Category: Sue Research

Maintaining A Health Happy Heart

A healthy happy heart is easy to maintain. Research update by Sue Visser 2009

Mainstream thinking has obscured the truth about heart health.

1 Cholesterol myths and statin drugs:

The widespread use of cholesterol lowering drugs to reduce the incidence of death from heart disease has helped many innocent people lose their minds. The side effects of taking professional sounding medications prescribed by “Doctor” are not always evident. How about: mental impairment and transient amnesia: people become forgetful – don’t we all? We blame it on our age or we get distracted. But do we ever read the fine print of package inserts and get to the cause of mental impairment that is being constantly generated by the use of statin-based drugs? Believe it or not, this serious condition termed: transient amnesia is directly linked to these medications.

When people cannot find their way out of a shopping centre or are unable to drive home or go out to chop firewood; only to find they have already piled it up in the garage it is no laughing matter. It is not just a slip of the mind or a ‘blonde” moment. This is because these drugs deplete levels of co-enzyme Q10. Cells need it for energy production, brain function and to strengthen and stabilize the heart’s contractions.

According to ongoing research, it has been confirmed that the mentally impaired conditions clear up as soon as people discontinue their cholesterol lowering drugs. When IQ tests are done, people on statin drugs do not perform as well as control groups or as they did when not taking the drugs. We need to seriously question the role of lowering cholesterol as an attempt to control death by heart disease. At best, the drug companies claim they can reduce the incidence thereof by 1.4%. As if any of us can add a second to our lives?

Cat owners have the reputation of a 30% lower incidence of death by heart disease. Now that is a substantial amount, considering that the side effects do not affect your mental capabilities! People who have dogs are known to enjoy the benefits of lower blood pressure, companionship and more exercise. Heart medicine that is healthy and happy!

When it comes to protecting the heart; statin drugs do not lower blood pressure or prevent blood from clotting – so even more drugs are prescribed and this adds to the burden of side effects that can impair sexual function and lead to depression. To treat these conditions we can take even more drugs until our line-up of pills begins to get very costly indeed! Meanwhile, the initial cause of the elevated cholesterol is still largely misunderstood. So is syndrome X. It all boils down to the denatured foods like refined carbohydrates and sugar we consume in abundance – between medications.

Alternative methods like diet and supplementation could be investigated instead of risking the adverse side effects of drugs that cost a lot of money. How about getting more clued up on cholesterol and why the body needs it? Where does cholesterol come from and are high levels linked to heart disease?

We are told not to eat eggs, because they are high in cholesterol. Medical studies show that even eating 8 eggs a day does not add a single notch to your cholesterol count. The truth is that we make our own cholesterol and it performs a vital function. If a blood vessel becomes damaged, extra cholesterol is produced in order to repair the vascular epithelium or cell lining. In getting to the cause of such damage, we can blame homocysteine. This aggressive amino acid forms in excess when the breakdown of methionine from eating meat and protein leads to excess levels. The build up of cholesterol happens when we neglect our intake of vitamin B6. In other words, cholesterol levels rise in direct proportion to a vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) deficiency.

Now ask yourself: is it not easier to supplement with vitamin B6 and other key nutrients that are essential for a healthy heart and they also help to sharpen the mind? Why not tell this to your doctor. Also remind him that it is still not a proven fact that people with high cholesterol levels are more susceptible to heart disease. The fact is that just as many deaths occur in patients with very low cholesterol counts. It depends on the ratio of good = high density versus bad= low density cholesterol you have. When the low density cholesterol oxidizes, it causes damage. To prevent this from happening, you need to take antioxidants. The medical profession views vitamin supplementation as very expensive urine, but it is a small price to pay for a healthy happy heart!

The initial instigator of excessive cholesterol is due to a deficiency of the trace elements that control insulin function. Without chromium and its counterparts: zinc and vanadium, insulin resistance sets in. Even before high blood sugar levels are detected, blood pressure rises. Not many people know that high blood pressure heralds the syndrome X or the insulin resistant cavalcade of: high triglycerides (cholesterol), obesity, secondary diabetes and heart disease. Still, ‘Doctor” will try to tell you that sugar does not cause diabetes. Most will say that it runs in the family. (Yes, the family’s kitchen and tuck box!) Metformin is prescribed when blood sugar readings are too high. Instead of chrome, a blood pressure medication is prescribed. For the high cholesterol: statins. For the side effects? It is time to break the loop! About the author:

Sue Visser has been a health researcher for over 20 years. She contributes to radio talks, international broadcasts, health workshops and many publications as well as TV presentations. Sue is the product developer for nature Fresh Health Products. She runs a website to provide information and support to the public. As such, she consults with individuals with problems from all over the world. In most cases, such people seek natural ways to deal with their ailments as alternatives to taking drugs or having surgery. Her success rate with: Q&A with Sue is encouraging. www.naturefresh.co.zaDiet and supplementation for a healthy happy heart.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is the most important heart protector – here’s the proof! Long term studies of Vitamin B6 over the last 40years have concluded that a deficiency of this vitamin is the leading cause of heart disease. It is not hard to see why, when we suffer from a pandemic deficiency of this crucial micronutrient. At levels of 100mg and above, Vitamin B6 and especially the active form: pyridoxal phosphate (P5P) proves effective in:

a) It protects against heart attacks in acting as an antioxidant. Formerly it was only Vitamin C and E that did this.

b) It provides an anti-clotting function, even in the presence of smoking, alcohol and caffeine. (However, these substances deplete levels of B6, as do birth control pills, HRT and sugar.)

c) It helps to prevent cancer, to metabolise protein efficiently and to fight infections.

d) Vitamin B6 is a natural diuretic. It prevents water retention and oedema.

e) It relieves high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible fro PMT, moodiness and a dopamine blockage.

f) A deficiency of Vitamin B6 and magnesium cause kidney stones.

How much Vitamin B6? The RDA is 2 mg – but to be effective, take a vitamin B complex supplement or multivitamin and top up with 25mg vitamin B6 tablets every 3 hours to make up to daily levels of 200mg. Remember that water soluble vitamins do not remain in the body for longer than 3 hours, to spread out your doses or take a time-released brand of vitamins. Can we rely on the diet to provide enough Vitamin B6 for optimal heart health? Well: you would need: 196 bananas or 120 cups of brown rice or 9kg of raw calf’s liver! Nevertheless, cut out refined starches and sugar that depletes your Vitamin B6.

 Chrome deficiency and high blood pressure.

Chrome can be taken in a trivalent form and there are many good supplements available. Usually amounts of 200 mcg are recommended. To assist with the control of insulin regulation and to maintain a healthy heart, Olive leaf or Coleus Forskohlii supplements are highly effective. A natural way to get more chrome is to add a few olive and guava leaves into your juicer with other greens: spinach, wheat or barley grass and a few dandelions. Do not add too many sweet fruits to the juice. Apple skins contain more chromium than the flesh. Pectin in apples cuts cholesterol.

  Cholesterol management.

Cholesterol counts need to be understood. The HDL or high density lipids are essential to our health but so is the LDL or low density cholesterol, because we need it to produce steroid hormones like pregnenolone, DHEA and progesterone. It also is needed for cell membranes, bile acids, to repair and maintain the porosity of blood vessel linings and to make Vitamin D3. Could blocking cholesterol production with enzymes from a statin drug not be causing a breach of these vital functions? However, when LDL cholesterol is excessive we need to know why. It may not be coming from all the fat and meat you eat but from a diet dominant in refined carbohydrates. This explains why even vegetarians can have a cholesterol problem.

