The cancer "hell on earth" they don't warn you about..

This Cancer Treatment Side Effect
Can Last for Years — and Make
Your Life a "Living Hell"
You'll want to think twice about
conventional treatments after you read this

    Many people have been handed a life of "living hell" as a side effect of traditional cancer treatments" yet hardly a doctor warns of the dangers. What's more, the side effect doesn't go away once the treatment is over. You may suffer with it for the rest of your life.

    One more reason to avoid conventional treatments. . .but what if it's too late for you and you're already afflicted with this nightmare? Conventional doctors will tell you there's nothing they can do. As often happens, they're wrong. We've got some tips to help you manage this painful result of mainstream cancer medicine. . .

Continued below. . .

[Here's an important message from our trusted colleague, Dr. Keith Scott-Mumby MD, PhD]... You Will Probably Live To 100 Years Whether You Want To Or Not     The "rules" of aging have changed enormously in the days since I went to medical school.     They still keep changing; life expectancy moves relentlessly upwards.     We are all growing older, it's true. But that doesn't mean we have to age.     The fact is that at 65 years you are barely half-way through even today's lifespan. Some people alive now will reach 200 years of age and still be in good shape. You may have no choice.     What will put you in your grave, eventually, is not aging. It's ignorance. I promise you that you will die earlier than you should if you don't know about anti-aging. You'll lose years that could be rightfully yours.     In my remarkable eBook "Get Healthy For Your Next 100 Years" I tell you all the latest science, organ by organ, explaining what you need to know and what you need to do to stay healthy. Read more...

    Lymphedema is an abnormal fluid build-up that causes swelling, mostly in the arms and legs. It develops when lymph nodes are removed, impaired, or damaged, as often happens when a breast cancer patient has a mastectomy or lumpectomy. But it can also be a result of radiation treatment.

    Any time the normal drainage pattern is disrupted, the swelling called lymphedema may occur.

    Lymphedema is a common complication of conventional cancer treatments. If you've had ovarian or cervical cancer, prostate, testicular, bladder or colon cancer — and if you've undergone conventional treatments -- lymphedema would affect your legs and feet instead of your arms as happens with breast cancer.

    Tamoxifen, a cancer drug, is another common cause of lower extremity lymphedema and blood clots.

    And yet your doctor may never warn you about this complication.

    Some people develop lymphedema immediately following these treatments… others do so months or years later. The degree of swelling varies. Some people experience extreme swelling, with the affected arm or leg ballooning to several inches larger than the other arm or leg.

    How bad is it? Many patients complain that dealing with lymphedema has taken over their entire life.

    Besides the damage to your looks and the painful side effects such as lost range of motion, tightness, and difficulty fitting into clothing in one specific area… lymphedema also increases your risk of serious infection, which can become a life-threatening emergency if it spreads throughout your lymphatic or circulatory systems and reaches vital organs.

Mainstream medicine's 'non-treatment'
of lymphedema

    While the best lymphedema prevention in my view is to avoid cut/burn/poison interventions in the first place, I also recognize that many people do them first and then learn later how damaging they can be.

    After all, we're all learning as we go. Most people submit to conventional treatments just as their doctor tells them, and turn to alternative treatments only when the first way fails.

    Although mainstream medicine is the main source of the problem of lymphedema, mainstream medicine leaves you high and dry when it comes to solutions to the problem.

    For example, the Cleveland Clinic and others take the rather pessimistic view that there's not much they can do. They consider lymphedema a chronic disease that usually requires lifelong management.¹

    They suggest conservative treatments (catch the irony here?) such as bandaging, compression garments, and exercises.

    Surgery has been tried as a lymphedema treatment, but it usually doesn't work and often makes the condition worse.

    Doctors may also refer patients to a physical or occupational therapist who specializes in lymphedema. They will work with you to create a treatment plan that may include:

• Specific exercises or a complete exercise program
• Manual lymphatic drainage therapy (a gentle form of massage)
• Mechanical pumping devices as needed

    Very important… Be sure the therapist you see has specific training and experience with lymphedema cases.

An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure

    If it's not too late, consider skipping conventional treatment plans with their almost certain negative side effects… Or at least give extremely careful consideration to some of the alternative protocols available — such as the Budwig Protocol, and Dr. Max Gerson's.

    If you have late-stage cancer, conventional treatments are just about sure losers and definitely not worth trying. If your cancer is early-stage, it's a tougher call. Me? I'd go with alternatives. (I don't like to keep reminding these unfortunate late-stage patients that their chances are so slim, but that's what this newsletter is all about. You need to start doing alternatives — pronto — and stop listening to the mainstream nonsense. The only way to say it is to say it, so I'm not going to mince words here. I'm sorry if it comes across as harsh.)

    But what's your next step if you've already done the surgery, undergone radiation or chemo… and now suffer from lymphedema?

Hope and help from natural medicine

    Counter to hand wringing from the conventional camp, there are some measures you can implement that may help control or even cure your lymphedema.

1. Detoxify. 
   
   As much as possible, detoxify your system to create the best possible health and internal cleanliness. Use Epsom salt baths, which are known to chelate ionizing radiation and radioactivity from your body.
2. Lose WeightStudies show that lymphedema is typically worse in overweight individuals, so shedding a few extra pounds may give you relief.
3. Dietary and Lifestyle Protocol
   
   Dr. Budwig's Protocol makes sense for anyone facing any kind of a cancer challenge. It may also, due to its somewhat "blood thinning" effect, help facilitate lymphatic flow.
   
   Add enzymes such as bromelain (found in raw pineapple) to your diet. Bromelain and other proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzymes are known to reduce swelling and inflammation. (Note: If you're allergic to pineapple, you may develop a rash. There are many other proteolytic enzymes to choose from. They're also called proteases. For the full story on enzyme therapy, read our Special Report The Missing Ingredient for Good Health. EVERYONE should be taking enzymes, sick and healthy people alike.)
   
   Better yet, go raw! Raw foods are filled with living enzymes and cancer fighting nutrients. Get out your juicer or food processor, even if you haven't used it in awhile. Juicing does some of the 'pre-digesting' for your body.
   
   Focus on these cancer cell killing nutrients — all raw, of course: carrots, broccoli, cabbage, green asparagus, pineapple, whole purple grapes with seeds, skins and all, apricot seeds (they contain laetrile), strawberries, red and black raspberries, blueberries, beetroot, and turmeric.
   
   Enjoy some "green power foods" and drinks… Freshly pressed organic wheatgrass, celery, and parsley juice, and spirulina have helped a great many patients overcome both cancer and lymphedema.
   
   Choose anti-inflammatory foods — which means sidestepping wheat, sugar, dairy, and all processed foods.
4. Herbs
   
   Certain herbs are known to help increase lymphatic flow, including butcher's broom, ginger tea (made from powdered ginger), sweet clover ointment (which contains coumarin — a lymph flow stimulant).
   
