Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Kiwi Works as a blood thinner, with None of Aspirin's Side Effects
In research at the University of Oslo in Norway, kiwi has been shown to promote heart health by working as a blood thinner. This latter ability is really important, considering how many people are told to take an aspirin a day for the same purpose. According to gastroenterologist and author of Optimal Digestion Dr. Trent Nichols, daily aspirin can cause small breaks in the intestinal walls, contributing to all sorts of problems. In the Norway study, lead researcher Dr. |
Bill Sardi
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 New England Journal Medicine 345: 1213-14, 2001 ]
Then the State of California FDA returned to BotanicLab to conduct more sensitive tests and surprisingly found DES in the same lots they had tested before, as well as the presence of another drug, warfarin (coumadin), a blood thinner. Retrospective tests now showed the product had been spiked with DES since 1996, and when side effects were reported, subsequent batches of PC-SPES displayed lower doses of DES, and then eventually the blood thinner, as if someone was attempting to limit the side effects. |
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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 That, along with an intravenous infusion of the blood thinner heparin, would prevent more clots from rising toward her lungs.
It worked. Jan went home again. But a disquieting mystery still lingered in the air. Why weren't blood thinners working for Jan as they did for other patients? Jan scheduled an appointment with her local internist and posed the question to her, only to be brushed off with the words, "Well now, that's chasing a real zebra." Jan never went to her again. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| Kiwi Works as a blood thinner, with None of Aspirin's Side Effects
In research at the University of Oslo in Norway, kiwi has been shown to promote heart health by working as a blood thinner. This latter ability is really important, considering how many people are told to take an aspirin a day for the same purpose. According to gastroenterologist and author of Optimal Digestion Dr. Trent Nichols, daily aspirin can cause small breaks in the intestinal walls, contributing to all sorts of problems. In the Norway study, lead researcher Dr. |
Ray D. Strand
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 The cardiologist prescribed the blood thinner Coumadin and placed Wayne on several other medications in an attempt to strengthen his heart. He was then able to leave the hospital, though he was very weak and could hardly move.
Follow-up studies of Wayne's heart a few weeks later showed that his ejection fraction had improved to 23 percent. The cardiologist wasn't very optimistic, though, and felt that this was probably the most Wayne's health would ever improve. His heart was still filled with blood clots, and he still was in atrial fibrillation. |
Bottom Line Health
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| Astartling new study has doctors rethinking the practice of prescribing the blood thinner clopidogrel (Plavix) in combination with low-dose aspirin to patients who are at risk of having a first heart attack or stroke. The international study included more than 15,000 patients who had heart disease or risk factors for heart disease. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Instead of pushing the toxins back into the connective tissues (as they will surely reemerge) drinking a glass of water will make your blood thinner, which will help to remove the toxins from the body. Thus, the urge to smoke lessens each time you do this and eventually disappears altogether.
• Finally, your addiction to smoking is not something terrible that you need to get rid of. It is rather an opportunity to train yourself to become the master of your destiny. In this sense, your addiction can become one of the very best teachers you have ever had. |
Bill Sardi
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| The Washington Post asserted the regulatory system of herbal product companies was flawed, claiming BotanicLab spiked its product with rat poison, the blood thinner that was eventually found in PC-SPES. The article called PC-SPES a "disaster," and reported 35 cases where users or their families claimed harm. These were men who were dying without hope.
The Washington Post article said: "Published studies showed that some of the men who took it (PC-SPES) got enlarged breasts, their nipples grew tender, their penises shrank, and they developed other problems. |
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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| Without knowing exactly what was causing Jan's condition, the ER physicians put her on the blood thinner Coumadin with the understanding that she would need to stay on it for several months to avert further crises. She stayed six days in the hospital before being discharged. But the second day home it didn't seem to matter that she was taking the full recommended dose of anticoagulants. Jan bent over to pick up a leaf that had fallen from a neglected plant in their foyer and felt "a hard thunk" in her chest that nearly toppled her. She called 911 and David, who was fifteen minutes away at work. |
Bottom Line Health
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| Like garlic, ginkgo should not be taken with aspirin or a prescription blood thinner such as warfarin. The herb was previously believed to increase the effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressants, such as phenelzine (Nardil), but this has been refuted.
Typical dose: 120 mg daily. Nearly all positive ginkgo trials have used one of three formulations that are produced in Germany and sold in health-food stores in the US under the brand names Ginkoba by Pharmaton Natural Health Products.. .Ginkgold by Nature's Way.. .and Gin-kai by Abkit Inc. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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 High on the list are the antituberculosis drug rifampin, the blood thinner warfarin, and some cancer drugs. These are many of the same medications that turn stools orange. (See Orange Stools, above.)
