Entry for May 18, 2008

Vitamins and Minerals for Diabetes

VITAMINS AND MINERALS THAT LOWERS BLOOD SUGAR

Minerals are the vital constituents for the formation of body structures such as bones and tissues. They are also involved in major physiological processes such as proper metabolism and energy production. There are various minerals that are helpful in treating diabetes and slowing down diabetic complications.

The most important mineral is Chromium. It is also known as Diabetic Mineral. It is because the main function of chromium in is body is to turn carbohydrates into glucose. Chromium also helps in the regulation and production of hormone insulin. It has been observed that due to chromium only the

Insulin works effectively in the body and without it, insulin simply would not function. Good sources of chromium are nuts, cheese, whole, grains, oysters, mushrooms, brewer’s yeast, etc. Long time researches have shown that the symptoms of diabetes completely reverses particularly of Type –2 Diabetes mellitus.

It is because insulin regulates and normalize blood sugar and it also improves body’s ability to transport blood glucose into cells. It has also been seen that the chromium supplements improves glucose tolerance and thus brings it to normal. It reduces fasting glucose and insulin levels in

gestational diabetes. It encourages the loss of body fat. It enhances insulin secretion and decreases trighlycerides Chromium also promotes muscular gains.

Vanadium: It is also associated with proper glucose regulation. It acts like insulin in the body and also enhances its effects. That is why this mineral is extensively known for its role in the management of diabetes. Food sources of vanadium include skin milk, lobster, vegetables, butter and cheese. Vanadium is named after the Scandinavian goddess of beauty and youth. Vanadium is also a building material of bones and teeth. Although, researchers have know vanadium for more than forty

years but the mineral is not yet considered as a essential constituent for humans. It is essential for plants and animals. But Vanadium must be needed to be as an essential nutrient in our diet. Vanadium in case of diabetics- improves fasting glucose levels. It also increases insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. It lowers the insulin requirements in type –1 diabetes.

Manganese: Manganese maintains the blood glucose level in normal range and hence is useful in treating diabetes and hypoghlycaemia. Manganese is also used in our body for fat and protein metabolism and the production of energy. It is needed for growth, maintenance of connective tissue, bone, cartilage and

also helps in fatty acid synthesis. Manganese is also useful in the treatment of epilepsy, anosexia and iron deficiency. Moreover, the absorption of vitamin C, B and E depends upon the sufficient amount of manganese so the person’s multi-vitamin supplement should contain sufficient amount of manganese in it. Dietary sources of manganese include whole green cereals, leafy vegetables, nuts and tea.

Magnesium: Magnesium is mainly important for hypoglycaemics because it helps in the digestion of sugar, starches and fats and also helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels. It has been known from many years that the secretion and action of insulin require magnesium. Hence for diabetic patient and for persons

in whom intake of refined carbohydrates is too much, in them the supplement of magnesium is very much necessary. It is a person crave for chocolate, it may be an indication that he is low in magnesium. The dietary sources of magnesium are whole grains, nuts, seeds, cocoa milk, green vegetables, sea food,

brown rice. Magnesium is also involved in thyroid hormone production. Magnesium along with calcium helps in muscle contraction and helps in producing energy especially in muscle cells. Magnesium is also involved in producing stomach acid and digestive enzymes.

Zinc: Zinc is needed for proper release of insulin and many hypoglycaemics may be deficient. Zinc supplements are beneficial for patients with chronic diseases like diabetes. Some of the other Zinc’s functions include cholesterol, protein and energy metabolism growth, healing and immune functions. Dietary sources of Zinc include meat, eggs, sunflower seeds, milk, wholegrains, spinach etc. But a person should keep in mind that Zinc is destroyed when food is processed so they should eat the Zinc containing food in their natural form as much as possible. Moreover, Zinc absorption is reduced in alcoholics and diuretics. Stress also causes Zinc levels to drop rapidly.

Vitamins are an essential part of human body. The vitamin helps in improving digestion and therefore, increases the body’s ability to tolerate low glucose levels. They also know as Anti-Stress vitamins because of their good effects on the brain and nervous system. The B-complex vitamins are a group of eight vitamins, which include Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), Pyridoxina (B6), Folic Acid (B9), Cyanocobalmin (B12), Pantothenic acid and bioten. A particular potential benefit of vitamin B supplements for diabetics is mainly its ability to lower blood levels of homocysteine (a suphur-containing amino acid). Hence, the vitamins B are also essential for breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which provides energy for the body. It also helps in breakdown of fats and proteins, which helps in normal functioning of the nervous system.

