Archive for the ‘research’ Category

Plotting the End of Lyme Disease

https://now.tufts.edu/articles/end-lyme-disease

Plotting the End of Lyme Disease

For years, Tufts researchers have been on the cutting edge of investigating and treating the mysterious illness known as Lyme disease. Now, a new initiative seeks to eradicate the disease once and for all.
Two men drag white flags though the undergrowth of a forest, dragging for ticks. Tufts University researchers have made it a goal to eradicate Lyme disease by 2030.
Internationally known Lyme researchers Sam Telford, a Cummings School professor, and Linden Hu, a professor at the School of Medicine, demonstrate how fabric flags are used to collect ticks for studies. Photo: Alonso Nichols
By Michael Blanding
May 6, 2021

As people weary of being cooped up during a pandemic winter look forward to a summer outside, residents across the northeastern United States are once again confronted with a familiar virulent pathogen lurking in the woods and fields. Unlike coronavirus, however, this dangerous microorganism doesn’t float through the air—it enters the body through the bite of a tick.

Lyme disease has been a constant scourge since it was identified five decades ago on the Connecticut coastline, before spreading across the New England and Mid-Atlantic states. Caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi (and its cousin Borrelia mayonii), the disease has long baffled scientists with its strangely stealthy manifestations.

While Lyme can sometimes be diagnosed early from its telltale bullseye-shaped rash, it often goes unnoticed for weeks in a person before it starts leading to complications including arthritis and—in severe cases—attacks on heart and brain tissue. While it can often be resolved with antibiotics, some 10 to 20 percent of patients see infections persist, with fatigue, joint pain, and mental impairment lasting months and even years. Sometimes doctors who treat such long-suffering patients aren’t even able to definitively pinpoint Lyme as the cause. All of those complications make the mission of the new Tufts Lyme Disease Initiative even bolder: “Eliminate Lyme Disease by 2030.”  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

Articles like these give me gray hair.

Points to consider:  Isn’t it sad when little has changed in 5 decades?  Hopefully the following comments will explain the ongoing logjam.

