Wysong Health Letters

WYSONG HEALTH LETTER
Dr. R. L. Wysong
July 1999

Business With Purpose
Business is usually viewed as a means of making a living. It is, but it can be so much more. In a free society, commerce can literally change the world.
Just like the government should not follow polls, so business should not just follow the market. It should lead. Thinking consumers want to support companies with conscience. If the right thing is done, they will come.
There are many companies that make a difference. They are sometimes hard to find, but their discovery is worth the effort. A company should be able to provide a mission statement that makes clear their higher ideals. The products they provide should match these goals.
Here is my attempt to define our purpose at Wysong. I realize it may sound lofty and idealistic. Nevertheless, I can tell you that it is as true as I can express it, and heartfelt. It is the thing that holds my interest and makes work meaningful and even fun.
WYSONG PHILOSOPHY AND PURPOSE –
Wysong is dedicated to enhancing health through research, education and product development.
We believe, however, that since understanding is never at an end-point, but always a faint glimmer of the infinite complexity and ultimate truth of nature, humility is essential. Respect for natural balances and for what is not known is fundamental at Wysong. In contrast, the common assumption that more is known than really is, leads to the apex predatory, mercantilistic ethic of treating nature as a limitless raw material, often privatizing gain while commonizing consequences. This myopic approach is unraveling the delicate environmental web upon which life depends, and it threatens sustainability and ultimately health.
A similar naïveté has led to the popular belief that most modern disease is an attack from outside, or an inevitability. At Wysong we have come to learn that disease results from a repudiation of natural biological/environmental balances and disregard for our inextricable link to nature as inscribed within the genetic code. Disease is something we do to ourselves. Cure and health result from restoration of synergy, over which everyone can have control. Health is not a product of medical technological warfare reductionistically applied as if life were mere disjoint or mechanistic parts and pieces.
The recognition that present knowledge is far from complete creates a continuing discontent at Wysong. Science, medicine, industry and regulatory standards are not, and cannot be absolute. We therefore do not pretend otherwise by creating products that only meet current minimal standards. Our goal is to continue research and development, ever striving for the ideal, the optimal, with health as the number one priority.
Wysong sees its position as a place of public trust, an opportunity to teach salutary principles, to open-mindedly learn, to lead, do good and take fiduciary responsibility, not to chase markets.
You have our promise of doing our best to always strive toward these ideals."

