Washington D.C. Area Sports Update 01/06/2012

Washington D.C. Area Sports Update 01/07/2012

Key Stretch Awaits Hokie Basketball by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, Virginia Tech has a great opportunity ahead of them in basketball. Right now the Hokies are 11-3 on the season, and ranked in the top 40 of the RPI. They have three very winnable games coming up, and the chance to move to 14-3 and into the top 30 of the RPI is staring them right in the face. So far this year, it appears the ACC is probably a four-bid league when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. The Hokies can't afford to lose games they shouldn't lose, and thus far they've done a good job of avoiding that. Here's a look at their next three games, which are all winnable. Virginia Tech's Next Three Games Date Opp. RPI Record Location Jan. 7 Wake Forest 111 9-5 Winston-Salem Jan. 10 Florida State 66 9-5 Blacksburg Jan. 14 Boston College 262 5-9 Chestnut Hill In today's preview of the Wake Forest game, we noted that Virginia Tech is better than the Demon Deacons in almost every statistical category, including strength of schedule. That's a game the Hokies should win, though everyone knows that upsets happen in basketball every day. So far, Boston College is the worst team in the ACC, and they are rivaling 2010-11 Wake Forest as the worst team in ACC history. They have losses to Holy Cross, UMass, Saint Louis, New Mexico, Penn State, Boston U, Providence, Harvard and Rhode Island, and their computer numbers are as bad as it gets for a power conference team. The Eagles are breaking in almost an entirely new roster from last season, and they don’t resemble the team that upset the Hokies last season, just a game after Tech beat Duke. The game between Wake and Boston College, at home against Florida State, is interesting. The Noles were expected to make the NCAA Tournament again this year, but they are off to a very disappointing start, with losses to Harvard and Princeton. FSU should probably get away from scheduling the Ivy League for awhile. That said, the Noles are still a talented team. They have a lot of height, and they play good defense, but they are offensively challenged. That makes them about the same as every other Florida State team under Leonard Hamilton. Here's a look at the current ACC standings, based on RPI rank. ACC Standings Team Record RPI Duke 12-2 2 UNC 13-2 18 Virginia Tech 11-3 39 Virginia 13-1 52 NC State 11-4 53 FSU 9-5 66 Miami 9-4 75 Maryland 10-3 110 Wake Forest 9-5 111 Georgia Tech 7-7 156 Clemson 7-7 234 BC 5-9 262 Virginia Tech has played a good non-conference schedule, and as a result they have the third best RPI of all the ACC schools. Right now, it's fair to say that Duke and UNC are NCAA Tournament locks, while Virginia Tech, Virginia and NC State are the next three in line. Florida State and Miami are not out of it, because they've played a tough enough schedule to keep their RPI in the ballpark. However, they are going to have to go on big winning streaks. As far as Virginia Tech goes, they've got a chance for a decent road win tomorrow, and then they can beat a team who might end up in the top 50 in the following game. Their objective when they go to Chestnut Hill next weekend is simply to avoid what would be an embarrassing loss. TURNER LEADS BOWIE STATE TO ITS FIRST WIN (BOWIE, Md. – January 5, 2012) Juliette Turner led all players with career-highs of 25 points and 18 rebounds as Bowie State University opened its CIAA season with a 69-49 victory over Fayetteville State University. The win is the first this season for the Lady Bulldogs (1-8, 1-0) while the Lady Broncos (6-4, 0-1) dropped back-to-back games for the first time this season. When first year head coach Renard was asked what made the difference tonight, he simply responded, “They wanted it … Every last one of them wanted to win at home!” Kimberly Jones added 16 points, tying her career-high while Brooke Miles chipped in 12 for the Lady Bulldogs. Je’Lena Robertson led Fayetteville State with nine points while Akysia Resper and SheQuitia Manning had eight apiece. Manning led the Lady Broncos with 12 rebounds. The Lady Broncos struggled mightily in their first game in 17 days, showing considerable rust while being foul prone in the first half. Fayetteville State made just one of its first 12 field goal attempts, and finished the half shooting just 24 percent from the field. Turner had a lot to do with Bowie State’s quick start, scoring her team’s first 10 points and 14 of its first 18. She had a double-double by the break, with 15 points and 11 rebounds, leading the previously winless Lady Bulldogs to a 30-19 lead at the half. Bowie State continued to pour it on after the break, scoring 10 of the first 12 points of the period to stretch out a 20-6 scoring run that spanned halftime. That gave the Lady Bulldogs their largest lead to that point, 40-21, with 16:50 left in the game. The Lady Bulldogs will hit the road for a week long southern swing to Winston-Salem State University (January 9th), Shaw University (January 12th) and Saint Augustine’s College (January 14th).  Bowie State returns home Monday, January 16th, hosting Livingstone College at 5:30 pm in the A.C. Jordan Arena. 15th-RANKED BULLDOGS ROLL TO 97-85 VICTORY OVER FAYETTEVILLE STATE (BOWIE, Md. – January 5, 2012) The 15th ranked Bulldogs of Bowie State University had a tough first half, but pulled away in the final period and rolled to a 97-85 win over the Fayetteville State University. Fayetteville State gave Bowie State all they could handle for a half.  But a brilliant 6-minute stretch spanning the halftime break was enough for the Bulldogs to prevail 97-85 in the CIAA opener for both teams on Thursday night. In a matchup of the CIAA’s top two scoring teams, Bowie State was able to overcome a sterling shooting performance by Fayetteville State’s Jarmel Baxter.  Baxter finished with a game-high 18 points, setting a new career-high for 3-point field goals made in a single game with six. Paced by Baxter’s four triples and 12 points, Fayetteville State (2-6, 0-1 CIAA) trailed just 45-42 at the half. The teams traded the lead several times, with the Broncos recovering from an early seven-point deficit to take a 40-36 edge with 2:41 to go in the half after Tyrrel Tate’s jumper. But Bowie State (9-1, 1-0 CIAA) was only getting started. The game was tied entering the final seconds of the half before senior Jay Gavin buried a deep 3-pointer as the shot clock was winding down to give Bowie State the 3-point advantage, closing the first half on a 9-2 spurt. Gavin added another 3 in the opening minute of the second period while senior Darren Clark put together a three-point play, stretching the Bulldogs’ run to 14-2 and the lead to 51-42 just 67 seconds into the half. In all, the Bulldogs scored 14 unanswered points to open the period, stretching the scoring run to 23-2 for a 59-42 lead just over three minutes into the second half. Fayetteville State managed to recover midway through the period, and on Baxter’s sixth 3-ponter, the Broncos trailed 79-67 with 7:59 remaining. But the Bulldogs, who shot 53 percent from the field for the game, quickly pushed the lead back to 16 to regain control. “A string of second half stops in the second half really helped us pull away”, said third year coach Darrell Brooks.  “When asked about the Bulldogs balance this season, Brooks responded, “We do everything by committee and hopefully that will be the strength for us this year … We have the depth, especially inside.” Gavin and senior Travis Hyman led five Bowie State players in double figures with 16 points apiece. Sophomore Julian Williams and junior Byron Westmorland added 12 points each while junior Dameatric Scott chipped in 11. Tim Plummer added 15 points and seven rebounds for the Broncos while Tate chipped in 13 points and a game-high three steals. Bowie State will take their six-game winning streak on the road, making stops at Winston-Salem State (January 9th), Shaw (January 12th) and Saint Augustine’s (January 14th).  The Bulldogs’ next home contest will take place Monday, January 16th versus Livingstone College.  Game time is set for 7:30 pm in BSU’s A.C. Jordan Arena.

