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Alkalizing hit MAINSTREAM ... so predictable.


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#1 calmcookie

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Posted 18 March 2006 - 06:41 PM

I haven't looked in a bookstore for awhile (get most books online or use libraries) .... but looked the other day at 2 stores and there's no doubt that the concept of alkalizing is beginning to hit mainstream. Books galore on the topic. Same thing happened to eating low carb. Some people think this is just a fad, but there's far too much scientific support for low carb eating ... it'll never disappear. There will soon be plenty of good evidence for alkalizing. The truth always wins ... even though it can take 10 years or more. Now food company's will have to start getting on the alkalizing bandwagon, the same way they've pathetically tried to get on the low carb kick. Maybe people will eventually just eat real, whole food, instead of over packaged, over processed junk. Best to all, C.C. :)

#2 pistol_pete

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Posted 18 March 2006 - 09:56 PM

I haven't looked in a bookstore for awhile (get most books online or use libraries) .... but looked the other day at 2 stores and there's no doubt that the concept of alkalizing is beginning to hit mainstream. Books galore on the topic. Same thing happened to eating low carb. Some people think this is just a fad, but there's far too much scientific support for low carb eating ... it'll never disappear. There will soon be plenty of good evidence for alkalizing. The truth always wins ... even though it can take 10 years or more. Now food company's will have to start getting on the alkalizing bandwagon, the same way they've pathetically tried to get on the low carb kick.

Maybe people will eventually just eat real, whole food, instead of over packaged, over processed junk.

Best to all, C.C. :)


Let's hope CC

I appreciate your posts

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#3 calmcookie

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Posted 19 March 2006 - 08:45 PM

Thanks PP, I just got back from the hosptial and talked to a dietitian there (I thought she was a die hard conservative) ... and even she has begun to come around to alkalizing. She had her own personal health issues and started to read more about this topic. People become converts when they experience significant changes in their own health outcomes ... as I did. Fascinating to watch the gradual acceptance of new ideas (especially by the so-called "experts" in the field). I really admire those who can keep an open mind and are not trapped in conventional thinking. Best to all, C.C.

Edited by calmcookie, 19 March 2006 - 08:46 PM.


#4 maineman

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Posted 20 March 2006 - 08:34 AM

Acid/Alkaline Theory of Disease Is Nonsense
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#5 snorkels4

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Posted 20 March 2006 - 10:04 PM