“Female Problems” Part II
In the last issue of the Health Letter, I explained that the ultimate cause of premenstrual syndrome and other menstrual cycle abnormalities ("female problems") is our extraction from our proper environmental and genetic roots. The solution is, therefore, to return to those roots.
Everything that follows not only fits this thesis, but also has excellent scientific research to support it. I will not detail the exact nature of each clinical trial or scientific experiment that demonstrates the beneficial effects; the reader is free to go to the References/Resources section to review such data in earnest if desired. For my purposes here, I just want you to know that the recommendations that follow are not something that I merely believe, or that simply fit some popular approach. This is the best of science, in that not only have objective tests proven the benefits, but the results fit the reasonableness of the genetic context thesis.
1) Get into the light – Not fluorescent or incandescent, but real, whole, unfiltered sunlight. Let your skin feel it and your eyes see it. Every day make a point of getting into natural sunshine if at all possible. This will help set the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal rhythms correctly and with that help balance hormones properly.
2) Exercise – A combination of aerobic and weight-bearing exercise is extremely beneficial. In some women this alone can ameliorate many of the female problems they experience. The body is designed to exercise, to move weights, to experience periodic bouts of increased heart rate and quickened circulation, not melt into a chair or couch.
3) Eat right – Convert the diet as much as possible to whole, fresh, natural foods. The natural diet of humans consists of those foods you could eat raw and whole exactly as they are found in nature if you were in the wild. Those foods consist of vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, dairy and nuts. It is not necessary that you be perfect in this regard; just keep edging the diet in this direction.
4) Eat the right fats – The good-for-you fats are the fats that are found in the natural foods described above. They consist of cholesterol, saturated fats, and a variety of unsaturated fats. The ratio of these fats to one another is very important to health in general, but in particular to women with female problems. The proper diet will automatically shift the balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids such that omega-3's are increased. This will result in eicosanoids being produced that are of benefit to PMS and dysmenorrhea symptoms.
5) Eliminate toxins – Choose organic foods as much as possible to decrease the exposure to chemical estrogens. Other common substances to avoid that are toxic to women susceptible to female problems would be refined sugars, refined carbohydrates, caffeine, alcohol, and the potpourri of chemicals in soft drinks, candies and other fabricated food products. These substances have been directly linked to female problems as well as other chronic degenerative diseases.
6) Stop negative coping – Destructive and negative coping patterns include overeating, overspending, compulsive or excessive behavior, chemical use such as drugs (both legal and illegal), smoking, vegging in front of a television set, emotional outbursts and feelings of helplessness. Although some psychotherapy methods have been of help, the underlying problem is not psychological, but biochemical and physiologic. Correct the underlying problem and the emotional state will be normalized.
7) Begin Supplementation:
a) Essential fatty acids – To help more effectively reverse the improper omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid balance, supplements have proven to be highly beneficial. These include combinations of omega-3 fatty acids from plants and seeds, gammalinoleic acid and fish oil. These supplements have proven to be of high benefit to many women. Wysong EFA™, Fresh Squeezed Flax™ and Marine Lipids™ are ideal sources of these fatty acids in their unaltered form.