   "Indigo Drops" — formulated by herbalist Ingrid Naiman for lymphatic blockages — has been reported to help "in as little as five to six hours". I don't have much information about this, but it sounds worth checking out.
   
   Frankincense, myrrh and ginger essential oils may also promote lymphatic movement… and cayenne is an all-round helpful herb.
   
   Ginger tea prepared with about half a teaspoon of powdered ginger in a cup of water may help increase circulation of lymph, and reduce inflammation.
   
   Red clover (which has anti-cancer properties) and fenugreek seem to be helpful also. As do the oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) found in grape seed or pine bark extract tablets, taken as supplements.
   
   Several capsules of echinacea daily help stimulate lymph flow.
5. Activate Your Lymphatic System — Here's How…
   
   Your lymph system is your waste removal system. But unlike your heart, which has a pump, your lymph must be stimulated by action and movement.
   
   For example, you can stimulate it by brisk walking.
   
   But some believe there's no substitute for jumping on a small trampoline(rebounder) for five to ten minute sessions without too much heavy breathing. This stimulates lymph flow like nothing else (except possibly jumping rope).
   
   Lothar Himeise, eminent cancer researcher, proclaims in his book Chemotherapy Heals Cancer and The World is Flat:

   "Please do not underestimate the pronounced positive effects that jumping on a trampoline can have on your lymphatic system. Even if you do not feel the healing effect immediately, this simple device offers immense support to your detoxification efforts."

   Be sure to get a quality rebounder.
   
   Another option is using a Power Plate, used in the space program to stimulate immune and bone health. It also induces the motion and gravitational forces of a rebounder — only much faster. Indeed, it is said to be able to multiply your exercise efforts, giving you far better results in substantially less time.
   
   Another activation method is to brush... With a soft natural bristle brush, start at the tips of your fingers and brush toward your collar bone, left side then right side. Circle each breast, stroking gently but firmly, and always toward the respective collarbone. This is where the lymph fluid reenters your blood circulation.
   
   On your lower body, start with your toes, and stroke with long strokes toward the lymph nodes in each groin, near your front lower abdomen — where your largest and most important lymph nodes are located, and where lymph toxins are "digested".
6. Wear loose fitting clothing
   
   Never restrict lymph flow by wearing tight clothing such as bras and tight pants. There's a direct link between the length of time a bra is worn and breast cancer incidence… as well as a notable absence of prostate cancer in countries where men wear loose-fitting pants. (Tight fitting pants create local hyperthermia, restrict lymph flow, and 'starve' local cells.)
7. Cabbage Leaf Packs
   
   It sounds bizarre, but cabbage leaf applications were a backbone of naturopathic Swiss doctor Father Thomas Haeberle's books and practices. Cabbage is well established as an anti-cancer food. But as a poultice it is relatively unknown in modern times, though there is some evidence it was popular during Roman times.
   
   I know of no scientific studies that back this as a treatment — so please take this story as it is intended, strictly as an anecdotal case.
   
   A woman who reportedly suffered from lymphedema had tried elastic bandages with no improvement. Hearing that cabbage leaves might help, she crushed cabbage leaves and held them in place over her lymphedema with elastic bandages. She reported marked improvement in just one night, and almost completely dissipated swelling in three nights. There's likely no harm in trying this, but realize that we don't have scientific studies to show its efficacy.
8. Red Light Treatment
   
   Several studies now show the healing benefits of light, and especially red light. (No blue light for lymphedema.) Red light wavelengths easily penetrate your skin, stimulating your mitochondria — the cellular powerhouses that make your tissues and organs run more smoothly.
   
   The first study, published in the journal Lymphology in 1998², showed that women getting red light treatments once or twice a week for 10 weeks had measurably less arm swelling, and improvements in measures of pain, tightness, heaviness, cramps and arm mobility.
   
   Red light therapy not only reduces lymphedema… it also helps activate the local immune system by stimulating the white blood cells that can kill and carry away pathogens. This makes for a more sanitary cellular environment and thereby reduces infection risk. I've seen a couple of products recommended: The X Light from Chee Energy Company and the Light Shaker from Light Energy Company. Haven't checked them out, I'm just passing the info along.
   
   But the ultimate light treatment might be sunlight. After all, it's been available throughout the ages and assists your body to produce vitamin D which is highly protective against cancer.
   
   The Russians found that sunlight speeds up detoxification by twice to as much as twenty times. But the best results were when sun exposure began before toxic exposure began — a compelling reason to get regular sunlight.³

    Your lymph nodes do an amazing job of keeping you detoxified.

    So, even if you don't have lymphedema, or have never had cancer — you might be well advised to employ many of these strategies strictly for their health-enhancing benefits. After all, if your lymph nodes do so much for you, why not give them the assistance to do their job better?

Can a weed killer help cancer patients?

