Foods That Heal

Foods that Heal by Dr. Frank Shallenberger

Copyright© 2008 by Soundview Publishing, LLC All rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction of this report or its contents by xerography, facsimile, electronic, or any other means is illegal, except for brief quotations in reviews or articles. This report is for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to consult with their doctor before implementing any health idea they read about, whether here or anywhere else. No content presented here is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you choose to use any information provided in this report, you do so solely at your own risk. Soundview Publishing also publishes Dr. Frank Shallenberger’s newsletter, Real Cures. To subscribe or obtain more information, please call or write: Real Cures P.O. Box 8051 Norcross, Georgia 30091-8051 800-728-2288 or 770-399-5617

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Foods That Heal “Let food be your medicine.” Those words were spoken 2,300 years ago by Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine. And now modern science is confirming the healing power of foods, by putting them through the rigors of scientific testing. I’ve seen this healing power in my own clinic. Almost every day I find that putting high-grade fuel into your body will help you run longer, cleaner, and healthier than anything else. There aren’t any imitations that work as well. But there are some great ways to fight even major diseases simply by eating the right food. Let me show you...

This Powerful Food Lowers Blood Sugar and Fights Cancer You may have read in my other special reports about the best way to avoid getting cancer – make sure that your cells are burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates (sugar/glucose). Although all cells can burn either fat or carbohydrates for energy, healthy cells prefer to burn fat. Cancer cells, on the other hand, burn sugar. This is a major reason cancer is such a problem today – everyone eats too many carbohydrates and sugars. The best way to prevent cancer or to stop cancer from growing is to greatly reduce your carbohydrate intake, eliminate your sugar intake, exercise properly, get plenty of sleep, take the right supplements and hormones, and don’t stress out. All of these activities force your cells — even cancer cells — to burn fat instead of glucose. But that’s not all you can do. One of the most intriguing, new ways to shift the body into a fat-burning mode comes from one of my favorite foods. Way back in 1995, researchers from the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford University in Britain discovered the cancerfighting abilities of the avocado. First, they added an extract from the avocado plant (Persea americana) to tumor cells in a test tube. They found that the extract inhibited the

tumors cells’ ability to burn carbohydrates by as much as 75%. This forced the cancer cells into a fat-burning mode. The result? As expected, the avocado extract stopped the growth rate of the cancer cells. Next, the researchers gave the same extract to lab animals with cancer. They used a dose of 1.7 mg of extract for every gram of body weight, and they gave it to the animals for only five days. To their delight, they found that the growth rate of the tumors was reduced by at least 65%, and as much as 79%. This is a truly remarkable finding! The purified extract that they used contained a substance found in high levels in the avocado called d-mannoheptulose. Researchers at the University of California at Los Angeles tried using d-mannoheptulose on a line of prostate cancer cells. These cancer cells were “androgen-independent.” That means that they grow independently of whether or not they are exposed to the hormone testosterone. These are the most difficult kind of prostate cancers to treat. The researchers found that the avocado extract caused the cancer cells to stop growing. Based on these studies, there’s good reason to believe that regularly taking avocado extract is a great way to prevent cancer. It can help prevent the shift from fat to carbohydrate metabolism. And it works even better if you use it with the other treatments I mentioned earlier. But there’s more....

As Good As It Is, Never Take It When... It also looks like taking the extract is an excellent idea for people who have had cancer in the past or are currently battling cancer. However, this comes with one caveat: Don’t take this extract if you’re getting chemotherapy! Ironically, arresting the growth of cancer cells is about the last thing you want to do if you’re on chemo. With chemo you want the cancer cells’ growth rate to increase, not decrease. Let me explain. All cells including cancer cells go through

a life cycle. The final part of this cycle, which we call mitosis, is where the cell divides into two daughter cells. And the only time the cancer cell is vulnerable to chemotherapy is during mitosis — when the cell is actually dividing. So to make the tumor most vulnerable to the chemo, you need to have as many cells dividing at the time of the treatment. Anything that slows down the cells’ cycle (decreasing the growth rate of the cancer) will cause a lower percentage of the cells to be in this vulnerable stage. That’s why taking a substance like avocado extract, which slows down cell growth, will make a cancer more resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. So be sure not to take anything that slows down cancer growth while you’re actively getting cancer treatment. It will interfere with it. Of course, once the course of treatment is over, then it makes complete sense to take dmannoheptulose both as a preventive, and just in case some cancer remains. It just might slow the growth rate down to the point that it stops growing altogether. One final note on chemotherapy treatments: While the avocado extract will slow down tumor growth, there is an easy way to make a tumor grow. All you need to do is take antioxidants. They speed up the growth rate of cancers. And by doing this, they make them much more sensitive to the killing effects of chemotherapy. That’s why I advise patients who are getting chemotherapy to take a healthy dose of antioxidants during their treatment. The same is also true for people getting radiation therapy.