b) Vitamins and minerals – A well designed multiple vitamin/mineral supplement will help prevent the almost inevitable deficiencies that can result in the modern diet, even when diligent efforts are made to correct it. Vitamins B6, E, and magnesium, calcium and zinc, for example, have impressive scientific support. Lipotrophic factors such as choline, in combination with the sulfur-bearing amino acids methionine and cysteine, will help overcome liver dysfunction and cholestasis associated with female problems. Excellent broad-spectrum vitamin and mineral supplements are Optimal™ and Orgamin™, respectively. Lipotrophic factors are available in HepticeneTM.
c) Probiotics – Toxins are coupled with glucuronic acid in the liver, excreted in the bile and hopefully passed harmlessly out in the feces. But the modern diet encourages intestinal flora that produce the enzyme betaglucuronidase, which uncouples glucuronic acid from toxins, releasing the toxin into the intestinal tract to create digestive disturbances. At the same time this increases the risk of colon cancer and other cancers as the toxins are reabsorbed. By converting the diet to contain more fresh foods, beneficial probiotic organisms will compete against the betaglucuronidase secreting bacteria. A supplement of probiotics is also a wise course of action and without any side effects. The benefits from probiotics also extend far beyond assisting female problems to helping prevent infections, increasing immunity, aiding digestion, deodorizing the body and secreting vitamins. Probiosyn™ supplies these beneficial probiotics, as well as oligosaccharides that fuel their growth.
d) Herbs – Various herbs such as chaste tree berries, ginger root, dong quai, licorice root, black cohosh and garlic have shown great benefit in restoring distorted balances and relieving much of the symptomatology of female problems. The herbal, vitamin and mineral supplements Menstruphen™ and Estrolog™ are now available to promote the health of the female reproductive system and cycles.
e) Antioxidants – Free radical pathology generated by oxidation lies at the root of most modern diseases. As discussed previously, the oxidation of fatty acids can result in the formation of isoprostanes, which have potent deleterious effects on women. By increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables there will be an antioxidant effect to help prevent this pathology. But supplementation with a spectrum of antioxidants including vitamins A, C and E, minerals including selenium, zinc and copper, and antioxidant plant extracts can help greatly in reducing the production of isoprostanes, as well as helping to prevent the chronic degenerative diseases produced by free radical pathology. Food ACE™ and Spectrox™ are excellent supplements providing high levels of these antioxidants.
f) Water – By increasing water consumption toxins will be more easily removed from the body, proper hydration of tissues will occur and overall metabolism and health will be enhanced. PMS headaches, for example, can oftentimes be eliminated by drinking a glass of water every 15 to 30 minutes. Be sure the water you are drinking is properly purified. Electron donors supplemented to pure water will also help alkalinize the body (acidosis is an underlying problem in all modern disease) and fight free radical pathology. Wysong Ionized WaterTM helps to alkalinize the body, while increasing hydration.
8) Medical considerations – If all of the above steps do not help, then the use of a progesterone cream may be warranted. The preferred method of administration is 200 to 400 milligrams of progesterone (not yam) within the vagina twice daily. In some women thyroid function may be depressed and supplementation of thyroid hormone can create dramatic results. A nutritionally skilled physician should monitor both the use of progesterone and thyroid hormones.
Reference:
Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand, 1993; 72:337-43
Am J Clin Nutr, 1984; 39:756-61
Am J Gastroenterol, 1994;98:1873-7
Am J Natural Med, 1998;5:21-29
Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1992;113:578-83
Am J Obstet Gynecol, 1996;174:1335-8
Biull Eksp Biol Med, 1988;105:148-150
Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol, 1992;19:176-9
Clinical Obstetric Gynecology, 1978;21:139-45
Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, 1993
J Clin Investigation, 1994;93:998-1004
J Pharm Dyn, 1984;7:304-11
J Reprod Med, 1983;28:446-64
J Reprod Med, 1985;30:149-53
Lancet, 1983;2:1302
Med Clin North Am, 1995;79:1457-72
Menstrual Cramps Self-Help Book, 1995
Obstetric Gynecology, 1996;87:55-58
Phytomedicine, 1997;4:183-9