Could a rocket fuel and weed killer REALLY help cancer patients?     Well, not the products themselves...     But it's possible if you're talking about one of their components, hydrazine sulfate—also called HZ. Let me explain. . . Continued below. . . The Amish Cancer Secret How to cure just about any cancer the Amish way     Is it possible to cure just about any cancer the Amish way? Is it true that many Amish people easily get rid of cancer in just three or four weeks? Are the Amish onto something BIG?     To find out, I interviewed Jakob and Fannie, a young Amish couple from southern Minnesota. Jakob and Fannie are just two out of roughly 800 Amish people each year who travel 2,000 miles by train to go to a little-known cancer clinic.     They told me an amazing, lifesaving tip that everyone should know. . .but almost nobody does.     Click here and I'll share it with you, absolutely FREE.     Besides being ingredients in rocket fuel and weed killers, HZ compounds are also used to refine minerals… as a cleaning agent for soldering metals… and to perform blood tests…     And according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), one HZ compound has been used to treat Hodgkin's disease, melanoma, and lung cancer since the 1960s!     Despite gaining notice from a mainstream medical organization, this inexpensive treatment has endured its share of bad press.     For example, some critics point to early studies that suggest HZ caused lung and liver carcinoma in rats. And others focus on supposed evidence that HZ produces hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in dogs and rabbits.     Joseph Gold, M.D., director of the Syracuse Cancer Research Institute, has also developed HZ as an anticancer drug. Writing in the MedTruth blog, Dr. Gold exposed some of the tactics the cancer establishment has used in its smear campaign against HZ.     Dr. Gold is critical of NCI's 2004 statement that HZ "has shown no anticancer activity in randomized clinical trials." He says NCI failed to acknowledge the ten years of randomized clinical trials performed by Harbor-UCLA Medical Center from 1981-1990.     He further seeks to debunk claims that HZ may actually cause cancer. Dr. Gold acknowledged that HZ was shown to be carcinogenic in some mice that had ingested the drug in their drinking water since birth.     But he emphasized that there has "never been a case of human cancer reported as a result of HS therapy."     This is something that providers of chemotherapy drugs could NEVER say about their products, which Dr. Gold points out can produce up to 26 percent of "second cancers!" The case of HZ versus HZ     Why are some folks convinced that HZ is a marvelous cancer treatment while others insist it should be avoided?     Well, here are a few things that the conventional cancer heavyweights would prefer you didn't know about this remarkable compound… HZ is a combination of hydrazine salt and sulfuric acid that helps clobber cachexia—the muscle and weight loss that many cancer patients experience… Clinical trials conducted in the 1970s by the Petrov Research Institute of Oncology in St. Petersburg [then Leningrad], Russia found that some advanced cancer patients treated with HZ reported improved appetite, less weight loss, greater strength, or reduced pain. Some patients noticed that tumors either reduced in size or stopped growing… In 1980, randomized, double-blind clinical studies at Harbor UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles showed hydrazine sulfate could increase or stabilize a cancer patient's weight and lead to 'statistically significant survival increase' in patients with lung cancer. Successful clinical trials conducted on hydrazine sulfate have been published in peer-reviewed medical journals worldwide… Every controlled clinical trial of HZ performed according to internationally accepted standards of scientific conduct has indicated that it is both safe and effective!     In short, HZ isn't a miracle cure for cancer, but it does appear to relieve some of the unpleasant symptoms, such as pain, weight loss and nausea, and in some patients it actually controls or reduces tumors. It can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy.     Dr. Gold pointed out that the only contrary study results came from NCI-sponsored trials of hydrazine sulfate where researchers used incompatible medications with the test drug! This sort of allegation against NCI is common. It seems the Institute has a habit of sabotaging trials of alternative remedies.     HZ is known to be a potent monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, a type of drug used to treat depression. MAO inhibitors are known to have a potentially deadly interaction with other nervous system depressants such as alcohol, barbiturates and other tranquilizers.     Because cancer patients frequently receive tranquilizers and similar compounds the NCI researchers were warned against using HZ in combination with any of these agents—a warning which they chose to ignore, according to Dr. Gold.     He says NCI researchers did use the anti-nausea agent Compazine and benzodiazepine tranquilizers in their animal studies.     Thus it's no surprise that the group published a series of three negative study results in the June 1994 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.     In some cases the rats that received both HZ and these incompatible chemicals became comatose. What's more, some 50-60 percent of animals that received the forbidden chemical combinations actually DIED!     In a subsequent 1994 investigation conducted by the General Accountability Office (GAO), NCI vigorously refused to acknowledge that HZ was an MAO inhibitor. This denial came despite decades of pharmacology entries describing the compound as just that.     Dr. Gold points out that despite investigations into charges of flawed study procedures—the final GAO report of the NCI studies was entitled, "Contrary to Allegation, NIH Hydrazine Sulfate Studies Were Not Flawed." The choice is yours…     The negative NCI studies might have been intended to put a nail in the coffin of an inexpensive cancer treatment.     Yet today, you can still find HZ marketed in the United States as a dietary supplement. It is also widely used as an anticancer treatment in other countries.     Hydrazine sulfate is typically administered three times a day in a small 60 mg pill. The only potential side effects noted were possible dizziness, drowsiness, mild numbness of fingers and toes, nausea and mild sensations of itching.     Remember to discuss HZ and any other cancer treatment options with your medical professionals.     There are no known compatibility issues with HZ and other cancer treatments or supplements. But because it is an MAO inhibitor, you should not use HZ while taking tranquilizers or alcohol.     With proper use, HZ could be an effective way to combat some sickening side effects of one of our greatest health enemies!

