Sunscreens: Benefits and Health Concerns

Paul Reller, L.Ac.

The widespread use of sunscreens is now the subject of much debate concerning actual protection against skin cancer, blocking of UV radiation that is necessary to produce the prohormone Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol, and even as a probable cause of skin cancer when containing a Vitamin A derivative, retinyl palmitate, that is found in over 40% of sunscreen products, as well as a host of other chemicals found to be carcinogenic. Most sunscreens are effective at preventing sunburn, but are they effective at preventing cancer? Skin cancer incidence does not seem to have been reduced by the widespread use of sunscreens statistically. Of course, there are a variety of factors that are applicable to this analysis, and thus much debate on the subject goes on. Most sunscreens protect against ultraviolet B sun radiation (UVB), the cause of sunburn, which was believed to be the main cause of serious skin cancers attributable to excess sun exposure, or poor immune defenses against sun radiation damage. In recent years, it has been proven that ultraviolet A sun radiation (UVA) is also a significant cause of skin damage and cancer, although UVA is not associated with sunburn. Sunscreens may inhibit UV radiation by either absorbing or scattering the UV light, and the fact that over 50% of sunscreens only inhibited UVB, not UVA, has led many to believe that the industry was only concerned about preventing sunburn, not skin cancer. Most sunscreens are labeled with SPF protection standards (sun protection factor) only, which does not tell the consumer whether there is protection from UVA. There are 17 approved sunscreen agents in the U.S., and more than 40 now in Japan. Japan is considered the leading country in both developing improved sunscreen agents, and researching and disseminating information to the public on the healthiest sunscreen agents.

While the debate on sunscreens has produced the typical pro and con attitudes, the real debate should concern the most sensible and healthy approach to each individual's use of sunscreen as a protectant. It would be sensible to expose the skin to 5-10 minutes of midday sun without sunscreen to produce Vitamin D3 prohormone cholecalciferol. Exposing the skin to this short UV stimulation will not result in sunburn or significantly increase cancer risk. A little time spent in the sun without sunglasses would also stimulate much production of prohormone Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol. It would be sensible also to look at the labels on the the sunscreen and do a little research on products. UVA protection is important, and the FDA should institute requirments to list UVA protection on these products, as well as UVB protection. Simple labeling of PDF is insufficient. Avoidance of retinyl A compounds seems sensible, as well as a host of harmful chemical ingredient discussed below, which have been proven to be carcinogenic, affect hormonal balance, are toxic and accumulative in our bodies, eventually affecting liver and kidney health, and are bad for the environment, significantly affecting our drinking water and wildlife. Five out of six chemicals used in the sunblocking in commercial products are estrogenic, or estrogen mimics, and in accumulative tissue dosage over time, could be triggers to breast and prostate cancers, as well as disrupters of the endocrine system. One common ingredient that is estrogen-like, 4-MBC (4-methyl-benzylidene camphor) was tested on laboratory animals, applied to the skin in dosages similar to what are used in sunblock application, and caused a doubling of the rate of uterine growth. While human studies need to be developed and financed, this research creates a strong indication of the potential for this chemical to contribute to endometriosis and cancer.

While many pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies are now heavily advertising better and safer sunscreen and sunblock products, the public should still be skeptical. The current advertising aims are to promote products free of chemical fragrances, emulsifiers and preservatives, which have been shown to be creating many cases of allergic reactivity in the United States and across the world, and also to promote UVA protection. Unfortunately, there is a stubborn attitude in the industry to defend potentially harmful chemical ingredients. Titanium oxide is now touted as the natural cell protector, but as a link to an informational website below shows, these chemicals are problematic in skin lotions in modern chemical forms that utilize nanoparticles. In its natural state, titanium oxide may be beneficial to the skin, yet in a refined ultrafine state, these chemicals have been studied and found to be able to penetrate deep into the body and potentially induce a response that contributes to irritation of the trachea, bronchioles, and other tissues, and are potentially pathogenic. (Churg et al, Univ. of British Columbia; 1999).