Cholesterol Lowering: A Dangerous Game
Stanford University researchers have shown that patients who were put on a low fat, low cholesterol diet for a year had no significant reductions in cholesterol or LDL cholesterol.
Other recent research has shown that individuals who are put on cholesterol-lowering drugs may suffer from peripheral neuropathy disease.
As I explain in the book, Lipid Nutrition – Understanding Fats and Oils In Health and Disease, cholesterol is not an enemy; oxidized cholesterol from foods being heat processed and exposed to light and air is.
If you wish to lower cholesterol, engage in a regular exercise program and convert the diet to the guidelines in the Optimal Health Program. Eliminating simple and complex carbohydrates from the diet and replacing them with proteins, fats and fresh vegetables will do more to foster health and reverse poor blood lipid profiles than all pharmaceuticals and "low fat" diets put together.
Reference:
NEJM, 1998; 339:12-20
Southern Medical Journal, 1998; 91:667-8

Environmental Carcinogens – Alive and Well
There is a shift in focus away from environmental carcinogens. Why does the medical industry tend to ignore carcinogens and blame: heredity, hormones, lifestyle, infection, diet or patient non-cooperation: "You got breast cancer because you didn't go get your annual mammogram."
Why are the external, environmental culprits so ignored in campaigns to "prevent" cancer?
One reason we're not bombarded with messages reminding us about the carcinogenic nature of chlorine and petroleum-based products filling our world – plastics, pharmaceuticals, paint, synthetics, etc. – is that the manufacturers are intertwined now with the established medical world.
Let's look at an example. The international chemical behemoth, Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), one of the largest chemical companies in the world with approximately $30 billion in annual sales, is the sole sponsor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October). Since they've spent a bundle of money on the project through the years, they get the final vote of approval or veto of every poster, advertisement or brochure that the Breast Cancer Awareness Month group produces. Fishy? Should we be surprised to learn that not one of these pieces has ever mentioned an environmental carcinogen? Instead heredity, lifestyle, diet and early detection through mammogram are the themes.
Is destiny the main cause of cancer? Genetic vulnerability cannot explain why one in twenty women got breast cancer in the 1950's, whereas one in nine does today. Cancers simply seem to spring up from nowhere.
For instance, in Japan, there is a low incidence of breast cancer. But, when Japanese women move to the United States, they join in the statistical parade right along with American women.
Since Nixon attempted to fill the money pit in 1971 with his War on Cancer – in a little over two decades – breast cancer alone claimed more lives just in America than World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam all put together.
True, women with a family history of breast cancer are statistically more likely to develop breast cancer, but how do we determine whether this is due to genetic predisposition or mutual environmental experience? If three sisters from the same family develop breast cancer, might it not be because of many years spent breathing fumes from that paint factory a block away from their childhood home?
Multiple factors are almost always involved in illness. When an illness "strikes," it is at least partly our fault, partly the fault of the environment, and perhaps partly the work of fate.
To do everything prudent within our power to avoid and reduce carcinogenic pollution is very important. It is a very real threat to us all. At the same time, we must not become fanatic in this regard since environmental "cleanness" has never been defined and all things are toxic given sufficient dose. Additionally, nature itself produces carcinogens. Nevertheless, these facts do not deny the toxicity of synthetics, nor excuse them. I'll take my chances with the breath of Mother Nature any day over the fumes created by industry.
Avoiding everyday carcinogens
From airborne particles to low voltage radiation, our world is full of carcinogens. Here's a list of a few things to do right now to begin your personal fight back:
1. Choose only natural household cleaners. Get rid of any heavy-duty chemical cleaners in the home including oven cleaners, bleach, glass cleaners, ammonia, disinfectants, and other petroleum-based products. Opt instead for castile soap, baking soda, borax, lemon, vinegar, and other natural cleaning agents. For recipes you can make yourself if you prefer this to visiting a green store, turn to the classic Nontoxic, Natural & Earthwise by Debra Dadd.
2. Decrease electromagnetic radiation. Electric blankets are one of the most common household dangers. Make sure even the smallest appliances, such as clock radios, are not used too close to the bed, where you spend a great many hours. Keep the microwave in as remote a corner of the kitchen as possible, and never too near family members who use the kitchen as a place for gathering, crafts, homework, and so forth. Large appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers should not be placed on walls behind which family members sleep or spend a lot of time.
3. Get a green thumb. The more plants in your immediate environment, the cleaner the air. A number of common houseplants can actually wash the air of chemicals and toxins including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene, and more. Especially surround your bed with plants. Use organic fertilizers only.
4. Chemically treated carpeting, synthetic fabrics, plastic-coated wallpaper, and polyester treated bedding completely surround most of us. Eliminate these as much as possible and opt instead for natural fiber rugs, chemical-free cotton bedding, a natural cotton or wool pillow, and so forth. Step by step elimination can be accomplished at minimal cost.
5. Keep the outdoors out. Walking through herbicide- and pesticide-treated lawns, parks, golf courses and ballparks makes for really polluted shoes. Never wear outdoor shoes indoors where children will be crawling or sitting on the floor picking the pollution up. Also, find out your city's pesticide program schedule, and be sure to seal your house as thoroughly as possible during periods of spraying. Encourage your city and county to mow the shoulders of the roads rather than spray with herbicides. (This is a really worthwhile favorite local cause – a small something you can do in your hometown which can make a difference.)
6. Get rid of your toxic dental fillings. One by one, as you can afford to do so, eliminate all mercury-amalgam "silver" fillings, and replace them with gold or composite resin. Never permit your children to have silver fillings, which are really only 30% silver. The alloy they're made from is 50% mercury, an extremely toxic heavy metal.
7. If you share your space with companion animals, keep them natural, too. Use only natural flea control products, not chemical sprays, dips, or collars. Cats' litter boxes should be filled with non-treated clay litter or paper by-product that has not undergone perfuming, dyeing, or clumping treatment.
8. Eat organic. Meats that are contaminated with growth hormones, antibiotics, pesticides and herbicides are connected with adverse effects. From increasingly early menses in young girls to various cancers, tainted foods are looking pretty guilty. Find organic sources. The cost is greater, but it is a small price for health.