Grow new brain tissue, reverse brain aging

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Remarkable New Studies Show You Can Grow Your Brain And Get Smarter     For years we've been told that brain loss was an inevitable part of aging… that we automatically lose neurotransmitters as we move on through life.     Until now the medical community has denied the possibility that adult brain cells could regrow.     Now researchers know that neurogenesis — the process of brain cell regeneration or regrowth — does occur. And it plays a pivotal role in releasing stress, preventing Alzheimer's, dementia, and depression, and maintaining your "Master Control".     Best of all, you can enjoy all these wonderful benefits for free and with no damaging side effects. So what can you do to regrow yours? Let's take a look. . . Continued below. . . How Carolyn Reversed Her Alzheimer's by Disobeying Her Doctor     An all-natural protein melts away the brain-clogging mineral that triggers memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's — and cuts brain cell death in half! And yet this Nobel Prize-winning discovery is being ignored by 99% of doctors.     That's why I'd like to tell you about Carolyn.     Click here to see how she reversed her Alzheimer's without drugs — and in just a few weeks!     If you or someone you care about is suffering from memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer's, then you know how cruel these diseases can be. The emotional and physical toll they take on the patient — as well as on the entire family — can be devastating.     That's why the news of the breakthroughs I'm about to reveal could literally have a life-changing effect on you.     Best of all, these solutions are available and being used successfully right now — even while most doctors still throw up their hands when it comes to memory loss, dementia and Alzheimer's, using words like "hopeless" and "irreversible." It's hard to believe, I know. . .     So please click here to see how Carolyn reversed her Alzheimer's with this remarkable discovery!     One, single activity can mean the difference between feeling full of energy, vim and vigor — or feeling drained, depressed, and droopy. It may also be your key to aging in your own home, versus moving to an assisted living facility (or worse).     So what's the single most important thing you can do for your brain?     Get plenty of regular exercise!     Once you've heard the exciting findings in recent studies, I'm sure you'll agree that seeing these results in your own life will be worth whatever effort it takes. After all, your brain cells play a central role in everything your body does.     By the way, the effort required to reap the brain benefits isn't all that much. You don't have to be an exercise fanatic. And you'll not only boost your brain, but reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer while you're at it. Keep your "master control" center cruising full speed ahead     Your body's "Master Control" center — your nervous system — is made up of your brain, your spinal cord, and your peripheral nervous system (PNS) or nerves.     The nervous system controls every action in your daily life, from breathing and blinking to helping you memorize facts or navigate heavy traffic. Without these functions, you'd be a vegetable, a zombie.     Your sensory nerves collect environmental information and send it to your spinal cord, which relays the message to your brain. Your brain interprets the message and fires off an appropriate response. Your motor neurons deliver those instructions to the rest of your body via your spine's 'superhighway'.     But here's the problem:     Hardly anyone thinks about what they need to do to keep their brain at its peak.     They're more likely to look in the mirror and think about belly fat (sometimes a legitimate concern). Since you don't see your brain, it's easy to underrate its importance-- until its degeneration becomes obvious. So, jog your brain a bit…     Experts now say your brain is no different than your muscles. You either use it or lose it. It's now well established that exercise bolsters both the structure and function of your brain.     Not only is exercise a smart thing to do for your heart and weight — it can literally make you smarter.     It increases your heart rate, oxygenating your brain. Scientists think this oxygen flow helps reduce your brain's free radicals. One of the exciting findings of recent decades is that these inflows are almost always accompanied by an uptick in mental sharpness.1     Exercising also fuels plasticity to encourage growth of new connections between cells in your brain's cortical areas.     Recent research from UCLA shows that exercise increases growth factors in your brain — inducing the growth of new neuron connections.2 Best growth stimulant for your brain     Stephen C. Putnam, MEd, embraced canoeing in a serious way to combat adult ADHD. He followed it up by writing a book called Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind, in which he writes about the benefits of exercise on hyperactivity and the inability to focus on tasks.3     Putnam cites studies of children who ran around for fifteen to 45 minutes before class and thereby cut their squirminess in half during class. Their running benefits lasted for two to four hours after exercising.     Putnam also cites preliminary animal research suggesting that exercise may cause new stem cells to grow — enabling your brain to refresh itself. Putnam calls it "Miracle-Gro" for the brain. And it appears there's plenty of science to confirm his observations. Is exercise the easiest way on earth to reduce stress?     Have you ever heard of "runner's high"?     It's like an all-natural antidepressant. And it's also linked to a drop in stress hormones.     A study out of Stockholm4 showed that "runner's high" also stimulates new cell growth in the hippocampus — the part of your brain responsible for learning and memory.     Scientists know that exercise releases a rush of hormones, which discharge pleasure chemicals like serotonin and dopamine that make you feel calm, happy, or euphoric…     So if you don't want to wait around for good feelings to happen on their own, you can nearly always bring them on by exercising. "First aid" for your brain     Researchers are finding that those who exercise later in life help protect their brain from age-related degeneration more than those who don't exercise. But it gets even better. Exercise may also act like a soothing balm for aging or damaged brain cells.     In a large brain-imaging study done at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, researchers found a strong and direct correlation over a 3-year period showing that as physical activity increased, brain shrinkage decreased.5     This study tapped into a highly respected longitudinal aging study, the Lothian Birth Cohort Study. It looked at 638 adults between 70 and 73 years old.     They found that those who walked several times a week had less brain shrinkage, and fewer signs of brain aging in general, than did the less active folks.     On the other hand, this study found no benefit on brain size for participating in socially or mentally stimulating activities. So if you want to maximize the mind-enriching benefits of playing chess or piano, walk or run across town to do it.     This study indicates that exercise is an important "medicine" to keep your brain's size healthy and reduce brain damage as you age.     The brain scans showed that those who were more active had less damage to their white matter (the wiring that sends messages around your brain) and had more grey matter (the part containing nerve cell bodies).     Study participants provided details of their daily activities, ranging from basic chores to engaging in heavy exercise or competitive sports — as well as non-physical leisure activities.     Those most devoted to exercise showed better brain circuitry connections and less brain shrinkage — regardless of initial IQ or social class. Dementia plummets by almost three-fourths     A group of American researchers6 looked at the part of the brain called the hippocampus, your brain's memory center.     They followed adults over 65 years old… an aerobic walking group versus a control group.     The results were dramatic — and are huge for anyone wanting to sidestep dementia and other forms of brain decline.     Adults this age usually lose one to two percent of their hippocampal volume per year.     In this study those in the aerobic walking group GAINED an average of 2% in hippocampal volume per year — versus an average 1.4% LOSS for those in the control group!     See what I mean about teaching an "old dog" new tricks?     And, the aerobic walking group showed marked improvements in memory, too. This is remarkable because the researchers found measurable proof in both the physical organ — the hippocampus — and the mental performance.     This study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, expands on a previous extensive Italian study published in 2008.     The Italian study followed a group of age 65+ adults for four years. They used cognitive assessment tests to determine participants' mental health and then looked for relationships between those and the participants' exercise patterns.     Not only did this study find a staggering 73% decrease in dementia for the regular exercisers compared to those who didn't exercise… it also showed that the intensity of exercise had hardly any bearing on the results. Walking, climbing stairs, and gardening were just as effective in preventing dementia as more strenuous activities. It even helped those who already had Alzheimer's     Another study found that those diagnosed with early Alzheimer's who were less fit had four times more brain shrinkage compared to more physically fit older adults… suggesting that physical fitness can slow down progression of the disease.7     At least two large studies have found a significantly lowered dementia risk in those who had higher physical fitness levels8 or who exercise three or more times per week.9 It's never too late to start. . . but watch out if you quit!     So, you made a New Year's Resolution to exercise more in 2013… And you've already dropped the ball and stashed the gym stuff in the depths of your closet like millions of others.     Did that short-term commitment help you or hurt you?     While there's plenty of evidence to show that you gain benefits from taking up exercise late in life even if you've always been a couch potato… there's also emerging evidence to show you might be wasting your energy if you don't stick with it.     A study presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans10 showed some troubling results. But the study also pointed to an obvious work-around.     Researchers from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil took a group of healthy adult rats and let them run as much as they wanted on wheels, which they enjoy doing. The rats were also injected with a substance that measures newly created neurons in the hippocampus, because exercise is known to spark the creation of two to three times as many new hippocampal neurons.     On the other hand, the control group had no running wheels. Both groups were monitored for new brain cell growth.     At the end of the first week, the runners' wheels were locked so they also became inactive.     At the end of week 2, the researchers memory-tested both the exercised and control rats by requiring them to find and remember the location of a platform placed along the wall of a small swimming pool. Rats are not fond of water, so they're motivated to find this escape route. Those with better memories paddled to the platform more easily.     After one week of inactivity, the rats that had been allowed to run during the first week were much faster on the water test than the controls that had never exercised. The exercisers also had two or more times the number of new neurons.     The remaining animals took the same memory test after three weeks or six weeks of inactivity.     The animals that were inactive for three or six weeks performed FAR worse on the water maze test than the ones who were only inactive for one week.     In fact, their memories were about equal to the control animals, the ones that had never exercised. The results suggest how transient your exercise-induced benefits may be. Brain benefits of exercise are lost quickly     A second study presented at the same conference looked at mood and stress in sedentary animals following several months of running.     They found that after 10 weeks of running, followed by three weeks of inactivity, the running rats' brains were nearly indistinguishable from those of animals that never exercised. It was as if they'd never run.      Though these are animal studies, indirect evidence suggests that people are just as vulnerable to losing brain function once regular exercise is stopped.     So it might be wise to stick to that New Year's exercise resolution after all. Exercise for your brain, not just your body     Remember how "mission critical" your brain is to all of your life? Give it a workout today.     The easiest way to keep your brain sharp is to find some kind of physical activity you love doing, mix it up with an alternative type exercise… then mark it on your calendar as an important appointment.     Because it could prove to be the most important one of your day!     Exercising in the morning before work not only spikes brain activity and prepares it for the day's challenges… it also increases retention of new information and aids problem solving on complex issues.     Many experts also advocate that it promotes regular workouts, as fewer activities clamor for your attention early.     Looking to change up your workout? Try an activity that requires coordination along with cardio exertion, like a dance class.     If you like crunching time at the gym alone, try circuit workouts, which spike your heart rate while constantly redirecting your attention.     Any way you do it, always remember this doctor's admonition… "Exercise is really for the brain, not the body."     So what have you done today for YOUR brain?

