Reduction of cancer mortality by 75% - Study

In a new study, researchers at the Moores Cancer Center and Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, UC San Diego used a complex computer prediction model to determine that intake of vitamin D3 and calcium would prevent 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer annually in the US and Canada. The researchers model also predicted that 75% of deaths from these cancers could be prevented with adequate intake of vitamin D3 and calcium.



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Gary comments:
In their Summer 2009 newsletter, the NZ Cancer Society stated that "There is no recommendation to change our existing sun protection messages". They also used the usual "get out of jail" catch-all statement: "Researchers believe that more research is required ...." Yeah right!

To my astonishment they also wrote: "Some are unsure if lack of vitamin D leads to poor health or whether poor health causes lack of vitamin D"! Duuh!

Vitamin D - Cheap as a supplement and not able to be patented. If it can not be patented it appears there is no interest from mainstream medicine or patient advocacy organisations like the Cancer Society.

Some doctors refuse outright to test for vitamin D levels. Some even deny the existence of a blood test for vitamin D. So far, in three years of reviewing vitamin D blood tests, not a single person has reported optimum vitamin D levels. This tells me that the Cancer Society's sun protection guidelines are misleading and may even be contributing to cancer risk.

Is it more important to protect sunscreen sales while encouraging donations of $$$$ in search of the "CURE" than to save lives through cheap and practical measures like boosting population levels of vitamin D?

A response by the Cancer Society to this article is invited.

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Should I carry a hydration pack for the Coast to Coast and Motu Challenge?

I am going to have to wear a back pack for the Coast to Coast and Motu Challenge for the running sections and having never worn one running before when is a good time to start training with one on and how is the best way to go about it?

My preference would be to run without one but the runs are longer than 2hrs so I do need to hydrate and feed myself plus carry compulsory gear.
_________________________________
Gary responds:
Running lightweight as possible is critical when doing long multisports endurances runs - any run for that matter. Even the weight of a heavy watch adds up as the run goes on and on and on....

My rough calculations are that the raising and lowering of body weight and any extra gear with each stride is equivalent to 60 meters height for every kilometer run (this does not apply to cycling on the flat or kayaking). Note: This is a rough calculation!

So, if you are carrying 2 liters of water in your back pack you are expending much precious energy additional to the effort of transporting your body weight over that mountain pass. Think of the effort wasted lifting a 2kg weight one meter in height 60 times for every kilometer you run - let alone 20 or 40 kilometers. Whew!

When running past or alongside mountain streams you have the option of drinking the water as you go. This is my own preference. Plan ahead before the run so you know approximately where the best water stops are. You can replenish as you go. So far, in 30 years of drinking water from New Zealand mountain streams, I have never caught a tummy bug. Of course, this advice does not apply to most lowland waterways in New Zealand which are terribly polluted by cattle and dairy farming.

If you there are not suitable sources of water along the way then you will have to accept the cost of the extra weight and carry water in, so make sure the running pack you purchase has the option of a bladder. In both of these races, there is water along the way. At the worst, you may have to carry some water if the gap between natural drink stops is too long. By the way, don't rely on the race organsers to tell you if drinking the water is safe or not - of course they will not tell you it is safe because there is the issue of liability if you end up with a tummy ache! If in doubt, search out and canvas the opinions of trampers and hunters who know the region well.

I recommend that you experiment with Balance Ultimate Recovery which is superior to standard sports drinks. Carry this in several sachets in your pack. When you come to a flowing steam, fill your wide mouth drink bottle with fresh clean water then add the sachet, seal, shake up and down the hatch, drinking only as much as is comfortable! This can all be done in half a minute if you are slick. Power walk for about 5 minutes before resuming running to allow the drink to settle and polish off the remainder of the drink over the next hour or so before your next top-up stop. These stops are also opportunities to eat a little in the way of solids if the run is particularly long.

You will lose little time with your drink stops and power walk sessions. In fact, this regime should work in your favour over a lengthy multi-stage event because you will have more consistent energy levels, better hydration and less likely to suffer abdominal upsets from trying to guzzle water while running.

As with all advice of this kind, please practice, practice and practice well before the race. So, purchase a good quality running pack and start practicing now!

