Serial Killer T cells Go on Rampage Against Leukemia

From Lee Euler, Publisher Cancer Defeated

Date Released: 12/05/2011

Serial Killer T cells Go on Rampage Against Leukemia It never occurred to me that a serial killer could be a good thing. But when the killer is an immune system cell called a T cell, and it's programmed to attack thousands of tumor cells at a time, it becomes a wonderful thing. I'm referring to a new gene therapy that recently surfaced from a brand-new, bold approach to killing cancer. The good news is, it's working. In fact, even the researchers behind this treatment admit to being blown away. This one is really exciting. . . Continued below. . . How a Doctor Reversed Her Husband's Alzheimer's Disease in 37 Days New breakthrough improves memory… restores lost brain function … and even revives dying cells! If you've ever known anyone with Alzheimer's disease, you know how heart-breaking it can be. Not only does it destroy a person's mental abilities and dignity … but it wipes out the person's very personality, leaving behind a mere shell of a human being. The body is there for you to see, but the person you know and love no longer exists. That's exactly what happened to my colleague Dr. Mary Newport and her husband Steve. As Mary describes it, "I was watching my husband of 36 years fade away." In Mary's words, it was "Strange to have no short-term memory and yet the information was filed somewhere in his brain. I knew he was locked up in there somewhere, if only there was a key to open up the areas of his brain that he didn't have access to." Little did Mary know that she would soon find that very key. Continue reading to learn more about this amazing story Sensational results from a single shot It started with a highly unusual approach to cancer treatment. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Abramson Cancer Center and Perelmen School of Medicine thought it would be a good idea to treat cancer patients with genetically engineered versions of the patients' own T cells. The pilot study started with a group of only three patients. Each patient had advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and was essentially out of treatment options. The protocol was to remove some T cells from each patient and then modify those same cells in the Penn vaccine production facility. Once removed, those T cells were reprogrammed to attack tumor cells. After being reprogrammed, the modified T cells were infused back into each patient's body. Three weeks after the infusion, all three patients tested in the study experienced a dramatic response to the treatment. Two of them went into complete remission. The third experienced at least a 70% reduction in cancerous cells. The researchers were blown away with the results. Lead researcher Carl June, MD, even enthused, "It worked much better than we thought it would." He went on to describe a 1000-fold increase in the number of modified T cells in each patient. "Drugs don't do that," said June. He also said each infused T cell led to the killing of thousands of tumor cells, destroying at least two pounds of tumor in each patient. Treatment exceeds 'wildest expectations' The T cell "reprogramming" was done with something called a lentivirus vector, which encodes an antibody-like protein (called a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR), on the surface of the T cells. CAR is also designed to bind to a protein called CD19, which is important because it differentiates the good cells from the cancerous cells. Once a T cell successfully expresses the CAR protein, it hunts down and kills other cells that express CD19. This includes CLL tumor cells along with normal B cells. All the other cells in a patient get ignored — important, because this means few side-effects. That's impressive science right there. But even better than that, the research team also inserted a "signaling molecule" into the part of the CAR that exists inside the T cell. After binding to a CD19 protein and initiating cell death for the cancer, this signaling molecule tells the cell to make cytokines. In turn, these cytokines prompt other T cells to multiply. This generates new, good-guy T cells until all the cancer cells are destroyed. Before this, the only real treatment option was a bone marrow transplant that has a 50 to 80 percent long-term success rate. As you can see from that statistic, this type of leukemia is fairly mild and treatable, even without this new T cell breakthrough. What's more exciting is that the T cell therapy may be applicable to other cancers. It's interesting to note modified T cells have been used in previous trials, but with uninspiring results. The researchers involved in this trial describe the process as a "reawakening" of T cells that were suppressed by the leukemia. They also hope the treatment will stimulate something called "memory" T cells to provide protection against a relapse. It's that self-perpetuating aspect of this treatment that is truly amazing. Unlike chemotherapy, which has to be given again and again (often to the detriment of the patient receiving it), this treatment will persist over time, dividing and killing tumors. Bright future for gene transfer therapy The researchers involved say this work essentially provides a roadmap for attacking tumors of other types of cancers, including lung cancer, ovarian cancer, myeloma, and melanoma. They'll start by moving forward with similar tests on other types of CD19-positive tumors, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acute lymphocytic leukemia. In addition, they've already come up with a CAR vector that binds to mesothelin, which is a protein found on the surface of ovarian, pancreatic, and mesothelioma cancer cells. The findings of this study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Science Translational Medicine. It's big news on the cancer front because this is the first time researchers have successfully used gene transfer therapy to bring about an attack on cancerous tumors — and it's all thanks to this idea of "serial killer" T cells. The research that almost didn't happen The reason this treatment almost didn't happen was a lack of funding. The National Cancer Institute and multiple pharmaceutical companies all declined to pay for the research. Their reasons are unknown, but a good guess is probably that the concept was too innovative. Interesting, because if you think about it, this approach works with the body's natural defenses instead of dredging up yet another power-drug. In the end, and thank goodness, philanthropic support came through. This included funds from the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. At some point, there will probably be a handoff to a pharmaceutical company, especially as larger trials get underway. Maybe some government funds will become available. In a better world, this discovery would be taken to market without Big Pharma's help, but that's probably too much to hope for. It will be interesting to see how much this costs when it finally reaches the public. The other thing that tempers my enthusiasm a little bit is that the 5-year survival rate is reportedly 76 percent for CLL (chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the type that was treated in this study.) If that's true, then conventional medicine was already having a fair degree of success with this disease, and the new breakthrough may be less than it seems. For all types of leukemia, the 5-year survival rate is claimed to be over 50 percent. Let's hope this new discovery improves those rates even more. And -- most important in my view — let's hope it works for other types of cancer. We've been told by some alternative cancer doctors that they actually refer leukemia patients to conventional treatment centers because the chances of success are fairly good. Leukemia seems to be one of the rare types of cancer where conventional treatment is worth a go, especially if the patient has chronic leukemia, the mildest form of the disease. In the meantime, this T cell treatment is one of the first major cancer breakthroughs that wasn't supported by a pharmaceutical company, that shows excellent results, and works WITH the immune system instead of destroying it. As we wait for the wheels of Big Medicine to slowly grind away on this thing, there are great natural remedies available right now. Our last issue reported on one of the most exciting. If you missed it, scroll down and take a look now. Ancient India's Answer to the Plague of Modern-Day Stress Reduces the number of cancer tumors by up to 92%! Lions and tigers and bears were the stresses faced by our cave-person ancestors. It's highly unlikely you'll have to fight those kinds of battles… yet your body responds as if that kind of attack is imminent, nearly all day, every day. All around us are pressures that make us feel like we're in a fight to the death: traffic jams, grocery store lines, deadlines, the general lack of time, the never-ending pressure to do all the things we "should" do. Plus you can add the epidemic of environmental toxins, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise. What toll does all this take on our health — and what's an EASY way to relieve some of it? Our research team at Cancer Defeated has turned up a remarkable herb that reduces the cellular damage caused by stress by as much as 80%! But we also found something far more exciting to this story: Recent animal studies show striking, drastic reductions in cancer. Keep reading. . . Continued below. . . Here's Where You Can Get the Full Range of "Forbidden" Cancer Treatments Two of the most common requests I get are "Where can I find an alternative cancer doctor?" and "Where can I find a doctor who will give me this treatment that only doctors can do?" By the latter I mean treatments such as full-body hyperthermia, intravenous vitamin C or IV laetrile. The answer is simple: Mexico. You can get most of the major alternative cancer treatments there, and it's completely legal. What's more, you can get