Shocked doctors forced to admit cancer cure works

Shocked Doctors Forced to Eat Crow . . .after patients use The 31-Day Home Cancer Cure

“Congratulations! You're cancer free!” declared Rev. Cobus Rudolph's doctor after Rev. Rudolph cured his stage four colon cancer at home “You’re a miracle from God!” said Richard Wiebe's doctor after he cured his terminal brain cancer at home “Are you the terminal patient I saw two months ago? You look great!” remarked Kevin Irish's doctor after Kevin cured his stage four lung cancer at home “Well, I know the cancer is here somewhere” said Frank Woll's doctor while looking through a magnifying glass. But Frank's deadly skin cancer was gone—totally GONE!—after he cured his cancer at home You’re invited to see a free report with all the details on these amazing cures that happened thanks to the secrets of the 31-Day Home Cancer Cure. You can read the proof for yourself, presented by Ty Bollinger, one of America’s top experts on alternative cancer treatments. In the free report, Ty tells you about the 31-Day Home Cancer Cure so that you won’t have to watch someone you love die in misery from outdated cancer treatments. Ty knows exactly what’s it’s like to go through that, because he lost seven close family members to cancer, including his mom and dad. When his mother passed away, it was the last straw. He set out to find a way to beat cancer. He invested 7 years in learning about the treatments that really work. And now he wants to share what he learned with you in this report. If a doctor told you the important information that’s in this report, he’d lose his license and might even go to jail. Ty isn’t a doctor and he doesn’t have that problem. He's free to tell you the truth. He also doesn’t sell the treatments or make money off of them—unlike establishment doctors who will bill you as much as $850,000 for chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. After they’ve taken your money, you’re almost sure to die anyway -- because only two out of 100 cancer patients survive once the cancer has spread from where it first started. That's why it makes sense to at least consider the proven alternatives Ty has uncovered. I'm not asking you to believe it yet—first take a look at the proof. The 31-Day Home Cancer Cure costs so little that just about anybody can afford it—even uninsured patients on Medicaid. No wonder the cancer industry hates it! The 31-Day Home Cancer Cure could save you or a loved one from dying an early death from cancer. There IS a better way to beat cancer than suffering through the misery of chemo and radiation. But I want YOU to decide if this is on the level. . .if this amazing treatment plan can save you the way it saved the four people at the top of this page. Click here and read the free report now! As you’ll find out, it really is amazing how many doctors have been forced to eat crow after their “incurable” and “terminal” patients used the 31-Day Home Cancer Cure!

How to keep your hair while on chemo

A Natural Way to Keep Your Hair
After Chemo

    Going bald is one of the most obvious and demoralizing signs of cancer — at least, if you opt for chemotherapy. Once you lose your hair, your secret is out. Your cancer battle goes public. It might garner you sympathy from strangers, but you also lose the ability to carry on a normal life. And maybe worse, every time you look in the mirror, you see a sick person.

    For women especially, hair loss can be the single most traumatic side-effect of going through cancer. It's a verdict without appeal delivered by oncologists who recommend chemo: "You have a good chance of survival. The cancer may not come back. But you will lose all your hair." Some people actually refuse chemotherapy because the idea of hair loss is so terrifying.

    I'm happy to tell you there may be an answer. Keep reading. . .

Continued below. . .

The secret to curing cancer: You've been throwing it in the trash!     In 1921, a British doctor discovered that members of a remote native tribe were almost totally cancer-free. But when members of this tribe move away from their native land and change their diet, they get cancer just like anyone else.     It's all thanks to a food most of us throw away as waste — a food that's rich inamygdalin — what most of us call Laetrile.     Click here now and watch a video presentation about this cancer breakthrough. One cancer expert calls this overlooked food "the key to curing AND preventing cancer" — and you can benefit now — without going to a doctor or buying expensive supplements. This little throwaway food tastes great. Bill Clinton, of all people, eats a certain amygdalin-rich food all the time, and so can you. Click here now to watch the video!

    Thanks to something called cold cap therapy, a huge number of cancer patients can be saved the embarrassment of hair loss. This very simple, all-natural therapy has been around for years and is popular in Europe, though it's been slow to catch on in the U.S.

    The bottom line here is that most cancer sufferers can make it through chemo with a full head of hair. I'm not a fan of chemo at all, but if that's the treatment you choose, then you deserve to know there's a pretty good chance to keep yourself from going bald. And it's easy, too.

Freeze toxins right out of your head

    The concept itself is simple — and also a bit strange: You wear a frozen cap during chemo treatment. It keeps your scalp cold. And somehow, this prevents your hair from falling out.

    The caps themselves look like swimmers' caps. They're also known as hypothermia caps, since they appear to induce local vasoconstriction around hair follicles (vasoconstriction is the body's natural response to cold). This means blood flow around the hair follicle slows. As a result, toxins from chemotherapy drugs don't fully circulate around the follicles, and the hair stays rooted.

    The first patent for this therapy was filed in the late 1970s. Called "Chemo caps" at the time, the caps consisted of multiple gel-filled nylon pouches. The pouches were frozen and then worn for 15 to 20 minutes before chemo took place.

    Studies at the time showed success rates for the Chemo Cap were around 73%. So when the first patent expired, a new wave of interest in "scalp cooling" took place.

    Now, the two most common cap systems are the Penguin Cold Cap and the DigniCap Scalp Cooling System. Both are used throughout Europe, with success rates verging on 85% or higher. At this time, DigniCaps are not available in the U.S, but the Penguin caps are.

    The Penguin Cold Caps are filled with crylon gel cooled down to -22 degrees Fahrenheit. The caps have to be changed every thirty minutes during the chemo treatment process. The DigniCap system involves a coolant pumped into the caps by a compressor. Temperature sensors inside the caps control circulation of the coolant.

    The company behind the Penguin Cold Caps claims thousands of patients in Europe have kept their hair thanks to this simple intervention. But for U.S. residents, access is a problem. The caps can be rented, but they must be stored in a freezer that can maintain a temperature of -22 degrees Fahrenheit. That's extremely cold. Not many hospitals offer access to this kind of freezer.

    Thankfully, there are people trying to change all that. Shirley Billigmeier, an American who kept her hair following chemotherapy thanks to Penguin Cold Caps, joined with her friend Nancy Marshall to co-found something called The Rapunzel Project. They donate freezers to cancer sufferers around the country who want to try the therapy.

Doesn't apply to all cancers

    It's controversial, of course. And there are plenty of skeptics in the medical community. It's only thanks to the power of the Internet that cold cap therapy is surfacing in the U.S. Patients are talking to each other, looking for a better way than what their oncologists offer.

    A lot of oncologists either don't know about the treatment or are stuck on the early trial results from back in the 1980's. There are also doctors who are skeptical of the treatment because it means the chemo isn't getting into a patient's scalp and hair follicles, meaning patients could undergo metastases of the scalp.