  • The touted myth of 10-20% with persistent symptoms is FALSE. It’s more like 60%.
  • The jury’s out on whether it can ‘often be resolved with antibiotics’. I would argue that perhaps some can but nobody’s been studied for any length of time, and relapses will be blamed on something else by mainstream medicine and researchers due to the CDD/IDSA/NIH juggernaut.
  • The ongoing issue is pathogen  persistence. Until this is agreed upon, acknowledged, and acted upon, we are going nowhere.
  • Many of the pedestalized Tufts pioneers are part of The Cabal which has myopically fixated on the acute stage of Lyme, ignoring a large subset of patients, which has caused untold suffering.
  • Researcher Linden Hu has developed a technique to give mice vaccine-infused food which contains a virus, which he insists is safe.  Thankfully the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture is leery.
  • Hu has also proposed putting an antibiotic into mouse food at bait stations. The article admits that the science it’s all based on was done more than a decade ago. This project was also stalled due to fears of antibiotic resistance.
  • Hu and Telford just received nearly 4 MILLION from the NIH to study a more narrow-spectrum antibiotic. Please keep that dollar amount in mind when you read the article.
  • Telford states the most important species carrying borrelia is the white-footed mouse, but even his wife (a researcher) recognizes dogma based on assumptions and notes that shrews, voles, squirrels, chipmunks, and of course birds play a large role.  Further, reptiles are involved.
  • Half-way through it becomes clear they are pushing another Lyme vaccine. Telford was involved with Steer back in the early 1990’s with LYMErix which caused Lyme-like symptoms and was shelved.  Telford appears indifferent to this fact and states it was 80% effective – which is quite reminiscent of the current COVID injections claiming to be 90% effective but are less than 1% effective when absolute risk is taken into account.  There have also been thousands of reports of deaths and severe reactions.
  • Telford has gone on record dismissing concerns between Lyme and US government biowarfare research. Telford also takes every opportunity to correct doctors (using antiquated & biased science) who depart from the CDC/IDSA accepted narrative. This is also being experienced with COVID.  Telford attacks anyone defying the accepted narrative.  He discredited Kris Newby’s book but never actually read it.
    • Interestingly, Telford teaches biosecurity and has written many studies about tularemia, a known bioweapon.
    • Telford wast he director of a bio-level 3 lab in Groton, Massachusetts, that works on dangerous, tick-borne diseases on the government’s select agent list.
    • Telford is funded by the NIH and the military-industrial complex.
  • The article states once Lyme is diagnosed it’s usually treatable with doxycycline in 10-14 days.  FALSE! This myth is also causing untold suffering and needs to be terminated, as well as the FALSE Post Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS).
  • Hu and Klemen Stole of Wadsworth Institute just obtained over 3 MILLION from NIH to study how genetic mutations affect the body’s ability to develop tolerance for borrelia.  Please also keep this monetary figure in mind while reading the article.
  • While they admit borrelia uses ‘clever tricks’ to skirt the immune system’s defenses (from disarming leukocytes and utilizing rapid antigenic variation, to invading blood vessel walls so it can take root anywhere in the human body) they can not seem to imagine it persisting or relapsing. (A bizarre disconnect) 
  • Tanja Petnicki-Ocwieja, also at Tufts, just obtained $160,000 from Global Lyme Alliance to look into ozone intravenously (note the paltry amount compared to the others which is due to the fact the government funded NIH doesn’t want research on ozone which will interfere with Big Pharma profit).  So far her findings show it calms the immune response.  Once again the issue of persistence crops up because there’s more going on than just an immune response in many patients.
  • The statement is made that Lyme carditis is seen in less than 1% of patients.  This data was most probably taken from the CDC website which is notoriously wrong.  How can you know percentages on anything when the test for it misses anywhere from 70% to 86% of cases?  People are being misdiagnosed at alarming rates. Until they do autopsies on every carditis patient, percentages are a complete guess.
  • While the article states practitioners need to validate suffering patients they essentially state the need to give them an alternate explanation other than Lyme disease for their suffering!   If they only knew how often this horrific advice is followed.
  • And probably the worst part of the article (hard to judge as so much of it is atrocious) is the statement there is no clear treatment for long-term cases.  Unfortunately, this is true due to the fanatical polarization within public health and the research and medical communities who care more about profits than they do about patients.
  • Recent work has shown longer treatment durations were associated with better treatment response; however, this hasn’t even caused a ripple in the research & medical world due to the fact it isn’t a double blinded, placebo controlled, randomized trial – Anthony Fauci’s favorite animal (when it suits his purpose).  
  • Lastly, the article mentions former Tufts Medical Center doctor, Dr. Mark Klempner, now executive vice chancellor of MassBiologics at UMass Medical School, who has developed ‘pre-exposure prophylaxis’ (PrEP), which is supposedly not a vaccine. Klempner not only has ties to biodefense but is behind research that is still being used to keep chronically sick Lyme/MSIDS patients from extended treatment. Klempner recruited Linden Hu. 
Who to believe?  Researchers receiving MILLIONS in grant money or sick patients losing their jobs?
 I’ll stick with the patients thank you.

Category:

Lyme, research, Treatment, vaccines

Abdominal Pain, Ileus & Constipation Due to Lyme Disease

https://danielcameronmd.com/abdominal-pain-constipation-lyme-disease/  Podcast here

ABDOMINAL PAIN, ILEUS AND CONSTIPATION DUE TO LYME DISEASE

doctor examining woman with abdominal pain due to lyme disease

Welcome to another Inside Lyme Podcast. I am your host Dr. Daniel Cameron. In this episode, I will be discussing the case of a 65-year-old woman with abdominal pain, ileus/pseudo-obstruction and constipation due to Lyme disease.

By

Zulfiqar and colleagues first described this case in an article entitled “The many manifestations of a single disease: neuroborreliosis,” published in the Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives.¹

A 65-year-old woman on hormonal therapy for estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer presented to the Emergency Department with sudden seventh nerve palsy, commonly referred to as Bell’s palsy.

One week prior, she began having burning back pain radiating to the abdomen, which had grown worse and over the past several months had suffered from constipation.

Stroke, herpes virus or Lyme disease?

The woman was admitted to the hospital for a suspected stroke. However, there was no evidence of a stroke by brain CT or MRI.

Doctors also suspected she had a herpes zoster infection and prescribed valacyclovir, an anti-viral medication.

The patient worked frequently in her backyard and was exposed to wooded areas. She also recalled having a rash on her stomach 11 days before being admitted to the hospital.