them in safe, ultramodern facilities with top doctors who are recognized as the best all over the world. There's something else: these clinics are perfectly safe, no matter what you hear on the news. The highly publicized violence does not affect these clinics one bit. I just attended a big annual conference on alternative cancer treatments, and once again, I heard abundant testimony from many people that there's no danger at all — not one bit. So set aside whatever stereotypes you have about dirty, back-alley doctors' offices or doctors with mail order degrees. These are highly modern medical facilities that can compete with any I've seen in the United States. I was treated at one of them myself in March. You can get details about the best clinics in our updated and expanded guide to Mexican cancer clinics called Adios, Cancer! (If you already purchased our Directory of the World's Greatest Alternative Cancer Clinics, all the information about Mexico is already in there, in addition to info about top European and American cancer clinics). In my opinion, you need to know or at least consider the wonderful medical facilities in Adios, Cancer! if you have cancer now or you may ever get cancer. In other words, EVERYONE needs to know this information. So click here and learn more about this wonderful Special Report. The High Price Chronic Stress Exacts on Your Health It makes sense to slow down for a moment and listen to your body. Some of the ways it speaks of sky-high stress include: 1. Faster Heart Rate — This is great if you're running from a lion or tiger, but when it becomes an everyday event, you risk burning out your heart and suffering cardiovascular disease. 2. High Blood Pressure — When stressed, blood flow to your brain and muscles may increase up to 400%. Good for shooting a bear… not helpful as an ongoing lifestyle. 3. Slow digestion — Energy you need to digest your food is diverted to your head, heart and limbs… leading to chronic constipation, irritable bowel disease, and more. Stress can also change your eating habits — prompting you to grab for certain snacks, resort to comfort foods (read: weight gain), or skip meals. 4. Weight gain — Caused by increased cortisone levels due to prolonged stress. 5. Insomnia and other sleep problems — From an over-active mind and mental stress. Sleeplessness takes a much bigger toll on your health than most people realize (see Issue #20 for more). 6. Muscle tension and fatigue — When under long-term stress, your muscles get tight and tense, resulting in overworked muscles without the benefit of exercise. 7. Immune problems — Halt your body's ability to fight infections. And then there's reduced happiness, poorer quality of life, depression, anxiety, memory loss, skin imbalances, reproductive problems, decreased sexual desire, and more. Do you see yourself here? Then read on — because there's an ancient answer for this modern plague. And it not only helps reduce stress, but shows hope as an anticancer agent, protects brain health, and more. Ancient eastern herb comes to the rescue of overstressed modern folks Stress depletes your body of critical nutrients, and increases oxidative stress, i.e. free radical damage. But this ancient herb is capable of reversing the damage and relieving your stress. It grows naturally in North America and Africa — but it's most commonly associated with the Ayurvedic traditions of the east. Ayurveda is an ancient philosophy and application of natural health well-known in India. One of the cornerstones of Ayurveda is an herb made from the roots of the Withania somnifera plant (also known as India winter cherry), called ashwagandha. It's been used for centuries to treat a host of health conditions. This exotic herb is an adaptogen, which means it helps your body deal with stress, trauma, anxiety and fatigue. Stress Reduction 101 Ashwagandha is a potent antioxidant. Chronic nervous system tension causes premature aging, increases lipid (fat) peroxidation, and decreases your stores of critical antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Studies show ashwagandha can help deactivate much of your chronic stress buildup. For example, when ashwagandha extract was given one hour before a daily stress-inducing procedure, it neutralized free radical damage.1 One animal study shows how potent ashwagandha is at reducing tension and stress on your nervous system. In animals exposed to chronic stress, 85% of their cells showed signs of chronic degeneration. But when ashwagandha was administered, the number of damaged cells fell by a whopping 80%.2 The largest human clinical trial to date showed impressive results too. Participants reported a number of measurable improvements — including increased energy, reduced fatigue, better sleep, and an enhanced sense of well-being. Also, strikingly, ashwagandha led to a 26% reduction of cortisol — a stress hormone. What's more, participants in the study saw a fall in fasting blood sugar levels and improved blood lipid levels.3 This herb packs quite a few benefits into one pill. Ashwagandha was even shown to be equivalent to leading name brand anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications — but without the terrible side effects.4 Scientists believe that premature aging linked to chronic stress is also linked to free radical damage. Ashwagandha seems to reverse this oxidative stress. Some scientists suggest using it as an anti-stress therapy, clinically. A University of Texas Health Science Center study also examined its anti-stress benefits, and found that it exhibited activity similar to GABA, which may explain why it is so effective in reducing anxiety. (GABA is your brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter, which puts the brakes on your anxiety.) You might guess that if ashwagandha can slow you down, reduce your stress and put an end to chronic nervous tension, it may also play a role in your risk of coming down with chronic diseases like cancer. It's a good guess... Killing cancer cells Exciting recent evidence suggests that ashwagandha has the potential to stop cancer cells in their tracks. Scientists in India recently concluded that it disrupts cancer cells' ability to reproduce — an all-important part of fighting cancer.5 A recent study showed ashwagandha could inhibit the growth of human breast, lung, and colon cells in the lab. And at a level comparable to that achieved by the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin. In fact, for breast and colon cancer, the specific compound withaferin A from ashwagandha was more effective than doxorubicin.6 Ashwagandha has been shown to disrupt cancer cells' ability to reproduce, by inhibiting their ability to form new blood vessels which support tumor growth. What's more, animals with lymphatic cancer, when fed ashwagandha, saw a marked increase in life span and an overall decrease in tumor weight.7 There's more: Preliminary studies show that the leaf extract of ashwagandha can decrease cancer cells without adversely affecting healthy ones.8 Another study looked at stomach cancer in lab animals. With orally administered ashwagandha, tumor incidence was cut by 60% and the number of tumors by a staggering 92%. Correspondingly, in skin cancer tumor incidence was cut by 45% and the number of tumors was cut by 71%.9 Other studies confirm those skin cancer findings.10 Looked at from a different angle… a well-known side effect of conventional chemotherapy is neutropenia, a sharp increase in the risk of infection, caused by a drastic drop in white blood cells. An animal study showed that oral ashwahandha protected against neutropenia, suggesting it may be a viable adjunctive therapy.11 What's more… Ashwagandha protects from aging, brain fog and worse Ashwagandha's reach extends beyond stress and cancer. It is also celebrated for its anti-aging and brain protective effects. For years, Indian healers have suggested ashwagandha as a remedy for memory loss and other degenerative brain diseases. Scientists from the University of Leipzig have confirmed this. They examined its effects on the brain, by dosing rats with it and seeing what it did to their neurotransmitters. Turns out it led to more brain activity — the kind that accounts for ashwagandha's reputation for increasing cognitive ability and memory. Other studies have come to the same conclusions. So it should come as no surprise that it's also useful for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's. Some of its impact as an anti-aging tonic may link back to its anti-stress effect. Reducing your stress can slow down the pace at which you're wearing out your body and cells. More exciting breakthroughs to come… As with many herbs, ashwagandha is not specific to one organ or body system and therefore is helpful for multiple health conditions. More research is underway for ashwagandha's efficacy for: * Fatigue * Pain * Skin diseases/acne * Diabetes * Gastro-intestinal diseases * Rheumatoid arthritis * Bone cancer * Tuberculosis * Parkinson's * Bipolar Disorder * Epilepsy I expect these studies will turn up a great deal of new information. It's probable we've just begun to learn the benefits of this herb. One caveat that our research turned up… Please consult your doctor if you have thyroid disease and are considering using ashwagandha because of concerns with how it affects your thyroid. The herb is also not recommended for pregnant women because it reportedly can cause miscarriage. Otherwise, ashwagandha appears to be a safe way to reduce stress in your life — at the very least — and you may reap other benefits as well. It's readily available online from a number of reputable sources. Full disclosure: I haven't tried it myself. My procedure with any new supplement or remedy is to start gradually and be alert to any changes in my digestion, sleep habits, energy level or other symptoms. Alternative medicine boosters love to tell you that all natural remedies are perfectly and safe and have no side effects. Tain't so. Proceed with caution and common sense.