Vitamin B-6 is helpful in the women reporting with gestational diabetes and for protection against metabolic imbalances associated with the use of some oral contraceptive. Vitamin B6 is also useful in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome. It help in reducing homocysteine. It maintains fluid balance and is essential for cellular energy production. It is somewhat beneficial to prevent skin eruptions also. Therefore, the amaging family of vitamin B is very helpful. Vitamin B6 levels are even lower in people with diabetes who have nerve damage i.e. neuropathy. So, the administration of bath Vitamin B1 (25 mg per day) and vitamin B6 (50 mg per day) shows significant improvement of symptoms of diabetic neuropathy after four weeks, because Vitamin B1 is also found to be low in people with type 1 diabetes.

Biotin (The Vitamin B) is needed to process of glucose. Patient with Type-1 of diabetes showed fasting glucose level dropped by 50% on administration of 16 mg of biotin per day for one week. Biotin may also reduce pain from diabetic nerve damage.

Vitamin C: Diabetic people also have low vitamin C levels. Vitamin C may reduce glycosylation. Vitamin C also lowers sorbital in people with diabetes. Sorbital is a sugar that can accumulate and damage the nerves eyes and kidney of people with diabetes. Vitamin C may improve glucose tolerance in patients with Type-2 diabetes. Vitamin C significantly reduces urinary protein loss in people with diabetes. Diabetic people should have 1-3 grams per day of vitamin C.

Vitamin B-12: Vitamin B-12 is needed for normal functioning of nerve cells. Vitamin B12 taken orally, intravenously or by injection reduces the nerve damage caused by diabetes in most of the people. The intake of large amounts of niacin (a form of the vitamin B 3), such as 2-3 grams per day, may impair glucose tolerance and shall be used by diabetic people only under doctor’s advice.

Vitamin D: It is needed to maintain adequate blood levels of insulin. Vitamin D receptors have been found in the pancreas where insulin is produced hence the supplements of vitamin D, increases insulin level in people suffering form diabetes. But it should be given in accurate dose as high dose of vitamin D can be toxic.

Vitamin E: Vitamin E prevents the destructive vascular damage that may occur in diabetes. Vitamin E supplements prevents the arterial degeneration in patients suffering from diabetes. Vitamin E decreases the requirement of insulin by diabetic people. Vitamin E is available naturally in whole grain products, wheat products, fruits, green leafy vegetables milk, whole raw or sprouted seeds.

Entry for May 18, 2008

Diabetes affects over 170 million people world wide and that figure is expected to double by the year 2030 – according to the World Health Organization. Left untreated, it leads to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, blindness and joint problems. In extreme cases, as you lose circulation to the peripheral tissues, amputations may become necessary.

You can do something about this with a diabetes natural remedy involving changes to your diet, losing weight and supplementation – all of these together will allow you to control your diabetes and lead a normal life.

Type 2 Adult Diabetes

Type 2 Adult Diabetes really shouldn’t be called ‘Adult’ diabetes, since the majority of new diagnoses are in children; the blame for this lies fairly and squarely with the modern ‘fast food’ and soft drink diet.
Risk factors for diabetes include:

• High intake of sugar, refined and processed flour, caffeine, and soft drinks

• Lack of exercise – sitting around playing computer games, for example

Symptoms are varied and may include: sudden weight gain or extreme weight loss, fatigue, frequent urination and chronic thirst – these are warning signs (amongst others) which should be checked out.

A positive test showing sugar in the urine and blood is another test. The blood of a diabetic becomes thicker and stickier and the person can be more prone to blood clots which leads to stroke or heart disease.

In Type 2 diabetes, you’re actually producing plenty of insulin – in fact maybe too much because of the high sugar intake. The job of insulin is to carry sugar to the cells where it’s used to make energy.

In a diabetic, two things can happen: 1) The cells become resistant to insulin – in this case the cell membrane which is made up of goods fats and protein doesn’t function correctly and 2) The insulin becomes less effective – this is caused by excess intake of sugar, alcohol, refined flour etc depleting the minerals (particularly chromium) required to make the insulin work. Caffeine will severely aggravate the condition.

