Heart disease Acupuncture for side effects of statins

[Guest guest]

I found this in my box this morning and thought I would pass it along.

It is a marketing article and is bias in that direction, but a lot of what is

said is backed by science.

 

 

Chris

 

 

They Say Only If You Run...Jump...

Swim...Bike...Eat Less Fat...

and Lower Your Cholesterol Right Now

Can You Avoid Heart Disease!

 

Hogwash!

Sit back, relax and eat all the hamburgers you want to...

Dear e-Alert Reader,

 

The truth is, cholesterol is only one of the potential causes of heart

disease and even that's a stretch if you ask me. So, you can run six miles a

day,

eat oat-bran for breakfast, lunch and dinner and suck down your statins if you

want to...but isn't that what everyone else is already doing? Then why are

roughly 50% of all Americans still struggling with heart disease?

I'm not much of a statistics guy, but it's true: every other person you know

is likely to die of heart disease. However, my friend, you don't have worry

about being a statistic because, I have a plan. But in order to defeat your

enemy, first you must know your enemy

Mysterious Cause of Heart Disease Discovered

Have you heard the latest news reports identifying a mysterious cause of

heart disease? Well, if you've been reading my newsletter, then you know heart

disease has been linked to bacterial infections! No, this isn't just my personal

opinion. Even the more prominent mainstream doctors are now pointing to

infections like Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) as a factor in heart

disease.

Yes, it is now widely recognized that infections, like C. pneumoniae, can

trigger the formation of vulnerable plaque, causing heart disease. In fact, for

men with the highest risk factors, heart attacks can be prevented by

antibiotics in up to 55% of cases!

How about a $50,000 bypass surgery?

Sure, your doctor would love to sell you one of those. But at $50,000 a pop,

chances are your doctor isn't going to risk losing the sale by telling you

that there isn't a single study on the books to prove that bypass surgery works

any better than other medical therapies. In fact, a 1984 study showed that

after 11 years there was no difference between bypass and nonbypass patients.

Well, how about a little roto-rootering angioplasty then? It s slightly less

invasive... maybe a little less expensive...and it's certainly safer, right?

Wrong. There's a very real danger of the affected artery rupturing during the

course of the procedure in which case, you re in for emergency bypass surgery

anyhow!

As usual, the experts are great at identifying the problem. Now, if only they

could discover a simple, safe, affordable solution. Well, here's a

brainstorm...if we know that bacterial infections can trigger plaque formation

and

ultimately lead to heart disease, then why not simply eliminate those bacteria?

Heart Disease Cause #2: Free-Radical Damage

The experts want you to believe that cholesterol is your archenemy.

Apparently, they were asleep during Biology 101 when the professor explained

that your

body more specifically, your liver actually produces cholesterol naturally to

convert into hormones.

Although, the cholesterol hypothesis is handy for one thing: Selling

over-priced statin drugs. The real truth lies deeper than that shallow

money-making

myth.

You see, the plaque in your arteries isn't made up of naturally occurring

cholesterol. It s made up of a special kind of cholesterol: Damaged, oxidized

cholesterol! Free radicals steal electrons from your cholesterol.

 

Let's see, if oxidized cholesterol is a cause of heart disease, then the

solution must be statins, right?

Wrong!

The way to keep free radicals from damaging your cholesterol is to zap them

with antioxidants! And, I've identified the one 'mother antioxidant' that

synergistically extends and renews the others, making them more effective.

The All-Natural Answer For Real Heart Health

There's a new heart care revolution gaining momentum, and you re one of the

first people this amazing 300-year-old remedy is being revealed to long before

the herd finally discovers it when it appears on the cover of Newsweek decades

from now.

Medical science has discovered a remarkable nutrient your heart tissues are

craving called, Terminalia arjuna. Just this one heart-healing nutrient alone

has been proven to:

Boost immunity to bacterial infections

 

Promote healthy circulation

 

Manage blood pressure

 

Control cholesterol levels

And, those results are only the tip of the iceberg because I've combined

arjuna with 6 other heart-healthy superstars in a new supplement I call Ultimate

Heart Support. I'll tell you about them in a moment. But first, a few more

words on the...