While it is widely assumed in society that sunscreens are proven to prevent melanoma skin cancer, this is not true, and is still the subject of intense debate. An industry article by T. Bombeli, MD, BBA, for Somerset Cosmetic Company in Renton, Washington, touts the chemical achievements and pros and cons of current chemicals in sunscreens, but states: “Whether or not sunscreens can also reduce the occurrence of melanoma is still debated.” Sun protection factor is not questioned. Actual protection against the most harmful skin cancer is still being debated. The act of preventing UVB sunburn with a chemical sunscreen may be lulling consumers into a false sense of safety and allowing the excess exposure to UVA radiation, which is increasing cell mutation and the risk of skin cancer. To approach the subject of true protection against skin cancer, the consumer must take a more intelligent and proactive approach to sun protection. ‘See no evil’ is not an intelligent and scientific approach, and the mere prevention of sunburn by using a sunscreen may not be preventing cancer. Use of more natural sunscreen lotions that reveal the level of UVA protection, increased use of a physical barrier when the sun exposure is prolonged, such as a light colored long sleeve shirt, pants and brimmed hat, and allowing a limited amount of midday sun radiation to stimulate the skin and eyes, are all parts of a more intelligent and healthy approach.

Risk assessmment for skin cancer

Most skin cancers are benign or limited, easily detectable, and treatable at an early stage. When your risk of skin cancer is high, you need to understand which skin cancers are most threatening, and be able to identify these lesions before they spread to other tissues in the body, or metastasize. The invasive skin cancers are called melanomas, or cancerous mutations of the melanin producing cells in the skin. The lifetime risk of developing any invasive cancer is about 42%, currently, with most cases occurring toward the end of life, as the immune system weakens, and tissue regeneration is poorly controlled. About 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and about 1 in 3 Causasians in the U.S. will develop a skin cancer, according the Skin Cancer Foundation. Most of these will be focal or benign, but melanomas may quickly metastasize. Melanomas are the least common type of skin cancer, but cause about 75% of skin cancer related deaths. Melanin is not only a pigment, but is important in the hormonal and neurological systems in the body, and this will be explained in a section lower in this article. Melanomas are identified at an early stage by skin lesions that are changing with shape and color. They are differentiated from common skin moles, which are common benign dark pigmentations, by noting assymetrical irregular borders, variegated color, and increasing diameter over 6mm, or about the size of a pencil eraser. It is essential to identify these melanomas at an early stage, as less than a fifth of all melanomas diagnosed early become metastatic. If there is a suspicion of a developing melanoma, one should see a dermatologist to rule out cancer. At later stages, the melanoma mole may itch, ulcerate or bleed.

A number of risk factors are associated with a higher risk for skin cancer. Of course, the most obvious factor is whether you sunburn easily. The second most obvious risk is when one tans a lot, or spends a lot of time at work in the direct sun without clothing protection. Tanning with lamps and tanning beds also poses a higher risk if done to excess. The third most obvious risk is when you live in high altitude, where sun radiation is strongest. Other risks include fair skin (less melanin pigment), blond or red hair, light-colored eyes, and easy freckling of skin, as well as the presence of moles, precancerous skin lesions (rough, scaly patches that range from dark brown to pink, most commonly found on the face and lower arms). A weakened immune system is also a concern, as is increasing age.

Skin cancer is no different than other cancers when assessing overall risks, and general considerations should be applied as well. General health and diet is an important consideration, as confirmed by numerous studies, as is attention of environmental concerns, especially exposure to strong electromagnetic fields and radiation. A diet high in red meat and simple carbohydrates produces a much higher risk of developing invasive cancer than one with abundant fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fruits. Cigarette smoking and high alcohol consumption have always been considered a high risk behavior. Obesity, depression, and a family history of cancer are also strong risk factors, and the underlying health imbalances of obesity and depression should be addressed with holistic therapy.

