Best of natural liver protection

The word “detoxification” is frequently mentioned in holistic circles. Perhaps the most important organ involved in this process is the liver. Without it, the body could not handle exposure to alcohol, environmental contaminants, junk food and even medications. The liver is responsible for promoting healthy blood (via the production of albumin and clotting factors) and combats fatigue by storing fat as an source of energy. Furthermore, it also aids in the absorption of life promoting nutrients such as CoQ10, Vitamins A, D, E and K. Simply put, without a properly functioning liver, one cannot live a vigorous life.

An herb known as milk thistle (Silybum marianum) is probably the best known natural remedy that supports healthy liver function. It has garnered this reputation with good reason. But there are some other lesser known ways to protect the liver as well. (1,2,3)

Liver Protector #1 – Coffee

A new study appearing in the journal Hepatology examined a proposed link between coffee consumption and hepatitis C outcomes. 766 Hep C patients were medically evaluated every 3 months for almost 4 years. During that time, they reported their average coffee and tea intake. Researchers found a dose dependent protective effect afforded by regular coffee use. The relative risk of disease progression was 30% lower in those drinking 1-3 cups of coffee per day and 53% lower in participants drinking 3 or more cups daily. An interesting side note is that black and green tea did not appear to confer the same benefit. Prior population studies appear to support the superiority of coffee vs. tea in this particular circumstance. The exact mechanism by which coffee imparts this protective effect isn’t clear at this time. However, some scientists suspect that certain phytochemicals in coffee (cafestol, diterpenes and kahweol) may block the damaging effects of toxins on this vital organ. (4,5,6)

Liver Protector #2 – Coenzyme Q10

Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like substance produced by the body that plays an integral role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system and supporting cellular energy. The liver is one of the richest sources of CoQ10. Perhaps this is why a recent study presented in the journal Biochemical Pharmacology points to its application in protecting against liver damage caused by a poor diet.

A group of mice was fed a junk food diet or a “balanced diet” for 8 weeks.The unhealthy diet was higher in fat and included 21% added fructose in the water supply.Some of the mice receiving the unhealthy drink and food were also supplemented with CoQ10.

The researchers reported that the junk food mice ate more, gained weight and demonstrated elevated blood sugar and “impaired glucose tolerance”. There was also a significant increase in inflammation and oxidative stress – particularly with regard to liver metabolism. On the other hand, CoQ10 supplementation countered some of these ill effects by decreasing liver inflammation and stress markers via altered gene expression in the liver. This is not the first mention of a hepatoprotective effect of CoQ10 in the medical literature. Other trials have concluded that this coenzyme may combat symptoms of cirrhosis and even mitigate the harmful effects of certain medications on the liver. (7,8,9)

Liver Protector #3 – Krill Oil

Krill oil is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids, phospholipids and a potent antioxidant known as astaxanthin, a carotenoid that gives wild salmon its distinctive pink color. The October 2009 edition of the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry points to a relatively new method for shielding the heart and liver against dietary insults. Much like the previous study using CoQ10, the mice in this experiment were fed two different types of diet: 1) a “standard feed” that was used for comparison purposes; and 2) a heavily processed feed that was intended to tax the cardiovascular system and liver. The researchers then added krill oil to the chow of some of the lab animals that were fed the unhealthy diet.

The mice who received krill oil while eating the unhealthy diet showed a reduction in liver fat content and liver weight.Lower levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides were also detected in the krill supplemented group.

It’s also interesting to note that krill oil provoked an increase in adiponectin levels. This is a substance released by fat cells that helps to regulate lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) and promotes insulin sensitivity. Higher levels of this hormone are connected to improved cardiovascular health and a reduced risk of diabetes. In general, marine-based omega-3 fats have been shown to support hepatic health. But krill oil appears to be more effective than fish oil in this regard. However, this conclusion needs to be interpreted with caution because it’s based on a very limited number of studies. (10,11,12)

Source: Can Fam Physician 2007;53:857-863 (a)

The single best way to support the liver is to avoid harming it in the first place. We all understand that abusing alcohol and drugs can ruin virtually any organ or system in the body. But not everyone is aware of the damage caused by consuming excessive carbohydrates on a regular basis. Even moderate amounts of carbs in the form of added sweeteners can lead to harmful shifts in lipid profiles and liver health markers. This is according to a new study conducted at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System in Seattle, Washington. The worst sweeteners appear to be the fructose based variety – agave nectar, crystalline fructose and high fructose corn syrup. A recent review in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry again points to fructose as a primary culprit in the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. On the flip side of the coin, the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition explains that higher protein intake may actually lower fatty deposits in the liver – via increased bile acid production. (13,14,15)

There may never be a drug, food or supplement that allows us to eat and live recklessly without suffering the consequences. However, I am a realist and do understand that most people don’t always eat and exercise as they should. Coffee, CoQ10 and krill oil may help overcome genetic weaknesses or the occasional dietary indulgence. But ultimately it’s important to remember that “supplements are meant to supplement an otherwise healthy lifestyle”. When used in that fashion, they can often be the body’s best friend.