While sugar is acid-forming, xylitol is """alkaline""" enhancing. All other forms of sugar, including sorbitol, another popular alternative sweetener, are six-carbon sugars, which feed dangerous bacteria and fungi. AND: Xylitol is not only a safe, natural sweetener without the bad side-effects of sugar and artificial substitutes, it's also good for your teeth, stabilizes insulin and hormone levels, and promotes good health. Americans have a mighty hankering for sugar. It seems that we just can't get enough of the stuff. On average, a half a cup of sugar is consumed per person every day. It is estimated that the average American eats, drinks, slurps, stirs, and sprinkles about 150 pounds of it annually. Never in modern history has a culture consumed so much sugar. Sugar truly does deserve its reputation as a "white poison". Thinking of sugar as a food is really a stretch of the imagination, because it is more a chemical that is difficult for our bodies to utilize and digest. Humans were really not designed to eat large amounts of sugar in whatever form it may take: white and brown, corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, maltose, barley malt, honey, rice syrup, and maple syrup. Sugar is also highly seductive, acting like an addictive drug that lures even the most well-intentioned person back into its sweet clutches. According to Chinese wisdom, sweetness is one of the flavors necessary for maintaining balance in the body. [Editor's note: The concept of sweetness" referred to here likely means alkalinity, as in the acid-alkaline balance within the body that was a major topic of Edgar Cayce's medical discourses while in trance. In that respect, Cayce's wisdom would agree with the ancient Chinese wisdom-but the advice is actually OPPOSITE the implied conclusion. That is, you want to eat ACIDIC things, like citrus, to produce an alkaline REACTION in the body to keep it slightly on the "sweet" side. This matter has long been a subject of obvious confusion for Cayce readers,who often "get it backwards" until they understand the actual reactions of body chemistry he was talking about. And that same concept is likely what the ancient Chinese medical wisdom meant by "sweetness" within the body.] But regularly eating large amounts of sugar will cause serious harm. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia and weight gain, leading to diabetes and obesity in both children and adults. It leaches the body of vital minerals and vitamins. It raises blood pressure, triglycerides, and the bad cholesterol (LDL), increasing the risk of heart disease. It causes tooth decay and periodontal disease, which leads to tooth loss and systemic infections. It makes it difficult for a child's brain to learn, resulting in a lack of concentration. Both children and adults exhibit disruptive behavior, learning disorders, and forgetfulness from sugar consumption. It initiates auto-immune and immune deficiency disorders such as arthritis, allergies, and asthma. It also upsets hormonal balance and supports the growth of cancer cells. So what are we to do? Will our sugar cravings always hold us hostage, or is there really a way to lick the sugar habit successfully? Xylitol To The Rescue! During World War II, Finland was suffering from an acute sugar shortage. With no domestic supply of sugar, the Finns searched for an alternative. It was then that the Finnish scientists rediscovered xylitol, a low-calorie sugar made from birch bark. It had, in fact, been known to the world of organic chemistry since it was first manufactured in 1891 by a German chemist. By 1930, xylitol had been purified, but it wasn't until World War II that the sugar shortages forced researchers to look at alternative sweeteners. It was only when xylitol was stabilized that it became a viable sweetener in foods. It was also during this time that researchers discovered xylitol's insulin-independent nature. (It metabolizes in the body without using insulin.) By the 1960s, xylitol was being used in Germany, Switzerland, the Soviet Union, and Japan as a preferred sweetener in diabetic diets and as an energy source for infusion therapy in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance. Since then, many other countries, including Italy and China, have been producing xylitol for use in their domestic markets-and with remarkable health benefits. It has been relatively unknown in the U.S.A. and Australia, primarily because cheap supplies of cane sugar made the more expensive xylitol less economically. viable. Xylitol is a natural substance found in fibrous vegetables and fruit, as well as in corn cobs and various hardwood trees like birch. It is a natural, intermediate product which regularly occurs in the glucose metabolism of man and other animals, as well as in the metabolism of several plants and micro-organisms. Xylitol is produced naturally in our bodies; in fact, we make up to 15 grams daily during normal metabolism. Although xylitol tastes and looks exactly like sugar, that is where the similarities end. Xylitol is really sugar's mirror image. While sugar wreaks havoc on the body, xylitol heals and repairs. It also builds immunity, protects against chronic degenerative disease, and has anti-aging benefits. Xylitol is considered a five-carbon sugar, which means it is an antimicrobial, preventing the growth of bacteria. While sugar is acid-forming, xylitol is alkaline enhancing. All other forms of sugar, including sorbitol, another popular alternative sweetener, are six-carbon sugars, which feed dangerous bacteria and fungi. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1963, xylitol has no known toxic levels. The only discomfort that some sensitive people may notice initially when. taking large amounts is mild diarrhea or slight cramping. Since the body makes xylitol daily, as well as the enzymes to break it down, any discomfort usually disappears within a few days as the body's enzymatic activity adjusts to a higher intake. Xylitol has 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbohydrates than sugar and is slowly absorbed and metabolised, resulting in very negligible changes in insulin. About one-third of the xylitol that is consumed is absorbed in the liver. The other two-thirds travels to the intestinal tract, where it is broken down by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids. Xylitol looks, feels, and tastes exactly like sugar, and leaves no unpleasant aftertaste. It is available in many forms. In its crystalline form, it can replace sugar in cooking, baking, or as a sweetener for beverages. It is also included as an ingredient in chewing gum, mints, and nasal spray. Xylitol And Oral Health Tooth decay and gum disease are serious problems. According to the American Dental Association, 75% of American adults over the age of 35 suffer from some form of periodontal disease.1 Needless to say, diet plays a major role in dental heath. When there is an excess of sugar in the diet, this weakens the immune system and creates an acidic environment; thus oral health suffers. The mouth is home to over 400 strains of bacteria. Most of these are benign, but when sugar enters the scene, it feeds the destructive strains, allowing them to proliferate. Periodontal disease is basically caused by bacteria. These deposits permit the growth of bacteria that cause inflammation of the gums. The bacteria also release minute amounts of toxins that break down guru tissue, thereby helping the infection to progress. Plaque is an invisible, sticky film of