A diabetes natural remedy involves taking control of the disease, which is really nothing more than a nutritional deficiency and lifestyle disease. To get the disease under control it’s a matter of losing weight, exercising, having a good diet and using the right supplements.

Steps to take for a Diabetes Natural Remedy

• Increase your protein intake – this repairs the cell membrane.

• Reduce your intake of sugar and increase your intake of complex carbohydrates.

• Lose weight and exercise – reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease

• Eat frequently – have 6 meals a day – this helps keep your blood sugar more constant.

• Completely avoid milk and alcohol.

• Drink plenty of fresh, filtered water (8-10 glasses per day) and no pop or soft drinks.

• Supplementation is essential – use all 90 essential nutrients and additional antioxidants.

Diabetics lose vital minerals and vitamins in their urine and this further complicates the disease. In addition, these same nutrients, when they are replaced will actually reverse the disease and prevent further complications.

Entry for May 18, 2008

Some quick searches tonight and I find a link between proteins (Amino Acids) and blood sugar.

Protein and Blood Sugar

What does protein do for my blood sugar control? The body uses protein for growth, maintenance, and energy. Protein is found in meats, poultry, fish, milk and other dairy products, eggs, beans, peas, and lentils. Starches and vegetables also have small amounts of protein. Lean meats and low-fat dairy products are the better diet choices to help prevent high blood cholesterol levels.

As you begin to eat for better control of your diabetes, protein will become an essential part of your diet. Protein serves as a blood sugar stabilizer. When eaten in combination with other foods, protein will prevent your blood sugar levels from rising too high or falling too low.

Protein Metabolism

During protein metabolism, some protein is converted to glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis, the formation of glucose from non-carbohydrate sources.

The basic difference between protein and carbohydrate is that while carbohydrates are made out of simple sugars (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen), protein is made from amino acids (carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sufur). The nitrogen is a basic component of the protein’s amino acids and accounts for 13 to 20% of the total mass.

The first step in protein metabolism is to break it into its constituent amino acids. These are absorbed into the blood stream.

The second step is to break down the amino acids into their constituent parts–catabolism, if you want to get technical about it. This removes the nitrogen or amino group from the amino acids. The process is called deamination.

Deamination breaks the amino group down into ammonia and what is termed the carbon skeleton. Ammonia is converted to urea, filtered through the kidneys, and excreted in urine. The carbon skeleton–which is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen–can then by used either for protein synthesis, energy production (ATP), or converted to glucose by gluconeogenesis.

Most authorities believe that the amount of protein converted to glucose is quite small, except under conditions of intense exercise or metablic starvation. Under these conditions amino acids produce the major source of glucose for blood sugar maintenance.

Entry for May 17, 2008

For the past several weeks I’ve had a couple of different things happening and I’m not really sure of the cause. I’ve felt a subtle numbness in the tips of my fingers that seems to come and go. I’ve also had itchy watery eyes and I can’t seem to put my finger on it either. One day I’ll try chromium and then another day I’ll try calcium. They both seem to help stop my watering eyes and I’ve even noticed that eating fruits like apples, pears and bananas will improve my eyes on days that I don’t take any supplements. Weird…

The only thing I have in the back of my mind is diabetes or high/low blood sugar but I’ll need more research before I go running after that. Here’s what I found:

Calcium, vitamin D may lower diabetes risk
By Stephen Daniells, 03-Apr-2006

High intake of calcium and vitamin D, particularly from supplements, may lower the risk of diabetes by 33 per cent, say American scientists, as a leading European clinician reports that over a billion people are vitamin D deficient.

A growing body of epidemiological, animal and clinical studies has linked insufficient levels of vitamin D and calcium to a broad range of health problems such as osteoporosis, cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin D is found in low concentrations in some food, and most vitamin D is manufactured in the skin on exposure to sunlight. Recent studies have shown that sunshine levels in some northern countries are so weak during the winter months that the body makes no vitamin D at all.

Indeed, at the European Congress of Endocrinology in Glasgow yesterday, Professor Roger Bouillon from the University of Leuven reported that more than a billion people of all ages worldwide needed to up their vitamin D intake.

