In 2007, the USDA ordered all almond growers to “sterilize” almonds in one of several ways: heat them using steam, irradiate them using a controversial ionization process, roast or blanch them, or treat them with propylene oxide (PPO), a known carcinogen. Health conscious farmers quickly sued to appeal the order. Finally, last week a federal court ruled that the appeal may proceed. Its about time.
Eating almonds is associated with lowering bad cholesterol, blood pressure, insulin, blood sugar, weight/BMI, waist circumference and an increase in vitamin E levels.

A group of almond growers has been fighting for three years to keep their almonds from being adulterated against their will. Now their plea will finally be heard in federal court.

From 2001 to 2004, there was a string of salmonella outbreaks in California that were linked to almonds. In response, the Almond Board of California made a deal with the US Department of Agriculture.

Effective September 2007, the USDA ordered all almond growers to “sterilize” almonds in one of several ways: heat them using steam, irradiate them using a controversial ionization process, roast or blanch them, or treat them with propylene oxide (PPO).

PPO is a known carcinogen, and most countries, including the EU, have banned imported nuts treated with PPO. The chemical is so nasty that it’s even been banned by both the National Hot Rod and American Motorcycle Racing Associations, where it had been used as a fuel additive before it was deemed too dangerous.

The new rule created deceptive labeling. Almonds that have undergone chemical treatments or heating for pasteurization are still labeled “raw.” Consumers who purchase “raw” almonds may well think that those almonds are natural and unprocessed. Moreover, there will be no label requirement to specify what kind of pasteurization treatment was used among the many approved methods or combination of options.

In March of 2007, we instituted an Action Alert and joined with the Organic Consumers Association, the Cornucopia Institute, and other groups to seek changes to the regulations.

Before the regulations went into effect, an exemption was given for small-scale growers, who were allowed to sell truly raw almonds, but only direct to the public from farm stands. It was still illegal for them to say that theirs were untreated, thus denying them the right to tell the truth and also any competitive advantage from doing so.

Since the new requirement took effect, a group of raw and organic almond farmers continued the fight. Last Tuesday, a federal appeals court ruled that their challenge can proceed. “At long last the farmers who have been injured by this rule will have the opportunity to stand in court and state why this poorly thought out regulation should be thrown out,” said Will Fantle, research director at the Cornucopia Institute, a Wisconsin-based sustainable agriculture advocacy group coordinating the legal strategy for the farmers’ lawsuit.

One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, almond farmer Nick Koretoff, said, “I am very happy with this first step in overturning this destructive regulation….My consumers want raw, untreated, healthy almonds, and I have been denied the opportunity to sell them what they want.”

An attorney representing the farmers in the current lawsuit said, “We are pleased that the Appeals Court rejected USDA’s argument that courthouse doors are closed to farmers. We now intend to demonstrate to the federal district court that USDA acted outside of authority granted by Congress when it denied California almond growers a consumer market for raw almonds.”

This is not the first time ANH-USA has battled over nuts. In April we issued an Action Alert over FDA’s censorship of the scientific evidence supporting health claims for walnuts. The FDA had sent a Warning Letter to a nut processor and distributor because the company dared to list some of the health benefits of walnuts on its website. The FDA said that the walnuts were being “promoted [as] drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.” In other words, if you say that a food is healthy and may help protect against heart disease, or ease arthritis or inflammation, your words have magically changed that food into a drug, and that’s illegal!

The Free Speech About Science Act (HR 4913), which we strongly support to put a stop to FDA censorship ( and ultimately USDA censorship as well) is currently in committee.

Posted August 10, 2010

Sources : http://www.anh-usa.org/raw-and-organic-almonds-lawsuit-scores-its-first-major-victory/

Metabolism. 2010 May 22. [Epub ahead of print]

Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2003 Nov;27(11):1365-72.

Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 May;59(5):995-9.

By Stephen Daniells, 23-Jun-2010

The heart health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA may be related to their ability to reduce oxidative stress, suggests new research.

Quoted from: http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Berries-cut-lower-type-2-diabetes-and-CVD-risk-claims-new-research

By Jane Byrne , 19-Apr-2010

Berries rich in polyphenols decrease the postprandial (after meal) glucose response of sucrose in healthy subjects, according to a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Sucrose increases postprandial blood glucose concentrations, and diets with a high glycemic response may be associated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and Cardiovascular disease (CVD).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 150 million people have diabetes mellitus worldwide, and this number may double by the year 2025 due to population growth, ageing, unhealthy diet, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.