saliva and food residue that constantly forms on the teeth. Ongoing low-grade bacterial infection also burdens the immune system. Bacteria help to create plaque and they also thrive within it. Unless removed, plaque formed along the gum-line can lead to gum disease. When left untreated, plaque at or below the gum line hardens into tartar. Periodontal disease takes two forms: simple gum inflammation, called gingivitis, and a more severe gum infection, called periodontitis, which may lead to tooth loss and receding gums. Gingivitis results from the build-up of plaque and tartar which irritate the gum or periodontal tissue. The more advanced state of gum disease, periodontitis, occurs when inflammation of the gums is accompanied by bone and ligament destruction. Bleeding gums are usually the first indication that gum disease is developing, but obvious symptoms may not always be present. Gum infection can also lead to other serious health problems. It doubles the risk of stroke, triples the risk of heart attack, increases the incidence of premature, low-weight babies, and also contributes to bronchitis, pneumonia, and emphysema. In fact, the same bacteria that cause gum disease end up either directly or indirectly infecting your heart and arteries. A study conducted at the University of Minnesota in 1998 found that rabbits injected with tooth plaque developed blood clots which led to heart disease. 2 It seems that the bacteria first attack the bones and gums in the mouth and then enter the bloodstream through small cracks in the gums. Eating sugar causes tooth decay by creating a highly acidic condition in the mouth. Acidity strips tooth enamel of minerals, causing it to weaken and making it more vulnerable to attack by bacteria, leading to tooth decay or demineralization. Ordinarily, saliva bathes the mouth with an alkaline solution that neutralizes all acidity and actually remineralizes the teeth. Saliva also washes away leftover bits of food and helps the digestion process. But when saliva turns acidic because of too many sweets, bacteria in the mouth have a feeding frenzy. These nasty bacteria, along with carbohydrate waste, stick to the teeth and tongue and hold the acid close to the teeth where it eats away enamel. Virtually whatever food you ingest, the remaining particles become food for plaque-producing bacteria. Using xylitol helps to raise plaque pH, thereby reducing the time that teeth are exposed to damaging acids, as well as starving harmful bacteria of their food source. Xylitol is a dentist's dream. It reverses all these destructive effects of sugar on oral health. Xylitol is non-fermentable and therefore cannot be converted to acids by oral bacteria, thus it helps to restore a proper alkaline/acid balance in the mouth. This alkaline environment is inhospitable to all the destructive bacteria, especially the worst variety, Streptococcus mutans. It also inhibits plaque formation. Using xylitol right before bedtime, after brushing and flossing, protects and heals the teeth and gums. Unlike sugar, it can even be left on the teeth overnight. With proper use, xylitol actually stops the fermentation process leading to tooth decay. Long-term use suppresses the most harmful strains of oral bacteria, making a long-lasting change in those bacterial communities. Xylitol even has the ability to enhance the mineralization of the enamel. It is most effective in treating small decay spots. Although larger cavities won't go away, they can harden and become less sensitive. Consistently using small amounts of xylitol tends to increase protective factors in saliva. Xylitol stimulates saliva flow and helps keep salivary minerals in a useful form. Prolonged xylitol use increases the buffering capacity and protective factors in saliva. Increased saliva production is especially important for people suffering with a dry mouth due to illness, aging, or drug sideeffects. Since the oral environment becomes less acidic with continued xylitol use, it is advisable to chew xylitol gum or suck a xylitol mint after every meal or after eating sweet snacks. The best news is that studies have shown that xylitol's effect is long-lasting and possibly even permanent. Xylitol has recently received positive support in the Journal Of The American Dental Association. "Xylitol is an effective preventive agent against dental caries... Consumption of xylitol containing chewing gum has been demonstrated to reduce caries in Finnish teenagers by 30-60%. Studies conducted in Canada, Thailand, Polynesia, and Belize have shown similar results.... " 3 A study conducted at Harvard School of Dental Medicine concluded that: "Xylitol can significantly decrease the incidence of dental caries." 4 Another unexpected benefit came from a Finnish study which showed that children whose teeth are colonised between 19 and 31 months of age by Streptococcus mutans bacteria are more likely to have a large number of cavities. Most children acquire this bacteria from their mother's saliva through food tasting, sharing cups, and kissing. The study showed a dramatic 70% reduction in tooth decay among children whose mothers chewed xylitol gum.5 Xylitol, however, isn't just for the young. In a paper published in the Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, researchers tested 111 adults, aged 60 and older, over a 12-month period. All were frail but healthy adults. In the study, one group of volunteers chewed no gum, a second chewed gum containing xylitol, and a third group chewed gum containing both xylitol and an antimicrobial. In the two groups receiving gum, the participants chewed two pieces for 15 minutes, two times per day. At the end of the study, the researchers reported that the group who received xylitol gum had substantially lowered their risk of developing thrush, a fungal or yeast infection that can cause mouth soreness. (The group who received xylitol plus the antimicrobial had equal benefits.) It had also reduced their risk of developing angular cheilitis, a condition in which sores develop in the corners of the mouth. The researchers noted that xylitol gum can provide a "real clinical benefit" to frail, elderly people.6 Xylitol And Ear, Nose & Throat Infections Recurring middle-ear infections pose a great health threat to children. Tubes are often inserted into the eardrum in children with these recurring infections to reduce the fluid that is attempting to wash out the infection from the middle ear. Whil this procedure sometimes helps to reduce the frequency of infections, it is also designed to help with hearing. Language, a critical part of learning, is built by auditory input during the first two years of life-the same period when ear infections are most common. If this input is dampened by infection or fluid in the middle ear during this important period, it can cause learning problems. One researcher demonstrated that, even when properly treated, recurrent middle ear infections during the first two years result in significant impairment in reading ability up to the age of nine.7 Another study followed children longer and showed significant learning and social problems extending up to age eighteen.8 One of xylitol's versatile benefits is its ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause middle-ear infections in young children. In two recent studies involving over 1,000 children, xylitolflavored chewing gum was found to reduce the incidence of middle-ear infections by 40%, significantly decreasing ongoing middle-ear complications and the need for