Becoming insulin resistant means: instead of storing the glucose molecules, they remain in the bloodstream and float around as triglycerides: in other words cholesterol. There are many ways to maintain the correct cholesterol ratios. Start by cutting out refined starches and sugars and opting for more fibrous foods that absorb and help excrete cholesterol. The soluble fibre known as pectin, found in apples and beans and pulses is very effective. Eating 1 onion or a clove of garlic a day is another trick.

 Magnesium, calcium, potassium.

Calcium prevents the deterioration of blood vessels and heart tissue. It strengthens the contraction of the heart muscle and works with potassium and magnesium to regulate the heartbeat. Magnesium is a muscle relaxant and helps to keep blood pressure normal. Potassium is a key electrolyte, but it is easily displaced by excessive sodium. Both are needed and cutting out salt is not one of the most effective ways to lower blood pressure.

Today, we know that natural salts that contain a lot of trace minerals can actually help regulate blood pressure. Good examples are: Himalayan salt and unrefined sea salt. We can all throw away our commercial table salt because it is sodium chloride – better for swimming pools and is a chemical that is damaging to the delicate balance of bodily saline fluids. To increase potassium levels, take a few teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a litre of your daily drinking water. Bitter blackstrap molasses is excellent. When your energy is flagging, have a tablespoon of it in a cup of hot water. It also relieves constipation.

For more magnesium, go for the green leafy stuff. Anything with chlorophyll is rich in magnesium. Calcium supplements that contain magnesium should also include vitamin B6 as a deficiency of these minerals causes kidney stones. People with kidney stones are so deficient in alkalizing minerals that calcium is stripped from bone tissue in order to neutralize acidity. It is their own calcium that is contained in the kidney stones. 5 Omega 3 oil.

Take a fish oil supplement. Cod liver oil capsules are good value and also provide Vitamin A and D. Do not waste money on Omega 3-6 combinations. We get way too much Omega 6 oil in our diets and are 10x short of the Omega 3. 6 Antioxidants

Vitamin C and vitamin E help to prevent the oxidation of low density cholesterol. Vitamin E is a natural blood thinner. Now we also know that Vitamin B6 does all of this and a whole lot more! Fresh fruits and vegetables that are organically grown are rich in antioxidants but taking a general multivitamin daily helps to fill in the gaps. 7 Get rid of parasites and pathogens – they can cause of heart disease.

Infections can cause heart attacks. Sudden or unexplained heart attacks, even in healthy people are now being linked to infections like; Chlamydia, Helicobacter pylori (also causes stomach ulcers) and endotoxins – the ones that lurk around our teeth and gum area. For more information on how to get rid of them, a separate article called: parasites and pathogens and what to do about them is available on my website.

 Keep up the testosterone.

Low testosterone levels are a more reliable indicator as a precursor to heart disease than a high cholesterol count. This does not mean that you have to take a hormone supplement. Rather investigate natural herbs that can boost your own production. The weed known as tribulus terrestris (dubbeltjie doring) raises levels both safely and effectively and is furthermore very good for prostate and urinary health. When there is adequate testosterone, then dopamine is abundant, helping you to become more forthright, active and confident in all areas. The supplement: l-arginine raises nitric oxide levels, helping one both in the heat area as well as further down. The use of infrared sauna lamps increases level of nitric oxide in the blood, both safely, and naturally. References:

1 Enough VitaminB6 reduces heart attacks by 70% by joseph G Hattersley Josephhattersley@aol.com (Townsend letter for Doctors and Patients. Aug/Sept 2004)

2 Heart Disease: new perspectives. By professor W J Serfontein, MSC, PHD. (Natural Medicine Magazine Feb/March 2007)

Parabens are natural and safe. They do not cause cancer. Parabens are not toxic.

Special report from health researcher: Sue Visser. May 2010

https://www.naturefresh.co.za/

These clips from the internet will help you understand that parabens are not a dirty word and no reason to condemn products that contain them. Parabens are antimicrobial by nature and prevent the growth of deadly pathogens in common foods like mangoes and granadillas! They are not dangerous, cancer forming chemicals and do not even resemble an oestrogen molecule. Parabens are not Xenestrogens. Are you ready for the truth?

1 ref: http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/methylparaben.htm

As I was researching the environmental impact of methylparabens and propylparabens released into the air, water and soil, I was astonished to learn that these parabens are 100% biodegradable. [A biodegradable product is one that is broken down by sunlight, water, and/or living organisms into by-products which are harmless which can be re-cycled.] I suppose it makes perfect sense that parabens are biodegradable because they are after all a naturally derived product. Many other preservatives such as thimerasol are not.

Methylparabens and propylparabens released into the environment are broken down by hydroxylradicals to produce p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The p-hydroxybenzoic acid by-product is found in nature as well and found in such things as carrots, olives, cucumbers, strawberries to name just a few.

The p-hydroxybenzoic acid paraben by-product is itself an antimicrobial agent and both paraben and p-hydroxybenzoic acid are a food source for some bacteria. For example a certain type of bacterium called Enterobacter metabolizes methylparaben, uses it as a sole carbon-source and energy-source; breaking parabens down into phenol. The toxic phenol by-product is then removed from the environment by certain species of Pseudomonas which can use phenol as a nutrient. In addition some species of Pseudomonas can actually utilize propylparaben as its nutrient and break it down into completely harmless carbon-based compounds.

I know that was a lot of science but the bottom line is, Methylparaben or propylparaben is not recalcitrant and can be removed from the environment by cooperative bacterial metabolism. Furthermore methylparabens have not been shown to be concentrated in the tissues of aquatic organisms.

Both methylparaben and propylparaben have no known negative-environmental impact and both compounds are very effective at protecting consumers from the adverse consequences of bacterial contamination of cosmetics. As a scientist concerned with chemical contaminates of the earth, I sincerely hope that science can conclusively prove methylparaben and propylparabens have no detrimental effect on humans because it is truly “earth friendly”.

2 ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrogen

See for yourself the difference in structure between a paraben and an estrogen:

General structure of a paraben (does not have 4 carbon rings)

Estriol. Note the four carbon rings, typical of a steroid hormone

3 ref: http://lib.bioinfo.pl/meid:130432

It is biologically implausible that parabens could increase the risk of any estrogen-mediated endpoint, including effects on the male reproductive tract or breast cancer. Additional analysis based on the concept of a hygiene-based margin of safety (HBMOS), a comparative approach for assessing the estrogen activities of weakly active EACs, demonstrates that worst-case daily exposure to parabens would present substantially less risk relative to exposure to naturally occurring EACs in the diet such as the phytoestrogen daidzein.

4 ref: Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20132880

A receptor-binding assay indicated that the relative binding affinities of parabens to estrogen receptors occurred in the order: isobutylparaben>butylparaben>isopropylparaben=propylparaben>ethylparaben. These values were much lower than the binding affinity for 17beta-estradiol. Taken together, long-term exposure to parabens, which show less estrogenic activity than estradiol, can produce suppressive effects on hormonal responsiveness

5 ref: http://www.ananzihealth.co.za/cgi-bin/ananzihealth/search.pl?id:1213295444

It is widespread propaganda that parabens are cancer-causing endocrine disruptors, yet many common phytochemicals, e.g. from soy beans or the mycotoxins on maize, are thousands of times more potent as endocrine disruptors than are the feebly estrogenic parabens. Parabens are the safest preservatives available and are, in fact, widely distributed in many fruits, vegetables and spices and are natural components of black and green teas. Contrary to the vested interest scare tactics, Parabens are not carcinogenic, mutagenic or clastogenic (Final Report, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel, Amended Safety Assessment (of Parabens), June 13, 2006 ). The unproven linking of minute amounts of parabens in human breast tumour tissues to causality of breast cancer is grossly unscientific.