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Here is an update about how natural therapies really do work

Natural therapies really do work when matched to a person's specific needs and given plenty of time and patience.

Please go here to see the original photographs of these legs and judge for yourself the remarkable turnaround that this man has achieved with a few vitamins, minerals, diet changes and massage.

He is an enthusiastic walker, proud again to show off his long legs!

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Has Actonel and lately Fosamax caused my jaw pain?

I have been taking Actonel and lately Fosamax for about three and a half years. In mid April, totally out of the blue, I started experiencing serious pain and very severe clicking in the right side of my jaw: my dentist decided there was no problem with my teeth or my bite. He is puzzled and so is my rheumatologist who did prescribe the drugs.

By chance the other day, I stumbled on your website and heard about possible jaw problems and the drugs I have been taking. I am terrified because I can no longer eat normally. How can I find out whether there is a causal effect between these 2 drugs and my symptoms and are you aware of any test that could reveal if they are beginning to cause damage to my jawbone.

I would very much appreciate any feedback as I am at a loss what to do short of discontinuing these drugs.
______________________________________________

Gary responds:

I do not think the problem with your jaw is due to jaw bone death; however there is a link between bisphosponate drugs and joint and muscle pain and this might be what is going on. It should be of no puzzle to your specialist. At the very least, you should be taken off these drugs which have no health use whatsoever and are known to cause horrific harm. I am not aware of a specific test other than a biopsy. You will need to talk to your specialist about this.

Why did your specialist prescribe these drugs in the first place? Tell me and I may have further comment to what follows. Do they read the medical research bulletins?

Test your doctor's medical knowledge about bisphosphonates - Go here

If you suspect there has been harm from the use of these drugs I urge you to contact Tom Lamb. His law firm is one that is leading the legal battle to get redress for victims. Here is what he has to say about Fosamax:

"Fosamax is Merck's osteoporosis management drug, generically known as alendronate, which is part of a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates. Fosamax is used to treat osteoporosis and bone pain caused by some cancers. Recent studies have shown a possible link between using Fosamax for osteoporosis and developing osteonecrosis of the jaw. Osteonecrosis, or ONJ, is the destruction of bone tissue, sometimes associated with interference of the blood supply to bone. Osteonecrosis of the jaw can be very painful and may lead to other complications such as infection, breakdown of the jawbone, ulcerations in the mouth, non-healing wounds, and osteomyelitis (inflammation of bone marrow). Once necrosis begins, it is irreversible. Merck was advised by the FDA in 2004 to include a warning in the drug label but failed to comply until almost a year later."

I just can not for the life of me understand why these drugs continue to be prescribed in the face of mounting evidence (and law suits) that they can and do cause irreversible harm! Can somebody please tell me?

If you are on a Bisphosphenate drug, what do you do?

Stop taking it

There is no medical harm from stopping taking these drugs, so there is no problem stopping taking these. Osteoporosis, the reason for prescribing these to otherwise healthy people, does not progress overnight. Of course you should consult your doctor and ask for evidence that this class of drug does no harm while you are at it. If he/she can not provide valid evidence of benefit that outweighs risk, then I recommend you fire him/her and consider instigating legal proceedings.

Help reverse any damage

• Take 2-4,000iu of vitamin D per day
• Take Coenzyme Q-10 per day - 200mg for a week then reduce to 100mg and keep taking this ongoing
• Take 1-2,000mg per day of a non acid vitamin C
• Get some whey protein and have a dessertspoon about three times a day in addition to a balanced diet that includes quality proteins and plenty of vegetables
• Get a quality multimineral, plus multivitamin with vitamins E, A and K and take daily

(You can get these off me if you like)

Other (important!)

• Ensure that you are not taking any other medicines that could be interfering with bone health (examples: blood thinners, statins). Talk to your doctor about this.
• Get a gentle massage of the jaw, neck and shoulder muscles once weekly. You may have spasms in these muscles that may be the cause of your jaw pain. Massage, plus the nutrients, will help give lasting relief.
• Lift a modest weight from the floor to high above the head. Use a weight you can lift up and down safely about 10 times. Do this set of ten lifts once or twice daily to stimulate strengthening of the bones.