The new study, published in the journal Diabetes Care (Vol. 29, pp. 650-656), used data from the Nurses Health Study, and related the vitamin D and calcium intake of 83,779 registered nurses to the incidence of type-2 diabetes.

None of the women had diabetes at the start of the study, and the average body mass index was 24 kilograms per square metre (meaning that very few of the women were overweight or obese, factors that are strongly associated with increased risk of diabetes).

After 20 years of follow-up, during which time dietary and supplementary intakes were measured using validated food frequency questionnaires every two to four years, the authors concluded: “A combined daily intake of more than 1,200 milligrams of calcium and more than 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D was associated with a 33 per cent lower risk of type-2 diabetes.”

Interestingly, lead researcher Anastassios Pitas, from the Tufts-New England Medical Center, found that dietary intake of vitamin D did not result in a statistically significant benefit. But women who consumed from that 400 IU vitamin D per day from supplements had a 13 per cent lower risk of diabetes, compared to women who consumed less than 100 IU per day.

Both dietary calcium and supplements were associated with significant decreased risks of type 2 diabetes, with women who had total daily intakes of calcium greater than 1,200 milligrams had a 21 per cent lower risk compared to women who had intakes less than 600 mg per day.

“For both vitamin D and calcium, intakes from supplements rather than from diet were significantly associated with a lower range of type 2 diabetes,” said Pittas.

The mechanism as to why vitamin D and calcium may reduce the risk of diabetes is not clear, but the researchers proposed that the two nutrients work together. Vitamin D facilitates calcium absorption in the intestine, while calcium is reported play a role in normalising glucose intolerance.

The researchers did not rule out a direct role of vitamin D, independent of calcium, noting that studies have reported that vitamin D insufficiency had been linked to insulin resistance and reduced function of pancreatic beta-cells.

Strengths of this study included the large-scale and long-term follow-up, but the authors note the inability of the study design to measure all the possible confounders. Also, no blood samples were taken to measure serum vitamin D levels.

“If these results are confirmed in prospective studies or in randomised trials, they will have important health implications because both of these interventions can be implemented easily and inexpensively to prevent type 2 diabetes,” concluded the researchers.

An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.

In the US, there are over 20 million people with diabetes, equal to seven per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $132 billion, with $92 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2002 American Diabetes Association figures.

Entry for April 24, 2008

 

Chart: High dosage of Zinc (Zn) can lower Sulfur (S).

Another supplement and another home run. I starting taking MSM yesterday and I notice a big improvement with my candida. I looked up the mineral relationships chart and the answer hit me like a ton of bricks. The obvious answer is Zinc (Zn). From February 2007 until August 2007 I took high dosages of zinc and went too far and pushed my copper level too low. I think the high intake of zinc also lowered the level of sulfur (S) and based on the interrelationships, high zinc could’ve also lowered my potassium and iron.

I’m just glad I found another deficiency except this one may have been caused by me…

Entry for April 22, 2008

For the past couple of weeks I’ve been busy at work and busy at home so I’ve just been taking calcium/magnesium everyday and hoping for the best. I’ve felt really good of late with none of the weird symptoms.

Every once and a while I’ll do a bit of research and get something in my head that sounds like a good idea. Today I found an article that talked about taking sulfur (MSM) for allergies.

SULFUR AND ALLERGIES

Over 40 million people are affected by allergies with reactions ranging from somewhat bothersome to potentially fatal. An allergic response occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to otherwise harmless substances we call allergens. Your body produces antibodies to fight the allergens. Once our immune system decides that a particular type of pollen, for example, is a hostile invader, it becomes “sensitized” to it, and reacts by producing antibodies that give us allergy symptoms. This can last for years, and perhaps a lifetime.

Dr. Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D., recommends allergy sufferers begin taking at least 6,000mg of MSM per day for three weeks and reduce to 3,000mg per day thereafter. Additionally, he recommends people drink more water and increase their intake of Vitamin C to lower histamine levels. Allergy sufferers who use MSM swear by it.

6,000mg of MSM per day for three weeks?? Wow that sounds like a lot. Here’s an article that suggests a relationship with amino acids.

Sulfur – The Protein Building Block

Sulfur has a vital relationship with protein, since sulfur is found in the amino acids methionine, cystine, and cysteine. Thus, these amino acids are known as the sulfur bearing amino acids which are considered the building blocks of protein.

