Olive Leaf Extract--A New/Old Healing Bonanza

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Olive Leaf Extract -- A New/Old Healing Bonanza For Mankind is

intended exclusively for informational and educational purposes only

and not for medical advice. Consult a medical or health professional

for any questions regarding your health.

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Olive Leaf Extract

A New/Old Healing Bonanza for Mankind

by James R. Privitera, M.D.

 

http://www.alphazee.com/olive-leaf/olea.html

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INTRODUCTION

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Science has long stalked the chemical world within plants to uncover

their amazing healing secrets. Lately, these investigations have

yielded discovery after discovery of natural compounds with

promising health and medical potential.

Some of these compounds stimulate the production of anti-cancer

enzymes in the body. Others bind and neutralize certain carcinogenic

chemicals. Other have antioxidant effects,protecting the body from

oxidation damage caused by harmful molecular fragments known as free

radicals that contribute to aging and illness.

 

These natural compunds are found abundantly in roots, stems, leaves,

fruits and vegetables. They go by a variety of scientific names like

polyphenols, flavonoids, flavonols, pycnogenols, glucosinolates,

isoprenoids, carotenoids, tocotrienols and proanthocyanadins. To

keep things simple and pronounceable, we will just call them

phytochemicals or phytonutrients. Phyto stems from the Greek word

for plant.

 

The volume of current research is intense. Some experts say these

compounds may offer the best protection we know of against the

diseases that plague us today. There's much yet to learn about the

tissue-specific way they work. But with time, these phytonutrients,

in the form of supplements or medical preparations, may play a major

role in anti-aging medicine and how we prevent and treat disease.

 

Among the many phytochemicals that have interested me, as a

clinician, is oleuropein (pronounced oh-lee-or-oh-pin), a substance

found in the olive leaf. I, as well as other health practitioners,

have found that a natural supplement of olive leaf extract contains

substantial medicinal benefits. Among them, boosting the energy

among patients and aiding in the treatment of herpes and other viral

conditions, flu and colds, fungal infections, chronic fatigue,

mononucleosis and

allergies. I have also been surprised by unexpected results

generated by this supplement.

 

 

 

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The Olive Leaf in History and Medicine

 

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It is hard to avoid the conclusion that there is something very

special about the olive leaf. For one thing, it is the first

botanical mentioned in the Bible.

" And the dove came in to him in the evening, and lo, in her mouth

was an olive leafplucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were

abated from off the earth. " (Genesis 8 : 11)

 

After the Great Flood we didn't hear too much about the olive leaf

for a long time. Obviously this was a hard act to follow.

 

In a much later biblical time (Ezekiel 47 : 12), God speaks of a

tree: " The fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for

medicine. "

 

Was it the olive tree?

 

In Revelations, at the very end of the New Testament, there is an

angelic vision of a " tree of life " whose leaves " were for the

healing of the nations. " Today, as modern medicine increasingly

embraces phytochemicals it is interesting to speculate about the

biblical " tree of life. "

 

Again, was it perhaps the olive tree?

 

The ancient Egyptians may be been the first to put the olive leaf to

practical use. They regarded it as a symbol of heavenly power, and

in keeping with that belief, they extracted its oil and used it to

mummify their kings.

 

Later cultures found the leaf was better utilized for the living

than the dead. Over the ages, there is documentation that it was a

popular folk remedy for combating fevers.

 

The first formal medical mention of the olive leaf - an account

describing its ability to cure severe cases of fever and malaria --

ocurred about 150 years ago. In 1854, the Pharmaceutical Journal

carried a report by one Daniel Hanbury and contained the following

simple healing recipe:

 

Boil a handful of leaves in a quart of water down to half its

original volume. Then administer the liquid in the amount of a

wineglass every 3 or 4 hours until the fever is cured.

 

The author said he discovered the effective tincture in 1843 and had

used it successfully. This method became well known in England for

treating sick Britons returning from His or Her Majesty's tropical

colonies. The author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves

wasthe key healing ingredient.

