[EDTA] Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid Overview:

Chelation therapy is a treatment that  involves repeated administration of the amino acid ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA. It is used to treat acute and chronic  lead poisoning by pulling toxins (including heavy metals such as lead, cadmium,  and mercury) from the bloodstream. The word chelate comes from the Greek root  chele, which means “to claw.” EDTA has a claw like molecular structure that  binds to heavy metals and other toxins.

EDTA chelation therapy is approved by  the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for lead and heavy  metal poisoning. It is also used as an emergency treatment for hypercalcemia  (excessive calcium levels) and the control of ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal  heart rhythms) associated with digitalis toxicity.

Studies by the National Academy of  Sciences/National Research Council in the late 1960s indicated that EDTA was  considered possibly effective in the treatment of arteriosclerosis (blocked  arteries). However, most well designed studies have found that it is not  effective for heart disease. In fact, many medical organizations — including  the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Medical Association (AMA),  the American Heart Association (AHA), and the American College of Cardiology  (ACC) — have publicly criticized and denounced the practice of EDTA chelation  therapy for heart disease.

Proponents of chelation therapy for  heart disease claim that EDTA, combined with oral vitamins and minerals, helps  dissolve plaques and mineral deposits associated with atherosclerosis (hardening  of the arteries). But most reports about using chelation for heart disease have  been based on case studies and a few animal studies that may not apply to  people. Also, several large scale clinical trials published in peer reviewed  journals have found that EDTA chelation therapy is no better than placebo in  improving symptoms of heart disease. Some medical experts note that the theories  about why chelation might help treat atherosclerosis depend on an outdated  understanding of how heart disease develops (see Uses section). Finally, and  probably most important, the safety of EDTA chelation therapy for people with  heart disease is not known.

The NIH National Center for  Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is funding a study to examine  whether EDTA is effective for heart disease. Results are expected in a few  years.

Atherosclerosis

So far, there is no good evidence that  EDTA chelation therapy is effective for heart disease. Proponents believe it may  help people with atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) or peripheral  vascular disease (decreased blood flow to the legs) by clearing clogged arteries  and improving blood flow. However, the few studies that show it may help have  been poorly designed, making the results questionable.

The theory that EDTA clears clogged  arteries and improves blood flow is based on an outdated model about what causes  heart disease. Other newer theories include the possibility that EDTA functions  like an antioxidant, preventing damaging molecules known as free radicals from  injuring blood vessel walls and allowing plaque to build up. These ideas are  just theories, however.

Most good clinical studies examining EDTA  chelation therapy for heart disease and vascular disorders have found that it is  no better than placebo. For example, one scientifically rigorous study comparing  EDTA chelation therapy to placebo in 84 people with heart disease concluded that  those receiving EDTA chelation did no better than those receiving placebo in  terms of changes in exercise capacity and quality of life. Several studies  evaluating EDTA chelation therapy for peripheral vascular disease did not find  any difference between those receiving EDTA and those receiving placebo.

Excerpted from University of Maryland medical center http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ethylenediaminetetraacetic-acid-000302.htm

 

Release: November 4, 2012, 7:36 PM EST

Statement from NHLBI Director Gary H. Gibbons, M.D.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) congratulates the principal investigators and scientific team carrying out the Trial to Assess [EDTA] Chelation Therapy (TACT).  Between 2002 and 2007, use of chelation therapy grew by nearly 68 percent to 111,000 people — despite there being no evidence as to its safety or efficacy. Given that so many people are trying chelation therapy, it was imperative that a large-scale and very rigorous study be undertaken. The NHLBI is proud to have helped fund such a project. → Read more

I’d like to share an amazing story from one of our long-time customers, Billy M, from Winston Salem N.C.  Billy  is well known in his community to be very knowledgeable about Wellness and Supplements. Several months ago an individual sick with heart disease was literally “carried into my house” looking for help. Billy shared how Good Life Labs Oral Chelating Formula reduced blockages for him and others.  Billy then GAVE him several bottles of Oral Chelating Formula to try.

Time past and Billy didn’t hear a thing about this individual.  And then one day recently I heard a knock at my door.  It was the same gentleman who had to be carried into my house returned to my front door. But this time he was proudly standing on his own two feet with a big grin across his face.  He extended his hand and thanked me for saving his life.  He went on to sat he hasn’t felt so good in years and wanted to know where he could get more of that Oral Chelating Formula!

 I want to personally thank Billy M., and so many others  who “pay it forward” for fun and for free to carry the message of how Oral Chelating Formula “extends our lease on life.”