WARNING SIGN
Although you might think you're not getting dehydrated, by the time you're thirsty, you're already on your way. Dehydration can lead to seizures, brain damage, and even death. Dehydration is particularly dangerous in children and adults over 60. |
Bill Sardi
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| Retrospective tests now showed the product had been spiked with DES since 1996, and when side effects were reported, subsequent batches of PC-SPES displayed lower doses of DES, and then eventually the blood thinner, as if someone was attempting to limit the side effects. Sophie Chen responded by saying that none of the drugs was present in therapeutic doses and that "lots without DES worked equally well."
Breakthrough in process
Whatever ingredients were in PC-SPES, they were producing a breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment all the while the product was being slammed for adulteration. |
Bottom Line Health
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| Be sure to check with your doctor—especially if you're taking aspirin or a blood thinner.
INCREASE ACTIVITY
Exercise is as important for the mind as it is for the body. Studies have shown that it promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety and increases energy. Active people cope with stressful situations better than people who are sedentary.
Example: In a Duke University Medical Center study, middle-aged people who were depressed gained as much benefit from 30 minutes of walking three times a week as a comparison group who took an antidepressant. |
Jack Challem
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 They also function as a mild blood thinner and a regulator of heart rhythm.
Other studies have found that the omega-3 s can help to reduce impulsive behavior, hostility, and physical aggressiveness. In a double-blind study of forty middle-aged men and women, taking 1.5 grams of DHA daily led to significant reductions in aggressive behavior toward other people in just two months. It's noteworthy that hostility and physical aggressiveness are strongly associated with an increased risk of heart disease, and the omega-3s are also well documented for reducing this risk. |
Bill Sardi
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| Trace amounts of a blood thinner (warfarin) had been added to subsequent batches of PC-SPES in an apparent effort to counter the reported blood clots.
The eight herbs The Added Drug Ingrediin PC-SPES ents
It was later found that some batches of PC-SPES given to men in a comparative study contained from 0.01 to 3.1 % of DES. [Canadian Journal Urology 9: 1684-88, 2002] However, this wasn't considered to be sufficient to cause the side effects being reported, in particular, the reports of blood clots. |
Shannon Brownlee
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 A physician gives an injection of heparin without first performing a rectal exam, to make sure the patient isn't bleeding in his gut, and the blood thinner causes the patient to hemorrhage. Thrombolytics, the very drugs that can bust the clot in his coronary arteries, can also cause catastrophic bleeding in the brain. The man could suffer an allergic reaction to a drug. Maybe the beta-blocker causes his blood pressure to drop precipitously and he "bottoms out," a side effect of the drug that can aggravate the damage to his heart and even cause sudden cardiac arrest. |
Bill Sardi
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| Thrombosis Haemostasis 79: 23-27, 1998] The blood thinner warfarin (Coumadin) is often used to treat cancer but only a low percentage (~20%) of patients actually experience improvement. Heparin, another anti-clotting drug, is more effective in preventing clots than warfarin but certainly is not effective in all cases. [Cancer 80: 649-55, 1997]
Because clots can cause strokes or lung blockages, cancer doctors advise patients to avoid vitamin K supplements or vitamin K-rich foods (green leafy vegetables), since vitamin K is required for blood clotting. |
Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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 Some research even suggests that EGCG is as effective as aspirin, the well known and commonly used anticoagulant, or "blood thinner.''16 Those who need a stronger anti-clotting agent should consult a physician.
Chinese doctors report favorable results using dietary supplements of green tea polyphenols to diminish rates of occurrence of heart disease. Forty patients with a variety of cardiovascular diseases (including coronary heart disease and hypertension) were found to have in common the problem of excessive fibrinogen levels. |
Neal D. Barnard and Bryanna Clark Grogan
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 INTERACTION BETWEEN VEGETABLES AND PRESCRIPTION BLOOD THINNERS
Warfarin (Coumadin) is a blood thinner prescribed to prevent heart attacks, strokes, blood clots in the legs, and other problems. It acts by antagonizing the effects of vitamin K, which is involved in building the proteins your body uses in the clotting process.
Many people taking warfarin believe they have to avoid vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables, that are rich in vitamin K because the vitamin will affect their tendency to form clots. |
Dr. Sharon Moalem
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 He takes an aspirin and a blood thinner every day. He is twelve years old.
