Original post, January 2008
UPDATE: March 2009 - It is very sad that Professor Ernst is so ignorant about herbs, especially since he has the title of complementary medicine professor.
In a country that is the home of Culpeper and Maud Grieve it amazes me that there is such a lack of academic prowess. The information in regard to dandelion and artichoke for liver health is rather extensive. Both herbs are ones I often use for people who have liver related health concerns, including Hepatitis.
Now that spring is about to arrive in the northern hemisphere it is time to focus on detoxification and liver health. If you'd like a copy of our liver cleansing program, just send a donation to CHI and put detox in the note, and you'll receive it promptly in an email.
You most likely won't do anything better for improving your health than periodic detoxifying with foods and herbs.
In this case I've got to side with Charles.
Prince Charles detox 'quackery' Prince Charles has been accused of exploiting the public in times of hardship by launching what a leading scientist calls a "dodgy" detox mix.
Edzard Ernst, the UK's first professor of complementary medicine, said the Duchy Originals herbal detox tincture was based on "outright quackery".
There was no scientific evidence to show that detox products work, he said.
Launching the product in January, Duchy Originals' herbalist said each mix had been meticulously researched.
Michael McIntyre added they were "manufactured to the highest standards after exhaustive lab testing".
But Professor Ernst of Peninsula Medical School said Prince Charles and his advisers appeared to be deliberately ignoring science, preferring "to rely on 'make-believe' and superstition".
He added: "Prince Charles thus financially exploits a gullible public in a time of financial hardship."
Marketed as Duchy Herbals' Detox Tincture, the artichoke and dandelion mix is described as "a food supplement to help eliminate toxins and aid digestion".
It costs £10 (about $14 USD at current exchange rates) for a 50ml bottle.
Detox doubts
Professor Ernst said the suggestion that such products remove toxins from the body was "implausible, unproven and dangerous".“ Prince Charles and his advisors seem to deliberately ignore science and prefer to rely on ‘make believe' and superstition ”
Professor Edzard Ernst
"Nothing would, of course, be easier than to demonstrate that detox products work. All one needed to do is to take a few blood samples from volunteers and test whether this or that toxin is eliminated from the body faster than normal," he said.
"But where are the studies that demonstrate efficacy? They do not exist, and the reason is simple: these products have no real detoxification effects."
Earlier this year the charitable trust Sense About Science produced a report seeking to debunk claims made about detox products.
Its researchers reviewed a series of products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found the detox assertions to be overwhelmingly meaningless.
It is not the first time Professor Ernst has criticised Prince Charles.
His 2008 book Trick or treatment? Alternative Medicine on Trial is dedicated with irony to the prince, who has long been a supporter of complementary medicine - and particularly homeopathy.
Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7934568.stm
Published: 2009/03/10 © BBC MMIX
ORIGINAL POST, Jan 08 Dr. Russell Blaylock offers you Five Nutrients to Protect Your Liver
The liver is the largest organ in the body and one of the most important for survival. It has three major functions: metabolizing nutrients, generating bile acids, and detoxifying poisons from both within and outside the body.
Bile acids are produced by liver cells and stored in the gallbladder until needed. They are critical to the digestion and absorption of fats. When fats enter the upper small bowel (which is composed of two sections — the duodenum and jejunum), the gallbladder releases bile acids that mix with the fats. This reaction forms a special chemical structure that can be further broken down by enzymes (lipases) to allow for better absorption.
When bile stagnates in the gallbladder, gallstones can form, leading to possible bacteria growth. This situation often triggers gallbladder attacks that spur severe cramping and pain, particularly if the gallstones block the bile duct — the tube connecting the gallbladder to the small intestine.
You can effectively prevent such attacks by regularly using the herb curcumin, which stimulates the gallbladder to release its bile. Curcumin also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help prevent infections and inflammation in the organ.
The liver itself can be damaged by a variety of medications, as well as alcohol and viruses. One of the most common medications known to destroy liver cells is acetaminophen (as found in Tylenol™). Even when taken in recommended amounts, this drug can do great harm to the liver. In fact, acetaminophen damage is the underlying cause of many liver transplants.
Alcoholics are notorious for having bad livers because alcohol is a powerful liver toxin. Over time, heavy drinkers can develop severe scarring of the liver and loss of cells in that vital organ. Chronic heavy drinkers with damaged, poorly functioning alcoholic livers are also at high risk of liver cancer. This is a result of the chronic scarring, inflammation and exposure to toxins.
But several powerful nutrients have been shown to help protect liver cells from damage inflicted by toxins and toxic medications: grapefruit, quercetin, curcumin, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), and methionine.
Grapefruit, quercetin and curcumin all reduce the toxicity of acetaminophen as well as a number of other toxins. N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and methionine are also both effective in treating acetaminophen poisoning.
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