Update: November 2010 - An analysis in the September 2010 issue of the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences determined that as many as 92% of patients with chronic liver disease are deficient in Vitamin D. A lack of D or cholecalciferol is most commonly associated with poor bone density. However, new evidence details a much more direct role for this nutrient in the management of the liver disease hepatitis C. A recent Italian trial evaluated the connection between Vitamin D concentrations and the response rate to conventional treatment of recurrent hepatitis C (RHC). A total of 42 patients with RHC took part in the 48 week examination. Fifteen of the study volunteers were given supplemental Vitamin D in order to address an overt deficiency and prevent further bone loss. In this subset of participants, 13 responded well to treatment by exhibiting “sustained viral response”. This compared favorably to the remainder of the non-supplemented participants: only 1 in 10 patients with severe Vitamin D deficiency (10 to 20 ng/ml) demonstrated sustained viral response. The conclusion of the study states that “Vitamin D deficiency predicts an unfavorable response to antiviral treatment of RHC. Vitamin D supplementation improves the probability of achieving a SVR following antiviral treatment”. This suggests that anyone concerned about or living with a liver condition would do well to monitor 25-OH Vitamin D serum levels. (16,17,18)

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Best of natural sinus congestion relief

If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from chronic sinus headaches, today’s column is for you. Several weeks ago my wife was in the throes of a severe sinus headache that had lasted several days. Nothing we tried seemed to help drain her sinuses at all. That is, until she came across a home remedy on the Internet that was attributed to one Dr. Lisa DeStefano. Prior to trying it out we were both highly skeptical. But that soon changed. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to apply rhythmic pressure to your ethmoid and vomer bone in order to promote sinus drainage. Details to follow.

After witnessing the seemingly miraculous effects of this simple exercise I decided to try to track down Dr. DeStefano. I needed to know if this was a fluke experience or perhaps just a placebo effect. To be honest I still wasn’t convinced that the information we tried out of desperation was legitimate. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dr. DeStefano was in fact an authority in osteopathic manipulative medicine. In fact, she is the chairperson and assistant professor at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. That initial communication lead to the following interview.

JP - Can you please give us a brief overview of the anatomy of the sinuses and how it relates to sinus headaches?

Dr. DeStefano - There are four pairs of paranasal sinuses each is named for the bone which they are in. The largest is the maxillary sinus located in the maxillary bone or cheekbones under the eyes. This is typically where most people experience pain when they have a sinus headache. The ethmoid sinuses are located between the eyes and nose. The sphenoid sinuses are located further back in the head behind the nose and eyes. The frontal sinuses are located above the eyebrows in the forehead. Each sinus is lined with soft tissue that produces mucous. All the sinuses drain into the back of the nose and into the throat. If the sinus cannot drain properly it becomes congested and signals to the brain that there is pressure within the sinus which can be interpreted as pain.

JP - How does applying rhythmic pressure to the ethmoid and vomer bone affect sinus congestion?

Dr. DeStefano - In the living person all the bones of the face have a varying capability to be deformed under pressure. Much like your rib cage can move if you press on one of its bones. Gently pressing the area between the eyebrows deforms the frontal bone and the ethmoid which sits right behind it. Alternately thrusting the tongue upwards on the hard palate deforms the maxilla and the vomer which sits right above it. This rhythmic volleying of subtle gentle motion allows the other bones that surround the sinuses to begin to billow a bit. It might be a small amount, but this motion is often enough to push fluid out of the sinuses. 20-30 seconds of gentle rhythmic billowing is all that is necessary.

JP - Is this exercise something you feel comfortable recommending in your own practice? If so, what type of success have you found?

Dr. DeStefano - I do suggest this in my practice; from my experience most everyone has some short increase in post nasal drainage as a result of this technique. Not everyone has relief however. Much of the success depends on the overall plasticity of the bones in the face and the degree of mucous membrane inflammation.