    Yet a 2009 study in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment recorded a 1.1% incidence in scalp metastasis among women who used the cold caps, while a 1.2% increase was recorded among women who did not use the caps. In other words — no difference in scalp cancer results from using the caps.

    Keep in mind, cold cap therapy doesn't appear to be appropriate for all cancers. If you have a blood-borne cancer, like leukemia or lymphoma, then it's not recommended. The thinking is that because blood circulates through your scalp, any chemo treatment targeting cancer cells in the blood might fail to reach every place in the body where it's needed.

    Cold caps are most commonly used for women getting chemo as a preventive therapy for breast cancer, or for patients with other localized forms of cancer.

    More studies are taking place in the hopes that cold cap treatment can be made more widely available. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has a study underway, and New York Hospital in New York City has been working on a cold cap study for the past two years.

    For now, insurance companies don't cover it because, in their view, it hasn't been thoroughly studied. Total cost for the Penguin caps is around $1500 after cap rental and buying dry ice, which is a back-up freezing method if you can't get hold of a suitable freezer.

It's about patient empowerment

    The oncologists today who are open to cold cap therapy are the ones whose patients have used it successfully. The real-life cases they’ve seen are encouraging them to look past survival numbers and outcome stats, and to start recognizing the emotional side effects that play a significant role in recovery.

    As far as I'm concerned, this isn't "just" about vanity. It's about giving patients some meaningful control over what's happening to them. Taking charge of the way you look, beating the odds, and beating the pronouncements of naysayer doctors is as good a way as any of sticking it to cancer. After all, if you don't look like a sick cancer patient, you won't feel as much like a sick cancer patient. Keeping your spirits up can be essential to recovery.

    I don't personally know anyone who's tried cold cap therapy. If you do, please share your experience on our Facebook page or write a letter to me at newsletter@cancerdefeated.com.

    Do you sleep poorly or snore loudly? It can be a harbinger of serious health problems including cancer. If you missed this important article in the last issue, please scroll down and read it now.

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When sleep problems turn deadly

    Do you find yourself tossing and turning all night? Or do your eyes droop throughout the day because you never feel really rested?

    Or do you fiercely deny claims that your snoring shakes the walls—even though you wake up yourself?!

    If this sounds like you, it might be time for a serious look at your sleep patterns. More could be at stake than just being a noisy sleeper. Here are some facts to get you started. . .

Continued below. . .

Show a Younger Face to the World     By repairing your skin's DNA, you can soften your skin, reduce the appearance of wrinkles, tighten up your sagging jaw line, make your crow's feet disappear, and fade sun and aging spots     A Nobel Prize winning secret makes it possible. Your "telomeres" determine how long your skin cells live. Telomeres are the "time keepers" attached to every strand of DNA. Each time your cells divide, your telomeres get shorter. The shorter your telomeres, the more your skin cells age… causing dry and wrinkled skin. Maintain the length of your telomeres, your skin will stay supple, radiant, and youthful.     Dr. Sears' Revive DNA Rejuvenation Cream turns back your skin's aging clock and helps you show a younger face to the world. Click here to find out more.

    You might be one of the 28 million Americans suffering with the condition called sleep apnea. This could be the real reason for your fatigue… snoring… and dangerous pauses in breathing at night…

    If you know about sleep apnea you may already know it's been linked to a higher danger of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.

    But the news about this problem just got worse: Now new research suggests that folks with sleep apnea could also run a higher risk of developing cancer!

    Besides these longer run dangers, the condition can be dangerous in the short term, too! Although it won't cause you to suffocate, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said sleep apnea does increase your chances of experiencing sudden cardiac activity that can lead to abnormal heart rhythms—and even DEATH!

Some folks see cancer risk increased fivefold…

    For one study, a team of researchers in Spain tracked thousands of patients at sleep clinics. They found that people with severe sleep apnea had a 65 percent (almost two-thirds) greater risk of developing various types of cancer.

    Investigators with the Spanish Sleep Network used a measure called the hypoxemia index to examine the amount of time blood oxygen levels dip below 90 percent at night.

    They followed 5,200 people for seven years, all of whom were cancer-free at the beginning of the study.

    They found that the more oxygen depletion participants experienced at night, the more likely a patient would be diagnosed with cancer during the study.

    According to study author Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez-Garcia of La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital in Spain, when a person's oxygen levels dropped below 90 percent for up to 12 percent of their sleep time—he or she had a 68 percent higher chance of developing cancer than people whose oxygen levels did not drop!

    The second study focused on about 1,500 state government workers in Wisconsin. These participants in the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort have undergone extensive overnight sleep studies and other health tests about every four years since 1989.

    Researchers from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health found that participants who experienced the most severe nighttime breathing problems bumped up their risk of dying from cancer by nearly five times when compared to those without the disorder!

    Doctors said these observational results may benefit from additional research to determine if other, unknown factors may account for the link between sleep apnea and cancer.

Is there any treatment for sleep apnea?

    There definitely are things you can do to get sleep apnea under control. But the first step is determining for sure that you have this problem.

    You might have a clue if a sleep mate tells you that you sound like a jackhammer at night!

    But you can also have an overnight sleep study performed to monitor your breathing rate and the number of interruptions you experience throughout the night.

    In some severe cases, people have been known to stop breathing 40 or more times each hour!

    If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, the standard treatment is a machine that provides "continuous positive airway pressure" or CPAP (pronounced SEE-pap) for short.

    The machine pushes air through a mask that the person wears at night. The additional air forced into nasal passages promotes easier breathing.

    Researchers have found that CPAP therapy reduces—and in some cases completely prevents—apnea symptoms.

    But some people might object to the bulkiness of sleeping with a mask over their faces at night…

    In this case, there's a new form of C.P.A.P. on the market. Ventus Medical has introduced a patch that fits over your nostrils.

    The Provent patch holds two small plugs, one to place in each nostril. These plugs supply enough air pressure to keep the airways open at night.

    The patches are less bulky and more portable than the traditional CPAP machine. But on the downside, buying monthly supplies of patches can be more expensive than the one-time expense of a CPAP machine.

    And the machine is more likely to be covered by insurance plans than the nose patches—even though they received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2008.

    In any case, there's no doubt sleep apnea can have a serious impact on your health. And the fact that it could be tied to such terrible conditions as diabetes, heart disease and cancer should be enough reason to confirm a diagnosis and seek treatment.

    This could go a long way toward ensuring that your next breath won't be the LAST one!

Few people know about THIS chemo side effect

Do chemo treatments turn folks
into numbskulls?

    It probably won't shock you to find out about another serious consequence of going through chemo treatment. Especially not if you already know it can cause nausea and vomiting… leave you feeling weak and exhausted… cause excess hair loss… and bring on additional aches and pains…

    But believe it or not—these cancer drugs can damage your brain too! Yes, there's another reason to think twice before agreeing to chemotherapy. And if you decide on chemo anyway, this article suggests some tips that can reduce the damage. Keep reading and I'll explain. . .