Stretch before you go 'Down the Stretch'

The importance of stretching before a run.

It's always a good idea to begin any aerobic workout, especially a run, with a light bout of walking or light jogging to allow muscles, tendons and other tissues to warm up gradually. Some fitness experts believe that's all you need to do to prepare for a workout--that stretching serves no useful purpose. However, limited joint mobility can predispose you to injury and taking a few minutes to increase flexibility in muscle groups that might be overused cannot hurt. In fact, Research by Peter and Lorna Francis support the use of appropriate flexibility exercise before and after a walking or jogging workout.
There are several types of stretching but they can be placed into two main categories: passive stretching and active stretching. During a passive stretch, the elastic components of the muscle are usually relaxed, and the portion of muscle most likely to be loaded is the connective tissue. The static stretch method is an excellent example of passive stretching. Active stretching has greater effects on the elastic components of the joints. It requires muscle contraction through a range of motion and prepares the muscles, tendons and joints for the functional activities at hand.
Regardless of which stretch you choose to use resist the temptation to rush through the stretching phase of your warm up. Stretches performed improperly and in haste are of little value.

Supplement Review Pyruvate

By I.S.S.A.
Pyruvate is a chemical product of sugar metabolism. A company called Med-Pro Industries owns the patent on pyruvate (does anyone else find the trend of pharmaceutical and supplement companies actually patenting naturally occurring substances disturbing?). Med-Pro licenses out the use of pyruvate to a handful of companies, most notably Twinlab who produce, you guessed it, "Pyruvate Fuel."
Pyruvate is marketed, overmarketed if you ask me, as a dietary supplement with claims that it will increase fat and weight loss. This is reportedly accomplished through an increase in metabolic rate, brought on by supplementing with pyruvate, and a coinciding increase in fat utilization.
While I would agree with those commentators (like Bill) who have called for more research to be done on pyruvate before such bold claims are put forward, I would actually go a step further and advise you to be very skeptical about this supplement. Here's why:
The hype being pushed by the makers and distributors of pyruvate are based on claims that stem from some very dubious studies.
The main human study that pyruvate's fat and weight loss claims are derived from has significant limitations. First, the studies exclusively involved women classified as morbidly obese who were isolated in hospital wards for 3 weeks, virtually confined to their beds, and on a liquid only diet.
While the group taking pyruvate (in very large doses I might add, about 10 times the daily dose people using the supplement get) did lose 48% more fat than the group not taking pyruvate, that 48% was only less than 3 pounds of actual weight (2.86). Remember, these were extremely obese individuals on a liquid diet, not people who are training on a regular basis.
I find the other marketing claims associated with pyruvate to be equally misleading. All in all, I just don't like the way the makers and marketers of pyruvate distort the very limited and inconclusive research that has been done on the product; I'm offended by it.
And to make matters worse, pyruvate is pushed particularly hard on the web and via email marketing. Fitness and the Web are two key elements of my life and my business, so I get a little peeved about things like this. There are a handful of good supplements available that will help you to drop those extra pounds and promote fat loss. I'm convinced that pyruvate is not one of them.