JP - Are there other natural techniques that can provide additional support when needed?

Dr. DeStefano - When my patients have chronic sinus problems I begin by treating them using cranial osteopathic techniques thus giving them the capability to naturally drain their sinuses. I often will suggest they stop using drying agents such as Sudafed because of the risk of rebound congestion and because it is very difficult to dry a chamber that is meant to be moist, often times what is left is sludge which will attract more moisture from the mucous membranes. I like salt water sprays and Neti pots as they will gently decongest the nasal membranes allowing the sinuses openings to become wider. These however cannot affect the sinuses themselves.

JP - Do you incorporate dietary or environmental interventions as part of a holistic treating plan?

Dr. DeStefano - Diet plays a huge role in congestion of the body in general. High inflammatory diets can have a detrimental effect on one’s sinuses if they have a predisposition to sinus congestion issues. I suggest my patients eat a low inflammatory diet regardless of their condition. Environmental factors also play a large role in sinus problems, but often are more difficult to control or eliminate. In these situations one must eliminate the global inflammatory influence on the body by eating a low inflammatory diet.

Saline Nasal Irrigation May Reduces Sinusitis Symptoms

Source: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2007;133(11):1115-1120. (a)

Dr. DeStefano also offered this concise, step-by-step guide to applying her technique: “Forget Sudafed. An easier, quicker, and cheaper way to relieve sinus pressure is by alternately and gently thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth, then pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. This rhythmic pressure causes the ethmoid and vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth. The motion loosens congestion: after 20 seconds, you will feel your sinuses start to drain.”

Modern science likewise supports incorporating neti pots and/or saline irrigation into natural sinus care regimens. The latest study on the matter was published in December 2009. It found that saline nasal irrigation provided significant improvements in the quality of life of children with acute sinusitis. The authors of the study noted symptomatic amelioration of cough, natural congestion, rhinorrhea (runny nose), sleeplessness and throat itching. (1,2,3)

While researching Dr. DeStefano’s comments about the utility of anti-inflammatory diets I discovered a scientific paper that suggests that alternate day fasting (ADF) may be a good way to promote sinus health. Researchers from Louisiana State University Medical Center report that rapid improvements in chronic sinusitis are often found in patients who adhere to an ADF program. Hopefully, future studies will continue to validate the link between diet and sinusitis scientifically. In the meantime, it’s good to know that there are safe and viable tools available courtesy of fine physicians such as Dr. Lisa DeStefano. (4)

Update: November 2010 - The concept of an anti-inflammatory diet is the focus of an upcoming edition of the Journal of Obesity. An advanced review of the paper points out three dietary changes that have occurred the over the past 30 years: a) increased consumption of refined carbohydrates; b) higher intake of refined vegetable oil (a source of omega-6 fatty acids); c) reduced consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish. The authors of the piece, which include the famed integrative physician Dr. Barry Sears, propose that this specific dietary shift has elevated the levels of “silent inflammation” in the population at large. They note that this eating pattern almost certainly results in higher post-meal blood sugar and insulin production, increased cardiovascular risk and obesity. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In short, the researchers define this modern diet as “The Perfect Nutritional Storm”. If you want to avoid getting caught in this downpour, consider cutting back on your intake of refined foods and emphasize whole foods that provide a more natural proportion of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids instead. (5)

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Best of natural memory booster

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a mind like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Leonardo Da Vinci or Socrates? It’s an intriguing daydream to “guesstimate” what we could accomplish if only we had greater cognitive faculties. But at the end of the day, we’re all at the mercy of our genetic blueprint, environment and upbringing. That is unless you’re willing to dig deep in order to try to stretch your mental boundaries. There are, in fact, certain steps that can be taken by ordinary men and women to optimize brain function. I’m not claiming that it’ll turn an average Joe into a 21st century genius, but it just might give you enough of an edge to get further in life than you ever suspected.

In a recent column I wrote about the essential role that minerals play in the function and health of the body and mind. The latest example is presented in the January 28th edition of the journal Neuron. A joint study conducted by neuroscientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Tsinghua University in Beijing discovered that supplementing with a special form of magnesium can lead to greater magnesium concentrations in the brain and ultimately improvements in cognitive function.

A new magnesium compound (magnesium-L-threonate) was used as an intervention in a group of old and young rats.Magnesium-L-threonate supplementation caused a significant increase in brain magnesium levels in both old and young rats.

