Dr. Eliaz, Your Guide to Wellness

Scientists Uncover Major Cause of Arthritis and How to Put Out the Fire

The pain and suffering of arthritis is well known by a large portion of the population since about 50 million people in the U.S. currently suffer from some form of this debilitating condition, without effective or long-term relief.

Recent scientific breakthroughs have shown that the molecule Galectin-3 is a culprit biomarker that is actively responsible for the inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint destruction, which is characteristic of this degenerative disease. Published research has likewise demonstrated that an all-natural dietary supplement, modified citrus pectin (MCP), has the unique ability to inhibit Galectin-3, and thus reduce the pain and inflammation of chronic arthritis.  

The Secret Behind Modified Citrus Pectin’s Rapid Relief
As an integrative physician and MCP expert, I have been recommending this versatile natural compound for cancer and heavy metal toxicity in my clinical practice for over 15 years. Since the 1990s, published research has demonstrated MCP’s effectiveness in preventing cancer growth and metastasis through its ability to block harmful Galectin-3 molecules, which have long been known to promote the growth and spread of metastatic cancer. Clinical research also established MCP’s ability to reduce heavy metal body burden, safely and naturally, without affecting essential minerals.

These proven benefits make MCP an important dietary supplement for protecting and promoting long-term health. But early on, it was remarkable how quickly this simple natural product could offer relief from the pain of arthritis and joint problems. After starting on MCP for just a few weeks or less, my patients would often report significant reduction in joint pain and stiffness.

Initially, I had suspected that this favorable effect was likely due to MCP’s proven heavy metal chelation properties. This is certainly part of the big picture. However, we now understand better the primary role of Galectin-3 in triggering and promoting inflammation and fibrosis within joints, organs and tissues. Elevated levels of Galectin-3 in the body fuel the development and progression of numerous degenerative diseases related to chronic inflammation, fibrosis, malignant cellular growth, and eventually, organ failure. MCP stands alone as the only proven natural inhibitor of this harmful rogue molecule.

The Key Role of Galectin-3 in Inflammation
Galectin-3 is found throughout the body and is perfectly normal in small amounts. It plays a role in cellular communication, growth and development, and in the modulation of immune responses. Perhaps most significantly, it is directly involved in the regulation of inflammation.

Galectin-3 starts to cause problems when levels become too high. In excess, it causes the development of abnormal cellular behavior, such as uncontrolled cell growth and metastasis of tumors. In addition, it plays a role in the progression of inflammation from acute to chronic, and in the progression from chronic inflammation to tissue fibrosis. Scientists now believe that Galectin-3 is directly involved in the development of many inflammatory and fibrosis-related diseases.

Modified Citrus Pectin as a Proven Galectin-3 Inhibitor and More
The good news is that nature has provided us with a natural Galectin-3 blocker in the form of Modified Citrus Pectin. Pectin is primarily found in citrus and other fruit peels. It is a type of soluble fiber that has the ability to bind with and remove toxins such as heavy metals, radioactive isotopes and environmental chemicals from the digestive tract. However, the size and structure of the regular pectin molecule is simply too large to be absorbed into the blood stream and provide benefits to other areas of the body.

This is where Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) with its smaller pectin molecules plays a critical role in promoting health throughout the body, dramatically surpassing the benefits of regular pectin. MCP is produced using an advanced proprietary modification process, reducing the molecular weight of the pectin to fall between 5-13 kiloDaltons (normal pectin is between 50-300 KD). This modification allows MCP to easily and quickly absorb into the circulation, and also ensures greater bioactivity and effectiveness against numerous chronic conditions. Because of its carefully-controlled molecular weight and structure, MCP is able to attract, bind and block Galectin-3 molecules, chelate heavy metals without affecting essential minerals, and provide additional immune-enhancing properties throughout the body. With regular, unmodified pectin, these benefits are greatly reduced, and limited to the digestive tract.

These remarkable health-promoting properties have earned MCP a reputation worldwide as a versatile natural supplement for promoting numerous areas of health. Starting with the first published study in 1992, MCP has been extensively researched and substantiated as a safe and natural anti-cancer and anti-metastatic therapy, heavy metal chelator, immune enhancer, and powerful Galectin-3 inhibitor.

MCP and Arthritis
High levels of Galectin-3 molecules have been found in the lining of joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis. The Galectin-3 molecules stimulate the production of inflammatory compounds, which promote the joint destruction characteristic of this debilitating condition. When taken as a supplement, MCP’s specific structure can attract and wrap around the Galectin-3 molecules to inactivate them, thus breaking the cycle of inflammation, pain and joint damage.