Helps Control Blood Sugar Too One other potential problem to consider is that since d-mannoheptulose alters carbohydrate metabolism, it might also alter blood sugar levels in diabetics. So anyone with diabetes should be sure to let their physician know that they intend to take the supplement. They may very likely find that their need for medication will decrease — a good problem to have. Currently, d-mannoheptulose is available in two different products. You can easily find it in supplements. However, these often will con-

tain other nutrients that are designed for fat loss. This makes complete sense. Since the effect of d-mannoheptulose is to increase fat metabolism, this is great for those who need to drop some weight. If you don’t need to lose weight, look for an avocado extract powder. These products will work for most people. My only complaint with them is that they don’t always list exactly how much d-mannoheptulose is contained in the powder. If you buy some that doesn’t have the amount listed, contact the manufacturer and ask. You should be able to find their contact information on the Internet. References: Board, Mary, Alison Colquhoun and Eric A. Newsholme, “High Km Glucose-phosphorylating (Glucokinase) Activities in a Range of Tumor Cell Lines and Inhibition of Rates of Tumor Growth by the Specific Enzyme Inhibitor Mannoheptulose.” Cancer Research, 55, 3278-3285, August 1, 1995.Lu, Q.Y., et al. “Inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth by an avocado extract: role of lipid-soluble bioactive substances.” Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2005;16(1):23-30.

Get Rid of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Eating Something Most People Throw Away Most people who have Irritable Bowel Syndrome are still looking for a solution. Their doctor may prescribe drugs for it. But these treat the symptoms, not the cause. And most supplements do the same thing. But I’ve got some good news for you — I have a cure. It comes from one of my favorite foods — the artichoke. But it’s not the part you eat. It’s the leaf. In one study, a group of patients with IBS took capsules of artichoke leaf extract for six weeks. The results? It significantly reduced the severity of all of their symptoms. An amazing 96% of the patients rated artichoke leaf as better than or at least equal to the medications their doctor gave them. But with none of the side effects! I’ve found that when combined with an anti-yeast program, artichoke leaf never fails to cure even the worst cases of IBS. Another study looked at the effects of artichoke leaf in 553 people with different kinds of gastrointestinal symptoms. The average age of the patients was 54.7 years. Each person had suffered for about three years prior to taking

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the artichoke leaf. The average period of use was only 43.5 days. The researchers found some striking results. They discovered: • 71% of those complaining of constipation found relief • 68% of those with persistent gas (flatulence) improved • 72% of those who regularly experienced loss of appetite found improvement using artichoke leaf extract • 76% had their intestinal cramps relieved • 88% of those with frequent nausea and vomiting improved Artichoke leaf was also effective in a double-blind study of people with indigestion from various causes. But it was particularly helpful to those with indigestion caused from insufficient bile. This is common in people who have had their gallbladder removed. Most people know that the herb milk thistle (silymarin) is an excellent tonic for the liver. But you may not know that artichoke leaf is just as effective. Just like milk thistle, it protects and regenerates the liver, and completely protects it from potentially deadly doses of many toxins. It even protects the liver from the damage caused by the excessive use of alcohol. Fortunately, you don’t actually have to eat the leaf to get its benefits. The best way to take artichoke leaf is in capsules of the extract. You can buy the capsules at any health food store. The label should say that the extract is standardized to contain 15-18% caffeoylquiinic acids (also called chlorogenic acid) and/or 2-5% cynarin. Many researchers feel that the cynarin component is what is primarily responsible for its many benefits. The usual dose is from 200-400 mg of the extract taken three times per day. Start with the higher dose, and decrease after you’ve seen maximum improvement. And remember that unlike drugs, herbs do not always work fast. It might very well take four to six weeks to see the best results. References: Dolby- Toews, V. “Finally, indigestion relief.” MotherNature.com News. 3(14), 2000. Gebhardt, R. “Antidyspeptic and lipid-lowering effects of artichoke leaf extract,” Journal for General Medicine, 1996.

