This is stunning news...

then another which was sent to me from a customer in the United Kingdom... and the second one really stunned me, and I think it will stun you as well! More soon...

The first item was about a wonderful 'breakthrough' that has been made in combating diabetes! Researchers have discovered a certain plant that has properties that will help restore normal blood sugar levels through a number of different mechanisms. One of these mechanisms is to help the pancreas grow specific type of cells which manufacture insulin. The researchers stated that this ingredient will give new hope for people that suffer from Types 1 and 2 diabetes as well as those people who are hyperglycemic.

Fair enough... that's good news... but not new news as I will explain to you within the next two months. The information that I will be giving you then will be of intense interest to readers who are diabetic or pre-diabetic... so, keep an eye out for it.

Isolating the active ingredients...

What annoyed me about this news item is that the researchers went on to say that all they now have to do is to isolate the active ingredient, figure out how to synthesize it so it can be patented as a drug, and presto all the diabetics in the world can rejoice in the belief that their prayers have been answered!

Mind you they did not say how many hundreds of millions of dollars it is going to cost, or how many years it is going to take to synthesize the active ingredient, and go through the patent processes. Nor, is there is any mention of the inevitable side effects which are a standard component of introducing a synthetic drug into the body!

The media print these news releases and everyone thinks it is wonderful, but no one seems to question or ask, "What about the poor folks that could use this remedy now? How, many diabetics will die needlessly in the meantime, or go blind etc, etc?"

A reasonable question could be, "Given this plant is effective, natural, safe, and has no side effects why can't diabetics get the benefit of it now? And why wouldn't Doctors recommend it, if they knew what it was?"

I will leave you to ponder the answer to that one... (wouldn't have anything to do with putting money before the health and wellbeing of people... would it?)

The stunning news...

The article that was sent to me from the UK was published on the 9th of this month by the Online Telegraph, and written by their Political Editor, Patrick Hennessy. The article is headed up:

'Breakthrough heart drug to be sold over counter'

The first paragraph goes on to say. "A "wonderdrug" that reduces the risk of heart attacks by lowering cholesterol will be sold over the counter in chemists across Britain".

I thought... they surely can't be talking about a statin drug! But, yes they are! According to John Reid the UK Health Secretary, pharmacists will now be able to sell this drug over the counter without a prescription!! His decision has been backed by the 'Committee on Safety of Medicines' - an 'independent' group that advises ministers on the safety of drugs.

For the record, statins are well documented as causing:

• Muscle pain
• Liver damage
• Sexual dysfunction problems
• Suppression of your immune system
• Memory loss
• Personality changes

• Irritability

Because of the extensive side effects of statin drugs the National Institute in the US has been conducting research into the drug.

This latest decision will make Britain the first country in the developed world to permit the sale of statin drugs without prescriptions! Anyone could call into their local chemist shop, have a quick blood test for their cholesterol levels and if elevated can purchase the drug immediately.

These tests are likely to be a quick total cholesterol one as opposed to a full lipid one giving a breakdown of HDL and LDL. Total cholesterol tests on their own are quite meaningless and misleading as you can have high total cholesterol but if the ratio is good and your triglycerides, homocysteine and C-Reactive Protein are normal then your risk of a heart attack is low, and does not warrant the risk of damaging your liver with a statin drug, not to mention all the other risks.

There seems to be no requirement for ongoing testing of liver enzymes which are crucial when taking a statin drug... in order to avoid possible permanent liver damage.

Predictions...

I will make two predictions relating to this latest development.

That the importance of the HDL/LDL ratios of cholesterol will begin to be downplayed and that there will be more focus on total cholesterol. This will mean that more people will become potential customers. The UK government's decision to make it an over the counter drug will be followed by other countries.

I wonder who the decision makers on the independent, 'Committee on Safety of Medicines' are? Would they be connected to the pharmaceutical industry? Surely not! Just because appointees from pharmaceutical companies influence other 'independent' committees and foundations, it doesn't necessarily follow that the same applies in this case... does it???.

If you are resident in the UK this latest 'easing' of the availability of a potentially dangerous drug is more than just ironic... it is downright frightening when viewed in combination with pending European legislation which will effectively ban hundreds of natural, safe and effective supplements on the grounds that their safety has not been established!.

Even if you don't live in Europe you should be aware that there are moves taking place behind the scenes which could ultimately force most of the population into relying on pharmaceutical drugs to treat symptoms as opposed to using natural preventative remedies. It is even now being proposed in Australia that qualified medical herbalists will be banned from formulating specific blends of herbs for patients!

Pretty scary eh?

Until next time,