The elevation in magnesium levels resulted in “enhancement of learning abilities, working memory, and short and long-term memory”. Older rats also demonstrated an improvement in “pattern completion ability”. Perhaps the most dramatic finding is that rats treated with magnesium-L-threonate: a) exhibited higher density in the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with learning and memory and; b) improved the communication between neurons in the brain, a process known as synaptic plasticity. The authors of the study concluded that “an increase in brain magnesium enhances both short-term synaptic facilitation and long-term potentiation and improves learning and memory functions”. (1)

Note: Magnesium threonate doesn’t appear to be commercially available at this time. According to the full text of the previously cited study, magnesium citrate may be the next best option.

The old adage about studying hard in order to succeed is as true as ever. However, new research suggests that resting may also be an important piece of the learning puzzle. New evidence from the the Center for Neural Science at New York University reveals that wakeful rest periods function in a similar way to a good night’s sleep in helping to retain memories. The mechanism behind this phenomenon appears to be due to enhanced activity between two key memory processing sites in the brain – the hippocampus and neocortex (lateral occipital complex). This revelation was detected by utilizing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a group of 16 test subjects before, during and after the performance of a mental task. Similar brain activity was noted when the study volunteers were engaged in the task and when they were resting, but thinking about what they had just learned. (2)

Two new studies report that physical exercise should be included in any holistic program with the intent of supporting healthy cognition at any age and protecting against age-related memory decline. The first experiment determined that adult mice who voluntarily exercised on a “running wheel” could increase the number of neurons (brain cells) in the hippocampal region. This positive development in turn improved their performance on tests measuring “spacial learning” – the ability to recognize new objects and surroundings. A trial recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine also points to resistance exercise as a therapeutic tool for improving “executive cognitive function” in seniors. A group of 155 men and women in nursing homes was enrolled in a resistance exercise program or a “balance and tone training” class over a 12 month period. The participants engaging in a once or twice-weekly resistance training demonstrated significant benefits with regard to “selective attention” and “conflict resolution”. An improvement in walking speed was also evidenced in the resistance exercise group alone. (3,4)

Exercise May Improve Mental Performance Regardless of AgeSource: PNAS December 8, 2009 vol. 106 no. 49 20906-20911 (a)

The issue of attention span is nearly as important as memory recall. If you’re unable to concentrate on any given topic you’re far less likely to retain it. An amino acid in tea known as l-theanine may be a reasonable aid to consider if this is a problem for you. Proof comes in the form of a new trial involving 29 healthy adults who were regular coffee and tea drinkers. The group of men and women was either given a glass of iced tea with 97 mg of theanine + 40 mg caffeine added to it or the same amount of regular iced tea. All of the subjects were asked to take a mental test before consuming the beverages, and 10 minutes and 60 minutes after consuming the respective liquids. After a period of 1-2 weeks, the participants were then asked to use the opposite drink and re-take the tests as a means of comparison. The results indicated that “The combination of l-theanine and caffeine improved attention on a switch task as compared to the placebo”. Furthermore, the authors remarked that there was an enhancement of test accuracy and speed in those receiving the supplemented tea. It’s also interesting to note that the theanine/caffeine benefits extended to both auditory and visual forms of learning and processing. (5,6)

As you’re reading this column today your brain is functioning at certain level. The conventional wisdom, or lack thereof, is that your cognitive ability is destined to decline with age. But what would happen if you started eating or supplementing with more magnesium? How about giving yourself a break between study periods and possibly drinking some tea with it? This might also be a good time to consider implementing a resistance exercise or running routine. As you can see, there are plenty of health promoting and inexpensive options that we can call upon in order to support optimal mental functioning at any age. The brain is a living organ that responds positively or negatively to the environment, lifestyle factors and stimulation in all forms. The bottom line is that we’ll likely get much more out of it if we provide it with what it needs.