Proof That Wine Is Heart Healthy A study from researchers at the University of Palermo, Italy looked at the wellknown connection between wine consumption and risk of heart disease. You may have heard that this connection was due to resveratrol, a component of wine that protects the heart and arteries. But these researchers found that there’s much more to wine than just resveratrol. Drinking wine exerts many other protective effects. It improves the cholesterol levels. It decreases the tendency of the blood to form the abnormal clotting that leads to strokes. And it improves the way the cells, including the cells of the heart and arteries, use oxygen. Because of this last effect, drinking wine can truly be said to be an anti-aging treatment. But that’s not all the researchers found. Just like aspirin, wine decreases the way platelets stick together. I’d much rather take a glass of wine than an aspirin any day. And lastly, wine improves what is known as endothelial function. Endothelial cells are the cells that line your arteries and capillaries. These cells regulate and balance blood flow and circulation. They do so by either relaxing and increasing blood flow, or by vasoconstricting and decreasing flow. Wine helps these cells to relax and vasodilate. This causes increased blood flow and decreased blood pressure. Of course, these benefits are greatly enhanced with a Mediterranean-type diet. But there’s more to good health than just eating right — you have to drink right, too. References: Caimi, G., C. Carollo, and R. Lo Presti. “Wine and endothelial function,” Drugs Exp Clin Res, 2003;29(5-6):235-42.

The Fruit That Fights Lung Disease A new study gives people with asthma or lung disease a natural way to battle their illness. The study of 2,500 Welsh men between the ages of 45-59 found that eating apples improves breathing capacity. The researchers divided the men into groups depending on

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their height and weight and how many apples they ate. They took into account the calories the men ate, and whether or not any of them smoked or exercised. Then the researchers measured the amount of air that each man was able to exhale in one second. The result? The men who ate five apples or more per week were able to exhale 138 milliliters more air than those who ate no apples. The researchers concluded that eating apples decreased the amount of obstructions found in the lung and bronchial passages. Other research backs up this finding. Another study, again in England, looked at the dietary habits of 1,500 adults over one year. People who ate at least two apples per week had a 22-32% less chance of having an asthma attack than those eating fewer than two apples. There are several reasons for the apple’s protective effect on the lungs and the bronchial tubes. For one, apples have a high content of the bioflavonoid nutrient called quercetin. Quercetin acts like an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic medication in the body. It inhibits histamine and leukotriene. These are proinflammatory molecules that create the vasoconstriction and broncho-constriction that cause asthma attacks. But that’s not all. Did you know that there are over 450 different nutrients in one fresh apple? That means just about every nutrient you can think of is found in an apple.

The first one is a bioflavonoid that you may have heard about. It’s called lutein and it protects the pigment in your eyes. Lutein protects the macular pigment in two ways: It absorbs harmful blue light from the sun’s rays, and it neutralizes harmful free radicals. But how much lutein do you need? A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association wanted to find out for sure. The researchers in the study tracked people’s lutein consumption and then broke the group down into five equal groups, or quintiles. They found that the people in the highest quintile were 43% less likely to develop macular degeneration. Now here’s the best part: To eat as much lutein as the people in the highest quintile, all you need is a measly six grams of lutein a day! You can get that by eating a single serving of dark leafy green vegetables (especially spinach). You can also get lutein in kiwi fruit, grapes, orange juice, zucchini (or vegetable marrow), and different kinds of squash. But that’s not the only nutrient you need to fight macular degeneration. I also recommend you take daily doses of bilberry extract (400-600 mg — standardized to contain 25% anthocyanidins), vitamin E (400 units), zeaxanthin (1-2 mg), and zinc (50-100 mg). All of these nutrients can help you prevent most cases of macular degeneration. They won’t work for everyone, but they are definitely worth a try.

References:

The Cocktail Party Mixer That Helps Your Eyesight

Blechman, S., et al. “Eating apples may make breathing easier,” Muscular Development 37(5):35, 2000. Quillin, P. Immunopower - Full spectrum nutritional protection. 1999, Nutrition Times Press, Inc. Box 130789, Carlsbad, CA 92013. Shaheen, S.O., et al. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Before You Try Any Treatment for Macular Degeneration, Try These Nutrients If your ophthalmologist says you have macular degeneration, he may want you to start taking drugs or some type of expensive therapy. Don’t do it! Instead, try these nutrients that work miracles for some people with macular degeneration.

