Sylvie Beljanski

It was a great pleasure being a guest on the “Conscious Talk” radio show this morning. Dr. John Hall and I were invited on the show to speak about the most recent research done at Kansas University Medical Centre on ovarian cancer cells on behalf of the Beljanski Foundation.

You can listen to me on the show here:
http://conscioustalk.net/guest_detail.php?guest=1405

Considering that 22,280 women are expected to be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year in the USA alone, and that the mortality rate of ovarian cancer has not improved in 40 years, it is not surprising that the breakthrough research funded by the Beljanski Foundation attracts this type of attention. [1]

This interview was a fantastic opportunity to explain how the Dr. Beljanski’s botanicals are able to specifically target and inhibit the duplication of cancer cells’ DNA (i.e. kill cancer cells), even ones resistant to chemotherapy. This has been recently demonstrated again by the results of the study done at Kansas University, which also confirmed the existence of a powerful synergy of action between the botanicals and traditional treatment.

We also had an opportunity to review the similar results observed by scientists at Columbia University on prostate cancer cells. The prostate research has led to the publication of 3 peer-reviewed articles on the effectiveness of Dr. Beljanski’s plant extracts on prostate cancer cells, and more publications on ovarian and pancreatic cancer cells are forthcoming.

All this critical research is made possible due to the generous donations of people like you that share the commitment of making Mirko Beljanski’s research more widely available. Please visit the Beljanski Foundation’s website and subscribe to the newsletter to receive regular updates about this groundbreaking research.

What could be trendy today about a European scientist who was scorned by his peers during his lifetime and passed away fifteen years ago? Well, let’s put it this way: Have the ideas of the first “green” molecular biologist finally gained political momentum?

This is a critical election year for the United States, where both candidates are presenting distinctively different programs, while having to deal with an ongoing economic downturn that leaves little room besides cutting expenses. The Affordable Care Act (“ObamaCare “) is a law that aims to improve our current health care system by increasing access to health coverage for Americans, but the Romney/Ryan ticket says ObamaCare has far too many rules, mandates, taxes, fees and fines and it has made it clear that their intension is to repeal ObamaCare. In the meantime, there is bi-partisan interest in exploring new avenues of savings.  One of them happens to be integrative medicine.

Just a few weeks ago, the Huffington Post was commenting on a recent  article  “Are complementary therapies and integrative care cost-effective? A systematic review of economic evaluations” published in the British Medical Journal Open. This critically-needed review of all cost-effectiveness studies on complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) found 28 “high-quality studies,” according to lead author Patricia Herman, MS, ND, PhD. [1]

This review was global in scope and covered the years 2000-2010. Herman, an economist and licensed naturopathic doctor, first began the project with David Eisenberg, MD of the Harvard School of Public Health, in 2008. The goal was a comprehensive systematic review of economic evaluations of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) to establish the value of these therapies to health reform efforts. As quoted by the Huffington Post Herman states: “I’m tired of this talk that there is no evidence for cost-effectiveness of complementary and integrative medicine. There is evidence. We need to move onto phase two and look at how transferable these findings are. We can take this evidence and run.”

And there is certainly a willingness to run with it, as politicians see the growing interest of voters for CIM. The World Health Organization estimates that 80% of the world’s population, or about 4 billion people, currently use herbal medicine for some part of their health care. Thirty percent of the US population uses herbal remedies each year. In the past 10 years the use of high dose vitamins has grown over 130% and the use of herbal supplements has grown over 380%.  As interest rises, money follows, and policies change.

Gilbert’s Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center marked its one-year anniversary last month and the James M. Cox Foundation honored the milestone with a $5 million gift. The Center, which opened on the campus of Banner Gateway Medical Center on Higley Road just south of U.S. 60 in September 2011 will use the gift by the Cox Foundation to open the Cox Center for Integrative Oncology.

No wonder that there is a growing sense of urgency around the breakthrough publications by Kansas University, who  not only confirmed the anti-cancer effect on ovarian and pancreatic cancer cells of   two plant extracts (Pao pereira and Rauwolfia vomitoria) first discovered by Dr Mirko Beljanski, but also  found that the botanicals worked especially well when combined with traditional chemotherapy treatment. These very promising results provide further confirmation of Mirko Beljanski’s work. The study was first presented at a recent conference held in Oregon, USA. (Anti-cancer activity of extracts from Rauwolfia vomitoria and Pao pereira: Integrative Medicine and Health, May 2012), and since published in BMC.  To learn more about these findings download the abstract of the University of Kansas study.

On September 12, 2012 The Beljanski Foundation was featured on NBC New York Nightly News. Dr. John Hall and I were on the program to discuss the results of the Kansas University study on ovarian cancer for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. This month there are a string of radio interviews.  Next month I am scheduled to give a lecture in Paris, France.

Of course, more studies need to be done by The Beljanski Foundation, but the prospect of natural compounds able to help fight chemio-resistant cells, and reduce the need for large quantities of toxic drugs keeps everybody excited. No doubt that work of the French biologist has finally become trendy.

[1]  http://www.rand.org/about/people/h/herman_patricia_m.html

I hope that all my readers in NYC and the rest of the world are safe and warm. Also I would like to apologize to all that were awaiting my weekly post. It is however not my fault  – blame Sandy!