antibiotics. Regularly washing the nose with a spray containing xylitol decreases the number of harmful bacteria and stimulates normal defensive washing of this area. A clean nose reduces problems with allergies and asthma that originate from nasal irritants and pollutants. Current research shows how bacteria attach to cells in the body, causing infection. Some sugars like xylitol are known to be able to interfere with this binding, blocking the attachment of the major infection-causing bacteria that live in the nose. Dr. Lon Jones, a physician in Plainsview, Texas, reported that the use of a xylitol nasal spray in his practice prevented 93% of ear infections and resulted in comparable reductions in sinus infections, allergies, and asthma.9 Xylitol has been shown to be effective in inhibiting Candida Albicans, a serious systemic yeast problem, and other harmful gut bacteria including H. Pylori, implicated in periodontal disease, bad breath, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and even stomach cancer. Xylitol And Osteoporosis Another exciting benefit from xylitol is its role in reversing bone loss. Studies in Finland found that xylitol maintained bone density in rats that had their ovaries removed. Without ovaries, estrogen levels plummeted and so did the bone density in rats that were not given xylitol. However, in the rats that had ovaries removed and were given xylitol, bone density actually increased.10 Another study showed that xylitol was effective in decreasing age-related bone loss in older male rats by 10%. 11 In an unprecedented action, the Finnish researchers made bold recommendations for human application of their studies. They suggested that an effective human dose would be about 40 grams daily. The scientists speculated that xylitol's bone density-enhancing properties are due to its ability to promote intestinal absorption of calcium. Including xylitol in one's diet is certainly an enjoyable way to reap the benefits of greater bone density, along with other health benefits. Xylitol And Insulin Resistance, Diabetes Hypertension, And Hormonal Imbalances Consuming sugar and other refined carbohydrates results in the rapid release of glucose, or blood sugar. In response, the pancreas secretes insulin to usher glucose into the cells, where it is burned for energy. Excess glucose stresses the system, and over time the cells become less responsive to insulin. This condition, known as insulin resistance, is a huge health problem and it is estimated to affect half the American population. Insulin resistance is associated with abnormalities in cholesterol and triglyceride levels, hypertension, increased risk of heart disease, and diabetes. The dramatic rise in type-2 diabetes since the mid-1900s directly coincides with our increased consumption of sugar. One long-term study of more than 65,000 women demonstrated that a high-sugar, low-fibre diet increased the risk of type-2 diabetes by 250%. Another recent study found that excessive intake of sugar was the single most important dietary risk factor for heart disease in women and for men. It has been estimated that sugar intake may account for more than 150,000 premature deaths from heart disease in the United States each year.12 Xylitol has been demonstrated in repeated clinical studies to be very slowly metabolised. In fact, on the glycemic index, which measures how quickly foods enter the bloodstream, sugar is rated at 100 and xylitol at just seven! Xylitol is a natural insulin stabilizer, therefore it causes none of the abrupt rises and falls that occur with sugar. In fact, it actually helps in stopping sugar and carbohydrate cravings. Foods sweetened with xylitol will not raise insulin levels. This makes it a perfect sweetener for people with diabetes as well as those wanting to lose weight. There is a growing consensus amongst anti-aging researchers that maintaining low insulin levels is a key to a successful anti-aging program. Insulin resistance also plays a significant role in hormonal imbalances, including those that lead to breast cancer. High insulin levels increase the production of estrogens, leading to an estrogen-dominant condition, and also interfere with healthy ovarian function. Insulin resistance is a major cause of a growing hormonal problem called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). PCOS causes the ovaries to become anovulatory, which means that the normal cyclic production of estrogen followed by progesterone either ceases or becomes dysfunctional. Insulin stimulates the ovaries to produce predominantly male hormones, which, in combination with higher insulin and glucose levels, increase weight gain around the waist-a body type that is a risk factor for breast cancer. Signs that the body is being exposed to higher levels of the male hormones include acne, loss of head hair, and an increase in body hair. Lowering insulin levels is crucial for not only treating PCOS but also resolving most other hormonal imbalances, including those leading to breast cancer.13 Dr. John Lee, author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, explains the connection between insulin resistance and breast cancer: "Overeating junk food makes you fat. Increased body fat and lack of exercise lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to further craving of sugary carbohydrates to generate energy for the body. More insulin is released in response to increased carbohydrate intake, leading to more weight gain. More fat leads to more estrogens, which, in turn, lead to earlier breast development and menstruation. Earlier onset of menstruation leads to more ovulatory cycles and a greater lifetime exposure to estrogens without adequate progesterone. A greater lifetime exposure to estrogens increases breast cancer risk. "Simultaneously, increased consumption of simple carbohydrates, coupled with insulin resistance, leads to polycystic ovaries and lack of ovulation during menstrual cycles, resulting in excess production of androgens and estrogens, along with inadequate production of progesterone. Excessive estrogen production in the absence of progesterone production leads to estrogen dominance and increased breast cancer risk. Use of contraceptive hormones increases insulin resistance, exacerbating all the above problems."14 Using xylitol instead of sugar, as well as reducing intake of high-glycemic, refined carbohydrate foods, helps to lower the risk not only of PCOS but also of ovarian cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, PMS, hot flashes, weight gain, and depression. The Safer Sweetener Increased sugar consumption has bedeviled Western cultures with more and more health problems, many of which are putting an enormous strain on healthcare systems. Finally, there is an answer to our collective prayers for something truly healthy that can also satisfy our sweet tooth. Over 1,500 scientific studies have found that the more you use xylitol, the more you can eliminate sugar cravings, reduce insulin levels, and alkalinize your body. It's a great aid on the way to good health and long life. Imagine never having to feel those twinges of guilt when you bite into a xylitol-sweetened brownie. Or how about increasing your bone density while enjoying your favorite hot drink with two spoonfuls of xylitol crystals, or knowing that xylitol-sweetened chewing gum is preventing cavities and gum disease? With xylitol, you can now have your sweet tooth and treat it, too!
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#6 calmcookie