Studies show that a popular party drink can cut your risk of macular degeneration in half! A study of 3,072 adults with macular changes showed that moderate red wine consumption may offer some protection against the development or progression of macular degeneration. Red wine is high in flavonoids, such as quercetin, rutin, and resveratrol. These flavonoids have powerful antioxidant activity. This is important because damage from oxidative stress is thought to contribute to the development of macular degeneration. Dark berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and dark cherries, are high in flavonoids as well. — 5—

How to Eat Fish Without Poisoning Yourself With Mercury You may know that fish is great for your health. But you also may know that eating too much fish can be hazardous. Even mainstream publications have caught on to the fact that the world’s fish supply is tainted with mercury. But there’s one thing the media hasn’t told you. There’s a very simple way to eat fish without poisoning yourself. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published an article entitled, “Fish intake, contaminants, and human health.” In the article, the authors noted the many dangers of methyl mercury. Methyl mercury is formed from inorganic mercury, which is common in the environment. When a volcano explodes, it releases mercury into the atmosphere. The same thing happens when electric plants burn coal, or when waste companies incinerate waste. There are numerous industrial processes that release mercury into the air. Rain then brings the inorganic mercury from the atmosphere into lakes and oceans. There it’s converted by bacterial activity into methyl mercury. Methyl mercury is very toxic. Unlike inorganic mercury, your body absorbs it easily in the digestive tract, and then transports it into tissues. Plants, such as algae, plankton, and other foods that fish feed on also absorb the methyl mercury. So when you eat fish, you're also eating all of the methyl mercury that the fish has eaten. The amount of methyl mercury found in fish depends on how long the fish lives. Older fish have more methyl mercury than their younger cousins because they have more time to accumulate the mercury. It also depends on how predatory the fish is. Highly predatory fish accumulate more methyl mercury because they eat more. Longer-living, larger predators, such as swordfish and shark, have the highest levels of methyl mercury. Smaller or shorter-lived fish, such as shellfish and salmon, have only 1/20th as much. The more fish you eat, especially if you eat the ones with the highest levels, the more methyl mercury your body will amass. The longer you live, the more you will store. Many

people over 50 have unhealthy amounts of methyl mercury. So what does all this methyl mercury do? First of all, it crosses the placenta. It also crosses into breast milk. The tolerance for any toxin depends upon the weight and detoxifying ability of the person being exposed. Therefore, children and especially infants and are at a greater risk for toxicity. Researchers have found significant abnormalities in the brain function of children whose mothers ate too much fish during their pregnancy. The authors of this study concluded that even low exposure to methyl mercury can decrease a child’s brain function. But children aren’t the only people that need to be concerned about methyl mercury. Several studies have also indicated that it’s toxic to the heart, and can cause heart attacks in adults. And this is where it really gets interesting. In addition to mercury, fish also contain two wonderful fats. One is eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and the other docosapentaenoic acid (DHA). These fats are so effective at improving both neurological and cardiovascular function, that the damage done by the methyl mercury is somewhat offset by the benefit of the fats. So much so, that the authors of this study concluded that “the benefits of fish intake exceed the potential risks.” But let me take this one step further. Why eat any methyl mercury at all? It can’t be good for you. Why not just have your fish and eat it too? This is what I advise my patients to do — unless they're pregnant. I tell my pregnant patients to avoid fish completely. The risks just aren’t worth it. You can get enough mercury-free EPA and DHA in gelcaps, such as those sold with Healthy Resolve (800-728-2288). But I tell all of my other patients to eat all the fish they want. But when they do, I tell them to take DMSA at the same time. DMSA (dimercaptosuccinic acid) is a naturally occurring substance that chelates mercury. This means that it binds to mercury, and does not allow it to be absorbed in the intestinal tract. It also binds any mercury that’s already in the body and takes it out in the urine. DMSA is extremely effective both at stop-

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ping mercury absorption, and removing mercury from the body. And it's entirely safe when you take it in recommended doses. An adult can very safely take up to 1,500 mg per week. Whenever I eat fish, I haul out my little supplement case and take three 100 mg capsules of DMSA before the meal. And then I can forget about mercury and enjoy my meal. DMSA capsules are available at most health foods stores. References Mozaffarian D, Rimm EB. Fish intake, contaminants, and human health. JAMA, October 18, 2006. Vol. 296, No 15. 1885-99.