Tryptophan for S.A.D.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is related to diminished exposure to natural light during Fall and Winter. Light therapy using full spectrum, high intensity lamps will help reverse this condition. However, if there is insufficient protein containing the amino acid tryptophan, the light therapy will not work. Tryptophan contributes to the production of serotonin, a brain chemical that affects mood.
Therefore, during the light-diminished time of the year, special effort should be made to get outside in the sun. A nice walk will not only bring natural sunlight into the eyes, but the exercise also has a beneficial effect on mood. Increasing high quality protein in the diet will also help and supplementation with tryptophan such as found in VivreisTM may also prove beneficial.
Reference:
Arch Gen Psychiatry, 1998; 55:524-30

Rezulin Dangers for Diabetics
More than 25 deaths from liver failure, and 3 cases of liver transplants are related to the use of the FDA-approved Rezulin (a.k.a. – troglitazone) used by diabetics. By mid-1998 the FDA had received more than 560 reports of liver toxicity due to this drug. This is likely the tip of the iceberg. Many deaths that have resulted from its use may not have been correctly linked to it. Researchers estimate as many as 200 deaths have already occurred.
But the drug is still on the market. You can bet that if a vitamin or an herb were even suspected of causing 1 or 2 deaths it would be yanked from the market so fast it would make your head spin. Not so with pharmaceuticals. Because manufacturers spend tons of money on research supposedly "proving" their safety and efficacy, and the FDA spends tons of time and money approving them, there is resistance to believing all that work and money is wasted.
Be highly suspicious of any pharmaceutical preparation, regardless of its research or regulatory approval.
Reference:
Townsend Letter, 1998; 183:31

Top 10 Medical Conditions
Here are the 10 leading causes of hospitalization or insurance claims:
1. Obesity. This was not even a medical term 200 years ago. It is a modern epidemic.
2. Diabetes. No cases were found in the Nauru Islands in 1955. Now, 40 years after changing to refined foods, 65% of the population is diabetic.
3. Hemorrhoids, varicose veins.
4. Heart attacks were a medical oddity in the 1920's. It is still rare in Japan.
5. Diverticulosis, diverticulitis and colitis.
6. Cancer.
7. Peptic ulcer.
8. Hiatal hernia.
9. Appendicitis.
10. Gallstones.
Note this: Every one of these is preventable using the principles in the Wysong Optimal Health Program.
Reference:
What the Bible Says About Healthy Living
Composting
Americans recycled 30% of their garbage in 1998. The rest went to landfills or incinerators. Approximately 20-25% of trash that went to landfills was yard waste. This figure does not even include all the organic kitchen waste thrown away. Biodegradable waste recycled through composting returns nutrients back to the soil to produce nutrient-rich plants. Not only will composting recycle your waste and reduce your impact on the environment, you will produce a rich fertilizer and soil conditioner that is ideal for garden mulch and potted plants.
To build a compost pile:
1. Construct a three-sided box frame out of two-by-fours that is 3 feet square. Leave the fourth side open. Screen the box on three sides with chicken wire.
2. Lay a foundation of brush or branches.
3. Place a six-inch layer of shredded leaves over the base. The shedding facilitates decomposition.
4. Water the leaves until they are thoroughly moist.
5. Add two inches of soil or compost to the top of the wetted leaves. This will support the growth of the microorganisms.
6. Add a thin layer of grass clippings or other green yard waste to the top.
7. Add one more layer of soil to cover the top of the pile, and water.
8. Add new waste as needed, then water.
Suitable waste to add to the compost pile includes leaves, grass clippings, vegetable and fruit peelings, coffee grounds and tealeaves, lettuce leaves, and soil.
If you choose to leave your compost pile alone, it will take 1 to 2 years to mature. To accelerate the process, you may choose to turn the pile every two weeks. Use your new compost in the garden and around bushes and trees to provide a moisture-rich, nutrient-rich environment for your plants to thrive in.
Next issue I’ll tell you how to compost using industrious worms.
Reference:
Biocycle, April 1999
Home Composting, 1992