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Posted 20 March 2006 - 10:31 PM

Thanks for your post. I don't know much about Xylitol ... but will look into it. Am surprised that it's never been mentioned by several doctors and nutritionists that I respect. But, I shall keep an open mind ... and investigate for myself. The only sweetener that seems to be mentioned again and again by people I follow (in this field) is stevia. I've yet to see any reports of negative side effects with stevia. I certainly agree that excess sugar consumption is both addictive and more dangerous than people realize. And DRINKING sugar (via soft drinks, juices, sweetened lattes, milk shakes etc) is especially hazardous. It shoots up our insulin levels and compromises immunity. But, it's addictive. Even I had strawberries and ice cream for desert today ... at least it still has some redeeming nutritional value, plus a low glycemic response (due to the fat in ice cream) and it was delicious ... but I also walked an hour this morning and biked around the lake at 5pm. One can indulge as long as we don't sit on the sofa all day. :P Eating can be both enjoyable and HEALTHY! Best, C.C.

Edited by calmcookie, 20 March 2006 - 10:34 PM.


#7 snorkels4

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Posted 20 March 2006 - 10:49 PM

cc, while youre at it look at my 2 other posts below cryochee :D and dont forget ozoneservices.com ;) AND:: for extra measure-- Nasal xylitol addresses the source of sinus and ear infections, allergies and asthma. These problems all begin with either infections or irritants that are in the back of the nose. Using xylitol stops these problems at their source. What is Xylitol? Xylitol is a sugar alcohol, obtained commercially from wood sugar, xylose. It is a natural substance and the body makes about about 10 grams every day. It is not a drug. It is commonly used as a sugar substitute in many foods, especially chewing gum, because such use prevents tooth decay. Most people are not aware of this benefit because such a claim makes xylitol into a drug, crossing a boundary not allowed by the Food and Drug Administration. Back to top Importance of the Nose The nose is a nidus—a nest where problems begin. The fact that we move about 3000 gallons of air through the nose and into the lungs every day opens it to all kinds of pollution. Harmful bacteria living there move into the ear canal or the sinuses to cause infections; and irritants there are the most common causes of allergies and asthma. We all have a means of cleaning these harmful substances that reduces the chance of getting ill. Now there is away to help this natural process. Cleaning this nest regularly helps to remove infection causing bacteria as well as the irritants that trigger allergies and asthma. Anytime a person has a problem that begins in the nose, cleaning it regularly should be a part of their treatment. Our experience is that it is often the only part needed. Back to top Why Nasal Xylitol Works There are three reasons this spray works as well as it does: * Xylitol decreases the adherence of harmful bacteria to the cells in our nose and selects for bacteria that cause fewer infections. * The concentration of xylitol stimulates our own defensive washing of the nose. * The xylitol decreases the concentration of salt in the airway surface fluid which helps our own antibiotic substances there to be more effective—the problem with saline. All of these are totally new concepts in medical practice. But they are concepts whose time has come because they provide a safe and reasonable option to some of the major health problems that we now face with infections and allergies. Each of these concepts is discussed in the following three sections, with links to more detailed information and references. Back to top Why Nasal Xylitol Works on Infections The most common and accepted way of dealing with bacteria is to kill them with antibiotics. But we have to use the more expensive and potent newer antibiotics because the bacteria have become resistant to the earlier generations of antibiotics. The more antibiotics we use the more problems we have with resistant bacteria. THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS FACING US TODAY AS WE DEAL WITH INFECTIONS. WE NEED OTHER OPTIONS—AND WE HAVE THEM, BUT THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MONEY FOR OUR PROFIT ORIENTED HEALTH CARE SYSTEM SO THERE IS NO MOTIVE FOR STUDYING THEM AND FEW PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEM. Before bacteria can cause an infection they have to be able to attach to our body. What they hold on to are specific sugars or sugar complexes that are on the surfaces of our cells. Putting these sugars, or other similar looking sugars, in with the bacteria fills up their binding sites and decreases the ability of bacteria to hold on to our body's cells. Xylitol is a sugar alcohol that does this for several problem causing bacteria. Feeding xylitol regularly to the bacteria that normally live in the back of our noses reduces their numbers and has actually been shown to tame some bacteria so that they cause fewer problems. This section also discusses the use of mannose in preventing urinary infections. Taming bacteria is a better idea than killing them. Find out why. Back to top Why Nasal Xylitol Works on Allergies ALLERGIES AND ASTHMA BEGIN FROM IRRITANTS IN THE NOSE. WHY NOT HELP WASH THEM OUT? The second idea of helping with our defensive washing is also new. * A runny nose is our body's attempt to clean irritants from the nose. * The increases we have experienced in airway problems, both infectious and allergenic, coincide with our harmful use of drugs that block our normal defensive nasal cleaning. * Stimulating this defensive nasal washing is a better idea than blocking it; and * Supporting other defenses is also a more healthy approach. * Allergies and asthma are triggered by irritants in the nose. Regularly clearing these irritants removes the triggers and reduces the problems. HELPING OUR DEFENSES—THE PROBLEM WITH SALINE. Covering the cells in our airway, underneath the mucus, is the airway surface fluid. For places where the mucus is not present, or not working adequately, there are several substances in this fluid that, separately and together, work against bacteria. These substances are salt sensitive; that is the higher the salt concentration, the less they work. A center for work on these defenses is at the University of Iowa, where they are looking at what xylitol does to help this process. If this is really so good why don't more people know about it? First of all, the word is getting out. This product was recently (April, 2004) named the number one new product in health food stores in the United States. That's not bad for the fourth year of business with no media advertising. Thanks!! to those users who have spread the word. More on how we should help our defenses as well as what we can do to create a better and more affordable health care system can be found at a companion web site, Common Sense Medicine. Back to top How We Got Started My granddaughter's ear infections, and her grandmother's understandable panic, were the stimulus for first making this spray. Chewing xylitol sweetened gum four times a day reduces