Please take heart, these measures take time. The body has a remarkable capacity for recovery if only one gives it the nutrients and the encouragement to do the job. Please let us know how you get on by giving regular progress updates. Thank you.

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Study finds: Sham Acupuncture is just as Effective as "Real" Acupuncture for Back Pain Relief

May 20, 2009 — Actual or simulated acupuncture therapy appears to be more effective than usual care for chronic low back pain, according to the results of a randomized controlled trial reported in the May 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Acupuncture is a popular complementary and alternative treatment for chronic back pain," write Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD, from the Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington, and colleagues. "Recent European trials suggest similar short-term benefits from real and sham acupuncture needling. This trial addresses the importance of needle placement and skin penetration in eliciting acupuncture effects for patients with chronic low back pain."

"Although acupuncture was found effective for chronic low back pain, tailoring needling sites to each patient and penetration of the skin appear to be unimportant in eliciting therapeutic benefits," the study authors write. "These findings raise questions about acupuncture's purported mechanisms of action. It remains unclear whether acupuncture or our simulated method of acupuncture provide [sic] physiologically important stimulation or represent [sic] placebo or nonspecific effects."
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Gary comments:
Currently New Zealand's Accident Compensation scheme (ACC) is suffering unsustainable cost blowouts. It is appropriate to review all areas of cost. One area that receives insufficient attention for review is the effectiveness of treatments such as orthotics, anti inflammatory medication, ultrasound and acupuncture. Under the bright lights of critical analysis, I am of the opinion that these therapies can not be justified in most cases of injury rehabilitation; yet they constitute the principal forms of therapy (and clinic income) for many health practitioners.

I am now into thirty years working in the fitness and rehabilitation business and have yet to see any convincing evidence that therapies like acupuncture really works beyond that of the Placebo Effect.

While I have only seen the summary of this study about acupuncture, the findings support my own impression that acupuncture is an ineffective treament for chronic pain conditions such as low back pain.

That this study found simulated and sham acupuncture to be more effective than "usual care" indicates just how poorly back patients are served by modern medicine!

Needling does little more than exert a strong placebo effect plus a couple of incidental side benefits that give temporary relief to pain. These are: 15-30 minutes of enforced rest (The neeedles ensure this!) during the middle of the day (If you have low back pain, lying down and daydreaming during the middle of the day is so relieving).

The other benefit is possible reduction of muscle spasm caused by a carefully placed needle inhibiting the contraction and stimulating the release of endorphins. But this will only be a passing benefit, since the needling does not deal with the complex underlying causes of chronic muscle and joint pain. The benefit may be better for acute pain as opposed to chronic pain.

If acupuncture is mostly ineffective for chronic pain, why do so many therapists use it?

What I am about to say is sure to generate shrill, emotive protestations from those who practice acupuncture; but I am going to write this anyway because it needs to be said (I am always happy to participate in informed debate, btw).

Time pressures
Many, if not most therapists who practice acupuncture have, on average, just 15 minutes patient (sorry - "client") contact time. This is the way medical and allied therapies fees are structured in New Zealand, so the pressure goes on clinics to pump the patients through the door just to survive, let alone afford that luxurious house in Khandallah, the flash Alfa Romeo and private schooling for the children. This time pressure makes other therapies that really do work, like massage impractical because these take an hour to do.

With acupuncture, the therapist inserts the needles, then leaves the client for ten minutes and goes and deals with the other clients lying in the other cubicles or gets on with the ACC paperwork. With five minutes to go, the therapist returns, removes the needles, rubs the areas quickly with Antiflamme (It has a big whiff of menthol for dramatic effect) while making positive suggestions about feeling better. It has to be working! And that's it - easy money! It reminds me of painting by numbers which was popular when I was a child.

Not too much effort please!
The most effective therapy (not on its own, mind you!) for chronic pain is massage; but massage is hard work very few allied medical therapists know how to massage properly and few can do this day in and day out without themselves requiring serious therapy! Good massage, not of the tickle and rub kind, is tough on the knuckles, wrists and elbows and best reserved for the hardy therapist with big hands and strong arms.

