8 Great Tips to Improving Digestion Now

Do you suffer from indigestion, stomach ache, gas, bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, acid reflux, or other digestive disorders? Do you avoid restaurants or eating with friends? Are you looking for natural, simple solutions to improve digestion? Here are eight great tips!

Kefir and Kombucha: Natural Healing with Fermented Foods

Do you suffer from digestive disorders, cramps, allergies, bloating, diarrhea, inflammation, skin irritations, and headaches? Have you ever heard of kefir or kombucha? Are you wondering how fermented foods can be important for digestion? Fermented foods can be just as effective as taking probiotic supplements and digestive enzymes, and can be cheaper and healthier. Learn more.

Could Cancer Be Prevented By Eating Apricot Pits? – Laetrile and Pancreatic Enzyme Treatment

Beard Researches Pancreatic Enzyme Therapy
John Beard  first discovered the invasive activities of trophoblasts in 1902. He observed that when the fetus attaches itself to the uterine wall, it is attacked by trophoblasts in a similar manner as the invasive action of cancer cells. When the placenta is in place, the trophoblasts cease to attack.

Placental Structure and Transport – Photo Credit: University of Bern – Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine  www.ibmm.unibe.ch/content/groups/albrecht_group

Beard observed that trophoblast invasion begins to decrease at about the same time that the pancreas in the developing fetus begins to develop, and consequently he began researching  pancreatic enzymes, particularly Chymotrypsin, in the treatment of cancer.

Structures of the pancreas Acinar cells produce digestive enzymes, which are secreted into tiny ducts that feed into the pancreatic duct.  Photo Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica  www.britannica.com

Beard conducted research experiments with the pancreatic fluid extracted from young animals. The cancer tumors in both animals and humans decreased in size after pancreatic substances were injected into the tumors.  The digestive enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin halted the growth of 100% of fast-growing cancers when it was taken orally at an extremely high dosage.

Dr. John Beard – The Enzyme Treatment of Cancer and Its Scientific Basis

John Beard’s 20 years of hard laboratory research, still holds up to rigorous scientific scrutiny today.  His multiple research studies were published in JAMA and in a book on the use of enzyme therapy for cancer between 1902 and 1911.

The Discovery of Vitamin B-17
In the 1930’s and 1940’s, Ernst Theodore Krebs Jr. (May 17, 1911 – September 8, 1996) and his father, Ernst T. Krebs Sr. developed and applied the Beard Thesis of Cancer to their work with both the pancreatic enzymes and Laetrile (Vitamin B-17).   Ernst was an American biochemist from San Francisco.  Both he and his father are widely recognized as the co-discoverers of Vitamin B-17, commonly known as Laetrile (a synthesized form of vitamin B-17)  or Amygdalin, for the control of cancer.

Laetrile, also known as Amygdalin,  is found in most fruit seeds, namely apricot seeds, apple seeds, etc. Apricot kernels are one of the richest sources of vitamin B-17.

Ernst Jr. was a graduate student at the University of California in Berkeley from 1943 to 1945 and did research work in pharmacy from 1942 to 1945.  Both Ernest Jr. and Sr. also discovered another of the B vitamins called B-15, or pangamic acid. Ernst Jr. and Sr. both studied and expanded the upon the research of Dr. John Beard, and the use of Chymotrypsin, and in 1945, Ernst T. Krebs Jr. was instrumental in founding the John Beard Memorial Foundation.

Cancer Trophoblast and Laetrile, Vitamin B17 Molecule  Photo Credit: Vision B Seventeen Sdn Bhd, Prof Syed Putra Meir, Indonesia

Medical claims by Krebs Jr. and Sr. are not supported by the FDA and are considered by some professionals to be “quackery.” (Markle 1980, Lerner 1981).  The FDA, the AMA, and the American Cancer Society have labelled it fraud. Moreover, the use of Laetrile as a cure for cancer has been advertised as a possible risk for cyanide poisoning. Vitamin B-17 contains part of the cyanide molecule (called the cyanide ‘radical’), but so does vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin). Certain chemicals, after ingestion, can be converted by the body into cyanide. Those most at risk of unintentional cyanide poisoning are those who work in industries that use cyanide and those who smoke have twice the amount of cyanide as those who don’t.

