Be Well.

Dr. Connie, Dr. Marcel and your care team at Pacific Naturopathic and the Hernandez Center for Adjunctive Cancer Care

 1) Nutrition experts recommend five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.  French fries, although deep-fried, count as one serving since potatoes are vegetables and still have nutritional value.

This is such a no brainer it is almost embarrassing. Most conventional French fries are prepared with white potatoes and white potatoes quickly and easily convert in the body to sugar. When your body takes in these quickly absorbed carbohydrates you are forced to use them as energy right away or store them in fat. In addition to often being cooked in old, often rancid fat, studies in the past few years have determined that when a starchy food such as a potato is cooked to a temperature above 248 degrees, it produces a cancer-causing chemical called acrylamide.

2) Organic fruit juices are incredibly healthy because they are loaded with concentrated nutrients.

This is a trick question.  When it comes to fruit juice, organic and non-organic are the same - neither one should be imbibed. Fruit juice is nothing more than fruit flavored pure sugar water, without the fiber that allows a time-release of sugar when you eat the whole fruit. Also, much of the fruit juice you find in the supermarket isn't really fruit juice. In fact, some 

Real food! :

"fruit juice" beverages don't even contain fruit, just chemicals that taste like fruit. What you're drinking is basically just artificially flavored sugar water.

3) Whole wheat products are better than refined wheat products because they contain nutrients and fiber that are not present in refined flour.

There are lots of reasons why not just whole wheat, but wheat in general is problematical to humans.  First of all, most "whole wheat" products are just pulverized grains that raise blood sugar just as fast as their refined counterparts. Next, wheat is high in gluten, the protein that gives dough its elastic properties.  For many people, gluten is difficult to digest.

Not real food! :(

Studies showthat gluten can damage the intestinal lining and cause symptoms like pain, anemia, bloating, stool inconsistency, tiredness, and others. But wait, there's more:

-- A compound in wheat called phytic acid binds minerals like calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium and hinders their absorption. Whole wheat contains even more phytic acid than refined wheat.

-- The amino acid ratios in wheat protein are not compatible with what humans need.

-- Wheat fiber leaches the Vitamin D stores from the body, increasing the risk of deficiency.

The skinny is that while wheat may have been a relatively healthy grain before its many hybridizations and genetic modifications, the stuff most people are eating today is best avoided.

4) Agave nectar made from organic sources is an excellent replacement for sugar.

People have been looking for a healthy, good tasting sweetener ever since the harmful effects of sugar became widely publicized.  When agave nectar first came on the market, it was accompanied by hype, advertising that it did not have the glycemic effects of sugar.  Wrong.  Very wrong. Agave syrup is actually much worse than sugar.  Sugar is about 50% fructose and agave contains even more... up to 70-90%.  So gram for gram, agave is even worse than regular sugar.

During the period right before the diagnosis, like many college students, he had been eating poorly, drinking heavily, and was steadily losing weight as well as feeling extremely fatigued. He finally went in to the doctor to get his health checked and found out he was carrying the hepatitis B virus.

He began researching treatment options and decided to take control of his health. Over this last decade of living with hepatitis B, he has made major lifestyle changes in regards to exercise and particularly the food he eats. He also recently started on an herbal liver supplement that I recommended and feels that his energy has improved immensely with everything.

For dietary changes, he has switched to more of an anti-inflammatory diet overall, eating more salads and vegetables, specifically adding in vegetables like beets that are great for the liver.

He drinks warm lemon water every morning to help aid digestion and detoxification of the body and makes sure to abstain from alcohol. He also now runs a couple miles several times a week when he was not really exercising previously.

A gastroenterologist friend of his mentioned the possibility of taking a drug to help keep his liver enzymes down, but so far he has been able to manage his condition very well just through lifestyle and dietary changes.