American Beef is Banned in Europe and Much of the Rest of the World

American Beef is Banned in Europe and Much of the Rest of the World In 1989 the European Economic Community (EEC) banned hormone-treated U. S. meat, citing dangers of meat treated with sex hormones. This wasn't a case of typical out-of-control bureaucrats. In fact, European consumers pressured the EEC to take this action on behalf of their health. Ever since, the US Department of Agriculture has been bullying the EEC on unfair trade practices. American farmers view the meat ban as a flimsy excuse to keep out their products. In this case, I think they're mistaken. People shouldn't eat this perverted product, and the Europeans are wise to keep it out. It's not just the Europeans who won't buy American meat. Japan initiated its own ban in 2003. Canada and Australia also refuse our hormone-contaminated meats. The U.S. should join them instead of fighting them. Here's what this stuff can do to you. . . Continued below. . . 3 hidden memory-destroying triggers no one told you about If your memory is not what it used to be, you may have one or more of these 3 factors. Here’s the latest scientific research on how to undo the damage, and get your memory back in as little as 30 days. It’s ironic. Just when you’ve got all this wisdom and experience under your belt, your brain is no longer “old reliable.” You never know when it’s going to trip you up, frustrate you, embarrass you, or make you wonder if you’re starting to lose your marbles. Researchers at Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Duke, UCLA, and other top universities recently discovered three hidden triggers that cause frequent memory lapses and mental decline. They’re the missing link scientists have been seeking for years! And thanks to a new breakthrough, it’s now possible to switch off these hidden triggers—and even reverse years of brain aging. That means you can enjoy a “steel trap” memory, crystal-clear thinking, and laser-like focus—in just 30 days or even less. It all starts with reversing this first hidden trigger… Learn More Now The EU Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures relating to Public Health (SCVPH) confirmed for the third time in 2002 that the use of hormones as cattle growth promoters poses a health risk, in light of a review of 17 studies and other recent scientific data. The committee found no reason to change its previous opinions of 1999 and 2000.1 The SCVPH concluded there's a substantial body of evidence that estradiol, a common hormone used to grow American beef, must be considered a complete carcinogen. This means it both causes tumors to start and promotes the growth of those that already exist. The committee could not establish any safe level of intake for any of the six hormones now used to quickly fatten beef cattle in America.2 An official EU scientific panel released a comprehensive report confirming at least one of the six growth hormones contained in U.S. beef products causes cancer — beyond doubt.3 They further stated that all the banned hormones are thought to cause a variety of health problems or diseases… including cancer, developmental problems, immunological breakdown, brain disease, and others. A critical point made by the EU report was that exposure to even small levels of hormone residue in meat and meat products carries some risk. Drug abuse in the cattle industry An estimated 90 percent4 of all beef slaughtered in the U.S. is loaded up with hormones before it goes to the butcher and onto your plate. Today's six most common hormones in the beef industry are estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, plus the synthetic hormones melengesterol, trenbolone or zeranol. Producers place hormone-releasing pellets under a cow's ear when it first enters the feedlot, and then again 50 days later. In another 50 days or less, it's slaughtered. Worse yet… injection into the muscle is a lucrative and common practice, although it's against the law. In the commercial cattle industry, the aim is to add as much weight to the animals as fast as possible. These hormones speed up weight gain and increase profits by $80 per cow. It takes less time for the cow to get fat enough for slaughter and the cow consumes less food along the way. Conventionally raised beef calves grow from 80 pounds to 1,200 pounds in a period of just 14 months. Calves are fed or implanted with various drugs and hormones, grain and protein supplements… in order to, as the beef industry states, "promote efficient growth".6 All approved implant products have a zero-day withdrawal… meaning the meat is considered safe to eat any time after the animal is treated. Here's the rub, though… Hormones are natural chemicals that control processes in your body. But they function optimally within a very small range of delicate balance. Any small imbalance of even a single hormone can lead to staggering health problems. What the cattle eat is what you eat, too. You're just the next step up on the food chain. And beware… These hormones do not disappear when they hit your plate — or your stomach There are indications that these hormones don't just disappear when they hit your plate — or your stomach. So the questions you must ask yourself are… If hormones are so "safe" why are there so many restrictions on medicating humans with hormones… while medicating cows with them is not only permissible but standard? Furthermore, if high estrogen is so "safe", then why is there such a strong link between excess estrogen and cancers of the breast and prostate? It's worth noting that the only USDA imposed requirement on safety of hormonal meat is that it be less than one percent of a child's daily hormonal production. Yet, a single ear implant of Synovex-S, a combination of estradiol and progesterone, spiked estradiol levels in various meat products up to 20-fold higher than normal. Samuel Epstein, M.D., environmental cancer expert, states that an eight-year-old boy eating two hamburgers in one day would be exposed to enough estradiol to increase his body's levels of the hormone by 10 percent. It's about like giving your children birth control pills. And it gets worse. Due to their high hormone levels, cows are more likely to get sick with mastitis and other illnesses requiring antibiotics. So not only are you eating hormones, but you're also ingesting high amounts of antibiotics. Irresponsible use of antibiotics has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a very serious threat. Déjà vu…? Where have we seen this before? Four decades after diethylstilbestrol (DES), a growth-enhancing animal feed additive, was first declared carcinogenic (1938), it was finally banned in 1979. Why it took forty long years for a known carcinogen to be banned is beyond the scope of this article. But it should prompt us to be skeptical of the current notion that these six newer growth hormones are safe for us to eat day in and day out. Immediately after banning DES, the meat industry switched to its current six carcinogenic additives — particularly the "natural" sex hormones estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone. Epstein cites the link between spiking cancer rates and a lifetime of exposure to dangerous dietary residues from carcinogenic feed additives. Deliberate poisoning and your likelihood of cancer The abuse of these hormones has grown side by side with the rapidly escalating incidence of reproductive cancers in the U.S. Since 1950, there's been a 55% increase for breast cancer, 120% for testicular cancer, and 190% for prostate cancer.7 (Full disclosure: Other reports cite different rates of increase in these cancers.) Sex hormones elevate levels of IGF-1 (insulin growth factor-1) — linked to prostate, breast and colon cancer. A Washington University (St. Louis) 2006 study found that healthy vegetarian men have much lower IGF-1 levels than endurance athletes of the same weight who eat meat.8 The World Health Organization also warned that dietary factors account for at least 30 percent of all cancers in Western countries. And researchers found that people who avoid meat are much less likely to develop cancer. Large studies in England and Germany also confirmed that vegetarians were about 40% less likely to develop cancer.9 A 2004 study discovered that men with high IGF-1 have a 50% higher prostate cancer risk, and high IGF-1 women have a 65% higher breast cancer risk than women with lower IGF-1 levels.10 Moreover, American women have a stunning five-fold greater risk of breast cancer than do women in countries that ban hormonal beef.11 Mountains of evidence for a cancer connection The Europeans, Japanese, and Australians have done a great deal of research and have labeled hormonal meat a definite carcinogen. It's been well established since the 1980's that the cattle hormone estradiol causes gene damage and cancer in rodents which relates to breast and uterine cancer in women.12 Australian researcher Mike Waters, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, published a review in the American journal Endocrinology in 2007, supporting the claims of consumers that meat injected with growth hormones could lead to cancer. He cited numerous studies connecting cancer with the practice of eating growth-hormone-treated meat. Studies also find that inhibiting growth hormones helps "reduce both size and number of tumors." Here's what to do if you don't want to become a vegetarian Since the government doesn't seem to get it, take charge yourself. Switch to organic meat! I believe that many people are not served well by vegetarianism, and need higher dietary protein levels. I favor moderate consumption of meat — and only hormone-free and antibiotic-free meat. There's a theory of metabolic types — some people thrive on meat, others get sick on it. We'll discuss this in a future issue. But even if you're the metabolic type that needs high protein, you should eat only the healthy kind. If you're ready to make the switch to hormone-free, antibiotic-free meat, there's good news! In response to consumer demand, organic livestock in the U.S. bolted from 18,513 in 1997… to 196,506 in 2005. Producers must show through solid documentation that meat has had no hormones or no antibiotics if they want to use "no hormone" or "no antibiotic" labels. The organic label cannot be used if there are any hormones or antibiotics involved. Hormone-free meat poses fewer health risks and is also better for the environment and animal health. Although it may be more expensive than conventional red meat, the price reflects its true production costs. It's not a rip-off — it costs more to raise. A couple of labeling tricks you should know about: For meat to be organic it must carry the organic label. Meats labeled "hormone-free", "all-natural", "grass fed" or "free range" may not necessarily be organic. At the same time, "organic" animals are not necessarily free range or grass fed. Organic regulations only require that animals have access to the outdoors. Your healthiest meat is that which is both free range and organic. Here's a money-saving trick If you can't afford organic for every food you eat, choose the ones that give you the biggest benefit over conventional. Consumer Reports regards organic meat as one of those foods. Here's how to save on organic grass fed beef. First, shop around, because prices on organic foods can vary greatly. Even better… buy organic grass fed beef from a nearby farmer. This tends to be less expensive and also reduces your carbon footprint. As a bonus, the meat is much more fresh. Plus, you're supporting local community businesses, and you can check out how it's raised. I'm a big fan of farmer's markets. I can't swear the meat is always cheaper, but the other advantages outweigh the cost. Check out these websites: www.localharvest.org and http://www.realmilk.com/where2.html for sources of organic, grass-fed beef in your area. There are also national providers who will ship to you, if you're unsuccessful in finding something local. If you can swing the upfront cost, consider getting a quarter, half, or whole cow butchered to your specifications, generally at less cost per pound. You do need a large freezer. But the savings from buying in bulk are considerable. Having a supply in your home will lessen emergency trips to the grocery store, as well as the temptation to patronize that place with the golden arches, and others like it.