However, when Laetrile was used by Beard and Krebs to cure cancer, the cyanide was released into the tumor in extremely small quantities.  Research studies, including those opposed to the use of Laetrile, have shown that used in the recommended dosages even intravenous application was “free of clinical toxicity and no cyanide could be detected in the blood” (Day 2013).  Today there are many products on the market in other countries based on the work of Krebs Jr. and Sr. and promoting Laetril or Vitamin B17 as a “cure” for cancer.

 

Gerson Therapy Nutritional Program for Cancer Prevention
Dr. Max Gerson (October 18, 1881 – March 8, 1959) was a German-born American physician who developed the Gerson Therapy, an alternative dietary therapy, which he claimed could cure cancer and most chronic, degenerative diseases.  Gerson Therapy is based on the belief that all disease is caused by the accumulation of  toxins in the body.

Dr. Max Gerson – Gerson Therapy

A predominantly vegetarian diet is prescribed to cure the disease including hourly glasses of organic juice and various dietary supplements.  Gerson was in agreement with the earlier work of Beard, that tumors develop as a result of pancreatic enzyme deficiency.  Those who are following the Gerson Therapy receive enemas of coffee, castor oil and sometimes hydrogen peroxide or ozone. In A Cancer Therapy: Results of 50 Cases (1990),  Dr. Max Gerson discusses the research, theory, and practice of his Gerson Therapy to treat cancer. Cases are documented with X-ray photographs, before and after.  The National Cancer Institute evaluated Gerson’s claims and concluded that his research results were statistically inconclusive. The American Cancer Society reported that “[t]here is no reliable scientific evidence that Gerson therapy is effective in treating cancer, and the principles behind it are not widely accepted by the medical community. It is not approved for use in the United States.” The Gerson Institute is a non-profit organization in San Diego, California. The institute claims that Gerson Therapy is a “non-toxic treatment for cancer and other chronic degenerative diseases.”

Dr. William Donald Kelley, D.D.S.

Dr. William Donald Kelley Cures Himself of Cancer
In the 1960’s, Dr. William Donald Kelley, a dentist from Grapevine, Texas, cured himself of pancreatic cancer based on Beard’s work with pancreatic enzymes and nutritional regimen.  Kelley, like Beard and Krebs, also studied pancreatic enzymes and the similarities of trophoblasts and cancer cells.

Trophoblast – Photo credit: Division of Biomedical Sciences at St.George’s, University of London
Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group http://www.rcdrg.sgul.ac.uk

He concluded that cancer cells and trophoblasts have a common origin in primordial germ cells.  He believed that when the body is weakened by toxic exposure and nervous system imbalance, and primordial germ cells migrate to this point in the body, and cancer can develop. In 1967 Kelley published, One Answer to Cancer.  In 2005 he updated and published Cancer: Curing the Incurable without Surgery, Chemotherapy or Radiation (Kelley 2005) based on 50 years of systematic nutritional planning for 33,000 patients (Kelley 2005).

Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez

Gonzalez Continues the work of Beard and Kelley
In the 1990’s Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez, became interested, as a young medical student, in the use of pancreatic enzymes and nutrition as a possible treatment for cancer. He conducted research based on the findings of Dr. John Beard and William Donald Kelley.  Gonzalez incorporated many of Dr. Beard’s and Dr. Kelley’s key points into his own treatment regimen, The Gonzalez Regimen (PDQ) includes the use of pancreatic enzymes, along with nutritional supplements, coffee enemas, and prescriptive diets.  An example of the Gonzalez Regimen for a patient with pancreatic cancer would be:

1. Fresh raw fruits, raw and lightly steamed vegetables, and freshly made vegetable juice daily.
2. Plant-based cereals, nuts, and seeds, whole-grain bread and brown rice.
3. One or two eggs daily, whole-milk yogurt daily, and fish two or three times a week, no red meat or poultry.Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Freeze-dried thymus and liver
4. Porcine lyophilized pancreatic enzyme (25 g to 40 g capsules daily) taken without meals at regular intervals throughout the day.

Does the FDA Approve Pancreatic Enzymes as Cancer Treatment?
The FDA has not approved Vitamin B17 (laetrile) or pancreatic enzymes as a cancer treatment. Others (Gonzolez 2007,  Kelley 1999, 2005,  Day 2013, Sarue, et al, 2004) claim that it has been shown to be effective based on clinical trials and argue that the reason that is not approved by the FDA is because of lack of funding for long-term credible research (Gdanski 2002).  Although these treatments are banned in the United States, other countries do offer pancreatic enzyme treatment and high doses of Vitamin B17 as an alternative treatment for cancer.

