyperthermia? In oncology, “hyperthermia” refers to the treatment of malignant (cancerous) diseases by administering heat in various ways. According to the National Cancer Institute, scientists believe that this noninvasive heat therapy may help shrink tumours with minimal injury to normal tissue. The results from human clinical trials indicate that hyperthermia is both an effective complementary treatment to, and a strong sensitizer of, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

What is loco-regional hyperthermia? Loco-regional hyperthermia (LRHT) uses an electric field current to deliver a controlled energy dose to a localized area. LRHT has the ability to make cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy (chemosensitization). Clinical trials have established that LRHT allows the chemotherapy to be better targeted within the heated tumour. The focused heating generates physiological advantages to treating the malignant tumour: Reduced tumour growth and invasion: Heat damages or weakens the proteins and structures within tumour cells, slowing the growth and spread of the tumour.

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Can hyperthermia be combined with other treatments? Chemo-sensitization and targeted drug uptake: Heat increases blood flow through the weakened tumour, allowing targeted uptake of chemotherapy, thereby amplifying the anticancer effects on the tumour while protecting healthy tissue. Radio-sensitization and tumour destruction: Low oxygen levels in tumours contribute to resistance to radiation therapy. Heating raises oxygen levels (via increased blood flow) so the cancer can be more effectively treated by radiation, stimulating cancer cell death (apoptosis). Enhanced anti-angiogenesis: LRHT has been shown to enhance the effect of anti-angiogenic drugs (agents, like bevacizumab, used to inhibit tumour blood vessel formation). Immune induction: The body senses fever and can activate the body’s innate immune mechanisms, thereby assisting the anti-tumour response. Activation of tumour suppressor genes: LRHT has been shown to activate p53, a

LRHT is intended for use alongside chemotherapy and radiation. It enhances the effects of chemotherapy and radiation while helping to mitigate side-effects. Studies have shown that tumours that have become resistant to the effects of chemotherapy and radiation may respond again to these therapies following LRHT treatment.

Which cancers can be treated? LRHT is a treatment for solid tumour cancers, with indications for both primary (where the cancer started) and metastatic malignancies, as demonstrated by clinical trials. Sharon Gurm, BSc, ND, FABNO, is a naturopathic physician providing integrative cancer care and prevention. She is the founder of Port Moody Health, a progressive, comprehensive health-care centre. www.portmoodyhealth. com | (604) 949-0077

A Mother’s Cancer Leads to a Daughter’s Life Purpose Dedicated to Sharon Anne Ruth Brice by Kim Louise Easterbrook

was 36 years old when I got the news that my mother had passed. She was 56. My mother, Sharon, had been struggling with skin cancer, throat cancer and stomach cancer. While getting her regular checkup at the hospital, she collapsed suddenly from an aneurism. My sister told me she would be cremated the next day. Frantic, I immediately left work and drove seven hours from Vancouver to Williams Lake, B.C.

My frozen heart cracked When I arrived at the hospital, I was told I wasn’t allowed to see her. The sadness, guilt and shame set in, and my frozen heart cracked open. My mother and I had never seen eye to eye. I had not seen her in years. More feelings arose, with the memories of 10 family members that had passed to cancer prior to mom, all so young. Tears poured down my cheeks. Then what felt like an angel touched me gently. It was the nurse that had been with my mother when she passed. She grabbed my hand and walked me down to the morgue. I was graciously given an hour to be with my mother. Mom was sleeping so peacefully. Calmness came over me as I held her hand.

I talked about our troubled life together and asked her forgiveness. When it was time to say good-bye, I kissed her and said, “If it takes the rest of my life, I will find what caused this cancer in our family.” That was the day my 20-year mission began.

Health safari journey The universe took me on what felt like a health safari journey. I had just joined the Cancer Prevention Coalition, when I met Rhody Lake, the editor at Alive magazine at the time. We got talking about my mother, my mission and the fact that I had been researching longevity. On the spot, she hired me to write a feature article. I had no writing background. Rhody

just believed in me. I have been writing ever since. For the next 20 years, I was taken under the wings of some wise and influential teachers, their names too many to list. Did the knowledge I learnt find me the answer to cancer? I am not at liberty to comment. However, this journey was a blessing in disguise. It led me to my purpose as a life stylist. My teachings have allowed me to bring a diverse approach to transform my client’s life —from their soul, purpose, career, home and office, to their health—so as to keep disease at bay.

