Author Archives: Mark Schauss

About Mark Schauss

History was always a passion for me since I was a little kid. Even majored in it in college. Loved my Russian history professor, the late Dr. Paul Avrich who inspired this podcast. Also to my mother Alla who kept the Russian side of me going. Wish I had listened to her to learn Russian when I was younger.

Overeating and Liver Damage

In an article published in the March 31-April 1 issue of New Scientist, writer James Kingsland talks about how overeating and the obesity epidemic are causing more and more people to be diagnosed with liver disease. If I asked you what the leading cause of cirrhosis of the liver was you would likely say alcohol. Guess again. Some may say hepatitis but that would be wrong also. Obesity is the leading cause of a diseased liver in most affluent nations.

Other interesting tidbits include:

  • 5-10 percent of Americans have liver disease.
  • 2/3rds of them have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
  • Four cups of coffee a day seems to reduce the risk of NAFLD!
  • Children are now being diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver.

One interesting finding is that liver disease, in early stages can be reversed by changing dietary habits. The key is to eat healthy (less fat and simple carbohydrates) and exercise. I would add that taking the herb milk thistle and the amino acid glycine (1-3 grams daily) would greatly improve liver health.

The one thing that annoyed me about the article was the talk of developing drugs to fight off liver disease. I can see it being critical in late-stage disease where liver transplantation is the only option but you know that pharmaceutical industry will market the hell out of the drug instead of making people change their lifestyle. What I did like was the last quote of the article from Dr. David Jones is “I put the fear of God into them, then I send them off to buy a heart rate monitor and to exercise. I tell them it’s the best £50 they’ll ever spend. And patient after patient comes back with normalised liver function tests. They feel a lot better, the tiredness goes away. It’s quite extraordinary.”  Advice well given.

In Passing – Dr. Bjorn Nordenstrom

A giant in the field of medicine, Dr. Bjorn Nordenstrom, passed away this past December 31st. Few of you probably know of him but anyone who has had a conversation with me about the field of electrolytes has heard me talk of this genius. His book, Biologically Closed Electric Circuits: Clinical, Experimental and Theoretical Evidence for an Additional Circulatory System is a monumental piece of work. His work on treating cancer through the use of electrochemical treatment protocols is now the standard in many parts of the world especially China and parts of Europe.

Dr. Nordenstrom was a member of the Nobel Prize committee in Medicine and Physics and was awarded the International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Award by the People’s Republic of China because of his work on tumor regression. Although in poor health these past few years, his legacy will most certainly live on. My condolences to his family.

Medicare Fraud – A La Congress

If you missed last weeks Sixty Minutes broadcast on CBS TV, you probably aren’t seething as much as those of us who did. Turns out, that nice little Medicare reform bill that was supposed to make life better for senior citizens did nothing more that enrich the most profitable industry of all, the pharmaceutical (herein renamed harmaceutical).

Our Congress, led by Republican’s, passed a bill that is so one-sided for a particular industry that I believe that criminal charges of theft should be filed against every Congressman that voted for the bill. It will cost you and me, the taxpayers, an estimated 534 billion dollars. The bill disallows Medicare from negotiating with the harmaceutical companies to lower prices for drugs. This should make everyone of you completely outraged. If you want to read the story, click here to go to the CBS website.  Just be prepared to be angered.

Until Americans demand lobbyist reform, we will continue to be ripped off, our taxes stolen from us and our health will be at the mercy of profiteers. The Senate is trying to pass a bill to reverse this travesty but guess what?  The Republicans are fighting it and the President has threatened a veto if passed. Who does he work for?  You can bet it isn’t for the American people.

Economics Over Your Child’s Life – The Conservative View of the World

In a book I reviewed earlier this week, How Everyday Products Make People Sick, by Dr. Paul D. Blanc, there is one part that both angered and sickened me. It had to do with a review of the effects of lead by the conservative think tank – the American Enterprise Institute – Brookings Joint Center AEI/BJC on Regulatory Studies. The comment shows the kind of denial and obfuscation that the conservative right uses to protect industry’s ability to dump toxins on us despite overwhelming research.

Lead is a well known neurotoxin that was used in both gasoline and paint prior to the 1970s. According to numerous studies, lead causes IQ levels to drop, especially in children. What amazed me is that the AEI/BJC did not dispute the fact that lead was neurotoxic but that economically parents gain only $1,100 per IQ point while their children gain $1,900 through lead abatement. Are they kidding me??? Do we measure life benefits in terms of parents versus children? What kind of moral system do these people hold dear? One of their comments was “This analysis suggests lead standards will redistribute resources from parents to their children, because the benefits to parents are less than the costs of the standards. The Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Housing and Urban Development should reconsider their lead standards.”

Appalling?  You bet. Morally corrupt?  Closer to the truth. My parents came to this country back in 1953 to make their kids lives better, not at our expense but at theirs. The AEI/BJC is one of the many groups that our present administration looks to for advice. What does that say for us when the argument used to reconsider reintroducing lead into our environment is that parents should make more money at the expense of their children?

