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Reviews of Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone |
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Reviews of Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone |
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“Thanks to the information that I read in your
book, Orthomolecular Medicine For Everyone, plus
the information I found on your website (and some others) I was able to
do the impossible: cure my son of schizoaffective disorder. My son is now
completely off his medication (Risperdal and Adivan), and is back in
high school, taking advanced placement courses. He's playing soccer and
basketball, playing trumpet and trombone, and he's got a part time job. “Two months ago, during a "family
session" at the hospital, a psychologist asked me "how it felt to
have a son with a major mental illness." He also commented that my
son would probably need to take medication for the rest of his life. A
psychiatrist at the same hospital told me that they didn't make such a diagnosis
"lightly". “A month after his discharge I was in the
psychiatrist's office with my son, holding your book in my hand. You
will be happy to know that the psychiatrist was absolutely thrilled with
my boy’s progress, and asked to borrow your book. I gladly handed it to
her. I hope that she will be able to help many more others the way you helped
us. “By the way, I also started taking vitamin
supplements and eating healthier. I am now no longer taking
anti-depressants, my thinning hair is growing back in, my varicose veins
are disappearing, I'm losing weight, and I feel great!”
by Abram Hoffer, MD, PhD, and
Andrew W. Saul, PhD. Basic
Health Publications, Inc., 2008. 376 pages. Reviewed
by Irene Alleger in the Townsend Letter,
No 315, October 2009, p 95. Reprinted with permission. "Anyone who wishes to become familiar with orthomolecular
medicine, may do so by simply beginning with a whole foods, sugarfree diet
and a few vitamins. Even with this simple approach, people report
success." If the
government is serious about making health care affordable for everyone, they
need look no further than this book. Unfortunately, many doctors continue to
discourage their patients from taking vitamins and other supplements, often
stating that their benefits have not been proven. They are "toeing the
party line," obscuring the fact that they know little or nothing about
nutrition, whether in the form of food or supplements. The
authors of Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone, however, are experts
in the field of nutrition, with many years of experience between them, and
their book is an authoritative guide to the use of megavitamin treatments for
a wide range of conditions. The 30 pages of scientific references disprove
the "party line," offering evidence that megavitamin treatments are
effective and safe. Orthomolecular
psychiatry began after the two forms of vitamin B3 were identified as niacin
and niacinamide back in 1938, with notable results; and other clinical
studies were done on diseases such as arthritis, showing that treatment with
niacinamide reversed the disease. However, with the era of "wonder"
drugs beginning, these nutritional studies were ignored, both in curricula
and practice. Over
the past several decades, there is evidence that the public is showing much
more interest in clinical nutrition than the medical community. Almost
everyone takes a few vitamins, and the interest in so-called alternative
medicine has increased greatly. The word orthomolecular was coined in
1968 by Linus Pauling to describe the use of nutrients in optimum amounts as
the main treatment. This is in contrast to the amounts recommended in the
government's "food guide pyramid" and dietary allowances, which are
considered the minimum needed to forestall frank disease. With our current
American diet, the need for scientific nutritional information is great; the
average person remains confused about what constitutes a healthy diet. Drs.
Hoffer and Saul not only explain how food supplements are used to treat many conditions,
with extensive chapters on niacin, vitamin C, vitamin E, other B vitamins,
and A and D; they also write specifically of treating gastrointestinal
disorders, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, and the aging brain.
What this book does very well is to make nutrition and its effects on health
understandable. For example, in discussing why the kinds of foods we eat is
important, the authors write: "Animals in their native state eat whole
foods ... the advantage of whole foods is that they contain all the nutrients
needed to keep life going." The growing problem of obesity is addressed
as "caused by excessive consumption of sugar." The term "sugar
metabolic syndrome" is used to describe the enormous increase in the consumption
of refined or processed foods, especially sugar and white flour. Studies show
the harm from refining of carbohydrates as removing fiber from our diet,
which affects the gastrointestinal system, from the teeth to the colon. It
also causes overconsumption of calories, obesity, and diabetes, and it
removes protein, which is required to neutralize hydrochloric acid in the
stomach. Orthomolecular
Medicine for Everyone is full of illuminating advice, such as: "On the orthomolecular
diet, there is no need to be concerned about getting too much fat. This
becomes possible only when processed foods ... are used. In addition, with a
good diet one need not be concerned about the ratio of saturated fat to
unsaturated fat, as a blend of animal and vegetable foods will ensure that
neither too little nor too much of either fat is consumed. Many
Americans will be surprised to learn the real causes of atherosclerosis, too.
