Jared's Herbal Mind

High Cholesterol isn't a disease and Cholesterol Drugs will kill you faster.

Part one of a multi-part series on the scam that is "high cholesterol."

Of all of the scams that have come directly from Big Pharma, there has never been one so well orchestrated as High Cholesterol.  When I first decided I would blog on this subject I thought I would approach it from the standpoint of why people should seek out alternatives to cholesterol drugs.  Then I started researching the subject of high cholesterol and heart disease and I got physically ill.  I mean I literally became nauseous reading what greed has done and is doing to our health.  It is time to wake up.  It is time to realize that drug companies have only one motive.  Profit.  I will admit that there are good hearted researchers and doctors out there, researching and developing treatments for real problems.  But at the same time not one of those treatments will see the light of day unless it means solid profits for the company.  Now, let me first clarify something.  I am a business man,  I own three businesses myself.  I believe in capitalism and profitability.  But I am also in the business of health.  It is my responsibility to my customers to provide them with products that will improve their health without harm and without gouging them at the register.  I take this responsibility seriously.  I, however don't have to answer to a board of directors who have to answer to shareholders.  The pressure is high in multi-billion dollar companies and the windfall of a new drug is impossible to deny.  A new drug is one thing, but Imagine the windfall of a brand new treatable disease that half of Americans would need a drug for? 

I have always believed that "high" cholesterol was overblown.  I saw the guidelines drop as to what was considered high and saw through that very quickly.  But until I really started researching this, I really didn't believe that the entire disease was a myth.  Yes, I just said that the condition of high cholesterol is a myth.  But wait there is more.  Not only is it a bunch of crap...and I will prove it.  But now they want to involve our kids.  Why stop with adults?  Let's treat 8 year old's for high cholesterol too. 

Follow this link to read the story that made my gut turn.  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25556140/   

So what exactly am I talking about?  I have been searching for solid research to back up my suspicions and I have found plenty.  In fact there is substantially more research supporting my point of view, that high cholesterol isn't a disease/condition to be worried about, than there is to the contrary.  I recently read a 55 page book titled "the Hidden Truth About Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs" it is full of detailed info on this subject.  Please, if you or someone you love is dealing with high cholesterol, read this book. Until then, if you want a relatively quick read to back up my comments here, read the article at this link:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/05/28/cholesterol-heart.aspx

I will be Hitting this subject in a series of articles over the next couple of weeks.  I will start with why I don't believe high cholesterol is even a problem.  Next will be my report on how effectively Big Pharma has brainwashed us into believing fiction so that we will buy their drugs.  Then I will finish it off with my recommendations for a healthy heart.

Until then, please check out the links on this page.

Antbacterial soap is BAD FOR YOU!!!

I have decided that because I am both long-winded and extremely busy that I will start posting short and sweet posts more often and then hitting my big ones once a week or so.  I may also start posting in parts.  I know I have several people waiting patiently for me to post about cholesterol and cancer.  I don't ever want to post half way, so I will hit those when I have done enough research to give you all the details you need. 

For tonight, I will talk about antibacterial products and why they are dangerous, and very rarely a good idea.  For those of you who listen to Vitality Radio, you have already heard my rant about this.  For the rest of you, here goes.

There are two groups that I very rarely agree with,  the AMA and FDA.  Today is a banner day because I can officially say that I agree with these guys on at least one subject.  They, along with the CDC, have determined that there is literally ZERO evidence that antibacterial soap has any health benefit.  However there is mounting evidence that they contribute to a very dangerous problem. 

Bacteria transfer genes to one another through plasmid exchanges, providing them the ability to mutate very quickly.  (This may be the only way to explain the X-Men).  The combination on the rapidly multiplying nature of bacteria (they can double every 20 minutes) and their ability to mutate allows them to evolve very quickly.