World's Most Comprehensive Heart Superfood

Chances are you haven't heard of arjuna yet. But I can assure you it won't be

too long before some news rag stakes their claim for discovering the newest

breakthrough in heart health history. When in actuality, arjuna is an Indian

medicinal herb proven by over 300 years of use in supporting strong heart

function. In fact, arjuna may be the world's most comprehensive heart superfood:

Best of all, the arjuna I've selected is wildcrafted. That s better than an

organic or pesticidal (aka suicidal ) non-organic preparation. Wildcrafted

arjuna grows in its own natural environment, climate, and soil in India. The

therapeutic, thick, white-pinkish gray bark is harvested at just the right time

of

ripeness. And, it s undamaged by alcohol or harsh, toxic solvents, for maximum

potency.

Even if arjuna was the sole ingredient in Ultimate Heart Support, it still

might be the most effective heart helper out there. But, I've combined 6 more

heart-healthy, super-star ingredients...

The One 'Mother Antioxidant' that Empowers all the Others

By now you probably know all about how free radicals damage arteries and

cause aging by stealing electrons. And, you know that the best way to protect

against free radical damage is by supplying your body with antioxidants. But,

did

you know that there's one antioxidant that doctors are claiming can

dramatically improve the action of other antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and E,

coenzyme

Q10 and glutathione?

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is the mother antioxidant. Unlike vitamins C and E

which only work in water and fat respectively ALA overpowers free radicals in

both fat and water. Plus, as C and E subdue free radicals, they lose electrons.

But ALA actually helps restore those lost electrons so C and E can go on

fighting!

ALA is produced naturally by your body but, as you age, your body produces

less and less ALA so, supplementing is necessary. Plus, in addition to being a

powerful antioxidant, ALA may help stimulate insulin response, regulate blood

glucose levels, and repair liver cells.

Homocysteine Levels Controlled!

OK, now that you've got the bacteria and free radicals licked, what about

homocysteine? Homocysteine has been identified as one of the biggest precursors

to heart problems.

That's why heart-nourishing Ultimate Heart Support is fortified with vitamins

B-6, B-12, and folic acid. This trio of Bs may actually reduce homocysteine

levels!

But that's not all...each of these members of the B family have their own

claims to fame as well...

300% as Absorbable as the Popular B-12

As is the case with many nutrients, B-12 can come in a number of different

forms some more readily absorbed by the body than others. That s why I've chosen

methylcobalamin (MCB), instead of the more popular cyanocobalamin. Not only

does your body absorb MCB 300% better than cyanocobalamin, but MCB is also

proven to help regenerate brain nerves and aid sleep...and I don t know about

you, but I'll take all the brain power and sleep I can get!

Rounding out the B trio is vitamin B-6 which not only inhibits clotting of

the blood, but may also help relieve fatigue, headaches, and boost memory.

Two More Powerhouses for Ultimate Effect

In both human and animal studies, L-arginine has been shown to improve

overall heart health.

L-arginine may also help to lower body fat, increase muscle mass, regulate

insulin, support liver function, stimulate the thymus and boost overall

immunity. And, if you re really sharp, you probably remember reading that

arginine is

also a precursor to nitric oxide which can help dilate blood vessels and in

turn enhance sexual function!

And finally, magnesium citrate. Magnesium may help relax blood vessels aiding

in lower blood pressure, and a normalized heartbeat. Plus, it s essential for

energy production and the activity of over 300 enzymes!

Increase Your Exercise Capacity

People who supplement their daily diet with a regimen of antioxidants,

B-vitamins, folic acid, L-arginine, and minerals tend to experience enhanced

levels

of overall energy.

Does that regimen sound familiar? Well, Ultimate Heart Support's got them all

plus the combined powers of arjuna and big mother ALA.

Don t get me wrong...I m not one to get on a treadmill (and I certainly

wouldn't ask you to either) but I could think of a few things I would do with a

little more energy.

Don't Wait Until it's Too Late...the Key to Life-Long Heart Health is

Prevention

If I can step up on my soapbox for just another minute to remind you: 1 out

of every 2 Americans will die of heart disease of one form or another. Don't

let yourself or anyone close to you be one of them. I've given you a formula for

success; now it s up to you to use it.

If you want to run marathons, live off sprouts, and waste money on

prescription drugs, that s up to you. But if you really want to protect your

heart and

your health safely, effectively and affordably, add just two Ultimate Heart

Support capsules to your daily regimen.