Medicine and Rehabilitation are businesses for Profit first - Health last
Medicine has aligned with big Pharma so that it can profitably process about one client per doctor every 10 minutes, relying on computer generated prescriptions for drugs that are approved and funded by Pharmac (using your tax dollars - of course!).

With the current financial model driving the sytem, modern medicine has little choice but to remain in bed with Big Pharma. This explains why a doctor will only ever give lip service to natural health alternatives and seldom, if ever prescribe a nutrient supplement and only if it is a Big Pharma product - Bauer's Elevit for pregnant women is one of these rare exceptions. To prescribe, or even acknowledge a natural alternative is dealing with the enemy. But I am beginning to digress.....

Acupuncture, like ultrasound, cupping and orthotics, is Rehabilitation's equivalent to medical prescriptions - Perfect for the business that is pressured to process many injured clients in quick succession over a long working day. These additional procedures usually brings in a nice to have surcharge fee that is paid either by the recipient or the health scheme - or both.

So, what do you do if you are prescribed acupuncture?
Save the country, your insurer and yourself a lot of money by challenging it. Ask to be shown the scientific evidence proving that it is a valid therapy for your condition. Are there other therapies that better suit your injury? Be sceptical and wary of single therapy solutions.

You could start by putting your legs up and reading the free articles about injury management that you can find here on my website. Read my advice about massage for chronic pain and do not overlook the powerful contribution nutrition has to play in addressing the underlying causes of chronic pain. If it is back pain that you suffer from, you could get a copy of my Back Pain Book.

Is your pain due to medication side effects? Talk to your doctor. If you are unsure you can even write to me and I will help you sort through your medication to identify possible contributors, either individually or through interactions.

In most cases, the solution to your pain lies within yourself and there are usually several related factors at work which helps explain why single therapy solutions are usually very disappointing. The first step is to carry out a series of investigations, including blood tests and a hair tissue mineral analysis in addition to the usual physical ones. The next step is to work up a list of factors that can be worked on and to prioritise these in terms of difficulty and treatability. An intervention plan is devised which targets just some of these factors and away we go!

An incremental multifactoral approach slowly, but surely chips away at the problem. Relief from chronic pain can be surprisingly rapid in many cases, sometimes within three weeks or so; but patience is required in most cases, sometimes several months or even a year or so. Please read my articles here about client feedback to get an idea of how well this patient, multifactoral approach works.

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Information about the quality of our Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA)

In response to the increasing interest in our Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) and the questions asked about quality control, here is the link to the Interclinical Laboratories website. This link is to their page which explains their laboratory processes and quality control. I have been using Interclinical Laboratories for two years now and their service has been without fault.

HTMAs never cease to fascinate, giving detail and insights into a person's health status that a blood test can not (When combined with a battery of blood tests, we have a wealth of information to work with).

The HTMA takes most of the guesswork out of prescribing supplements and adjusting a person's diet. This is useful for the athlete who is either struggling with form or seeking that extra edge in peak performance.

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"Incidental Joy" - An article by George Beinhorn about Arthur Lydiard and Lorraine Moller

Here's an interesting article about Arthur Lydiard and my sister, Lorraine Moller.

The author, George Beinhorn, has written a book about running and fitness. While I have not read it, it does appear to worth getting hold of.

Click on the image to the left to read on his website.

Lorraine's book, On the Wings of Mercury, is available here.

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More Feedback about the Service from Happy Campers!

Hi Alofa

Yes, the rebounder arrived and is all but worn out already! Only joking, but would like you to know I thought the whole purchase process, from browsing the website through to the goods' prompt arrival was top-notch, thank you. I'm thrilled with the rebounder, it's exactly as portrayed on the website.

Thank you again for such prompt, efficient and genuine service.

Kind regards
Stephanie
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Gary comments:
Our business is run with the intention of providing the best prices for quality goods that we can get away with and to back this up with service that exceeds expectations and is beyond the call of duty. This includes freely giving advice and guidance about personal health and fitness issues that one would normally have to pay for. Our business is driven, word of mouth, by satisfied clients.

This approach seems to be working: Despite the worldwide economic gloom and doom, our wee business continues to set monthly sales records. We are flat out to say the least.