Update: November 2010 - The upcoming edition of the journal Nutritional Neuroscience provides additional support for the use of a caffeine-theanine combination as a short term cognitive aid. The study in question reports that a daily dosage of 97 mg of L-theanine and 40 mg of caffeine is capable of enhancing cognitive functioning in healthy adults. Forty-four young men and women were administered the tea complex or a placebo prior to undergoing a series of mental tasks. Cognitive performance was assessed at baseline, 20 minutes after consuming the respective agents and 70 minutes post-ingestion. Those receiving the caffeine-theanine blend “significantly improved accuracy during task switching, self-reported alertness and reduced self-reported tiredness”. These findings indicate a beneficial effect on “focus attention during a demanding cognitive task”. (7)

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Natural Pain Relievers

Es gibt wenige Dinge im Leben, die schwieriger als in ständigen Schmerzen sind oder jemand sehen Sie lieben in der gleichen Situation. Chronischer Schmerzen im Zusammenhang mit Bedingungen notorisch schwer zu langfristig zu verwalten, ohne eine begleitende Nebenwirkungen von Behandlungen selbst sind. Aber was kann man? Entweder Sie Leben mit dem Schmerz und konventionelle Therapien zu verzichten, oder Sie nehmen die besten pharmakologische und chirurgische Gutachten, die ihre Ärzte zu bieten haben. Letzteres ist was die meisten Leute an zu begleichen, und es ist völlig verständlich. Es gibt jedoch auch natürliche schmerzlindernde verfügbaren Optionen. Mein gesundes Montag-Tipp ist, dass Patienten und Ärzten prüfen, indem alternative und ergänzende Techniken auf Ihrer Liste der lebensfähigen Interventionen.

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Natural health resources

What is the one thing that attracts and encounters, people and situations in your life? I think it is, how to look at the world. It is essential to understand how you really feel about the important questions of life. But from this point make decisions become even more interesting. Choose to surround yourself with people and places, the voice with your Outlook? Or will you ask, in other respects your philosophical ideas challenge? In my view, the latter and difficult of the two options is probably the better way to go. Maybe that why I like is so much Twitter.

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Pine bark reduce natural hay fever symptoms

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Allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever about 60 million people in the United States are affected.Hay fever causes demonstrates itching, swelling, mucus production, hives and rashes.A study, that an antioxidant plant extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine tree essential hay fever symptoms verbessert.Eurekalert reports:

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Natural Sinus Congestion Relief

Wenn Sie einer der Millionen von Menschen leiden unter chronischen Sinus Kopfschmerzen, ist die heutige Spalte für Sie. Vor einigen Wochen war meine Frau mitten in schweren Sinus Kopfschmerzen, die mehrere Tage gedauert hatte. Nichts wir versucht schien zu helfen, Ihre Nebenhöhlen überhaupt zu entwässern. Das heißt, bis Sie stieß auf ein Hausmittel im Internet, die ein Dr. Lisa DeStefano zugeschrieben wurde. Vor dem Versuch es heraus wir waren beide sehr skeptisch. Aber das änderte sich bald. Mein gesundes Montag-Tipp der Woche ist rhythmischen Druck auf Ihre Ethmoid und Pflugscharbein Knochen anwenden, um Sinus-Entwässerung zu fördern. Details folgen.

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New Film Investigates 'Fracking' For Natural Gas

Add to Playlist Download   text size A A A June 18, 2010

The natural gas industry says hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," could supply the U.S. with domestic energy for almost 100 years. But environmentalists are worried it may not be safe. Josh Fox, the director of the new documentary Gasland, talks about the potential dangers of fracking.

Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

IRA FLATOW, host:

You're listening to SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I'm Ira Flatow.

What would be your reaction if you opened up your tap for a drink of water and discovered not only was the murky fluid that came out unsafe to drink, but if you held a match to the tap, you could make the rushing water catch fire? That's exactly what happened to people across the country who say they were victims of a process of drilling for natural gas called fracking. Fracking is short for hydraulic fracturing. It's a process that blasts a mixture of water and chemicals deep underground to crack open the rocks and release natural gas.

And the tales of folks who lit their tap water to catch fire, some of them are saying they are becoming chronically ill while gas companies drilled in their backyards. They had nowhere to turn for help. It's documented in a new film to premiere on HBO on Monday. Josh Fox is the director of the documentary "Gasland." It premiers, as I say, on HBO. And he joins us here on our New York studios. Welcome to SCIENCE FRIDAY.

Mr. JOSH FOX (Director, "Gasland"): Thank you so much for having me.

FLATOW: You go all over the country for these people. And you start out in Pennsylvania.

Mr. FOX: That's right. I started out in Pennsylvania, because we were asked to lease our land in the Upper Delaware River basin, which is part of that interconnected watershed system which provides water to New York and to Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.

FLATOW: And you said no, finally.

Mr. FOX: Well, I started to look into the process.

FLATOW: Yeah.

