By Eryn Brown, Los Angeles Times / for the Booster Shots blog

1:57 PM PDT, July 11, 2011
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How much alcohol is it really safe to drink?

Possibly less than you’ve been led to believe, say French researchers writing in CMAJ (the Canadian Medical Assn. Journal).

In a piece published Monday, Paule Latino-Martel, a cancer researcher at the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, and co-authors argued that many countries’ alcohol consumption guidelines — which typically define a moderate, “sensible” level of drinking designed to help consumers drink safely — fail to take into account long-term risks associated with drinking.

The U.K. introduced the concept of “sensible drinking” back in the 1980s. Such limits were intended to prevent hospitalizations due to alcohol abuse, which had been on the rise in the country. In 1984, the British established recommended limits of 18 drinks a week for men and nine drinks for women; in 1987, they raised those limits to 21 drinks for men and 14 for women. U.S. guidelines recommend no more than two drinks per day for men, and no more than one for women.

(According to the study, the standard drink size in the U.K. is 8 grams, or about 3 ounces; a standard drink in the U.S. is 13.7 grams, or about 5 ounces. Average recommended daily limits for alcohol are therefore slightly higher in Britain than in the U.S.)

The problem? Such rules may have kept people from getting too drunk, but they failed to take into account the growing body of work linking alcohol use with cancer, according to the authors. In recent years, alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of mouth, throat, breast, colorectal and possibly liver cancers, in such reports as this one from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research and this one published in the journal the Lancet in 2009.

For this reason, Latino-Martel and coauthors cautioned health authorities — including the government of Canada, which is expected to release new drinking guidelines later this year — against telling consumers that any amount of drinking is truly safe, at least, when it comes to cancer risk.

“It can be concluded that there is no level of alcohol consumption for which the cancer risk is null,” they wrote. “Thus, for cancer prevention, the consumption of alcoholic beverages should not be recommended.”
And no: the reported benefits of drinking for heart health don’t change that, they added. Recent research has pointed out flaws in studies showing a positive link between alcohol use and cardiovascular health, they said. The team also pointed to a World Health Organization committee’s recent conclusion that “there is no merit in promoting alcohol consumption as a preventive strategy” for heart disease.

So, here’s Tip #1

Exercise – Into Old Age

Regular exercise is one of the strongest predictors of a long life.  A 1998 Finnish study looked at 16,000 twins over a 17 year period and found that those who exercised regularly had 44% the risk of death as their sedentary siblings.

“Exercise is roughly equivalent to an oil lube and a filter for a car. You don’t have to do it, but when you do it makes the car run a lot better,” says Jay Olshansky, a biodemographer at the University of Illinois. “It’s the closest thing we have to a miracle cure.”

And, according to a 2006 study of 5,000 Danes, those who exercise regularly generally live five to seven years longer than inactive people.

But, there is even better news! If you take Immunocal 20 minutes before or 20 minutes after exercising, you will derive even greater muscle building results. Incedentially, Immunocal Platinum will further optimize your as it contains creatine, which fuels your muscles and promotes muscle growth.

This is a vital aspect of living a longer, healthier life. Why? Because loss of muscle mass and muscle weakness is a main factor in deteriorating quality of life. When an older person loses muscle tone in their legs they can no longer get around and do the things they use to do. visiting their family and friends becomes more difficult. And, of course, there is an ever increasing danger of falling once leg muscles deteriorate.

Therefore, Tip #1 is Exercise – Into Old Age

Next week I’ll bring you another tip to help you enjoy a healthier, longer life. Until then…

Lately there has been a lot of news about the importance of vitamin D. Why? Because there’s overwhelming evidence that vitamin D deficiency plays a crucial role in cancer development.

“The first event in cancer is loss of communication among cells due to, among other things, low vitamin D and calcium levels,” said epidemiologist Cedric Garland. “This loss may play a key role in cancer by disrupting the communication between cells that is essential to healthy cell turnover, allowing more aggressive cancer cells to take over.”

According to Dr. William Grant, Ph.D., internationally recognized research scientist and vitamin D expert, about 30 percent of cancer deaths – which amounts to 2 million worldwide and 200,000 in the United States – could be prevented each year with higher levels of vitamin D. Only smoking is a bigger risk factor for cancer.

Plus, there’s another benefit. Researchers do not know exactly how, but their findings indicate that vitamin D may also improve your mental ability.

So, how do you make sure you have the right level of vitamin D? For one thing, try getting a little sun! Vitamin D is often called the sunshine vitamin because your body is capable of producing about 10,000 IU of vitamin D each day when you’re out in the sun for a while. Now I know you may have concerns about getting cancer from too much sun exposure, but take a balanced approach and you will not have a problem.