Berries are excellent sources of various polyphenols, such as anthocyanins, flavonols, phenolic acids, ellagitannins and proanthocyanidins, said the researchers from the University of Kuopio in Finland.

[click here to continue reading original article]

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print: doi:10.1017/S0007114509992868
Title: Berries modify the postprandial plasma glucose response to sucrose in healthy subjects
Authors: R. Torronen, E. Sarkkinen, N.Tapola, E. Hautaniemi, K. Kilpi, L. Niskanen

Drinking blueberry juice daily for 12 weeks was associated with improved learning and recall of words, as well as a reduced depressive symptoms, according to findings published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in January 2010.

The study is said to be the first human trial to assess the potential benefits of blueberries on brain function in older adults with increased risk for dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and currently affects over 13 million people worldwide. The direct and indirect cost of Alzheimer care is over $100
billion in the US alone. The direct cost of Alzheimer care in the UK was estimated at £15bn (€ 22bn).

“These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration,” wrote the researchers, led by Robert Krikorian from the University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center.

“Interpretation of our findings should be tempered because of the relatively small sample size and the absence of a blueberry-specific control, although comparison with the analogous placebo beverage data provides some assurance that the observed changes in memory performance were not attributable to practice effects,” they added.

Beneficial Bioflavonoids

The beneficial effects of the blueberries are thought to be linked to their flavonoid content like that of Grapes and Grape Seeds - in particular anthocyanins and flavanols. The exact way in which flavonoids affect the brain are unknown, but they have previously been shown to cross the blood brain barrier after dietary intake.

It is believed that they may exert their effects on learning and memory by enhancing existing neuronal connections, improving cellular communications and stimulating neuronal regeneration.

Source: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Apr 14;58(7):3996-4000.
“Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults”
Authors: R. Krikorian, M.D. Shidler, T.A. Nash, W. Kalt, M.R. Vinqvist-Tymchuk, B. Shukitt-Hale, J.A. Joseph

Special bioflavonoids found in orange juice prevent toxic inflammatory chemicals released by eating a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal from causing harm, says a new study from the US.

Researchers from the University at Buffalo, led by Professor Paresh Dandona, linked the benefits of orange juice to its high concentration of the flavonoids naringenin and hesperidin as reported in the April 2010 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

“Our data show, for the first time to our knowledge, that drinking orange juice with a meal high in fat and carbohydrates prevented the marked increases in reactive oxygen species and other inflammatory agents,” said the first author of the study, Husam Ghanim, PhD.

Previous studies have reported that naringenin may prevent cholesterol increases, and changes in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism linked to metabolic syndrome (Diabetes, 2009, Vol. 58, pp. 2198-2210). Other studies focusing on hesperidin have also reported potential cardiovascular and neurological benefits.

Study details

Analysis of blood samples showed that the level of oxygen free radicals and vascular toxins increased in all groups, but orange juice prevented high-fat meal induced oxidative and inflammatory stress, including the increase in vascular toxins.

In addition, the researchers reported an increase in blood components known as toll-like receptors (TLRs) following consumption of the water and glucose drink, but not the orange juice. TLRs reportedly play an important role in the development of inflammation, atherosclerosis, obesity, insulin resistance, and injury to cardiac cells than can occur after a blocked vessel is reopened.

Dietary change, not orange juice and burgers

The researchers were quick to emphasize that regular consumption of such high-fat meals may produce permanent inflammation, and that consuming orange juice with a high-fat meal was not a ‘get out of jail free’ card for heart health.

“The choice of safe foods that are not proinflammatory may provide protection from the unending cycle of postprandial and cumulative inflammation,” said Dandona. “This choice may lower the risk of atherosclerosis and resistance to insulin.”

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
April 2010, Vol. 91, No. 4, 940-949, doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28584
“Orange juice neutralizes the proinflammatory effect of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate meal and prevents endotoxin increase and Toll-like receptor expression”
Authors: H. Ghanim, C.L. Sia, M. Upadhyay, K. Korzeniewski, P. Viswanathan, S. Abuaysheh, P. Mohanty, P. Dandona

Data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study showed that for every 200 grams (about two servings) of total fruits and vegetables eaten per day, the incidence of cancer was reduced by 3%.

