Prime Time Replay:
Jean Carper
on her book Miracle Cures
MsgId: *infinities(104)
Date: Sun Aug 31 20:52:11 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.163.194.163
Good evening, folks... We'll be starting INFINITIES Chat in just a few minutes.... just as soon as our guest arrives. Are you here, Jean Carper?
MsgId: *infinities(106)
Date: Sun Aug 31 20:55:10 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Ready when you are. :)
MsgId: *infinities(107)
Date: Sun Aug 31 20:55:52 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
Good, we'll begin then. Good evening and welcome to OMNI Infinities Chat. Tonight our very special guest is noted health and nutrition expert Jean Carper who will be talking with us about her new bestseller, "MIRACLE CURES," published by HarperCollins (1997, ISBN 0-06-018372-1). Many of you may know Jean from her newspaper columns or her previous books which include "STOP AGING NOW!," "FOOD: YOUR MIRACLE MEDICINE," and "THE FOOD PHARMACY."Jean Carper is currently on a very busy book tour but she has graciously granted us an hour of her time tonight. Because we want to cover as much as we can of the fascinating material from "MIRACLE CURES" tonight, the first part of tonight's Chat will be closed to interactive audience questions. However, we invite anyone who would like to ask Jean a question to email your question or comment addressed to OMNIFuture@aol.com and, time permitting, we'll ask it for you tonight. Thanks, in advance, for your understanding and patience.
Thank you for being with us tonight, Jean! Let's start our talk with the state of research into natural remedies. Does the USA do as good a job as other countries?
MsgId: *infinities(112)
Date: Sun Aug 31 20:58:23 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Thank you! It certainly is my pleasure to be here and I look forward to talking to you and discussing anything about my new book "MIRACLE CURES."Oh no, unfortunately, the United States is extremely far behind in evaluating and appreciating natural remedies and substances. Therefore, Americans are being cheated of much information about fantastic natural medicines that could help save them from the misery of everything from common conditions such as headache and allergy and colds and flu, as well as more serious health problems such as heart failure, circulatory problems, arthritis, diabetes and even cancer. In the United States, our government regulations are not attuned to disseminating solid scientific information about natural medicines. This is in direct contrast to the situation in many other countries, especially in Europe and most notably in Germany.
In Europe, and particularly in Germany, physicians are quite knowledgeable about natural medicines. They have studied them in medical school; they know how and do constantly prescribe natural medicines for all kinds of health conditions. The government has a scientific method for evaluating and approving natural medicines that do work, indeed, many of the natural medicines are equally effective as the strong pharmaceutical drugs that we favor in this country. And mainly, the natural medicines have been shown to be generally much much safer, with far fewer side effects, than our pharmaceutical drugs that are traditionally prescribed in the United States.
So we definitely are lagging and my hope is that as we learn more in this country about the value and scientific validity of natural medicines, that our medical community's attitude toward them will become much more favorable and that we will be able to develop rational government regulations so that people, the public and physicians, will know how to use natural medicines and save so many lives with far fewer side effects and at a much lower cost. And we do have a trend toward that in this country that is driven by several things: 1) people are increasingly distressed by the soaring health care costs, 2) the disastrous side effects of pharmaceutical drugs, and 3) people also want more control of the direction of their own health care. In my research, I found that Americans were increasingly interested in, and eager to use, natural medicines in lieu of strong dangerous expensive prescription drugs.
MsgId: *infinities(113)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:00:25 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
It's too bad we don't have a European-style research effort here...Your book gives some excellent information about how to choose a good natural remedy and avoid those that don't work or are in an ineffective or unreliable form. What advice would you give to people who want to try an herbal remedy such as, say, saw palmetto or milk thistle or ginkgo?
We'll talk about each of these herbs individually in a moment, but for now perhaps we can cover an overview of choosing the right product.
MsgId: *infinities(120)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:12:14 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Well, it's often tough to really find the best natural remedy because the labels contain so little information. The reason is companies are forbidden by our government to tell people exactly what these remedies are for and how to use them. I have several bits of advice. When you go into a health food store, it can be a nightmare even for very highly educated people, or very knowledgeable people about natural medicines. One of the best ways, and I know this is not always easy, is to try to buy a product from a good reliable well-established company. This is usually companies that are large, reputable, and have been in business for a long time. If you are unsure, you can ask for direction from someone in a health food store.Also, a good tip is to check the label and look for the word "standardized" on the label. This tells you that the product consistently contains a specific percentage of a specific chemical which is suspected to be the most active pharmacological ingredient. Unfortunately, there are some products on the market that are almost worthless or do not contain a significant active ingredient. Also, even when a product is standardized, not all of them are actually potent as some of them. For example, with gingko, studies have shown that some forms of gingko have greater potency in promoting memory functions in the brain and greater blood circulation than others. A prominent brand that has tested extremely well is GinkGold -- it's made by a large German company.