Additionally, you will benefit from a supplement containing vitamin D, such as Immunotec’s Vitamin and Mineral Supplement. It is packed with 21 vitamins and minerals, including 800 IU (200% Daily Recommended Value) of vitamin D. This complete supplement is a highly absorbable multi-nutrient formula that targets daily dietary requirements for good health.

So, how’s you vitamin D? Are you getting a little sun? And are you benefiting from Immunotec’s Vitamin and Mineral Supplement? It can make more of a difference than you might realize.

Watch a video from the University of Calgary and see what mercury does to your brain cells. Study shows that 80% of patients with Alzheimer disease had neuronal damage from mercury toxicity.

Mercury Toxicity

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Pulmonologists around the world are discovering that the importance of GSH in the respiratory system cannot be overstated. Numerous studies in asthmatics indicate that low levels of GSH play a role in the onset and progression of asthma. And there is a direct correspondence between low GSH levels and the severity of the attack. Find out more by listening to the following audio recording. Use the Asthma Report below as a guide for answering questions about glutathione and asthma.

Click on links below to open reports:

• Asthma Report
• Oxidative stress and regulation of glutathione in lung inflammation
• Regulation of glutathione in inflammation and chronic lung disease
• Environmental toxicity, redox signaling and lung inflammation: The role of glutathione
• Asthma Testimonials

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Join our International Conference Calls on Monday nights at
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Telephone: 712-432-3900
Conference ID: 138829#

Hearts stir and tears flow when you hear the mothers express their love for their children who have autism. Listen as Karen tells her son’s touching story and discover how she found something that’s making a huge difference…

Now that some months have passed,
find out what kind of results Karen and her son are experiencing…

Autism – Is There An Answer
International Conference Call

Dr. Gutman explains how Immunocal
benefits those suffering from autism

• Autism Letter
• Enviornmental Working Group Report
• Dr. Jill James – Oxidative stress in children with autism
• Dr. Jill James – Children with autism have lower glutathione
• Autism Testimonials

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Join our International Conference Calls on Monday nights at
9:00 P.M. Eastern Time.

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How is glutathione involved in cancer? Find out as Jim Spencer describes the important role that glutathione enhancement plays in fighting cancer.

Harold Jansma was 40 years old with a wife and 5 young children when his life was shattered by the news that an inoperable tumor the size of a baseball was growing in his brain. Find out about his victory over his brain tumor and how he got a second chance at life.

Listen to Bruce Albert from Dunlap, Tennessee explain how Immunocal helped him in his battle with Lymphoma.

Find out how Carmen Santiago of Long Beach, California had a remarkable recovery from ovarian cancer by supplementing with Immunocal.

Would you like to know more about Immunocal and how it can contribute to your enjoying optimal health?
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9:00 P.M. Eastern Time.

Telephone: 712-432-3900
Conference ID: 138829#

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

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Do you think that there is “secret” information – information that scientists and drug companies do not reveal to the general public – information that can help you with your health and wellness?

If so, read on to learn how you can gain knowledge that will empower you to take greater control of your own health and wellness. Find out how YOU CAN TAKE YOUR LIFE BACK!

RE: Learn How To Take Your Life Back

Do you or a loved one have Hepatitis C? If so, perhaps you feel like I did a few years ago. My name is Al Caccarile, and I have hepatitis C. A few years ago I was so sick that I was missing work a couple of days a week. I couldn’t get out of bed because I was so weak and felt lousy. Some of the guys I worked with would say, “Why don’t you ever smile anymore?” If they knew how bad I felt they would have understood. Perhaps my friend Sam, another victim of Hepatitis C, expressed it best when he said, “I felt like an 85 year old man.” But now, both Sam and I are doing great! We found out how to take our lives back.

How about you? Do you lack energy and feel horribly sick? Do you experience mental fog because of your illness? Are you worried about Hepatitis C? Are you scared because Hepatitis C is the leading cause of liver transplant? Do you have fears and concerns about traditional treatment for Hepatitis C? That’s understandable because, according to researchers, the current standard therapy of chronic hepatitis C is less than ideal.1

“I felt like an 85 Year old man.”

Why are scientists saying this about interferon treatment? Because only a small percentage of those undergoing this form of chemotherapy treatment have long term successful outcomes. And the side effects can be significant.

For example, Peter underwent interferon therapy twice, and twice he experienced temporary blindness and numerous side effects, including severe depression. Was it worth it? Peter didn’t think so—and the results of his follow-up liver biopsy indicated that his liver was in worse condition than when he started the treatment.