 

He was right.

 

Decades later, scientists isolated a bitter substance from the leaf

and named it oleuropein. It was found to be one ingredient in a

compound produced by the olive tree that makes it particularly

robust and resistant against insect and bacterial damage. From a

technical angle, oleuropein is an iridoid, a structural class of

chemical compounds found in plants.

 

It is present in olive oil,

throughout the olive tree, and is, in fact, the bitter material that

is eliminated from the olives when they are cured.<

 

In 1962, an Italian researcher reported that oleuropein lowered

blood pressure in animals. This triggered a flurry of scientific

interest in the olive leaf.

 

Other European researchers confirmed this interesting finding. In

addition, they found it could also increase blood flow in the

coronary arteries, relieve arrhythmias, and prevent intestinal

muscle spasms.

 

Around this time, a Dutch researcher determined the active

ingredient in oleuropein to be a substance he called elenolic acid.

It was found to have a powerful anti-bacterial effect.

 

By the late 1960's, research by scientists at Upjohn, a major

American pharmaceutical company, showed that elenolic acid also

inhibited the growth of viruses.

 

In fact, it stopped every virus

that it was tested against. Among others, the substance was found to

counteract a variety of viruses associated with the common cold of

humans.

 

Moreover, a number of laboratory experiments at this time with

calcium elenolate, a salt of elenolic acid, demonstrated a strong

effect against not just viruses, but bacteria and parasitic

protozoans as well.

 

The compound worked effectively at low concentrations without any

harmful influence on host cell mechanisms, the American researchers

concluded. That meant they believed it to be extremely safe and non-

toxic, even at high doses.

 

Following test tube experiments, the pharmaceutical company launched

animal tests. Experiments showed the compound was indeed extremely

well tolerated. There was a hitch, however. In the body of an

animal, the substance rapidly attached to protein in blood serum.

For all intents and purposes, this meant calcium elenolate was of no

use. The binding action essentially took it " out of action, "

rendering it ineffective. As a result of this obstacle, research

into the compound as a potential virus and bacteria killing

pharmaceutical drug was dropped.

 

Nevertheless, research and interest in olive leaf extracts has moved

forward, primarily in Europe. Among the most recent findings are

these:

 

 

In a series of experiments, oleuropein was found to inactivate

bacteria by apparently dissolving the outer lining of microbes.

 

At the University of Milan Pharacological Sciences, researchers

found that oleuropein inhibited oxidation of low-density

lipoproteins, the so-called " bad cholesterol " involved in heart and

aterial disease. This revelation, if confirmed by further research,

suggests that oleuropein may contain antioxidant properties similar

to other phytochemical compounds.

 

Medical researcher Morton Walker,

D.P.M., writing about olive leaf extract in the July 1996 issue of

the Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, comments that the

intake of flavonoids " is correlated with a lower incidence of

cardiovascular disease indicated that the daily intake of olive oil

and/or olive leaf extract containing phenols will likely bring on a

similar result. " At the present time, the cardiovascular research

community is excited about such actions.

 

Studies have shown that

some phytochemicals can reduce the harmful oxidation of cholesterol

as well as slow down the accelerated clumping of blood platelets

that can lead to dangerous clots.

 

At Spain's University of Granada, pharmacologists determined that

olive leaf extract causes relaxation of arterial walls in laboratory

animals. Such results suggest a possible benefit for hypertension,

an effect first mentioned by researchers more than 30 years ago.

 

In Tunis, researchers found that aqueous extract of olive leaves

reduced hypertension, blood sugar, and the level of uric acid in

rodents.

 

This finding again indicates potential in the treatment of

hypertension, as well as diabetes and heart disease. An elevated

uric acid level is a risk factor for heart disease.

 

Remember the biochemical snag mentioned earlier -- that elenolic

acid binds with proteins in the body to nullify any therapeutic use?

The problem has been overcome and the door opened for the

development of effective olive leaf extract supplements.

 

Such products are now available, containing oleuropein and

synergistic olive leaf extracts, including flavonoids.

