Gary Null » Beyond Prescriptions

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about my bout with food poisoning. Little did I know when I was writing that post that it was much more serious than that. Unfortunately, even though I had the symptoms of food poisoning it became much worse and I became very sick, so much so that I had to go to the doctor.

Blood work was taken and much to my surprise it was found that I had a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium that causes most ulcers and is the most common cause of acute gastritis. Well, at least my misery had a name to it! And it did not seem to be going away. I was immediately given a course of antibiotics along with ulcer medication to last for 7 days.

According to Gary Null, one of America’s leading health and fitness advocates, the irritation in my stomach was very much like an “internal sunburn”. This bacteria is unique in its ability to live in the acid environment of the stomach, where it is able to create a protective coating. Often people with gastritis have problems with absorption of vitamin B12 and may develop macrocytic anemia as a result. Also, up to 80% of those with gastric ulcers (of the stomach) have heliocobacter pylori in their systems. 80% of those with Duodenal ulcers, severe irritations of the small intestine, also have heliocobacter pylori present.

After 7 days of these medicines I am back to my old self. But not really. I no longer crave coffee (which is very good since coffee is something I should be avoiding). I have never been fond of spicy foods and since that too is a no-no, that is an easy one to avoid. Animal foods require more gastric involvement and should be avoided if possible. (Since I have chosen to eat only vegetables and occasional fish since March of this year, this was not a problem). I love broccoli but I should not have it in the raw state. Vegetables become less acidic when steamed. I have not tried this but apparently raw cabbage juice has been found to be quite beneficial. Even raw fruit (except bananas) can exacerbate the condition. Carbohydrate foods have their own protective buffer in the natural state (brown rice and whole grain and vegetables) but once they are refined (white flour and white rice, cakes and pastries) the buffer is stripped away, so they too should be avoided.

My real fear of taking antibiotics is because of the microflora imbalance it causes. Antibiotics kill both the beneficial and harmful bacteria in our bodies. Following a course of antibiotic therapy, women often experience yeast or urinary tract infections, children suffer from diarrhea and infants suffer from oral thrush and diarrhea. These health problems result from the destruction of the beneficial microflora and the accompanying overgrowth of yeast (Candida). Most of the people in the U.S. ingest far too many antibiotics because they are over-prescribed and are now present in our food. Farmers feed antibiotics to cattle and poultry on a daily basis; these antibiotics are then passed on to us in the food we eat and the milk we drink. The only way to restore the balance is to feed our bodies the beneficial microflora on a daily basis, especially, when on a course of antibiotic therapy.

Fortunately I do not drink milk (I only drink Almond Milk) and have not eaten meat in over 6 months. I was very diligent during the 7 days of taking this medicine to be sure and include daily a Probiotic that provided guaranteed delivery of live, beneficial microflora to the intestine. It includes Bifodobacterium longum (commonly known as bifidus) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (commonly known as acidophilus). It is the only acidophilus-bifidus supplement available that also includes the unique, compex carbohydrate Prebiotic, which helps the beneficial microflora to thrive, therefore, contributing to LONG-TERM colon health.

I definitely felt my health was compromised during this time; however, with the help of the antibiotics as well as my Probiotic, (which kept all of those scary microflora imbalance issues away), I was able to heal quickly. I feel also that stress can be involved in all of this and I am presently working on minimizing this as much as possible. I am very grateful that I was able to get this bacterium out of my system. It really has made me appreciate my prescription-free life and that my health is truly my most valuable asset.

A row of tomatoes

Loved this picture ~ we are in the midst of such a heatwave here but summertime brings us such great bounties (like these beautiful tomatoes!)

Not only are tomatoes one of the tastiest treats of the summer, we can enjoy them as well all year simply by using tomato pastes, sauces, and even sun dried tomatoes. Gary Null, author of Power Foods includes tomatoes on his list of power foods due to the presence of carotenes, antioxidants with a host of health benefits. He also stresses organic tomatoes, as the powerful carotenoid antioxidant lycopene can be up to three times higher in organic tomatoes than in conventionally grown tomatoes.

