Ginger’s breath is stinking. Time to brush her teeth. Of course, the toothpaste we use must be free from harmful toxins like fluoride, sodium laurel sulphate and alcohol, especially as she can’t rinse out her mouth. We have to be careful that our sweet doggie doesn’t ingest anything harmful. We want her to live a long, healthy, happy life.

So we’ll be using our own fluoride-free, sodium laurel sulphate-free and alcohol-free toothpaste when we brush our dog’s teeth. Remember how it used to be so difficult to find a toothpaste which was free from harmful ingredients? Most toothpaste brands contained fluoride, a by-product of copper, iron and aluminum manufacturing. Did you know that before fluoride was deemed a “cavity fighter,” it was used as an insecticide and rat poison? Yikes! Did you also know that fluoride increases the risk of bone cancer in adolescent males? It can also cause osteoporosis and has led to hip fractures.

If this isn’t horrifying enough, this big, bad “F” word has been found to interfere with the pineal gland and its release of melatonin, an antioxidant produced naturally in our bodies. Early puberty has also been shown to occur in areas where there is fluoride in the water.

Thankfully, it’s possible nowadays to find safe toothpaste which is free from harmful ingredients like fluoride and sodium laurel sulphate. Don’t even get me started on sodium laurel sulphate, which is actually an engine degreaser. That stuff isn’t coming anywhere near me or my family, not if I can help it!

Since we discovered Neways UltraShine Radiance toothpaste years ago, we haven’t used anything else. Instead of using cheap and harmful ingredients like fluoride and sodium laurel sulphate, it uses superior safe ingredients like:

Casein, a natural protein found in milk that has demonstrated effectiveness in preventing tooth decay. Casein remains the only natural food constituent known to improve the ratio of good bacteria-to-bad bacteria in the mouth. Casein has also been shown to prevent decay causing bacteria from attaching to teeth. Rich in bio-available phosphates and calcium, it also supports the re-mineralizing of tooth surfaces. Studies have shown that 1 percent of casein solution is as effective as 500 ppm fluoride in aiding the prevention of cavities.

Calcium Glycerophosphate, a natural constituent found in the human body. It helps prevent cavities through enzymatic cleansing. Calcium glycerophosphate complements casein in promoting the re-mineralizing of tooth enamel.

Stabilized Chlorine Dioxide, the same effective ingredient found in Neways Eliminator® mouthwash and which has been clinically proven to strengthen gums. Stabilized chlorine dioxide was originally developed to treat canker sores, also called aphthous ulcers. It is very gentle on the delicate tissues of the mouth, yet very aggressive toward bacteria and plaque. Like in Eliminator, it neutralizes volatile sulfur compounds, which have been shown to be a major source of bad breath. Similarly, its odour- preventative effects last up to four hours.

Natural Mint Extract, which containis 25 percent peppermint oil, the only essential oil licensed as a medicine. Peppermint oil inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi. Mint extract contains menthol, which will leave your mouth feeling tingly-fresh.

Xylitol, which has been shown to decrease oral levels of cavity causing bacteria. It complements the effects of casein, stabilized chlorine dioxide, and mint extract to prevent cavity formation.

Neways UltraShine Radiance Toothpaste is most effective as part of a regular program of brushing, flossing, and dental check-ups. Dogs, of course, may be excused for not flossing :)

Believe it or not, all it takes is a pea-sized amount of UltraShine Radiance toothpaste on a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush all tooth surfaces thoroughly. Talk about mileage! For best results, rinse with Eliminator Mouthwash. Then wait for 10 minutes before eating or drinking (or kissing) to allow the casein, calcium glycerophosphate, and stabilised chlorine dioxide to complete their activity.

Dental hygiene is now safer, and more effective, then it’s ever been. Now that’s something to smile about!

Posted: February 9th, 2010 under Dental Health, Safe Homes, Toxins & Pollutants.
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I’m not one for taking drugs in any form. If a natural remedy exists which will do the job just as well, I’ll choose it every time. However, where there is no reliable alternative remedy for a health disorder, especially a serious one, I keep an open mind to allopathic treatment which has shown to produce good results.