A number of dietary strategies have been researched to help prevent cancer. These include periodic taking of a folate (5MTF is the active folate supplement), selenium, zinc methionine, DIM, nuLIgnan, and Vitamin E tocopheral, as well as incorporating foods with these nutrients into your diet. General dietary recommendations include sufficient garlic, onions, whole grains, legumes, dark leafy green vegetables, fish, green tea, healthy cold-pressed oils, such as olive and walnut, and a glass of fine wine with supper. Healthy fats in the diet are especially important when reducing risk of skin cancers. Healthy fats and oils will supply the correct balance of essential fatty acids, which are essential to immune function, hormonal function, and tissue health. Unstable polyunsaturated fats, which include most of the commercial fats now used in processed foods, such as transfats, are more easily damaged by sun exposure when incorporated into the skin cell structures.

Choosing and effective and safe sunblock

As stated, there are a variety of chemicals, many from natural sources, that provide either absorption or scattering of sun radiation, and are proven to protect against UVB (ultraviolet B radiation) and/or UVA. There are also ingredients in some of these lotions that are promoting healthy skin, and since our own skin, and the melatonin producing cells in particular, are our best protection against sun radiation, this would seem sensible. In addition, some ingredients that superficially improve the feel of the skin, such as retinyl palmitate, have been proven to promote cancer when overused. We all would like the question of the best sunblock and the best way to use sunblock to be simple, but unfortunately, in a society where profit determines the product, greed will probably cause misleading advertising and product design to predominate. The solution for the public is to sift through the contradicting information provided by companies promoting their product, and dermatologists that have an investment stake in certain products, and discover how to demand a safe and effective approach that works with our body's physiology to actually protect us from damage.

While sun radiation is toxic to our cells, like oxygen, we have evolved a dependence on these two ingredients, and a proper utilization of sun radiation and oxygen are vitally important to our health. Without sun radiation, our bodies do not produce the prohormone Vitamin D in our skin, as well as an array of other essential nutrient chemicals. With just 5-10 minutes of direct exposure to midday sun, our bodies may generate 20,000 IU of prohormone Vitamin D cholecalciferol. This amount of sun exposure will not cause significant burning, which is the threat that increases skin cancer risk. We absorb much of our sun radiation and create cholecalciferol via the eyes, and going without sunglasses occasionally is recommended. We can protect ourselves from sunburn without sunscreen by wearing light clothing that covers the arms and legs, and wearing a hat that protects the face and neck. Many people are also unaware that sunscreens easily wash off the body, even with sweating, and many simply lose the uniform attachment to the skin, or absorb into the body over time, affording poor protection. A habit of putting on protective clothing as a physical barrier when you start getting sunburned would seem to be a smart habit, much smarter than the dependence on chemical sunscreens.

Some ingredients found in skin lotions and tanning aids are especially healthy for our skin cells, such as seed oils, rich in essential fatty acids, L-Tyrosine, Riboflavin, Shea butter, etc. There has also been decades of research into natural products that defend against sun radiation, such as Vitamin K and various natural lipids. Unfortunately, companies cannot patent these naturally derived chemicals, and so they are avoided in products to obtain maximum profitability. Natural biologic agents provent to protect against sun radiation include green tea extracts, curcumin, milk thistle, genistein in gingko biloba, garlic compounds, resveratrol (in a concentrated form from various Chinese herbs), carotenoids (Vitamin A compounds), Vitamin C, Vitamin E (plant oils), red clover extract, and ferulic acids (olive oil). These products can be utilized both topically and internally, and both protect against sun radiation and protect against cancer. While they may not prevent sunburn as well as the synthetic products, a little sensible protocol can be adopted to prevent sunburn, such as the better use of physical barriers. The best and most intelligent way to reduce the risk of sun induced skin cancer is to utilize these herbal and nutrient strategies and adopt a more natural protective set of habits.

