Hot Peppers – 12/19/19 An Italian study reported here associates a 25% lower all cause mortality to those who eat hot peppers at least four time per week versus those who fully abstain. Most delightful chili con carne recipe found here. Yum.
Red Meat Gets (Another) Reprieve – 11/19/19 An article in Annals of Internal Medicine, here, concludes that contemporary dietary guidelines are based primarily on observational studies that are limited in establishing causality. The authors instead focused on more controlled studies and found that the evidence that unprocessed or processed red meat caused cancer or any other health issues was very weak.
Exercise Reduces Heart Attacks—A Lot – 11/13/19 Of course we all know this, but some research found here seems to indicate an amazing benefit. The researchers followed 1000 people over 45 for ten years, measuring how well each individual retained their muscle mass. The result was stunning. The top third had an 81% lower rate of heart attacks than the bottom third. That’s a five-fold difference. So get to that local gym and retain that muscle mass.
Good News for Avocado Lovers – 10/14/19 A study here finds that avocado consumption may improve insulin sensitivity, and hence help prevent diabetes.
Joggers Take Note – 9/9/19 A study in the British Medical Journal, here, that running of any sort reduces heart attacks, cancer, and all-cause mortality 25-30%. Running is not the best form of exercise by any means, but already the numbers are far better than anything dreamt up by big pharma.
New Blood Test Predicts Breast Cancer – 2019 Presented at a poster session, researchers are trying to develop a blood test that could predict breast cancer five years in advance. This would certainly be a game-changer if it worked out.
Marathon Drugs Increases Price 70-Fold – 2/10/17 More predation by pharma. Marathon has gotten a decades old muscular dystrophy drug, deflazacort, approved and is charging $89,000 a year for it. It’s price in Europe is under $1500/year. Where are the free market forces? Why aren’t our elected officials protecting us from this egregious practice?
Promising New Prostate Cancer Treatment – 2/2/17 A new and very effective prostate cancer treatment, reported here, has a two-year relapse rate of around 25%. Though clearly not a cure, it has a major benefit in that, unlike all other treatments, it has no. Light fibres are inserted in the prostate, rather like a biopsy, and a light-sensitive drug is administered. The cancerous tissue is killed, and all else left alone. Would certainly be worth a try.
Hypertension Developing Late in Life Halves Onset of Dementia – 1/21/17 Research here indicate that people who develop hypertension in late in life has almost half the reate of dementia. Yet more proof that hypertension has a purpose and unless it is off the charts, is best left alone.
Lowest Stroke Rates in Older Baby Boomers; Younger People Rising– 9/12/16 reports the American Heart Association, here. There could be numerous factors at work. Less smoking among the baby boomers and less healthy diet among the young would be our guess.
Sugar Lobby Promotes Sugar– 11/13/16 Surreal. JAMA reports here that the sugar lobby has been systematically attempting to put the blame for heart diseases on something other than sugar. What were they supposed to do? They’re the sugar lobby. The real question is, “Why did Standard Medicine buy it?”
Zika Breakthrough– 8/30/16 Reported here and elsewhere, two existing (already approved) drugs appear to be effective against Zika. If this pans out, it will speed things up immeasurably.
AHA Limits Added Sugar– 8/17/16 A sensible recommendation from the American Heart Association limits sugar for children aged 2-18 to fewer than 6 teaspoons a day. Paper here. A better recommendation: Fewer than 0 teaspoons added sugar per day for all children aged 0-110.
Calcium Supplements Linked to Dementia– 8/17/16 A report in the journal Neurology, here, links calcium supplements to dementia in some groups of women. The risk, alarmingly, is double for this group.
Suppression of Antioxidants Kills Pancreatic Cancer cells– 7/28/16 Researchers at Cold Springs Harbor Labs find that antioxidants are, in some cases, aiding cancer, and by suppressing the antioxidants, the oxidants are then able to kill the cancer. Link here.
High Cholesterol Found to be Cancer Protective– 7/9/16 A study presented at a British Cardiovascular Society Conference, link here, finds that high cholesterol is significantly protective for four common cancers: breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal. Reasons for this are unknown.