Null further emphasizes that when cooking or juicing tomatoes, be sure to use the whole tomato, including the peel, to gain the most benefits from the synergy of all the nutrients that are present. Loaded with healthy vitamins and trace minerals, one cup of ripe, raw tomato provides 57% RDV of vitamin C, 22% RDV of vitamin A, 13% RDV of vitamin K as well as ample amounts of B vitamins, and potassium, manganese, fiber, chromium, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin E, tryptophan, and even a small amount of protein! Wow! Makes me want to definitely include tomatoes in my daily diet.

Of course no matter how red a tomato is, if it was picked to be shipped to a faraway supermarket, then it was picked too soon. That would certainly encourage us all to purchase ours from a local farmer’s market (or grow our own). A recent article in the NYTimes emphasized the phytonutrient called lycopene contained in the red pigment of tomatoes. One of its known benefits is preventing the oxidation of cholesterol, thereby slowing the development of atherosclerosis. Perhaps the drugs so commonly prescribed to people with slightly elevated cholesterol levels could be avoided simply by consuming more tomatoes (and with no side effects).

Also listed in that NY Times article were some wonderful recipes using tomatoes including Blender Tomato Soup, Brushetta with Tomato Topping, and Pizza Without The Dough. Go to that link and check it out. I am going to try some of these recipes as well as include in my daily diet a supplement that contains key carotenoids in each serving.

Yesterday my husband and I were enjoying a healthy lunch at Whole Foods and noticed that the organic blueberries were going to go on sale for just $1.99 pint on Friday, June 17th. That was certainly a confirmation to me that summer had arrived. I immediately made a mental note to come back on Friday and purchase some of these as I love putting them in my morning shake. I put them in the freezer so I always have a bounty of antioxidants to add to our healthy breakfast.

In the book Gary Null’s Power Foods, he describes blueberries as powerful phytonutrients which include anthocyanidins which neutralize free radical damage that affects the collagen matrix of cells and tissues. Only 80 calories per cup, they provide 31% of the RDV of vitamin C,20% of the RDV of manganese, nearly 4 grams of dietary fiber, and over 7% of the RDV for vitamin E!

Anthocyanidins are the blue-red pigments found in blueberries and are credited with enhancing the effects of vitamin C, enhancing the health of all body tissues, protecting the cardiovascular system, protecting the brain from oxidative stress, and improving brain function by crossing the blood-brain barrier to localize in the brain regions controlling spatial learning and memory.

Another powerful antioxidant included is pterostilebene, credited with being a heart-disease-fighting and cancer-fighting phytonutrient. Apparently new studies have even attributed this antioxidant to help in lowering cholesterol. Elligic acid, another antioxidant present in blueberries, helps to block the metabolic pathways that lead to cancer.

A supplement which comes in capsule form, ( just 2 capsules which can be opened and added to water) providing over 300 mg of flavonoids, from blueberry, elderberry, green tea, and grapeseed, among others is something Ray and I have added to our diet at times when we are traveling or not able to have organic choices on hand.

One of Whole Foods Recipes using blueberries sounds particularly delicious. I have included it here:

LEMON CREAM WITH BLUEBERRIES

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest, divided
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
8 pitted dates, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 (12 oz) package silken tofu, drained
2 cups fresh blueberries

Combine 1 tbsp. lemon zest, lemon juice, dates, vanilla, cardamom, and tofu in blender. Puree ingredients until smooth. Divide lemon cream evenly among 4 bowls and garnish with blueberries and reserved lemon zest. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve. YUM!

What’s your favorite blueberry dish?

Beyond Prescriptions

Antibiotics (and Probiotics) to the Rescue

A Summertime Drug ~ Fresh Organic Tomatoes

One of Nature’s Super Foods ~ Blueberries