Slash homocysteine levels up to 75 percent A recent study done in the Netherlands showed that betaine
can lower homocysteine levels in as little as two weeks.
Researchers measured homocysteine levels of 15 subjects, then
instructed them to take betaine for two weeks without making
any other changes at all to their diet. Two weeks later, the
subjects' levels were measured again and showed a significant
decrease. But the really impressive results came when the researchers
tested betaine on people that had critically high levels of
homocysteine. Those patients experienced drops in their
homocysteine levels of up to 75 percent! Remember how I've been telling you that your doctor was wrong
about advising you to limit eggs in your diet? And how I've
flailed at the American Heart Association at every opportunity
for getting restaurants to put a little red heart next to
items that the AHA recommended as "Heart Safe"? And that I
said: "Never eat anything labeled as 'Cholesterol-Free,' 'Low-
Fat' or 'Recommended by the American Heart Association'"?
Boy, I LOVE this job - almost as much as I love being right! But what does all of that have to do with betaine? Well, eggs
are your best source for betaine. That means the AHA and all
the doctors, following the AHA diktats, added to your risk of
heart disease by recommending their nutrition-free donkey
diet. Actions to take: (1) Your first line of defense against homocysteine: Don't
eat meat that has been cooked to death. (2) Be sure you get plenty of vitamin B6 (500 milligrams per
day), vitamin B12 (800 micrograms per day), and folic
acid (800 micrograms per day). (3) And don't forget to add betaine, our new rust buster, to
your daily supplement regimen. You can buy betaine
supplements and take 2 grams a day. Or, you can get your
betaine an easier (and cheaper) way by remembering the
following lesson: A raw egg a day keeps the doctor - and
the AHA - away. You can disguise the raw egg any way you
want. Mix it in a salad or some other food, and you won't
even know it's there. ******************************** Putting the bite on heart disease There's fresh evidence that tooth decay is linked to serious
heart disease. Doctors have found a connection between
infection of the gums and disease of the main arteries in the
neck - the carotid arteries. That's not the heart, but close
enough: scientists reported that infections in those arteries
increased the risk of heart disease and stroke. This
conclusion came from a study of 52 apparently healthy people.
Researcher Dr. Mitchell Elkind, of Columbia University, New
York, said: "This means that periodontal disease may not just
present a problem with oral hygiene and pose a risk for loss
of teeth, but it may in fact present a problem with
cardiovascular health and loss of neurological function or
loss of life as well." Sounds to me like dental hygiene is something we should all catch up on - before it catches up to us. Action to take: Forget the toothbrush and paste; use dental floss, toothpicks, and a mechanical water irrigator, such as Waterpic or Hydrofloss, to thoroughly clean your teeth and gums. Mix 1/2 an ounce of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (the kind you get at the grocery store) with the water you put in the machine. It will probably taste a little funny to you the first few times, but don't rinse your mouth out with water afterwards. Rinsing negates the effects of the peroxide. Over easy,
William Campbell Douglas II, MD | 