Zinc Acetate Lozenges Reduce Length of Common Cold– 7/6/16 Zinc for a cold is a Dr. Mike favorite. Here’s some science to back it up. A study published here finds that Zinc Acetate Lozenges shorten common colds by three days.
BMJ Article: Bad Cholesterol Isn’t Bad After All– 6/13/16 This is huge. In BMJ Open, here, a peer reviewed study finds that high “bad” cholesterol, aka LDL-cholesterol, is inversely associated with mortality. Higher levels=less death. The stuff is good for you. This is heresy of the first water. Expect a huge blow-back. The lipid hypothysis—that high LDL cholesterol causes heart disease—is ingrained in the medical community like an eleventh commandment. It has never been proven, and kudos to BMJ for daring to run this article. (We would crow that we have repeatedly posted that the dangers of LDL cholesterol were nonexistent, but we will be nice and refrain.)
Stem Cell Injection Reversed Strokes– 6/6/16 At Stanford, reported here, stroke patients receiving injection of mesenchymal stem cells directly into the brain experienced, in some cases, dramatic improvement. If this research holds up, this is an astounding result. “This wasn’t just, ‘They couldn’t move their thumb, and now they can.’ Patients who were in wheelchairs are walking now,” said lead researcher Steinberg.
Bariactric Surgery Now Recommended for Diabetes– 5/26/16 The American Diabetes Association (ADA), and other groups, have now endorsed bariactric surgery (stomach stapling) as a treatment for adult onset or type 2 diabetes (ADOM). We are not making this up. Report here. Of course the ADA dietary recommendations are almost guaranteed to prolong AODM, so we suppose some sort of strange logic is at work here. For the surgery-free, drug-free Quantitative Medicine method, click here.
Low Salt May Be Dangerous – 5/20/16 The prestigious British journal Lancet reports here that low salt intake is more dangerous than high intake. This is heresy, of course, and the article, the magazine, and the authors have already been condemned and will be burnt at the stake. The QM view is that high salt intake is a fairly minor factor. In this article, high intake is worse only for those with high blood pressure, whereas low salt intake is dangerous to those with high blood pressure, and those with normal blood pressure. Again, standard-practice medicine has been making things worse.
JAMA Discovers QM – 5/19/16 The prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports here that secession of of smoking, non-heavy drinking, and exercise reduce cancer. Now while it’s wonderful that they have now seen the light, or at least are circling around it, hasn’t this been obvious for the last 50 years? They studied only white males. Are they setting us up for a sequel? Let’s spoil that one: it works for everybody.
Calcium/Vitamin D Causes a Stroke or Heart Attack for Each Fracture prevented – 5/12/16 From a Norwegian study reported here, “Our analysis shows that if 100,000 65-year-old women take 1000 mg calcium every day, 5890 hip fractures and 3820 other fractures would be prevented. On the other hand, as many as 5917 heart attacks and 4373 strokes could be caused.” A horrid tradeoff made worse by the fact that osteoporosis is easily prevented and reversed with no supplements needed. See posts here, here, and here
Medical Error Third Leading Cause of Death in U.S. – 5/3/16 This is not news. As a leading cause of death in hospitals,medical error has been a focal area for almost 20 years. However, findings published here in the British Medical Journal.indicate the the problem is far from solved. Deaths due to medical error represent around 10% of deaths, some 250,000. One problem, according to the article, is that adequate records aren’t kept: the deaths are often attributed to something else. Best strategy: stay out of hospitals.
Big Pharma to World: Take Something! – 4/21/16 From JAMA, here, a trial was conducted for patients who couldn’t tolerate stains.(42%, in fact). The “solution” was to give them ezetimibe, a drug with no known benefit and some probably harm, a drug currently approved for a very, very narrow cohort of off-the-charts high cholesterol. Only 27% could not stand this drug, so the trial was considered a success. The drug industry seems insistent on cramming ezetimibe down our throats. To even embark on this strange experiment shows a callousness and disregard for patient benefit that surprises even us.