 

Feeling rundown? Try laughing more. Some researchers think laughter just might be the best medicine, helping you feel better and putting that spring back in your step.

“I believe that if people can get more laughter in their lives, they are a lot better off,” says Steve Wilson, MA, CSP, a psychologist and laugh therapist. “They might be healthier too.”

Yet researchers aren’t sure if it’s actually the act of laughing that makes people feel better. A good sense of humor, a positive attitude, and the support of friends and family might play a role, too.

“The definitive research into the potential health benefits of laughter just hasn’t been done yet,” says Robert R. Provine, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and author of Laughter: A Scientific Investigation.

But while we don’t know for sure that laughter helps people feel better, it certainly isn’t hurting.

Laughter Therapy: What Happens When We Laugh?

We change physiologically when we laugh. We stretch muscles throughout our face and body, our  pulse and blood pressure go up, and we breathe faster, sending more oxygen to our tissues.

People who believe in the benefits of laughter say it can be like a mild workout  and may offer some of the same advantages as a workout.

“The effects of laughter and exercise are very similar,” says Wilson. “Combining laughter and movement, like waving your arms, is a great way to boost your heart rate.”

One pioneer in laughter research, William Fry, claimed it took ten minutes on a rowing machine for his heart rate to reach the level it would after just one minute of hearty laughter.

And laughter appears to burn calories, too. Maciej Buchowski, a researcher from Vanderbilt University, conducted a small study in which he measured the amount of calories expended in laughing. It turned out that 10-15 minutes of laughter burned 50 calories.

While the results are intriguing, don’t be too hasty in ditching that treadmill. One piece of chocolate has about 50 calories; at the rate of 50 calories per hour, losing one pound would require about 12 hours of concentrated laughter!

Laughter’s Effects on the Body

In the last few decades, researchers have studied laughter’s effects on the body and turned up some potentially interesting information on how it affects us:

Blood flow. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally — expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow. Immune response. Increased stress is associated with decreased immune system response, says Provine. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells, as well. Blood sugar levels. One study of 19 people with diabetes looked at the effects of laughter on blood sugar levels. After eating, the group attended a tedious lecture. On the next day, the group ate the same meal and then watched a comedy. After the comedy, the group had lower blood sugar levels than they did after the lecture. Relaxation and sleep. The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin’s memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep.

Excerpted from WebMD on 11.8.12  http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/give-your-body-boost-with-laughter

8 Natural Tips to Help Prevent a Cold

There are no known cures for colds and flu, so cold and flu prevention should be your goal. A proactive approach to warding off colds and flu is apt to make your whole life healthier. The most effective way for preventing the flu is to get the flu shot. It works better than anything else. But there are other strategies you can employ as well. Here are 8 tips you can use to help prevent colds and the flu naturally:

#1 Wash Your Hands

Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto his or her hand and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often. If you can’t get to a sink, rub an alcohol-based hand sanitizer onto your hands.

#2 Don’t Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands

Because germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands often results in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow.

#3 Don’t Touch Your Face

Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way children catch colds and a key way they pass colds on to their parents.

#4 Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly

Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body’s natural virus-killing cells.

#5 Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals

“Phyto” means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So put away the vitamin pill, and eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.  Good Life Labs Resveratrol Longevity Formula supplements contains these powerful anti-oxidant phyto-chemicals.

#6 Don’t Smoke

Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones.

Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia. These are the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs, and with their wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

#7 Cut Alcohol Consumption

Heavy alcohol use suppresses the immune system in a variety of ways. Heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body — it actually causes more fluid loss from your system than it puts in.

#8 Relax

If you can teach yourself to relax, you may be able to rev up your immune system. There’s evidence that when you put your relaxation skills into action, your interleukins — leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses — increase in the bloodstream. Train yourself to picture an image you find pleasant or calming. Do this 30 minutes a day for several months. Keep in mind, relaxation is a learnable skill, but it is not doing nothing. People who try to relax, but are in fact bored, show no changes in blood chemicals.

Posted on WEBMD 11.8.12 http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/11-tips-prevent-cold-flu

Top Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D

To keep bones strong, your body is constantly breaking down old bone cells and growing new ones, just as it sheds and replaces skin cells. To fuel bone growth, keep bone density strong, and prevent osteoporosis, you need a good supply of calcium from dairy products and other foods. But you also need enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is key in absorbing calcium from the food you eat.  Here’s some advice on how to get more calcium and vitamin D in your diet.