Injuries Creating Future Depth for Tech Defense

Injuries Creating Future Depth for Tech Defense
by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, December 2, 2011


The postseason All-ACC teams were announced on Monday. It was quite different from the preseason list that came out in late July. Many players whom the media expected to have big seasons didn't turn in the performances that were projected.

On the offensive side of the ball, only two players who were first team on the preseason list made first team on the postseason list.
2011 All-ACC Teams, Offense
Pos. Preseason Postseason
WR Conner Vernon (Duke Sammy Watkins (Clemson)
WR Dwight Jones (UNC) Chris Givens (Wake)
TE George Bryan (NC State) Dwayne Allen (Clemson)
OT Blake DeChristopher (VT) Blake DeChristopher (VT)
OT Andrew Datko (FSU) Zebrie Sanders (FSU)
OG Brandon Washington (Miami) Austin Pasztor (UVA)
OG Omoregie Uzzi (GT) Omoregie Uzzi (GT)
C Tyler Horn (Miami) Dalton Freeman (Clemson)
QB E.J. Manuel (FSU) Tajh Boyd (Clemson)
RB Montel Harris (BC) David Wilson (VT)
RB Andre Ellington (Clemson) Giovani Bernard (UNC)


Blake DeChristopher and Omoregie Uzzi were the two offensive players to stay on the list. It's not a coincidence that they are both offensive linemen, where the media members are more inclined to just go with their preseason picks because the O-line is difficult to watch and evaluate.


Conner Vernon and Dwight Jones both had very good seasons, but true freshman Sammy Watkins exploded on the scene and Wake's Chris Givens came out of nowhere to put up huge numbers. There were several deserving receivers in the ACC, but it's hard to argue with the postseason selection of Watkins and Givens.

In the backfield, E.J. Manuel, Montel Harris and Andre Ellington were the preseason picks. None of those guys made it. In fact, Harris and Manuel didn't even managed to make second team All-ACC. Instead, it was Tajh Boyd, ACC Player of the Year David Wilson, and UNC r-freshman tailback Giovani Bernard. With Watkins and Bernard, there were two freshmen on the preseason first team All-ACC offense.

On the defensive side of the ball four players who were on the list in the preseason were also included on the postseason list.
2011 All-ACC Teams, Defense
Pos. Preseason Postseason
DE Brandon Jenkins (FSU) Andre Branch (Clemson)
DE Quinton Coples (UNC) Quinton Coples (UNC)
DT Tydreke Powell (UNC) Joe Vellano (Maryland)
DT Brandon Thompson (Clemson) Matt Conrath (UVA)
LB Luke Kuechly (BC) Luke Kuechly (BC)
LB Sean Spence (Miami) Sean Spence (Miami)
LB Kenny Tate (Maryland) Zach Brown (UNC)
CB Chase Minnifeld (UVA) Chase Minnifield (UVA)
CB Jayron Hosley (VT) David Amerson (NC State)
S Ray-Ray Armstrong (Miami) Matt Daniels (Duke)
S Eddie Whitley (VT) Josh Bush (Wake)


UNC defensive end Quinton Coples was an easy pick. He's an All-American caliber player, and most likely a top 10 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Tydreke Powell and Brandon Thompson were good picks in the preseason, though they haven't been as statistically dominant as expected.


Luke Kuechly, the league's defensive player of the year, was also an easy pick. Miami linebacker Sean Spence and UVA cornerback Chase Minnifield were also on the list at the beginning and the end of the season.

In the secondary, VT cornerback Jayron Hosley didn't come close to matching his 2010 numbers, when he led the nation with nine interceptions. Miami safety Ray-Ray Armstrong was on the preseason team, but if you watched him play any this season, he was often seen trying to catch up with wide receivers after they burned him deep. Exhibit A.

There were also players who had very good seasons who were not included on the first team, second team, or the honorable mention list. From the Virginia Tech perspective, Danny Coale, Jarrett Boykin and Derrick Hopkins all should have gained some sort of recognition, but they didn't. Fans of other teams also have their owns lists of their own players who they believe should have been included.

UDC: The Next Penn State?

From former UDC Sports Information Director Bernard S. Payton

Date Released: 11/30/2011

UDC: The Next Penn State? Has cronyism, nepotism and corruption been the predominant games in the University of the District of Columbia Athletics Department the past three years? Within two months of the appointment of the new Athletics Director Patricia Thomas, strange things began to happen. Against the advice and counsel of the UDC swimming pool operator, Thunder Lane, the new athletic director hired a former colleague from Georgetown University to refurbish the UDC swimming pool. Mr. Lane advised that the pool had only recently been refurbished, and in writing, urged Ms. Thomas to re-consider plans to do it ,again, so soon. Instead of thanking Mr. Lane for his diligence, instead, the athletics director attempted to have him fired. Thanks to the intervention of the worker's union AFSCME Local 20, that effort was thwarted. This also generated much community concern and local media interest. UDC recently fired the Union President Walter Jones, in retaliation. In spite of Mr. Lane's warning, a former colleague of the athletics director from Georgetown University was engaged with a $50,000 contract, to work on the pool. After the contractor finished his work, the pool was filled with water, which promptly flowed out down Yuma Street towards Connecticut Avenue, possibly endangering the Van Ness-UDC Metro station tunnel which passes nearby. The water flowed for days costing the University thousands of dollars, before it was finally turned off. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of water was lost as the pump continuously replaced the water that kept leaking out. Finally, the city condemned the pool and closed it because of what was essentially poor judgment and mismanagement of University resources. As a result of the pool's closing, senior students who were required to take swimming as a part of their course requirements were displaced from the campus and forced to take their swimming class in far flung Takoma Park. This resulted not only in protests by the students, but also by the Health Education faculty. Also displaced were alumni and senior citizens from the community who participated in the innovative UDC Institute of Gerontology's Body Wise Program and UDC students who wanted to swim recreationally in the pool. As a result of this, the University was forced to spend millions of dollars unnecessarily, to reconstruct the swimming pool and associated locker rooms, which also had recently been renovated. As of today, r nearly three years later, there is no swimming pool available for students or the community to use on campus, and the men's soccer team and women's basketball team are still without an appropriate locker room. Visiting teams have been relegated to using an environmentally challenged basement locker room. The senior citizens, many of who are handicapped, have especially been mistreated by the athletics director, being forced to walk up a series of concrete stairs from Yuma Avenue to reach the UDC gymnasium, since the building is in violation of the American Disabilities Act. Many of them have protested this to D.C. Council Member Mary M. Cheh. There is a clear lack of institutional control within the athletics department, as various NCAA violations have been committed within certain sports, including allowing prospects to live in a University sponsored apartment before becoming eligible to play a sport. The violations continue as at least one prospect was recently caught living in a UDC apartment during the first summer session before being officially enrolled in the University. A review of the men's basketball team is needed to determine if all of the players were in fact eligible to compete during the 2009-10 academic year. The family of a member of the men's basketball team suspiciously attempted to give a $50.00 cash card gift to the sports information director, which was a direct violation of NCAA rules, for which he may have been fired. Although this was reported to the athletic director, there is a question as to whether or not it has been reported to the NCAA. This may not have been the first time that an attempt to give cash to a University employee was made by a student-athletes family, and not reported in the past three years. There is a serious on-going problem in the apartments rented by the University for student-athletes. The building is a permanent home to elderly senior residents, who have repeatedly complained about fighting and other possible illicit activities in the building, most of which involved UDC athletes. Senior residents in the building have repeatedly complained to the Council of the District of Columbia about the situation in the apartment complex and have asked that the students be removed from the building to no avail. An examination of the department's hiring practices should be undertaken to determine if District of Columbia personnel rules have been violated. There is a question as to whether one fulltime coach worked fulltime elsewhere while being paid fulltime by the University during the 2009-10 academic year. This coach was absent from the team's first game of the season, which is highly unusual, and also absent from a subsequent one, but regularly came in to sign time and attendance forms which certified that this person worked fulltime in the Athletics Department. A further examination should be made to determine if any District of Columbia personnel rules have been violated by the hiring of the athletic director's nephew to work in the Department, in a position created specifically for him and whether a review of his time and attendance record is warranted. Another examination should be conducted to determine if the former basketball referee assignor was replaced by one who employs family members of the athletics director as referees. An independent investigation should be untaken to determine why only former colleagues of the athletics director from Georgetown University have been hired in top level administrative positions and as coaches, while male African-American coaches who had not worked previously at Georgetown have been fired, and other African-American employees have been repeatedly harassed. The sports information director, was constructively terminated in August of 2011, after being repeatedly harassed and issued a biased evaluation that was filled with false and inflammatory information, some of which came from another former Georgetown University colleague of the athletics director, who provides web site services to the university. Meanwhile, after hiring other former Georgetown University colleagues, apparently without consulting the budget, it was discovered that there were no funds remaining to purchase equipment and supplies for the start of the fall 2011 sports season in August. Thus, the volleyball, soccer and cross-country teams were forced to start their seasons without proper equipment and appropriate funds to travel. Even more disheartening was that while spending substantial amounts of funds to employ her former Georgetown University colleagues, the athletics director failed to pay for the books purchased for student-athletes as provided in their contracts during the 2010-11 academic year. Thus, when the new school year started in August of 2011, the University bookstore would not allow the students to obtain new books until the old bill had been paid, and they were without books well into the new semester. Was a current student-athlete suspended for three weeks by the athletic director for complaining about the lack of books to the president's office? Is this a direct NCAA violation ? Out of control ??? You bet! An examination of the Department's purchasing practices should also be conducted to determine if a person was hired immediately after selling the University glass basketball backboards to replace perfectly good glass backboards that did not to be replaced. In addition, a review of the Department's purchasing practices should be conducted to determine why so many goods and services were purchased in violation of District of Columbia procurement and purchasing rules. For additional information contact: Bernard S. Payton Former UDC Sports Information Director (301) 839-4521 bpay492(at)verizon.net