 

The medicinal firepower is there.

 

The safety is there.

 

The added benefit of other phytochemicals is there. In short, we now

have an exciting new herbal with a promising future.

 

 

 

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Olive Leaf Firepower

 

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For the record, the researchers at Upjohn found calcium elenolate

effective in test tube experiments against the following viruses:

herpes, vaccinia, pseudorabies, Newcastle,Epstein Barr, Coxsacloe A

21,

encepthlomyocarditis, polio 1, 2, and 3, vesicular stomititus,

sindbis, reovirus, Moloney Murine leukemia, Rauscher Murine

leukemia, Moloney sarcoma, and many influenza and parainfluenza

types.

 

They found it effective against these bacteria and parasitic

protozoans: lactobacillus plantarum W50, brevis 50, pediococcus

cerevisiae 39, leuconostoc mesenteroides 42, staphylococcus aureus,

bacillus subtilis, enterobacteraerogenes NRRL B-199, E. cloacae NRRL

B-414, E. coli, salamonella tyhimurium, pseudomonas fluorescens, P.

solanacearum, P. lachrymans, erwinia carotovora, E. tracheiphila,

xanthomonas vesicatoria, corynesbacterium Michiganese, plasmodium

falciparum, virax and malariae.

 

The researchers credit a number of unique properties possessed by

the olive leaf compound for the broad killing power:

 

An ability to interfere with critical amino acid production

essential for viruses.

 

An ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating

viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the

cell membrane.

 

The ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral

replication.

 

In the case of retroviruses, it is able to neutralize the production

of reverse transcriptase and protease. These enzymes are essential

for a retrovirus, such as HIV, to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.

 

It can stimulate phagocytosis, an immune system response in which

cells ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.

 

The research suggests that this may be a " true anti-viral " compound

because it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific

system in the infected host. It thus appears to offer healing

effects not addressed by pharmaceutical antibiotics.

 

 

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Clinical Perspective

 

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Clinically, the olive leaf extract has been used for a relatively

short time. Health professionals began using it early in 1995 when

it first became available. Although we do not have long-term

perspectives as yet, initial results are very positive. We see a

very promising and unique herbal with multiple applications. It

shows considerable therapeutic action against many common

conditions. In short, it appears to be living up to its unique

background and expectations.

 

From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that

supplemental olive leaf extract may be beneficial in the treatment

for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus,

bacterium, or protozoan.

 

Among such conditions are influenza, the

common cold, meningitis, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV), encephalitis,

herpes I and II, human herpes virus 6 and 7, shingles, HIV/ARC/AIDS,

chronic fatigue, mononucleosis, hepatitis B, pneumonia,

tuberculosis, gonorrhea,

malaria, dengue, bacteremia, severe diarrhea, blood poisoning, and

dental, ear, urinary tract and surgical infections.

 

In our clinic, we use olive leaf extract for a variety of infectious

and chronic conditions. We also believe that many people who lead

stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and

viruses may benefit from long-term use of olive leaf extract as a

preventive agent.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I am constantly surprised by unexpected

benefits reported by patients. This indicates that we are perhaps

just scratching the surface in our understanding of phytochemical

benefits. Patients have told me about improved psoriasis,

normalization of arrhythmias (heart beat irregularities), and less

pain from hemorroids, toothaches and chronically achy joints.

 

I myself cured a chronic toenail fungal infection after starting on

the supplement. It had not responded to the many other nutrients

that I take.

 

One woman with bad allergies reported significant improvement and a

level of energy she hadn't felt for years.

 

One elderly male with severe arrhythmia told me his condition had

vastly improved in about eight days just from taking olive leaf

extract alone. A woman with mild arrhythmia said her condition

improved substantially while she took the supplement and then slowly

became irregular again after she ran out.

 

We know from the oleuropein research done in the 1960s that the

substance improves blood flood to the heart and acts to normalize

arrhythmias. Currently, we are learning much about the

cardiovascular benefits of the phytochemical compounds found in

grape seeds, onions, kale, green beans, broccoli, and other

vegetables. It will be interesting to see what benefits the

particular phytochemicals in olive leaf extract produce for heart

and arterial health.