A foundation of naturopathic medicine and health in general is the nutrition we get from our diet. We are what we eat - all of the nutrients we take in from our food are incorporated into and used by our cells. They can become parts of us like our cell membranes or used as building blocks for other important molecules like hormones, our signaling messengers. And without good building blocks, our body also has a hard time restoring and repairing itself.

An increased risk in developing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer have all been linked to poor diets and lack of exercise, and many cases can be prevented by being more mindful of the foods we consume along with how much physical activity we get. Given this and how important nutrition is to our health, one of the main treatments we as naturopaths employ starts with looking at a person's diet and recommending changes as necessary.

For optimal health, the foundation begins with what we put into our bodies - something my friend quickly realized and applied to his situation. Food is not only nourishment and an enjoyment in life, but can definitely be used as a medicine as well. 

Dr. Connie has offered natural medicine guidance to her Bay Area patients since 1993.

 What with all of our high tech enhanced herbal formulas, cherished plant remedies sometimes come in the simplest of forms, as functional foods, teas, spices, juices, aromas, essences.  Here are some favorites.

Green tea. Teas can be warming, nourishing, detoxifying, delightful. Green tea is in its heyday now, due to the numerous studies promoting its anti inflammatory and anti carcinogenic effects. While most tea drinkers are unlikely to consume the 6-10 cup daily anti carcinogenic dose, there is benefit in drinking even a few cups. For enhanced effect, several bowls of macha (Japanese powdered tea ceremony tea) or capsules of ECGC (the active constituent of green tea) can bring the tea up to dosage.

Pomegranates. Recently in Istanbul, we savored the pomegranate juice which was fresh squeezed on street corners. High in antioxidants, nutrient and fiber content, pomegranates are used to increase insulin sensitivity, improve glucose transport, reduce total cholesterol, correct erectile dysfunction, reduce PSA levels. Men with prostate cancer benefit from 8 ounces of juice a day.  
 

Turmeric or curcumin.  Kitchen cabinets hold a treasure trove of medicinal spices. Curcumin is increasingly in the news, along with green tea, due to its anti-inflammatory and anti carcinogenic properties. And ask us for our recipe for Golden Milk, a yummy functional food alternative to hot chocolate.

Chocolate. Speaking of chocolate, there's a reason for the moniker "food of

the Gods."  Chocolate contains substances that function similarly to and promote anandamide, a messenger molecule that promotes bliss. Chocolate is also high in bioflavonoids and magnesium. (Women crave chocolate in the week before menses because magnesium levels decrease at that time.)  We're talking real chocolate ... high percentage dark chocolate, not milk or white chocolate or chocolate candy.

Watercress. This nutrient packed, pungent salad green is a phenomenal liver food. It also stimulates the appetite, is diuretic and lowers blood sugar. We enjoy watercress with a dressing of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt. See http://www.rodalenews.com/foods-your-liver for other liver foods.

Well, we're somehow in the midst of autumn already... days are getting shorter, schools are back in session, and the holidays are just around the corner. The beginning of fall invites a productive energy, with the bustle of school activity and the holiday craze that lends itself to sugar rushes, costume parties, and gift shopping. People everywhere are in consumer mode, rushing about their days to fit as much 'productivity' in while the sun is still up.

Like clockwork, corporate media giants have descended upon us with their annual campaigns for flu shots and viral scares in an attempt to take advantage of an overly stressed, immune-suppressed culture. True, we might be more susceptible to catching some kind of bug this time of year, but there are ample ways in which we can protect ourselves by making healthful dietary and lifestyle choices.

The leaf-bearing trees and the continuously shorter days remind us, autumn

Autumn in California

is a transitional season in which nature begins to withdraw and slow down. As just an extension of nature, we too, should be mindful of the need for a restful rhythm this time of year.  This is not to say abandon the drive to be productive, but rather, to strive for a balance of work and rest. In doing so, we naturally create more time to focus on being well, allowing for more opportunities to participate in self-care.