Asthma and Dehydration don't mix!

 

Dehydration Worsens Exercise-Induced Asthma

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)--With the return of hot weather, a word of warning to people with asthma: Dehydration can cause bronchospasm, a constriction or "tightening" of lung airways. And dehydration can make asthma brought on by exercise worse, report researchers.
Lead investigator Paula Maxwell of the University of Buffalo, New York, and colleagues compared airway reactivity after 6 minutes of high-intensity exercise in eight young adults with exercise-induced asthma and eight without the condition. Subjects first exercised when fully hydrated and again after 24 hours of voluntary water deprivation.
Hydration status had no effect on lung function in normal subjects, but the study showed that in individuals with exercise-induced asthma, dehydration resulted in a significant decrease in FEV1, a measure of lung function based on the amount of air blown out in one second.
This decline in lung function was evident both before and after exercise in these individuals, the research team reported Friday at the American College of Sports Medicine meeting in Seattle, Washington.
The investigators also noted that the rate of decline in lung function was the same in asthmatics whether they were hydrated or dehydrated, but when dehydrated, asthmatics start out with worse lung function than usual, and therefore experience more breathing problems than when they have enough water on board.
"Asthmatics are more sensitive than non-asthmatics to dehydration, but we need to investigate this condition further to determine how it affects (lung) function," said study co-author Dr. Frank Cerny, associate professor and chair of the University of Buffalo department of physical therapy, exercise, and nutrition sciences.
"The message continues to be, 'Drink fluids whenever you get the chance,'" he added. "If you have asthma, dehydration may make it worse, particularly during exercise."
Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 1999;47:639-646, 755-756.

Tonight on US Sports Radio Its DeMatha High School Basketball: The 10th Ranked Stags take on the Cadets of St. John's in a big conference match-up go www.ussportsentertainment.com to listen live tonight starting at 7:05pm EST

Presented on US Sports Radio By Cancer Defeated

Amazing non-toxic liquid kills cancer cells

Amazing non-toxic liquid kills cancer cells "If I could pick only one treatment to cure my cancer, this would be it," says a top expert on alternative cancer treatments. It's one of the world's most powerful cancer cures, according to research conducted by a scientist at the Detroit Institute of Cancer Research. Click here now and watch a new video presentation about this amazing discovery. Even the mainstream National Cancer Institute has confirmed that this do-it-yourself treatment kills cancer cells. My investigators have been searching for six years, and NO at-home treatment is better, as far as we've been able to confirm -- after looking into more than 400 alternative cancer cures. In fact, it's likely that no treatment anywhere is better, even the ones provided by top alternative cancer doctors. Yet you can purchase this amazing breakthrough over-the-counter without a prescription. A 54-year-old terminal patient named Robert totally got rid of his cancer in six months. Another patient named Arch was told he had only a 15 percent chance to live. He's still alive three years later with "no evidence of cancer in repeated CAT scans." But of course mainstream medicine HATES alternative cures like this one. Click here and watch this important presentation while you still can.

Science is close to a cancer vaccine! Happy New Year!