The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the largest ever conducted to date on diet and cancer. It included 142,605 men and 335,873 women. The participants were followed for an average of about nine years, during which time over 30,000 cases of cancer were diagnosed.

Headlines See Cup Half Empty

Doctors, led by Paolo Boffetta, M.D., at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, reviewed more than eight years of data, between 1992 and 2000.

“The bottom line here is that, yes, we did find a protective effect of fruit and vegetable intake against cancer, but it is a smaller connection than previously thought,” Boffetta said in a press release issued by Mount Sinai.

Health Benefits of Fruits & Vegetables

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a recommendation in 1990 suggesting that five servings of fruit and vegetables per day helped prevent cancer and other diseases.

“Worldwide, low intake of fruits and vegetables is estimated to cause about 19% of gastrointestinal cancer, about 31% of ischemic heart disease and 11% stroke,” the WHO says on its website.

In an editorial accompanying the EPIC study, Dr. Walter Willett, M.D., from the Harvard School of Public Health noted that a considerable body of science supports a link between lycopene in tomato products and a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

Dr. Willet pointed out that the EPIC study, like almost all studies on diet and cancer miss the fact that cancer studies need to include a much longer time period, including childhood due to the long exposure time required to develop cancer.

“Multiple lines of evidence indicate that ionizing radiation and some other risk factors for cancer can operate primarily in childhood and early adult life; thus, antioxidants or other protective constituents of fruits and vegetables may need to be present at that time to be effective,” reports Dr. Willet.

“Like the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), almost all studies of diet and cancer would have missed such effects because they started decades later in life,” he added.

The key take home message is that for every two servings of fruit and vegetables you eat, you reduce your risk of cancer by 3%, so eat more fruits and vegetables.

Source:
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1093/jnci/djq072
“Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Overall Cancer Risk in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)”
Authors: P. Boffetta, E. Couto, J. Wichmann, P. Ferrari, et al.

Editorial:
Journal of the National Cancer Institute
10.1093/jnci/djq098
“Fruits, Vegetables, and Cancer Prevention: Turmoil in the Produce Section”
Authors: W.C. Willett

Growing research suggests that DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), the principal omega-3 fatty acid in brain gray matter, positively regulates brain metabolic function and cognitive development.

In a new study in healthy young boys, scientists from the University of Cincinnati showed that supplementation with DHA raises the body’s DHA levels significantly and positively increases the functional activity of the brain associated with attention and memory.

The study results showed that DHA levels in the membrane of red blood cells (erythrocytes ) increased by 47% in the group supplemented with 400mg/day and 70% percent in the 1200/day group over a period of 8 weeks, while the placebo groups experienced an 11% drop in DHA levels.

Brain activation patterns were measured using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) during a test of sustained attention (playing video games).

The “main finding” of the study showed that supplementation with DHA significantly increases in the activation of the prefrontal cortex part of the brain – an area of the brain associated with attention, rational thinking and working memory.

A decrease of activity in other parts of the brain, including the occipital cortex (the visual processing centre) and the cerebellar cortex (which plays a role in motor control) were observed during DHA supplementation.

The higher dose DHA resulted in a greater decrease in activation of the cerebellum.

“These findings suggest that this imaging paradigm could be useful for elucidating neurobiological mechanisms underlying deficits in cortical activity in psychiatric disorders associated with DHA deficiencies, including ADHD and major depression,” wrote the authors of the research study.

More studies may be needed to determine the best dose to insure optimal activation of attention and memory without overly suppressing the activity of the visual and motor functions of the brain.

Dr. Hansen recommends a maximum DHA dose of 400mg/day to enhance attention, rational thinking and memory without overly suppressing visual and motor functions of the brain.

Source:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Feb 3. [Epub ahead of print]

“Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation increases prefrontal cortex activation during sustained attention in healthy boys: a placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, functional magnetic resonance imaging study”
Authors: R.K. McNamara, J. Able, R. Jandacek, T. Rider, et al.