Is Fructose Highly Dangerous? – 4/21/16 Maybe. From UCLA we have a finding that fructose is linked to detrimental changes to hundreds of brain genes. Press release here. Scary stuff, and it makes some sense. The body goes to a lot of trouble to keep dietary fructose out of circulation, converting most of it to a concentrated form of glucose called glycogen, and rapidly removing any excess that does get into circulation. The reason for this aversion to fructose is not known, but the research sited above may provide a significant clue. Besides a major sugar component of fruit, table sugar is a 50-50 mix of fructose and glucose, as is high-fructose corn syrup, a ubiquitous food additive.
Are Proton Pump Inhibitors Overprescribed? – 4/15/16 A new report In the Journal of the American Society of Nephrolog seems to indicate that long term use of proton pump inhibitors, which significant reduce stomach acidity, causes increased kidney disease. Such drugs are widely prescribed and are also available over-the-counter. Though likely safe for short-term use, longer term consumption seems to have problems.
FDA Pulls Plug on Combo Drug – 4/15/16 In a rare glimmer of sanity, the FDA has withdrawn approval on a drug called Niaspan, which is a combination of statins and niacin. The approval was made in 1997. Given that is know that statins are practically useless, and that niacin actually increases heart problems, you may wonder what they were waiting for. So do we.Might they now consider the rest of the dangerous drugs out there? Details here.
Interesting Alzheimer’s-Insulin Result – 4/13/16 An NYU business school researcher has connected some interesting dots. It is well know that high insulin is involved in Alzheimers, but the connection wasn’t clear. It seems that the enzyme that breaks down insulin is the same one that breaks down amyloid-beta plaque, the tangled mess that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s. Schiller’s idea is that perhaps the all the enzyme resources are spent on the high insulin, and the amyoid-beta doesn’t get removed. Details here.
Another Early Cancer Detection Breakthrough – 4/8/16 Researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, have created an optical biosensor for cancer detection that is a million times more sensitive than previous versions, pointing the way toward an effective early detection system for cancer and other illnesses.This might greatly improve early detection, which is ket to fighting cancer.Details here.
Choral Singing May Reduce Cancer – 4/5/16 Researchers in Wales have determined that choral group singing improves levels of several anti-cancer hormones and biochemicals. Paper can be found here. In view of the next news item, the song Java Jive should probably be included in the repertoire.
Coffee Reduces Colorectal Cancer 50% – 4/1/16 Researchers at USC report “We found that drinking coffee is associated with lower risk of colorectal cancer, and the more coffee consumed, the lower the risk.” The press release is here. Dramatics reductions of up to 50% were seen. This area has been controversial for 20 years. The mechanism of cancer prevention is unknown, though it doesn’t seem to be caffeine, as decaf works as well.
Early Cancer Detection Breakthrough – 3/29/16 Researchers at UCLA have developed a PET probe capable of producing far better images in certain types of cancers. With cancer, early detection is key. Clinical trials of the procedure may begin this year. Further info here.
Blonds Found to Be Non-Dumb – 3/23/16 A study here has found that blonds have a slightly higher IQ that non-blond people.Quoting,”Blonde women have a higher mean IQ than women with brown, red and black hair. Blondes are more likely classified as geniuses and less likely to have extremely low IQ.” It is hard to predict what researchers will think of to do research on. How about: “Do Blonds Have More Fun?”
Meal Time More Important Than Previously Thought – 3/17/16 Every traveler know that disrupting the circadian rhythm—the sleep cycle— is no picnic. New research from the Weizmann Institute indicates that not only is the body locked into this cycle, but even our mitochondria are. Mitochondria are tiny bacterial like cells found within almost all our own cells that convert the food we eat to energy. They apparently have time-driven hungry states, wherein they are ready and willing to convert the food to energy, and sleepy state as well. This means having meals at a regular time is more critical than previously thought.
Alzheimer’s and Brain Research – 3/17/16 There are almost daily reports of discoveries or possible breakthroughs involving Alzheimer’s and the brain. Just today, there are three such reports, all on mice, and so it is unknown if the results would carry over. There are reports of new neurons grown from stem cells, lost memories reactivate through light flashes, and increasing available neural energy by injecting pyruvate, an intermediate of glucose metabolism. A very active area.