From Lee Euler, Publisher Cancer Defeated

Super-Charge Your Immune System with The Ultimate "Cancer Vaccine" Here's some long-awaited good news: There's a new cancer "vaccine" that shows significant promise for many types of cancer . AND (I hope you're sitting down) -- it's FDA-approved. Better yet, it doesn't employ drugs, just your own immune system This is a big one! Keep reading. . . 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. It's called Dendritic Cell Therapy, or DC therapy, though most people refer to it as the Dendritic Cell vaccine. In a nutshell, it's an approach to cancer treatment that uses your body's own immune system to fight cancer. There have even been some reports of complete turnarounds, including some late-stage cancer patients — essentially hopeless cases -- who didn't respond to other therapies. But that's not all. Not only is DC therapy a promising treatment for advanced cancer, it also shows promise as a tool to prevent cancer in the first place. If that's the case, we can remove the quote marks around "vaccine," because this will be the real deal. Dendritic cells: What they are and what they do Dendritic cells are a type of immune cell found in mammals. Their role is to recognize and attack foreign antigens. They function as a messenger cell or information carrier that helps activate a type of immune system cell called T cells, giving the T cells the capacity to be aware of threats to the body. Once alerted to danger, the killer T cells circulate throughout the body to destroy the foreign invaders. Dendritic cells are present in the skin and other tissues that have contact with the external environment, such as the lining of the nose, lungs, and stomach. They exist in an immature state in the blood. But although they're extremely powerful, dendritic cells don't occur in big numbers in the body. At any rate, there aren't enough of them to prompt a significant immune response to cancer. Dendritic Cell Therapy changes that. It boosts the number of dendritic cells in the body so there are more messengers to activate killer T cells to attack invading cancer cells. "Most wanted" posters for the immune system Cancer treatment vaccines as a whole are designed to activate B cells and killer T cells. They alert those cells to the foreign invader (cancer). Vaccines, which are usually administered by injection, do this by introducing antigens into your body. An antigen is an agent that provokes an immune system response. It's basically something that "isn't you" and may be harmful. An antigen may be a protein, or some other type of molecule found either inside or on the surface of a cell. Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells. They basically serve as messengers between the innate immune system (your body's first line of defense) and the adaptive immune system, which remembers pathogens (i.e. germs) that it's seen before, and mounts ever stronger attacks against them. This part of the immune system is called "adaptive" because it's the body's system for preparing for future challenges, not merely for the antigens it's seeing now. Imagine your home is invaded by a burglar, but you're able to scare him off. Then you buy a security system for your home, so you're better prepared the next time than you were the first time. That's an adaptive response. Your immune system likewise learns from its encounters with invaders and prepares for the next round. It does this by "remembering" how to tell an invader from a harmless cell. That way it can pick the invader out in a crowd and head right for it. What's the role of dendritic cells in all this? One researcher compared dendritic cells to "most wanted" posters for the immune system,1 since they tell the killer T cells exactly which antigens to go after. Think again of the invader of your home. Imagine you were able to get his picture. Or maybe you already had a security system that captured his image on video. You circulate his picture to the neighbors, so next time he's seen in the neighborhood, he's reported immediately. He never even gets near your house. Now that's a really adaptive response! A glimpse into how the vaccine works To make the dendritic cell vaccine, researchers take a patient's dendritic cells and expose them to immune cell stimulants. This prompts dendritic cell development. After that, the dendritic cells are exposed to antigens from the patient's cancer cells. Think of this as showing all your neighbors a picture of the criminal, so they'll know him if they see him. Then, the combination of dendritic cells and antigens is injected back into the patient. From there, the dendritic cells work to program the T cells so they know exactly what to attack. So far, this approach seems to work well for most patients, except those with depressed immune systems. Unfortunately, chemotherapy and radiation depress the immune system. The Dendritic Cell Therapy may also be inappropriate for patients who are pregnant, who suffer from active autoimmune disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis), or who have recently received a blood transfusion. This works on a growing list of cancers… This treatment has some of the biggest players in allopathic medicine nodding their heads. Even the VP of Research at the American Medical Association, Dr. Harmon Eyre, said of Dendritic Cell Therapy, "Patients' responses are far out of proportion to anything that any current therapy could do." Researchers feel immunotherapy with dendritic cells shows a lot of promise even for some of the toughest cancers, such as advanced prostate cancer. Several trials have shown promise in extending survival for prostate cancer patients. Melanoma and kidney cancer appear to respond best, but the vaccine has also shown documented benefit in B cell lymphoma, myeloma, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and renal cell cancer, among others. At least 20 trials are in progress right now, each one examining the effectiveness of Dendritic Cell Therapy on everything from ovarian and lung cancer to Stage IV Melanoma. The best time to attempt Dendritic Cell Therapy appears to be when the disease is stable and the patient isn't going through chemo or radiation, when a patient is at risk of the disease recurring, or when all other options have been exhausted. The future for immunotherapy is bright Some experts predict that dendritic cell vaccines will be used as a stand-alone therapy in the future, at least in some patients. It's also likely to be used in combination with drugs that target suppressor pathways in patients with metastatic cancer (i.e. cancer that has spread beyond its original location). I think the outlook for immunotherapy is very exciting. In Issue 140, I talked to you about the new leukemia treatment that involves T cell "reprogramming." In this approach, all T cells are coded to