“Lyme serum antibody (IgG and IgM) was positive with confirmatory Western blot resulting in multiband reactivity,” the authors write. Spinal tap test results were also positive for Lyme disease.

The woman was diagnosed with neuroborreliosis, or Lyme disease and treated with oral doxycycline.

However, while hospitalized the patient developed diffuse abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and worsening constipation.

An abdominal x-ray showed mild ileus. “CT abdomen with contrast was done which suggested constipation without obstruction or ‘significant’ ileus,” the authors explain. A colonoscopy was also normal.

The woman was also diagnosed with Syndrome of Inappropriate Anti-diuretic Hormones (SIADH) based on a sodium of 129 and typical urine findings.

Abdominal pain, gastrointestinal problems in Lyme disease

The authors highlight several studies demonstrating a range of gastrointestinal problems, including abdominal pain, associated with Lyme disease.

“There have been many case reports in the past highlighting the atypical presentation of Lyme disease including, but not limited to pseudo-obstruction, constipation, back pain radiating to abdomen (radiculoneuritis) known as Bannwarth Syndrome as a manifestation of autonomic dysfunction related to neuroborreliosis,” the authors explain.

This patient also suffered from anorexia with a loss of 14 pounds. One study found that 23% of 314 patients with early Lyme disease suffered from anorexia.

Meanwhile, Shamim et al. reported two cases of patients who presented with severe constipation and hyponatremia in addition to other features of Lyme disease.

Lyme neuroborreliosis has also been reported as “the culprit of chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction” in other studies, the authors explain. “The patients can develop worsening constipation and obstipation as diagnosis and treatment is delayed, leading to diffuse bowel dilation in the absence of mechanical obstruction.”

Lastly, “There have been a few case reports of SIADH associated with neuroborreliosis,” writes Zulfiqar.

Authors’ Conclusion: Lyme disease should be suspected in patients who are from Lyme endemic areas and present with abdominal pain, constipation and SIADH with or without cranial nerve palsy.

The following questions are addressed in this podcast episode:  

  1. Why was a stroke initially considered?
  2. Why was herpes zoster suspected?
  3. What are the causes of 7th nerve palsy?
  4. What is SIADH?
  5. What is ileus?
  6. What is Bannwarth Syndrome?
  7. How are GI issues related to autonomic dysfunction?
    Thanks for listening to another Inside Lyme Podcast. You can read more about these cases in my show notes and on my website @DanielCameronMD.com. As always, it is your likes, comments, reviews, and shares that help spread the word about Lyme disease. Until next time on Inside Lyme.

Please remember that the advice given is general and not intended as specific advice to any particular patient. If you require specific advice, then please seek that advice from an experienced professional.

Inside Lyme Podcast Series

This Inside Lyme case series will be discussed on my Facebook page and made available on podcast and YouTube.  As always, it is your likes, comments, and shares that help spread the word about this series and our work. If you can, please leave a review on iTunes or wherever else you get your podcasts.

References:
  1. Zulfiqar S, Qureshi A, Dande R, Puri C, Persaud K, Awasthi S. The many manifestations of a single disease: neuroborreliosis. J Community Hosp Intern Med Perspect. Jan 26 2021;11(1):56-59. doi:10.1080/20009666.2020.1831746

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For more:

Category:

Gut Health, Lyme, research

Study Shows Babesia Odocoilei is Pathogenic to Humans

https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/6/947

Detection of Babesia odocoilei in Humans with Babesiosis Symptoms

by John D. Scott1,*,Muhammad S. Sajid1,2, Emily L. Pascoe1 and Janet E. Foley1
 
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editors: Raphael B. Stricker and Raul Colodner
Diagnostics 2021, 11(6), 947; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11060947
Received: 21 March 2021 / Revised: 13 May 2021 / Accepted: 24 May 2021 / Published: 25 May 2021
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Lyme Disease: Companion Diagnostics and Precision Medicine)

Abstract

Human babesiosis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes societal and economic impact worldwide. Several species of Babesia cause babesiosis in terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. A one-day clinic was held in Ontario, Canada, to see if a red blood cell parasite, which is present in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, is present in humans. Based on PCR testing and DNA sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene, we unveiled B. odocoilei in two of 19 participants. DNA amplicons from these two patients are almost identical matches with the type strains of B. odocoilei in GenBank. In addition, the same two human subjects had the hallmark symptoms of human babesiosis, including night sweats, chills, fevers, and profound fatigue. Based on symptoms and molecular identification, we provide substantive evidence that B. odocoilei is pathogenic to humans. Dataset reveals that B. odocoilei serologically cross-reacts with Babesia duncani.
Clinicians must realize that there are more than two Babesia spp. in North America that cause human babesiosis. This discovery signifies the first report of B. odocoilei causing human babesiosis.
View Full-Text
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**Comment**
 
Perfect example of how Lyme/MSIDS doesn’t fit into any box but perhaps Pandora’s.  
 