The anti-paraben hypothesis has turned out to be false. The public deserve to know this and that the p-hydroxybenzoic acid present in most plants is almost as oestrogenic as methyl- and propyl- parabens; that soya and mycotoxins on grains and cereals are 100-1000 times more so and that naturally occurring estradiol (oestrogen) is 10,000- to 100,000-fold more potent still. (Golden R et al, Crit Rev Toxicol, 35(5), 2005) Propyl paraben, the more oestrogenic of the two, has been re-evaluated for safety of acceptable daily intakes, which remains unchanged (WHO Tech Rep Ser, 940, 2007).

To the disbelief of many, para-hydroxybenzoic acid is the most widely distributed aromatic organic acid in the vegetable kingdom. All higher plants require it to produce coenzyme-Q for respiration and some as pollinator attractants / defensive chemicals. Paraben in urine from healthy humans is from decomposition of tyrosine (amino acid) and from carrot, onion, olive, strawberry, cucumber, vanilla, cocoa and tea in the diet. The now feared esters Methyl- and Propyl- paraben are nature-identical antimicrobial agents that actually do exist in nature and are indispensable to consumer safety.

Plants known to synthesise Methyl paraben include Granadilla (A Naidoo, Natural Food antimicrobial Systems, CRC Press, 2001) and Oca, a tuber widely consumed in South America (Pal Bais H et al, Plant Physiol Biochem, 41(4), 2003). Plants known to synthesise Propyl paraben include Mango (Chirawut B, Sangchote S, 15th Australas Plant Path Soc Confer, Deakin Univ, Geelong , 26-29 Sept, 2005) and Cloudberry (Baardseth P, Russwurm J, Food Chem, 3(1), 1978). Propyl paraben is furthermore synthesised by Verticillium fungi inhabiting decaying vegetation, hence organic soil (El Aissama A, Mycopathologia, 144(2), 1999). Royal bee jelly contains methyl and propyl parabens (Ishiwata H, Yamada T, Food Sanit, 50 (7), 2000).

The ultimate irony is that manufacturers of products containing extracts of these and many other natural resources would be committing fraud if they proclaimed their products to be free of parabens. As we stress our skin and age prematurely, we all tend to use progressively more topical skin care products. Unbeknown to most manufacturers and consumers, paraben preservatives actually serve consumers by ensuring that there is sufficient anti-aging oestrogen where and when needed most. Clearly the established benefits by far outweigh any perceived risks. It is time for the organic product vendors who malign parabens for commercial expediency to eat humble pie and accept that they have misled consumers about topical parabens.

Petrochemical and Paraben Paranoia

Conscientious readers have probably noticed negative promotional claims for some pseudo-natural/organic personal care products that proudly proclaim, along with other selective misinformation: Contains no Parabens, Sodium laurel sulfate or Mineral oil, as though these omissions somehow endowed their products with some superiority over those containing said ingredients, whereas the opposite is in fact the reality. These are tellingly not only the common denominator in most personal care products, but ironically are well established by rigorous science as the safest in their classes.

Crude oil, the feedstock for petrochemicals, is the uncontaminated remains of ancient biomass laid down millions of years ago before any human activity, and is not only perfectly natural, but is the richest repository of pure organic matter on our now very resource-challenged planet. Without a vibrant partnership of human ingenuity and petrochemicals, we would have remained in the Dark Ages. To divert raw material consumption to contemporary biomass would be suicidal, as is the trend towards biofuels, which further places arable land under unsustainable competitive pressures. Despite misrepresentation of petrochemicals as unnatural and risky and conversely, phytochemicals as natural, hence safe, this is not so.

Parabens have safely preserved fruit juice, beer, wine and cosmetics for 60 years. Organic vendors have deliberately seeded the circulating misinformation, placed out of context to create the impression of risks that are nonexistent in the real world. Ignorant journalists and Internet commerce dominating the search-engines ensure a gullible public that believe and innocently advance this clever commercial strategy. According to plan, consumers avoid these and face far greater risk from alternatives, such as grapefruit seed extract or alcohol, which are hundreds-fold more cytotoxic.

Darbre, who advanced her overenthusiasm for this idea without evidence and became a celebrity researcher, has ever since desperately attempted to restore her professional reputation by vindicating her premature conclusion, to no avail, in spite of intensified research. Many far more potent endocrine disrupters in much higher amounts are detectable in human tissues. Darbre now far more reasonably postulates a functional role for the combined interactions of cosmetic chemicals with environmental oestrogens, pharmacological oestrogens, physiological oestrogens and phyto-oestrogens in the rising incidence of breast cancer (Darbre P, Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab, 20(1), 2006).

It is difficult to correct public perceptions once the media lose interest and no longer report on issues. Are the feared parabens in skin care products good (or bad) for consumers? Research has determined that regular application of parabens does indeed lead to mild localised oestrogenic effects, not only via interaction with estrogen receptors, but also via the inhibition of oestrogen sulfotransferase activity. Is any of this desirable? The perhaps surprising answer, given all the negative propaganda is yes, yes, yes! Scientists now confirm that the skin anti-aging benefits of topical products containing parabens are ironically, derived in part, from their localised oestrogenicity. (Prusakiewicz J et al, Toxicology, 232(3), 2007) Let us briefly consider the benefits.

Oestrogens in the skin are important modulators of keratinocytes, fibroblasts and melanocytes and aid in the delay, prevention and reversal of skin aging. It prevents wrinkling that arises from decreased skin collagen, elastin and skin thickness, maintains skin moisture by increasing acid mucopolysaccharides and hyaluronic acid, maintains skin barrier function and accelerates healing

(For more Gaia Research revelations, Google the keywords ?research + parabens?. To see why alternative ?natural preservatives are far more hazardous than parabens, Google the keywords ?research + grapefruit seed extract? or ?research + alcohol?)

Ref: Stuart Thomson, Director, Gaia Research Institute

The FDA has declared that there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about using cosmetics containing parabens. Overall, clinical studies have shown parabens to be non-toxic and safe for use in cosmetics (Food & Chemical Toxicology(2005),43(7),985-1015).

6 ref: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Parabens—A-Preservative-Used-In-Cosmetics/780177
Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Parabens—A-Preservative-Used-In-Cosmetics/780177#ixzz0nnre3WS9
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

Methyl and ethyl parabens are the most frequently used parabens and the most commonly used ingredient in cosmetic preparation, other than water. There have been studies done on both animals and humans that show that methyl paraben is practically non-toxic by both oral and parenteral routes (Food & Chem Toxicology(2002),40(10),1335-1373) Methyl paraben is less toxic than table salt. There is no evidence that shows that methyl paraben accumulates in the body. For those with normal skin it is practically non-irritating and non-sensitizing (Food & Chem Toxicology (2002),40(10),1335-1373) It”s been found to be non-carcinogenic, non-mutagenic, non-teratogenic, and non-embryotixic. Basically, there has been no evidence to support the idea that it is hazardous to one”s health and well being. Studies have found it to be classified as safe for use in cosmetics. The same holds true for propyl paraben as well; numerous studies have been done to prove its safety of use in cosmetics.

(Food & Chemical Toxicology(2001),39(6),513-532)

Parabens have a wide spectrum of activity against yeasts, molds, and bacteria. They are more effective in protection against fungi than they are against bacteria. Without the use of preservatives such as parabens, creams and other manufactured cosmetics would mold in about a month”s time. Some parabens are more effective at protecting against some microbial growth than others. Because of this, a combination of parabens is usually used in a product to help protect against a wider range of microbial growth. But, it is never in excess of 0.8%, as regulated by the CIR.