attack only cancerous cells. From there, they regenerate and keep attacking till the cancer is gone. This news about the Dendritic Cell vaccine is even better, from what I can learn. It's nice to know researchers are at last tapping the true power of the body's natural immune system. One researcher even said these vaccines could possibly lead to the complete prevention of cancer. That's a bright future I'm looking forward to. Meanwhile, take steps on your own, at home, to make sure you never get cancer in the first place. We recommended a good one in the last issue. If you missed it, scroll down and read about it now. Supercharge Your Antioxidant Levels With this Asian Fruit One of the best ways to fight disease and prevent cancer is by keeping your immune system strong, as regular readers of this newsletter know. There are many ways to do that, but one of the most important is to optimize your body's antioxidant defenses. And superoxide dismutase (SOD) is one of the most powerful natural antioxidants your body produces on its own. So it's great news to discover a new, dependable berry that naturally boosts SOD levels and activity in the body. It's called wolfberry. You may also know it as goji. When combined with SOD it makes one of the best health-enhancing, disease-fighting teams I've ever come across. Here's the story. . . 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. In fact, it's likely that NO treatment is better, even the ones provided by top alternative cancer doctors. Yet you can purchase this remarkable breakthrough over-the-counter, without a prescription. 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. Superoxide radicals versus SOD In a moment I'll explain why wolfberry is so valuable to your body. But first you need to know why the SOD made by your own body is so important to your health. You can get an in-depth report in Issue 92, but this is the quick tour: Superoxide is a dangerous radical that wreaks havoc in your cells. A toxic byproduct of oxygen, it causes cellular and tissue damage. Superoxide may even be the instigator in a number of diseases, from cancer to heart disease to neurological issues. Normally, superoxide is kept in check by SOD. SOD works at the molecular level to protect cells and deactivate the superoxide radical. It works to break down free radicals to the point where they're eventually converted into water and oxygen. It essentially shields the body from superoxide radicals. If that's not enough reason to want more SOD in your body, there are other reasons. Scientists now have evidence that SOD deficiencies may be the reason certain people are more likely to get breast and pancreatic cancers. Low SOD levels may also be a major factor in cardiovascular disease. As a health indicator it may be more important than high cholesterol. It boils down to this: Every one of us should make it our goal to improve our SOD levels. After all, not only is SOD linked to protection against chronic illness like cancer, but also to improvement in conditions like arthritis, diabetes, and neurological disorders. SOD may even enhance youthfulness and longevity (makes sense if you consider that aging is believed to be driven by free-radical damage). How to get more SOD in your body The problem with your SOD levels is that they decline dramatically with age. At the same time, aging usually brings about unwanted health issues as a result of free radical damage. Elevated SOD levels in the body have been shown to help protect against damage to skin, lipids (fats), and even DNA. High SOD levels also help relieve ailments like pain and inflammation, along with protecting against the diseases I already mentioned — diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative problems. The problem to date has been in creating a reliable SOD supplement from food sources. Taking oral formulations of SOD is tricky because the compound has a fragile molecular structure and can't hold up to stomach acids. SOD gets dismantled when it gets to your stomach. This presents a challenge because SOD needs to reach your colon to be properly absorbed into your bloodstream. That's where oral formulations like GliSODin® come in. Issue 127 carried an in-depth report about GliSODin®. It's a nutritional supplement made of cantaloupe extract and gliadin. The cantaloupe has high levels of SOD, and the gliadin is a wheat protein that acts as a carrier for the SOD, shielding it from stomach acids and digestive enzymes so it can travel intact to the absorptive colon. Why wolfberry works well with SOD The new research I'm excited about shows that the Chinese herb wolfberry can enhance SOD activity throughout your body. Not only that, but it appears to restore SOD levels to those you had when you were younger. Wolfberry is an edible fruit, rich in potent antioxidants and native to southeastern Europe and Asia. The tiny fruit is packed with nutrients like beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, B1, B2, niacin, lutein, and zeaxanthin. It also contains over 30 essential and trace minerals, including iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc. On top of that, the wolfberry boasts 18 different amino acids, such as tryptophan and arginine. It's also claimed that wolfberry has a number of therapeutic benefits, including improvement in visual health, protection against diabetes, enhanced eyesight, improved sexual function for males, and a longer, healthier life span. The antioxidant ability of this herb probably comes from its unique combination of carotenoids, vitamin C, and phenolics. But along with that, scientists suspect the antioxidant effects of the berry trace back to its synergy with SOD. By accelerating the biochemical reactions that allow SOD to tackle oxidative stress in the body, wolfberry gives SOD an improved playing field, so to speak. In turn, by neutralizing superoxide radicals, SOD curbs inflammation and degenerative disease. In one experiment, researchers examined the effect of wolfberry on oxygen-deprived participants. Those who received wolfberry showed higher levels of SOD activity and antioxidant capacity than those who didn't get any wolfberry. While this demonstrates a positive association between wolfberry and protection against ischemia (lack of oxygen), it also emphasizes the synergistic relationship between wolfberry and SOD. This one looks like it's worth a try It looks like your best bet is to combine orally available SOD with wolfberry. Do this, and you'll give your body one of the best known, natural boosts in overall health and disease-resistance. But like a lot of herbal remedies, don't expect a miracle overnight. Good health is a matter of steady effort and wise decisions. That said, some report a boost in energy and a decrease in medical problems after taking wolfberry and oral-SOD together for as little as a week.