Seth has Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, often just called progeria. Progeria is very rare—thought to occur in just 1 of every 4 to 8 million births. It's also very unfair; the word comes from the Greek for prematurely old, and that's the difficult fate in store for people born with it. Children who have progeria age at up to ten times the speed of people without it. By the time a baby who has progeria is about a year and a half old, his or her skin starts to wrinkle and their hair starts to fall out. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| They act as a blood thinner, much like aspirin, only without the side effects. It's been estimated by Andrew Stoll, M.D., of Harvard Medical School that proper omega-3 intake could save 70,000 lives a year in the United States alone and reduce the number of fatal arrhythmias by 30 percent. Omega-3s help lower blood pressure. And they're also very effective for diabetics in improving insulin and glucose metabolism. |
Melody Petersen
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 The "council" was little more than the creation of a marketing team at Aventis Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of a blood thinner called Lovenox.
In Iowa it had gotten to the point that if there was a conference involving health care, there was a better than even chance that the pharmaceutical industry would be footing at least some of the bill. In December 2003 Pfizer helped pay for a conference for high school girls at the University of Iowa, at which the keynote speaker was Kate Shindle, the former Miss America who had become a Broadway star. |
Gary Null and Amy McDonald
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 It is a natural blood thinner. However, it is not safe for everyone to take this herb, because for those taking certain medications, such as Coumadin (warfarin), there could be contraindications. So you have to ask your physician if any prescription drug you are taking may prohibit the use of cayenne. This is very important.
Otherwise, cayenne, best known as the spice cayenne pepper, should definitely be used, but carefully, because it is very hot! If you use this as a spice, do not cook the pepper with the food but sprinkle it on only after cooking the food, to avoid irritation. |
Stephen T. Sinatra, M.D.
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 This often occurs after the patient is given the blood thinner called heparin, which often results in a rise in free fatty acid levels. In one study involving a small group of patients, there was significant reduction in the frequency of ventricular arrhythmias in those treated with 2 grams of L-carnitine the day before the start of the dialysis procedure. Carnitine therapy resulted in an increase in plasma carnitine and a corresponding reduction in free fatty acids. Treated subjects also had a lower incidence of severe arrhythmias. |
| Another area of possible concern is the use of coenzyme Q10 in patients taking Coumadin, a commonly prescribed blood thinner. Coumadin is used to prevent blood clotting in atrial fibrillation, valvular problems, and other medical problems where clot formation (embolus) is a concern. In 1994, the Lancet reported three case studies where the reduced effect of Coumadin was attributed to the use of coenzyme Q10. The reporting physician attributed this interaction to coenzyme Q10, which he suggested had a vitamin K effect. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| It's also a natural blood thinner, as it prevents excessive blood platelet stickiness.
The Good Stuff Is in the Stem
Because it's a group of powerful digestive enzymes, bromelain can relieve indigestion. A member of the class of enzymes known as proteolytic enzymes, bromelain breaks down the amino acid bonds in protein. It's often extracted from pineapple and is a key ingredient in most over-the-counter digestive enzymes. But the beneficial effects of bromelain are due to multiple factors, and many of those are as yet unknown. |
Lester A. Mitscher and Victoria Toews
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| Acts as a "blood thinner."
• Reduces the risk of heart attack.
• Lessens the likelihood of death from heart attack.
• Decreases the risk of stroke.
• Reduces the risk of cancer.
• Boosts longevity.
• Enhances immune function.
• Aids digestion.
• Prevents dental cavities and gingivitis. against developing cancer. Animal studies have indicated that green tea extract protects against both the initiation and promotion stages of cancer. |
James F. Balch, M.D. and Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 It prevents cholesterol oxidation and is a natural blood thinner.
Super Prescription #6 Ginkgo biloba
Take 180 to 240 mg daily of a 24 percent flavone glycoside extract. Ginkgo has blood-thinning and antioxidant properties.
Super Prescription #7 Green tea (Camellia sinensis) extract
Take 500 to 1,500 mg of the capsule form. Look for a product standardized to between 80 and 90 percent polyphenols and between 35 and 55 percent epigallo-catechin gallate. Green tea contains a rich source of antioxidants and substances that assist detoxification. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 PGEi has anti-inflammatory properties and may also act as a blood thinner and blood vessel dilator. Linoleic acid, a common fatty acid found in nuts and seeds and most vegetable oils (including borage oil), should theoretically convert to PGEi. Many things can interfere with this conversion, however, including disease; the aging process; saturated fat; hydrogenated oils; blood sugar problems; and inadequate vitamin C (page 604), magnesium (page 551), zinc (page 614), and B vitamins (page 603). |
Carol Simontacchi
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 Because this enzyme is a natural blood thinner, bromelain should not be used with any blood-thinning medications, as it may increase the drug's effect.
_CATS CLAW_
Cat's claw (IT. tomentosa) is a large, high-climbing woody vine that derives its name from hook-like thorns that grow at the base of the plant's leaves. This vine grows profusely in the upper Amazon regions of Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and other South American countries. For hundreds of years, caf s claw been used as a medicinal by the indigenous peoples of the Amazon rainforest. |
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