 

Research has recently shown these foods to be effective in fighting cancer. See our article “20 Cancer Fighting Foods” for more research

Although these treatments are banned in the United States,  more investigation  and research exploring the effect of enzyme therapy, nutrition, diet and exercise on reducing cancer risk might be beneficial. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), a change in diet is helpful in reducing cancer risk, yet the AICR states that no single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself.  Strong evidence does show that a diet filled with a wide variety of healthy vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans helps lower risk for many cancers. (See our article, “20 Cancer Fighting Foods.”)  AICR recommends filling at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans.  Exercise has also shown to boost immunity and help fight cancer, and to be an effective treatment for those recovering from cancer.  Always check with your doctor or trusted health care provider or practitioner before making a change in your diet or exercise routine.

Resources

1. Beard J. The action of trypsin upon the living cells of Jensen’s mouse tumor. Br Med J 4, 140-141, 1906. Nutritional Research and Educational Foundation.
2. Beard J: The Enzyme Treatment of Cancer and its Scientific Basis. London: Chatto & Windus, 1911.
3. Day, Phillip,  Cancer: Why We’re Still Dying to Know the Truth, ISBN 0-9535012-4-8 (370 pages),  Credence Publications 2013
4. Day, Phillip, B17 Metabolic Therapy in the Prevention and Control of Cancer – A Technical Manual, Paperback Publisher: Credence Publications 2002 ISBN-13:9781904015055
5. Gerson, M, A Cancer Therapy: Results of Fifty Cases and the Cure of Advanced Cancer by Diet Therapy : a Summary of 30 Years of Clinical Experimentation,  Gerson Institute, 1990, ISBN 0882681052, 9780882681054, Gerson Therapy
6. Gdanski, Ron Cancer: Cause, Cure and Cover-up, Published by Nadex Publishing 2000, Gnosis
7. Gonzalez NJ, Isaacs LL: Evaluation of pancreatic proteolytic enzyme treatment of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, with nutrition and detoxification support. Nutr Cancer 33 (2): 117-24, 1999. PubMed
8. Gonzalez NJ: Pancreatic cancer, proteolytic enzyme therapy and detoxification [excerpts]. Clinical Pearls News November 1999. Available online Accessed January 26, 2015.
9. Gonzalez N: Dr. Nicholas Gonzalez on nutritional cancer therapy: a Moneychanger interview. The Moneychanger July 1995. Available online Accessed January 26, 2015.
10. Gonzalez NJ, Isaacs LL. The Gonzalez therapy and cancer: a collection of case reports. Altern Ther Health Med 13(1), 46-55, 2007.Nutritional Research and Educational Foundation.
11. Herbert, Victor (May 1979). “Laetrile: The cult of cyanide. Promoting poison for profit”.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 32 (5): 1121–58.
12. Kelley WD: One Answer to Cancer. Mount Pearl, Canada: Cancer Coalition for Alternative Therapies, Inc. 1999. Available online Accessed January 26, 2015
13. Kelley WD, Rohe F: Cancer: Curing the Incurable without Surgery, Chemotherapy, or Radiation. Bonita, Calif: New World Promotions, 2005. WebMD
14. Krebs, Ernst T Sr, Krebs, Ernst T Jr,  and Beard, Howard H, The Unitarian or Trophoblastic Thesis of Cancer, The Medical Record, July 1950. (republished in B17 Metabolic Therapy in the Prevention and Control of Cancer – A Technical Manual, by Phillip Day, Credence Publications)
15. Lerner, Irving J. (1981). “Laetrile: A lesson in cancer quackery”– A Cancer Journal for Clinicians  31 (2): 91–5. Wiley Online Library
16. Markle, Gerald E.; Petersen, James C., eds. (1980). Politics, Science, and Cancer: The Laetrile Phenomenon. American Association for the Advancement of Science Selected Symposium (49). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-89158-854-X.
17. Moertel, Charles G.; Fleming, Thomas R.; Rubin, Joseph; Kvols, Larry K. et al. (January 1982). “A clinical trial of amygdalin (Laetrile) in the treatment of human cancer”. New England Journal of Medicine 306 (4): 201–6.
18. Saruc M, Standop S, Standop J, Nozawa F, Itami A, Pandey KK, Batra SK, Gonzalez NJ, Guesry P, Pour PM. Pancreatic enzyme extract improves survival in murine pancreatic cancer. Pancreas 28(4), 401-412, 2004. Pub Med