Sincerely,

William Campbell Douglass II, MD

P.S. Start planning ahead now to keep your heartbeat ticking loud and strong

for years to come. After all, why worry about being the next 1 out of 2 when

you could be indulging in burgers (hold the bun) and playing golf again!

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris!

 

He says he is an MD, so it *must* be true! An MD would *never* manufacture

a study, allude to a non-existent study, set up a phoney website, make up

statistics or anything like that. I see a few qualified statements in this

(see in line) and maybe a little " science " that hasn't been seen elsewhere,

but no sources.

 

Who is he anyway? Does anyone know him, I mean from anywhere other than his

self-promotions?

 

If you " found " this in your inbox then it is SPAM. Never buy *anything*

from a spammer. A spammer can claim to be anyone and anything. Might not

even be in the country. Now if you asked for the information and it came as a

reply, that is different.

 

At 08:11 AM 7/3/2004, you wrote:

> I found this in my box this morning and thought I would pass it along.

>It is a marketing article and is bias in that direction, but a lot of what is

>said is backed by science.<snip>

 

>Terminalia arjuna. Just this one heart-healing nutrient alone

>has been proven to: <snip>

 

So where is the proof?

 

proven by over 300 years of use<snip>

 

Who says so?

 

>might be the most effective<snip>

 

>Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is the mother antioxidant.<snip>

 

According to whom?

 

>ALA may help <snip>

 

> may also help <snip>

 

>In both human and animal studies, <snip>

 

So cite one of each

 

>L-arginine may also<snip>

 

> can help <snip>

 

> Plus, it s essential for <snip>

 

Who says so besides him?

 

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

I have been really busy lately and way behind in my emails, so I just

read this morning. Holy smokes Pete. Were you having a bad day or something???

 

Your reply is awfully hard and accusatory especially given some of the

supplements and research that has been done on the supplements you question.

 

You strongly ask me to prove things to you. Have you bothered to check

out some of the research on these supplements yourself??

 

I find your reply immature, foolish and generally rude, and for very

little reason except your own personal emotional involvement in what ever set

you

off.

 

Please back it down a few notches when you decide to reply and how about

you do a little research before you slam someone. It's just a nicer way of

doing things and may help your own image here.

 

If you want me to reply to you, just ask nicely and I would be happy to

answer any question you have.

 

Chris

 

 

 

In a message dated 7/4/2004 1:58:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time, petet

writes:

Hi Chris!

 

He says he is an MD, so it *must* be true! An MD would *never* manufacture

a study, allude to a non-existent study, set up a phoney website, make up

statistics or anything like that. I see a few qualified statements in this

(see in line) and maybe a little " science " that hasn't been seen elsewhere,

but no sources.

 

Who is he anyway? Does anyone know him, I mean from anywhere other than his

self-promotions?

 

If you " found " this in your inbox then it is SPAM. Never buy *anything*

from a spammer. A spammer can claim to be anyone and anything. Might not

even be in the country. Now if you asked for the information and it came as a

reply, that is different.

 

At 08:11 AM 7/3/2004, you wrote:

> I found this in my box this morning and thought I would pass it along.

>It is a marketing article and is bias in that direction, but a lot of what is

>said is backed by science.<snip>

 

>Terminalia arjuna. Just this one heart-healing nutrient alone

>has been proven to: <snip>

 

So where is the proof?

 

proven by over 300 years of use<snip>

 

Who says so?

 

>might be the most effective<snip>

 

>Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is the mother antioxidant.<snip>

 

According to whom?

 

>ALA may help <snip>

 

> may also help <snip>

 

>In both human and animal studies, <snip>

 

So cite one of each

 

>L-arginine may also<snip>

 

> can help <snip>

 

> Plus, it s essential for <snip>

 

Who says so besides him?

 

 

Regards,

 

Pete

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Pete, your tone didn't sound out of line to ME, at

least. I like it when people question medical claims.

(Especially ANYTHING an MD says).

John G.

 

 

--- Musiclear wrote:

>

> I have been really busy lately and way behind in

> my emails, so I just

> read this morning. Holy smokes Pete. Were you

> having a bad day or something???

>

> Your reply is awfully hard and accusatory

> especially given some of the

> supplements and research that has been done on the

> supplements you question.

>

> You strongly ask me to prove things to you.

> Have you bothered to check

> out some of the research on these supplements

> yourself??