ear infections by about 40%, but she was too young to chew gum. The xylitol works on the bacteria, bacteria that live in the nose before they move into the ear. I thought it prudent to put it where the bacteria are. Using xylitol nasally lets you use about 200 times less than orally and reduced ear infections in my practice by 93%. This section also explains why these infections are associated with learning problems and should be of interest to all parents and primary teachers. Read my dealings with the FDA regarding this spray. Back to top Xylitol Use In my experience the biggest problem with this spray is that people use it, get better, then forget about it. Pretty soon they are back with the same problems. If you get better don't use it as much, but regular sustained use, at least twice a day, with more when you feel a problem, is the best way to avoid them. Cleaning the nose is just like washing hands — it needs to be done regularly — and xylitol is soap for the nose. To use the spray tilt the head forward, put the tip of the bottle into one side of the nose, aim the upright bottle at the back of the head, inhale briskly (sniff) and spray at the same time. Do the same with the other side of the nose. Parents should assist children with this until they can do it themselves. (Make sure you can see a spray when they squeeze the bottle.) Infants who can't cooperate by sniffing should be laid down after spraying so the solution goes to the back of the nose where it is more effective. I recommend spraying infant's and toddler's noses with every diaper change. Back to top Where to Purchase Xylitol First of all ask at your local health food store. Most of them have heard about it and it is rapidly becoming the single best selling item at our countries health food stores. If they haven't heard of it print out some of the material here and educate them. You or they can order some by calling Xlear, Inc., toll-free 1 (877) 599-5327 within the US (they can also tell you about the gum with xylitol). Xlear also maintains a web site at www.xlear.com, and for those in the UK they are at www.xlear.co.uk. Several other sites are available through the Internet by searching on "xylitol" and "nose". Back to top The spray described in these pages is not a drug. This means that the people manufacturing this spray cannot advertise what the spray does to prevent disease and illness. The spray only helps to clean your nose. The benefits come from a clean nose. The only way people will learn about this practical and sensible way to help the immune system wash pollutants from the back of the nose is by interested people, like you, sharing this information. If you have family or friends with any of these problems, they may benefit greatly from your sharing this information with them. Links in the other sections, referring to a person or study, will take you to a Medline summary, from the National Library of Medicine, of the article in question. This spray is protected by United States and international patents. While careful reading of these pages will tell you how to mix this spray yourself we request that you do not sell such spray on the open market. Such sales would be prohibited by the above mentioned patents. Disclaimer: All material provided in this web site is provided for educational purposes in the hope of improving our general health. Access of this web site does not create a doctor-patient relationship nor should the information contained on this web site be considered specific medical advice with respect to a specific patient and/or a specific condition. Copy sections of this page and discuss them with your physician to see if they apply to your own symptoms or medical condition. Dr. Jones specifically disclaims any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, that is or may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of use or application of any of the information provided on this web site. Back to top A. H. 'Lon' Jones D.O. 812 West 8th St. Suite 2A Plainview, Texas 79072 Phone (806) 291-0700 Fax (806) 293-8229 now that i have your ear:: :P Our First Line of Defense Against Respiratory Infections is a Clean nose! When the kitchen floor is dirty the first thing we do is sweep it. * It's the same with the nose. o The broom for the nose are the microscopic hairs called cilia that protrude from the cells that line our airway. o These hairs wave back and forth 8 to 12 times every second and literally sweep the mucus to the back of the nose where we swallow it. o In the trachea and bronchi they sweep the mucus up the airway until we can swallow it. o The mucus in the nose and bronchi acts like the sawdust or other chemicals that we sometimes put on floor to trap the dust and other material we want removed. o We normally make about a teaspoon of mucus every five minutes. o The mucus is sticky and traps virtually all of the foreign particles that we breathe. o It takes them about 15 minutes to move the mucus to the back of the nose where we swallow it. o This sweeping works twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and is usually very effective. * There are, however, some environmental factors that effect this sweeping: o Dry air and not drinking enough water makes the mucus drier and harder to clear. o It also makes it easier for bacteria and viruses to break free of the drier mucus and get into other areas like the lungs and the sinuses. + Most colds occur in the winter when we dry our air and mucus with central heating and don't have the same urge to drink that we have in the summer. + As well as colds, mostly caused by viruses, this is the season for most ear, sinus, and lung infections—which all begin from bacteria in the nose. For example, the highest incidence of ear infections in this country, and probably the world, is in the Native American children in Alaska. * Tribal elders tell us that before these people were "civilized" they did not have problems with their ears. * Part of the civilizing was putting them in homes instead their traditional houses that were more open to the elements. * The relative humidity in the winter in their traditional environment is close to 100% while that in a well insulated house is closer to 30% at best. * These people had adapted over the thousands of years they lived in this climate, and are having trouble with the newer, nicer, but dryer environment. * One of the practices these native peoples used to have was wrapping their babies warmly and taking them out into the cold every day. * Cold air means that the nose needs a lot more blood to warm the air, and that means more fluid in the nose that helps to wash it out. Doctors think that these people get ear infections because they are genetically disposed to them by the shape of the Eustachian Canal in the back of the nose. But the same tribal elders point out that children from the same genetic pool living in a more traditional environment in Nome's sister city of Provideniya, Siberia do not have trouble with their ears today. Our doctors say they are just not diagnosed, but it does not take a doctor to tell that a screaming child that pulls on his ear or complains of an ear ache has a problem, especially when it drains a few days later. Tribal elders often have more wisdom than some like to