 

Phil Selinsky, a naturopathic doctor at the Institute for Holistic

Studies in Santa Barbara, and biochemist Arnold Takemoto, who has

been developing patient nutritional programs on behalf of physicians

in Arizona for 15 years, have found olive leaf extract to be an

effective addition to their array of natural healing tools.

 

After using the supplement in dozens of cases for over a year,

Selinsky is impressed with the benefits and looks forward to

continued use and greater understanding about its most effective

applications.

 

There is no doubt that olive leaf extract has real healing power. In

a moment I will go into much greater detail on how it has helped

patients.

 

It is important to keep in mind, however, that like any nutritional

supplement it should not be considered a cure-all or panacea. In

holistic practices such as mine, individual supplements are part of

a comprehensive program that includes better diet, exercise, and

stress control methods. That's how we maximize health and minimize

symptoms.

 

In such a program, a patient may start with supplement X, Y and Z,

get involved in an exercise program, and experience perhaps 50

percent relief for a given condition. That's a lot of relief but

then we keep trying to improve the situation. We now add another

supplement, let's say the olive leaf extract, and we get another

degree of improvement, often quite large. In this manner, we

continually tailor the program of an individual patient for the best

results. And in this scheme of things, olive leaf extract is making

a very positive contribution. It complements all the good things

patients are doing.

 

There is always the possiblity that one ingredient, one supplement,

can fill a large gap or particular need in the body and by itself

lead to major improvement. We see that happen all the time. But

usually it is all the elements in a nutritional program that work

together -- like a team of horses pulling a wagon -- that gets the

job done most effectively.

 

Biochemist Arnold Takemoto puts it this way: " Olive leaf extract is

not a single magic-bullet. There are very few such things,

especially in non-pharmaceutical medicine. In many cases it takes a

whole lot more than just one ingredient to get over a particular

condition.

 

Yet I find it a very valuable addition against chronic

fatigue syndrome, mononucleosis, and many other viral conditions,

especially those

that are more tenacious. It fills a hole that we haven't been able

to fill before. "

 

In the Townsend Letter article, Takemoto told Morton Walker that he

has " yet to discover another herbal substance that accomplishes

antimicrobially what this substance achieves. "

 

Takemoto went on to say that Lisa Weinrib, M.D., one of the

physicians he works with, treats many cases of fibromyalgia,

mononucleosis and

chronic fatigue syndrome.

 

She has noticed that patients with these problems exhibit much

improvement from use of the extract, according to Takemoto. " It's

the missing link that functions as an antiviral and antiretroviral

agent by slowing down the organism's reproductive cycle. A

slowdown...allows the patient's immune system to go on the attack. "

 

Takemoto says olive leaf extract has helped patients eliminate

stubborn viral infections they have had for years. One patient, who

had suffered from shingles (herpes zoster) for nine years,

experienced complete relief within two days of starting olive leaf

extract and other supplements.

 

" In my approach, " Takemoto says, " I target key antibody responses

for specific viruses, stimulate the immune system, and with olive

leaf extract attempt to inhibit the reproduction of the virus. It

takes everything to get over some of these real chronic conditions. "

 

 

 

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More Energy

 

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One of the most frequent comments we hear from patients after they

start taking olive leaf extract is that they feel more energetic and

have a greater sense of well-being. Many want to continue the

supplement even after the treatment program has cleared up or

reduced specific problems.

 

Some patients are energized to the point that they inquire whether

there is an " upper " in the product. There is not. It simply

generates a natural " upper " effect. Healthy people who take it say

they also feel this infusion of energy.

 

One of my patients is an 18-year-old professional ice-skater who

says that one or two olive leaf extract tablets a day helps her

sustain the high energy level she needs for practice and

performance.