Divine purpose We all come here with a divine purpose, as Oprah would say.

For those who have lost your loved ones to cancer, they are always watching over you. All they want is to see you happy. So go find your purpose and give those gifts back to the world! Make them proud! This year I will be 56. My mother would have been 76. I am writing my first book on this journey. It is dedicated to my mom and the rest of my family who have passed. “Hey mom, I kept our promise … thank you for my life! I love you!” Kim Louise Easterbrook is a life stylist, longevity research writer and interior wellness educator. www.kimlouiseasterbrook.com | (778) 823-6960 Health Action | www.hans.org

Take Fewer Drugs, Not More Using nutraceuticals to complement drug treatments by Ingrid Pincott, ND

n 2014, naturopathic physicians in B.C. celebrated five years of having limited prescribing rights in this province. Most of the 500 NDs in B.C. have these prescribing rights by now, and, every year, we have to obtain continuing education in this area to maintain our licenses. As a profession, we enjoy being able to prescribe lowdose lithium—a mineral in these very low doses—not a drug for manic depression, but for chronic neurological conditions. We also can prescribe low-dose naltrexone for cancers and autoimmune disorders that helps to wake up the immune system. It is also used to treat hepatitis C. We cannot prescribe narcotics or medical marijuana,

but we have other effective therapies to help treat chronic pain, including omega-3 essential fatty acids, boswellia, MSM and glucosamine combinations. We can also counsel patients on lowering the dosage or discontinuing their medications.

A reversed perspective Pharmaceutical textbooks and databases warn against the use of certain herbs and foods that might interfere with the effect of the drug.

Why don’t we say to patients instead, as in the words of Dr. Robert Rountree, “Be cautious when taking pharmaceuticals because they can interfere with the beneficial effects of the foods or supplements you are taking?” For example, grapefruit juice slows the metabolism of some statin drugs in the body. Does this mean that grapefruit juice should be avoided or that the dosage of the statin could be lowered because it will stay in your system longer when you drink grapefruit juice? The

same is true for red rice yeast extract: Taking it with grapefruit juice maximizes its efficacy. Prescription medications may cause numerous nutrient deficiencies or some drugs work synergistically with nutrients. Below is a short list to consider. Nutraceuticals may exert a “drug-sparing effect that allows a person to lower doses of conventional medications” under the supervision of a naturopathic doctor. Isn’t that what you want: fewer drugs, not more? Originally published June 11, 2014, in the North Island MidWeek newspaper. Ingrid Pincott, ND, has been practising naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practising in Campbell River, B.C. www.DrPincott.com | (250) 286-3655

Prescription medications: some things to consider Diuretics, particularly hydrochlorathiazide, is bad at depleting many nutrients including magnesium, potassium, coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and zinc.

some of the adverse effects of statins such as cognitive decline, neuropathy, pancreatic and liver dysfunction and sexual dysfunction.

Magnesium is a very common deficiency in the North American diet, contributing to symptoms like headaches and migraines, heart palpitations, anxiety, joint pains and an irritable bladder. It is also crucial for blood-sugar metabolism and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetics, so it helps optimize the function of diabetic medication.

Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the different cells in the body (except red blood cells) and certain drugs are toxic to the mitochondria. These include acetominophine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), tobacco, cocaine, alcohol, minocycline, propranolol, L-dopa and statins. (There are many other non-drug poisons of mitochondria, but, for the purposes of this article, I am referring to drugs only.) Magnesium is stored within the mitochon-

Statin drugs are well known to deplete CoQ10 and there is mounting evidence that taking CoQ10 may help prevent

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dria and is a crucial mineral to supplement when taking these drugs, in addition to B complex. Other nutrients that I use regularly to support mitochondrial function are L-carnitine and lipoic acid in a combination formula. These same nutrients increase glutathione production in the cells that help with detoxification pathways in the body. Folic acid makes most SSRI antidepressants work better. Up to one-third of depressed individuals are folate-deficient. If the drug is restarted with poor results, folic acid makes the SSRI work better the second time around.