Eight Types of Vitamin E— And the Most Popular One is the WRONG One!

Eight Types of Vitamin E— And the Most Popular One is the WRONG One! We've known for a while that vitamin E helps prevent cancer. But as it turns out, some forms of the vitamin are more powerful than others. And sometimes certain forms of this vitamin may actually increase your chance of developing cancer. Details follow. . . Continued below. . . The secret to curing cancer: You've been throwing it in the trash! In 1921, a British doctor discovered that a remote tribal people was 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! 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 it regularly, and so can you. [Click here now to watch the video!] Even though scientists have known about vitamin E since 1922, they've only started to figure out what it can really do in the last several years. For starters, there are actually eight types of vitamin E. Four are "tocopherols," and four are "tocotrienols." Each group has an alpha, beta, gamma, and delta subtype. The main difference between tocopherols and tocotrienols is a slight variation in chemical structure. When you buy vitamin E supplements in the store, chances are you're buying alpha-tocopherol. The ingredient list might say "alpha-tocopherol and mixed tocopherols," but the reality is that it's mostly alpha-tocopherol. Few vitamin E supplements include any form of tocotrienols. Yet by some estimates, tocotrienols are 50 times more powerful than tocopherols. This makes them much more effective in disease prevention. Of course, they're also a lot more expensive. But for those who can afford it, the benefits are extreme. Tocotrienols and their incredible healing properties Overall, vitamin E has a good reputation in the natural health world because it's known to protect DNA from free radical damage—one of the causes of cancer. Other benefits are that it enhances the immune system, protects cell membranes, and shelters active enzyme sites from damage. It may even block the formation of nitrosamines (carcinogens that form in the stomach from nitrites). Tocotrienols take that good reputation one step beyond. According to current research, this form of vitamin E effectively reduces cholesterol, protects against brain cell damage, and prevents cancer. Tocotrienols don't occur in nature as often as tocopherols, but they are natural compounds. They can be found in varying concentrations in vegetable oils, wheat germ, saw palmetto, barley, and certain nuts and grains. Commercial sources of tocotrienol are rice, palm, and annatto. (Annatto is a natural yellow-orange food coloring. It comes from the fruit of the achiote tree, found in tropical South America.) What's interesting is that tocopherols—the form of vitamin E widely available in our supplement industry—don't appear to have the same biological characteristics as their tocotrienol siblings. In chemical terms, tocotrienols have an unsaturated side-chain that allows them to quickly penetrate tissues coated with saturated fatty layers. This boils down to a more functional molecular "tail." It's not as long or as stiff as the chemical tail found on tocopherols, so it's easier for the compound to move around cells and neutralize free radicals—something tocotrienols do far more efficiently than tocopherols. Tocotrienols are also better at reversing oxidative stress to skin that's been exposed to UV rays. Overall, they appear to be much more potent than tocopherols when it comes to prompting an anti-oxidation and anti-cancer effect. What's strange is that this isn't really new information. Scientists suggested back in 2000 that tocotrienols make better antioxidants than tocopherols, particularly when it comes to cancer prevention. So here we've known for over a decade that tocotrienols are more powerful and more effective, yet current formulations of vitamin E supplements still consist mostly of alpha-tocopherol. Worse, alpha-tocopherol seems to interfere with tocotrienol benefits by decreasing absorption ability. A recent Japanese study even showed that tocopherols, and alpha-tocopherol in particular, interferes with the ability of delta-tocotrienol to induce apoptosis (natural cell death) in cancer cells.1 It does this by blocking the absorption of delta-tocotrienol. Little-known anti-cancer research with promising possibilities In terms of cancer prevention and treatment, tocotrienols seem to be able to neutralize something called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This is important when you're battling cancer, since VEGF prompts the development of new blood vessels built to feed growing tumors. This process whereby cancer forms its own network of blood vessels is called angiogenesis. If tocotrienols indeed slow down or stop BOTH angiogenesis AND apoptosis, it's a very big deal. At the very least, we've seen this promising research come out about the specific benefits of tocotrienols: * Pancreatic cancer: Tocotrienols appear to be the more effective antioxidant over tocopherols thanks to their unsaturated side chain. That chain allows the compound to penetrate better into saturated, fatty layers of the liver and brain, which gives it an advantage in terms of halting the formation of tumors, DNA damage, and cell damage. A 1993 study on rats with liver cancer proved this.2 Less liver cell damage was detected in the group that received palm tocotrienols. * Breast cancer: In vitro studies conducted in the 1990s showed tocotrienols helped inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells. Tocotrienols appeared to work synergistically with tamoxifen, (a common breast cancer medicine) to kill cancer cells.3 Delta-tocotrienols appeared be the most effective in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells, and gamma-tocotrienols supposedly inhibit ld1, a key cancer-promoting protein. * Prostate cancer: Different studies show delta- and gamma-tocotrienols suppress prostate cancer cell proliferation. In contrast, another study showed that alpha-tocopherol enhanced cancer cell growth.4 * Skin cancer: In a study at the University of Hong Kong, skin cancer cell numbers decreased when treated with gamma-tocotrienol and chemotherapy drugs.5 Other studies have shown tocotrienols suppress the growth of melanoma.6 These studies seem promising because they're focused specifically on tocotrienols. But as a whole the research is confusing. For example, some studies show lower prostate and breast cancer rates are associated with a higher intake of vitamin E. Yet, postmenopausal breast cancer incidence appears unaffected by vitamin E intake. Part of the problem is that the scientific community only recently started to pay attention to tocotrienols. Most research up until a few years ago focused on alpha-tocopherol. Studies on tocotrienols made up less than 1% of total research on vitamin E. That's starting to change. Now researchers have ramped up their efforts to understand tocotrienols. In the past few years, almost 30% of the peer-reviewed studies on vitamin E have been specific to tocotrienols. Based on those few studies, tocotrienols so far have been shown to be safe. They appear to have no adverse effects when taken for a period as long as four years (the length of the longest study to date). Right now, a study going on at the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Florida, is recruiting participants for a study on tocotrienols. Researchers are hoping to determine the safest dose of delta-tocotrienol. They also want to establish how often it should be taken, along with how well it helps patients with pancreatic tumors. The study won't be completed till 2013. How to get hold of this natural, cancer-altering treatment You can buy tocotrienol supplements without alpha-tocopherol, but they're expensive. You want to look for supplements that are mostly made up of tocotrienols, with 15% or less of alpha-tocopherol. You also want to look for supplements derived from natural sources—at least for now. It's known that synthetic mixtures of tocopherols are not the biological equivalent to naturally occurring compounds, though they're widely used in academic research and in commercial products. In fact, this is one of the problems with a lot of vitamin studies to date—they use synthetic tocopherols. If you can afford tocotrienol supplements, you probably won't have much trouble avoiding synthetic products because they're not yet widely available. In theory, they should be relatively cheap to produce. They'd also likely provide many of the same clinical benefits natural tocotrienol appears to have. Meanwhile, the research on widely-available alpha-tocopherol is confusing and contradictory. I wouldn't take more than 400 i.u. a day, given the strange studies that suggest it may actually promote cancer under some circumstances. I'm sure this statement will bring me a few angry emails from readers, but it's a fact that the status of alpha-tocopherol is not at all clear right now. The research shows a confusing array of benefits and possible risks, with little to gain from taking large doses. If you're looking for the most powerful anti-cancer properties from vitamin E, go for the tocotrienols. You'll probably have to pay a hefty price ... but it might be worth it. As our last issue mentioned, nuts (especially walnuts) are a rich source of vitamin E and are probably a better bet than alpha-tocopherol pills. In fact, just eating walnuts can knock back the growth of cancer cells as much as 40%! If you missed this article, you can scroll down and catch it now. . . Footnotes 1st article: 1Shibata A, Nakagawa K, Sookwong P, Tsuduki T, Asai A, Miyazawa T (June 2010). "alpha-Tocopherol attenuates the cytotoxic effect of delta-tocotrienol in human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 397 (2): 214-9. 2 Rahmat A., et al. "Long-term administration of tocotrienols and tumor-marker enzyme activities during hepatocarcinogenesis in rats." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8102564 3 Guthrie, Najla, et al. "Inhibition of Proliferation of Estrogen Receptor-Negative MDA-MB-435 and -Positive MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells by Palm Oil Tocotrienols and Tamoxifen, Alone and in Combination." http://jn.nutrition.org/content/127/3/544S.long 4 Campbell, Sharon. et al. "?-Tocotrienol induces growth arrest through a novel pathway with TGF?2 in prostate cancer." http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0891584911000979 5 Piek Ngoh Chang, et al. "Evidence of ?-Tocotrienol as an Apoptosis-Inducing, Invasion-Suppressing, and Chemotherapy Drug-Sensitizing Agent in Human Melanoma Cells." http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01635580802567166 6 McAnally, Jennifer, et al. "Tocotrienols Potentiate Lovastatin-Mediated Growth Suppression In Vitro and In Vivo." http://ebm.rsmjournals.com/content/232/4/523.long