7 ref: Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Parabens—A-Preservative-Used-In-Cosmetics/780177#ixzz0nns9rYI3
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

There has been controversy over the use of parabens in cosmetically recently over the years. There are concerns that parabens are carcinogenic and have estrogenic effects. There has been no proof behind these claims. Research has been done and studies have determined that no correlation between parabens and cancer has been found (Journal of Applied Tox(2004, 24(3), 167-176).

8 ref: Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Parabens—A-Preservative-Used-In-Cosmetics/780177#ixzz0nnsMBi2l
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

http://www.elementsbathandbody.com/Paraben-Facts!-c-245.html

Parabens are an effective antimicrobial against yeast and mold & the FDA has stated that at the present time, there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of parabens in products. Parabens have been safely used in cosmetics since the 1920’s & historical data indicates that parabens are safe.

FDA believes that at the present time there is no reason for consumers to be concerned about the use of cosmetics containing parabens.

American Cancer Society states “So far, studies have not shown any direct link between parabens and any health problems, including breast cancer. What has been found is that there are many other compounds in the environment that also mimic naturally produced estrogen. The bottom line is that larger studies are needed to find out what effect, if any, parabens might have on breast cancer risk.”

normal tissue.

FDA is aware that estrogenic activity in the body is associated with certain forms of breast cancer. Although parabens can act similarly to estrogen, they have been shown to have much less estrogenic activity than the body’s naturally occurring estrogen. For example, a 1998 study (Routledge et al., in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology) found that the most potent paraben tested in the study, butylparaben, showed from 10,000- to 100,000-fold less activity than naturally occurring estradiol (a form of estrogen). Further, parabens are used at very low levels in cosmetics. In a review of the estrogenic activity of parabens, (Golden et al., in Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 2005) the author concluded that based on maximum daily exposure estimates, it was implausible that parabens could increase the risk associated with exposure to estrogenic chemicals.

Nature Fresh Products Are Earth People And Animal Friendly

Dear customer,

For over ten years, we have been making unique herbal body care products, tinctures and supplements. Our toothpaste is non-toxic and safe to swallow. The products are earth, people and animal friendly and are free of harmful, irritating or toxic chemicals. The alcohol used to preserve the herbal tinctures need not be ingested, as it evaporates in a glass of warm water. The vegan-friendly tablets, powders and capsules are free of: sugar, lactose, wheat, gluten, preservatives, flavours, colours and gelatine.

The safest and most stable herbal formulations: for our toothpaste, body washes and skin care products. We are obliged to ensure a shelf life of many years for our products. It is our responsibility to prevent disintegration or contamination of each item. This is achieved by using ingredients that have a good safety profile and are not toxic or irritating. Herbal ingredients have many benefits and we include a lot of them in the form of: tinctures, freshly harvested plant material, decoctions and essential oils. Natural is best, but we have to preserve it!

Nature Fresh products are made in consultation with a top team of Pharmacists and Researchers. We work under strict laboratory conditions according to the MCC. (Medicines Control Council.) As such, we have been advised on the safest and most effective product ingredients to use in conjunction with the often higher than average content of fresh herbal components that we include. We do not use chemicals that have an irritating, harmful or toxic effect.

Nature Fresh Customer services and advertising policy.

We keep our prices realistic by not advertising in expensive glossies, radio or TV. We do no pay-outs on elitist logo endorsements such as: proudly South African, Osteoporosis, Heart or Organic propaganda. The NATURE FRESH banner is proudly green and speaks for itself. The customer only pays for the product. We supply normal retail outlets as well as health shops and pharmacies. Our advisory and educational customer service is free to all who are concerned about Natural Health. So are contributions to radio programs, magazines, newspapers, health talks, workshops and slide shows. We help you to help yourself to health. Be Healthy and Happy – it’s a free choice!

Parabens: these much aligned preservatives are still the best and the safest to use for the time being.

We need to prevent: mould, yeast, bacterial and fungal contamination. Although many essential oils like tea tree and eucalyptus act as antimicrobial agents, they are too irritating to the skin to be used in large enough quantities to act as preservatives for an entire formulation. Grapefruit seed extract has a high impact on estrogens in the body. Its efficacy and safety profile is questionable. (See references below.) This is why you see the words: methyl paraben and propyl paraben on some of our labels. Don’t panic; parabens are not deadly toxic chemicals.

They are there to ensure the safety of your product. They are nature identical in structure. No “natural” alternative has yet been accepted by any major pharmaceutical company as an acceptable and well-tested alternative to the use of parabens. In terms of an estrogenic effect: parabens in wash-off and rinse – out products are exempt. In topically applied gels and lotions, the minute presence of a paraben preservative has 250 000 000 times less effect than xenoestrogens fro  m a plastic water bottle.

We use a minimal quantity – just enough to keep nasty microbes from contaminating the products. Accusations aimed at our products containing parabens are therefore unfounded. We are considering the use of Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate that promises to be as effective, yet as mild as parabens. Please be patient, as we still need to complete the testing process.

SLES sodium laurel ethyl sulphate is the purest of the surfactants and is not an allergen.

SLES comes from coconuts (cocos nucifera) and laurel means coconut! This oil is processed with chemicals to produce most vegetable based soaps and surfactants. They all begin from a vegetable source but the cruder saponified cocos nucifera extracts are not as gentle as SLES. After a lot of research into surfactants, we could not find a more suitable “natural” alternative to SLES. Products claiming to be free of SLES often use cruder saponified coconut extracts or Cocamidopropyl betaine where allergens or cancer forming compounds may still be present .

Cocamidopropyl betaine is an allergen. It is being flaunted in many products as an “organically” acceptable surfactant to use but it is classed as an allergen: one of the most frequent causes of dermatitis of the head, neck and face in humans. On the eyelids and lips of infants, its use can lead to intractable inflammation and scaling. SLES is thus a gentler alternative in the long run and has a long term safety record. SLES is not an allergen. Within a formulation that is pH balanced to suit the skin, SLES is safer to use than a cake of common soap or a regular shower gel as it is not corrosively alkaline.

When you see: SLES (sodium laurel ethyl sulphate) on our body wash, vaginal cleansers and toothpaste labels you can be reassured that we have your health and safety at heart. By all means, run the bath or shower water onto your plants. As it is not so alkaline, it helps to condition the soil. We are people, earth and animal friendly. Although pets also love our toothpaste and body wash, we do not test products on animals.

All ingredients are now listed on product labels:

HERBAL INGREDIENTS: These are what the product is all about. They are included as tinctures, freshly harvested or dried plant material, decoctions (boiled) and essential oils. The oils give the products characteristic fragrances so no perfumes are needed. Natrosol is a vegetable cellulose used to thicken the mixture.

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

Sodium Laurel Ethyl Sulphate and vegetable derived Glycerine. Preservatives: Propyl paraben & Methyl paraben.

Please review the internet references in order to fully understand. Then you can choose and use more freely.

Research and references on product ingredients: SLES and PARABENS

“I get worried when products claim to be free of preservatives. When I see PARABENS, at least I know they are free of bacteria, mould, yeast and fungus. They don’t go rancid and cause infections. They don’t go black and furry!“

Internet references and quotations on PARABENS versus “natural” preservatives.

Our special thanks to the 5 sources of information for providing some truth about product ingredients. Although not perfect in every aspect, one has to settle for using the best and safest options to maintain the integrity of cosmetic products. The well-informed public finds this acceptable. Nobody likes rancid hand cream or shampoo infected with mould and fungus just because they are “organic” or free of “preservatives.” People disturbed by internet and organically inspired sensations need to appreciate the myths behind so-called “natural” product additives and stop condemning preservatives that play a crucial role in preventing rancidity or infections from occurring in cosmetics.

1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paraben#Paraben_controversy

Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. Parabens are effective preservatives in many types of formulas. These compounds, and their salts, are used primarily for their bacteriocidal and fungicidal properties. They can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste. They are also used as food additives.

Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost, their long history of safe use—at least to the extent that scientific studies have not proven they are harmful—and the unproven efficacy of natural ingredients like grapefruit seed extract (GSE), [1] probably explains why parabens are so commonplace. They are becoming increasingly controversial, however, and some organizations which adhere to the precautionary principle object to their everyday use. [2]

2 http://www.health-report.co.uk/parabens.htm%20

However, parabens have a very, very good safety profile. We have an enormous amount of information which supports the safety of these chemicals and their use in cosmetics.”

3 http://www.thefactsabout.co.uk/content.asp?pageid=5&menuname=Parabens&menu=hidden

Parabens. Parabens are a class of substances widely used as preservatives in cosmetics, foods, pharmaceuticals and other household products. In cosmetics they are used to stop products from deteriorating by protecting products against contamination by micro-organisms during storage and continued use by consumers. Preservatives are essential in safeguarding the quality and safety of many of the products we use and enjoy every day. Without them, bacteria, “germs” and other harmful organisms could develop in products leading to product deterioration and safety issues.

The family of parabens, which are found naturally in plants and animals as well as being man-made, are approved for use as preservatives in the European Cosmetics Directive, and have been endorsed by the competent authorities of all member states. Parabens are among the most widely used of preservatives, having been in use for more than fifty years with an excellent safety record.

Recently there have been many reports questioning the safety of parabens. These articles repeat a discredited theory concerning parabens and links to breast cancer. There has been no causal link found between the use of parabens and breast cancer – a view shared by several cancer charities. Scientific safety studies have demonstrated that parabens are safe both for human health and in the environment. None of the extensive research carried out on the parabens has indicated a potential risk of harm to human health and parabens remain among the safest of preservatives in today’s cosmetic products.

4 http://www.treasuredlocks.com/trabpringrse.html

Why Use Preservatives in Natural Products?

People sometimes ask us why we use preservatives in our natural products. As a manufacturer and distributor of natural products, we strive to make our products as natural as possible.  However, one reality of modern life is that we need preservatives in certain products. To get many (especially natural) products from the manufacturer to you requires some sort of preservative.

Products are often shipped from manufacturer through distributors, shipping warehouses and other places that add time (and often heat) before the product ever reaches you. To get that product to you and to have a reasonable shelf life requires that certain products be preserved, in some fashion. Otherwise, you’d shortly end up with some pretty funky stuff instead of the product you paid for. Is it inconvenient to have a rotting product? Yes. But, even worse, some of those nasties that can grow in your products are harmful to your health. Preservatives of some kind will almost always be needed in products where water is present.

Water is the basis of all life, including bacteria, fungi and moulds. Products without preservatives may have a short shelf life, even if refrigerated. Products that are not properly preserved, even if made in a pristine environment and free of microbes when shipped, can become a health risk when exposed to the yeast, mould, fungi and bacteria present in all of our homes.

What are Parabens?

Parabens are a group of broad-spectrum preservatives (meaning they kill a variety of germs) used to prevent the growth of harmful microorganisms, especially molds and yeast. Parabens are derived from benzoic acid. Benzoic acid is a chemical commonly found in plants. So, to some extent, parabens are “natural”. They are as natural as some alternative preservatives being proposed, such as grapefruit seed extract (more on that later). Parabens have been used extensively for over 50 years and have been researched thoroughly.  Parabens are used in very small concentrations causing absolutely no reason for concern for most people. So, we’ll just say right up front, we don’t have a real problem with parabens.

Why Use Parabens?  Why Not Use Parabens?

When we started out in this business, we heard the horror stories concerning parabens and decided to try to avoid them in the products we offer for sale. We did our research.  However, the reality is there are no great alternatives. Many of the manufacturers that offer paraben free products (or products free from other chemical preservatives) make disclaimers about the shelf lives of their products (in other words, they don’t last as long on your shelf) or even the safety of the products they sell without chemical preservatives. They pass the risk of not using effective preservatives on to you, the consumer.

Parabens are well tolerated by just about everyone. Extremely sensitive people may develop a mild skin reaction, in products that are not rinsed off such as lotions. This reaction is rare. The reaction is even more rare in products that are rinsed off, such as shampoos, soaps, body washes, etc. We have to weigh the very small risk of a mild skin rash against the serious health threat posed by spoiled products.

You may have found websites that suggest that you should avoid parabens at all costs because of increased risk of cancer.  However, you should be aware of the real “threat” of parabens may the risk you take by using improperly preserved products trying to avoid them. The controversy over parabens, like the controversy over Sodium Laurel Sulfate is a difficult one to sift through. It’s not that there is any lack of opinion on the subject. It’s just that you have to consider the source when you do find information. It seems almost everyone has an ax to grind when it comes to this issue.  It’s very difficult to find objective facts.

An Ax To Grind Concerning Preservatives.

Manufacturers that use parabens want to defend their use. That’s understandable.  Parabens are extremely effective in preventing the growth of some real nasties. They are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. So, manufacturers like parabens.  They keep their products affordable and free from germs that shorten shelf life and can threaten health.  Alternative “Natural” manufacturers want to sell you their paraben free products.  Those products often come at a premium price.  And, some manufacturers are not above “distorting” the facts to sell their products. So, some go to irrational extremes to vilify parabens.

Are Parabens Safe?

You should know there is no current credible evidence linking parabens and illness. Parabens are less sensitizing to the skin than most other preservatives used in beauty products around the world. They are low in toxicity (they’re food grade preservatives) and have low potential for irritation. As pointed out earlier, parabens are derived by modifying chemicals that occur naturally in plants.  BTW, so is Grapefruit Seed Extract.  If that stuff is natural, so are parabens.

Parabens have been proven time and time again to be safe ingredients. The CTFA (now called the Personal Care Products Council) continues to look at this issue (probably because of the persistent rumors). For the most recent update, visit the Personal Care Products Council and search parabens. What about alternatives to Parabens? Because of the persistence of rumors about parabens (from questionable, at best, sources), there has been pressure to find safe and effective alternatives.  Frankly, we’d rather use no preservatives or use the most “natural” thing possible.  It’d be great marketing for us and save us money.  Any preservative costs a manufacturer money- we don’t want to use them. But, let’s face facts. Skin care products need preservatives.   Most are kept in our bathrooms; where there are hordes of unknown germs, lots of humidity and warm temperatures. This is the perfect environment for growing… well just about anything.

Anything that contains water (i.e.. creams, gels, lotions) is a paradise for bacteria and molds, and the natural sugars in plant extracts are their favorite snack food. So, ironically, the more “natural” we make our products by including all those great plant extracts, the more they are susceptible to spoilage.  However, many natural substances do offer some limited antibacterial benefits.

Certain essential oils, like Tea Tree, and some vitamins can help reduce some forms of bacteria, when used in high concentrations. But, the concentrations required for long-term preservation under less than ideal conditions put you at serious risk for skin irritation.  In other words, if someone put enough tea tree oil in a product to actually inhibit the growth of germs, it would be so much as to greatly increase the risk for skin irritation.  Other natural substances are useful only against certain types of bad-guys and for limited amounts of time.

Some natural care products are switching to Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate as an alternative to parabens. Some are even going so far as to call it a “natural” preservative. While it has been proven to be extremely effective in low concentrations and to be non-harmful (making it an excellent alternative), we feel it is going a little far to call it natural just because it is derived from natural a naturally occurring amino acid.  If you are consistent, the same logic that allows you to call this product natural would make Sodium Laurel Sulfate (derived from coconuts) natural.