ZYRTEC Side Effects

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=19835&name=ZYRTEC

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=19658&name=CLARITIN

1	allergies,fluid in ear,lightheaded	Paranoia,extreme fatigue,nightmares,very moody. Can’t “let things go”,anxiety,depression,irritability. I did not think it was Claritin until I read everyone having the same symptoms as me. The sniffles went away but lightheadedness is just as bad if not worse.	I am a recovering alcoholic/ addict with 24 yrs of recovery and this stuff is horrid. I could not believe the change in my attitude. This is unacceptable for me. I have probably lost several friends from my actions while on this drug. I will live with my symptoms before I take Claritin again.	M	48	7 days		3/4/2009
1		Seasonal allergy symptoms	My biggest complaint is a dry cotton mouth. After two weeks, I noticed I was constantly sucking or chewing on my tongue or the inside of my mouth! I increased my water intake, but to no avail. Taking a whole dose once a day made my mind race and turned me into a crazy woman. I couldn’t think straight. So I tried taking a half tablet twice a day. I did that for two weeks. I, too, experienced sudden flashes of anger which came out of nowhere. They were fleeting (and didn’t happen every day) but they were frightening. Shortness of breath slowed me down. My husband wasn’t thrilled with my loss of libido. I do have one positive thing to say about it — it DID help with clarity — my brain didn’t feel so fuzzy when I was on it — but it’s not worth the tongue-chewing, dry mouth! I stopped taking it two days ago and got my energy and libido back. My husband is smiling I’m still sucking my tongue, though. It’s quite annoying.	F	55	1 months		3/4/2009
1	extreme post nasal drib	Blocked Eustachian tube, dizziness, painful headaches in the morning but they go away pretty fast after I get up and take a Claritin. Increased blood pressure. Sometimes ringing ears.	After 6 months of taking the daily pill and a benedril at night, I didn’t take them for a couple days and my right Eustachian tube blocked - voices sounded like they were far away down a tunnel, I thought it was excess wax. I went to the doctor and was told that I didn’t have excess wax, the problem was in my inner ear and something to do with a reverse vacuum and to take Claritin and it would be fixed! Doctors know this fixes the problem but don’t tell you that going off of it can cause the problem! But now whenever I try to stop taking Claritin in just one day my ear clogs up again and this doesn’t work for my job that includes a lot of meetings! I am going to try taking the 12 hr kind once a day to slowly get off of it! Benadryl may make me sleepy but coffee helps counteract it and I don’t have side effects when I don’t take it. I don’t take any other medications daily and don’t want to be addicted to Claritin either.	F	53	6 months		3/2/2009
1	for a runny nose	every day i took the drug i’ve gotten a bad bloody nose (im 20 and haven’t had a bloody nose since i was 11)	i do not plan on taking the drug any more I’d rather have a runny nose than a bloody nose	F	20	2 days		2/18/2009 Email
1	Allergies, likely tree pollen	Foggy head, inability to complete fairly simple tasks, sweating, not feeling like myself. Possibly also caused bouts of short temper and snapping at my family.	Cleared my sinuses but did not help with coughing. Spending time in a retail store with superb a/c and ventilation did a better job of stopping symptoms temporarily than Claritin did. Agree with other reviewers this drug should not be OTC but SHOULD require Rx. There should be a very clear warning about possibility of ‘foggy head’, and depressive symptoms in particular. IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO MARKET THIS DRUG AS NON-DROWSY as it easily leads the consumer to believe there is little danger of not being able to function normally at home and at work, NOT TO MENTION DRIVING A VEHICLE. BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN TAKING THIS DRUG. I would start taking it over the weekend or when you can stay home for a couple of days to be able to asses what side effects you may experience. Also, if you have family, it would be good to have another grownup around to care for the kids in case you feel foggy or have depressive symptoms. DO NOT GIVE CLARITIN TO KIDS WITHOUT CHECKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.	F	39	4 days		2/14/2009 Email

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Allegra and Allegra-D (with pseudoephedrine)

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20625&name=ALLEGRA

Great News! Grape Seed Extract (GSE) that Dr. Hansen told you to take for your blood vessels, skin and joints is also killing cancer.

A new study published January 1, 2009, by researchers from the University of Kentucky School of Medicine, found that GSE kills 76% of leukemia cancer cells in a test tube within 24 hours without harming healthy white blood cells that were also placed in the test tubes (Clinical Cancer Research. 2009 Jan 1;15(1):140-9).