But lest this be a Bush-Bashing party, let me make it clear that this kind of disgusting government behavior has been going on for centuries and by just about every government in this world. In 1868, the British Fisheries Preservation Authority wrote a pamphlet entitled On Pollution of the Rivers of the Kingdom. they saw the problems back than.

Dr. Blanc even points out that in 1549 writers talk about things like sick building syndrome (not that term exactly) in a paper called Aerarium Sanitatis. We know that pollution and the dumping of toxins are killing us and causing incalcuable damage to our children and generations to come. As long as it is business as usual, we will continue to be dumped on and lied to about the dangers that surround us.

Please get this book. I don’t care if you get it through clicking on the link below or through any portal you chose, get it. It is one of the finest books on the effects of environmental toxins on human health I have ever read and believe me, I have read a lot of them.

 

How Everyday Products Make People Sick: Toxins at Home and in the Workplace

Toxicity and Obesity – The link is there

My post today is from the lovely town of Bogota, Colombia where I am lecturing at a major medical conference on the topic of obesity and toxicity as well as testing protocols for environmental toxins. My hosts, Heel of Colombia (wonderful homeopathic products) heard my talk in Baden Baden, Germany last year at Medical Week and asked me to come here and bring my message to South America. To view the PowerPoint presentation, click on the link below.

Toxicity and Obesity

Tomorrow, I will post my second lecture on laboratory testing for environmental toxins.

Nutritional Research Review

Thanks to the people at Tishcon, here is the weekly review of nutrition research.

  • Lipoic acid (ALA) was reported to be helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Of all of the reasons given for its efficacy, the ability to chelate mercury from the brain was not listed. For more information about that, go to Dr. Andrew Cutler’s website and pickup his book Amalgam Illness.
  • Supplementing with vitamin C and garlic may help people with marginally high blood pressure bring it back to normal. What was interesting is that vitamin C alone did little to lower either systolic (top number) or diastolic (bottom number) and garlic only affected the systolic blood pressure. Together they worked on lowering both. The dosage for the vitamin C was 2,000 milligrams and the garlic was supplemented at 650 mg/d of bulb powder.
  • Vitamin K1 along with vitamin D and calcium work synergistically in building bone density. Seems that together, these nutrients build more and denser bone than when alone.
  • Curcumin – the active agent found in Turmeric – May Prevent Breast Cancer Metastases. As many of you have see, I LOVE curcumin and this is just another reason to make it a part of your everyday supplement regime.
  • Probiotics have been shown to benefit the immune system in immune compromised people. If you are sick or in the hospital, get some high-potency probiotics in you.
  • L-Carnitine is showing benefits in handling stress according to a study from the journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The authors of the study concluded that, “… both the 1- and 2-g doses were effective in mediating various markers of metabolic stress and of muscle soreness. Use of LCLT (L-Carnitine-L-Tartrate) appears to attenuate metabolic stress and the hypoxic chain of events leading to muscle damage after exercise.”
  • In a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition it showed that increased carbohydrate intake lowers HDL (good cholesterol) and increases triglycerides. Basically put, if people were to lower their sugar and high fructose corn syrup intake, they would have a better lipid profile and they would lower their risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
  • The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that taking multivitamin/multimineral supplements decreased C-Reactive Protein levels by up to 43%. CRP is a known risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease along with other diseases. Yet another study showing the benefits of nutritional supplements. Do you think the mass media picked up on this one?  Of course not but if some lousy study on how nutrients are not beneficial came out, man would that ever get a big write-up.
  • Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) has been the predominate nutritional supplement form for people who want to add extra D to their diet. In a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol is the only one that has shown real benefits and should be the one people supplement with.

If you want more detailed information about the studies mentioned above, go to www.vitasearch.com

 

Curcumin – the active agent found in Turmeric – May Prevent Breast Cancer Metastases

Global Warming Denialists – How long can they keep the charade up?

I just picked up a book from Amazon called “How Everyday Products Make People Sick” by Dr. Paul D. Blanc and he made a comment about environmental polluter denialists that seems to fit so well to the stubborn people who continue to deny that global warming is occurring. He says that it “…follows a pattern of responses analogous to the Kubler-Ross four-stage “death and dying process”: denial, anger, bargining, and acceptance.”  He further elucidates “…the strategies used to block any effective action are:”

  1. “characterizing scientific information as limited, overblown, conflicting or simply “junk”.” I have seen this time and time again where they bring up one or two “scientists” who deny global warming has anything to do with humans and they use it as a defense shield.
  2. “blaming the victim and simultaneously charging that regulation is overly costly and ineffectual to boot.” The denialists say that we can’t afford to change our habits as it is economically infeasible. I say that if we want to do it and give incentives to be greener, it will make more money than if we stand idly by. Case in point is how much money we can save if we switch all of our incandescent blubs to the newer fluorescents. You can be green and economic at the same time.
  3. “labeling opponents as unrealistic visionaries or, worse yet, seditioninist Luddites standing in the way of inevitable progress.” I can’t tell you how often I get “yelled at” in online forums by conservatives who follow the FOX News line who feel it is their goal in life to stop anything that might be called environmentally positive. Tree-hugger, animal fascists, and other unprintable labels have been thrown at me for daring to say that we need to change our habits or else.
  4. “reaching out to the invisible hand of the marketplace as the best partner for corrective action, if such action is really needed.” Basically, we won’t do squat unless the market forces us to. Without consumers demanding it, we won’t do it. Where is America’s leadership on this?  We used to lead the world on innovation but now we sit idly by while the rest of the world takes control.