Rather than a pharmaceutical drug deficiency, one of the main causes is the
sugar metabolic syndrome diet. The relation among cholesterol, fat, and
protein is complex, but clearly explained by the authors. Much of
the confusion and lack of information on nutrition is due to the political
power of Big Pharma. Every opportunity is taken to disparage and deny any
positive results from vitamins, as the orthomolecular approach to treating
disease could compete in the marketplace for the billions of dollars now
generated by drug treatment. The authors state unequivocally that "restoring
health must be done nutritionally, not pharmacologically."
Orthomolecular Medicine for Everyone: Megavitamin Therapeutics for
Families and Physicians by Abram
Hoffer, PhD, MD, and Andrew Saul, PhD Reviewed
by Robert Sealey www.searpubl.ca .
Reprinted with permission. Megavitamin
therapeutics? Whazzat? Do vital amines have health-restoring capabilities? In
this book, two highly-qualified authors, Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD and Andrew
Saul, PhD explain how orthomolecular medicine can help people feel better and
live longer. In Part One, Dr. Hoffer (biochemist, physician and
psychiatrist-retired) and Dr. Saul (health educator) teach us that: (1)
vitamins and minerals are important to human health; (2) nutritional
deficiencies can cause health problems; (3) many patients can restore their health
by taking supplements; and (4) healing with nutrients only happens if each
patient receives optimal doses (much higher than anti-starvation levels).
After introducing the concepts of nutritional deficiencies and dependencies
and biochemical individuality, the authors outline the healing capabilities
of vitamins, starting with B-3, an essential nutrient which has three names
– nicotinic acid, niacin and niacinamide. Then Hoffer and Saul explain
how orthomolecular doctors treat chronic illnesses and maintain health by
prescribing regimens of vitamins A, B, C, D and E with trace minerals and
other nutrients. Part Two
details safe, effective and restorative orthomolecular treatments for nine
health problems: (1) gastrointestinal disorders, (2) cardiovascular disease,
(3) arthritis, (4) cancer, (5) the aging brain, (6) psychiatric and
behavioral disorders, (7) epilepsy and
Huntington’s disease, (8) allergies, infections, toxic reactions,
trauma, lupus and multiple sclerosis and (9) skin problems. Will a
poor diet drain our vitality? If we get sick, can nutrients restore our
health? Consider mental illness: most psychiatrists quickly label patients,
prescribe combinations of meds (antidepressants, antipsychotics and
anticonvulsants etc.) and talk to their psychoses. Non-responsive patients
get electric shocks. Early in his career, Dr. Hoffer saw very few recoveries
after patients got labels, meds, talks or shocks. He wondered whether
psychotic patients might have metabolic disorders rather than neuroleptic
deficiencies. Most doctors don’t pay any mind if patients eat junk food
or self-medicate with alcohol, oblivious to the reality that brain cells need
decent food. Certain nutrients are essential. Psychiatrists don’t often
consider nutrition but Abram Hoffer went to the old school which taught
doctors to assess root causes and contributing factors before making a
differential diagnosis. As Hoffer evaluated biochemical and nutritional
factors underlying psychosis, he discovered that foods and nutrients can affect
mental health. Over his long and distinguished career, Dr. Hoffer fine-tuned
patients’ diets and prescribed regimens of vital amines, trace
minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, energy and enzyme cofactors. These
treatments helped many of his patients to stop hallucinating, rejoin their
communities, work, pay taxes and live well. Impossible, you say? Initially,
Dr. Hoffer networked with a small team of scientists and health professionals
who cooperated to research and develop restorative treatments for
schizophrenia. Linus Pauling, PhD read Hoffer’s book, Niacin Therapy, which reported the
first patients who responded to niacin for acute schizophrenia. Pauling named
it “orthomolecular psychiatry” (Science, 1968). Dr. Hoffer explains the restorative dimension of care: “The practice of
orthomolecular medicine recognizes that diseases are due to a metabolic fault
that is correctable in most patients by good nutrition, including the use of
vitamins and mineral supplements.” Megavitamin
therapeutics proved safe and effective. Many of Hoffer’s acute
schizophrenia patients recovered taking optimum doses of a methyl acceptor
(B-3, niacin or niacinamide) with an antioxidant (C, ascorbic acid). For more