Grape seed extract contains powerful polyphenols such as proanthocyanidins, which have been found to kill several different types of cancer including skin, breast, colon, lung, stomach, and prostate cancers.

had also been previously reported to induce cancer cell death by apoptosis (cell suicide) in human leukemia cells, but the mechanism by which it works had not yet been explored.

In a healthy person, cancer cell suicide (apoptosis) is a frequent occurrence and a healthy part of life. Your body fights cancer everyday.

Once a cell recognizes it is flawed it activates enzymes that destroy its own membranes and dies. Grape Seed extract appears to activate this programed cell death of cancer cells.

Potent Anti-Cancer Agent Without Harming Healthy Cells

In the laboratory the study’s lead author, Dr. Xianglin Shi, Ph.D., professor in the Graduate Center for Toxicology at the University of Kentucky, combined leukemia cells with grape seed extract in different doses and found a marked increase in apoptosis in these cells.

The researchers found that GSE strongly activates a protein known as JNK. researchers said “represents the early insult, which leads to Cip1/p21 up-regulation and caspase activation and apoptosis.” The researchers also discovered that the extract does not harm normal cells.

“These results could have implications for the incorporation of agents such as grape seed extract into prevention or treatment of hematological malignancies and possibly other cancers,” said Dr. Shi.

“What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this category,” he said.

New Hope for Leukemia

GSE achieved similar anti-cancer effects in U937 (acute myeloid leukemia) and HL-60 (acute promyelocytic leukemia) cells, suggesting that the effects are not cell type-specific, the researchers said.

This is great news because cancers of the blood - leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma - account for an estimated 118,310 new cancer cases and almost 54,000 deaths annually, ranking these cancers as the fourth leading cause of cancer incidence and death in the U.S.

“This is very promising research, but it is too early to say this is chemo-protective” says Dr. Shi. He believes that the research is not far enough along to suggest that people should eat grapes, grape seeds, or grape skin in excess to stave off cancer.

Dr. Hansen’s Rx: Eat more grapes with seeds in them and take GSE Ultra 110 every day!

What do I think? I think Nature is amazing. Nature is wiser than man. Grape seed extract is a power natural anti-cancer agent and it kills cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

Unlike toxic chemotherapy, grape seed extract is safe. No one has ever lost their hair from taking grape seed extract. So I say eat more grapes with seeds in them and take GSE Ultra 110 every day to protect your blood vessels, skin, joints and your immune system.

For more information about Grape Seed Extract, click here.

Grapes may prove to be the fountain of youth. Recently 60 Minutes aired a segment featuring the research of Dr. David Sinclair who discovered that Resveretrol from the skin of grapes boosts special enzymes known as sirtuins (pronounced sir-TOO-ins) that enhance cell survival during times of stress and extend the lifespan.  To watch the 60 Minute TV segment click here.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Dr. Hansen’s Note:
Resveratrol is very difficult to preserve. It is such a powerful anti-oxidanat that it gets oxidised within minutes after being extracted and loses its efficacy almost immediately. For now most supplements containing Resveretrol are inactive and ineffective. Dr Sinclair and his team of researchers hope to find a way to preserve the activity of Resveretrol. For now your best bet is to eat your grapes whole, the way nature made them, or to combine grape skin extract with grape seed extract, which seems to provide synergistic protection of one for the other.

If you are taking GSE Ultra 110 you are way ahead of the curve. You are already getting 150ppm Resveretrol in every capsule in a synergistic blend with grape seed extract. GSE Ultra 110 contains 110mg of Grape SEED Extract and 110 mg of Grape SKIN Extract, plus 250 mg of Vitamin C. Resveretrol is concentrated in the skin of the grapes and not found in the seeds. It has been found to have significant and unique anti-cancer and heart protective benefits all its own. Now you know why we call it GSE Ultra 110. So, keep taking your GSE Ultra 110 and keep getting younger.

Resveratrol linked to longer life and skinnier bodies

Scientists are working to find a way to presrve the activity of Resveratrol and make it a drug. It may soon be available as a drug to help slow down the aging process, keep you skinny and extend your life. However, although supplement makers are already beginning to market the antioxidant resveratrol in capsules, to allow consumers to gain the health benefits of the compound without the alcohol, the drug version is at least five years away.