To all of the denialists of global warming out there, please don’t waste your time emailing me with “proof” that it isn’t happening. At this point in the debate I will be using the delete key not because of arrogance but out of frustration at those out there who somehow believe that it is their duty to fight for a cause that is somewhat indefensible. My motto on the argument is; If we are wrong and global warming isn’t happening by man’s hand and we do something to stop our polluting than what have we done that is so bad?  If we are right and we do nothing, what cost to humanity? If we are right and we do something now, we may pull or your know whats out of the fire and save our world for generations to come.

I highly recommend this book. It is compelling, powerful and chock-full of rich information on the effects of toxins on health by a Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

 How Everyday Products Make People Sick: Toxins at Home and in the Workplace

Heart Attacks – Where You Live May Impact Your Heart

My friend James Larsen sent me a article from the HealthDay website which reports that where you live may have an impact on the chance of having a heart attack. Coming from the February 16th, 2007 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, researchers looking at the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System found that living in West Virginia had a three-fold higher rate of heart attacks than living in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Other findings included:

  • Men had higher rates of coronary heart disease and non-fatal heart attack and angina than women (8.2 percent vs. 5 percent).
  • Asians had the lowest rates of heart disease (4.7 percent), while American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest rates (11.2 percent).
  • People with less than 12 years of education had a higher heart attack rate than those with a college degree.
  • The states with the highest heart attack rate were – Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.
  • The states with the lowest heart attack rate were – , District of Columbia, Hawaii, Montana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
  • People with type 2 diabetes, smokers, hypertension, were physically inactive or obese were also more likely to have a heart attack.

While not earth shattering news, hopefully this data will help public health officials focus on heart health issues in those states with the highest incidence. Another real good idea to lower someones risk is to get checked out by you physician or if you are up to it, get a cardiovascular risk assessment done through Direct Lab Services. Ask them for the LabAssist Interpretive report as well to get the most information possible. Bottom line though, take an active role in your health and you’ll live a happier and healthier life.

It’s Easy Being Green – A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living

While browsing the book shelves at the local Barnes and Nobel, I came across this handy book that I believe is a must own for anyone interested in being earth-friendly.  It’s practical, readable and worth the effort to get. Click on the link below to pick up your copy.

Here are a few tips from the book:

“Always cover pots when cooking. It speed up cooking and uses less energy.”

“Reuse water leftover after common household uses to water plants instead of pouring it down the drain (e.g., from a double boiler, washing produce, steaming vegetables, cookin pasta, soaking beans, soaking frozen meat in its packaging, etc.) Transfer leftover water to a watering can for later use. Make sure water is cool beofre using it to water plants.”

“Before discarding empty latex paint cans, leave the top off and allow the remaining paint to dry completely. Latex paint is not hazardous once it iis solidified.”

“Fix slow drains. Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain and follow it with half a cup of white vinegar. Let it sit for twenty minutes to a half hour, then pour boiling water down the drain (about two quarts).”

“When buying packaged products, all other things being equal, buy the brand that uses the least amount of packaging.”

 

It\'s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living

A Real 1,000 Points of Light

Some of you may know about my involvement in Rotary, an organization dedicated to helping people around the world. Starting on July 1st, 2007, I will become the President of the Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset. Because of this position, I will be able to guide the club towards charitable actions that I feel are important. As you can see from my previous posts, I am very dedicated towards resolving environmental issues so one of my first goals as Club President, I will propose a 1,000 bulb switch out program for the needy.

The 1,000 Blub Switch Out (BSO) Program will help poor people switch from using energy wasting incandescent bulb to the more efficient compact fluorescent blubs (CFB). Not only will these blubs save the people money (estimate are from $3.50 – $7.00 a year) but they will lower CO2 emmisions substantially.  According the the New Scientist, it will reduce 1000 tons of CO2 over the bulbs lifetime. Of course, this may not seem like much but if I work this project through Rotary and the 32,000 other clubs, I estimate that I can get that number to 1 million bulbs in the next 5 years which would lower the CO2 emmisions by over 1 million tons. Not a bad little project!

Of course, this won’t be my only environmentally focused project. I will be looking into a bunch more.  If anyone of you has an idea please post it and I will take a look at it and see if it is something we can do.