While we will never get wealthy doing what we do - we love it!

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Harbour Capital 10km Running Race Success

Hi Gary/Alofa
Just thought I would let you know, that I did the 10K Harbour Capital Run today and I knocked 4 minutes off the time I did last year, which is a great improvement.

I have no doubt that your advice/assistance with supplements and massage went towards the improvement.

Cheers Julie
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Gary comments:
This is a very good result for Julie who had a less than perfect buildup to this race. That she made it to the start line and finished with a personal best is wonderful news.

Congratulations Julie!

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Can the Balance Ultimate Recovery Stack replace my regular sports drink?

Just wanted to ask a question about the Recovery Stack product.
"L" uses an electrolyte replacement drink during/after some of his longer rides. Should he continue with this now that he has Recovery Stack to take after training? Also, what is the ideal time frame to take the RS drink after an event or training ride? (ie how soon after finishing exercise?)

Photo: Alama Moller (9yrs), cycling around Savii, Samoa
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Gary responds:
Balance Recovery Stack can replace the sports drink for all his training. Water is fine during the rides. This is for two reasons:

Tooth Decay
Sipping on sugary drink for hours on end while breathing heavily causes bacterial blooms in the mouth. Other than bad breath, thousands of dollars of damage can be done to teeth and gums. It is better to sip water and stop here and there for a feed of solids which can be just about anything. Dried fruit, a sandwich or a ripe banana. These solids can be washed down with a few swills of plain water.

Fat metabolism
When training to imnprove peak athletic performance, the purpose of each ride has to be known before you embark on it. Is the purpose of the ride to increase leg power, stamina or skill as examples?

If it is to increase stamina, then I question the practice of infusing the blood with loads of sugar diring the ride. The ability to use fat stores in the body while preserving far less abundant carbohydrate stores is a key factor of several in determining stamina. The better practice is to tank up over the previous day and hours and then to ride steady on only water. The idea is to ride until fatigue begins to set in and then continue another half hour or so then call it quits. Go home and tank up. As one repeats this the distance one can ride before hitting the "wall" should extend steadily outwards. As the months pass the time one can ride steady should be substantial. All that may be needed is a good supply of water and the occasional feed of solids.

Using Balance Recovery stack
You can have two drinks per day regardless of training. These can be had as a breakfast drink and after school. I love having this drink with a scoop of Loadup Berry Brights or Loadup Fruitful Greens. This provides with a wide range of the nutrients that your body needs for recovery and building a strong and resilient body.

Have a drink of Balance Recovery about 30 minutes before exercise and another within the hour of completion. An alternative, or additional to this, you can have a whey protein Super Smoothie.

When to use the sports drink
So you are now a highly tuned racing machine - an efficient fat burning machine that can go for hours and hours. You are now ready to use your carbo drinks during intense races - if you really feel you need these any more (you might if a race is longer than about 2 hours). If less than a couple of hours, water should be fine. If you are going to use sports drinks and gels, you must still practice with them just to be sure your stomach can handle them.

I do not like the sports gels at all. I think they are gimmicks. The contents are usually GM corn syrup with a few added bits and pieces, costing a couple of cents and sold for dollars. There have been far too many cases of stomach upset and even diarrhoea from these, so I can not endorse them. If you just take these gels, please drink lots of water to dilute them and swill the mouth because the gel sticks to your teeth and gums.

Some dietary advice
As a general rule, stay away from the highly refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta and instant noodles. Give favour to high nutrient foods like nuts, fruit, fresh meats, vegetables and full cream dairy foods. Avoid fat reduced foods.

what about caffeine and ephidrine?
Please stay away from caffeine and ephidrine prodicts which the cycling world is awash with. This includes various herbal energy boosters that your Personal Trainer in the gym might offer you. These have no place in a healthy athlete's life. You will perform better without them and your career will be longer than others.

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How Lowering your Cholesterol Destroys your Health

Prior to turning 50 I actively worked to reduce my cholesterol levels by reducing my animal fat intake and generally following a modern "Heart Healthy" diet as promoted by medical authorities including the Heart Foundation.