The Best Foods for Healthy Digestion If you have digestion problems, here are a few quick tidbits that might help you. If you need more help, please see my special report How to Knock Out Digestive Problems Once and for All. (1) Mornings are the most important time of the day regarding detoxification, and as such should emphasize high nutrient and fiber intake. In addition, eat at least three servings of vegetables, and at least one fresh salad every day. Since each vegetable has its own particular nutrient pattern, it’s a good idea to eat a variety of different kinds. (2) Make sure you get enough lean protein and that you avoid the high glycemic carbohydrates. How well you are doing in this regard can be determined by Bio-Energy Testing. (3) Another very important thing to remember is that many studies have conclusively shown that overeating will shorten your lifespan substantially. It is important to eat only as much as is needed to satisfy hunger. 4) As a general rule, make sure to limit your coffee intake to 4 oz. of organic coffee per day. Several of the markets carry organic coffee. The reason is that too much coffee is very hard on the liver, leading to allergies and various digestive and bowel disorders. Not only that, but excessive coffee will also cause osteoporosis by creating an acid condition in the tissues. Osteoporosis occurs because the body responds to the acid challenge by pulling calcium off the bones to buffer the acid. (5) For the same reasons, limit alcohol to

one to two drinks per day. Coffee and alcohol in small amounts such as these act as stimulants to the body, and in that sense can be beneficial. Excessive intake, however results in a suppressive effect on the body. Remember the Arndt-Schultz Principle, which applies to all substances: in small enough doses any substance will act as a stimulant, in larger doses the same substance can be supportive, and in large enough doses any substance will be suppressive. Viewed from this angle, it’s not so much what you take into your system that is important, but how much. This means there are no bad foods, only bad doses! (6) Milk is just such a food. Because it has been ruined by homogenation and pasteurization, milk even in small amounts often leads to allergies, and in larger amounts is sure to cause bowel and liver problems. Yes it has a lot of calcium, but it has no fiber, and you can get more calcium per gram weight from spinach and other vegetables than you can from milk. Children do not need milk at all. This is a common misconception. Children who avoid milk will have bones just as strong as their milk-drinking friends, and will avoid all the problems associated with milk ingestion, such as chronic ear infections. Dr. Frank Orski, Director of the Department of Pediatrics at Johns Hopkins Hospital points out that the use of milk in children leads to diarrhea, constipation, anemia, skin rashes, ear infections, and hyperactivity. (7) Avoid sodas, sugars, sweets, fast food, and junk food like the plague. Talk about industrialized waste!! When cooking, it’s a good idea to use Pam, lecithin, olive oil, or butter. Avoid deep fried foods, and instead, learn to lightly sauté the foods in a little olive oil and butter. Never, ever use margarine, shortening, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils!!! These manmade industrial wastes have been shown to be immune suppressive. Recent publications have also demonstrated that these artificial trans fatty acids actually damage the inner walls of the arteries contributing to cardiovascular disease, and also are toxic to the most fundamental aspects of energy production. Carefully read ingredients labels, and avoid all foods that contain these poisons. It has been estimated by some researchers that it takes about nine months to completely rid your body of these toxic fats after you have ingested them.

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(8) Here's another news flash: fruit juice is not a health food. Drink fruit juice only sparingly, as a treat. Why? Because it has no fiber, and is high in sugar. Did you know that a glass of most fruit juices contains as much sugar as a coke? (9) Eat sweets in the form of a dessert (i.e., after a meal). Avoid sweets, breads, fruit, cookies, etc. on an empty stomach. By eating them after a meal you will dilute their sugar effect with the other foods already in your stomach. This is a good time to eat some fruit. Whole fruit makes an excellent dessert. It is sweet and has valuable fiber and nutrient content. (10) In general, keep your breakfast and lunch on the light side, and make supper the biggest meal of the day. There may be some exceptions to this rule in persons who have very physical jobs. (11) Here is an important rule: avoid going to sleep for at least three hours after supper. Lie down and rest if you will, but don't go to sleep. You cannot fully digest your foods while you sleep, and this will ultimately lead to increased toxicity, and weight gain. Three hours is enough time for your body to digest the meal. (12) The last rule is my personal favorite, and it goes like this: Feel free to break all the above rules once a week (except the hydrogenated fat rule). Let's face it. A healthy body is equipped to deal with a toxic situation periodically, and besides it give us something different to look forward to! On this happy note, I will congratulate you on completing the dietary part of this anti-aging and detoxification program.