Mr. FOX: It was, of course, a tempting offer, $100,000. And when the industry came in, they said, oh, this won't be a problem. It's just a fire hydrant in the middle of your field. We won't even drill, all these things. And say, well, look at all these money you're going to make. It seemed to me like an offer that was too good to be true, and I wanted to look into it.

So I traveled to a nearby place called Dimock Dimock, Pennsylvania, 50 miles away from me. And I found the place in utter dismay and disarray. Halliburton trucks all over the place. People - very scared, their water bubbling and fizzing, kids getting sick. One of the resident's water well exploded on New Year's Day 2009, just spontaneously combusted because I guess so much natural gas is pooling up inside the water well that the pump ignited it and it blew up into...

FLATOW: Did this only happen after the drilling...

Mr. FOX: After the drilling.

FLATOW: It wasn't there all this time?

Mr. FOX: No.

FLATOW: It was like natural gas pockets underground and...

Mr. FOX: Well...

FLATOW:...that might have existed and they happen to tap into while they were drilling their own well.

Mr. FOX: Residents insist that their water was good. There were pre-drilling tests that showed no methane or natural gas compounds, which are also some of the more volatile organic compounds that are carcinogenic...

FLATOW: Mm-hmm.

Mr. FOX: ...benzene, toluene, xylene. You know, the residents on the ground and everywhere that I went where this is a problem, chemicals migrating into the water supply from the drilling process. I mean, the natural gas industry maintains that this was naturally occurring.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm.

Mr. FOX: But...

FLATOW: Did they appear on - they never showed up - did you invite them to appear...

Mr. FOX: Yes, I tried to get interviews with all of the major natural gas companies. They turned me down at every instance. At one point I did get a chance to talk to a spokesman for Cabot Oil & Gas in Dimock and -you know, but that's about it. They basically said, no, we won't sit down with you.

FLATOW: Hmm.

Mr. FOX: We did catch up with them in Congress though. And at the end of the film, you can watch Diana DeGette and Maurice Hinchey, two intrepid members of Congress who've proposed an act called the FRAC Act, which would re-regulate the industry under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

FLATOW: FRAC Act has been sitting in Congress for a year now. We just pulled up a copy of it.

Mr. FOX: It's true.

FLATOW: And it's been sitting in the Senate. It's a Senate bill.

Mr. FOX: It's a Senate bill and a House bill.

FLATOW: And a House bill.

Mr. FOX: Yeah.

FLATOW: It's been sitting there since June 2009. I saw the date on it.

Mr. FOX: That's true. And they're trying to gather support, because this is an issue that's starting to get enormous amount of attention because hydraulic fracturing, which is this form of gas drilling, is coming east. Fifty percent of New York, 65 percent of Pennsylvania, half of all Ohio, all of West Virginia, parts of Virginia are over this formation called the Marcellus Shale.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm

Mr. FOX: And so those areas are being leased, and they're coming to landowners like myself and offering huge amounts of money to lease the -people's lands. But, you know, as I discovered on this trip across the country - and I went to 25 different states. The film focuses on about 10 different states. This is a total disaster everywhere it goes.

FLATOW: You said not only are the people's pipes catching - the water catching fire, but their animals are dying?

Mr. FOX: Yeah.

FLATOW: Getting chronic illnesses, they claim, you know, and the people just living there in the backyard.

Mr. FOX: Yeah. In heavy drilling areas, whether it's the water or it's the air, the process does release an enormous emissions into the air, both natural gas and other volatile organics. Yeah, there's a lot -there are a lot of people getting sick. And it's at a point where some of the experts, like Theo Colborn, feel that we have - the moment is ripe for doing some epidemiology, doing a health study, that there are enough people out there that are sick and complaining and so much damage that has occurred, that there needs to be a moratorium on this practice. And in fact, New York State...

FLATOW: Right.

Mr. FOX: ...is voting on two separate moratorium bills this week.

FLATOW: And the chemical they inject underground, the formula for that is secret...

Mr. FOX: Yeah, highly proprietary. Well, not everything is secret. Their - the fracking fluid is something - there are many different chemicals in the process that they use over time. At first, they thicken the fluid with gelants and then they turn it around and turn it into a liquid. And it's very, very - there's no friction at all. So they're injecting all these different chemicals down on the wellbore - about 596 that we know about - a lot of which are proprietary. We don't know the chemical compositions.

The industry is not releasing what those chemical compositions are. They're saying it's like the special formula for Coca-Cola. But this is, you know, being injected underground and left there by the millions of gallons. And we know that most of the stuff is toxic: carcinogens, neurotoxins, other - endocrine disruptors, things that are - can - that can really be very harmful in small, small quantities.