The sulfur-bearing amino acid methionine is absolutely essential to health! This means it must be supplied by live food, or the food supplement MSM. My oral chelation formula, of course, contains both cysteine and methionine. When you are deficient in these amino acids, your muscles and body will weaken. If you take “enough” you get a strong body. If you take “too much,” the extra cysteine, for instance, will be used to get rid of toxic metals in the body. So, it’s rather hard to take “too much” of these sulfur amino acids.

The MSM won’t do the same thing as cysteine, but your body can manufacture cysteine for cell building out of the MSM that you give it. So, MSM is a vital nutrient that you should have in your daily dietary intake.

A lack of proper protein in our diet, therefore means a lack of the vital organic sulfur necessary for good health. Proteins contain sulfur, while carbohydrates and fats do not.

Sulfur is necessary for collagen synthesis. Collagen is an insoluble fibrous protein found in vertebrates. It is the dominant component of connective tissue and bones. Sulfur operates as a synthesizer and activator with the B vitamins, thiamin, vitamin C, biotin, and pantothenic acid, all of which are needed for metabolism and healthy nerves.

Sulfur plays an important part in tissue breathing, the process whereby oxygen and other substances are used to build cells and release energy.

Entry for March 26, 2008

A couple of days of Rutin and I’m not feeling the effects anymore. I’ve switched to taking calcium/magnesium three times a day over the past few days and I’m feeling a lot better. I’m guessing it’s because of the effect on the potassium but I can’t say for sure, I just know I’m feeling so much better.

Entry for March 18, 2008

For years I’ve had “tired eyes” and a sensitivity to bright light. One day after taking 500 mg of Rutin and it’s a whole new world. I can’t believe it. Another deficiency discovered and I’d never even heard of Rutin.

Another point? I checked my multivitamin from NuLife and it actually contains a small dosage of Rutin. Obviously not enough to correct a deficiency. Sometimes I agree with the principle of taking multivitamins. Sometimes, I don’t.

Entry for March 18, 2008

BioFlavinoids (Rutin, Hesperidin and Quercetin)

This is the collective name given to rutin, hesperidin and quercetin. Bioflavonoids promote the non-specific actions of the immune system. Bioflavonoids are involved in maintaining the health of the collagen that holds the cells together by forming the basement membranes of cells, tissues, and cartilage.

Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins can be used to treat a number of eye conditions such as cataracts, night blindness , diabetic retinopathy (progressive retina disease that is a complication of diabetes), and macular degeneration (a hereditary condition causing loss of vision). Hesperidin is useful in treating the complaints of menopause and in dealing with the viruses that cause herpes, the flu, and certain respiratory ailments. Hesperidin fights allergic reactions by blocking the release of histamine. Ellagic acid helps to inhibit cancer by neutralizing the effect of certain carcinogens.

Rutin (vitamin P1)

Rutin is a bioflavonoid that works with vitamin C and assists in reducing pain and intraocular pressure. Rutin may also help maintain levels of the biological antioxidant reduced glutathione. Rutin can be used to treat chronic venous insufficiency, glaucoma, hay fever, hemorrhoids, varicose veins , poor circulation, oral herpes, cirrhosis, stress, low serum calcium, and for cataracts.

Today I went back to the sites I used when I was researching high levels of copper and right there underneath my nose they suggested that a copper deficiency could cause a deficiency in rutin.

Vitamin Deficiencies
The following vitamin deficiencies in the body may be caused by a copper deficiency: vitamin C, inositol, folic acid, vitamin B6 and rutin.

Off to the health food store for some Rutin!

Entry for March 17, 2008

Today I come across something today that I’ve overlooked and has a close relationship with copper.

Hesperidin & Copper

Flavonoids / Bioflavonoids (bioflavinoids) are accessory nutrients to form an ascorbic acid or Vitamin C complex. Rutin and hesperidin are part of this Vitamin P group and function synergistically with Vitamin C in regard to maintaining healthy capillaries, to help form collagen in connective tissue,
to help heal wounds, and to support a healthy immune system.
 