There are a host of potentially harmful ingredients in sunscreen lotions. Many products contain pthalates, such as DEHP and DBP, which have a dose-dependent toxicity to the liver and kidneys, accumulate in the body tissues, and allegedly cause hormonal disruption. Pthalates are now being banned in many products worldwide. Besides retinyl palmitate, many other potential carcinogens have been recognized in various sunscreens, such as diethanolamines (DEA, TEA), padimate-o, titanium oxide. There are also a host of ingredients besides pthalates that may disrupt the hormonal balance, such as benzophenone (oxybenzone), homosalate, octyl-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate), and the parabens (methyl-, butyl-, propyl-). These ingredients, and others, have also been found to be bad for the environment. A significant level of benzophenone has been found in surface water, ground water, soil and air, and has been investigated for damage to the liver and bone marrow of wild animals. Of course, eventually these chemicals will end up in the lakes and oceans, affecting a wide array of animals and plants. As the population consumes more and more of these sunscreens with chemicals that do not break down easily, the toxicity level and threat rises.

While potentially harmful over time, these common organic and inorganic chemicals used in sunscreens should be intelligently utilized by the public. The current chemicals that filter both UVA and UVB are oxybenzone, octocrylene, and Mexoryl XL, whereas PABA esters, salicylates, and cinnamates absorb only UVB. The inorganic compounds commonly used are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. The older forms of these inorganic compounds are safe but do not reflect all the UV spectrum, so smaller particles were developed. As stated, there is evidence that these nanoparticle metal oxides do penetrate deep into the body and may potentially pose health risks.

What one can do to prevent skin cancer besides using sunblock

As stated, the safest and most reliable way to prevent skin cancer from excess sun radiation is to put on physical blocks, such as light colored, thin cotton clothing that covers the legs and arms, and hats with brims that protect the face and neck. Besides this strategy, limited use of the safest sunblocks and sunscreens is advisable, utilizing these products to prevent skin damage from sunburn.

One should understand how sun radiation produces cancer in order to intelligently utilize your protocol for protection and decreased risk. UVB radiation has been referred to as the Burning Ray, and produces blood vessel dilation and inflammation. UVA, often called the Aging Ray, does not produce the visible redness, or sunburn, or at least less of it, but does damage the skin cells by penetrating more deeply and causing cell death (seen as wrinkles and premature aging).

Information Resources

A 2010 New York Times article reviews the current expert research on sunscreens: http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/05/what-we-still-dont-know-about-sunscreens/?ref=health
The U.S. EPA has long been lagging in its investigation of the environmental harm from cosmetic and pharmaceutical chemicals, but an increasing scrutiny is finally being performed: http://www. epa.gov/esd/chemistry/pharma/book-summary.htm
An extensive website that explains the harm in many ingredients of sunscreens is available here: http://www.uvnatural.com/australia/resourcessunscreendataextracts.htm
Studies such as this one from 1990 find that a host of natural products afford UV protection: http://www.springerlink.com/content/r4j4405126212100/

Diet & Nutrition

The Chinese were perhaps the first culture in history to adopt dietary recommendations as part of a public health program by government. Of course, diet and nutrition, from a medical perspective, is a huge subject. The most sensible way to approach health benefit from diet and nutritional medicine is to both study this science and consult with a knowledgeable physician whose medical schooling incorporated nutritional medicine in its curriculum, such as a Licensed Acupuncturist or Naturopathic physician.

Considering the enormity of the subject of nutritional medicine and dietary science, the article presented here is not meant to be a thorough guide for a complete dietary and nutritional approach. Instead, I am offering a small article focused on a few key issues, and presenting just a snack of the information available from a physician such as myself. The article will be ongoing and improved over time. The key to healthy changes in diet and nutrition, which may be the most important part of your healthcare, is first to avoid being overwhelmed by the enormity of the information available, and proceed step-by-step in a logical and open-minded manner. Don't let your beliefs or your appetites control your health. Instead, let your intelligence take over and learn what could make the biggest difference in your life, both for specific health problems, and for overall quality of life and healthier function and productivity.