Also, it generally is a good idea to choose a remedy with a single ingredient. Beware the kitchen sink combinations. On price, with natural remedies, cheapest is not always best. In the realm of botanical medicine, higher prices often reflect higher quality. In my book, whenever possible, I give brand name products that appear to the be best, or of excellent quality, and those that I personally believe have the best scientific studies behind them.
MsgId: *infinities(123)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:18:32 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
Many health books present "case histories" but they don't use real names or confirm case data by checking into each person's story. What did you do to verify that the stories in your case histories are true?
MsgId: *infinities(124)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:21:12 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Well, I'm very pleased to say we have some very exciting case histories that confirm the validity of natural medicines. In collecting those and verifying them, we talked to the patient, we have real names and for the most part, used real names except in cases where the patient wanted to protect their privacy. We often checked the medical records themselves to verify the validity of the miracle cure. And we verified the information with a doctor(s) who was involved in the case. Interestingly, some cases were volunteered by physicians themselves. One of the most dramatic cases has to do with co-enzyme Q10 which is a natural substance that comes in pill form that strengthens the heart in a most remarkable way and is used throughout the world to re-energize the heart and boost heart functions especially in cases of congestive heart failure.Doctor Michael Sole is one of the world's leading cardiologists and experts in heart failure and a well-known professor at the University of Toronto. He had a patient who he told to get a pacemaker, or else the man would be in severe danger of deteriorating heart and possibly death. The man did not do it. In fact, he started taking high doses of Coenzyme Q10. Sometime later, Dr. Sole had occasion to see the man again, and to his great astonishment, the man's heart had become so much stronger that he did not any longer need a pacemaker. Dr. Sole said he had never seen such a remarkable recovery in his experience as a cardiologist. Dr. Sole is now undertaking a study of Coenzyme Q10 to understand how Coenzyme Q10 might work and its potential in treating heart failure. This is one of numerous incredible cases that I discovered and verified of the enormous healing powers of natural remedies.
MsgId: *infinities(127)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:25:25 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
The story of "Susan Porter" (not her real name, but a real person) and her incredible recovery from congestive heart failure makes a convincing case for Co-Q10, but it sounds as though her doctor initially prescribed too low a dose. Please tell our audience how she found the right amount to take.
MsgId: *infinities(128)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:30:07 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
An amazing case of accidental serendipity. Usually her doctor had prescribed a dose of 30 milligrams of Co-Q10 three times a day, but it didn't help much. Then one day, her son went to the health food store, and by mistake, he picked up a bottle of 100mg Co-Q10 capsules. She took three of *those* a day, and got 300mg of Co-Q10, rather than the 90mg she had been taking. This was more than triple her usual dose. A month later, she had improved dramatically to the extent that her children could hardly believe it. This was a woman who had been confined to her bed, so weak was her heart that she could not even get in a wheelchair, or certainly not go out of the house. Within a month of taking the high dose of Co-Q10, she was able to get out of bed, leave the house, go to her children's home, go shopping, go to church again, walk without a cane. Indeed, it was a startling recovery, showing that sometimes if you have a severely weak heart, you need higher doses of Co-Q10 than doctors had previously believed.
MsgId: *infinities(130)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:31:53 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
Another amazing remedy your book describes is nature's Prozac. Please tell our audience about St. John's Wort and how is it used.
MsgId: *infinities(131)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:38:07 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
St. John's Wort is an antidepressant that in numerous studies has been shown to be as effective as conventional pharmaceutical antidepressants. In fact, for some people, it has proved far superior to pharmaceutical antidepressants. One of its main attributes is that it has very low side effects. In Germany, St. John's Wort is prescribed at least 10 times more often by physicians than Prozac. In Germany, St. John's Wort is the drug of choice for mild to moderate depression. In this country, many doctors are now coming to realize the great superiority of St. John's Wort over the harsh, potentially dangerous pharmaceutical antidepressants that are so widely prescribed. The usual side effect rate for Prozac and others is something like 35%. For St. John's Wort, the side effects range from 1% to at the most, 10% and they are almost always very minor, such as stomach upset and other reversible problems. So it makes sense for people to try St. John's Wort first as an antidepressant. If you are already on pharmaceutical antidepressants, you should *not* quit cold turkey. It could be hazardous. You should work with your doctor to ease yourself off such antidepressants and on to St. John's Wort.Many people who have had limited success with pharmaceutical antidepressants have enormous benefits from St. John's Wort. There is extensive scientific research showing that St. John's Wort can be a substitute for pharmaceutical antidepressants. My view is with all natural remedies, since they have such low risk of side effects and such a high safety record, it makes sense to try them. If they work, they are a miracle cure; if they don't, for some reason, then there is very little lost -- no harm done.