Cancer Defeated Update

 
Cancer Defeated Update
By Lee Euler
Some cancer remedies work, some don't



As the publisher, I've had the opportunity to meet and work with some great doctors and researchers in this field. Thanks to them I know a lot more about successful cancer treatment than I did just a couple of years ago.


For sure I know two things: some alternative cancer treatments do work.

They don't work 100% of the time, and nobody claims they do. But there are plenty of people walking around healthy today -- years after conventional doctors told them they had only a few months left.

The second thing I've learned is this: there are DOZENS of alternative cancer treatments and some of them sound pretty flaky. It's really hard to sort out what you should do.

I'm in the same boat as you

I'm not a health professional and I'm not a scientist. I'm just a writer/publisher who got interested in this stuff because I want to know what steps to take if a doctor tells me I've got cancer.

My colleagues and I formed a new company, Online Publishing & Marketing, to help answer that very question. Our mission is to sort through the mountain of confusing information so you can make an informed decision about cancer treatment.

In the past several years, eight of my relatives and friends have been diagnosed with cancer, and two have passed away. It's a big, big topic in my family, I guarantee you.

That's why I want you to know about a natural health book I came across called Rethinking Cancer, by Ruth Sackman.

This is THE book if you want total health instead of a band-aid approach

Rethinking Cancer will surprise a lot of people. What's more, some people aren't going to like it - including some top experts in alternative health.

If you think there's a magic supplement out there that's going to cure cancer, you may not like this book.

Sackman is not against supplements. She even recommends some of them under certain circumstances. But in her opinion pills are not the answer.

She also believes that most of the people who offer cancer alternatives are sincere - they just happen to be wrong. That includes your cousin or your best friend's aunt who knows somebody who cured their cancer with an alternative approach.

Of course, they want to help. But Ruth Sackman believes their advice is usually wrong and sometimes it's downright dangerous.

There are a lot of alternative remedies, and Sackman admits that sometimes they shrink tumors 50 percent or 70 percent or even 90 percent. But that's not a cure, by her strict standards. It's a band-aid approach. All too often the cancer comes back worse than ever.

Why you should listen to Ruth Sackman

I'm not sure Ruth Sackman is completely right, but let me tell you, one light after another went on in my brain as I read her book and realized she could be on the right track.

Reading the book, I remembered that alternative therapists do often speak of shrinking tumors, not getting rid of them. And if you look at things the way Sackman does, those are weasel words. "Shrinking" is not enough.

Heaven knows I don't knock it. It's better than nothing!

But you should read and consider Rethinking Cancer if you want to get totally well - if you want to eliminate the root causes of this disease. In a moment I'll tell you how to get a copy.

How Sackman became a cancer crusader

Sackman lost a daughter, Arlene, to leukemia more than 30 years ago. That would be tragic for any of us, but it was even worse because the cancer was detected early, and her young, healthy daughter seemed like an ideal person to beat it.

Unfortunately, Arlene and her parents took the advice of conventional physicians and tried chemotherapy first. You won't be surprised that Arlene got worse instead of better.

She stopped the chemo and tried a nutritional approach, but her system was already so damaged by chemo that she didn't get the results she hoped for. Arlene panicked and went back on chemotherapy. As Sackman writes, "From then on it was all downhill."


After Arlene passed away, her mother took stock of what had happened. She saw that the nutritional approach had helped her daughter, and that Arlene probably should have stayed with it.

As a result of this horrible loss, Ruth Sackman became a lifelong cancer crusader. She co-founded a nonprofit group called the Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy, or FACT.

You can discover what's worked for thousands of patients over the last 30 years

FACT does not treat patients nor does it officially endorse one treatment over another. It exists purely to gather and distribute information about cancer prevention and non-toxic cancer therapies.

What's more, FACT is supported by contributions. It's totally independent of doctors and other healthcare providers. There's nothing wrong with doctors, but often they can't speak freely because they're afraid of losing their licenses, or they may have a vested interest in one particular therapy. FACT didn't want to be tied up by those limitations.

The folks at FACT are free to speak their minds. Over the years, FACT has referred thousands of patients to practitioners who get good results time and time again.

And it's the feedback from all these patients over such a long period that makes Ruth Sackman's Rethinking Cancer such a valuable book.

If you're ready to get serious about beating cancer. . .

You'll learn all about Sackman's approach in the book (which you can click here to order, available in the U.S. only). But the quick summary is this: cancer is a systemic disease. In other words, Sackman believes the whole system is sick - the whole body is sick. The tumors or cancer cells are just symptoms of something deeper.

It makes sense. Just think of how often surgeons tell patients "they got it all," only to have the disease bounce back. Sounds like a systemic problem to me.

What's more, our bodies are sick because of the food we eat. Poor elimination of wastes makes the problem even worse.

Cancer is a disease at the cellular level - Sackman agrees with conventional medicine to that extent. But she says killing the sick cells isn't the answer. Neither are drugs OR supplements.

The answer is whole, unprocessed foods that supply the nutrients the body needs to build normal, healthy cells.

This strict diet can be used in conjunction with other therapies. Sackman endorses hyperthermia, the number one therapy in our Special Report Natural Cancer Remedies that Work, by Dr. Morton Walker.

Hyperthermia is based on the fact that a high fever kills cancer cells, and now doctors have safe ways to raise the body temperature without resorting to infection. Sackman has some valuable insights to add to what we told you in Natural Cancer Remedies.

Sackman also speaks favorably of Essiac, the North American Indian herbal remedy that's credited with thousands of successful cancer treatments over the last 70 years (it's Remedy #10 in Natural Cancer Remedies that Work. Click here if you don't own this report and would like to order a copy.)

But Sackman views all these measures as mere adjuncts to proper diet and waste elimination.

Keep reading if you hate the word "diet"

If you're like me, your eyes glaze over when someone says you have to totally change your life to get well. Give up meat, sugar, white flour, caffeine, and alcohol, and live on juices and raw vegetables? You've gotta be kidding!

That was the reaction of Richard A. Mott. Sackman describes his case history in detail, along with those of six other patients who survived from ten to thirty years after being declared "hopeless."