As mentioned, MCP can also help alleviate another of the possible causes of arthritis, through its ability to chelate (tightly bind and remove) heavy metals and toxins from the body. We are regularly exposed to aluminum, lead, mercury, and other metals from numerous sources. Even small amounts can build up in various body tissues, with a particular affinity for joint tissue, and cause chronic inflammation. By removing these health-robbing toxins from the system (without removing essential minerals), MCP can reduce yet another cause of inflammation, and improve overall health and well being.

These applications add further substantiation to Modified Citrus Pectin’s ability to effectively promote long term health. MCP is surpassing its reputation among doctors, health professionals and those interested in natural solutions, as an important daily supplement to protect against numerous degenerative or life-threatening illnesses. For more information on this powerful natural supplement, visit www.mcpreport.com.

Fascinating New Research on Meditation and Brain Health

The Power of “Cortical Folding” aka “Gyrification”

In terms of brain health, what exactly is “cortical folding” or “gyrification” and how does it increase your mental capacity? These questions may seem to address complex issues best left to neuroscience, except for one simple practice that directly relates to them: meditation. Researchers have been studying the effects of meditation on the brain for decades, and have come to some important conclusions that may offer further motivation and inspiration for regular—and certainly for aspiring—practitioners of this time-honored healing art.

Published Studies Prove Numerous Benefits of Meditation

Over the years, published research has demonstrated that the practice of regular meditation can increase brain density, boost connections between neurons, decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, provide clarity of thought, and increase positive mood endorphins. Other published studies have shown meditation can improve physical functioning, decrease chronic disease risks, and enhance overall quality of life. These studies demonstrate that regular meditation effectively supports mental, emotional and physical health in numerous tangible ways. In building upon this strong body of evidence, researchers are continuing to deepen our understanding of the profound and inspirational benefits of regular meditation practice in everyday life.

UCLA Researchers Uncover New Benefits of Meditation for the Brain

Most recently, neuroscientists at UCLA have shown another fascinating neural effect of regular meditation: the ability to increase “cortical gyrification” of the brain. Cortical gyrification refers to the folding of the cerebral cortex – a function that allows the brain to process information faster. The cerebral cortex is the outermost layer of neural tissue in the brain and serves an important role in controlling memory, consciousness, thought processing, decision making, attention, and awareness. During cortical gyrification, the tissues of the cerebral cortex fold, creating indented fissures and “creases” called sulci and gyri. The sulci and gyri increase neural processing and neurotransmitter communication. In this way, increased gyrification enhances the brain’s capacity for computing information, maintaining focus and attention, creating and retrieving memory, processing logic, and forming decisions.

The neuroscientists at UCLA compared meditators of different experience levels to people who never meditated. In those who meditated, they found significant increases in cortical folding across a wide area of the brain responsible for numerous functions beyond rapid information processing and retrieval. Additional areas of the brain markedly affected by meditation involve emotional and mental health capacities, influencing processes of emotional control, heightened awareness, and introspection. This falls directly in line with some of the more noticeable results of regular meditation, which often include increased compassion for one’s self and others, enhanced self awareness and introspection, and greater emotional stability. 

Researchers also found significant increases in cortical gyrification among more experienced practitioners. In other words, the longer a person had been practicing regular meditation, the greater the beneficial changes in their brain.

Promotes Long Term Health

As a holistic physician and meditation practitioner with over 25 years of experience, I have always strongly believed in the mental and emotional benefits of regular mindful meditation practice. And the physical payoffs are equally impressive. We all know that reducing stress can dramatically improve health on a number of levels. The beneficial effects of regular mindful meditation are shown to protect against and reverse DNA (telomere) damage, boost immune function, reduce cardiovascular disease risks, decrease inflammation, improve outcomes in cancer, reduce side effects of conventional treatment, and increase vital energy and physical capacity.

As regular meditation practice becomes better understood and more widely practiced, more and more doctors and health practitioners are recommending these ancient disciplines to their patients. If you are a health provider, meditation can help you become a better healer and clinician, increasing your diagnostic and therapeutic skills significantly, and allowing you to connect in more meaningful ways with your patients and community. If you are looking for some extra healing energy to improve your own health, regular meditation can provide just the solution.

As demonstrated in the UCLA study, meditation is more effective when practiced regularly. Even just ten minutes a day can offer significant and noticeable benefits over a short period of time. Below, I’ve outlined some tips on basic meditation practice for beginners to get started.