We first started seeing antibiotic resistant bacteria back in the 1940's when penicillin first  became widely used.  Today though we are seeing stronger and stronger antibiotics that cannot kill the super bugs that our obsession with antibacterial products and antibiotics are creating.  It is a vicious cycle.  But I will get back to that in a minute. 

Lets step back, like I am prone to do, and look at how we were created.  When we are born it isn't long before we have learned how to place our dirty little fingers in our noses, mouths and all kinds of other places.  Then about 6 months after that, we are mobile and we can put our hands everywhere.  As children we play in dirt, and we love it!  We poop on ourselves and sometimes, like in the case of my little nephew Max, we put that poop all over our face.  We live in germs, we get sick, we get better and then, we get sick again.  Our little immune systems our just building and building so that one day we don't have to get sick every time a germ enters our atmosphere.  At least that is how it used to be.

Now days we go to the grocery store and there are "courtesy" antibacterial wipes to use on the shopping cart.  We don't want to jump on the exercise bike at the gym without wiping the last guys sweat off of it.  We spray Lysol and and wipe our kitchen counters with a tub full of handy wipes we bought at the wholesale club.  We carry around a little bottle of Purell in our handbacgs or on our keychains. 

Come on people.  Bacteria are our friend.  And they get a little ticked off when we are constantly trying to kill them.  Remember what happened when the Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor?  It didn't end well for them.  Bacteria can't help that they are everywhere and on everything.  But I remember one of my favorite quotes from World War II, Admiral Yamamoto said, "We have awakened a sleeping giant and have instilled in him a terrible resolve."  Are we awakening a sleeping giant ourselves?  Are these little old germs that might cause a stomach ache turning into big bad germs that might KILL US?

Read this story and see what you think.

During shoulder surgery at the hospital, my father became infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Doctors prescribed vancomycin, an antibiotic so powerful they had to thread a line through a vein in his arm and into a large vein near the heart where a small dose could be injected over the course of a half-hour, dilluting it into the blood stream so as not to destroy the vein. He was on this prescription, currently the last line of defense in antibiotics, for six weeks. If he had been infected with a vancomycin-resistant Staph aureus, he would be dead now.

The answer in my mind is YES.  And if you still aren't convinced let me hit you with a few more facts:

• In a study, published in 2004, people who used antibacterial soaps and cleansers developed  cough, sore throat, runny nose, fever, vomitting, diarreah and other symptoms just as often as people who used products that did not contain antibacterial ingredients.  The researchers pointed out that most of the symptoms experienced in by the study participants are typically caused by viruses, which antibacterials don't protect against. 
• In a recent hospital study it was discovered that antibacterial wipes may actually spread bacteria if not used correctly. 
• The CDC says that 70% of the bacterial infections acquired in hospitals are resistant to at least one antibiotic commonly used to treat them.  These infections lead to 90,000 deaths a year.

So, please help me stop the over use of these bacteria killers.  We don't want these little bugs to get any bigger and nastier than they already are.  If it already takes an antibiotic toxic enough to destroy your veins, to kill MRSA, what kind of mutated bacteria is lurking around the corner?  Let the sleeping giant rest.  Wash him down the drain with natural soap and water.  It works just as well and they don't seem to get so angry and try to kill us if we just wash them away.  Can't we all just get along?

Women's hair loss ..... Is there an answer?

Bald is beautiful, right?  In a world full of armpits, I dared to be an elbow. That is all well and fine for me, but what if I was a woman?  I mean, let’s face it, I am an incredibly good-looking guy. Bald?  Hair?  Who the heck cares (wink)?  But, bald guys can get away with it.  Bald women though, it just doesn’t work.  Call it a double standard, whatever it is; it is definitely not socially acceptable to be a bald woman. 