Antidepressants Increase Mortality – 3/16/16 A study from Auburn and University of Alabama show a slight increase in mortality with uses of second generation anti-depressants.Report here. Knowledge of this will likely offset any anti-depression benefit as well. I much stronger anti-depressant that features a very strong reduction of mortality is exercise.
Canadian Medicine Discovers Exercise – 3/14/16 Canadian Medical Association announces: “Many doctors and their patients aren’t aware that exercise is a treatment for these chronic conditions and can provide as much benefit as drugs or surgery, and typically with fewer harms.” Not really. It actually provides A LOT MORE benefit. Bit it’s a step for organized medicine. Next week: hot water.
Exercise Reduces Alzheimer’s 50% – 3/11/16 No surprise at our end. But here, another study demonstrates the most effect way to prevent Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s Caused By Microbes? – 3/10/16 Researchers have reported that a virus and two types of bacteria are a major cause of Alzheimers. A microbial connection has been (and probably will remain) controversial. However, the causes of Alzheimer’s are not known.
Magic Pill Announced – 3/4/16 Drug companies adore lifelong drugs, and the latest “breakthrough” combines statins, blood pressure reducers, aspirin, and adult onset diabetes medication, and is called a Polypill. However none of these four have shown any mortality benefit, and all of them have serious side effects. But in combination, they are suddenly magical? The idea seems to be to get rid of screening and blood testa altogether, and put everyone over 50 on this pill. This idea is so bad, it would be praising it to call it crazy.
Breast Cancer Breakthrough – 3/3/16 A new drug combo is very effective against the HER-2 variant of breast cancer. A fourth of those treated saw dramatic reduction in tumor size, while in an additional 11% the tumor completely disappeared, in under two weeks. Details here.
Television Exposure Directly Linked To A Thin Body Ideal In Women – 2/22/16 The only real question here is: Are they paying grown-ups to come up with this? It’s a real study. Details here. What will they study next? How about: Driving Blindfolded May Increase Accident Risk.
Not sure this link will work, but Gina Kolata had a Vitamin D article in the NYT you may want to refute.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/10/health/vitamin-d-deficiency-supplements.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=c-column-middle-span-region®ion=c-column-middle-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-middle-span-region
Jim,
I will take a look at it but would like to tell you upfront that she is a complete nihilist on almost everything related to exercise, nutrition, supplementation and related. I’ve had a few indirect, but real, exchanges with her and found her immune to anything outside of her preselected set of beliefs.
I should disclose that I agree with her that profound scepticism is appropriate with respect to most claims made in these areas. If you follow her for any somewhat prolonged time you will see how corroding her scepticism finally becomes. I appreciate such a visible and famous author not being a cheerleader for a lot of silliness that passes as ‘medical science’ but think she has exceeded the bounds of sense.
When I read it and have time I will get back to you, Jim.
You may wonder why I’ve responded as I have here; it is that I believe superstition is bad and that boundless scepticism as a metaphysics may be even worse.
I feel she does harm thereby,
Dr. Mike
This author is doing a lot of damage with misinformation. It goes against almost everything I have learned, and what I have witnessed. I have healed myself without medication, thanks to the guidance of healers who think out of the box. It’s as simple as 60% nutrition and 40% exercise. Alternative medicine is way ahead in the game. Researching actual case histories is a whole different story. We are NOT getting out in the sun like we were in years past, and it takes a whole lot of vitamin d supplementation to be toxic.
Medical tunnel vision is killing our loved ones slowly and painfully. It’s a choice- doesn’t have to be that way.
I would add that proper gait and posture is critical. I used to have constant knee pain despite working my knees through a fairly full range of motion, and when I discovered and corrected a tendency to have my feet pointed out when I ran (something I notice that a lot of people do), the pain resolved, although it took about a year. Adding more full range of motion moves, specifically front squats, was also a huge help, as you recommend. I would also recommend the books of Pete Egoscue to anyone with joint pain.
Can anyone give me advice on hip osteoarthritis cartilage is worn to the bone in one area and there are numerous bone cysts on the head of the femur I’m only young 54 but down for a hip replacement .