In April 2004, SIRT1 was found to increase the use of fat and reduce the formation of new fat cells.

In August 2003, scientists announced the discovery of a way to boost the principal “anti-aging” enzyme in living cells. A study involving a class of enzymes known as sirtuins (pronounced sir-TOO-ins) have been shown enhance cell survival during times of stress and extend life. Resveratrol, an ingredient in the skin of red grapes, which has also been credited with red wine’s ability to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, has been found to be the most potent anti-aging booster ever discovered.

“It’s looking like these sirtuins serve as guardians of the cell,” said Harvard Medical School researcher David Sinclair, who led the new work published in the journal Nature. “These enzymes allow cells to survive damage and delay cell death.”

For years researchers have known that life span can be extended by 50 percent or more in many kinds of creatures, including flies, worms and mice, if the animal is fed a diet that is nutritious but contains about 30 percent fewer calories than usual. Recently scientists found that the life-extending benefits of calorie restriction do not occur if the animal has been genetically altered to lack sirtuins, indicating these enzymes are crucial to this process.

Now scientists are coming to understand sirtuins’ role in that life-extending response. In people, they seem to halt the normal cellular cycle that ends with old cells committing suicide and instead help rejuvenate them by beefing up their DNA repair processes and stimulating production of protective antioxidants.

The new report from Sinclair’s team is the first to show that it is indeed possible to tweak the sirtuin pathway. The group screened a large number of biologically active chemicals and found that Resveretrol from grape skins increases sirtuin activity more than two-fold. Resveretrol extended the life span of yeast cells by up to 80 percent.

Human cells seemed to benefit, too. Those treated with Resveretrol enjoyed long lives in laboratory dishes even after being exposed to ionizing radiation, which damages DNA and usually shortens a cell’s lifespan.

“We think we know why these plants make these molecules. We think it’s part of their own defense response, and we also believe that animals and fungi that live on the plants can pick up on these clues,” Sincliar said.

To illustrate that theory, Sinclair noted that red wines from regions with harsher growing conditions - Spain, Chile, Argentina and Australia - contain more Resveratrol than those produced where grapes are not highly stressed or dehydrated.

“What we think is that if a cell is at a point of deciding whether to live or die, these sirtuins push toward the survival mode and let the cell try a little harder and longer to fix itself,” said Sinclair.

Leonard Guarente, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, says “We’re very keen on the idea that this is it” - that sirtuins are the central regulator of the aging process.” Guarente is a founder of Elixir Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., which, like Sinclair and BIOMOL, hopes to capitalize on chemicals that can boost sirtuin activity.

The immediate goal in people would be to slow the progression of diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s, because a more generic slowing of the aging process could take decades to prove.

As many as 50 million Americans have allergies. Seasonal allergic rhinitis, known as Hay Fever affects approximately 36 million people in the U.S., while food allergies affect about fourteen million. Most Americans reach for a prescription drug or OTC anti-histamine to treat their allergies, however, new research indicates that allergies are due to a deficiency of specific bioflavonoids found in certain fruits and vegetables. This is good news for allergy sufferers because it means that if you correct the deficiency in your diet you may be able to cure your allergies completely with foods.

Hippocrates said, “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.”

Allergy Drug Side-effects
Most drugs work by blocking some body function rather than correcting the problem and they all have side effects. The top selling allergy drugs are no exception. They work by blocking histamine, which temporarily relieves some of the symptoms but often cause headaches, dry mouth, fatigue and drowsiness as well. Some side-effects can be life-threatening. Seldane (terfenadine) was taken off of the market because it was found to cause fatal heart irregularities. It was replaced by Allegra (fexofenadine) which is a metabolite of Seldane. The question is will Allegra later be found to cause the same fatal side-effect.

All anti-histamines have side-effects that are not reported in the patient information or in the physician’s drug manual because the clinical trials used by the drug companies to establish the effectiveness of the drugs are often too short and conducted on too few patients. The average clinical trial for the current anti-histamin drugs lasted only 2-4 weeks and included only 2500-5000 patients. Only when these drugs are used for longer periods of time on millions of people do we discover the true and complete list of side-effects. Here is a representative sample of side-effects for Zyrtec registered by hundreds of patients. The full list of these reports can be found at www.AskaPatient.com.