Washington D.C. Area Sports Update 12/31/2011

Bowie State University entered the game as the 15th ranked team in the country and came away with an 84-78 home win over Goldey-Beacom College...Hokies Have a History in the Sugar Bowl (BOWIE, Md. – December 30, 2011)  Bowie State University entered the game as the 15^th ranked team in the country and came away with an 84-78 home win over Goldey-Beacom College after a 12-day layoff.  The victory improves Bowie State’s overall record to 8-1 while Goldey-Beacom drops to 5-5.  The win was Bowie State’s fifth in a row and keeps their home streak alive at 14 since the end of the 2009 season.  

“I thought they (Goldey-Beacom) was sharper than we were … I thought we didn’t defend like we’re capable of for most of the game, but we’re happy to get the victory”, said third year BSU head coach Darrell Brooks.  Playing for the first time in 12 days, Brooks said, “With these long gaps between games, we don’t have a game rhythm yet but I’m sure we’ll get that by mid-January.”

Bowie State started slow but took its first lead at 9-7 at the 14:55 mark of the first period on a 3-pointer by senior Darren Clark.  Back-to-back layups by Goldey-Beacom’s Tariq Uqdah and Ido Yehudo shifted the advantage back over to the Lightning.  Bowie State junior Byron Westmorland answered with a layup of his own to tie the game at 11-11 and a short jumper by junior Najee White put the Bulldogs back in front.

The lead would change hands three more times of the next 12 plus minutes before an Uqdah jumper sent Goldey-Beacom into halftime with a 38-36 lead.

Goldey-Beacom hit 13-of-25 field goals (52 percent) over the first 20 minutes, which included 4-of-8 beyond the 3-point line.  The Lightning also made 8 of their 11 first half free throws.

Bowie State ended the first half with a 48 percent field goal percentage (13-of-27), which included 6-of15 triples.

The Lightning took their largest lead of the night at 42-36 until a Westmorland 3-pointer trimmed the BSU deficit to 44-43 by the 16:45 mark of the second half.  Goldey-Beacom held off Bowie State until a thunderous dunk by Bulldogs senior Travis Hyman tied the game for the ninth time.

A twisting jumper in the paint by junior Bryan Wilson gave the advantage back to Bowie State for good at 66-64 with 6:39 left to play.  The Bulldogs went on an 11-3 run over the next four minutes to take its largest lead of the contest at 77-67, with just over two minutes left to play.

Bowie State improved their shooting percentage in the second half, hitting 16-of-27 field goals (62 percent), including 4-of-5 behind the 3-point line.  The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards, outrebounding the Lightning 36-28 and forced the guests into 19 turnovers.