"Mr. Mott heard [the dietary] instructions with a sinking heart," Sackman writes. "As one whose meat-and-potatoes diet had been a daily necessity, he wondered whether this deprivation was worth the effort of saving his life. But then he thought, "Since my doctors give me only three months to live, why not give it a try?"

In six months Richard Mott went from being unable to get out of bed to being up and around, exercising a little and taking long walks in the country. His friends couldn't believe how well he looked.

And a few months after that, the same doctors who had wanted to remove his lung had to admit they couldn't find a trace of cancer in his body. In other words. . .
He achieved 100 percent remission

I'm impressed with Ruth Sackman's ideas because they fit so well with everything else I'm learning about alternative cancer treatments.

It's not only this book that sold me. Before I came across Rethinking Cancer, I heard dozens of similar case histories from many other sources. The more I learn, the more sense this approach makes.

One of the methods she recommends is called the Gerson Therapy. You'll find details on the Gerson Therapy in Natural Cancer Remedies that Work by Dr. Morton Walker.

When my associates and I first published this report a couple of years ago, my reaction to Gerson's diet was, "Yeah, right. Who's going to do that?"

Now that I've learned more, I have to tell you it would be the first thing I'd do if I found out I have cancer. And meanwhile, my everyday diet is moving closer and closer to Gerson's recommendations. (You might be relieved to learn that Sackman thinks a little meat is okay.)

228 pages of priceless information that can save your life

I've barely touched the surface of Ruth Sackman's remarkable book. I urge you to get your own copy (click here available in the U.S. only) and see for yourself.

Besides the Gerson Therapy, she gives you details on five other nutrition-based programs with solid track records, so you can make an informed decision.

And there's something very important I haven't mentioned: Sackman is frank about the distressing symptoms you may experience as your body ejects decades of toxins and poisons.

In fact, even a one-day juice fast can make some people feel ill. It's not the fast, it's the release and elimination of the poisons.

If you read the book, you'll know what to expect and you won't make the tragic mistake of giving up because you think you're getting sicker.

It's not all about diet

Besides hyperthermia and Essiac (the Indian herbal), Sackman gives you four additional therapies every cancer patient should know about.

In other words, it's not all about diet. It's just that nutrition is the main event.

She winds up the book with the answers to 60 frequently asked questions. She already knows what you'd ask if you could meet her in person, because she's helped so many people over many decades.

Are chemotherapy or radiation ever the right decision? Surprisingly, Sackman says they sometimes are.

Do you have to be a total vegetarian? (The short answer is no. But see the details.)

Is surgery ever the right answer for breast cancer?

Are conventional cancer treatments leading to longer survival times, as doctors claim? Sackman says no, and she explains why the statistics are misleading. In fact, the cancer death rate is going up.

What can you do to get the facts out of a doctor who wants to be "kind" and not tell you the truth about your disease? You have the right to know, but have to know how to ask.

What does she think of the claims for vitamin C made by Linus Pauling and others?


Are child vaccinations a bad idea?

Do biopsies spread cancer?

You'll get the answers to these and many other questions.

You're protected by our money-back guarantee

Just take a look at Rethinking Cancer. You take no risk. If you're not satisfied with the book for any reason, return it to us and you'll receive a full, 100% refund, no questions asked. And take your time - you can look at it for 60 days before making a decision. CLICK HERE TO ORDER (Available in the U.S. only).

Hokie Playmakers Could be the Difference Saturday

 
Hokie Playmakers Could be the Difference Saturday by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, November 25, 2011

Virginia Tech has defeated UVA for seven years in a row, and they've been statistically dominant in every single game. Only one contest in that span has been decided by single digits, and the Hoos haven't gained 300 yards of total offense against the Hokies since their last victory against Tech in 2003.

When you look at the total yardage in each game, and you see what an advantage the Hokies have had, it's easy to see why Tech has won seven in a row against their in-state rivals. VT vs. UVA
Year Margin VT Rush VT Pass VT Total UVA Rush UVA Pass UVA Total
2004 14 147 200 347 188 111 299
2005 38 333 170 503 114 140 254
2006 17 156 146 302 46 66 112
2007 12 131 299 430 97 144 241
2008 3 216 176 392 172 77 249
2009 29 298 185 483 175 120 295
2010 30 201 182 383 70 221 291
Average 20.43 211.71 194.00 405.71 123.14 125.57 248.71


The Hokies have won each game by an average of two touchdowns, they have outrushed the Hoos by nearly 90 yards per game, and they have gained over 150 yards per game more in total offense. Tech, not known for how they throw the ball in most years, has outgained the Hoos through the air in six of the past seven seasons. This rivalry has been completely one-sided in favor of the Hokies.


Virginia Tech has had many game breaking players participate in the games from 2004 through 2007: Bryan Randall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Flowers, Chris Ellis, Vince Hall, Xavier Adibi, Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, Tyrod Taylor, Josh Morgan ... the list goes on and on.


Virginia has had some first round talent, such as Chris Long, but overall the Hokies have had the impact players in this rivalry in recent years, and their presence on the field has been the difference. Again in 2011, Virginia Tech will have at least the two best college players on the field in David Wilson and Logan Thomas, and if the Hokies win, it will likely be these two players who are the difference.

Wilson leads the ACC in rushing yards per game, averaging 131.1 yards per game. He is the most explosive outside runner in the league. Meanwhile, Logan Thomas is gaining steam and getting stronger as the year goes on. As we pointed on in Wednesday's game preview, in his last six games Thomas has a quarterback rating of 158.17. He's thrown for 1,452 yards in that span, with 12 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Thomas has also been a force on the ground, and he has developed into Virginia Tech's top short yardage runner. In those six games, he has run for 257 yards and eight touchdowns.

Both Thomas and Wilson are ACC Player of the Year candidates. They have that type of talent. When two of the best offensive players in the league are in the same backfield, combined with the two leading receivers in school history, that becomes a very difficult offense to stop.


Virginia is a good football team that has earned their chance to beat the Hokies for the Coastal Division Championship. But do they have the star power to match up with Logan Thomas, David Wilson and the talented Tech offense? We'll find out on Saturday.

Time To Go Nuts!

Simply eating a lot of walnuts may inhibit prostate cancer growth or stop it outright.



That was the finding of Paul Davis, UC Davis Cancer Center researcher. He proved the impact of walnuts by studying mice genetically programmed to develop prostate cancer.1 The results were startling. Details follow this word about one of the fine books we publish. . .


Continued below. . .

Ten-year breast cancer survivor was told:

"You'll be dead in a year" (Pssst!! That was 10 years ago!)



Doctors didn't give Wiltrude much hope when they diagnosed her with cancer in the year 2000. Wiltrude, a German psychologist, never thought cancer would happen to her. But it did. And it came as a big shock.



One doctor told her, "You'll be dead in a year." Late stage breast cancer is virtually incurable using conventional treatments. Even M.D.s admit it. They talk about "buying you more time." (Don't count on it. The evidence shows you're better off doing nothing than chemo.)



When Wiltrude told her doctor she was going to try alternative treatments, he said, "You are committing suicide with what you're doing." But she was determined to find a way to beat her cancer.



Thanks to the wonders of the Internet, this European woman came across a book by my good friend Bill Henderson, one of the smartest and wisest people I know when it comes to cancer treatment.



She tried Bill's top, number one recommendation—a gentle treatment you can do at home for just $5.15 a day. What's more, the cost goes down to $3.50 after six weeks because you just need a maintenance dose. And it even tastes good.



Not only has Wiltrude passed the five-year cancer survival mark, she's survived for ten years. We just interviewed her recently for this publication. The radiologist who tests her every year told her, "You're the only one with this kind of result."



You can find out about Bill's proven cancer treatment plan in a free video presentation—click here to watch it now.



When I ask him about some of the treatments that top alternative doctors use, Bill sort of shrugs and says, "They're fine, but why bother? My treatment works, you can do it yourself, and it costs practically nothing."



He's coached thousands of cancer patients with all different types and stages of cancer. Most of the people who follow the detailed, specific plan in this Special Report get over their cancer and live for years.



"Almost any kind of cancer is reversible," says Bill. "I never give up on anyone."