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This article is written by Jean Voice Dart, M.S. Special Education from Illinois State University. Jean is a published author and has written hundreds of health articles as well as hosting a local television program, “Making Miracles Happen.” She is a Registered Music Therapist, Sound Therapist, and Master Level Energetic Teacher, and is the Executive Director, founder and Health and Wellness Educator of the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.

 

Disclaimer: The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.

Dropping Pounds After the Holidays – A Sensible and Successful Weightloss Plan

Holiday foods and staying indoors in cold weather make weight gain common.  Photo credit: Pixabay.com

Holiday Weight Gain
A new year brings about new resolutions, and most common resolution is to lose weight.  November, December and January are key times when weight is usually gained over the holidays, because people tend to eat more foods high in carbohydrates, trans fats, and sugar than they normally do. Unfortunately gaining weight is an extremely easy task for most of us. The good news is that with enough will and determination, losing 5-15 pounds is not as difficult as the majority of us tend to think. The cornerstone idea to losing weight is simple: exercise regularly and eat healthy meals.

Prescription drugs and over the counter drugs are not the best way to shed unwanted pounds. Photo credit: Pixabay.com

Diet Pills or Prescriptions
People who don’t want to bother to change their lifestyle and dietary habits to include exercise and healthy meals, often turn to diet pills to lose weight. There are many diet pills in the market today such as Zantrex 3 and Hydroxycut.

Your doctor may consider weight-loss prescriptions for you if haven’t been able to lose weight through diet and exercise and if you meet one of the following criteria:

• Your body mass index (BMI) is greater than 30
• Your BMI is greater than 27 and you have a serious medical problem related to obesity, such as diabetes or high blood pressure (Mayo Clinic, 2015)

According to the Mayo Clinic (2014),

“Dietary supplement manufacturers aren’t required by the Food and Drug Administration to prove that their products are safe and effective, so view these products with caution and skepticism, and always let your doctors know about any supplements you take.”

Even though some diet pills and prescription drugs may prove to be effective in terms of melting the pounds away, the healthiest way to lose weight is not to introduce foreign chemicals in the body.

 

Metabolism Diagram – Photo credit: Researching the Kinetics of Functional Food Materials in the Body – Safety Science, KAO, Japan, http://www.kao.com

Metabolism
Metabolism is the process your body goes through to convert food into energy. The energy created by this process is then used by the body to function properly. Energy is needed for people to breathe and regulate hormones in the body.

Metabolic Disorders – Photo Credit – Power of the Gene. http://www.powerofthegene.com

People can have “metabolic diseases” as a result of inefficient metabolismA metabolic disease is the result of a loss of any one many enzymes required for efficient metabolism.  The enzymes needed are different for different substances.  If someone has inefficient enzymes for the metabolism of  carbohydrates, for example, they might have lactose intolerance, glycogen storage diseases, galactosemia.   If they have insufficient enzymes for amino acids, the metabolic disease might be phenylketonuria, or maple syrup urine disease and if they don’t have the sufficient enzymes for fat metabolism this might result in Tay-Sachs disease. (Murgatroyd, 2011)

Swimming can help to burn calories and increase metabolism. Photo credit: Pixabay

Several factors will determine a person’s ability to lose weight in a certain amount of time. Mayo Clinic (2014) provides information on the subject in the following:

• Your body size and composition. The bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn more calories, even at rest.
• Your sex. Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight, burning more calories.
• Your age. As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight, slowing down calorie burning.

 

Physical exercise and healthy diet is the best way to lose weight. Photo credit: Publicdomainpictures.net

Physical Activity
Physical activity will also determine weight loss. The amount of physical activity and exercise you get will either result in weight loss or weight gain. Mayo Clinic (2014) states:

“Unfortunately, weight gain is complicated. It is likely a combination of genetic makeup, hormonal controls, diet composition, and the impact of environment on your lifestyle, including sleep, physical activity and stress. All of these factors result in an imbalance in the energy equation. You gain weight when you eat more calories than you burn-or burn fewer calories than you eat.”