Autumn harvest

Leading a balanced life, in tune with the rhythm of the season, is a notion so powerful that our health this time of year depends on it. My primary argument for making such a thing happen is supported by the edible landscape that offers itself this season.  The abundance of hearty root vegetables like beets and squash; aromatic and therapeutic herbs including fennel, garlic, and ginger; and the nutrient-dense fruits, apples and pears, so effortlessly support our health in their simple willingness to grow this time of year. To take advantage of cooking with this seasonal 'farmacy,' is one of the most powerful methods of immune system support.

As I have long opted not to have a seasonal flu shot, I have also made a diligent effort to understand the role I play in strengthening my own immune system, particularly through the way that I eat.  Eating seasonally is a lifestyle choice that I feel very strongly about, for more than just personal health, but that's beside the point. Vibrant health can truly be as simple as cooking according to what's available to us in a given season.

As with all cooking, just a little preparation goes a long way, particularly

One-pot stew -- yum!

cooking as the weather cools down.  Fall is the perfect season to experiment with one-pot dishes like nutritious bone broths and hearty soups or casseroles - all dishes that can cook at home in a crock pot, while we're out and about, I might add! 

To adopt a slower rhythm, rely on our local landscapes, and cook seasonal food, we are truly using food as medicine to foster optimal wellness.

Nicole Noceto offers Nutrition Education for people 

meeting the challenges of diabetes and cancer.  In January, 

she will begin offering yoga therapy programs.

Please phone 650-917-1121 to schedule.

It can be so frustrating to find that, no matter what you do, you keep falling back into an inability to control your eating.  Not only do you feel as if you are out of control but also angry with yourself. And another diet doesn't seem like the answer.  What to do?  Well, you ARE out of control because you are constantly being triggered and that activates your subconscious to eat. What are those triggers? Some might be memories of events from your past that are disturbing.  Some cause you to want to soothe and protect yourself.  Other triggers might be because of feeling unloved and deprived.  We all have had different experiences and they reside in our subconscious as our truths or limiting beliefs. 

But imagine what a relief it would be to change those limiting beliefs and thus alter your behaviors. That's what Hypnotherapy does.  When you access the subconscious you are able to go deep into the programming that is causing you to repeat, repeat, repeat. Hypnotherapy works at the level of feelings, patterns, and unconscious motivations. Isn't it better to feel that you want to eat healthier rather than just thinking that you should?

Hypnotherapy does two great things...First, you are led into a deep relaxation which allows your body to experience healing; Second, while in this deep relaxation you can give yourself suggestions about what you want to change. This is when your subconscious is most suggestible and able to be reprogrammed.

So what kinds of suggestions would Hypnotherapy work best for regarding weight loss?  Well, a great suggestion would be to maximize motivation so that you find yourself wanting to eat well. Another might be to take the focus off weight and to put it on fitness and health.  You might suggest to your subconscious to prod you at a certain time each day because you want to move, go for a walk or do some exercise. You are making your subconscious be your cheerleader and motivator. Imagine that...it's all possible.

You can also do an "age progression" where you are taken into the future where you have become the weight you want to be. You can suggest to your subconscious to show you the roadmap of how you got to that weight. It's all about making your subconscious work for you rather than against you.

Another great way to make big changes is to follow Carlene Foldenauer's advice in this newsletter and learn EFT (Tapping). It's easy to learn and very effective for cravings. It also accesses the subconscious and you can use it anywhere.

The main thing to know is that the subconscious makes up 95% of your mind so it is the destination to visit when you want to change. Willpower alone will not get you there. Why not get access to the tools that will show you the way? 

Read more about Jane Hernandez's transformative work HERE

Elijah Free's approach to helping his patients deal with physical pain has been described as bordering on miraculous.  Elijah is also a Master Herbalist who designs and produces all of his own herbal products for his healing practice. He is an herbal product designer for Ridgecrest Herb Company. 