Pioneer Profile: Dave Fuller Health food industry leader leads in Prince George by Alexis Costello

“P

rince George” and “health food” are not immediate associations. In a town that is famous for lumber mills and long winters, starting up a health food store that would become a hub in the community may seem like a daunting task. Ave Maria Specialties was founded in 1988 and is a partnership between Dave Fuller and Louis and Rolande Matte. At the time of its opening, the store was a combination religious goods store and medical supply—not the most organic of partnerships. Something needed to go between these and Dave made a bus trip out to Winnipeg to look at three stores, deciding then to bring in vitamin and herbal products. When another medical supply store opened in town, the partners dropped this part of the business to focus on the natural health industry.

Customers first “It took a lot of marketing money to get people into the store,” Dave says, “We really promoted customer service.” Ave Maria became a big believer in the Dominion Herbal College program and encouraged many of their staff members to become chartered herbalists. “We really wanted to make sure staff understood the basics of anatomy and physiology and especially herbs … In the days before the internet, customers really

“It took a lot of marketing to get people into the store. We really promoted customer service.”

needed the education, we needed to understand safety concerns and indications.” Between this highly educated staff and a second location that opened in 1999, Ave Maria has become a fixture of the Prince George business community.

The fluoride fight Fuller had an opportunity recently to use that stature in the community for good by becoming one of the major proponents of an anti-fluoride campaign. Back in the late ‘90s, the city was moving to update the system, costing taxpayers a great

deal of money in the process. A group went to city council with hundreds of pages of information but their concerns were dismissed. Northern Health brought in dentists who made an emotional statement about the benefits of fluoridation and business went on as usual. The fight was started again years later by Marilyn Judd. Marilyn has since passed away, but not before others like Dave took up the cause. City councillor Albert Koehler got it on the referendum, and after a tight vote it was decided not to continue fluoridation. Thanks to the work of a committed group of people,

Prince George stopped adding fluoride to water as of December 31, 2014. When asked why he feels this was an important step for Prince George, Dave says, “(Fluoridation) is associated with several known disease risk factors. Any time we eliminate the risks we have a better chance at a healthier community.” Dave seems to be optimistic about the fate of the industry in general while being aware of a change in the economy. “The health food store has to reinvent itself and figure out what it can do differently,” he speculates. The market is competitive as shoppers have many more choices as to where to buy their products now than they did 27 years ago. “This is a chance to relate better to consumers and add value to their purchases.” Alexis Costello is a health practitioner and instructor and owner of Happily Holistic Natural Health and Wellness in Kelowna, B.C. She is a home-schooling mom of three and vice president of the Canadian Association of Specialized Kinesiology. www.happilyholistic.ca | office@happilyholistic.ca Health Action | www.hans.org

Holy Basilâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;An Ayurvedic Tradition by Neelam Toprani

oly basil, or tulsi, holds one of the most supreme places among the medicinal herbs in India. The ancient scriptures describe it as the protector of life, accompanying humans from birth up till death. There are innumerable references of tulsi in Indian mythology. The ancient Ayurvedic scriptures mentioned the plant in the management of several diseases. The plant has a purifying influence by liberating ozone and is also known to repel mosquitoes. Its healing properties are so well established that most people in India grow it in courtyards and

traditionally worshipped it in a daily ritual for the well-being of the family. Botanists have given tulsi the Latin name Ocimum sanctum. The species includes both the green-leafed rama tulsi and the purple-leafed krishna tulsi. More recently Ocimum has also been known by Ocimum tenuiflorum, meaning â&#x20AC;&#x153;basil with smaller flowers.â&#x20AC;?

Long history of healing The seeds, leaves and roots of holy basil have great medicinal value, used both internally and externally. Holy basil has mild antiseptic and analgesic properties and relieves swelling. The leaves, when chewed, miti-

Experience Homeopathy as a distinct and unique system of medicine. For acute or chronic conditions visit our website to find a qualified practitioner near you.

www.bcsh.ca 64

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asthma increased lung vital capacity and relieved laboured breathing. Holy basil contains many bioactive substances including minerals and vitamins, which normalize the disturbed physiological functions of the body by harmonizing imbalances.