Clark led the Bulldogs with 22 points and fellow senior Jay Gavin and junior Byron Westmorland added 16 points each for Bowie State.  Hyman rounded out Bowie State’s double figure scorers with 11 points to go along with a game-high four blocked shots and seven rebounds.

            As a team, Bowie State shot a season-low 55 percent from the free throw line (16-of-29), compared to 64 percent for Goldey-Beacom (18-of-28). 

A.J. Picard paced the Lightning with team-highs of 21 points nine rebounds and Rich Flemming chipped in 18.  Uqdah contributed 14 points and was second on the team in rebounds with five.

                Bowie State opens (CIAA) conference play – Thursday, January 5^th, hosting the Broncos of Fayetteville State University at 7:30 pm as part of a doubleheader with the Lady Bulldogs.

Hokies Have a History in the Sugar Bowl
by Chris Coleman, TechSideline.com, TSLMail #517, December 30, 2011
The Hokies will make their fourth trip to New Orleans since 1995 when they take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday night. Tech fans certainly have some bittersweet memories of past Sugar Bowls. There have been some great moments in the Superdome for Virginia Tech, as well as some oh-so-close moments.
1995 vs. Texas
Virginia Tech was a heavy underdog back in 1995 against the Texas Longhorns. The Hokies won the Big East, but they weren't respected on a national level. Texas was 10-1-1 and champions of the Southwestern Conference (SWC), in its last season of existence. Texas featured the vaunted "BMW" backfield of quarterback James Brown, tailback Shon Mitchell and fullback (and future Heisman Trophy winner) Ricky Williams.
Despite falling behind 10-0, a punt return for a touchdown before halftime by Bryan Still gave the Hokies new life, and Tech went on to outscore Texas 21-0 in the final two quarters. The "BMW" backfield was held to just 78 rushing yards and averaged only 2.4 yards per carry, mostly because James Brown was sacked five times.
Still was the MVP of the game, catching six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown to go along with his punt return. That game propelled him into the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft.
That game was, and remains to this day, the biggest bowl win in the history of the program. It's arguably the biggest overall win as well, only rivaled by the 1995 victory over the Miami Hurricanes, which propelled the Hokies to the Sugar Bowl. It was a great ending to the season, which had not looked promising after an 0-2 start.
Other game notes:

• Tech outgained Texas 371 to 226
• The Hokies gained only 105 yards on the ground, but threw for 266
• Tight end Bryan Jennings caught six passes for 77 yards

1999 vs. Florida State

Many of you left the Superdome on New Year's Eve in 1995 thinking that things would never get any better. If you did, you were wrong. Just four years later, Virginia Tech ran the table behind freshman phenom Michael Vick and faced #1 Florida State in the Sugar Bowl for the National Championship.
The game couldn't have started any worse for Virginia Tech. Vick turned the wrong way on an option at the FSU one yard line, and fumbled the ball away. The Noles went on to take a 28-7 lead, though the Hokies managed to make it a 28-14 game at halftime.
Though they were down, Virginia Tech was not out. The Hokies dominated the third quarter, taking a 29-28 lead into the final stanza. However, starting cornerbacks Anthony Midget and Ike Charlton missed the fourth quarter with injuries, and r-freshman Ronyell Whitaker and r-sophomore Larry Austin stood no chance against All-American wide receiver Peter Warrick and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Chris Weinke. Tech lost 46-29.
Other game notes:

• Tech outgained FSU 503 to 359
• Tech sacked Chris Weinke four times
• Shyrone Stith got hurt in the second quarter and never returned. He had 11 carries for 69 yards
• Florida State returned a punt for a TD and blocked a punt for a TD

2004 vs. Auburn

2004 was a special season, as the Hokies won the ACC in their first season in the league. Their reward was another Sugar Bowl trip and a meeting with undefeated Auburn, the #3 team in the country. They were left out of the National Championship Game because USC and Texas were also undefeated.
That was a very talented Auburn team that featured three first round draft picks on offense: quarterback Jason Campbell and tailbacks Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams. On defense, cornerback Carlos Rogers was a first round pick. That team also featured Jay Ratliff at defensive tackle, who has been a Pro Bowler for the Cowboys for the last four seasons.
The Hokies performed very well defensively, limiting Auburn to just 299 yards of total offense. The Tigers' outstanding backfield was held to only 110 rushing yards and 2.6 yards per carry. Unfortunately, the Tech offense dropped a touchdown pass and the Hokies missed a 23 yard field goal. That resulted in a 16-13 loss.
The Hokies played very well against Auburn, but in the end they shot themselves in the foot with missed opportunities.
Other game notes:

• Tech outgained Auburn 375 to 299
• Bryan Randall threw for 299 yards and also led the team with 45 rushing yards
• Tech had 10 tackles for loss as a team
• Jimmy Williams had 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception

2011 vs. Michigan
Texas, Florida State, Auburn, and now Michigan. Every time the Hokies get a Sugar Bowl invite, they are matched up with a high-profile team. As a fan, it's fun. Virginia Tech has a great opportunity to knock off one of the most tradition-rich programs in the history of college football. It will be a major challenge, but if the Hokies succeed it will be remembered as one of the best wins in school history.