For that matter, you could call parabens natural since they are derived from benzoic acid, which is found in nature.  More about Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is a broad-spectrum preservative effective against bacteria, yeast and mould. It is used at extremely low concentrations between .1% to 1% at the most. It is active at all alkaline pH levels as well as acidic conditions. Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is derived from glycine, which is a naturally occurring amino acid. Glycine is made up of sweet-tasting crystals; it is used as a dietary supplement and as a gastric antacid.  Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate has been tested and found to be non-irritating, nonsensitizing, non-toxic by skin absorption and non-mutagenic (does not damage the DNA or possess the potential to damage chromosomes).

Manufacturers are still working with Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate to determine whether it is effective enough for general use.  Again, while it may prove to be as effective as parabens and may prove to be as mild or milder than parabens, that’s great.  But, it doesn’t make it a natural alternative (or suggest that natural alternatives are necessarily better).  We will continue to monitor the use of Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate and use it as appropriate.

Alternative Natural Preservative #1- The Truth About Grapefruit Seed Extract

“Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) is an all natural preservative”

There are rumours all over the web that Grapefruit Seed Extract works as a natural preservative. GSE is no more natural than parabens. Grapefruit seed extract is not grapefruit juice. It is not simply ground up grapefruit seeds. It is not grapefruit essential oil. Chemical manufacturers take the leftover grapefruit pulp, a waste by-product from grapefruit juice production, and in an intensive, multi-step industrial chemical process, change the natural phenolic compounds into synthetic quaternary ammonium compounds (does this sound natural to you?).

Typically, in chemical synthesis of this type, chemical reagents and catalysts are used under extreme high heat and pressure or vacuum. Synthetic ammonium chloride is one of the chemical catalysts used in this process. So, first all, Grapefruit Seed Extract is not “natural”. It’s a chemically altered form of grapefruit seed. If you’re going to call it Grapefruit Seed Extract, you could by the same reasoning call Sodium Laurel Sulfate Coconut Oil Extract. Secondly, studies done on GSE have found that while it may be mildly preserving, it appears to be due to trace contaminants, rather than the GSE itself. A handmade Grapefruit Seed Extract that was not tainted with other chemicals showed zero preservative qualities. Here is one report from the Institute of Pharmacy, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany:

“The antimicrobial efficacy as well as the content of preservative agents of six commercially grapefruit seed extracts were examined. Five of the six extracts showed a high growth-inhibiting activity against the test germs. In all of the antimicrobial active grapefruit seed extracts, the preservative benzethonium chloride was detected by thin layer chromatography. Additionally, three extracts contained the preserving substances triclosan and methyl paraben. In only one of the grapefruit seed extracts tested no preservative agent was found. However, with this extract as well as with several self-made extracts from seed and juiceless pulp of grapefruits (Citrus paradisi), no antimicrobial activity could be detected. Thus, it is concluded that the potent as well as nearly universal antimicrobial activity being attributed to grapefruit seed extract is merely due to the synthetic preservative agents contained within. Natural GSE products with antimicrobial activity do not appear to be present.”

Alternative Natural Preservative #2- Essential Oils“Essential Oils will work as preservatives”: While it is true that some essential oils have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, the quantity needed to effectively preserve a water containing product would be at unsafe levels. Care needs to be taken when using essential oils.  They can help keep oil based products from going rancid.  But, in water containing products, they’re mildly effective, at best.

Alternative Natural Preservative #3- Potassium Sorbate
“Potassium Sorbate is an all-natural preservative”:

While potassium sorbate can effectively preserve against mold and yeast, it is not useful for protecting from bacteria. It is not at all effective in products with a pH over 6, which most lotions are. While potassium sorbate is found in nature, any available today would have been synthetically made so it is not all-natural. It is also believed to cause contact dermatitis (skin irritation).

Alternative Natural Preservative #4- Vitamins
“Vitamins A, C & E are great for preserving all kind of things and they’re good for you”

Vitamins A, C and E can extend the shelf life of products by preventing oxidation and by slowing the growth of certain bacteria. And, they are good for you. Vitamin E in particular is great for keeping oil from going rancid.  We do use Vitamin E, as a preservative, in our oil based products. But, these vitamins are not effective as broad-spectrum preservatives and cannot replace other preservatives in all products.  Think about this. Orange juice is loaded with Vitamin C. But, would you want to drink a glass that was left in your bathroom for a couple of months?

Conclusion Concerning Natural Preservatives

The pressure to continue to find alternatives to parabens seems to be continuing.  Because of the concern of some of our clients, Treasured Locks continues to remove parabens from products where possible.  However, we still believe parabens are safe and effective. Unfortunately, there are no highly effective all-natural preservatives. And, preservatives are necessary. Unless we want to accept very short shelf lives and/or start keeping all of our products, in a cool, dark place, we are going to have to use preservatives in some products.

While it would be great if a “natural” alternative existed, the truth is there isn’t one that is effective enough. To keep certain types of products free of bacteria, mold and yeast and to make it a product that is safe for your use, a chemical preservative is necessary. We will continue to follow the research in this area. This is a very important subject to us.  But, in the meanwhile, parabens are highly effective and have been proven time and time to be safe for most people. Their benefits (including health benefits of preventing disease) far outweigh any risks associated with their use.

5 http://www.terressentials.com/truthaboutgse.html%20

A “natural” and “safe” preservative or dietary supplement? Is it worth the risk to you?

Grapefruit seed extract. Sounds so friendly, doesn´t it? You´ve heard it touted as a “natural” preservative, and the health food store sells it in a capsule as an antifungal supplement. If everybody says that it´s natural they must be correct, right? Wrong. Grapefruit seed extract is not grapefruit juice. It is also not grapefruit essential oil and it is most certainly not an herbal tincture. Chemical manufacturers take the leftover grapefruit pulp, a waste by-product from grapefruit juice production, and in an intensive, multi-step industrial chemical process, change the natural phenolic compounds into synthetic quaternary ammonium compounds. Typically, in chemical synthesis of this type, chemical reagents and catalysts are used under extreme high heat and pressure or vacuum. Synthetic ammonium chloride is one of the chemical catalysts used in this process.

The US Department of Agriculture´s (USDA) National Organic Program defines synthetic as “A substance that is formulated or manufactured by a chemical process or by a process that chemically changes a substance extracted from naturally occurring plant, animal, or mineral sources.” Grapefruit seed extract is a synthetic chemical compound, cannot be called “organic,” and is not permitted in organic food products. Unfortunately, because there is no legal definition of the word “natural,” any company can put chemicals in body care products and tell you that they´re “natural.” Also, in the US, any company is free to sell any chemical compound as a “dietary supplement” without doing any pre-market or long-term safety studies of any kind.

Grapefruit seed extract has become an extremely controversial chemical compound recently. Studies conducted in the US and abroad report suspicious and abnormal chemical activity in numerous, randomly selected grapefruit seed extracts. The Swiss Toxicological Information Center of Basel, Switzerland, reports that “Grapefruit seed extracts containing benzethonium chloride in concentrations of 7-11% represent a major health risk if larger amounts of a concentrated solution are ingested (i.e. by mouth). Exposure of the skin or the eye may cause toxic symptoms. The Swiss Toxicological Information Center discourages consumers from administration of these extracts unless it is known which of them are containing benzethonium chloride and what the concentrations are.”

SODIUM LAUREL ETHYL SULPHATE (SLES)

Nature Fresh toothpaste: Initially, in 1996 we had the wording on the labels of our toothpaste approved by the governing body then responsible for the toothpaste and cosmetic category: The Department of Food Control. We printed the labels and sold the product with the best intention: that of offering supermarkets, health shops and pharmacies a non-toxic fluoride free toothpaste as an alternative to regular brands on their shelves.