Stronger with synergies gate infection of the gums. Instillation of the fresh juice of the leaves into ears is an effective remedy for ear aches. A tea made with the leaves is a common remedy for cold, cough and mild indigestion. Ancient Ayurveda texts describe multiple uses of holy basil in treating impotence, poisoning, dyspnea (difficult breathing), coughs, nasal inflammation, bad breath, backaches, respiratory diseases and arthritis. Holy basil is traditionally used in many Ayurvedic preparations as a blood purifier in the diseases of the blood and heart. It is an immuno-modulator and antimicrobial remedy with the ability to reduce toxicity. Holy basil has specific actions on the respiratory system. It effectively liquefies the phlegm due to its hot and sharp attributes. Antiallergenic, holy basil is an effective panacea for cough due to allergic bronchitis, asthma and eosinophilia (high levels of eosinophils, or diseasefighting white blood cells, in the blood). In one study, oral administration of an extract of holy basil to 20 patients with

Ayurvedic medical knowledge, with its many disciplines and medicinal plants, and its long history of use and documented evidence of safety and efficacy, has made an invaluable contribution to modern medical science in the understanding and treatment of diseases. The Ayurvedic pharmacopeia of India has a long list of herbal preparations with holy basil as an important ingredient. In keeping with the guidelines of Ayurvedic classical formulations, holy basil is often combined in synergy with other key Ayurvedic herbs including ashwagandha, karanja, chitraka, amla and turmeric. These formulations enhance the bioavailability of holy basil and stimulate its activity. Neelam Toprani is CEO of Padmashri Naturals Inc., a manufacturer and wholesaler of the Sewanti Ayurveda series and Padmashri massage oils. Manufactured in Richmond, B.C., these products are 100-percent vegan and free of additives, heavy metals, pesticides and GMO contaminants. www. sewanti.com

Help for the Caregiver by Ingrid Pincott, ND

very week, I see at least one person who is a caregiver of some kind coming in for treatment of health concerns of their own. Here are some examples of how I approach these cases. Jody, aged 72, is taking care of his sickly wife who has been in and out of the hospital with kidney failure and cardiac issues for the last several years. He has to take care of everything in the household: shopping, food preparation, house cleaning and the dog. He didn’t come in with this complaint though. He came in because he was having heart palpitations, insomnia, increasing irritability and fatigue. Jody doesn’t have time for much self-care but I started him with a good foundational program with extra help for insomnia. I spend a lot of time explaining that he has been taxing his adrenal glands for years and they are crying out for help! Getting enough sleep is always first on the list but specific adrenal support needs to be taken for one to two years to help bring the vitality back. After speaking to the Island Health (Vancouver Island Health Authority), he qualified for respite care. Thankfully his wife was in agreement and Jody was able to start getting five weeks of respite care per year. Several months later Jody said to me, “I didn’t realize how stressed and depleted I was until I was able to get a break and step back for a better look at my situation. No wonder I

Getting enough sleep is always first on the list.

was so unhealthy!” He still has the same stresses but he has more tools in his toolbox to help him deal with them more effectively.

Hormone help Muriel, aged 60, was having hot flushes, insomnia and depression and she wanted to avoid antidepressants if at all possible. During the history taking it was determined that her husband recently had a stroke that affected his mobility and she was the sole caregiver in the home. They were both retired and she was very

depressed that this was what her retired life looked like. I prescribed BHRT (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy) based on a salivary hormone panel. A chemistry blood test evaluation also found that her thyroid was mildly underactive and her cholesterol was elevated. After one month on the hormones she was feeling much more stable emotionally and was sleeping a bit better. She was still very fatigued and was becoming fearful of having a stroke herself as there was a high risk in her family. I recommended testing to evaluate risk factors. Several were found to be high, so I suggested she get a stress test done very soon and in the meantime I prescribed strong antioxidants to lower the risk factors. Her stress test was normal and, within six months, she

was able to lower many risk markers. Within one year everything was normal. Muriel was very glad to improve her health so that she could be available for her husband. Her husband started to come to see me to improve his health, and by walking every day and working in the garden, his mobility improved greatly over the next year. Their retirement life began to look more rosy. There is help for the caregiver within the community; people just need to accept that they need help and ask. Caregivers are better caregivers if they take care of themselves first! Ingrid Pincott, ND, has been practising naturopathic medicine since 1985 and is currently practising in Campbell River. (250) 286-3655 | www.DrPincott.com. Originally published November 28, 2014 in the Campbell River Mirror. Health Action | www.hans.org