So when RidgeCrest Herbals hired me, 4 years ago, to formulate some new products for them, the first one I suggested was Hair Revive for women.  For years, I have been helping customers, at Vitality Nutrition, with their thinning hair.  The problem was that there really wasn’t a single product out there that worked well for a large percentage of my customers.  There were several good formulas that helped certain women, but nothing out there was a universal-type product.  The RidgeCrest guys decided that I was on to something and gave me the go ahead to start formulating.  Let me interject quickly, I absolutely love formulating.  This is easily the most fun I have doing what I do.  Anyway, Hair Revive was the first formula I got to do on a national level.  Up until Hair Revive, I had only done formulas for my store.

As I began researching the problem of female hair loss, I discovered what I suspected all along.  It isn’t just one thing that makes a woman lose hair.  In fact, there are really 5 major causes and a couple of sub-categories within these causes.  The interesting thing was that I could not see a single product on the market that addressed more than two of these problems.  No wonder there wasn’t a one size fits all formula. 

I also, learned something that didn’t surprise me at all.  The medical doctors don’t have any idea how to treat this problem.  They treat all cases the same and assume that DHT build-up in the hair follicles is the single reason that a woman loses her hair.  As usual, they don’t put any stock in possible nutritional deficiencies.  And as is typical, they try to nail down the problem with one big hammer, and all that hammer usually does is cause a lot of pain.  You know what I mean, you take a big swing with a hammer and it misses the mark but pounds your thumb into oblivion.  Well, that is “modern medicine” for you.  Side effects are always a part of the cure. 

So, since the doctors don’t have an effective way to treat this condition, they resort to what sometimes works for men.  Rogaine (Minoxidil) or worse, Propecia (Finasteride).  Propecia can’t even be used without an “off-label” prescription.  In other words, it isn’t approved for use for women at all, but since
A. Women are desperate
B. Doctors don’t have any other ideas

They prescribe a product that is so toxic that pregnant women aren’t even supposed to touch the pill for fear of birth defects.  I could spend another page or two explaining that neither of these options even work 50% of the time, and that if they work at all they usually only sprout very thin, weak hair.  Instead, I will tell you that I discovered as with most things, that there is a better, more effective and SAFER way.

What are the five causes of female hair loss?

1.    Nutrition deficiencies
2.    Stress
3.    DHT build-up
4.    Hormone imbalances including female hormones and also thyroid.
5.    Drug side effects

What I discovered about the five is that it is rarely any one of these things that takes a woman’s hair.  I had suspicions that it was a combination of things, and since I have been selling Hair Revive for the last three plus years, my suspicions have been confirmed.  As I talk to woman struggling with thinning hair, I ask questions relating to the causes, and it is almost always a culmination of 3 or more of these issues.  One will say, “Well, I have always been under a lot of stress and I eat poorly, but it wasn’t until menopause that I started to lose hair.”  Another might say something like, “My diet isn’t great and I have struggled with hormonal balance and thyroid, but my hair started falling out once I started taking this new drug.”  It seems like there is always a tipping point when the body has had enough and just can’t make the hair a priority over the more vital parts of the body.
So with all of the research I did, I discovered that there isn’t a thing on this list that can’t be corrected through proper supplementation.  Hair Revive is exactly that.  The proper levels of the necessary nutrients, herbs, amino acids etc. to bring balance and fill the gaps that are often found in the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.).

Does it work?  Let me tell you how great it felt when I got my first testimonial letter on it.  This lady was so grateful; she offered to model her “beautiful red hair” in our ads.  Hair Revive has been a hit.  Not only does it sell, but also it works.  Once someone tries it for 1-2 months they are sold for life. 

So, there you have it, the solution for women who have thinning hair.  If you are interested in finding out more about this product, feel free to visit www.RidgeCrestHerbals.com.

My next blog will probably be about Cholesterol.  The further I dig into this the more sick I become….. My herbal mind is full of discontent....stay tuned.

Answering some questions...

I have been asked quite a few questions in the comments area of the blog.  Thought I had better answer them quick before I get too far behind.

As for the radio show.  Yes it can be listened to "streaming live" anywhere on www.1280thezone.com every Saturday morning at 9:00 AM MT.  And thank you for the flattering words Joan.

