Optimal Health Medical Blog

The Blog of Dr. Henry Sobo

Book Review: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins

Book Review: Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins

In striving to provide you the latest information on Nutritional / Complementary Medicine we have been reporting on Dr. Sobo’s attendance at medical / scientific conferences. In this edition of our newsletter we present a book review.

Thomas Levy, M.D. is a nutritionally-oriented Board Certified Cardiologist who has written Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins. Dr. Levy supports what he is writing throughout the book, referring to the documented research on this subject, in total referencing over 1,200 studies and articles about Vitamin C’s benefits in a variety of conditions. He particularly focuses on the benefits seen when Vitamin C is administered intravenously. This wonderful book provides an excellent reference for anyone who is considering the treatment and questions whether there has been enough research regarding the benefits.

In striving to provide you the latest information on Nutritional / Complementary Medicine we have been reporting on Dr. Sobo’s attendance at medical / scientific conferences. In this edition of our newsletter we present a book review.

Thomas Levy, M.D. is a nutritionally-oriented Board Certified Cardiologist who has written Vitamin C, Infectious Diseases and Toxins. Dr. Levy supports what he is writing throughout the book, referring to the documented research on this subject, in total referencing over 1,200 studies and articles about Vitamin C’s benefits in a variety of conditions. He particularly focuses on the benefits seen when Vitamin C is administered intravenously. This wonderful book provides an excellent reference for anyone who is considering the treatment and questions whether there has been enough research regarding the benefits.

The first part of the book focuses on infectious diseases. He documents the studies showing that Vitamin C has shown great benefit in many common bacterial and viral conditions that plague both children and adults. He cites specific studies with regard to Herpes virus, the “common cold”, viral pneumonia, mononucleosis, influenza, and others, concluding with the statement that intravenous Vitamin C “is undoubtedly the ideal agent for treating virtually any viral infection.” He goes on to review intravenous Vitamin C’s benefits in bacterial and parasitic infections as well.

The introduction to the second part of the book dealing with toxins is titled The Ultimate antidote. He starts with the statement that “Vitamin C has demonstrated the ability to neutralize a wide variety of toxic substances.” Among these are the toxic elements aluminum, mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. Also, research studies regarding Vitamin C’s beneficial effects on those exposed to environmental pollutants, industrial chemicals and radiation are discussed. And, finally, research regarding Vitamin C’s ability to counter the toxic effects of medications, such as those used in chemotherapy, is reviewed.  The documented benefits of this treatment with regard to immune system disorders, allergies, and cancer are discussed as well. Vitamin C is so important that Dr. Levy makes the statement, “there are very few human diseases or medical conditions that are not improved at least [to] some degree by the regular doing of optimal amounts of Vitamin C.”

The author also talks about the history of the presentation of the research of Vitamin C’s various benefits to the medical community and the response (or lack of it). This discussion helps to answer the skeptics comment which might go something like this; “if it’s so good how come all the doctors aren’t using it.” His clear discussion provides a lot of food for thought in this area.

Anyone interested in further researching the ideas presented here can look for more information in.

How to Live Longer and Feel Better by Linus Pauling

Adjuvant Nutrition in Cancer Treatment by Quillin and Williams

The Roots of Molecular Medicine edited by Richard Huemer

 

METABOLIC SYNDROME

The importance of the “Metabolic Syndrome” is catching on among physicians.

A constellation of signs and symptoms now being labeled “the Metabolic Syndrome” is recognized as doubling the risk of heart attack and stroke and is getting a lot of attention.

This syndrome is diagnosed when a patient has an elevated triglyceride level, a low-HDL Cholesterol, central obesity (excess fat particularly around the abdomen) and a tendency toward elevated blood glucose with an elevated insulin level. This problem is very successfully treated by dietary measures, which restrict processed carbohydrates.

Eating “low fat” to avoid cholesterol has been overdone and has lead many people to unhealthy low fat diets which utilize “fat free” products on the market which are composed almost entirely of processed carbohydrates. Many people have developed deficiencies of the important healthy fats called EFA’s (essential fatty acids). This can have deleterious health effects for a number of body systems including the heart, nervous and immune systems. Healthy eating is wrongly thought by many to mean avoiding fat. Avoiding sugars and other processed carbohydrates and eating healthy fats is very important.

 

THE RISKS OF SYNTHETIC HORMONES

The evidence continues to build that synthetic hormone replacement which for years has been touted as providing numerous benefits does not in fact provide many of the benefits hoped for, but does put a woman at risk of health problems including cancer. For more information on the evaluation of hormonal imbalance and the use of Natural Hormone Replacement, see the rest of our website.

 

Download a copy of this original Newsletter