Copper is the most common and potent inhibitor of hesperidin and Vitamin C, being the reason why high levels of copper create a greater risk for vascular degeneration, which in turn requires greater intake of Vitamin C, sulfur, chromium, or molybdenum to lower copper – to make it more bioavailable,
otherwise hesperidin levels will not go up, no matter how much is supplemented.  Abnormal liver functions, triggered by drugs, hormones – particularly elevated estrogen – alcohol, etc., or the structural changes experienced during pregnancy, as well as lack of exercise and excessive amounts of time spent in a sitting position can be equally responsible to promote vascular degeneration.
 
Hesperidin has a right-sided cell receptor (as has copper), so medical problems associated with its deficiency, and/or with copper excesses, are invariably right-sided as well. It is not unusual to see hemorrhoids or varicose veins being noticeably worse on one side only. Rutin is inhibited mostly by chromium, and since chromium levels are on average not as high as copper levels, rutin levels are invariably higher than hesperidin levels as long as dietary intake of rutin and hesperidin are similar.

Entry for March 10, 2008

Once again my eyes are watering and itchy but today I noticed that it goes away when I take lecithin. I’ll start taking lecithin in a higher dosage. The directions suggest “From 3-12 capsules a day” so maybe I need a higher dosage? Twelve capsules of 1200 mg each almost sounds like too much?

Began taking Lecithin with Omega 3-6-9 three times a day.

Entry for March 07, 2008

I’m still having issues with my cold hands that I can’t really seem to solve. One day I take something and it appears to work, then I try the same thing again and it doesn’t work.

Today I have the cold hands again and again Lecithin seems to help right after I take it. It can’t be a problem with lecithin because taking lecithin would’ve solved the problem weeks ago right?

Back to the drawing board…

Entry for March 06, 2008

The past couple of days I’ve had itchy watering eyes. Today I tried taking some Sam-e and that seemed to help. I stopped taking it a while back because as usual, I moved on to something else.

Entry for March 03, 2008

While I was at work today I overheard a conversation about someone having chest pains and that all the test results came back normal so the doctor suggested it was probably just heartburn.

After I thought about it for a while I started to wonder if my weird chest pain was heartburn too? Possibly being caused by the high intake of vitamin C?

Entry for March 03, 2008

Weird feeling on the way into work and once again it was fixed by taking calcium/magnesium. Is my potassium still too high??? I wonder if calcium actually lowers the potassium or just prevents it from going higher?

In addition to medical situations that can lead to hyperkalemia, cellular potassium covers aspects of bladder functions, as well as right-sided ovarian and testicular properties. Cellular zinc covers aspects of prostate / uterine functions, and left-sided ovarian and testicular properties. Elevated potassium is invariably found with acute or chronic Cystitis (bladder infections) or right-sided Ovarian cysts (but not dermoid or chocolate cysts), whereby right-sided ovarian and/or testicular Cancer will always result in excessively high potassium levels, which can also serve as a high risk indicator to be suggestive of a pelvic scan.

Interesting how high potassium levels are linked to testicular cancer. Interesting because Lance Armstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Someone who would lose quite a bit of sodium from sweating all the time.

Lance Armstrong won a world title in bicycle racing before his first full season as a professional. At 25, he won the World Championships, the Tour Du Pont and multiple Tour de France.

Then he found out in 1996 he had testicular cancer. His cancer then spread throughout his stomach, lungs and brain. If cancer is testicular cancer is discovered early, a man is usually given a 70% chance of survival. Because, Armstrong says he ignored warning signals, his chances of survival dropped as low as 40%.

Armstrong said in an interview in the Testicular Cancer Resource Center, he remembered thinking, “Oh my God, I’m going to die!”

“It just got so painful, I couldn’t sit on my bike anymore,” Armstrong remembered in the interview. He even coughed up blood once. “I thought if I coughed up a little blood, and if I don’t do it tommorrow, then it must not be so bad.” Armstrong didn’t give up and this year he won the Tour de France race for the second year in a row–the major race in the world for bicyclists. The race lasts 2,274 miles over , 23 day test of stamina and courage.

Armstrong got to that point by not giving up. He said he declared himself a cancer survivor, not a cancer victim. He had chemotherapy and surgury. He had a physical treatment program , a competitive spirit and a support system. He was declared cancer free.

“In 1996, two months before I was diagnosed, the illness was raging,” Armstrong said in an interview with Associated Press. He says thirty years ago, 95 percent of those who had testicular cancer died, but today 95 percent survive. “In 2000, I’m not much of a miracle,” he explained “Thirty years ago, yes it would have been a miracle.”