>

> I find your reply immature, foolish and

> generally rude, and for very

> little reason except your own personal emotional

> involvement in what ever set you

> off.

>

> Please back it down a few notches when you

> decide to reply and how about

> you do a little research before you slam someone.

> It's just a nicer way of

> doing things and may help your own image here.

>

> If you want me to reply to you, just ask nicely

> and I would be happy to

> answer any question you have.

>

> Chris

[Guest guest]

Panel's ties to drugmakers not cited in new cholesterol guidelinesBY DELTHIA

RICKS AND RONI RABIN

STAFF WRITERS

 

July 15, 2004

 

Guidelines published by a government panel earlier this week, calling for

aggressive use of statin medications to lower cholesterol in people at high risk

of heart attacks, failed to list panelists' links to pharmaceutical companies,

many of which manufacture statin drugs.

 

Of the nine panelists, six had received grants or consulting or speakers' fees

from companies that produce some of the most popular statin medications on the

market, according to published material from 2001. Those drugs include Pfizer's

Lipitor; Bristol-Myers Squibb's Pravachol, Merck's Lovastatin and AstraZeneca's

Crestor.

 

Dr. James Cleeman, coordinator of the national Cholesterol Education Program, a

division of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, called the omission of

financial disclosures an oversight. In response to Newsday's inquiries, he said

panelists' pharmaceutical company relationships will be posted on the National

Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's Web site within the next few days.

 

Such financial links to drug companies were printed in the Journal of the

American Medical Association when the original guidelines were published three

years ago. Many of the same panelists returned to produce this week's amendments

to the rules, which were published in the journal Circulation, a publication of

the American Heart Association. " We now understand, in the current climate, it is

wise to make that information [researchers' financial connections] as

transparent as possible, " Cleeman said. " ... There is certainly no intent to

obscure information. "

 

Cardiologists expressed no doubts about the quality of the research leading to

the updated guidelines. But observers say the public deserves to have as much

information as possible about panelists who are making such sweeping

regulations. The guidelines also could serve to improve the bottom line of major

corporations.

 

" It should have been there, " said Dr. Steven Nissen, a cardiovascular researcher

at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio,referring to financial disclosure information.

He added that " it is hard to work in the lipid field and not have gotten a grant

from a pharmaceutical company.

 

" Certainly if it were me, I would have disclosed it. But it is important to

point out that these are reputable people, " Nissen said of the panelists. " They

are leaders in the field, people of integrity. " Nissen's research helped

influence the new guidelines.

 

An estimated 36 million people in the United States are already on statin

therapy, drugs that earn pharmaceutical companies $20 billion a year. The new

rules by the Cholesterol Education Program essentially establish a new standard

of care for people with the worst forms of cardiovascular disease.

 

The National Cholesterol Education Program is entirely government-funded,

Cleeman said, and operates on a budget of about $1 million a year. The program

does not receive any money from pharmaceutical companies, he said.

 

The program invites outside experts to serve as panelists and to review

scientific data that will be considered for treatment guidelines. The

information is further vetted by 90 to 100 outside experts, including heart

specialists from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart

Association.

 

" There are multiple layers of review, " Cleeman said.

 

Dr. H. Bryan Brewer, a physician-scientist at the National Heart, Lung and Blood

Institute, was one of the guidelines' authors. He was the subject of a letter to

the director of the National Institutes of Health last week from a consumer

watchdog, Public Citizen's Health Research Group. The advocacy organization

charged that Brewer had failed to disclose his ties to AstraZeneca. Brewer,

according to the letter, had written a glowing report in a medical journal about

Crestor without disclosing that he is a paid consultant and had presided over a

company-sponsored symposium.

 

Dr. Sidney Wolfe, director of watchdog group, said he wrote the letter because

NIH officials -- and the public -- should be aware of potential conflicts of

interest.

 

" The public has a right to know every amount, " Wolfe said Wednesday.

 

Panelist Dr. Sidney Smith of the American Heart Association said in an interview

that he has received consulting fees from Merck. But he said he was only

peripherally involved in the enrollment of patients in a Merck-supported

clinical trial about a year ago.