Continued below. . .

Drink This and Cancer Comes Pouring Out of Your Body     "If I could pick only one treatment to cure my cancer, this would be it," says a top expert on alternative cancer treatments.     Research conducted by a scientist at the Detroit Institute of Cancer Research showed this is one of the world's most powerful cancer cures. Even the mainstream National Cancer Institute confirmed that this do-it-yourself treatment kills cancer cells. Then they buried the research.     Personally, I've been writing about cancer treatments for almost seven years. Out of nearly 400 that I've investigated, I haven't found an at-home treatment that's better.     It worked for Robert, age 54, who had late stage stomach cancer. His doctors told him he didn't have chance. The most they could do was buy him a little time, using four aggressive chemotherapy drugs PLUS radiation — a deadly, toxic, last-ditch treatment.     INSTEAD Robert used this non-toxic liquid and was completely cancer-free within months. The amazed doctor was forced to admit Robert's cancer was "in remission." Two years later, he was still cancer-free.     Click here and watch an important video presentation about this discovery.

    Statistics show a significant number of chemotherapy patients suffer from a condition called chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment.

    In layman's terms, the Mayo Clinic's website says "chemo brain" and "chemo fog" are more common expressions. This condition refers to thinking and memory problems that can occur after conventional cancer treatment.

    I first heard of "chemo brain" at a clinic in Germany where my colleagues and I were interviewing a young patient named Oliver. You can listen to his full story by clicking here. Before trying alternatives and getting rid of his cancer, Oliver went through an incredible amount of chemotherapy. It's a miracle he survived it. But he told us it permanently damaged his mental abilities.

    That was news to us. Till then, we didn't know loss of brain function was yet another price chemotherapy patients had to pay.

    The symptoms of chemo brain are fairly consistent and may include:

• Confusion
• Difficulty in articulating thoughts
• Difficulty learning new skills
• Fatigue
• Feeling of mental fogginess
• Inability to multitask
• Difficulty concentrating
• Short attention span
• Short-term memory problems
• Trouble with verbal memory (e.g. remembering a conversation)
• Trouble with visual memory (e.g. recalling an image or list of words)

    After decades of denying that any such problem existed—it looks like the medical community may finally be willing to admit it DOES!

Here's what the studies suggest…

    Recent findings published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology examined the effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer survivors.

    Researchers at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL reviewed previously published studies on the brain function of breast cancer patients who received chemo treatments.

    The Moffitt investigators found that earlier studies presented conflicting evidence on how severe the cognitive problems are. In their recent review of the studies, they determined that:

• Patients treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of verbal ability than did cancer-free people, and
• Patients treated with chemotherapy performed significantly worse on tests of visual-spatial ability than did noncancer control patients.

    Experts say a great number of chemo patients experience short-term memory loss and problems with focus and concentration during and shortly after the treatments.

    Although most of these folks improve over time—about 15 percent continue to suffer a loss of brain function years later.

It's hard to pinpoint the cause...

    Naturally people want to know why chemo makes them mentally sluggish, even if it's only temporary. But the truth is—it's difficult for doctors to give solid reasons.

    The American Cancer Society (ACS) said this is because some folks with cancer might have brain problems even before chemo treatments are administered.

    In some cases, hormone treatments such as estrogen blockers may contribute to the problem. Even the cancer itself can cause muddled thinking.

    Other problems that may negatively impact your brain function include:

• Additional treatment drugs (e.g. steroids, pain medications, anti-nausea drugs)
• Age
• Depression
• Infection
• Low blood count
• Other illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure
• Stress or other emotional difficulties

    Many of these factors—and the loss of mental sharpness they cause—can improve with treatment. But some may cause long-term brain problems unless they are properly addressed.

    Aside from the other contributing factors, ACS points out the difficulty in assessing brain problems. Different researchers use different tests to measure memory problems and cloudy thinking, so it's hard to compare results.

    What's more, some people experience such mild symptoms that test results can appear normal.

    ACS said there is currently no known way to prevent chemo brain. But there ARE things you can do to help jump-start a sluggish brain…

Three simple solutions to help
recharge tired brain cells!

    It's true that sickness and aging can take a toll on a healthy brain. But it's possible to keep your brain sharp and focused despite these challenges.

    Adriane Fugh-Berman, M.D., author of Alternative Medicine: What Works, recommends three easy tips for battling memory problems:

• Eat low-fat foods—diets high in fat and cholesterol can clog the small arteries that provide healthy blood flow to your brain. This can lead to mini-strokes, which have been tied to age-related memory loss…
• Perform mental exercises—many folks have found that learning a new language, writing a daily journal or taking classes helps give the brain a workout. You can also use games and puzzles to stimulate your mind, strengthen nerves… and help preserve brain function...
• Engage in physical activity—aerobic activity is a great way to increase blood flow, oxygenate your brain and help boost your brain processes...

    These are just three simple steps you can take to help revive a 'numb skull'… clear brain fog… and sharpen your mind as you age!

    I would be remiss if I didn't also mention our new book Awakening from Alzheimer's. While mainly targeted at people who have dementia, this book lays out detailed recommendations that can help anyone maintain and improve brain health. I'm taking advantage of many of them myself. Author Peggy Sarlin, a good friend of mine, got the tips from some of the world's top alternative doctors.

    You should be aware that more than a decade ago, author and leading cancer researcher Ralph W. Moss, Ph.D., declared that antioxidants are a top-notch antidote for chemotherapy poisons.

    He said that studies prove antioxidants actually minimize the nauseating side effects of chemotherapy drugs—and even enhance their performance!

    I'll tell you more about which superstar nutrients can help battle chemotherapy contamination in an upcoming article.

    Meanwhile, here's to your good health!

    And speaking of your health. . .liquid cleanses may not be such a good idea. I wrote about this in the last issue. If you missed it, you can read it right now, below.

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Dubious Liquid-Detox and Anti-Cancer Diets

    Liquid cleanse and detox diets are all the rage these days, promising everything from weight loss to extreme energy to cancer prevention.

    It's this last one that got my attention. And that's why I'm writing about this today. What I have to say may not sit well with some cancer experts (many of whom are well-meaning amateurs) -- but you need to know an all-liquid crash diet, especially at home without supervision, may not be a good idea. Let's take a look. . .

Continued below. . .

The First Time Ever... Harvard Scientists Reverse Aging     In 2010, a group of researchers at the Dana-Farber institute of Harvard University Medical School figured out how to switch on what's being called the "immortality gene".     What the scientists saw "... was not a slowing down or stabilization of the aging process." Instead, they "saw a dramatic reversal..."     This story is being reviewed here (with an interesting update)...

What really happens in a liquid-cleanse

    First, let me tell you exactly what I'm talking about. There are dozens — hundreds, probably — of different detox programs and strange, short-term liquid diets that claim every medical benefit under the sun.