than fifty years, while researching and developing regimens of nutrients to
heal psychosis and other mental disorders, Hoffer reported clinical progress
and success by improving diets and giving medicinal doses of vitamins B-3,
B-6, C, zinc and manganese. Thousands of patients recovered. Most
psychiatrists ignored Hoffer’s double-blind placebo-controlled
gold-standard research. Without studying his ideas, experiments, data or
findings, ‘modern’ psychiatrists dismissed Hoffer’s reports
of a 75% recovery rate for acute schizophrenia. They did not interview his
recovered patients. Believing that thousands of patients and their trusting
families could benefit from complementary vitamins and minerals, Abram Hoffer
somehow found the time to write more than 30 books and 600 medical journal
articles and editorials. For decades, he wrote about the biochemistry of
schizophrenia, described the healing capabilities of vitamins and other
nutrients, recommended healthy diets and introduced orthomolecular medicine
to patients, families, caregivers and health professionals. Hoffer’s
books include The Chemical Basis of
Clinical Psychiatry (1960), Niacin
Therapy in Psychiatry (1962), How to Live with Schizophrenia (1966), The
Hallucinogens (1967), Smart Nutrients (1980) Orthomolecular Medicine for Physicians (1989), and Adventures in Psychiatry (2005). This
2008 book, clear enough for every reader, is a classic example of
Hoffer’s thorough research, detailed references, careful observations
and thoughtful writing. While
prescribing vitamins for patients, Hoffer took the same daily doses of niacin
and ascorbic acid himself (vitamins B-3 and C). How many psychiatrists
self-test their treatments? He experienced the niacin flush with two brief
side effects: warmth and redness. He had no side attacks or toxic effects
while taking vitamins, only side benefits. Abram Hoffer’s decades-long
personal experiment shows that the right doses of the right nutrients can
help a doctor feel better and live longer. Will you live as long as Dr.
Hoffer if you take vitamins B-3 and C? Maybe you will; note that Dr. Hoffer
wrote this book in his 91st year. Anyone
can read about the decades of research, study the references and consider the
regimens which Dr. Abram Hoffer and his colleagues developed, tested, healed
thousands of patients with, took themselves and wrote clinical success
stories about, since the 1950s. Abram Hoffer and Andrew Saul wrote this
informative, insightful, helpful and hopeful book to educate the public how
we can restore our health, get proper medical care, adjust our diets and take
supplements. Hoffer and Saul encourage us to eat foods that we can metabolize
and supplement with nutrients (vitamins, minerals and amino acids,
antioxidants, energy and enzyme co-factors and essential fatty acids). If we
suffer from metabolic problems, deficiencies or dependencies, we can ask our
health professionals to complement standard treatments with nutritional
regimens. If our doctors don’t know about restorative care, we can ask
for second opinions. As you
read this fascinating book, you will learn how to restore health and live
well by eating nutritious foods and asking health professionals to recommend
nutritional supplements. Ortho-molecular medicine has helped thousands of
patients, for decades. Optimum doses of essential nutrients tested safe and
effective. You can help yourself recover, feel better and live longer; then
tell your friends and families! You can order this book from any internet bookseller.
For information
about Andrew Saul’s other books: FIRE YOUR DOCTOR! How to be Independently Healthy is reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/review.html
DOCTOR YOURSELF:
Natural Healing that Works is reviewed at http://www.doctoryourself.com/saulbooks.html |
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AN IMPORTANT NOTE: This page is not in any way offered as prescription, diagnosis nor treatment for any disease, illness, infirmity or physical condition. Any form of self-treatment or alternative health program necessarily must involve an individual's acceptance of some risk, and no one should assume otherwise. Persons needing medical care should obtain it from a physician. Consult your doctor before making any health decision. Neither the author nor the webmaster has authorized the use of their names or the use of any material contained within in connection with the sale, promotion or advertising of any product or apparatus. Single-copy reproduction for individual, non-commercial use is permitted providing no alterations of content are made, and credit is given. |
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