Speaking of depression,Paul, another friend, also took interferon combination therapy twice—and twice he experienced depression. Did the treatment work? Yes, as long as he was taking pegylated interferon and ribavirin therapy. But shortly after the treatment was over his viral load skyrocketed out of control. Why? In part, because his IMMUNE SYSTEM WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO KILL HCV. Paul’s doctor wanted him to go on the treatment again, but Paul said he would rather die because the side effects and depression were so severe.

What influences the severity of disease?

Why is it that some seem to live a normal life with HCV, yet others are so sick? Worse yet, why do some with HCV develop serious complications? Doctor K. Koike, a professor at the University of Tokyo, says that “persistent infection with HCV is a major risk factor for development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).” Why? His research indicates that the “production of oxidative stress” associated with HCV contributes “to the development of HCC.”

This was confirmed by a study conducted by the Department of Biomedical Research at Our Lady of Mercy University Medical Center, New York Medical College, New York, USA, in which they concluded “that increased oxidative stress is present in patients with CHC.” Similarly, a group of researchers in Madrid, Spain found that “oxidative stress is a common pathogenetic mechanism contributing to initiation and progression of hepatic damage in a variety of liver disorders.” And The University of Massachusetts Medical Center, concluded that chronic hepatitis C (CHC) increases oxidative stress in the liver and is associated with decreases in hepatic glutathione levels.

You Can Protect Your Liver From Oxidative Stress By Raising Your Glutathione Levels

Exactly what is oxidative stress, and how is glutathione involved? Oxidative stress is basically rust. When an untreated piece of metal is exposed to the elements it begins to rust or oxidize. A similar process takes place when cells in your body are damaged.

You can better understand this process if you think of a shiney red apple. What happens when you cut some of the skin off the apple? Quickly it begins to turn a rusty brown. It is experiencing oxidative stress. And if you leave the apple sitting on the counter, it won’t be long before it starts to rot and get sticky.

How does the process work on a cellular level? Free radicals, (which are molecules that have lost an electron, and hence are spinning out of control in your cellular system), can damage the “skin” of your cells–that is the plasmatic membrane surrounding the cell. Then, just like the apple, the cell is exposed to oxidative stress (OS). And guess what, just like the apple, the rotting cells get sticky and tend to plug up your hepatic ducts and liver.

How can you protect your liver from OS? Well, did you notice that the University of Massachusetts reported that chronic hepatitis C increases oxidative stress in the liver and is associated with decreases in hepatic glutathione levels. Barbero et al. described the systemic depletion of glutathione in hepatitis C patients, suggesting that this deficiency could explain their resistance to interferon therapy.

Hepatologists know that glutathione plays a critical role in the liver. What is glutathione and how does it counteract OS and help with liver function? Glutathione is a small molecule found in every one of the 50 to 75 trillion cells found in your body.8 Scientific researchers have found a strong connection between good health and long life and high levels of glutathione (GSH). Conversely, low GSH levels are associated with literally hundreds of diseases, including HCV.

Hepatologists know that glutathione plays a critical role in the liver.

One reason why GSH plays such an important role in your health has to do with it’s function as an antioxidant. According to Patricia A.L. Kongshavn, Ph.D Former Professor: Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, GSH is the liver’s “most abundant antioxidant enzyme and glutathione concentrations are higher in the liver than in any other organ. This is because it is also the substrate for key detoxification processes in the liver. Glutathione neutralizes or conjugates the toxins, enabling them to be eliminated from the body through the gut or kidneys. Any impairment in this process allows buildup of toxins, leading to illness.”

What do antioxidants do? They neutralize free radicals, thereby reducing oxidative stress. This is critical for those of us who are suffering from CHC, since researchers have determined that “micronutrient antioxidants (AO) are severely depleted in serum and liver tissue of patients with CHC, and liver levels of some AO appear to reflect serum levels.”

“Increasing fibrosis is associated with decreased liver AO levels indicating that severe disease may be a consequence of AO depletion or decreased liver storage resulting from fibrosis,” states a scientific paper published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology. In other words, the degree of inflammation and fibrosis in the liver correlates with a persons antioxidant levels. Your body’s main antioxidant is GSH.

Because of this, Dr. H L Bonkovsky states: “the future of therapy of chronic hepatitis C will likely include measures to decrease oxidative stress.” And another team of researchers concluded: “Free radicals play a role in CHC liver damage. Antioxidants (AO) (enzymatic and nonenzymatic) scavenge free radicals and prevent tissue injury.”

Medical science has long known that glutathione deficiency invariably accompanies liver damage. That is why many of us have experienced wonderful results by raising our cellular levels of glutathione.

How do You Raise GSH Levels?