Conventional cancer treatment is a case in point. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I refused to undergo chemotherapy and radiotherapy. I had heard how toxic and harmful these cancer treatments were, and how many people suffered doing them. I saw how my own brother suffered and ultimately died. However, there’s no denying that modern medicine also saved many people from succumbing to cancer. Two of my other brothers are still alive today, more than 20 years after their own bouts with cancer, thanks to conventional cancer treatment and excellent doctors.

I’m doing very well myself today, since I agreed to place myself under the care of a very dedicated and caring oncologist who is also sensitive to my preferences. He, in turn, is open to alternative remedies and gamely shares natural remedies which he has learnt from his patients with other patients. Presently, he’s learning all about the healing power of essential oils, seaweed and aloe vera from me :)

If you’ve been following this blog long enough, you’ll know that I’ve never promoted any form of conventional cancer therapy. However, something I came to know about a couple of days ago offers real hope to liver cancer patients worldwide, so I feel I should share it here.

Liver cancer is one of the most lethal cancers, highly resistant to chemotherapy and with only one in five patients suitable for surgery. From the time of diagnosis, few survive six months. Approximately one million people die from liver cancer annually. Curiously, 80% of those fatalities happen in the Asia-Pacific. For this reason, the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group was set up in 1997 by doctors from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Indonesia. This organisation now has 29 medical centres in 14 countries. It has completed several clinical trials and demonstrated an ability to get the patient numbers and meet the strict international standards needed to get a new drug to market. Some of the trials extended patients’ lives significantly or improved their quality of life in their final months.

Clinical trails allow patients to have access to promising, expensive drugs and medical treatment which they would otherwise not be able to afford. This year alone, three clinical trials for liver cancer have been lined up by the Asia-Pacific HCT Group, covering the entire spectrum of liver cancer, from localised small tumours to those that have spread beyond the liver. Two are early-stage trails of fewer than 100 patients, while the third is a phase 3 trial involving several hundred patients with multiple tumours in the liver.

In this trial, a radioactive drug called SIR-sphere will be injected into the main artery carrying blood to 90% of the liver, to shrink the tumours. An earlier phase 2 trial on this treatment showed great success. One 54-year old patient, Mr. H.S. Gui, participated in the SIR-sphere phase 2 trial in July 2008, which involved 35 liver cancer patients from around the Asia-Pacific region. His cancer had been recurrent and inoperable. After the SIR-sphere phase 2 trial, he is cancer-free today.

SIR-sphere costs around US$18,000 per dose. After getting a dose of this drug, Mr.Gui was given another drug called Sorafenib, which costs approximately US$7,000 per month. This particular drug can prolong the lives of most patients by about three months, and shrink the tumours for a lucky few. Remaining cancer cells were burnt off with radioablation.

If you live in the Asia-Pacific region and you’d like to find out more about these liver cancer clinical trials, you may want to contact the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group, or the National Cancer Centre of Singapore.

Posted: February 7th, 2010 under Cancer.
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My oncologist is pleased with my recent bloodwork. It shows that I’m in remarkable health. All my organs are clear and functioning well, even healthier in some instances than his were! No damage seemed to have been done to my body from the chemotherapy drugs, and the cancer never spread from the original site. He found that unusual, considering how advanced the cancer was, and commented again that I was amazingly well-preserved.

Sadly, wisdom often comes at a great price. I know now that what you put IN your body, as well as ON your body, affects your health. Before I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I was never one to take health supplements, let alone herbal remedies. Now, supplements, herbal remedies and safe personal and household care products have become a part of my ammo against cancer and other diseases. Blood tests don’t lie.

One mainstay in my health supplement cabinet is a concoction of echinacea root, Asian ginseng root, hawthorne berry, hyssop, Irish moss, rosemary, mullein leaf and other goodies. These herbs are known to boost the immune-system and help keep the body functioning properly. This herbal concoction is based on an ancient Chinese medicine recipe, but conveniently formulated into little brown pills, under the label VMM by Neways. So much easier to use than searching for each herb and boiling them for hours, don’t you think?

This combination of herbs is a power-packed herbal remedy because:

Echinacea stimulates the body’s immune system by activating white blood cells, protecting cells from harmful foreign. Echinacea works as a natural antibiotic, which can suppress the activity of viruses. It has an immune-stimulating effect through the activation of T-cells (natural bacteria killers of the immune system).