Hi am 53yr post menopausal lady diagnosed with multi compartment Aosteoarthditisl of both the knees.right now Iam on glucosamine
Hydrochliride chondroitin sulphate. Treatment.the treatment has give. Me very good result in that I feel my knees have strengthened than Compared to my earlier weak knees.however my problem is my bow shaped legs which I feel have become more bow shaped.kindly advise if my knees are feeling strong then why are my legs lookin more bow shaped feeling confused.kindly advise..thanks.
Do you have a list of exercises for the whole body? Thank you in advance 🙂
I am 48 and have been obese for many years, but began a weight loss regimen that has been very successful for me in the last 7 months. I have a long way to go still and I’m wondering if it’s too late to save my knees. I have arthritis in both knees and my ortho says I’m ALMOST bone on bone, and will most likely need knee replacements in my 50s. I’m determined to prove him wrong and am working hard to strengthen all the muscles that support my knees. Is there hope for me?
Thank you Dr. Nichols, this is very helpful. I’d like to find a Dr. like you in my area (CT). I am a very active and athletic 65 year old with an MRI report that reads like yours. I stumbled into the “deep squats” on my own (also feel great for lower back) and have been trying to hold the down position longer and learn to be more relaxed in that position. That, along with more stretching, other exercises, and improving a minor asymmetry in my walking gait due to another injury seems to be helping my knee pain enormously. I have partial knee replacement surgery scheduled, and am considering postponing it now to see how far I can get without it.
I was diagnosed in June, 2013 with OSTEOARTHRITIS of the spine and both knees, symptoms started with severe back pain, joint swelling and stiffness in my knees and eventually the feeling spread to my shoulders and neck, i couldn’t lift my arm without pain medications. I was prescribed tramacet and arcoxia for 8 months but had to stop them due to bad effects. In 2017, I started on OSTEOARTHRITIS HERBAL FORMULA from RICH HERBS FOUNDATION, this natural herbal treatment reversed my osteoarthritis. Visit ww w. richherbsfoundation. com. The treatment worked incredibly for my arthritis condition.
I have moderate to severe hip arthritis. My doctor just affirmed that no cure is available. Your website indicates otherwise. However, you make no mention of nutritional supplementation beyond vitamin D blood levels.
The right nutrients have to be present in synovial fluids in order to repair the cartilage. Please address the needed collagen types,I,II,III,V, X ; protein (15% of calories or higher), essential oils, and any other dietary factors you deem critical to rapid repair.
Thank you for this information. I wish to follow your advice with my shoulder (s). I had an xray recently and half my cartidge has worn and i am told its due to osteoarthritis.
I understand the correct work load for the knees to rejeuvenate cartlidge, but i am struggling to decide on the correct exercise for restoring the shoulders.
Can you possibly advise me on this.
Kind regards
Ian
Working my shoulders with osteoarthritis. In the same boat. From what i understand, you get the full range of proteins in Whey Isolate.
Has to be isolate. And the other nutrients are enzymes.
Im no authority. Just a share of what I have found out myself.
For the mind, which plays its part in this auto immune problem, have a look at the work of Dr Joe Dispenza. Lots on Youtube. Making medical breakthroughs. A good start would be to listen to ‘Making the most of your mind’.
Full support to you doing this. It can be done, and its as though we are the pioneers.
Kind regards
Ian
Hello, this is encouraging to hear. I am suffering from arthritis in my jaw and neck after some tooth loss. I’ve had joint issues before and have fibromyalgia so I’ve worked at exercising and I’m very strong and have good mobility and can climb and run very fast as well as being a dancer with very good flexibility. I always thought joints were capable of healing and full recovery but yesterday I visited a very negative dentist, who also lacked compassion. I need teeth implants to support my jaw and I thought this would allow the arthritis to repair because I have tmj, but he told me it was impossible for my jaw to heal, and claimed that the jaw has nothing to do with my teeth even though it was fine before I had excessive drilling and dental procedures which caused three of my teeth to fall apart and now my jaw is unstable, cracking and popping all the time. I am hopeful hearing your advice. I had been trying a similar regime to fixing my joints before, and I was able to achieve athletic abilities which I had previously not attempted due to my joint pain. If you have any advice about the neck and jaw I’d like to h ear more. I am concerned about potentially making anything worse i
n these delicate areas, and because I feel a lot of tearing and grinding. Thank you for the post.