In hindsight, this was a bad move: My cholesterol levels continued to rise, I started having to get up in the middle of the night to pee, my running became laboured and painful and I was increasingly depressed about my work! I suffered cold hands and feet even in summer. Most disturbing of all; I was getting skin cancers all over the place.

The last couple of years have seen a dramatic reversal of this pathetic and disturbing decline which I depressingly assumed was signaling the onset of old age! I switched back to animal fats, including full fat dairy, eggs and meat. For the last year or so we have been drinking raw full fat milk (predominantly Type A-2).

The last four years has seen a steady and delightful improvement in my health. My cholesterol levels have dropped a little for the first time in 20 years.

Astonishing! My skin cancers have all disappeared, I no longer get up to pee in the middle of the night. I am running and cycling as fast and as long as I did 20 years ago. Oh - and libido is cranking along on all 8 cylinders!

For a good rundown about the biochemistry of cholesterol and its role in the body for the production of hormones like estrogen and testosterone and also how to combat inflammation, please click on the presentation in the upper left of this article. You may need to pause the presentation in places to read the slides properly.

I do not advocate a high fat, high meat diet
When reading these slides, please bear in mind that I am not advocating a high meat diet like the Atkins Diet or anything near that. while we eat a wide variety of meat, fish, eggs and dairy these are not in excess by any measures. Our family diet is rich in vegetables nuts, berries and fruit. Grains tend to be whole and little sugar is consumed other than that found in juices and honey.

The most important point to take from this presentation is the importance of adequate cholesterol for health, including the production of hormones that drive the body's processes.

In my opinion a total cholesterol level of between 4-5.5 4 mmol/L is just fine. Higher or lower and health may be at risk. If your levels are creeping up despite a low cholesterol diet, the reason may be partly due to lack of sunshine on your body! UVB radiation convert cholesterol into cholecalciferol. And cholecalciferol (vitamin d) combines with LDL cholesterol to form steroidal hormones. Gun this process up and cholesterol is put to good use!

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I am Breast Feeding and Training for a Half Marathon

I am 39 years old and have just had my fourth baby. She is now 7 months old and I am feeling the need to get out and get on my feet running again. For no other reason than my husband kindly entered me in the 2009 half marathon. I have run the 2006 and 2007 Auckland half marathon in 2hours 30mins (approx) and various 10km runs and one triathlons in between. I am still breast feeding but that is not the main nutrition for her as she is on solids and having a bottle but I would like to continue to breast feed for as long as she wants to. i.e. I don’t want to give it up for the sake of my fitness.

What I am asking is, can you suggest a training program and nutrition which is suited to the breast feeding and safety for my daughter i.e. supplements that are safe for her. To be honest my nutrition is not the best at the moment as I am eating just to feel full when I can. Breakfast is not happening as I am preparing lunch boxes and bottles but I know that if I had a guideline then I would feel better.
_____________________________
Gary responds:
You are asking the right man: I used to milk cows between university semesters. We are very much like cows when it comes to producing plenty of high quality milk. If poorly fed, the cows produce less and what is produced is of a lower quality. Stress the cows in any way and production declines. Farmers in New Zealand love their cows. Some even sing to them.

When preparing for the half marathon, that you do not fall into negative energy and nutrient balances while both training and breast feeding. While you may not stop producing milk, the quality will suffer and this is far from desirable for your baby regardless of how other sources of food.

Breakfast has to happen, otherwise you start the day on the back foot. There is no excuse for going without. Our busy family has always made school lunches the night before and we still do. Ingredients that make sandwiches go soggy, such as tomato, can be packed separately and the child can make up the sandwich during lunchtime. Children can make their own lunches (and breakfasts) from an early age, freeing you to oversee the work, instead of being an unpaid slave to all. Do they really need bottles? Water is best. All NZ schools and childcare centers have drink fountains.

Please have a look at my Super Smoothie recipe which you can modify to suit your needs. This will give all the nutrients you need to train hard and to keep the milk supply going. The basic Smoothie, including the whey protein, flax oil, raw egg and berries, are all safe for you and Baby. You can serve the basic Smoothie to your children as part of their breakfast and as an after school snack. What you serve your children you can also have - the only difference being that you have more.