There are several ways people are trying to raise GSH levels. Some health food stores sell glutathione pills or capsules. However, these have no real value as your digestive system chews them up and they are processed as waste before your body can utilize them.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a form of cysteine that has been chemically modified, is used as a drug to raise glutathione in critical medical situations. However, it has some adverse effects which render it unattractive over long periods of time.

According to Dr. J. Gutman, “NAC suffers from two drawbacks. It is effective in raising glutathione only for a short few hours, which is why doctors must give it to patients throughout the entire day. Individuals who take NAC pills experience a peak in glutathione and then levels may crash, occasionally below baseline values. The other complication of NAC is that side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common.”

However, there is an all natural supplement that does safely boost GSH in your system. After years of investigation, Dr. Gustavo Bounous developed what we know as IMMUNOCAL®. This is a protein supplement that has the ability to deliver the precursors, or building blocks, that your cells need in order to manufacture glutathione inside the cells.

Immunocal is clinically proven and guaranteed to raise your glutathione and thus help your immune system deal with various challenges. The evidence supporting Immunocal’s efficacy at raising glutathione levels is strong.

The product is protected by numerous North American and international patents. Moreover, the scientific community recognizes Immunocal as a safe and reliable product. Immunocal is listed in the U.S. Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR) and the Pharmacist’s RedBook, considered primary references for product-related information for physicians and pharmacists. Last but not least, Immunocal also qualifies for U.S. Medicare/Medicaid coverage.

How much Immunocal should you take when you have hepatitis C? In order to build your cellular glutathione up to the levels required to offset the effects of oxidative stress in the liver, we recommend that you take 3 packages of Immunocal per day. That’s the dosage I take. My results are wonderful. Yours will be too. In fact, we guarantee you will be satisfied or we will refund you money back–no questions asked. Simply click on the link below so that we can empower you to take greater control of your health. Let us help you
take your life back!

Would you like further information about Immunocal? If so, contact the person who directed you to this Website.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

1. H L Bonkovsky, (December 30, 2003), Therapy of hepatitis C: Other options. Hepatology, Volume 26, Issue S3 , Pages 143S – 151S`
2. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2007 Jun;22 Suppl 1:S108-11, Koike K, Department of Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. kkoike-tky@umin.ac. jp
3. Dhiraj Yadav M.D, Hilary I Hertan M.D., F.A.C.G, P Schweitzer M.D, E.P Norkus Ph.D, C.S Pitchumoni M.D., M.A.C.G (2002) Serum and liver micronutrient antioxidants and serum oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C, The American Journal of Gastroenterology 97 (10), 2634–2639.
4. Medina, Jesus; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo, (2005), Pathophysiological Basis for Antioxidant Therapy in Chronic Liver Disease. Drugs. 65(17):2445-2461, 2005.
5. H L Bonkovsky, (December 30, 2003), Therapy of hepatitis C: Other options. Hepatology, Volume 26, Issue S3 , Pages 143S – 151S
6. Ibid
7. Barbero G, Di Lorenzo G, Soldini M et al. Hepatic glutathione deficiency in chronic hepatitis C: quantitative evaluation in patients who are HIV positive and HIV negative and correlations with plasmatic and lymphocytic concentrations and with the activity of liver disease. Am J Gastroenterol 91: 2569-73,1996
8. Asimov, Isaac. The Human Body, New rev. ed., p. 79; New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 6, p. 134; Van Amerogen, C. The Way Things Work Book of the Body, p. 13.
9. Dhiraj Yadav M.D, Hilary I Hertan M.D., F.A.C.G, P Schweitzer M.D, E.P Norkus Ph.D, C.S Pitchumoni M.D., M.A.C.G (2002) Serum and liver micronutrient antioxidants and serum oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C, The American Journal of Gastroenterology 97 (10), 2634–2639.
10. Dhiraj Yadav M.D, Hilary I Hertan M.D., F.A.C.G, P Schweitzer M.D, E.P Norkus Ph.D, C.S Pitchumoni M.D., M.A.C.G (2002) Serum and liver micronutrient antioxidants and serum oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C, The American Journal of Gastroenterology 97 (10), 2634–2639.
11. H L Bonkovsky, (December 30, 2003), Therapy of hepatitis C: Other options. Hepatology, Volume 26, Issue S3 , Pages 143S – 151S
12. Dhiraj Yadav M.D, Hilary I Hertan M.D., F.A.C.G, P Schweitzer M.D, E.P Norkus Ph.D, C.S Pitchumoni M.D., M.A.C.G (2002) Serum and liver micronutrient antioxidants and serum oxidative stress in patients with chronic hepatitis C, The American Journal of Gastroenterology 97 (10), 2634–2639.
13. Lands Study J Appl Physiol 87(4): 1381-5, 1999

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

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Conference ID: 138829#