FLATOW: The FRAC Act, which is lying in committee in Congress, would force them to release all the information about what's actually in that...

Mr. FOX: Yeah. It would force the disclosure of the chemicals and reregulate the industry under the Safe Drinking Water Act. They were exempted from Safe Drinking Water Act in 2005 by the 2005 energy bill which was a baby of Dick Cheney and their energy taskforce. And, you know, in fact, hydraulic fracturing is exempted from most of our most basic environmental laws...

FLATOW: It shows it right there in the legislature?

Mr. FOX: In the 2005 energy bills, it says right there. Yes. This is the Halliburton loophole. It is the exemption for hydraulic fracturing to the Safe Drinking Water Act. But they're also exempt from the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, which controls storm water runoff and the Superfund Act. So they don't have - they're not liable to clean up their mess. And also, the Community Right to Know Provisions. I mean, the list goes on and on.

FLATOW: It's interesting that just today I got a press release in - this afternoon - from the environmental - National Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA announced there's a schedule of public meetings on hydraulic fracturing research city. They'll be having public meetings in July, starting July 8th, across the country. I find it interesting, the timing of this is three days before the HBO special.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. FOX: Well, there's good news, Ira.

FLATOW: Yeah. (Unintelligible)

Mr. FOX: We have shown the film to a lot of the - within the EPA so far. But the EPA study is partially good news. It's - they've had so much concern about this that yes, Congress has commissioned the EPA to do a two-year study. It's only a $1.8 million study. It doesn't include a health study, which is something that we think - I think this is really important because of all the sick people that I talked to across the nation. And they're scoping that study, I think, right now. And they're getting public comment on where to go and how to do it. And I think that's a good sign because - especially they're going to some of most heavily affected areas, Forth Worth, I think, Pennsylvania, New York and Colorado.

FLATOW: Let's go to the phones. Let's go to Steve(ph) in York, Pennsylvania. Hi, Steve.

STEVE (Caller): Hi.

FLATOW: Hi, there. Go ahead.

STEVE: Yeah. I'm just kind of interested, as a person that lives in Pennsylvania and I actually own some land on the Marcellus Shale. Do you have specific studies of how this has - how these illnesses have been manifested in people, in terms of what specific diseases these people are coming down with, that you're claiming.

Mr. FOX: Yeah. Well, we know what the chemicals do to people and we know the symptoms that we're seeing. Right now, there hasn't been a significant investigation into hydraulic fracturing, either by the EPA or - there has been one - there was one health study done in Colorado which found that it required urgent action to do a greater health impact assessment. But, basically - currently, what we're asking for is - I'm finding evidence on the ground. I'm going from place to place, town to town...

STEVE: What did they come up, endemic? I mean, what are people getting endemic? What are the - what illnesses are they coming down with?

Mr. FOX: Indeed. Well, the typical syndromes are neuropathies, sensitization, people having numbness in their hands and feet, which is signs of actual permanent brain damage. Other things that - just from drinking water - it's nausea, other digestive illnesses. And that's what people were coming down with in the immediate sense. And then when this water well exploded, people start to compare stories and figure out, oh, they didn't have some kind of a stomach problem. What they were having was something going on with their water.

STEVE: I'm just concerned that it's not very specific in terms of...

FLATOW: But the point is that they're - yeah, I think he's making, is that there haven't been any real studies done.

Mr. FOX: Mm-hmm.

STEVE: All right. Perfect.

Mr. FOX: We're asking for a study.

FLATOW: Yeah. All right. Thanks...

STEVE: Well, I hope they do, I really do.

Mr. FOX: (Unintelligible).

STEVE: Well, we need them.

FLATOW: Write your congressperson.

(Soundbite of laughter)

STEVE: I am. Oh, believe me.

Mr. FOX: But there's a kind of gas drilling syndrome that people have been identifying which has to do with a kind of a peripheral neuropathy. But the symptoms for these - exposures to this kind of chemicals range from, you know, skin and eye irritation, to respiratory irritation, to cancer. And those chemicals - the ones that we do know about have Manufactures Safety Dash Sheets that list those possible effects and a lot of them are carcinogenic.

FLATOW: But, well the - but the gas companies would say that they have -they are right within the law of what they are doing. They haven't broken any laws. That...

Mr. FOX: Well, that's true. But the laws don't apply to them. That's part of the problem here, that they've managed to lobby their way into exemptions to our most basic, fundamental environmental protections. And that is unfair in my view. We should be playing by the same rules as everybody else.