Until now, we have not been made aware of any stipulations that would prevent us from saying this or of any that would force us to list every single ingredient of the formulation on the label. We have now updated labels to include the full ingredient disclosure for people who may be interested. Non toxic and safe to swallow . The following references substantiate the wording of our labels: A question to Nature Fresh: why do you use sodium laurel sulphate in your toothpaste? Answer: A surfactant is required to keep our toothpaste in suspension. Without this, the toothpaste cannot be squeezed out of the tube. Our formulation contains very large amounts of calcium and the toothpaste became rock hard and could not come out of the tube.

We added a minute quantity of SLES to the formulation. The following quotations will provide the most truthful information we obtained to justify using SLES and calling our product non toxic. Although not a foodstuff and not generally ingested, we were reassured by our research that a small amount of our toothpaste is safe to swallow, owing to the neutralizing effects of the calcium carbonate that is present. Sodium laurel sulphate (SLES) has a good track record of safety, as opposed to Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) that is considered to be a contact allergen. We could claim to be SLES free, and still be using a surfactant (CAPB) that would not sound offensive to people who object to SLES but feel this would be misleading. We refuse to make a SLES-free product that may have a dubious safety record. We remain honest in saying our product is non toxic, owing to the large amounts of calcium and magnesium it contains in proportion to a minimal percentage of SLES that is GRAS – generally regarded as safe.

Ref 1: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/toms/ifs/sls.asp

What is it? Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a foaming agent naturally derived from coconut and/or palm kernel oil. SLS has a long history of safe use in a variety of consumer personal care products.

What does it do?We (Toms of Maine) use SLS in our toothpaste to properly disperse the ingredients and ensure easy rinsing.

What are the alternatives?SLS is not the only foaming or dispersal agent available, but we believe it is the best choice due to its long history of safe use, its lack of odour or taste, and its low level of concentration in our products.

What are the risks?We are well aware of the widespread Internet rumours regarding SLS and its use in shampoos, toothpaste, and other products. At Tom’s we are concerned about the safety and efficacy of our products, so we take these rumours seriously. Specifically, we have heard claims that SLS is linked to cancer, cataracts, liver or kidney damage, and other maladies. These widespread rumours have been investigated by respected publications such as The Washington Post and The Berkeley Wellness Newsletter, both of which have called them a “sham” and a “hoax.” The American Cancer Society has also created an information page debunking the claims. So rampant are these rumours that they are even addressed on the Urban Legends website, which provides additional reputable sources of information about SLS research.

We, too, have researched these claims extensively and have found them to be completely unsubstantiated. As formulated for cosmetic use, SLS has not been found to cause cancer in any recognized scientific research studies. When used in our toothpaste, SLS has limited contact with the gums and is then rinsed out. In the body sprays, a very low level of SLS is used, just enough to disperse the fragrance oils. And to ensure consumer safety, a clinical study was run on the body spray to verify that this level of SLS in the product did not cause irritation when left on the skin. At the levels used in our products, SLS has no known toxicity—not even when ingested.

Because of its superior foaming properties, SLS is included in various formulations in other manufacturers’ products, including industrial ones. Use of SLS at varying levels and in different formulations is, of course, completely unrelated to its use in Tom’s of Maine products.

There is some research which shows that people with an existing gum condition called recurrent aphthous ulcers may experience more rapid healing if they temporarily use a toothpaste without SLS. Tom’s of Maine recognizes that no two people are alike, and even with pure and natural ingredients, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction that is unique to them. As with any product, be sure to discontinue use if you experience discomfort or other indications that the product may not be appropriate for your individual body chemistry.

Ref 2: http://www.gaiaresearch.co.za/cocamidosles.html

Many manufacturers and distributors of so-called natural and/or organic personal care products claim to have made an informed choice to use Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) rather than Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) as a foaming agent in their products, are often disparaging of their competitors use of SLES and usually fraudulently miscontextualise or even fabricate misinformation regarding the safety of SLES.

Cocamidopropyl betaine (CAPB) is an non-ionic, amphoteric surfactant, foaming agent and emulsifier used in the formulation of rinse-off shampoos, liquid soaps, gels and cosmetic and household cleansers due to its reputation as being a milder (less irritating) agent than most older and many contemporary alternatives, including Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES), especially from the point of view of being less stinging to the eyes.

Made from coconut oil, with petrochemical ingredients, Cocamidopropyl betaine is a quasi-natural substance, as is SLES. Being notably milder to the eyes quickly led to its preferential use in baby shampoos and to manufacturers claiming their product to be milder and safer than that of their competitors who were using Sodium laureth sulphate/Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES). This in turn led to consumer advocates, doctors, consumers and patients assuming that a less irritating product such as a baby shampoo would be safer for the skin, causing more to formulate with, recommend and to seek out CAPB based products over those containing SLES. Cocamidopropyl betaine is a tamed version of a harsher older surfactant, Cocamide DEA, as is Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulphate (SLES) a tamed version of the harsher older Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS).

Cocamidopropyl betaine does however have a dark side that surfaced along with increasing consumer usage, namely its identification and confirmation as a contact allergen, something that Sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) is not. Furthermore, like SLES, which its detractors, based on its early manufacturing standards and also current industrial grades, but not necessarily in its modern cosmetic grade incarnation, point out, Cocamidopropyl betaine contains several allergenic impurities including carcinogenic nitrosamines, (Haz-Map, Natl Inst Health, USA, 20 July, 2004), making a double mockery of SLES-critical manufacturer’s claims of a better safety profile for CAPB. Since its introduction, Cocamidopropyl betaine been increasingly revealed, like SLES, to be a skin sensitizer, but moreover, unlike SLES, CAPB has increasingly been identified as a significant cause of allergic contact dermatitis, to the extent of being voted Contact Allergen of the year for 2004 by a committee of international experts (Mowad C, Adv Dermatol, 20:237, 2004).

With reports of confirmed allergenic dermatitis caused by Cocamidopropyl betaine having first been recorded more than a decade ago, CAPB is now unquestionably documented and acknowledged as one of the most frequent (SLES does not even feature) causes of dermatitis of the head, neck and face in humans and especially so of the eyelids and lips of infants, where its use can lead to intractable inflammation and scaling.

(Korting H et al, J Am Acad Dermatol, 27(6 Pt 1), 1992); (Peter C et al, Contact Dermatitis, 26(4), 1992); (Taniguchi S et al, Contact Dermatitis, 26(2), 1992); (Fowler J, Cutis, 52(5), 1993); (Angelino G et al, Contact Dermatitis, 32(2), 1995); (de Groot A, et al, Contact Dermatitis, 33(6), 1995); (de Groot A, Clin Dermatol, 15(4), 1997); (Angelini D et al, Contact Dermatitis, 39(4), 1998); (Brand R et al, Australas J Dermatol, 39(2), 1998); (Lin-Hui S et al, Contact Dermatitis, 38(3), 1998); (Armstrong D et al, Contact Dermatitis, 40(6), 1999); (Krasteva M et al, Europ J Dermatol, 9 (2), 1999); (Yasunaga C et al, Environ Dermatol, 7(1), 2000); (Hashimoto R et al, Environ Dermatol, 7(2), 2000); (Mowad C, Am J Contact Dermatitis, 12(4), 2001); (McFadden J et al, Contact Dermatitis, 45(2), 2001); (Foti C et al, Contact Dermatitis, 48: 194, 2003); (Moreau L et al, Dermatitis, 15(3), 2004); (Goosens A, Bull Soc Belge Ophtalmol, 292, 11, 2004); (Brey N et al, Dermatitis, 15(1), 2004); (Fowler J et al, Am J Dermatol (15(1), 2004); (Shaffer K, 15th Ann Meet Am Contact Dermatitis Soc, Wash, 5 Feb, 2004); (Agar N et al, Australas J Dermatol, 46(1), 2005); (Bloom M, Recognising contact dermatitis, Dermatol Times, June, 2005).