 

" One of the problems we have is that 80 to 90 percent of the evidence from

clinical trials comes from the need of drug companies to get new drugs to

market, " he said. The Institute of Medicine -- panels convened by Congress to

investigate urgent issues in health care -- has suggested a different approach

to funding such research, he said. Those suggestions include the allocation of

" $17 billion from the government to get evidence from treatment studies and not

have to depend on drug company money. "

 

The failure to disclose financial information comes on the heels of

investigations by both the NIH and Food and Drug Administration to root out any

conflicts of interest among staff scientists involved in outside consulting.

 

The guidelines published by the panel called for lowering cholesterol to the

lowest possible levels. For the sickest patients, that means a low-density

lipoprotein -- LDL -- of 70 mg. or below. Doctors never before have been asked

to reduce patients' cholesterol to such a level, though the trend toward lower

numbers had become evident in scientific studies in recent years.

 

" The guidelines are somewhat conservative and not that favorable to industry, "

Nissen said. He added that the guidelines should not be construed as a " a

pro-industry document. There's a lot of information in the document [calling

for] lifestyle changes, " too.

2004, Newsday, Inc.

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Musiclear wrote:

I have been really busy lately and way behind in my emails, so I just

read this morning. Holy smokes Pete. Were you having a bad day or something???

 

Your reply is awfully hard and accusatory especially given some of the

supplements and research that has been done on the supplements you question.

 

You strongly ask me to prove things to you. Have you bothered to check

out some of the research on these supplements yourself??

 

I find your reply immature, foolish and generally rude, and for very

little reason except your own personal emotional involvement in what ever set

you

off.

 

Please back it down a few notches when you decide to reply and how about

you do a little research before you slam someone. It's just a nicer way of

doing things and may help your own image here.

 

If you want me to reply to you, just ask nicely and I would be happy to

answer any question you have.

 

Chris

 

 

 

In a message dated 7/4/2004 1:58:17 AM Eastern Daylight Time, petet

writes:

Hi Chris!

 

He says he is an MD, so it *must* be true! An MD would *never* manufacture

a study, allude to a non-existent study, set up a phoney website, make up

statistics or anything like that. I see a few qualified statements in this

(see in line) and maybe a little " science " that hasn't been seen elsewhere,

but no sources.

 

Who is he anyway? Does anyone know him, I mean from anywhere other than his

self-promotions?

 

If you " found " this in your inbox then it is SPAM. Never buy *anything*

from a spammer. A spammer can claim to be anyone and anything. Might not

even be in the country. Now if you asked for the information and it came as a

reply, that is different.

 

At 08:11 AM 7/3/2004, you wrote:

> I found this in my box this morning and thought I would pass it along.

>It is a marketing article and is bias in that direction, but a lot of what is

>said is backed by science.<snip>

 

>Terminalia arjuna. Just this one heart-healing nutrient alone

>has been proven to: <snip>

 

So where is the proof?

 

proven by over 300 years of use<snip>

 

Who says so?

 

>might be the most effective<snip>

 

>Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is the mother antioxidant.<snip>

 

According to whom?

 

>ALA may help <snip>

 

> may also help <snip>

 

>In both human and animal studies, <snip>

 

So cite one of each

 

>L-arginine may also<snip>

 

> can help <snip>

 

> Plus, it s essential for <snip>

 

Who says so besides him?

 

 

Regards,

 

Pete

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Hi Chris!

 

I suppose what irritates me about the guy is his generalizing, in a puffy

sort of way, more sales pitch than science. Yes, I looked into the guy's

website and it had the same tone as the teaser email. Seems that there is

nothing like substance to it.

 

I am also very offended by SPAM email as a way of promoting oneself. Today

it is this, tomorrow it is that and you can never get anything for sure

about a source. People write to me now and then asking about something I

supposedly sent them and it is some SPAMMER or another assuming my identity.

 

So, if there is something to it, I would be interested in having a look.

Particularly someone else's take on the supplement . . .

 

At 09:05 AM 7/15/2004, you wrote:

 

> I have been really busy lately and way behind in my emails, so I just

>read this morning. Holy smokes Pete. Were you having a bad day or

>something???

 

Regards,

 

Pete

[Guest guest]

Hi John!

 

Yeah, thanks. I hope no one thought I meant any harm or anything like that

.. . .

 

At 10:16 AM 7/15/2004, you wrote:

>Pete, your tone didn't sound out of line to ME, at

>least. I like it when people question medical claims.

>(Especially ANYTHING an MD says).

> John G.

>

 

Regards,

 

Pete