Strain diversity is a large reason why people aren’t being diagnosed.  You can only find what you specifically test for.  This study shows there are undoubtedly people struggling with Babesia symptoms that remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated due to the fact B. odocoilei isn’t believed to be pathogenic to humans and isn’t being tested for.  
 
Now we know for sure.
 
Earlier this year Scott et al. found 71% of black legged ticks were infected with Babesia odocoilei.  In 2019, Scott et al. also provided the first report of black legged ticks co-infected with BBsl and B.odocoilei in Canada, as well as transstadial passage (remains with the tick throughout its life-cycle) of this species of Babesia in ticks found in birds. They also found 3 members of the Bbsl complex (Borrelia lanai-like spirochete, Bbss, and a distinct strain that may represent a separate Bbsl genospecies).
 
Their latest study now has proven Babesia odocoilei infects humans.  

For more on Babesia:

 
 
 
 

Category:

Babesia, Lyme, research, Ticks

Immunity to COVID May Last Years

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/health/coronavirus-immunity-vaccines.html

Immunity to the Coronavirus May Persist for Years, Scientists Find

Important immune cells survive in the bone marrow of people who were infected with the virus or were inoculated against it, new research suggests.
The studies may soothe fears that immunity to the virus is transient, as is the case with coronaviruses that cause common colds.
Credit…Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times

By Apoorva Mandavilli

Immunity to the coronavirus lasts at least a year, possibly a lifetime, improving over time especially after vaccination, according to two new studies. The findings may help put to rest lingering fears that protection against the virus will be short-lived.

Together, the studies suggest that most people who have recovered from Covid-19 and who were later immunized will not need boosters. Vaccinated people who were never infected most likely will need the shots, however, as will a minority who were infected but did not produce a robust immune response.

Both reports looked at people who had been exposed to the coronavirus about a year earlier. Cells that retain a memory of the virus persist in the bone marrow and may churn out antibodies whenever needed, according to one of the studies, published on Monday in the journal Nature.

The other study, posted online at BioRxiv, a site for biology research, found that these so-called memory B cells continue to mature and strengthen for at least 12 months after the initial infection.

“The papers are consistent with the growing body of literature that suggests that immunity elicited by infection and vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 appears to be long-lived,” said Scott Hensley, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania who was not involved in the research.  (See link for article)

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**Comment**

A few points:

  • According to Dr. Peter McCullough as well as history, you can’t beat “natural” immunity. (Getting the virus naturally).  He also states you can not improve natural immunity with “vaccines”. Recently a Johns Hopkins professors states to “ignore the CDC” due to their refusal to recognize natural immunity from previous infection. The WHO also recently changed the definition of herd immunity to now only come from vaccines, essentially rewriting hundreds of years of scientific understanding.
  • There is ample evidence that those who have already had COVID should NOT get “vaccinated.” Dr. Hooman Noorchashm has repeatedly warned the FDA that “clear and present danger” exists for those who have had COVID-19 and subsequently get vaccinated due to viral antigens that remain in the body after a person is naturally infected; the immune response reactivated by the COVID-19 vaccine may trigger inflammation in tissues where the viral antigens exist. An international survey of 2,002 people found that people who had previously had COVID-19 experienced “significantly increased incidence and severity” of side effects after the COVID-19 vaccine
  • It’s important to remember that COVID injections are part of a grand experiment where final data is unknown. These are experimental, fast-tracked injections that have not undergone rigorous testing.
  • There are many reported deaths and severe adverse reactions after obtaining the injections.
  • There are many reported “break-through” cases of COVID after being fully “vaccinated,” demonstrating the injections do not stop you from becoming ill, or from dying. Public health ‘authorities’ are downplaying this, yet have counted at least 10,000 such cases. The true number is likely to be much higher. The CDC has even changed testing criteria for the “vaccinated” and is now only counting hospitalized cases, further lowering reported numbers.
  • They make a distinction that those who have not had COVID may need future booster shots.  The question begging to be asked is why get “vaccinated” at all when “natural” immunity is more complete?  Further, the Washington University study clearly demonstrates what has taken place in reality: the majority who get COVID have mild cases.
  • Also, falling antibody levels after infection is completely normal and does not signal waning immunity, because B cells remain in bone marrow, ready to mobilize when needed . A landmark 2007 study showed antibodies in theory, “could survive decades – perhaps well beyond the average life span – hinting at the long-term presence of memory B Cells.”
  • The same study found out of 19 patients, 15 had detectable memory B cells, but because FOUR didn’t they are suggesting “vaccination,” for all after infection. The immune system is complex. To suggest “vaccinating” the entire world based on the results of FOUR people is unfounded and reeks of bias.
  • The study found the number of memory B cells remained stable over time.
  • They make an example out of a Kentucky Senator (who happens to be a MD) who stated he would not get the COVID “vaccine” because he had already been infected and was immune. The authors state there is no such guarantee that this immunity will be powerful enough.  Imagine, again, someone stating this for Chicken Pox.  It isn’t done.  If COVID-19, which has never been completely purified and isolated, is more like the flu, then we need to have a serious discussion about the fact the flu vaccine, depending upon the year, has an effectiveness from 10%-43%.  The flu vaccine, similarly to the COVID shots, does not prevent the spread of the flu, does not reduce demands upon hospitals, does not reduce death, and increases risk of contracting non-flu respiratory illness by 65%. Source  The flu vaccine increases Coronavirus infection risk by 36%. Source
  • It’s obvious that the goal of this article is to push “vaccination” upon those who have already have COVID.   Even vaccine experts are giving stern warnings.  It’s interesting to note that only half of NIH employees have gotten the jab.

Important quote:

The experts all agreed that immunity is likely to play out very differently in people who have never had Covid-19. Fighting a live virus is different from responding to a single viral protein introduced by a vaccine.

Category:

research, vaccines, Viruses

Do You Really Need a Multivitamin?

https://vitalplan.com/blog/do-you-really-need-a-multivitamin?Do You REALLY Need a Multivitamin?

Do You REALLY Need a Multivitamin?

By Dr. Bill Rawls Posted 05-07-2021

I’ve been on the fence as to whether or not to take multivitamins for my whole life. Growing up in the 60s and 70s, there was always a bottle of multivitamins on the breakfast table. Every morning, each person at the table would take their turn. The basic “One A Day” was popular at the time, but chewable products were also making their debut. Flintstones were my favorite — they tasted like candy.

The idea of taking a multivitamin came with America’s shift toward processed food products in the mid-20 century. Fast food was a radical change from freshly prepared meals that had been the norm, but ready-made foods seemed to be a better fit for the fast pace of American life. Not only that, processed foods were specifically designed to appeal to our preferential tastes for carbohydrates and fats. I don’t think anyone thought that these new foods were nearly as nutritious as the freshly prepared foods people had been eating before, but that was okay; multivitamins were there to fill the void.

Both fast foods and multivitamins became the standard that is still with us today. Currently, half of all Americans and 70% of those over 65 take a multivitamin product.

The big question is: does taking a multivitamin really do anything?

white plastic bottle, tablets arranged into a question mark, blue background

Most average “once-daily” multivitamin products contain synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals. These aren’t the same as the forms of vitamins and minerals found in natural whole foods. When someone takes a standard multivitamin, the body has to expend energy to convert these synthetic substances into a form the body can actually use, which seems to defeat the whole purpose.

On top of that, numerous clinical studies failed to show a clear benefit of taking multivitamins for improving health or reducing the incidence of chronic illness and cancer. As recent as 2018, research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reviewed data from 179 individual trials and concluded that multivitamin supplements did not help prevent or improve cardiovascular disease. Another study examined data from more than 30,000 people over six years. It likewise found that people who took multis and other nutrient supplements had about the same risk of dying as those who didn’t take a multivitamin.

That being said, some people still feel more comfortable taking multivitamins just for peace of mind. They believe by taking extra vitamins and minerals, their bases are covered if they don’t always eat healthily or are stressed.

And who isn’t stressed sometimes? Maybe when people are under stress or even as we age, we do need a little extra support.