You may wonder if you are trying to improve your diet what exactly you should eat. Many healthy foods are unfamiliar and thus difficult to incorporate into your daily routine of cooking as well as being strange to your taste buds. Once you find a way to prepare these foods properly you will be glad that you did, but this process is a bit of work and most people will ultimately avoid it and stick with familiar tastes and habits. Unfortunately, this has led most of us down an unhealthy road, conditioned since childhood to favor foods rich in simple carbohydrates like processed sugar cane, white flour & potatoes, and meats that are increasingly raised on these simple carbohydrates and processed foods and chemicals. We’ve been convinced by a food industry that our only protein is from meat, our only calcium is from dairy, vitamins are obtained from pills, and that foods labeled whole grain and natural are just that, when the truth is that most often there is just a little processed whole grain and ‘natural’ ingredients in these foods. Most of us convince ourselves that we are ‘eating healthy’ when in actuality this is becoming difficult, due to industry lies, propaganda, and a corporate food industry that has succeeded in reducing the essential nutrients in our crops by long term use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, farming practices that have severely depleted topsoil, and now genetic engineering. The Food and Drug Administration was created to provide minimal standards of safety in the industries of food production and pharmaceuticals, and even today, the great government of the United States, unlike even ancient Chinese governments, has very little actual input into public health and what we eat. It is up to the consumers, it would seem, to become better educated and control this important issue of public health.

The human metabolism needs a rich varied diet. This is what we have evolved into. Our bodies have always been primarily vegetable, grain, fruit, nut, seed and herb consumers historically. Meat consumption came late in our evolution, yet today we are led to believe that meat should be our primary source of nutrients. We only need to look at the structure of our teeth to understand logically that we were not originally meat eaters. Dietary habits can become a type of belief system, though, and the strength of these beliefs can be powerful. Even late twentieth century anthropologists have stuck to beliefs that early humans migrated out of Africa in search of meat, while science tells us that this migration occurred because of climate changes that effected that fields of seed grains that were the diet staple. Study of stone tools in many parts of the world show that harvesting of seed grain and vegetable roots were a key to human cultural evolution, and modern scientific tools that now can analyze microbotanical evidence clearly keep pushing back the earliest timelines of organized agriculture and trade of seed grains and root.

Today, many of these same seed grains that were the key to our evolved health are foreign to us, as agribusiness has reduced our staple grains down to the most profitable wheats, corns, and soy hybrids. Local crops and home gardening, which produced a high percentage of our food in the past, have all but disappeared, and megafarms and enormous livestock factories, where animals are raised in very unhealthy conditions, produce the clean packages of preserved foods that be buy in the supermarket. This is not to say that one must suddenly become a vegan vegetarian, which presents its own set of metabolic challenges and changes in the body, but it does logically point to a healthier analysis of what we should be eating to maintain the most efficient bodily health and prevent commone diseases from ruining our lives. Of course, eating healthy meats and fish as a relatively small percentage of the diet is nutritionally beneficial. Many scientific studies now confirm, though, that a diet dominated by unhealthy red meats creates various imbalances and stresses in our bodies that ultimatedly lead to common diseases. Even the beliefs of what constitutes healthy meat has been manipulated by big business, though. Lean cattle are not healthier than cows fed a traditional healthy diet, and who develop a proper degree of fat. Corn fed cows, and cows fed industrial feed are not healthier than cows that graze on grasses and fresh seed grains. Turkeys, which are now primarily hybrids that are raised in filthy conditions, do not produce the healthiest meat for your children. Spending more on naturally healthy meats and eating smaller portions guarantees a healthier diet. Experimenting with a variety of whole grains, beans, legumes, and fresh vegetables to complement these healthy meats will make a dramatic difference in your overall health.

The most publicized imbalance related to excess meat consumption is the essential fatty acid imbalance, commonly referred to as a deficiency of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. This refers to the fact that excess red meat consumption produces excess arachidonic acid, and relative deficiency of the inflammatory mediators created from linolenic and linoleic acids, namely healthy prostaglandins. Eating too much meat and uhealthy meat products has been shown to be very unhealthy for a variety of reasons, slowing digestive elimination, allowing excess fermentation in the gut, creating an acidic environment, etc. Our medical industry has done little to correct this basic nutrient disease-creating problem, instead creating pharmaceuticals that block inflammatory mediators, or prostaglandins, rather than restore the ability to achieve healthy inflammatory mediation. We now have warnings and restrictions on all NSAIDS and synthetic COX2 inhibitors, and lack of healthy inflammatory mediation is linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer etc. There are many amino acids and proteins in grains and vegetables, and they are much easier to digest than from a meat source. Meat from animals with health problems is also deficient in certain nutrients, just like we are deficient in essential nutrients when we eat an unhealthy diet. Eating unhealthy meat creates dangerous nutrient deficienies by both consuming deficient nutrients from the meat, and also by decreasing intake of healthy grains, vegetables etc. Visit a modern feedlot to see just how unhealthy today’s commercial meat is.