Tips for Getting Started

While there are countless styles of meditation practice, one of the most profound is the ancient Tibetan practice of Shamatha meditation. Shamatha means “calm abiding” in Sanskrit. It is intended to help people access their mind’s natural state of tranquility and clarity. The technique involves focusing the breath on a specific object, and letting go of all other thoughts as attention is consistently trained on the process of breathing.

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit, and pick a small object such as a rock to place on the ground in front of you. Focus your eyes and your breathing on the rock, and as thoughts inevitably arise, simply acknowledge and then release them, letting them slip away with each out-breath. When your mind wanders off, gently bring your attention back to your breathing and the rock, visualizing each inhalation and exhalation going to and from the rock.

Exponential Benefits

As you become more practiced at meditation, you will likely notice significant improvements in your energy, health and mental/emotional balance. You may find that as distractions and obscurities are peeled away during mindful meditation practice, the space between thoughts becomes greater and more profound. As we slowly turn down the constant chatter of our minds, we can begin to access deeper aspects of consciousness for growth and healing. This peeling process can make room for your true inner nature of love, compassion, peace and tranquility to arise and expand naturally, benefiting yourself and those around you exponentially.

To me, one of the most beautiful and profound aspects of meditation is that this process of growth and unfolding (as well as cortical folding) can continue throughout our lives. After all, we can never have too much love, compassion, and clarity. For more information about the powerful benefits of mindful meditation and the opportunity to join me for a meditation retreat, visit www.betterhealthpublishing.com. 

How Safe is Your Cookware?

As an integrative physician, some of the most important recommendations I make for my patients are centered around healthy eating habits. But what about healthy cooking? The right cooking techniques which increase nutrient availability are certainly an important part of a healthy diet, but many people don’t consider the fact that some cooking methods also increase the presence of toxins in your food as well.

Over the past decade, there have been a significant number of reports revealing the presence of harmful, carcinogenic chemicals and heavy metals in aluminum and Teflon-coated (non-stick coating) cookware. Numerous peer reviewed studies have highlighted the real dangers of non-stick chemicals, and DuPont, the chemical company which manufactures Teflon, has been battling with the US Environmental Protection Agency for the last several years. It seems that Dupont continues to assert that the chemicals used in their cookware are “safe,” meanwhile paying millions of dollars in penalties for polluting public drinking water and concealing information about Teflon’s health hazards. A number of independent peer-reviewed studies have demonstrated that non-stick chemicals such as Teflon are carcinogenic and can cause birth defects, and even something called the “Teflon Flu” in humans. These staggering reports are encouraging many to look twice at the cookware they’re using on a daily basis.

Non-Stick  Cookware Chemicals
PFOA, or perfluorooctanoic acid, is the main chemical used in the manufacturing of Teflon non-stick coating, as well as in materials that are fire-resistant and able to repel oil, stain, grease and water. While this feature might make appear to make PFOA ideal for use in non-stick cookware, scientists have expressed grave concerns about how exposure to this known toxin, as well as the 15 other types of gasses that are released when cooking with Teflon, could affect your health. Contact with PFOA might primarily come from consumer products, but may also stem from environmental contamination, as demonstrated by the Teflon manufacturing plant’s environmental pollution lawsuits. Two studies conducted since 1999 show that PFOA precursors have been found in tap water, food or air in a number of cities across the country, indicating a highly prevalent risk of exposure.

Health Risks of Aluminum and Non-Stick Cookware
A normal intake of aluminum is roughly three to five milligrams per day, but Americans may ingest up to 10 milligrams per day on average. Cooking and storing acidic foods in aluminum pots and pans is likely to leech higher amounts of aluminum into the food. Research suggests that using Teflon, aluminum and other cookware products can increase risks of cancer, respiratory problems, and other serious health problems in adults and children, including the risk for Alzheimer’s disease in the elderly.

The link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease was first presented in the 1960s and since then, researchers have claimed a number of other circumstantial links between the two. Aluminum has been shown to be associated with plaques and tangles in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease and further evidence indicates that aluminum may be involved in the formation of these plaques. These and other findings suggest that aluminum is a contributing factor to this all too prevalent disease which appears to be showing  up in younger and younger populations of people.

Protect your Health: Detoxify your Kitchen and Your Body
So what can you do to protect your body from these harmful and elusive toxins? The first step is to choose alternatives to replace your aluminum or Teflon-coated cookware. The Seattle-based Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition and other experts recommend stainless-steel, cast-iron, glass and enameled cast-iron cookware as the best options. Once you’ve upgraded your cookware to these healthier alternatives, choose an effective method of clearing your body of years of toxic buildup.