Have a glass of Balance Recovery Stack within the hour before a training run and then another within the hour of finishing. A few scoops per day is perfectly safe for a breastfeeding athlete. This is all you need other than the Super Smoothie. Of course; ensure that your entire diet is rich in proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals sourced from a wide variety of fresh foods. Unless you have a more specific need, such as a past history of iron deficiency, this should be more than adequate.

If your budget allows, please purchase a Salter 9106 Body Composition Analyser
Scale. These are selling dirt cheap right now because I want my clients to have them. These scales will tell you your body composition in water, bone, fat and muscle. As you get fitter, fat may decline while lean and water should increase (You can send me your results and I will comment on them). Use the "Athlete Mode".

The best advice I can give about training is to follow the Training for a Marathon Guide. Start out slow, stick to the "Hard Day - Easy Day" rule and try to be as consistent as possible from one week to the next. There are now over 900 articles about health and fitness on this site. Please use the "key words" tab to the right of this article to explore areas of interest - "shin splints" for example.

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Here is the most beautiful movie I have ever seen

Not only is the movie "Home" the most stunning cinematography I have seen, its message is deeply disturbing. There are simply far too many people on this planet and we are heading for Hell in a handbasket.

There is reference in the movie about the potential catastrophe of melting of the Siberian permafrost. I fear their concerns are an understatement: Warming of the permafrost will release massive volumes of methane. The way things are going this melt could happen within a matter of years, rather than decades.

When the permafrost melts, we will have Global Warming on Steroids!

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Six things you can do to reduce the impact of Swine Flu on your health

"The 1918 has gone: a year momentous as the termination of the most cruel war in the annals of the human race; a year which marked, the end at least for a time, of man's destruction of man; unfortunately a year in which developed a most fatal infectious disease causing the death of hundreds of thousands of human beings. Medical science for four and one-half years devoted itself to putting men on the firing line and keeping them there. Now it must turn with its whole might to combating the greatest enemy of all--infectious disease," As noted in the Journal of the American Medical Association final edition of 1918: (12/28/1918).

My article here is not about how to avoid Swine Flu. It is about how to ensure you do not get knocked around too much should you get a dose of it. There is already plenty of advice about how to avoid it (Washing hands, quarantine etc). What I am about to tell you is what health officials do not tell you.

Swine Flu (H1N1) virus is a relatively mild influenza. Those most at risk of complications include people with:

• Pre-existing conditions such as asthma and emphysema
• Weakened immune systems due to factors such as chemotherapy, chronic stress, poor nutrition, poor sleep and medicine such as statins and prednisone
• The least previous contact with influenza over their lifetime
  

In my case: If I catch a dose of the Swine Flu, I will welcome it because I am currently in good health and most unlikely to die from the few days of sniffles and aching muscles. I greet the infection with the knowledge that, once I have had this mild virus, I am immune to it for life.

I will then have an innate resistance to this new influenza family.

This is important to me because the H1N1 virus will surely eventually mutate into another variation of the H1Ni and there is the slight, but real, possibility that the new bug has similar qualities to the 1918 Spanish Flu that wiped out millions. My immune system will be primed and prepared for the onslaught.

Here are six things you can easily do to reduce the impact of the virus on your health:

1. Ensure your vitamin D levels are kept up over winter. We have a "Flu" season because population D levels plummet over winter. Keep yours up with a vitamin D supplement which you can get off me for just $12-$15. Adults can take 4,000iu per day, children 1,000iu per day during winter. In three years of testing vitamin D levels, not one person has returned an "optimum" result and many have been seriously deficient - is there any reason why you should be bucking the trend towards deficiency? High vitamin D levels may reduce your lifetime risk of all cancers by 60-70%, so what are you waiting for?
   
2. Ensure you have a good intake of vitamin C with fruit, vegetables and a daily supplement - Ester C is best because one dose per day is enough. Daily intake can be about 2,000mg per day over winter. Kiwifruit are rich in vitamin C and going for as little as $1/kg right now. As an added bonus, vitamin C improves energy levels and is great for hair, skin and nails.
   