At different points in my life, I’ve gone back and forth between taking and not taking multivitamins regularly. Growing up, I took them every day. After becoming an adult and shifting to a healthier diet, I felt that multivitamins weren’t as necessary, and I gave them up. Later in middle age, a health crisis precipitated by Lyme disease caused me to rethink a lot of things, including whether to take multivitamins.

two types of Homeopathic supplements on wooden spoon

I read opinions from experts who felt that the reason why studies consistently failed to show benefit was that they were all using unnatural synthetic forms of vitamins and minerals. They reasoned that if the natural forms of the vitamins, termed bioavailable, were used, the outcomes could have been different.

There’s no doubt that our body burns up a lot more vitamins and minerals when we’re stressed, and I was definitely stressed. Though I was particular about following a healthy diet, I wanted to give my body any advantage it could get. I again decided to take a multivitamin, but this time, not just any multivitamin off the grocery store shelf.

I found a top-quality product that exclusively provided bioavailable forms of essential vitamins and minerals and started taking it regularly. Did I notice any difference? Maybe a little. I certainly couldn’t say it was more than embracing a healthy diet, but it did give me peace of mind. Though I was confident that it wasn’t doing any harm with the doses I was using, it certainly wasn’t a total solution to my ongoing health issues either. Perhaps I needed more than just a multivitamin.

Nourishment vs. Protection

Multivitamin products and herbal products often get lumped together under the category of natural supplements, but they couldn’t be more different. They both have value, but that value is as different as apples and oranges.

To understand the difference, you have to think about the body as a complex collection of living cells. The body contains several trillion cells of about 200 different types. A person’s health is a reflection of the health of the cells that make up that person’s body. If a person’s cells are all healthy and all the cells in the body are functioning in harmony, then that person is the definition of good health.

To function properly, a cell must receive a steady supply of pure water, oxygen, and nutrients. Nutrients, including carbohydrates and fats to generate energy, amino acids to synthesize new proteins, and vitamins and minerals for enzymatic functions, must all be absorbed through the intestinal tract.

Everything that happens inside a cell is a function of enzymes. We need vitamins and minerals because they are key components of enzymes. To function properly, cells need an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals, but having more than the cell can use at one time doesn’t add any benefit. In fact, saturating a cell with excessive vitamins and minerals could even be harmful.

Healthy green salad with avocado, mangold leaves, red beans and cherry tomatoes. Vegan snack, vitamins, vegetarian food and diet concept

No doubt, the best source of vitamins and minerals is a healthy diet. Still, if a healthy diet isn’t consistent, logic would suggest that supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals could be beneficial. That being said, supplemental vitamins and minerals must be supplied in the form that the body can easily use — dumping unnatural synthetic forms of vitamins in the body is like putting cheap gas into your car; it works, but it’s not the best thing for the engine.

The key takeaway is that bioavailable vitamins and minerals are necessary for normal cellular functions and that greater quantities of vitamins and minerals are required when cells are stressed, but that vitamins and minerals alone do nothing to protect cells from being stressed.

This is where a group of plant chemicals, called phytochemicals, goes above and beyond the benefits offered by multivitamins. Plants produce a spectrum of different types of phytochemicals to protect cells against a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological (insects and microbes) stress factors. When we consume phytochemicals, either from foods or supplements, all those benefits are transferred. When our cells are protected from stress, they function better, burn out slower, and require less in the way of vitamins and minerals.

A few protective phytochemicals have become household words. Resveratrol, a phytochemical found in grapes and wine, is a potent antioxidant known for slowing aging. Resveratrol has also been found to protect mitochondria, the source of energy for cells. Less well known, pterostilbene is a phytochemical with similar properties found in blueberries. Phytochemicals called catechins, found in green tea, slow aging and prevent chronic illness by protecting cells from damaging antioxidants.

Though fruits and vegetables are an important source of protective phytochemicals, our food plants have been cultivated primarily to provide high yields of nutrients, especially carbohydrates. That has come at the expense of protective phytochemicals. This where the plants we define as herbs have a clear advantage.

Mushrooms growing on tree trunk, surrounded by greenery

Herbs are wild plants. Their value isn’t supplying nutrients. If you had to depend on eating herbs as a sole food source, you’d go hungry. Herbs, however, are an excellent source of protective phytochemicals — their true value is protecting cells. The wild plants defined as herbs are plants that humans have selectively been using for thousands of years for both culinary and medicinal purposes.