My top recommendation is to engage in a gentle and gradual heavy metal and environmental toxin cleanse using a natural chelation formula made of modified citrus pectin and seaweed-derived alginates. Not only is this combination clinically proven to remove heavy metals including aluminum, lead, arsenic and mercury from the body, but it also achieves this goal without leeching essential minerals in the process. Additionally, it prevents the re-absorption of toxins through the digestive tract. This formula is phase one of a comprehensive, two-step detoxification protocol for removing harmful heavy metals and toxins from the body.

A secondary phase two detox formula can further enhance your detoxification process. For this purpose, I use a specially tailored blend that includes garlic, cilantro, sulfured amino acids, minerals, along with energy enhancing and detox supporting botanicals including milk thistle seed extract and gingko. The combination of phase one and phase two detox formulas, when used over three to six months, provides a clinically proven, gentle detoxification from health robbing heavy metals and environmental toxins that may have been stored in our our tissues and organs for years. For more information on safe and effective detoxification, download a complete complementary wellness guide at www.safedetox.org.

Are You at Risk for an Autoimmune Disease?

While your body is designed to defend against a host of environmental invaders, it cannot completely withstand the adverse effects of poor diet, chronic stress and toxic build-up. These common factors can contribute to a group of serious health epidemics including autoimmune (AI) disease, which is rising to the top of the list. Autoimmune diseases include more than 100 unique types such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Celiac disease and many others, which are all characterized by inflammatory immune responses that cause the body to turn against its own systems and attack organs and tissues.

Are You At Risk?

Certain AI diseases such as Lupus are shown to be linked to environmental pollutants, including common toxins found in foods, cleaning products, furniture, beauty products, toys, clothing, and mattresses. It was once thought that AI diseases were caused solely by genetic factors, but new research is uncovering innovative findings. Experts still believe that a genetic predisposition to AI disease puts a person at a higher risk, but research from the field of immunotoxicology – the study how toxins affect the immune system – demonstrates that the epidemic increase of AI disease is linked more and more to exposure from a toxic environment.

What is Autoimmune Disease?

AI diseases are caused when there are communication breakdowns between your body’s cells, and immune cells can no longer distinguish between your own healthy tissue and a harmful invader. Messages are scrambled between cells that orchestrate and direct immune responses, and the more common T and lymphocyte immune cells responsible for attacking harmful invaders. With AI diseases, immune cells circulate without proper “training” and destroy various areas of the body, depending on the specific autoimmune condition.

Treatment Protocols

Many AI diseases are difficult to diagnose and manage, and currently there are no known Western medical cures. Conventional therapies use anti-inflammatory drugs, immune suppressors, antiviral drugs, and other medications to focus on controlling flare-ups. This is a symptomatic approach that does not address the root or cause of the AI disease, and can also lead to unwanted side effects.

One strategy for managing AI disease is to focus on balance and regulation to help re-establish the immune system’s critical biological cycles. Some methods include following a strict sleep schedule, engaging in regular exercise, adhering to a strict healthy diet, taking nutritional supplements that focus on regulation and balance of the immune system, and the removal of heavy metals and toxins. Stress relief is also extremely important, as chronic stress can contribute to autoimmune flare ups.

Supplements

One of the most valuable forms of supplementation for AI diseases is medicinal mushrooms. Though commonly misunderstood to be immune enhancers, medicinal mushrooms are actually very effective immune regulators that help to educate immune cells and direct appropriate immune responses. Botanicals that regulate inflammation are also critical in the management of AI diseases, along with high-powered antioxidants to scavenge free radicals and soothe inflammatory responses. For more information about medicinal mushrooms, download a complimentary medicinal mushroom wellness guide.

Detoxification

Gentle removal of heavy metals and toxins is one of the most essential protocol considerations for the management of any AI disease. A combination of modified citrus pectin and modified alginates is proven to safely remove heavy metals and environmental toxins from the body, without affecting essential minerals. It is also critical to avoid further exposure by choosing natural, organic alternatives to conventional food, body and household products that contain harmful chemicals. For more information about safe and effective detoxification methods, visit DrEliaz.org.

Modern medicine may not have found a cure for AI diseases, but through proper management and regulation of the body’s response systems using diet, healthy lifestyle patterns and nutritional supplementation, you can avoid toxic build up and reduce your risk of this increasingly common form of disease.