Click here and watch the free video presentation about Bill's amazing cancer protocol.



In Davis's experiment, the mice eating the human equivalent of 2.4 ounces of whole walnuts daily for 18 weeks had significantly smaller and slower growing prostate tumors than did the control group eating equivalent fats from other sources.



The whole walnut diet slashed prostate cancer growth by 30-40%.2



The study also established that walnuts affected multiple genes which control tumor growth. And walnuts aren't the only nut with healthy benefit. . .



Nuts may be that rare thing—something that's
fun to eat AND good for you



Portable, long shelf life, nutritious, no preparation needed...



One of the most convenient and nutritious snack foods available... Yet nuts get a bad rap for being "too high-fat".



But placing all the focus on their high fat level is missing the big picture. Nuts can be an important part of a low-carb diet. And after many years of hearing the arguments fly back and forth, and doing some experimenting on myself, I've decided carbs are the main enemy, not fats.



It was the cancer connection that was the last straw for me. Refined carbohydrates have a clear role in promoting cancer—not to mention diabetes and heart disease. And nuts are a great way of getting off carbs.



Nuts are a rich storehouse of omega-3 fatty acids and flavonoid antioxidants (carotenes, quercetin, resveratrol, and lutein)—with the added benefit of fighting inflammation. Nuts reduce your risk of:


* Various cancers

* High blood pressure, coronary artery disease

* Strokes

* Arthritis

* Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and depression.



Nuts have mineral power too... manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium.



Manganese helps you produce the enzyme superoxide dismutase, a powerful free radical scavenger. Potassium helps control heart rate and blood pressure. And your body needs copper and iron to produce red blood cells.



What's more, nuts are a good source of B-complex vitamins, critical for energy and well-being.



Lastly, they provide high levels of vitamin E—a powerful lipid-soluble free radical scavenger.



Despite the warnings about the "high fat" content of nuts, I couldn't find evidence showing that eating nuts causes weight gain. In fact, replacing pastas and breads with a handful of nuts may control insulin resistance and help you lose weight.



Nuts are rich in this known cancer-fighter



Selenium shows great promise as a cancer preventive. Many studies show it's an effective tool against breast, esophageal, stomach, prostate, liver and bladder cancers. And it's an especially strong free radical scavenger that works synergistically with vitamins C, E and beta-carotene.



A 1996 study by Dr. Larry Clark showed a staggering 42% cancer rate reduction in those who took 200 micrograms of selenium daily for seven years, versus the placebo group. And in the selenium group, death rates were half that of the placebo group. Best results were for prostate, colorectal, and lung cancers.



Jean Carper, in Miracle Cures, called Dr. Clark's findings an "unprecedented cancer intervention study" that "bumped up the respectability of using supplements against cancer several notches."



Many foods contain selenium... But the bioavailable amount is heavily dependent on how selenium-rich the soil is. Soils rich in volcanic ash or in sediment deposited by sea water boast a higher selenium content than do other types of soil.



In the long run, your cancer risk may be determined by selenium levels where you live (assuming you eat locally grown food and don't take a selenium supplement). One theory for why cancer rates are so high in Linxian, China, dubbed "the world capital of cancer", is that the soil is woefully deficient in selenium and zinc.



It's been suggested that one reason American men are five times more likely to die from prostate cancer than Japanese men is that in general, "the Asian diet contains four times the amount of selenium as the average American diet."



What does selenium do? It activates an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase, which scavenges free radicals. Test tube studies show this enzyme inhibits tumor growth and regulates the natural life span of cells—ensuring they die when they're supposed to, instead of turning "immortal".



What else does selenium do?


* Converts hydrogen peroxide to water (preventing lipid peroxidation)

* Acts as an immune stimulant

* Produces antibodies

* Maintains a healthy heart and liver



Dr. Andrew Weil suggests this simple way to bump up your selenium levels...


Eat Brazil nuts!



Just one shelled Brazil nut—grown in central Brazil's selenium rich soil—gives you 120 micrograms of this mineral, getting you more than half way to your daily target of 200 micrograms.3



A staple in the Brazilian diet, these nuts—though high in fat and calories— actually reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad stuff), raise HDL (good cholesterol), and prevent cardiovascular disease and stroke. They're high in vitamin E, the B-vitamins, and minerals. Remember, selenium is more powerful when combined with vitamin E.



Selenium is especially important for those with prostate cancer.4



Like many nuts, Brazil nuts can cause allergic reactions in sensitive people, such as itchy mouth, wheezing, tight throat, hives, and even severe anaphylactic reaction. If you experience any symptoms after eating nuts, this issue's health tip is not for you. Consider taking a selenium supplement instead.



Excessive selenium levels may create toxicity. But since most people are deficient, that's a small concern.



What other specific kinds of nuts offer big health benefits? Check these out. Maybe you'll find a new excuse to eat your favorites.



Double the antioxidants of other nuts



You might want to eat a handful of walnuts every day to get the benefit of their potent antioxidant effects.



They deliver a near perfect balance of vitamins, minerals, and fiber—and also boast healthful oleic acid and omega-3 fats which lower deadly artery-clogging LDL cholesterol. Making walnuts part of your daily diet can help ward off cardiovascular disease and cancer.



Dr. Joseph Vinson compared walnuts to nine other nut species high in antioxidants—and found walnut's antioxidants were 2 to 15 times more powerful than vitamin E, doing more for your health than peanuts, almonds, pecans or pistachios.



His analysis also found that eating walnuts in their raw and natural form provides higher nutrient levels, because heating and roasting degrade its antioxidants.



Walnut's other benefits?


* Lower LDL and higher HDL5

* Rich source of vitamin E—a powerful lipid soluble free radical scavenger6

* Packed with B-complex, magnesium, zinc, calcium, iron, copper, selenium7

* Contain melatonin, ellagic acid, vitamin E, carotenoids, and poly-phenolic compounds8

* Fights cancer, inflammation, aging, heart attacks, stroke and neurological disease9


Walnuts may be particularly helpful for breast10 and prostate11 cancers. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, a diet rich in walnuts resulted in a 30 to 40 percent reduction in prostate cancer growth in mice.



And then there's...


The raw nut that's not really raw



Almonds have long been a symbol for wellness and health.



Like other nuts, they offer healthy levels of fats, vitamins, minerals, phyto-nutrients, vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, selenium, and other antioxidants. They're also gluten free and part of a Mediterranean diet.



As you might expect, they're protective against coronary disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and more.12



Almonds' high levels of folic acid are believed to help lower homocysteine levels, cutting your risk of arterial buildup. One study showed that just 3 ounces per day lowered cholesterol by 14%.13



Their high fiber improves digestive function, reduces constipation, and lowers colorectal cancer risk.



Almonds help control your blood sugar levels, too, making this snack beneficial for diabetics, the insulin resistant, and the overweight. Plus, munching on a few almonds after work may make you less inclined to overeat at dinnertime.



As with any food, once you heat it, you denature the proteins and make it less bioavailable. But unfortunately, the U.S. government has taken that risk to a whole new level.



Warning—U.S. 'raw' almonds are NOT raw!



In 2001 and 2004, there were small salmonella outbreaks associated with just two specific almond growers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture seized the excuse to mandate pasteurization of U.S. almonds. They make no exceptions for organic almonds, especially after organic almond growers opposed to pasteurization lost a lawsuit on this issue in 2009. All domestically grown almonds must be pasteurized, post 2007.



Not to worry, though... Richard Waycott, CEO of the Almond Growers of California reassures us that they no longer use heat or radiation to pasteurize.



Instead they use propylene oxide!



Per Wikipedia, propylene oxide was once used as a racing fuel, but that practice is now prohibited under the National Hot Rod Association rules for safety reasons. (Ironic, isn't it?) It was used in glow fuel for model aircraft and surface vehicles, typically as an additive in small percentages of around 2% to the typical methanol, nitromethane, and oil mix. And, it's also used in thermobaric weapons.



Warnings from the EPA's Hazard Summary sheet on propylene oxide:


* Short-term exposure causes eye and respiratory tract irritation.

* Skin contact, even diluted, causes irritation and necrosis in humans.

* Depresses the central nervous system (CNS) in humans.