The World’s Best Energy Food You’ve undoubtedly heard that fat is bad for you. The message is so pervasive, everyone believes it. Walk through the grocery store and you'll see low-fat this and fat-free that. But they have it all wrong. You don’t have to avoid fat! This may surprise you. After all, experts far and wide have scorned dietary fat. They claim it causes everything from arterial plaque, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes! But it’s just not true! Years ago, when I

tried putting my patients on low-fat diets diabetes, I just didn’t see any results. Instead, I saw a lot of negatives. Almost none of them lost weight. Their blood sugar control didn’t improve. And the vast majority of them complained of fatigue, poor immunity, insomnia, and many other health problems.

Low-fat diets = low-energy diets That’s when it hit me that fat isn’t the problem. It’s the solution. As I mentioned earlier, your metabolism works best when it’s burning fat. Limiting your intake of fat deprives your cells of fuel they need to produce energy. But I needed proof. So I started looking at the diets of my patients. Of the patients who came to me with diabetes, heart disease, and eating disorders, literally none of them ate a high-fat diet. That’s right — none! One reason is that when you’re on a highfat diet, it’s almost impossible to overeat. Another reason, as I mentioned, is that fat is the preferred source of energy. And, unlike carbohydrates, which contribute nothing to the structure and composition of the body, fat makes up the membranes of our cells. Research shows that when cells become diseased or poisoned, it first occurs in these membranes. Unhealthy cell membranes severely impair the cell’s ability to produce energy. Our nervous system and brain are almost completely made up of fat. Fat is the building block for cortisol, DHEA, and the sex hormones. Fats also make up prostaglandins, which are essential for proper immune function, the cardiovascular system, and the healing process after an injury. So fats are a vital part of a healthy body. But they have to be healthy fats. Notice I said “healthy fats.” Healthy fats include monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil and coconut oil. They also include animal fats, as long as the animals are not fed grain. This includes fish, lamb, freerange chicken, grass-fed cows, and eggs that come from free-range chickens.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. Have you heard about a fruit called mangosteen? — Joni M., Surprise, AZ

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Dear Joni, The mangosteen fruit is very common in the Orient. They call it the “Queen of Fruits.” I regularly visit the orient to give lectures, and I see mangosteens at virtually every fruit vendor. Here in the U.S., however, mangosteen is more than just the Queen of Fruits. Here it’s the queen of multilevel marketing. These marketing companies tell you mangosteen is supposedly much higher than ordinary foods in several antioxidants. This is just not true. No reputable research has shown that mangosteen fruit contains even the antioxidant levels of the average orange. And this should not be too surprising. In fruit, the antioxidant qualities come from pigment, and mangosteen is white. It has almost no pigment. In fact, the only thing mangosteen seems to be really high in is price. Another problem is that the commercial mangosteen juice that's being sold isn’t pure. It’s diluted with other juices. I’ve yet to see a mangosteen juice that is even close to 100% mangosteen. Most are less than 50% mangosteen. To be fair, I should mention that there are several studies that used mangosteen juice in test-tube experiments. Most of these are some variation of pouring some juice on top of a culture of cancer cells and noting that they don't grow as fast. This type of experiment is called

an “in vitro” test. In vitro tests are often interesting. But most of the time, they have absolutely no meaning for the non-test tube world. I looked for published studies on the use of mangosteen juice in actual people who had cancer. But there aren’t any. Not one. The long and the short of mangosteen juice is that it’s overpriced and over-touted. If you like to drink it for its taste, that's fine. But if you're looking at it as a miracle health drink, save your money. Q. I have heard about the success of Goji Juice. What is your opinion? — Wes V.K., via e-mail Dear Wes, Gogi juice is another one of the “Super Juices” that are so widely promoted these days by multi-level marketing companies. I would like to believe that these juices were more than just a very nutritional form of snake oil. But, unfortunately, they have no nutritional value over just eating healthy foods. And they're much more expensive. Additionally, there are no reputable clinical trials proving that they do what the sellers say they can do. That being said, I will tell you what I tell all my patients when asked this sort of question. Try it out, and let me know what happens. If it works, email me and let me know. So far I have not had one patient get back to me.

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