Food Sources of Calcium and Vitamin D

Your body doesn’t make calcium on its own. The best way to get more calcium is to improve your diet. You already know that dairy products — such as milk, cheese, and yogurt — are good sources of calcium for those who don’t have lactose or other dairy intolerance. Other foods that are high in calcium include:

Spinach Kale Okra Collards Soy beans White beans Some fish, like sardines, salmon, perch, and rainbow trout Foods that are calcium fortified, such as some orange juice, oatmeal, and breakfast cereal

It’s a lot harder to get enough vitamin D from foods. Vitamin D is only in a few foods and often in very small amounts. Foods that provide vitamin D include:

Fatty fish (like tuna, mackerel, and salmon) Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals Beef liver Cheese Egg yolks

Getting enough vitamin D from your diet isn’t easy. Studies show that only about 20% of our vitamin D typically comes from the foods we eat.

Your body can also make vitamin D on its own. When you walk out into the sunlight with exposed skin, your body naturally produces vitamin D on its own.

How to Get Enough Calcium and Vitamin D

How much calcium and vitamin D do you need? The Institute of Medicine has released the following guidelines:

Calcium

Young children 1-3 years old should get 700 milligrams (mg) per day. Children 4-8 years old should get 1,000 mg per day. Children 9-18 years old should get 1,300 mg of calcium a day. Adults up to age 70 should get 1,000 mg per day.  Women 51 and over should get 1,200 mg/day. Women and men 71 and over should get 1,200 mg per day.

8 Natural Tips to Help Prevent a Cold

There are no known cures for colds and flu, so cold and flu prevention should be your goal. A proactive approach to warding off colds and flu is apt to make your whole life healthier. The most effective way for preventing the flu is to get the flu shot. It works better than anything else. But there are other strategies you can employ as well. Here are 8 tips you can use to help prevent colds and the flu naturally:

#1 Wash Your Hands

Most cold and flu viruses are spread by direct contact. Someone who has the flu sneezes onto his or her hand and then touches the telephone, the keyboard, a kitchen glass. The germs can live for hours only to be picked up by the next person who touches the same object. So wash your hands often. If you can’t get to a sink, rub an alcohol-based hand sanitizer onto your hands.

#2 Don’t Cover Your Sneezes and Coughs With Your Hands

Because germs and viruses cling to your bare hands, muffling coughs and sneezes with your hands often results in passing along your germs to others. When you feel a sneeze or cough coming, use a tissue, then throw it away immediately. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow.

#3 Don’t Touch Your Face

Cold and flu viruses enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Touching their faces is the major way children catch colds and a key way they pass colds on to their parents.

#4 Do Aerobic Exercise Regularly

Aerobic exercise speeds up the heart to pump larger quantities of blood; makes you breathe faster to help transfer oxygen from your lungs to your blood; and makes you sweat once your body heats up. These exercises help increase the body’s natural virus-killing cells.

#5 Eat Foods Containing Phytochemicals

“Phyto” means plants, and the natural chemicals in plants give the vitamins in food a supercharged boost. So put away the vitamin pill, and eat dark green, red, and yellow vegetables and fruits.  Good Life Labs Resveratrol Longevity Formula supplements contains these powerful anti-oxidant phyto-chemicals.

#6 Don’t Smoke

Statistics show that heavy smokers get more severe colds and more frequent ones.

Even being around smoke profoundly zaps the immune system. Smoke dries out your nasal passages and paralyzes cilia. These are the delicate hairs that line the mucous membranes in your nose and lungs, and with their wavy movements, sweep cold and flu viruses out of the nasal passages. Experts contend that one cigarette can paralyze cilia for as long as 30 to 40 minutes.

#7 Cut Alcohol Consumption

Heavy alcohol use suppresses the immune system in a variety of ways. Heavier drinkers are more prone to initial infections as well as secondary complications. Alcohol also dehydrates the body — it actually causes more fluid loss from your system than it puts in.

#8 Relax

If you can teach yourself to relax, you may be able to rev up your immune system. There’s evidence that when you put your relaxation skills into action, your interleukins — leaders in the immune system response against cold and flu viruses — increase in the bloodstream. Train yourself to picture an image you find pleasant or calming. Do this 30 minutes a day for several months. Keep in mind, relaxation is a learnable skill, but it is not doing nothing. People who try to relax, but are in fact bored, show no changes in blood chemicals.

Posted on WEBMD 11.8.12 http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/11-tips-prevent-cold-flu