3. Boost your trace minerals. New Zealand soils are deficient in many trace minerals, including boron, cobalt, selenium and zinc. So far, everyone I have tested for zinc levels (an indicator for several trace minerals) have returned a deficency result. Low levels of zinc and selenium lay you wide open for inflammation and infections such as sore throats and poor healing. I use two supplements to correct these deficiencies: AgeWise Blood Sugar Support and Kordels Selenium ACE. Dosages depend on a person's needs. these supplements have the added bonus of reducing the risks of developing prostatisis (if make and over 40yrs), they may improve male and female virility while reducing sugar cravings.
   
4. Take a daily Lysine supplement. Lysine is an amino acid that has antiviral properties. It is used for reducing the ferocity of the cold sore virus. It works when taken daily over the longterm with similar benefits for other viruses, including infuenza. As an added bonus, it is great for skin, hair and nails as well!
5. Get an infusion of quality protein over the day. Your immune system needs protein to fight the Good Fight. Good athletes and gardeners know that you get better results if you dribble in the nutrients, including protein, rather than give the same in a single big hit each day. Rather than have all your protein in a single meal, divvy it up into three or four servings over the day. Whey protein is the King of proteins. You can get a pot of whey off me. Sprinkle a level spoonful on your breakfast cereal and mix with smoothies and other dishes during the day.
6. Get plenty of sleep. Seven to eight hours per day. Go to bed by 10pm, have the lights out by 10.30pm and be asleep by 11pm. It is during the hours of 1-3am that your body produces peak levels of Growth Hormone (This is why children and teenagers need lots of deep sleep). In the adult, Growth Hormone repairs and revitalises the body that has been exhausted by a hard day's work. Sex is the recommended knockout drug for those who are slow to fall asleep. With all that vitamin D and trace minerals, you will be feeling more like it and hopefully getting plenty of it one way or another!

If I catch Swine Flu....

Should I take Tamiflu?
Virulent it may be; but the Swine Flu is still a relatively mild virus. If you are in good general health and if you have put my nutrition and sleep advice in place early on, there really is no need to take Tamiflu - unless you want to add to the billion or so dollars Roche International is making out of this pandemic. Do not be fooled: Tamiflu is not some harmless drug. It has the potential for serious, harmful side effects. As with all drugs; take only if you really, really have to. Be guided by your doctor on this one, if you are unsure.

Should I take medicines like Panadol (and Tamiflu) to lower my fever?
If you are in good general health, there is no need to take any medicines for a mild flu virus. One of the tools your body uses to kill off a virus is to cook it. Viruses do not tolerate high temperatures, so let the body get on with the job without interference, use cold compresses to relieve the headache and wait for the fever to break. Once the fever breaks, you are on the way to a full recovery and robust immunity to that strain. Good old fashioned chicken broth will assist your recovery by supplying a rich brew of minerals and protein - including collagen.

Do I need to take antibiotics?
Antibiotics work against bacteria - not viruses. Influenza is a virus, so do not take an antibiotic unless your doctor has advised you do (If you already have a lung disease like COPD an antibiotic may be prescribed to lower the risk of secondary bacterial infection). If you are recovering from the flu and then find your health deteriorating for a second time within a week or so of the first infection, it is possible that you have contracted a secondary bacterial infection. Go see your doctor who may prescribe a course of antibiotics. Be sure to complete the full course of treatment.

So, what has changed since the influenza pandemic of 1918 which killed at least 20 million people?

It is interesting to note that the 1918 flu pandemic grabbed hold of humanity in the festering trenches of the 1st World War. This was the perfect breeding ground for the killer: Young men crammed together in the most appalling conditions, immersed in mud and excrement, surrounded by rotting bodies, fed shit for food and deprived of sleep - all the while being shot at, bombed and gassed. Then the survivors were herded into makeshift troop ships and transported home to spread the bug to their stressed and exhausted families.

This reminds me very much of the way modern industrial pig and chicken farming operate - Roll on more variations of Bird and Swine Flu! Perfect conditions for breeding Super Bugs. The next one may by more akin the 1918 killer virus.

If we are really serious about minimising the possibility of breeding killer pandemics, we would do more about the way we treat our animals.

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