Infertility: Causes And Corrections

By Health Researcher Sue Visser. Background information for 1 hour interview on CII radio international.

July 2010 *Indicates further articles for more information that are available by the same author.

It’s not fair: some people conceive a few days after not taking birth control pills.

Many children are born to mothers after only one encounter when failing to take contraceptive hormones. It depends on the type of hormones. In the case of constant exposure to some forms of oestrogen and progesterone it fools the body that it is pregnant so it does not ovulate. In some cases even menstruation stops and this is why the uterus is fully lined and ready for babies! All it needs is a short drop in progesterone back to normal and ovulation begins. We all know about little “accidents.” The younger the mother, the more fertile she is, but not always.

Why then, after an unplanned conception does an intended pregnancy fail?

First it will depend on the progesterone status. Natural progesterone behaves differently to synthetic birth control hormones. Often it takes many years for a build-up of birth control hormones to clear. Foreign hormones that are badly put together can have antagonistic effects on other hormones. Many of the ladies know this from an increase of testosterone as a stimulus to PCOS, the polycystic ovarian syndrome. At this stage conception may be impeded by cysts that form on ovaries and even strangle fallopian tubes.

Correcting the hormonal problems.

Have the hormone ratios tested. Ask for a 24 hour urine analysis. This saves a lot of time and boosting your own progesterone can be done with herbal tinctures like Chasteberry or Sweet Potato. A later test will show you how well this works! If PCOS is present it may only show up during an ultrasound scan. Symptoms like: acne, facial and neck cysts, insulin resistance, facial hair, moodiness or balding are not always evident. If urine analysis shows DHT (dihydrotestosterone) this has to change or you will not conceive. *My PCOS protocol recommends large doses of Chasteberry and the juice made from ½ cup fresh pumpkin seeds every day. Some patients’ cysts have visibly shrunk with this method and chocolate cysts were expelled during menstruation. Many ladies manage to conceive with just an extra boost of progesterone. Once pregnant, make sure levels are maintained or topped up to sustain pregnancy. Have progesterone levels monitored. *Endometriosis is not a dead end. Many cases are treatable and only 30% may cause infertility.

Next comes the Dad : at a more youthful, relaxed and virile stage of his life he could populate the whole world. But not so when the ravages of stress, malnutrition and infections have caused two things to happen:

1 Poor sperm quality, either in numbers or damaged sperm that can’t swim properly.

2 A drop in testosterone. Add to this the fact that eating a lot of sugar, say a slab of chocolate prior to a baby making attempt will drop testosterone down to a useless level.

What causes testosterone to decline in would-be fathers?

An enzyme called aromatase converts testosterone into oestrogen. Yes, this is how oestrogen is made in both men, and especially post-menopausal women! Men who take a lot of testosterone jabs or body building supplements often get fat and even develop more breast tissue. Their gruff voices become higher and moods begin to swing. Blame it on the aromatisation process and it is easily activated by carbohydrates and excessive sugars that flood the liver at the same time as testosterone arrives. Ironically he-man becomes a she-devil!

Correcting Dad’s problems.

1 Sperm improves with vitamin C and zinc supplementation. Antioxidants, a good multivitamin and a diet that excludes foods not compatible with your blood type help the blood to flow freely and make active sperm.

2 Testosterone needs to be controlled. If aromatisation into oestrogen is a problem then take Chrysin, a blocker made from passiflora that helps to keep testosterone in tact.

According to your research, what is the most common obstacle to fertility?

That’s easy! Our modern world is so full of toxins like mercury. Amalgam fillings are a major fertility inhibitor in both males and females. This is why having fillings replaced with safer materials helps to bring babies into this world. Hulda Regher Clark believed it was so effective she told the patients to make sure they prevented accidental pregnancies after treatment. It is important to have amalgam removal done by a “green” mercury safe dentist to avoid its exposure and systemic detoxification is also needed. It can be costly but it improves many other health problems. **However, a home treatment can do everybody a lot of good. You can make fresh green juice with cilantro (coriander/dhania) and parsley every morning, take chlorella tablets, eat apples to bind the toxins and excrete them at night when they are mopped up by your bedtime calcium and magnesium supplements. People get very frisky after this!

What is a general problem that couples have?

Parasites and microbes, including the unmentionable: STD’s. Sorry to say. Couples intending to start a family can save a lot of time and heartache by first investigating any possibility of such infections that may be present. A discreet visit to a UG (urogenital clinic) at a hospital can give you peace of mind. At government institutions, treatment is usually free and consists mostly of antibiotics. ****Compensate with probiotics after the treatment to prevent Candidiasis.

Some infections, if left untreated can cause PID or pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Other diseases affect the health and growth of the unborn child. Although many parasitic infections are hidden and do not cause discomfort, some cause tell-tale odours, irritations, discharges, fevers and rashes. Do not take chances. Please do not jump to conclusions about partners or make judgements. Today we are more prone to parasites than ever before, due to our exposure to toxins, heavy metals and volatile chemicals. ***Parasites affect many diseases including cancer, heart problems, diabetes, etc. and some lessen your chances to conceive.

Only qualified medical practitioners are allowed to treat STD’s. The use of the SCIO or BEST systems can identify microbes and parasites and help to clear up associated conditions. They may also shed some light on other conditions that are linked to conception problems like ****gluten intolerance, malnutrition, etc. The use of herbs, zapping and Rife treatment can help to shrink the parasite load all round.

Are there any other hints you can give?

Condoms, although scoffed at, protect partners from most infections as well as unwanted pregnancies. They are free of charge and do not cause hormonal disruptions. Use them during parasite treatments or heavy metal detoxification if you plan to conceive in the near future. When the time is right, when you have corrected the problems, cleared the obstacles and really mean it, do not give up if results are not immediately achieved. Some babies really take their time – often years and years. Be patient, trusting and build a beautiful relationship with each other. Settle down. I have been involved in helping babies to be conceived in many places around the world. Sometimes all it takes is a small adjustment. But which one?

Is there a special recipe for making babies?

Nothing. No, in every case it depends on the specific problems. Sometimes it is just one small thing that makes the difference. In a span of over 12 years, I have seen many things work, or not. Some get it right straight away, others don’t. I pray for these people. I would love to share some of my stories with you:

I spoke about Chasteberry tincture often, on the radio. To help people remember the other name, Agnus Castus, I would say:”Agnus CACTUS” as a joke. Years later, a Malay woman told me her sister fell pregnant after taking it. Even her second child was an :”Agnus CACTUS”. I advise raw sweet potato to help ladies boost their own endogenous levels of progesterone. A lady in the Northern Cape began chewing on her “patat”. For many months she longed for her own little “patat”.

She chewed a little bit every day, so it would absorb under the tongue, as I kept on telling her to do. A year later I received an e-mail from her, to say that little “patat” is now growing in her tummy! MEGAMAX, is the baby of a 42 year-old lady who took our capsules after giving up trying for a baby for 10 years. Then there is little Black Cohosh, born to a pre-menopausal mother of 40 when she took this remedy for her hot flushes! Red clover came to a mother with oestrogen imbalances. But mostly; the young mothers who have menstrual difficulty or who took the pill come right with Chasteberry or “Agnus CACTUS”.

Further reading material written by Sue Visser. This is available on the Zip file called INFERTILITY.

* PCOS protocol. Endometriosis.
** Heavy metal Poisoning. (Natural Health Magazine.)
*** Parasites and What to do about them. (Vibrations Magazine)
**** Probiotics on the menu. Sauerkraut Recipe. Candidiasis. About Gluten Intolerance (Nat Health)