Armstrong also wants to help others. In 1996, he founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation. The organization provides grants and partnerships to institutions and organizations to help fight cancer. It also is active in public education about the disease.

In 1995 he established the Lance Armstrong Junior Series to promote the sport among youth. Armstrong may be a good model to young people, both for his accomplishments as an athlete and his successful fight against cancer.

Entry for February 28, 2008

I added the licorice root back for my cough yesterday and boy what a difference. It can really suppress the deep kind of cough that irriates the throat.

In fact, there’s a woman at work who also has a really bad cough and we work together so either I gave it to her or vice versa. Anyway, she was coughing constantly from the moment she came into work. I kind of wondered why she came in at all… I don’t like pushing things on people but I told her about licorice root and how fast it worked for coughing. She was willing to give it a try and she stopped coughing within minutes. She was amazed and another co-worker asked me what I gave her because she couldn’t believe how fast it worked!

Two days of 1000-1200 mg of calcium/magnesium in a 2/1 ratio and I feel much better.

Entry for February 26, 2008

Started the day with a magnesium, lunch switched to calcium/magnesium, another calcium/magnesium before leaving and another calcium/magnesium at dinner. Felt so much better than yesterday. I think my problem is still potassium and yesterday I was fighting it with magnesium which doesn’t have the same relationship as calcium does. Added Chromium after reading that it can lower potassium. I skipped the lecithin today and my cold hands weren’t as bad.

I think I’ll stick to the mineral balancing instead of the herbs…

Entry for February 26, 2008

I’ve had a really bad cold with a cough for about five days now and it doesn’t really seem to be improving. In fact, my cough is a lot worse today. The only thing I’ve done differently is stopped taking the licorice root. Dr. Google?

Licorice is a perennial herb native to southern Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean. It is extensively cultivated in Russia, Spain, Iran and India, and is one of the most popular and widely consumed herbs in the world.

Although known for its flavoring in candy, it contains many health benefits. Ancient cultures on every continent have used it, the first recorded use by the Egyptians in the 3rd century BC. The Egyptians and the Greeks recognized the benefits in treating coughs and lung disease. It is the second most prescribed herb in China followed by ginseng, and is used for treatment of the spleen, liver and kidney. The Japanese use a licorice preparation to treat hepatitis.

The most common medical use is for treating upper respiratory ailments including coughs, hoarseness, sore throat, and bronchitis.

The main constituent found in the root is glycyrrhizin. The plant also contains various sugars (to 14%), starches (30%), flavonoids, saponoids, sterols, amino acids, gums, and essential oil. Glycyrrhizin, stimulates the secretion of the adrenal cortex hormone aldosterone.

It can be as effective as codeine, and safer, when used as a cough suppressant. Rhizomes in the plant have a high mucilage content which, when mixed with water or used in cough drops, sooths irritated mucous membranes. The drug also has an expectorant effect which increases the secretion of the bronchial glands. It is an effective remedy for throat irritations, lung congestion, and bronchitis.

I’ll be adding licorice root back as soon as I get home…

Entry for February 25, 2008

In my book of nutritional healing is says not to use licorice root for more than seven days in a row because it can cause high blood pressure, water retention and low potassium levels. I’ve been taking it here and there for two weeks now so I’ll stop taking it and see what effect it has. A couple of web sites suggest 4-6 weeks and then a break. One week and 4-6 weeks is a huge difference!

When licorice root is taken daily, it is recommended that the dose does not exceed 3 grams. Use for 4-6 weeks, and have 1-2 weeks break. If taking licorice in large doses be sensitive to any of the following adverse reactions and symptoms: puffy ankles, facial swelling, shortness of breath, headaches, and general weakness. Be aware some people can be quite sensitive with any herb or drug and may have adverse reactions.

Entry for February 25, 2008

Tightness in my chest again today after lunch disappeared with magnesium and not calcium. Fighting with cold hands all day which is weird because I’m still talking the lecithin. Weird.

I’m now beginning to think that the recent issues have been caused by magnesium loss because of the licorice root getting rid of the potassium. Ended up taking 1000 mg of magnesium today which is way more than I’ve taken in a long, long time.