Another health problem surrounding the dominance of red meat in our diets and lack of seed grains and fresh vegetables, is the effects of a chronic acidic diet on our hormonal balance and regulation of mineral balance in our bodies. One of the chief functions of our hormonal, or endocrine system, is the regulation of charged mineral molecules, especially calcium, in our bodies. Calcium, as well as other common minerals, are large molecules that hold a high degree of electrical charge, or ionic energy. Acidity is determined by a measure of pH, or electrical potential of hydrogen, which carries a very useable free electron. This pH is a standard for the electrical potential, which could be referred to as a type Qi in Daoist medicine, and refers to the fact that our bodies operate optimally at a highly controlled level of acidity, namely a pH of 7.0 in most tissues, but a varied regulation of pH in the digestive processes, as well as other metabolic systems. To regulate this pH, the body mainly utilizes charged mineral molecules, especially calcium and magnesium, but also phosphates, and mineral salts containing bicarbonate, a combination of hydrogen, carbon and three oxygen molecules, which is highly regulated by the hormonal system and the kidney, to maintain optimal healthy function. When the body struggles with buffering a chronic acidic system it pulls excess amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals from the body and forms buffers. In older individuals this often leads to osteoporosis, especially if the hormonal system has also been challenged by poor menopausal health, by use of synthetic hormone replacement, of by drugs that challenge the healthy maintenance of the kidney and adrenal functions. While modern pharmaceutical medicine has treated osteoporosis with drugs that block the endocrine system from pulling minerals out of the bones to buffer the chronic acidic condition, it doesn't take a scientist to understand how unhealthy the consequences of this therapy could be. To read more of how a varied whole grain and fresh vegetable diet can reverese osteoporosis, read the New York Times article below in additional information.

Diet as an important part of medical treatment protocol in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Complementary Medicine - combining centuries of public health traditions with modern scientific research

Unlike standard allopathic medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Complementary Medicine has always emphasized the importance of healthy dietary measures and restoration of essential nutrients to prevent and treat disease. China was the first country in history to officially create public health guidelines for dietary protocol, and the first to recognize that nutrient depletion is a cause of disease. Medicinal herbs help restore these nutritional depletions, and many Chinese herbs contain linolenic and linoleic acids, and other common essential nutrients that many be depleted and causative of your health problem. Certain plants develop high concentrations of these nutrients, which make them ideal medicines to quickly restore health. Nutrient cofactors also evolve in these medicinal plants, making them much more efficient than simple supplements in correcting nutrient imbalances. Today, TCM practitioners, or Licensed Acupuncturists, utilize professional herbal medicines that combine herbal formula with specialized nutrient supplements that help restore your nutrient balance and health based on sound scientific research.

Studies have shown that vegetables, fruits and grains today often contain over 30% less of key nutrients than 70 years ago because of farming methods. U.S. history is full of political mistakes that led to destruction of the nutrient topsoil in this country, beginning with the homesteading push and subsequent dust bowl of the 1930s, and continuing today with the accomodation of corporate farming and synthetic fertilizer as a substitute for healthy nutrient rich topsoil. The public is finally starting to realize that their health depends on nutritious food, and the market for local, small farm, organically produced foods is expanding rapidly. Purchase of organic local produce is thus vitally important when you need nutrients to get healthy. If you are already in the peak of health, you may not have much to worry about, but those with health problems should be concerned about the nutritional content of their foods and buy fresh, local, organic produce when possible.