Allergy and Probiotics
Supplementation with probiotics aids food allergies and atopic dermatitis by alleviating intestinal inflammation.
Reference:
J Allergy Clin Immunol, 1997; 99:179-85

Breast Cancer and Sunlight
Fifteen minutes in the sun daily reduces a woman's risk of breast cancer up to 40%.
Reference:
N. California Cancer Center, 1998

Cancer and Aloe Vera
Aloe vera extract exhibits both anti-genotoxic and anti-tumor promoting activities.
Reference:
Carcinogenesis, 1999; 20:1637-40

Food Carcinogens and Vitamin E
Adding vitamin E to ground meat upon purchase can significantly reduce the potential for the formation of cancer-causing agents.
Reference:
Science News, 155:264-6

Soybean Oil Lowers Cholesterol
Consumption of soybean oil results in significantly lower total cholesterol-to-HDL cholesterol ratios than the consumption of soft margarine, shortening, or stick margarine.
Reference:
NEJM, 1999; 340:1933-40

Coronary Heart Disease and Fiber
Long-term intake of dietary cereal fiber is now associated with decreased risk of coronary heart disease in women, as well as men.
Reference:
JAMA, 6/2/99

Bromelain for Diarrhea
The enzyme bromelain, found in pineapple stems, can protect travellers from diarrhea caused by E. coli.
Reference:
Gut, 1998; 43:196-202

Endurance and L-Carnitine
Athletes who supplement with L-carnitine increase utilization of fat as an energy source, thus delaying glycogen depletion and muscle fatigue.
Reference:
Int J Sports Med, 1989; 10:169

Blood Donation to Reduce Heart Attack Risk
Blood donors have an 88% reduced risk of myocardial infarction.
Reference:
Am J Epidemiol, 1998; 148:445-51
Heart Disease and Androstenedione
Androstenedione supplementation can lower levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), increasing the risk of heart disease.
Reference:
JAMA, 1999; 281:2020-8

High Blood Pressure and Cellular Phones
Mobile phone electromagnetic fields increase resting blood pressure.
Reference:
Lancet, 1998; 351:1857-8

Infant Lung Disease and Vitamin A
Intramuscular administration of 5000 IU of vitamin A three times per week for four weeks reduces the risk of chronic lung disease in extremely-low-birth-weight-infants.
Reference:
NEJM, 1999; 340:1962-8

Menopause and Black Cohosh
Black cohosh has been shown to relieve menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes.
Reference:
J Women's Health, 1998; 7:525-9

Muscular Dystrophy and Creatine
Supplementation with creatine increases muscular strength in those with muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases.
Reference:
Neurology, 1999; 52:854-7

Rickets and Calcium
Contrary to popular belief, supplementation with calcium, alone or in combination with vitamin D, is more effective than treatment with vitamin D alone.
Reference:
NEJM, 1999; 341:563-8

Stroke and Depression
Incidence of stroke is 2.3-2.7 times higher in individuals suffering from depression.
Reference:
Psychosom Med, 1995; 575:427-35

Surgery and Hypnotism
Patients who listen to stress-reducing hypnotic audiotapes prior to an operation experience a better recovery than those who do not.
Reference:
Acta Anaesthesiol Scand, 1997; 41:1028-32

Ulcers and Antibiotics
Antibiotics can slow the healing of ulcers caused by chronic use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) in people who carry Helicobacter pylori bacteria.
Reference:
Lancet, 1998; 57:381-4