Freedom in Hospital Care by Deane Parkes

argued that hospitals play too central a role. They and physicians are the only healthcare providers enshrined within the Canada Health Act (1984) that provincial governments are required to reimburse for medically necessary services.” Phrases like “rigorous trials or double-blind research” have hypnotized us into believing MDs prescribing “approved” drugs are the only socially accepted choice of medical treatment.

atural food, natural remedies and exercise have been my first choices in health care since the early ’70s. But as I age and see my friends caring for parents or coping with their own illnesses, I’ve become concerned about access to my own choices were I ever admitted to hospital. A friend recently diagnosed with cancer was offered as her only option a combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Natural treatments were not even considered except with the party lines, “vitamins are a waste of money, they’re unproven, you are crazy, does your family agree with your decision?”

Ideal health care

Health scare, not health care How about statin medications, heavily promoted to lower cholesterol and Canada’s most popular drug category? “Take statins or you will die” is a powerful and scary message promoted by conventional medicine. It’s also a big fat lie. In cases of heart disease and others including diabetes, natural therapies work as well as or better than drug therapy— but then you likely already know this as Health Action Network Society members and Health Action readers. How sad that, in 2015, society still allows the medical and pharmaceutical industries to control our health care and restrict our choices now and for future generations. And the government blesses this

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by keeping safe and natural remedies unapproved and under threat of heavy enforcement.

“Health-corp,” not health care A large percentage of Canadians, if offered a choice to address mental or physical illness, would choose natural first. Yet our tax dollars are restricted to one medical/ pharma choice. Imagine, one drug sells for billions of dollars a year, no discounts, paid by taxes, approved and protected by governmental health care. A brilliant yet twisted business plan! The think tank C. D. Howe Institute certainly has taken

Phrases like “rigorous trials” or “double-blind research” have hypnotized us into believing MDs prescribing “approved” drugs are the only socially accepted choice of medical treatment.

note, saying in the report, Paying for Hospital Services: A Hard Look at the Options: “Hospitals play a central role in the Canadian health-care system. In fact, many have

If things do not change soon, I predict that people who do not follow drug protocols or vaccinations may be restricted from health-care insurance. Future generations are in for extreme pharmaceutical manipulation. Those who oppose the system find themselves alienated quite quickly—and the red tape and long-term lobbying to make change require heroic effort. The nice thing about the illusion of democracy is freedom of choice; if I choose chemo, radiation or surgery, my choice; if I choose natural treatments, my choice—all provided through a local hospital and covered by a medical plan. This is my ideal for the future of Canadian health care. Since 2001, Deane Parkes has been the president of Preferred Nutrition, a distributor and manufacturer of natural health products available in health food stores. www.pno.ca | (519) 853-1118

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Our Strength iS in numberS The Health Action Network Society (HANS) is a non-profit society incorporated under the British Columbia Company Act on July 25, 1984 and the publisher of this magazine. The Society believes in the human body’s own healing power, a power derived from man’s dynamic integration with the natural order. This natural healing power (or vis medicatrix naturae, as Hippocrates described it) is mediated through the body’s immune response system in ways which modern science is only beginning to understand. These innate curative mechanisms, if not interrupted by physical or psychological stressors, are

capable of maintaining a high level of personal and social well-being. As Paracelsus has said, “Nature cures; the doctor nurses.” As the society’s name implies, it has been created to “network” – to put people (individuals, public and private organizations) in touch with one another in the constant effort to maintain and enhance health. But it also seeks to stimulate this journey towards individual and collective well-being by encouraging and supporting research into factors related to “health” and the self-care and preventative health care strategies conducive to high-level wellness.

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