On October 29, the effects of a full moon, high tide and a cold air mass combined to become what is known today as “Frankenstorm” Sandy (literally a storm worthy of Frankenstein)! New York City and New Jersey were hit especially hard. The death toll in the U.S has recently risen to 88 and 157 victims were reported in the Caribbean and Canada. We would like to thank all those that kindly phoned in to ask how we were doing during the storm.

While everyone at Natural Source and The Beljanski Foundation is now safe, there are still thousands of homes without electricity or heating as winter approaches. The subway tunnels were flooded and the city became paralyzed for several days. Our office now has electricity and phone, but still no Internet access. Fortunately thanks to our IT experts we were able to connect to the Internet through our personal cell phones so your orders would not be excessively delayed.

Superhurricane Sandy is a further proof that both our lives and current circumstances are extremely fragile and temporary. Change occurs everyday. As we reflect on what happened last week, we are reminded of the value and importance of solidarity, friendship and commitment to what we believe in. Finally, the storm also shows us that we are tough and it will take more than a gust of wind to make us give up!

November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month. The pancreas is a gland about 6 inches long that is shaped like a thin pear lying on its side. The wider end of the pancreas is called the head, the middle section is called the body, and the narrow end is called the tail. The pancreas lies behind the stomach and in front of the spine.

As Apple is launching its new Ipad, let’s pause and remember Steve Jobs whom we lost to pancreatic cancer (PC) a year ago.   Although not as common as breast or prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society reports that since 2004, rates of PC have increased about 1.5% per year. The American Cancer Society further estimates that in 2012 there will be 43,920 new cases of PC and 37,390 people will die of the disease. Tragically, only 23% of those diagnosed will be alive a year after.  And the issue is not the access to treatment, or its cost. Prognosis of patients with PC is dismal, even after curatively intended resection, as observed by the American Society of American Oncology.

One reason for the often poor outlook for people with pancreatic cancer is that very few of these cancers are discovered early. Because the pancreas is located deep inside the body, early tumors cannot be seen or felt by health care providers during routine physical exams. Patients usually have no symptoms until the cancer has spread to other organs. Right now, there are no blood tests to find the cancer of the pancreas early. Because the disease is often detected in the late stages, less than 20 percent of patients with pancreatic cancer are candidates for surgery.

Another reason is that PC cells become often resistant to chemotherapy, leaving very few alternatives for successful treatment.  Gemcitabine, a chemotherapy drug has been a standard treatment for patients with advanced (and inoperable) pancreatic cancer for a decade.  But patients who received this chemotherapy drug after surgery lived only two months longer than patients who had surgery alone. This information has been validated by the final results of the randomized, prospective, multicenter phase III trial of adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine versus observation in patients with resected PC.

I could not agree more with the article that was published on mailonline.com entitled “’Tis the season to be healthy! Make sure you’re on top form for the Christmas party marathon with the ultimate pretox plan”:

“Few will have failed to appreciate the irony: just as the Christmas party season gets into swing, when we want to look and feel our best, cold and flu infections soar and we are laid low.

Little is known as to why, although one recent theory is that the effect of chilly weather on the nasal passages (try wearing a scarf that covers your nose) may increase our susceptibility to viruses.

No doubt this effect is multiplied by back-to-back late nights enjoying ‘one too many’, which can leave the immune system depleted and unable to fight off invading bugs. But there are steps you can take, starting now, to make sure your immunity is at an optimum for the party season.

The immune system is a complex network of cells, tissues and organs that defends the body from antigens – harmful bacteria, microbes, viruses, toxins and parasites.

Leukocytes (white blood cells), produced mainly in the bone marrow, are the body’s first defense. They patrol the bloodstream and lymphatic system and when an antigen is found they destroy and remove it. If they cannot, they alert more specialized immune cells to destroy the invader. If an immune cell does not recognize an antigen, it is allowed to circulate freely and multiply, which leads to a person becoming ill.

However, the immune system remembers an antigen after it attacks the body, ensuring a person cannot get ill from the same infection twice. This is how vaccinations work.

‘When you’re younger, unless your immune system is compromised through long-term illness, pregnancy or being overweight, it will be pretty strong,’ says Janet Lord, professor of immune cell biology at Birmingham University. However, from about 55, the network becomes less effective.”

Beljanski’s RNA fragments are known to support a healthy production of platelets, according to a study published by the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, “Dose escalation study of an anti-thrombocytopenic agent in patients with chemotherapy induced thrombocytopenia” (Levin et al. BMC Cancer 2012, 10:565).  Also, natural vitamin C and D will be most helpful to fend off any starting colds.  Those three products should therefore be considered as the first line of defense to protect you from the first nasty effects of cold weather.

When buying your vitamins, it is important to choose natural vitamins over synthetic vitamins as synthetic vitamins contain chemical compounds that are not identical to those created by nature, and are not meant for human consumption.  These ingredients lack co-factors, which are vital for absorption; they can even make you tired and sluggish.

Of course I recommend Targetage® supplements, but whatever brand you choose, make sure it is from a quality all-natural source.