* Causes tumors near the site of administration in rodents.

* Classified as a probable human carcinogen (Class 2B) by the EPA.



But yet, it's 'safe' for fumigating your almonds?


I can't recommend organically grown almonds.



You might be able to get true organic almonds by taking advantage of a loophole or two. You'd need to buy from a retailer or mail order supplier who sells imported almonds, or who buys from a farmer in amounts less than 100 pounds. Of course, this suggests that salmonella was never really the issue—but that's another whole story.



The rest of the nuts



In the space I've got, I can't go into detail on every conceivable nut. But certainly pecans and cashews rank high in popularity and deserve a mention here.



They both possess many of the qualities of other nuts.



Cashews contain small amounts of Zeaxanthin, a flavonoid antioxidant that can be absorbed into your eyes, and may be protective against age related macular degeneration. Cashews also contain healthy levels of selenium.



Pecans contain ellagic acid, which inhibits the DNA binding of certain carcinogens, protecting you from cancer.14 And they're a rich source of vitamin E.



Lastly, there's the peanut, which isn't actually a nut at all, but a legume. Peanuts boast many of the same nutrients as true nuts, including antioxidants. They protect from cancer (particularly stomach cancer), heart disease, degenerative nerve diseases, Alzheimer's, and more.



However, besides being a common and sometimes serious allergen, peanuts are susceptible to fungal (read: mold) infection from aflatoxin—a very powerful and dangerous toxin known to cause cancer and liver cirrhosis. Roasting helps reduce its toxic load, but other nuts may give you more health benefits with less risk.



The bottom line on nuts...


Provided you don't have nut allergies, they provide many health-protective benefits not easily achievable by replacement with other foods. I eat raw nuts, not roasted and salted, and I buy organic whenever possible.



Interesting question: Are pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers actually used much in growing nuts? It doesn't seem to me that nuts would be subject to pests since they're protected by a shell. And they're grown on a tree, so why would a grower need herbicides? A lot of smart people read this newsletter, so maybe someone out there can answer this question. If my guess is right, it may not matter much if you eat nuts that aren't organic.



Nuts are a great option for wholesome gifts during the holidays and any time—much better than candy and cookies. And you do a great favor to diabetics and the insulin resistant to provide nuts at parties and family get-togethers.



Footnotes:



1http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/walnuts-slow-prostate-tumors.aspx

2http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/walnuts-slow-prostate-tumors.aspx

3http://www.naturalnews.com/016446.html

4http://www.cancure.org/cancer_fighting_foods.htm

5http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

6 http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

7http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

8http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

9http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/walnuts.html

10http://www.cancer-c.com/mens-health/ways-to-prevent-breast-cancer.html

11http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/10/walnuts-slow-prostate-tumors.aspx

12http://www.naturalnews.com/006109.html

13http://www.naturalnews.com/006109.html

14http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/pecans.html

Tech Defense Performs Well Despite Losses

Tech Defense Performs Well Despite Losses

by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, November 11, 2011



Virginia Tech had the best performance you could hope for on Thursday night against a powerful Georgia Tech rushing attack. The Yellow Jackets entered the game #2 in the country in rushing, and the Hokies went to Atlanta with a young, patchwork and banged up defense. Things didn't look promising on paper, but Bud Foster's defense turned in a very impressive performance.

GT Rushing Yards this Year

Opp.     Yards     YPC

Western Carolina     297     6.2

Middle Tennssee State     382     5.9

Kansas     604     12.1

UNC     312     5.4

NC State     296     5.7

Maryland     272     4.5

UVA     272     5.1

Miami     134     2.8

Clemson     383     5.7

VT     243     5.0

Average     319.5     5.84




Only Miami held Georgia Tech to fewer rushing yards than the Virginia Tech defense did, and only the Hurricanes and the Maryland Terrapins limited the Yellow Jackets to fewer yards per carry. 243 rushing yards and five yards per carry might look like a lot on paper, but for Georgia Tech, its well below average.



Consider who Bud Foster had available to put on the field, and where he had to put them, and it's an even more remarkable accomplishment.


    * A 6-0, 187-lbs cornerback (Kyle Fuller) playing whip linebacker

    * A 6-2, 240-lbs defensive end (J.R. Collins) playing defensive tackle

    * A 6-1, 219-lbs defensive end (Tyrel Wilson) in the starting lineup

    * Missing from the lineup: Antoine Hopkins, Jeron Gouveia-Winslow, Alonzo Tweedy

    * A mike linebacker who had played just four snaps all season

    * A front seven that featured all sophomores with an average weight of just 237.7-lbs.

    * A defense that featured just one starter (Kyle Fuller) who started against Georgia Tech at the same position in 2010



When you consider all of those facts, it just didn't seem likely that the VT defense would be able to put the clamps on the Georgia Tech offense, but they did. The Yellow Jackets broke their share of big plays, as they always do. But the VT defense took away the A-back option pitches, and Embry Peeples, Roddy Jones and Orwin Smith combined for just 10 touches all game. That was a big part of why the Hokies were successful on Thursday night.



Imagine if the Hokies had Antoine Hopkins to go along with his brother Derrick on the inside. That would have allowed J.R. Collins to play defensive end, and the defense probably would have fared even better against the Yellow Jackets.



Tech's defense will go back to normal next week against the traditional pro style offense of the North Carolina Tar Heels. While Thursday night's performance won't be looked back on as one of the best VT defensive performances ever, because of what the defense was missing heading into the game, it should be fondly remember by Tech fans.

GEORGE WASHINGTON WINS EXHIBITION OVER BOWIE STATE 92-65

GEORGE WASHINGTON WINS EXHIBITION OVER BOWIE STATE 92-65







(WASHINGTON, D.C.) The Bowie State University men’s basketball team dropped a 92-65 exhibition decision to Division I George Washington University Sunday night. GW’s Colonials are a member of the Atlantic 10 Conference and the former employer of Bulldogs head coach Darrell Brooks.





"We never gave ourselves a chance to win the game because we turned the ball over so much", said Brooks. "I thought we played pretty hard, the rebounds were even and I thought when we ran our offense we got good stuff out of it."





Junior Bryan Wilson (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and senior Jay Gavin (Seat Pleasant, Md.) and led Bowie State in scoring with 16 and 13 points respectively. Preseason All-CIAA selection Travis Hyman (Annapolis, Md.) struggled on offense, going 2-for-11 from the field but pulled down a game-high nine rebounds before fouling out with 7:57 left in the contest.





The Colonials jumped out to an early 8-2 advantage on three layups and a dunk. Bowie State pulled to within five at 16-11 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half, but would get no closer.





George Washington held a 51-26 lead at the half, shooting 60.6% from the floor (20-of-33). Bowie State shot 35.0% from the field (7-of-20) and committed 14 first period turnovers. Free throws were Bowie State’s main weapon in the first 20 minutes with the Bulldogs hitting 10-of-13 (76.9%).





The Colonials began the second half with a 15-4 run to open a very comfortable 66-30 cushion. George Washington’s largest lead of the night (84-43) came at the 5:41 left to play following a three-pointer by Bryan Bynes. Bynes came off the bench and hit 3-of-3 field goals to go along with four rebounds.





Points in the paint and points off turnovers were big for George Washington as the Colonials recorded 46 and 33 respectively.





Bowie State committed 31 turnovers overall and ended the night with a shooting percentage of 40.8. The Bulldogs did shoot free throws pretty well, converting 21-of-26 (80.8%). Bowie State won the battle on the glass, outrebounding George Washington 32-31.





Lasan Kromah paced George Washington with 23 points to go along with six assists. Tony Taylor and Aaron Ware added 12 points each for the Colonials. Taylor dished out a game-high nine assists. Other top scorers for the Colonials include John Kopriva and David Pellom with nine points apiece.





Brooks concluded his post game press conference saying, "I know we're going to be a better team come Friday ... taking care of the basketball and knowing what we're doing ... I'm excited about starting the regular season ... Tonight was a tough game but we've got to move on and get ready for the next one."





The Bulldogs officially tip-off the 2011-2012 season Friday, November 11th versus West Virginia State University at 6 pm on opening day of the Clarion Hotel Classic hosted by Shepherd University.