Ginseng, used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, is an immune system booster and natural detoxifier. It has beneficial elements called ginsenosides, which work like natural steroids and helps develop brain activity as well as creates activity similar to estrogen. Most varieties of ginseng contain eight ginesenosides, whereas the Chinese/Korean form contains 24 to as much as 28. Ginseng stimulates the immune system by promoting the production of the body’s own virus-fighting chemicals. It is an antioxidant which helps to prevent the cumulative cell damage which can cause dreaded diseases like cancer. It reduces cell damage from radiation and chemotherapy, and increases the absorption of nutrients in the intestines.

Ginseng helps keep the liver, adrenal glands, and thyroid healthy, helps prevent illnesses and slows down the aging process. Many Asian studies have discovered this medicinal plant’s ability to slow the progression of cancer. For instance, two compounds in ginseng, ginsan and polyacetylinic alcohol, show promise in killing lung cancer cells and slowing tumor growth.

Hawthorn berry is loaded with B-complex vitamins, as well as many minerals, flavanoids and biovflavanoids. It contains potent antioxidants which help fight harmful free radicals. Hawthorn is recognized as having cardiotonic properties, as it benefits the heart and cardiovascular system. It has the ability to dilate the coronary arteries, thus improving blood and oxygen supply to the heart muscle. It also strengthens the heart muscle, helping the heart to beat more forcefully and efficiently. Hawthorne also seems to dilate the highways of other blood vessels around the body, allowing blood to circulate more freely with less strain on the heart.

Hyssop is a healing herb that was used even in Biblical times. David was recorded as saying, “Purge me with Hyssop and I shall be clean.” (Psalms 51:7) Ancient healers knew hyssop to be a cleanser of the body. This herb increases the secretion and discharge of urine and removes any obstruction to body secretion or excretion by opening the natural passages or pores of the body. It also promotes bowel movement.

Irish Moss, a kind of seaweed, contains 15 of the 18 elements that make up the human body, including Vitamins A, D, E, F and K. It is rich in iodine, calcium and sodium as well as sulphur, potassium and phosphorus. It has been used to treat bladder disorders, bronchitis, bad breath, intestinal disorders, glandular problems, goiter, swollen joints, lung difficulties, thyroid conditions, tuberculosis, tumors, ulcers and varicose veins. Irish moss also helps soften the skin and prevent wrinkles.

Rosemary has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of ailments, such as stomach upsets, digestive disorders and headaches. Modern research shows that rosemary can also help prevent cancer and age-related skin damage, boost the functioning of the liver and act as a mild diuretic to help reduce swelling. The herb is able to inactivate toxins and then eliminate them from your liver.

Two of the most important ingredients in rosemary, caffeic acid and rosemarinic acid, are potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. Interestingly, rosemary offers a safe and natural alternative treatment to Tamoxifen. Researchers from the Department of Chemical Biology, New Jersey State University in the US, found that a 2 per cent concentration of rosemary extract administered for three weeks was able to significantly inactivate excess oestrogen. Rosemary stimulates liver enzymes, which in turn inactivates estrogen hormones like estrone and estradiol, the most dangerous form of estrogen.

Mullein, a member of the snapdragon family, was used by ancient Greeks to treat respiratory disorders. It relieves the symptoms of sore throats, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, and some allergies. Traditionally, it is also used to treat diarrhoea and gastrointestinal aliments. The plant has anti-inflammatory properties and can be used topically to soothe skin irritations such as rashes, boils and chilblains.

Thyme, another popular ancient herb, is used to treat acute and chronic bronchitis, whooping cough, and inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, as it possesses expectorant and bronchial antispasmodic properties. All the members of the mint family, including thyme, contain terpenoids which have cancer preventive properties. Rosmarinic and ursolic acids are major terpenoids in thyme with anti-cancer properties.

Give your health a boost. Get your disease-fighting and immune-system boosting Neways VMM here.

Posted: February 4th, 2010 under Alternative Remedies, Antioxidants, Cancer, Healing Foods, Health Supplements, Immune System Health.
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