Adding Herbs for Organ and Cellular Protection

Adding herbs into your life provides a level of protection to your cells unmatched by any food source or multivitamin product. A good place to start is taking a few herbal ingredients along with your multivitamin. Some possible choices that provide exceptional protection for cells of the body against every type of possible stress include:

green leaves with white flowers

Trans-resveratrol from Japanese knotweed

Trans-resveratrol, the most bioavailable form of resveratrol, is well-known for offering cardiovascular support and antioxidant properties.

brown pine bark pieces

Pine Bark Extract

Potent antioxidants and other chemical compounds in Pine Bark Extract help the body maintain vascular tissue and support the integrity of blood vessels. PBE is also supportive to the immune system.

purple milk thistle flower

Milk Thistle Extract

Silymarin, the primary chemical component of milk thistle, offers potent support for the liver; it increases natural antioxidants found in liver cells. It is the most widely researched of all liver-related herbs and is well known for low toxicity and safety.

red hawthorn berries

Hawthorn Leaf Extract

Supports the cardiovascular system, blood flow to the heart, oxygen delivery to tissues, and healthy blood vessels.

purple powder

Maqui Berry

Maqui Berry is a Patagonian berry that is wild-harvested by the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina. Their traditional Maqui Berry beverage is credited for contributing to their extraordinary strength and stamina.

orange flowers

Lutein & Zeaxanthin

These twin carotenoid compounds account for the yellow color in vegetables. They build up in the retina of the eye and maintain a healthy retina during normal exposure to sunlight. They also accumulate in the skin to support its health. Prevention Plus contains the same amount of these substances as compared to ocular supplements recommended by ophthalmologists.

Adding Herbs for Stress and Optimal Health

If you’re under stress or want to gain even more protection for your cells, consider adding on some herbs with adaptogenic properties. All herbal traditions recognize herbs with nonspecific properties that can be used daily to invigorate the body and promote longevity. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they’re called tonics. In Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional medicine of India, they’re referred to as rasayanas. In the second half of the twentieth century, Western science began categorizing these and other herbs as adaptogens.

Herbs that fit the definition of adaptogen have been defined by science to:

  • Assist the body in resisting a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological stress factors.
  • Have nonspecific actions in the body that do not cause drug-like effects.
  • Are non-toxic and do not harm or disrupt normal functions in the body

collage of nine herb photos, mixture of leaves, mushrooms, powders, and bark

There are many herbs defined as adaptogens or herbs that complement adaptogens that can be taken daily to protect cells from stress and support optimal health. A few to consider are:

  • Rhodiola
  • Reishi
  • Cordyceps
  • Ashwagandha
  • Gotu kola
  • Turmeric
  • Japanese knotweed
  • Chinese skullcap
  • Shilajit

The Bottom Line

Your cells must have vitamins and minerals to function. A healthy diet is the best source, but admittedly, eating healthy all the time can be challenging. A multivitamin can help fill the void, but bioavailable forms are always the best choice. The limitation of multivitamins must be respected, however; multivitamins have little capacity to protect cells from stress and therefore shouldn’t be expected to reduce risks of chronic illness and cancer.

Herbs have a clear advantage for protecting cells against stress — the spectrum of phytochemicals in herbs protect cells against all types of stress. When cells aren’t stressed, they don’t have to work as hard, use fewer nutrients, and burn out slower.

Why not take both? Why not ensure your cells have a ready supply of bioavailable vitamins and minerals and protect your cells with herbal phytochemicals at the same time? Combining a daily herbal product with bioavailable vitamins and minerals may be the best of all possibilities!

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References
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7. National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health. “Rhodiola.” Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/rhodiola
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9. Ratan ZA, Youn SH, Kwak YS, et al. Adaptogenic effects of Panax ginseng on modulation of immune functions. J Ginseng Res. 2021;45(1):32-40. doi:10.1016/j.jgr.2020.09.004
10. Liao LY, He YF, Li L, et al. A preliminary review of studies on adaptogens: comparison of their bioactivity in TCM with that of ginseng-like herbs used worldwide. Chin Med. 2018;13:57. Published 2018 Nov 16. doi:10.1186/s13020-018-0214-9
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diet and nutrition, Herbs, research, Supplements