Public research worldwide is now heavily focused on health issues related to nutrients. One example is the vast amount of research devoted to phytohormones, or plant-based hormonal chemicals. Lignans and enterolactones are chemicals that are now highly studied in relation to cancer prevention. Lignan precursors are key nutrients found in healthy grains, seeds, nuts, fruits and green vegetables, and are essential to our bodies creating healthy lignans, enterolactones and enterodiols. There are a variety of lignans and lignan precursors, and certain lignans are concentrated in medicinal plants. These lignans stimulate increased production of enterolactones and enterodiols that help maintain hormonal balance, prevent cancer, act as hormonal stimulators when there is hormonal deficiency, reduce cardiovascular risk, and play other key roles in health maintenance.

The term entero refers to the intestinal metabolism, and the enterolactones and enterodiols are produced when the bacterial balance in the intestines is healthy and we eat sufficient foods or take herbs rich in lignans and lignan precursors. To fully benefit from these chemicals and restore health, we need to take a holistic and comprehensive approach, restoring healthy flora and fauna to the digestive tract, eating locally grown organic vegetables, grains, legumes, seeds, nuts and fruit, and correcting health problems that may inhibit our bodies' ability to utilize and metabolize these nutrients. One step instead of a holistic approach may not be effective, such as taking probiotics. If your gut flora and fauna are unhealthy, probiotic foods and supplements may not colonize efficiently. You may need to correct unhealthy intestinal enviroments first with herbal therapy and acupuncture, and then introduce quality probitics and nutritional cofactors to restore healthy gut flora and fauna. Healthy diet should be accompanied by healthy medical treatment and restoration. This is the key to success. A knowledgeable Licensed Acupuncturist can help identify and correct health problems, provide quality nutrient products that are specific to the individual, and guide the holistic approach to full restoration of your bodies' metabolism to prevent disease.

To help in this complex subject of healthy diet, since it is a very complex subject, let me urge you to buy a Paul Pritchford book on nutritional healing, called Healing with Whole Foods, and access the website of the Linus Pauling institute. Let me also urge you to seek professional guidance when necessary from a practitioner of Complementary Medicine, and finally, let me give you a few bits of information that may help. Of course, a small webpage article is insufficient to fully educate on the vast subject of nutritional health, and this is why we study this subject for years in medical school. Keep in mind that your medical doctor has received zero formal trainging in nutrient medicine. The Licensed Acupuncturist and Naturopathic doctor may have received much formal training. To instruct and entertain a little, here is a small list of some foods and why they are valuable:

Comfrey: extremely high in allantoin in both leaf and root. This simple herb food can be grown in a small garden, or the leaf & root are available, usually in a dried form or capsule, but unfortunately still unpopular in a fresh form. The young leaves are very tasty in a salad or with braised greens, and the root is tasty in soup stocks or other root dishes. Mature leaves should be avoided. Allantoin is a powerful antioxidant & anti-inflammatory immunostimulant, so comfrey is often found in topical herbal creams for skin healing. It is also a very good sunscreen and antidandruff agent topically. Allantoin is also useful to control excess stomach acid and treat indigestion. Other foods with a sufficient amount of allantoin include beets, turnip, rapini, soy, rice and tea (real tea, or camellia sinensis).
Pumpkin seed: high in arginine and essential fatty acids of benefit, as well as plant steroid hormones, beta-carotene, copper, cystine, iron, lysine, magnesium, zinc, selenium, potassium, urease, tryptophan & tyrosine. The amino acids are often deficient in chronic health problems and essential fatty acids are essential to regulate inflammatory process. This food is available as an oil, or as a seed snack, or you can fix pumpkin and save and wash the seeds, lightly toasting them with a bit of soy sauce and oil. They taste great. Pumpkin seed has been found to be very beneficial to control benign prostate hypertrophy, a disease of deficiency in hormones & minerals as well as poor inflammatory regulation. Pumpkin seed would also benefit the woman with menopausal problems or fibroids. In fact, it would benefit all of us as we age.
Avocado: rich in the useful and often deficient Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), as well as essential fatty acids, amino acids (alinine, arginine, etc.), beta-carotene, biotin, calcium, copper, cystine, complex carbohydrates, iron, isoleucine, fiber, dopamine, serotonin, tryptophan, lecithin, magnesium, methionine, niacin, plant hormones, vitamin D, zinc. A few weeks of eating one avocado a day will do wonders to fulfill many nutritional deficiencies that you may be experiencing. Vitamin B6 is often a deficient nutrient, and is a group of chemicals that is very important in our metabolism. All of the vitamins are a group of chemicals, and not just a single chemical. Often, it takes a healthy liver metabolism and other nutrients to transform our vitamins into active metabolites. Just taking a pill will not always do the trick. B6 pyroxidine helps with pain relief, spasms, PMS, acne, depression, atherosclerosis, infertility, diabetes, neuropathy, kidney stones, anxiety and insomnia. Other sources of B6 include whole wheat, barley, barleygrass powder, soy, lentil, stell cut whole oats, & corn.
Walnuts: like avocado, walnuts are rich in essential fatty acids, amino acids and serotonin. Other serotonin rich foods include nettle, banana, and plum, although these common fruits have small amounts. Nettle can be purchased as a dried herb supplement, or if you are adventurous, stinging nettle is a common forest herb that can be harvested fresh using gloves. The stinging part goes away when the plant is cooked, and it tastes quite good as a vegetable or tea. It also prevents getting poison oak rash. Walnuts should be purchased in the shell to insure that the nut isn’t rancid, which breaks down all of the useful chemicals and creates a lot of unhealthy oxidants. Toasted walnut oil is also a good source, but get a high quality in a metal container, as this oil goes rancid easily. Walnut is also high in plant hormones, biotin, inositol, calcium, citric acid, copper, beta-carotene, iron, lecithin, potassium, protein, quercetin etc.
Shallots: speaking of quercetin, a very valuable nutrient, tasty shallots are very high in this beneficial substance, as is evening primrose oil and steel cut whole oats. Quercetin helps with allergies, pain, viral infection, cancer, PMS, aging, asthma, autoimmune disorder, diabetes, prostate hypertrophy, candidiasis, poor liver function, birth defects, and neurological disorders. It is also a strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and MAO-A-inhibitor in depression. Other plants rich in quercetin include okra, garlic, beet, tea, escarole, endive, cilantro, parsley, buckwheat, sour cherry, black currant, rose hips, cranberry, ginger, spinach, valerian and milk thistle.
Melons: cantelopes, melons & muskmelons are all very high in linoleic acid, essential fatty acid of much merit. Linoleic acid is anti-inflammatory, liver protective, cholesterol reducing, cancer preventative, immunomodulator, and helps with eczema, prostatitis, skin disorders, allergic symptoms, arthritis, acne and heart disease. Other foods rich in linoleic acid include walnuts, avocado, safflower oil, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, cumin, coriander and evening primrose oil.
Sage, basil, cumin, coriander & caraway seed: these common cooking herbs are rich in beta-sitosterol, an important plant hormone that stimulates human hormone production of androgens, progesterone and estrogen while also being regulatory of estrogen excess. Beta-sitosterol is antioxidant, antiviral, anti-candida, antitumor, and helps with high blood sugars, blood lipids, and leukemia.

These are but a few of the many wonderful sources of beneficial nutrients often lacking in the modern diet. To explore more of these nutrient sources, purchase the nutritional guide books of Paul Pritchford or the good doctors Bach, or go the internet and search the Dr. Duke database at http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/.

Information Resources

A 2009 New York Times article reveals research that finds a low-acid diet with reduction of meat and simple starches and high consumption of alkiline fresh vegetables to significantly prevent and reverse osteoporosis: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/health/24brod.html

The information on this website is not intended to be used as a specific medical advice or cure. Please consult with the practitioner or an appropriate physician, such as a licensed acupuncturist, naturopath, or medical doctor, to discuss the proper application of the information contained on this website.