acknowledge. Besides the environmental factors, things that hurt the cilia will also lead to more problems. * Cigarette smoke, even passive smoke from someone else, is toxic to the cilia. Smokers and their families are only sweeping with half a broom or less. * If there is enough smoke the cilia don't sweep at all. * This is why some pediatricians consider it child abuse for parents to smoke when their children are around. The cilia and mucus working together clean out the great majority of bacteria and other pollutants that enter the nose. When we look at the back of the nose with a microscope we can see the bacteria caught in the mucus and riding on top of the cilia. These bacteria are not going to cause problems. In normal cleaning they are swallowed along with the mucus and are killed by the acid in our stomachs. In order to cause infections bacteria must find a place in the back of the nose where there is no mucus protecting the cells. The first step in any infection is bacteria or viruses that are holding on, the scientific word is adhering, to our cells. Even most of these bacteria are killed by our own antibacterial substances in the airway surface fluid that bathes these cells. Sweeping back-up: If we cannot remove the dirt from the kitchen floor with sweeping we need to get out the soap and water. It's the same with the nose. * Irritants in the nose, whether they are infectious (viruses and bacteria) or allergenic, trigger special cells called mast cells. * These cells release granules that contain histamine and an enzyme called tryptase. o The tryptase acts like soap and makes the mucus thinner. o Histamine does four things in the back of the nose: + It opens blood vessels in the nose so that they leak – the water for this washing. + It makes more mucus to trap more of the pollutants. + It irritates us so we sneeze more and get rid of it. + It causes broncho-constriction that protects the lungs from this pollution. * The fluid, or plasma, comes from under the surface/epithelial cells than line our nasal passages. * This fluid percolates up around these cells bathing them and winds up under the mucus which it virtually lifts up and washes out making room for the new clean mucus. * It is a very efficient washing mechanism which we should try to help. * Christer Svensson, a Swedish physician who has extensively researched the role of histamine in the nose, points out that this is a normal defensive process. * Margie Profet, a biologist looking at allergies, came to the same conclusion. Defenses help us to deal with insults from our environment—they should be honored and supported because they function to keep us healthy. But researchers in the 1940's weren't interested in defenses. They found that histamine was associated with a runny nose and that antihistamines stopped the nose from draining. They sanitized the snotty nose by turning off its defensive washing. Two things happened in the early 1970's to promote these problems: * Antihistamines and decongestants were made available over the counter and began to be heavily advertised on television. * Entitlement programs like Medicaid made these drugs available to our poorer populations. These drugs act to block our normal, but bothersome, nasal cleaning. Antihistamines block the effects of histamine so the washing never gets turned on and decongestants close down the blood vessels that histamine has opened so the water gets turned off. It does not require a whole lot of training to see that if we stop the washing we will have more dirt. This is also suggested by the side effect studies of one of these drugs. * Loratadine is a commonly used non-sedating antihistamine now available without prescription. * The study looking for side effects in children lasted for two weeks and was probably done in the summer, because few of the children got upper respiratory infections or noted wheezing. * But the incidence of these two problems was doubled in the group given the drug. * What if this study had been done in the winter when it is not uncommon for 20% of a classroom to be absent with upper respiratory infections. * If 40% of the children got sick or wheezed would we pay more attention? While two weeks is enough time to evaluate the side effects for the drug, such as dry nose or sedation, it is hardly long enough to see the side effects of taking the drug for its intended purpose. We have now had an uncontrolled thirty year trial of what happens when we block a normal defense and we ought to pay attention. Blocking defenses is not new in our medical history. When a person gets infected or injured our immune system recognizes a problem and signals that more blood is needed to deal with it. This is called the inflammatory reaction. In an injury it causes swelling and pain so the area is splinted by the swelling and we know from the pain to stay off it until it is better. In an infection the increased blood helps the body deal more effectively with the infection. For almost 4000 years a person who went to the doctor with these symptoms would usually be bled; their arm would be cut and allowed to bleed into a bowl until the swelling and the redness went away. It was a very effective therapy for the symptoms because loss of blood is potentially much more serious than infection; shock trumps the immune system. The symptoms would rapidly disappear. But in the mid-19th Century, when we finally got around to asking the question, we found that more people treated this way died. It probably did not harm those bled for a sprain or gout, but bleeding someone with an infection allows the infecting agent some time to spread and get a better hold in the person. More of them died. When we finally get around to asking this question about our current practices I'm sure that we will find that more people die today from infections that could have been washed away, or from asthma that is triggered by pollutants that could have been similarly removed. We're continuing the mistake we made when we bled people and it's time to stop. We need to ask the question we asked about bleeding—why did this symptom develop and is it defensive; does it help us deal with environmental insults? If the answer is "Yes" then we ought to honor rather than block those symptoms. Click on the BACK button to return to home page. Read about more examples where we block our normal body functions of fever and diarrhea. Go on to read about helping clean the nose. References: Am J Rhinol 1998 Jan-Feb;12(1):37-43 Nasal mucosal endorgan hyperresponsiveness. Svensson C, Andersson M, Greiff L, Persson CG Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden. Nonspecific hyperresponsiveness of the upper and lower airways is a well-known characteristic of different inflammatory airway diseases but the underlying mechanisms have not yet been satisfactorily explained. In attempts to elucidate the relation of hyperresponsiveness to disease pathophysiology we have particularly examined the possibility that different airway endorgans may alter their function in allergic airway disease. The nose, in contrast to the bronchi, is an accessible part of the airways where in vivo studies of airway mucosal processes can be carried out in humans under controlled conditions. Different endorgans can be defined in the