Bicycling can increase metabolism and burn calories. Photo by Pixabay

Regular exercise can help you burn the amount of calories you desire and it can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Examples of regular exercise include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Walking
• Running
• Bicycling
• Hiking
• Dancing
• Playing sports

Incorporating daily physical activities or chores such as washing the car, keep a body healthy. Photo credit: Pixabay

If these activities are not convenient for you due to your schedule or lifestyle, there are simpler alternatives to losing weight. Increasing the frequency of these daily activities can help you burn more calories.

• Cleaning the house
• Doing the laundry
• Tending to the garden
• Washing the car
• Taking care of children
• Walking up and down the stairs

Besides losing weight, regular exercise has many other benefits. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  (formerly the Harvard School of Public Health) (2015) states the benefits of regular exercise includes, but are not limited, to the following:

• Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier
• Helps protect you from developing heart disease and stroke or its precursors, high blood pressure and undesirable blood lipid patterns
• Helps protect you from developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial (uterine lining) cancer

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health Photo Credit http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource

Figure 1: USDA Recommended Food Portions

Healthy Meals
The United States Department of Agriculture (2015) recommends the following diet per day for men and women:

• 2 cups of fruit
• 2-3 cups of vegetables
• 6-8 ounces of whole grains
• 5-6 ½ ounces of lean protein
• 3 cups of dairy

Avoid eating foods with a high percentage of fat or sugar. It’s greatly recommended to either limit your intake of alcohol or abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages altogether.  Drink plenty of liquids such as water, teas, and juices. Figure 1 goes further in-depth on the types of whole grains and lean proteins to consume as well as how much of each food group is recommended for one meal.

Conclusion and Summary
Honestly, a diet of any nature, such as the one expressed above, can difficult for some to maintain, especially if you have a full-time career and/or a family to care for.  It is wise to do some research on the diet that is most suitable for your lifestyle. You don’t want to have unrealistic expectations of yourself if you know deep down that the results will be impossible to achieve. If it seems too challenging to jump into a diet right away, there is no shame in taking it one step at a time. Try eating more fruits and vegetables at first. You could bring one or two servings of carrot sticks to work so you could nibble on them during your break. Then, when you feel more comfortable, you could incorporate more physical activity into your schedule. After a while, it might not even feel like a diet, but a regular routine. Physical activity and eating healthy meals are vital to sustaining a long nourishing life and the benefits of these activities are endless.

 

References
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2015). Staying Active: Introduction. The Benefits of Physical Activity. The Nutrition Source

Mayo Clinic. (2014). Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories. Healthy Lifestyle: Weight Loss.  Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic. (2015 ) Prescription Weight-loss Drugs: Can They Help You?  Mayo Clinic

Murgatroyd, Chris, MD,  Metabolic Disorders, Power of the Gene, Nova Science Publishers Inc., 1 Edition, February 2011, ISBN-10: 1608769496, 217 pages.  PoweroftheGene.com

United States Department of Agriculture. (2015). Welcome to the Five Food Groups. Food Groups.  USDA

 

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This article is written by Hang Pham. Hang Pham is a Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance Health and Wellness Educator. Hang Pham was born in Hoc Mon, Vietnam. She came to America in 1994, becoming a U.S. citizen in 2011. Hang graduated from Seaside High School with diploma and received her AA in General Studies from Monterey Peninsula College in 2011. She received her BA in Collaborative Health and Human Services from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in 2012. In addition to working as a volunteer staff with the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance, she currently works as a Clerical Aid in the Human Resources Department of Salinas City Hall. The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit health and wellness education organization. For more information about the Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance contact us or visit our website at www.montereybayholistic.com.

 

 

Disclaimer:  The Monterey Bay Holistic Alliance is a charitable, independent registered nonprofit 501(c)3 organization and does not endorse any particular products or practices. We exist as an educational organization dedicated to providing free access to health education resources, products and services. Claims and statements herein are for informational purposes only and have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The statements about organizations, practitioners, methods of treatment, and products listed on this website are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information is intended for educational purposes only. The MBHA strongly recommends that you seek out your trusted medical doctor or practitioner for diagnosis and treatment of any existing health condition.