This is an interesting and encouraging article. I’ve been diagnosed in my early/mid 40’s with early osteoarthritis of hip joints and now in the joints at base of my thumb, in addition to my jaw. I follow gluten/dairy free diet already, and now avoiding soy and preservatives, etc. With regard exercise, what can be recommended when the osteoarthritis is in small, non-load bearing joints like in the hands and jaw? They are getting lots of exercise from typing, talking (!) and daily activities. What can be recommended to redeem those small joints?
I have tried various supplements with turmeric+ginger, MSM, Magnesium lotions, etc with some indication of relief along with the exercises prescribed on this blog. I also had bad jaw pain which I solved with some heat/cold treatments with a pad called Kiron. It seems getting rid of pain allows for exercise/mobility and allows natural healing (virtuous cycle) whereas staying in pain does the reverse.
I’m 41. I have advanced arthritis in my lumbar, some in my cervical and early signs in my knees. I’m scared for my future and I’m alone. I believe in natural healing. My knees are extremely misaligned and will get them fixed this summer. Do my knees still have a chance? I’m so scared
Hi Paula,
It sounds like Egoscue could really help you. There are some very good therapists (such as Caroline Clarke) who can consult via webcam and give you a tailored exercise regmin. If you research you will see Egoscue can really turn things around.
Has this worked for anyone.
The medical consensus at this time is that arthritis is irreversible and degenerative.
It seems to me however that if there is a chance for reversal it would be in some kind of exercise.
I would think however that one should be careful because one does not want to make the joints worse. The problem with arthritis is that the joints are literally grinding down.
The idea of working the joint and then resting it until the pain has subsided seems somewhat sound especially if the pain is diminishing and the range of motion improving on subsequent days. The compression of the joint at least somewhat also appears important to this theory of reversing arthritis.
I think one might try this but I think people need to be careful. If the pain is getting worse one obviously needs to listen to that.
I took belly dance classes for and in less than less months the pain went away, my lower back was healed. Also, heat will help, walking outside in the sun. If unable to walk or no sun, heat pads, ice packs for pain. Stay away from NightShade Plants: potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and sugar, aspartame sugar substitutes, salt, alcohol, saturated fats, white breads, rice, gluten foods. Eat: Fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, low fat products: calcium & vitamin D that promote strong joint health. Eat broccoli, citrus fruits, garlic, Green Tea, Fresh pineapple, Turmeric, Ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, whole cloves, black tea, fresh beets with pineapple ginger smoothie. No fried foods, BBQ, Blackened foods. Steam, boil, crock-Pots cooked foods. Capsaicin is good, you may try to rubber on skin 2 to 3 times per day, or just eat chili?. Belly dancing works miracles, I would not lie to you. Belly dance works the core of the body, try it, it’s for men & women, and it’s fun.
Belly dance: Only the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.
“Belly dance: Only the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.”
Well, I may not try belly dance but You have convinced me to start with a hula-hoop ring. Then what follow that we will see …
Can taking vitamin D supplements reverse already existing join damages?
I have advanced degenerative changes of the hip… Is there any hope for me without surgery… My Dr. says it can’t be reversed. I have bone spurs too. He called it severe degeneration osteoarthritis in both hips. I am 68. Was active most of my life.
Interesting article, thank you. How would you exercise all the joints in your (arthritic) feet?
I have the same question. I have arthritis on the top of my feet with one foot bone on bone practically.
Does anyone ever answer these messages? I see a ton of questions and only two or three responses. I have chosen not to ask my question, since 95% of the questions go unanswered. Try harder, please.
Hi Mike,
I came across this post while looking for ways to extend the life of my natural knee joint. I had an OATS procedure on my left knee 7+ years ago. I did pretty well, about 90% of normal function until the last 12-18 months and now I have bone spurs and arthritic changes on x-ray with 90-110 degrees of knee flexion. I’m 60 and am quite active; tennis, hunting, hiking. I hope to postpone my potential knee replacement as long as possible, maybe permanently. Besides Vit D which you mention above, what other supplements are recommended to go along with the full range of motion exercise you describe? How about traditional weight lifting: Leg press, knee flexion, etc? Thanks