airway mucosa: subepithelial microvessels, epithelium, glands, and sensory nerves. Techniques may be applied further in the nose to determine selectively the responses/function of these endorgans. Topical challenge with methacholine will induce a glandular secretory response, and topical capsaicin activates sensory c-fibers and induces nasal smart. Topical histamine induces extravasation of plasma from the subepithelial microvessels. The plasma exudate first floods the lamina propria and then moves up between epithelial cells into the airway lumen. This occurs without any changes in the ultrastructure or barrier function of the epithelium. We have therefore forwarded the view of mucosal exudation of bulk plasma as a physiological airway tissue response with primarily a defense function. Since the exudation is specific to inflammation, we have also suggested mucosal exudation as a major inflammatory response among airway endorgan functions. Using a "nasal pool" device for concomitant provocation with histamine and lavage of the nasal mucosa we have assessed exudative responses by analyzing the levels of plasma proteins (e.g., albumin alpha 2-macroglobulin) in the returned lavage fluids. A secretory hyperresponsiveness occurs in both experimental and seasonal allergic rhinitis. This type of nasal hyperreactivity may develop already 30 minutes after allergen challenge. It is attenuated by topical steroids and oral antihistamines. We have demonstrated that exudative hyperresponsiveness develops in both seasonal allergic rhinitis and common cold, indicating significant changes of this important microvascular response in these diseases. An attractive hypothesis to explain airway hyperresponsiveness has been increased mucosal absorption permeability due to epithelial damage, possibly secondary to the release of eosinophil products. However, neither nonspecific nor specific endorgan hyperresponsiveness in allergic airways may be explained by epithelial fragility or damage since nasal absorption permeability (measured with 51CR-EDTA and dDAVP) was decreased or unchanged in our studies of allergic and virus-induced rhinitis, respectively. Thus, the absorption barrier of the airway mucosa may become functionally tighter in chronic eosinophilic inflammation. Publication Types: * Review * Review, tutorial PMID: 9513658 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. The Allergy Report. Vol. 1, page 4. Q Rev Biol. 1991 Mar;66(1):23-62. The function of allergy: immunological defense against toxins. Profet M. Division of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkely 94720. This paper proposes that the mammalian immune response known as "allergy" evolved as a last line of defense against the extensive array of toxic substances that exist in the environment in the form of secondary plant compounds and venoms. Whereas nonimmunological defenses typically can target only classes of toxins, the immune system is uniquely capable of the fine-tuning required to target selectively the specific molecular configurations of individual toxins. Toxic substances are commonly allergenic. The pharmacological chemicals released by the body's mast cells during an IgE antibody-mediated allergic response typically cause vomiting diarrhea, coughing, tearing, sneezing, or scratching, which help to expel from the body the toxic substance that triggered the response; individuals frequently develop aversions to substances that have triggered such responses. A strong allergic response often includes a decrease in blood pressure, which slows the rate at which toxins circulate to target organs. The immune system identifies as toxic the following kinds of substances: (1) those low-molecular-weight substances that bind covalently to serum proteins (e.g., many plant toxins); (2) nontoxic proteins that act as carriers of toxins with low molecular weights (e.g., plant proteins associated with plant toxins); (3) specific substances of high molecular weight that harmed individuals in ancestral mammalian populations for a span of time that was significant from the standpoint of natural selection (e.g., the toxic proteins of bee venom. Substances that bind covalently to serum proteins generally are acutely toxic, and because many of these substances also bind covalently to the DNA of target cells, they are potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic as well. Thus, by protecting against acute toxicity, allergy may also defend against mutagens and carcinogens. The toxic hypothesis explains the main phenomena of allergy; why IgE-mediated allergies usually occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen and why they are often so severe; why the manifestations of allergy include vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, scratching, tearing, and a drop in blood pressure; why covalent binding of low-molecular-weight substances to serum proteins frequently causes allergy; why allergies occur to many foods, pollens, venoms, metals, and drugs; why allergic cross-reactivity occurs to foods and pollen from unrelated botanical families; why allergy appears to be so capricious and variable; and why allergy is more prevalent in industrial societies than it is in foraging societies. This hypothesis also has implications for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of allergy. The spray described in these pages is not a drug. This means that the people manufacturing this spray cannot advertise what the spray does to prevent disease and illness. The spray only helps to clean your nose. The benefits come from a clean nose. The only way people will learn about this practical and sensible way to help the immune system wash pollutants from the back of the nose is by interested people, like you, sharing this information. If you have family or friends with any of these problems, they may benefit greatly from your sharing this information with them. Links in the other sections, referring to a person or study, will take you to a Medline summary, from the National Library of Medicine, of the article in question. This spray is protected by United States and international patents. While careful reading of these pages will tell you how to mix this spray yourself we request that you do not sell such spray on the open market. Such sales would be prohibited by the above mentioned patents. Disclaimer: All material provided in this web site is provided for educational purposes in the hope of improving our general health. Access of this web site does not create a doctor-patient relationship nor should the information contained on this web site be considered specific medical advice with respect to a specific patient and/or a specific condition. Copy sections of this page and discuss them with your physician to see if they apply to your own symptoms or medical condition. Dr. Jones specifically disclaims any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, that is or may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of use or application of any of the information provided on this web site. Back to top A. H. 'Lon' Jones D.O. 812 West 8th St. Suite 2A Plainview, Texas 79072 Phone (806) 291-0700 Fax (806) 293-8229

Edited by snorkels4, 20 March 2006 - 10:47 PM.

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