.

Natural Allergy Treatment
Unlike the drugs that only block histamine or histamine receptors but never cure the problem, nature makes some great tasting foods that actually stop the symptoms by correcting the cause of the allergic hypersensitivity without causing any side-effects. Fruits and vegetables that contain proanthocyanidin bioflavanoids strengthen the  Mast Cells of the immune system and stop them from releasing histamine and other allergic chemicals that cause the symptoms of a runny nose, sneezing, tearing, itchy eyes, itchy throat and swelling of the mucous membranes, etc. These unique bioflavonoids, found in apples, grape seeds, tomato skins, green tea and onions stabilize hypersensitive Mast Cells and thereby prevent histamine from being released too easily. When you have enough proanthocyanidin bioflavonoids in your cell membranes you don’t need a drug to block the histamine.

Table 1. Proanthocyanidin Content of Selected Foods (Units = mg per 100 grams)

Source: USDA Database for the Proanthocyanidin (Monomers – Trimers) Content of Slected Foods 2004

Why You Need Procyanidin Bioflavonoids
When you eat foods rich in proanthocyanidin bioflavonoids they actually get incorporated directly into cell membranes throughout the body, including Mast Cells. When the Mast Cells are healthy they have a thick membrane around them like a thick peel on an orange. However, when the Mast Cells are deficient in bioflavonoids their membranes are very thin. And just like a thin peeled orange that breaks open too easily and squirts its juice all over, a Mast Cell that is deficient in bioflavonoids is so thin that it breaks open much too easily and releases its histamine and other allergic chemicals far too easily.

How to Stop Hay Fever Allergies Fast
To stabilize your Mast Cells and stop them from releasing too much histamine and other allergic and inflammatory chemicals you need to build up your Mast Cell membranes by eating proanthocyanidin rich foods every day. It will take several months to correct a proanthocyanidin deficiency by diet alone. However, if you want to stop allergic symptoms fast you can take the formula that I prescribe to my patients. It is called FlavinoxTM and it contains a combination of Leucoselect® grape seed extract, green tea extract, quercitin from onion skins and vitamin C. Leucoselect® grape seed extract is sold as a prescription drug in France and Germany, but is available without a prescription in FlavinoxTM.

I have seen many patients who come to my office in the Spring carrying a box of Kleenex and their Claritin or Zyrtec who are still sneezing incessantly, and unable to see out of their watery red eyes and unable to think due to Hay Fever congestion. Some are skeptical to learn that their allergies are due to a deficiency of bioflavonoids, but they are quickly convinced when their Hay Fever symptoms clear up within 30 minutes after taking their first dose of Flavinox.

Patient Success Stories: Stoping Hay Fever Allergies with Natural Medicines

Deborah, Phoenix, AZ

I had recently purchased your product Flavinox for my 12 year old son who has always suffered from allergies. For years I have been giving him allergy medicine - Claritin, Tylenol, Zyrtec - all types of medicines that didn’t really work and made him very tired and drugged out. I saw Dr Hansen on our morning news show here in Arizona as he was talking about Flavinox and explaining how it works and it really made sense to me. I drove over to the Scottsdale office that morning to get a bottle and went directly to my sons school to start him on these capsules.

When he came home from school about 3 hours later he was like a different person than when he left that morning. I could see it in his face and eyes. He was feeling 100% better and he told me about an hour after he took the capsule he could feel the difference and he kept feeling better as the day went on. Since then I have been giving him about 3 capsules a day and he’s a baseball player so sometimes before a game I give him an extra one and I am truly amazed at how Flavinox has really made a difference in his allergies. No more drowsy, drugged out state. No more sneezing 20 times in a row or constant watery eyes and runny nose. I have recommended this to everyone I talk to and know this product has been the answer for my son.

Anne Marie, Scottsdale, AZ

Thank you for your advice and wonderful supplements. The Flavinox is especially helpful. All three of my sons have been suffering from sinus allergies for years. After two weeks on Flavinox the boys no longer have any sniffling, sneezing or congestion. The Flavinox has stopped the sinus allergy reactions in all three of my sons-a special blessing to my 6-year-old because I was afraid that I was going to have to give away our cats to stop his allergies. The kids are most grateful. They now call you the doctor who saved our cats! Thank you!