As for recapping the show, I am working on getting the copies of the show as downloadable mp3 files that you can link to from my blog.  (is downloadable a word)?  I will re-cap some of the more pressing topics from the show.  I will be doing a rather detailed blog about cholesterol drugs later this week.  This is a very big deal to me because I feel this is one of the biggest scams ever perpetrated by "big pharma" on the unsuspecting public.  And wait until you hear what they want to do to OUR kids.  I am literally sick about it. 

I'm not prepared to tackle cancer in a meaningful way here on the blog, but I do have a lot of ideas and can lead you to a lot of information on that subject.  Tricia, please email me at jared@vitalitynutrition.com and I will get you some info.  Later, I may decide to do something here on the subject of cancer.  I will tell you that people do cure themselves, and that I am not completely opposed to some of modern medicine's answers to cancer, but I am always a believer in looking on a case by case basis at what your options are naturally first.

Mike, repeat after me...."EVERYTHING JARED SAYS IS PERTINENT TO EVERYONE"  haha, while I can't fix problems with derelict spouses, I can help you to live a healthier life.  Next week we ambush arthritis pain from a completely new angle.  If it isn't pertinent to you, then it is probably pertinent to someone you know. 

This does bring me to an idea I had a few days ago....here is a list of future blog and radio topics:

1.  Arthritis pain relief
2.  Acai is a scam......sort of.
3.  Why do women lose hair?
4.  Why are cholesterol drugs absolutely unnecessary and extremely dangerous?
5.  Top 10 "healthy foods" that are really pretty bad for you.
6.  Fish oil can be bad for you, especially if you buy it at a warehouse club store (does the word rancid peak your attention at all?).
7.  If I had restless legs, I would use them to kick the jerk that recommended a Parkinson's drug to me as the cure.
8.  Why late night walks with your spouse can do more than burn calories?
9.  If sudden blindness, heart failure and a 4-hour erection sounds bad to you, maybe you should look into these alternatives to Viagra.
10.  Does colloidal silver really turn you blue? 

Until next time.....

My herbal mind is tired, and I am going for a walk with my wife.  Thank you all so much for your support and interest.

Jared

Vitality Radio

Hello all!

I am very excited about the number of hits to my blog already.  I really appreciate your willingness to spread the word.  To those reading this blog for the first time, feel free to look back at post number one and leave any comments you may have.  Those who have commented and asked questions have been answered and I will strive to answer all questions as soon as I can.

This post will be short and sweet.  If you love to learn about health and wellness and what is being done to both enhance and destroy our health then you will most likely love my radio show.

Vitality Radio
1280 the ZONE AM radio in Sale Lake City
9:00-10:00 AM Mountain time every Saturday morning.
Streaming live at: www.1280thezone.com

What is it?  It is both an information show and a forum of sorts.  We take calls most weeks for the last 15 minutes of the show and during the rest of the show, I discuss everything you can imagine that might have to do with your health or the health of your children.  There will be some overlap between my blog and my show, but they both work because here on the blog will be more detailed, and well thought out information whereas, on the radio I do a lot of interviews with "experts" in the field of alternative medicine.  I love to expose things i.e. Why the most popular selling diet meal replacement in the world is a completely worthless product with virtually no redeeming value?  Why buying a multi-vitamin that begins with the letters centr.. is a waste of money?  And I talk about stories like the Arizona study, linking cough meds to chilhood deaths.  But I also talk about wonderful new research proving the usefulness of herbal nutrients that can improve our health.  I discuss the difference between fish oils, so that you as the consumer have the information you need to make the right buying decisions. 

Mostly, Vitality radio is a fast paced, fun and interesting show designed to make you more educated when it comes to making decisions about your families health and wellness.

A quick note, this weeks show has been moved due to some team named the "Cougars" that have a pre-game show this morning.  I will be on today at Noon, Mountain time.  The discussion for the day will be Cholesterol.  Why the drugs are usually a bad idea?  And why drug companies really cannot be trusted?  Wait till you hear what I found....  tune in.