    In terms of cancer, the theory behind a detox cleanse is that we all have toxins trapped in the folds of our gastrointestinal tracts. The toxins can come from anywhere — herbicide- and pesticide-treated foods and chemically-produced household products are major culprits.

    As the theory goes, if those toxins find their way to your intestines and stay lodged there for too long, they'll either turn into eventual cancer or knock you sideways with some other chronic disease. Colon cleansing in itself (also known as colon therapy) is now a popular offering at alternative healthcare facilities. The goal, of course, is to remove these long-lodging toxins, along with putrefied waste that gets stuck in your bowels.

    Colon hydrotherapy done by a professional usually involves tubes that inject water and sometimes herbs up into the colon via the rectum. For the record, I believe this is a useful cancer therapy, although it's only supported by case studies and anecdotes, not large studies.

    But liquid cleanses approach things from the other end — they're taken by mouth. That's what I'm talking about here.

    Most liquid cleanses involve keeping to a liquids-only diet for a specific number of days. The idea is that the bowels don't have to work as hard to push out liquid waste, which frees them up to unclench, reenergize, and push out old solid waste.

    Liquid cleanses also force you (usually) to avoid foods that stress your body. Your organs respond in turn with improved function. That goes for not only the bowels but the kidneys and liver as well.

    Some of the liquid-cleanse diets I've read about include

• Prune juice fasts — seven straight days of prune juice and nothing else
• Diuretic diets — purported to help fluid retention
• Fasting diets — where you fast for a day every few days and then resume eating
• Laxative tea diets — where different herbal concentrations taken in tea form are used to purge your gut of everything

    Others that sound more nutritious include a cleansing program that combines a vegan diet with whole food nutritional supplements, and a liquefied all-vegetarian diet (whole fruits and vegetables pureed into drinkable meals — a "juicing" approach). I'm no expert in this subject, but a liquid diet that provides good nutrition sounds like a better idea than one — for example — that requires you to live on water, lemon juice and a dab of honey for some long period of time.

    I don't lump careful eating plans like the Gerson Therapy with short-term liquid cleanses that provide almost no nutrition at all. The real cancer diets provide you with plenty of healthy nutrients. They can be followed for a lifetime (and you'll live longer if you do.) Not so the water-plus-a-dab-of-honey fasts.

    If you'd like to know more about the Gerson Therapy — one of the first natural cancer treatments and still one of the most renowned — you can get an introduction in either of two reports we publish, Natural Cancer Remedies that Work and Breast Cancer Cover-Up.

    Short-term liquid fasts are another story. The general belief in conventional medicine is that liquid cleanses are dangerous and ineffective, except for the brief fasts required just before colon surgery or a colonoscopy. The thinking goes that longer-term liquid cleanses leave you nutritionally depleted with such a low daily calorie intake that your mood and energy levels get affected in a negative way.

    I doubt if most liquid cleanses last long enough to put the average person at risk for some kind of nutritional deficiency. The lack of nutrients might leave you vulnerable to infections for a time. If you insist on doing a liquid fast, I suggest doing it in warm weather rather than during the winter cold and flu season. Old and frail people are obviously at greater risk of infection any time and I wonder if a liquid fast — especially an unsupervised one — is a good idea.

    Critics say you're also at risk of losing muscle mass, which could slow your metabolism and make it harder to lose weight in the future. I haven't seen any hard evidence for this. But here's a charge I can believe: According to most sources, even if you lose weight on one of these cleanses, you're bound to gain it back quickly.

    I don't think short-term crash diets are an effective weight-loss plan.

Your body already knows what to do

    The biggest bone of contention critics have with these diets is that they're not backed by medical science. This is true, but that's not what concerns me. Plenty of effective alternative therapies aren't yet backed by "medical" science. Which by the way, doesn't mean they've been disproven, it just means nobody has put together an institutionally-funded, white-coat lab study yet.

    What does concern me though, is that most of these diets leave your body without real nutrition for several days at a time.

    According to Charlotte Kikel, a nutrition consultant and clinical herbalist in Austin, TX, you have an internal clock that sends your body a message to move your bowels every eight hours — assuming there's something inside that needs to be moved.

    This doesn't mean you should head to the bathroom every eight hours. Your body knows when it's time to go, and your clue to whether it's all working well is when you have easy movements with no straining, along with well-formed, solid stool.

    The most effective ways to prompt healthy bowel movements and keep your gut clean, meaning you push toxins right on through, are:

1. Drink plenty of fluids — especially water
2. Boost your fiber intake, preferably from plant-bases like vegetables and fruit instead of grain
3. Exercise — hands down one of the best ways to keep your bowels moving

    I'll share another secret I recently learned from my own nutritionist that works like magic for me: Magnesium is a natural laxative — that's why it's found in pharmaceutical laxatives like Phillips Milk of Magnesia. However, most magnesium supplements are designed to PREVENT the laxative response because some customers get diarrhea — and that's NOT why most of us take a magnesium supplement!

    For example, magnesium aspartate is the most common form of magnesium in supplements. It's actually designed to prevent you from going! But if you take magnesium citrate (not easy to find, but it's available), you'll probably experience the laxative effect — and most of the time it doesn't take many pills to do the job. Plus you get plenty of healthy magnesium to boot.

Unplug and empower your system

    There may be some nutritional wisdom in certain cleansing programs. Success stories I've read talk about people learning to revamp their approach to eating. They say that by taking away their normal daily consumption habits, they grow less attached to bad behavior — like regular snacking or high-sugar cravings — and learn to be aware of their bodies and what they really need.

    I say fine if it does lead to long-term changes in your eating habits. But that's in doubt.

    A short-term liquid diet is not a magic bullet. But there is real power in mindful eating and breaking bad eating habits.

    If you're bent on trying a liquid diet, my advice would be to do it under the guidance of a nutritional professional. Your body's nutrition is too important to experiment on just to see if something works.

    Better yet, think of your daily eating habits as a regular opportunity to cleanse your bowels. The most important "bowel cleanse" you'll ever find is something you were born knowing how to do, and that's have a bowel movement.

    The best full body detox, according to Charlotte Kikel, is to eat the natural things nature intended. That gives you the natural feature most liquid-cleanses promise.

    After all, the foods you eat and avoid have one of the biggest single effects on whether you develop cancer in your lifetime. In my experience, the real strength of liquid detox diets isn't what you drink while you're on the diet, but instead comes down to the bad foods you learn you can live without.

    Personally, I had quite a bit of success changing my eating habits under the guidance of skilled clinicians, under an eating plan that lasted weeks and essentially became permanent — although at the start they didn't tell me I'd have to eat that way for good.

    Probably just as well, it would have been too discouraging at the beginning. I thought it was temporary, and that kept me going. I thought I could go back to my old ways after getting rid of my toxins. By the time I learned it was the program for life, I'd adjusted to the new way of eating.

    The motto is "eat for life" — not for a crash fad diet that's going to last for just a few days or a week. But take your new eating habits one day at a time. . .or one week at a time. Don't set yourself to climb Mt. Everest.