I have battled skin allergies for year. After two weeks on Flavinox my skin cleared up completely and has stayed clear. As soon as I feel any food allergy symptoms I now take the Flavinox and it stops the itching without the side-effects that allergy medicines cause. Thanks so much!

Missy Gilliland, Phoenix, AZ

I am a horse trainer and I run a Dressage HorseTraining Stable. I spend most of my time outdoors every day riding horses and giving lessons. Every spring, my hayfever allergies flare up. They are horrific when the dust, the wind and the pollen combine. I have tried all of the anti-allergy drugs, including Allegra, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, etc. and they just don’t stop my eyes from itching, burning and watering. At times my allergies get so bad that I can barely see or think. But within 15 minutes of taking my first dose of Flavinox my hayfever symptoms completely stopped and I could see and think clearly again. Flavinox is simply fantastic.

John, Phoenix, AZ

I work in the home inspection business and spend a lot of time outside. Every year I suffer with seasonal hayfever allergies. I have tried almost every medicine on the market. None of them seem to work very well and they make me feel drowsy and irritable, so I usually just suffer through the springtime with a drippy nose and tearing eyes that itch and sting. Fortunately, last spring, a very nice lady saw me suffering while I was working at her home. She offered to share her Flavinox herbal allergy formula with me. She said here take this and you’ll clear up in a few minutes. I was skeptical, but she was so nice and assuring that I said okay. Sure enough, within 15 minutes, before I had finished my inspection, my drippy nose and watery, itchy eyes had all cleared up. I had been suffering with allergies for so long that I had forgotten how good it felt to be clear headed. I will be forever grateful for the kind lady who cured my allergies by telling me about the Flavinox natural allergy formula.

Food Allergies
Unlike airborne allergies and a few food allergies that are associated with IgE antibodies and cause immediate hypersensitivty reactions, most food allergies are associated with IgG antibodies and cause delayed hypersensitivity reactions that typically take 8 to 72 hours to manifest. Food allergies can be the cause of your fatigue, moodiness, eczema, asthma, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, migraine headaches and even weight gain, as well as your child’s temper tantrums or ADHD and auto immune disorders including multiple sclerosis. You can reduce your food allergy symptoms by getting more proanthocyanidin bioflavonoids but to eliminate them completely you need to avoid them for 120 days.

More Patient Stories
Delaney was only 2 1/2 years old when her mom first brought her to see me. She had severe mood swings and temper tantrums. At times she would screech non-stop every 30 seconds for hours, or slap hands in the air repeatedly for hours. She would fly into a rage within 45 minutes of eating wheat and became a little devil. Once we determined her allergy foods and eliminated them she turned into an angel. She is a different person now, sweet and patient and helpful. The transformation was truly amazing.

Donna was a 45 year old woman who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis. She was always fatigued and had been plagued by weakness and numbness for years before her diagnosis. Once we tested and eliminated her food allergies all of her symptoms went into remission. She felt so great and had so much energy that she asked if she could stay on the allergy elimination diet forever.

Katherine came to see me because she was stressed out. She was anxious, depressed and overweight. A 34 year old hair dresser, she had tried to lose weight but couldn’t. She was working out and eating next to nothing but still couldn’t lose weight until we discovered the foods that she was allergic to. Once she eliminated those foods, the pounds just seemed to melt away and she went from size 12 to size 4 in four months on the allergy elimination diet. She looks sensational and feels great.

Heather is a 35 year old mom of 3 who was 70 lbs over weight and could not lose the weight even though she ate very few calories and exercised daily. After testing and finding out that she was allergic to she lost 70 lbs in 5 months. She couldn’t believe how easy it was once she eliminated the trigger foods that were causing her body to hold onto the extra weight.

Allergy Testing
If you or your family members have any of these conditions you should get tested. At the Hansen Clinic we perform an advanced allergy test that requires only one tube of blood to test both IgE and IgG allergies in 100 foods. The old-fashioned scratch test is inferior because it only measures IgE allergies. It is also barbaric because it requires 100 different injections of the suspected allergens under the skin to test 100 items.
For more information about our advanced allergy testing, or FlavinoxTM, the fast acting natural alternative to Claritin and Zyrtec®, go to www.drhansen.com.