Until next time,

Jared

What is on Jared's Herbal Mind?

My first blog for mass consumption....hmmm, how to begin?  I want to talk about Acai berries.  Oh, and the dangers of over the counter drugs for kids, and while I am at it, I really want to explain why women lose hair, and how you can lower cholesterol in just 10 days without drugs.  Too broad?  Probably. I guess there are actually a lot more things on my highly attention deficient mind.  Way too much to blog about in one post. Suffice it to say, I really just want to get some opinions out there, and more than anything, give a lot of information that my readers can use to make themselves feel and look better.  And it is always on my herbal mind to do it naturally. 

My passion is simple; teach people to live better by avoiding the many pitfalls of modern medicine and utilizing all of the amazing "technology" that God himself put on this earth before he "invented" the scientists to prove it all works.  I will try to do all of this with a lot of humor and unique insight that comes with being a lifelong health food store employee, and also a now somewhat seasoned natural supplement developer.

Those of you with a like mind will most likely appreciate a lot of what I have to say.  Those that are more immersed in the medical way of doing things might just plain get offended.  I hope that those in the middle will realize that there are amazing alternatives available if you figure out where to look.

Now on to the meat of blog number 1.

Our children are dying!!!  I bet that got your attention.  Too dramatic, maybe, decide for yourself. The following is clipped from a post on msnbc.com.

NEW YORK - At least 10 infant deaths in Arizona in 2006 were linked to over-the-counter cough and cold remedies — underscoring the danger of giving the medications to children younger than 2, researchers report. 

The investigators found that of 21 infants who died unexpectedly and had autopsy data available, 10 had evidence that they been given cough or cold medication shortly before they died.

Here is startling evidence that many drugs sold for kids are not safe.  In fact, the FDA has recently made many statements that these drugs have no evidence that they are safe at all for anyone under the age of 12.  As a follow up to this story that first broke August 6th 2008, labeling is now being changed for these types of remedies due to closed door meetings with drug manufacturers and FDA officials. 

WASHINGTON - When drug makers made a surprise announcement this week that they no longer recommend cough and cold remedies for youngsters under 4, they didn't let on that it was the government's idea.

And why age 4 rather than the age 6 that pediatricians' wanted?

Because the Food and Drug Administration suggested that, too.

FDA officials proposed the cutoff earlier this year in private discussions with the industry, government and industry officials confirmed Friday. The companies agreed, and this week announced they were "voluntarily" changing their advice to parents.

The maneuvering is an example of how government health officials and the industries they regulate seek to come to an accommodation behind the scenes on tricky issues. In this case, there is scant evidence that the widely used over-the-counter medicines really do work in children. Emergency-room data shows that they sicken some 7,000 kids a year, mostly because of overdoses.

But is there enough being done?  Of course not.  There is way too much money involved here.  Imagine the millions lost if parents nationwide stop giving these drugs to their 3-4 year olds.  So what if 7,000 kids a year end up in the hospital because of there medications.  Money and greed prevail again. 

The question is really this, why do we give these drugs to our kids in the first place?  It isn't because they cure anything, it is usually because it makes us, as parents, feel better.  If we can stop the cough, unplug the nose, and help them sleep then it helps us to sleep.  But is it worth it?  When pediatricians say that they aren't recommending these for children under six and that there is literally ZERO evidence that they are safe for anyone in any dose under the age of 12.

Conspiracy?  Greed?  The Love of Money?  YEP, you got it.  Just please remember, there are alternatives that don't hurt.  And when it comes to trust, trust in yourself, not in the drug companies and certainly not in the FDA.

Thank you for viewing my blog and please come back often.  I am determined to blog twice a week.  Feel free to link to me and subscribe if you have interest.

Until next time, this has been a trip into my herbal mind.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26058827/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27124072/