* * *

Elijah Free is a healer, specializing in pain elimination of all types, both mechanical and metabolic. He is a master medical herbalist with numerous specialties, a researcher and product designer for his own label; Earth Friend Herb Co. 

Elijah is the author of "Apprentice to Angels," and a U.S. patent holder for a formula to eradicate fibromyaligia. He was recently granted a 501-C3 from the IRS as a medical study, something almost exclusively for institutions such as Stanford, hospitals or pharmaceutical companies.

Bringourvetsallthewayhome.org is all about Elijah's work with an herbal formula for PTSD that restores the lives to veterans and anyone else with this condition. A documentary video will be available later this fall about this project. A video on fibromyaligia can be seen at rapidpainelimination.com

Cancer cells growing and spreading.

Like every other cell in the body, cancer cells use sugar to grow and multiply. In fact, cancer cells absolutely love sugar so much that they cannot survive without it, so they allow sugar to pass through their membranes.  Now here is what borders on miraculous about intravenous Vitamin C.  

When infused directly into the blood stream, Vitamin C looks like sugar to cancer cells, so they let it pass through their membranes.  Once inside the cell, Vitamin C becomes H2O2, a free radical toxic to cancer cells.  Now here is the miracle: Intravenous Vitamin C is harmless to healthy cells and deadly to cancer cells. Healthy cells have a protective enzyme that most cancer cells lack.  Intravenous Vitamin C  is also a PRO-oxidant, working as a pharmaceutical chemotherapeutic drug does, but without the systemic toxicity. Vitamin C works differently when taken orally.

Orally administered, Vitamin C is an ANTI-oxidant.  Cellular protective, yes; but toxic to cancer cells, no.  Furthermore, high dose oral Vitamin C is poorly tolerated by the bowels.  

Perhaps most important, orally administered vitamin C  tissue and plasma concentrations in the body are tightly controlled. Approximately 70 to 90 percent of vitamin C is absorbed at intakes of 30-180 mg/day. But at doses above 1 gram/day, absorption falls to less than 50 percent, with decreasing absorption as the oral dose is increased.  The overloaded body excretes unmetabolized ascorbic acid in the urine. 

Many people have already heard about intravenous vitamin C as a complementary cancer therapy to help stimulate the immune system as well as being directly cytotoxic to cancer cells. We are often using this therapy at the Hernandez Center for our cancer patients. What people may not know is that we also have many other IV therapies that are also very helpful in supporting our cancer patients depending on their symptoms and what they need. 

We often give a nutrient IV in between IV vitamin C sessions, which helps to provide more energy and rebuild our patients that may be feeling fatigued or have low blood counts. 

We also have other anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer therapies like IV curcumin (turmeric) or IV silibinin (from milk thistle). 

Another IV treatment that can help cancer patients from losing more weight or to help them gain weight is an infusion that includes a variety of amino acids. 

These are just a few of the protocols we have for our cancer patients. For more information or to set up an appointment, please contact us at the Hernandez Center at (650) 917-1121.

* * *

* Dr. Connie muses on the historical roles of plants

 * Dr. Marcel: Plants That Are Not Food

* Dr. Corrine: Plants as Food and Medicine

* Dr. Connie: Healing Plants in Simple Form

 * Nicole: Seasonal Farmaceuticals

* Jane: Weight Loss and the Subconscious

* Carlene: Curb Your Food Cravings

* Breast Health Foods

* Hawaii retreat: Bounty from the Orchard

Hernandez Center: News and Commentary on Cancer Topics

 - - - 

 * Dr. Marcel: Why Intravenous Vitamin C Kills Cancer Cells

 * Dr. Corrine: other IV therapies offered in our clinic 

The Hernandez Center 

for Adjunctive Cancer Care

2570 W. El Camino Real, Suite 111 Mountain View, CA 94040

650-917-1121

 www.HernandezCenter.com