If I throw a car battery into the New York watershed, I can be prosecuted. But if you take the chemicals in fracking fluid and inject them by the millions of gallons into New York City watershed - and a lot of those are the same things that are in car batteries - they're completely exempt.

FLATOW: Mm-hmm. We're getting calls from scared folks in Pennsylvania. Hi, John(ph) in Mosherville. Hi, John.

JOHN (Caller): Hi. I'm calling because I'm also concerned about the chemicals. We have a farm that is a natural farm. We have oxen power and basically we're trying to keep the environment preserved as much as we can. And I guess, my point is that how can we effectively protect Pennsylvania and New York and other states that are at great risk? And apparently, there's no government action in the near future that will save us.

Mr. FOX: Will the New York State legislature, actually at the moment, is leading the charge. There's a - there are two moratoriums bills. There's a one-year moratorium and a two-year moratorium. And if you want to call them, I think that could lead the nation. Pennsylvania is allergic to the word moratorium. They're still worrying about - talking about regulations, which, out west, there was a campaign for regulating the industry. They - a lot of the grassroots organizations I've talked have said that's been ineffective in slowing the industry down.

So, the New York moratorium, certainly, that would be leading the nation right now, and would be a statement that would say, we, in New York, have no confidence in what the gas drilling industry is telling us. And, you know, that would put a brace on the process, I think, long enough to do some of the science - which we're trying to accomplish.

FLATOW: Talking with Josh Fox, director of "Gasland," which premieres in HBO on Monday, on SCIENCE FRIDAY from NPR. I'm Ira Flatow.

We've heard from America's Natural Gas Alliance, Dan Whitten, who's in the public relations office there, who says the film leaves a clear and false perception that hydraulic fracturing was to blame. This is simply not true, and there are several examples that the film veers from the facts. He's talking about your flaming faucet and Renee McClure in Colorado, that this was investigated and was a local pocket of gas.

Mr. FOX: This is not true. Amee Ellsworth's net gas, in that one segment where you have people lighting their water on fire, was - what they're saying is they're making a distinction between different kinds of natural gas.

And this is what I got in Pennsylvania. When I called Cabot Oil & Gas, the spokesman said, oh, I have a manual on my desk from 1937 that says, oh, we can light water on fire back then. There was no drilling. Then, lo and behold, three months later, the PA DEP chimed in and said, no, this is production-layer gas. This is gas that's coming from way down and we've identified it. I didn't hear from the Cabot spokesman after that. They had to sort of fess up. And I imagine that these cases are very similar.

However, the jury is still out - this can - about what kinds of gases liberates. When you're doing this - this is not supposed to be occurring at all. Gas is not supposed to be migrating into people's water supply from all that way down. Chemicals in the fracking process are not supposed to be found in wells as we found them in Wyoming. So something is up. Something is going on.

And the - I happen to trust the citizens on the ground who are saying, look, our water wasn't flammable before. They came and did a frack job, all of a sudden, our water is flammable. And what we're asking for are detailed investigations.

FLATOW: Well, you can see the documentary called "Gasland" premiering on HBO on Monday. Make your own decision and pick your own kind of action in either direction. Josh Fox, director, thank you for taking time to be with us today.

Mr. FOX: I really appreciate it. Thanks so much.

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Getting Great Skin The Natural Way

There are a plethora of creams, oils, notions and potions out there available to help make your skin look healthy, moist and young. All of them have all sorts of ingredients, some that can help your skin and some that can harm. But there are natural ways to help your skin and they tend to cost much less than their chemical laced replacements.

First of all, if you have unhealthy skin, take a look at your diet. Your diet will have a strong effect on the health of your skin. If your skin is in poor shape, your diet is probably just as poor. Change your diet to reflect a healthier way of eating.

If you want a good replacement for your night cream that won’t cost you a fraction as much, take a lime, squeeze it into a bowl and add a glass of boiled whole milk and a teaspoon of glycerin. Let it sit for half an hour after stirring, then apply it to your face, hands and feet before retiring to your bed. This will also help to cure pimples.

Have dry rough skin? Take a shower and exfoliate it, then take the yoke of an egg, mix in a few drops of lime juice and extra virgin olive oil. Spread it on your face and leave it until it feels dry. Wash it off with ordinary water and then splash on cold water.

There are many natural remedies you can use for your skin, you have but to research the subject.

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