MsgId: *infinities(134)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:39:45 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
What about natural alternatives to cholesterol-lowering drugs like the well-advertised Pravachol and Mevacor?
MsgId: *infinities(135)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:43:30 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
One of the most fascinating natural substances I found in doing my research is a grapefruit fiber developed at the University of Florida which lowers cholesterol magnificently in most people. It is truly astonishing. Studies show, and case histories also confirm, that this particular type of grapefruit fiber, which is sold as a powder, can lower cholesterol as much as 90 to 100 points within a month. I have several dramatic cases in "MIRACLE CURES" of the tremendous value of the grapefruit fiber. In one case, the father of a physician had actually had a closure of one of his carotid arteries in the neck and after taking the grapefruit fiber for 18 months, his physician-son verified by ultrasound that the artery had actually *opened up* and had in fact some of the plaque buildup in the artery had regressed. This is absolutely astonishing, meaning that the grapefruit fiber appears not only to lower blood cholesterol, but actually help get rid of some of the buildup of plaque that is causing the artery clogging.
MsgId: *infinities(137)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:44:31 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.170.40.172
Can we get enough merely from eating grapefruit? Or can we find this product at health stores?
MsgId: *infinities(138)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:47:37 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
The answer to the first one is "no". You cannot get this fabulous cholesterol-reducing effect from eating a grapefruit. It comes from all parts of the grapefruit and it is compressed into a powder form. So you must get the product from the University of Florida. And a few health food stores are beginning to market it -- its name is ProFibe and you can also get it by mail order by calling 800-756-3999. If the number is busy, do not despair. Call back! As a result of my book, the line was jammed with calls of more than 10,000 a day. But it is the correct number.
MsgId: *infinities(139)
Date: Sun Aug 31 21:57:05 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Our moderator is having trouble accessing the screen. She has just asked me what the most important thing people should know about miracle cures.I think the main thing is that some so-called miracle cures work, and some do not. In my book, I examined about 200 purported natural remedies and I selected 21 that, in my view, have sound scientific evidence behind them and are ones that I feel comfortable taking myself, recommending to friends and family. Among those, the Co-Q10, the St. John's Wort, the grapefruit fiber we have talked about. Also, gingko for memory, feverfew for migraines, glucosamine for osteoarthritis, echinecea for cold, flu, and general infections, valerian for anxiety and sleeping problems, milk thistle for hepatitis, cirrhosis and other liver problems, bee pollen for hay fever and allergies, ginger for nausea, kava to reduce stress, kudzu as a possibility for reducing the cravings of alcohol, saw palmetto for enlarged prostate, celery seed for gout, licorice for some cases of chronic fatigue syndrome, grapeseed extract for varicose veins and spider veins, and peppermint oil rubbed on the forehead, not internally, for tension headaches. In my book, I also give my exact doses that work and any safety precautions that need to be taken as well as case histories and underlying scientific research.
MsgId: *infinities(142)
Date: Sun Aug 31 22:02:56 EDT 1997
From: Jean_Carper At: 207.172.73.225
Since the moderator isn't here, we'll say goodnight! I hope that you will read the book and feel inclined to try some of the natural remedies. They may, indeed, relieve health conditions and literally save your life.
MsgId: *infinities(143)
Date: Sun Aug 31 22:03:22 EDT 1997
From: OMNI_Moderator At: 152.163.195.89
My apologies--a frozen connection blocked me from Chatting. Thank you for being with us in OMNI's Infinities Chat, Jean Carper. I know our audience will agree when I say it's been a pleasure, enlightening and entertaining too. Thank you for writing this excellent book, Jean, and for sharing this hour with us tonight. I heartily recommend "MIRACLE CURES" to anyone who wants to find a natural, safe way to get better or to help a family member or friend get well.And with that, folks, we say good night from OMNI. Be sure to check OMNI's Prime Time schedule every week and join us again in Infinities on Sunday nights. Good night!
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