 

In my clinic, as in many others, fatigue is the No. 1 complaint. I

am not refering to serious chronic fatigue situations but just

routine tiredness, likely caused by a combination of consuming a

dead food diet and not exercising. The average person, of course, is

not going to change eating habits and is not going to go on a

regular exercise program. In such cases, the olive leaf extract

looks like a good source of pep for the pepless.

 

 

 

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Chronic Fatigue and Mononucleosis

 

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In my experience, olive leaf extract also has helped in many chronic

fatigue cases, even the most serious. One female patient described

to me what she called a " really quite unbelievable " recovery within

one month of taking the supplement.

" For the last few years I have not been feeling like myself. I've

had little energy and enthusiasm for anything. This is not my usual

nature. I attributed it to weight, unemployment and just being down.

My head was always somewhat achy and I couldn't figure out why. The

only way I could describe it would be as a constant low-degree

headache which never left.

 

" I started taking olive leaf extract and noticed an immediate

elevation of my spirits. What I liked about the product was that it

was effective but gentle and didn't make me hyper or unable to

sleep. Quite the contrary, I slept better.

 

" After a few days I began to notice more energy and a stronger sense

of well-being. The cobwebs in my brain started to diminish. I also

noticed a bad shoulder and a bad knee started to get better. The

pain associated with these joints remarkably improved.

 

" The only side-effects I had were a couple of headaches in the

beginning which disappeared with some aspirin. I started to feel

much, much better. It was amazing to see the fatigue disappear and

my general health improve. I couldnít believe I felt so well. I

stopped taking the product after 30 days and experienced no

withdrawal or anything. I simply felt better and that has stayed the

same for the last 60 days without the product. "

 

Another female patient with Epstein-Barr Virus reported that the

supplement " has helped me very much in overcoming the tiredness I

feel. It has given me energy. "

 

For some very sick individuals, including people with chronic

fatigue syndrome or particularly heavy loads of virus or bacteria in

their bodies, olive leaf extract may possibly generate

detoxification symptoms -- known as the " die-off effect " -- that may

be unpleasant.

 

Such people may actually feel worse for a short time before feeling

better. As an example, many chronic fatigue patients suffer from an

associated depression. Patients of mine who toughed it out through

the " die-off " period emerged highly energized and no longer

depressed.

 

The " die-off effect, " or Herxheimer Reaction as it is medically

called, refers to symptoms generated by a detoxification process. If

you are sick and use this product, you should be aware of the

possibility. For this reason it may be advisable to consult first

with a holistic health practitioner before using it.

 

If you have ever used Nystattin to fight yeast infections, you are

probably familiar with this situation. Nystattin kills yeast. As the

body becomes full of dead yeast, you may experience a variety of

detox symptoms. Symptoms may intensify to the point where you need

to stop or reduce the dosage of the medication in order to give your

body a chance to eliminate the toxic waste.

 

Olive leaf extract is potent stuff. It can generate an internal

cleansing action that may similarly cause significant detox

symptoms. Refer to the next chapter about what to do if you

experience such a reaction.

 

 

 

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" Die-off " Effect

 

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" Die-off " symptoms can begin almost immediately after starting the

supplement. It can hit different people in different ways. Reactions

include extreme fatigue, diarrhea, headaches, muscle/joint achiness

or flu-like symptoms. Severity differs also from person to person,

depending on the extent of infection.

Keep in mind that such symptoms are positive signs. Nevertheless,

they can be unpleasant. Some people may not want to continue because

of the discomfort. Others handle it better. Others experience no

such effect.

 

Here's what to do in case of substantial detoxification symptoms:

 

Reduce the number of tablets, or even stop them altogether for a

while.

 

You may need a day or two, or even a week, to allow your body to

process the " die-off. "

 

When you feel better, you can resume the supplement at a low dose

and increase slowly.

 

Holistic practitioners can usually provide a supportive

detoxification program for individuals who experience a strong " die-

off " response. In my clinic, this program includes taking vitamin C

to bowel tolerance. Such a regimen is best done under professional

guidance.

 

Other than the " die-off " detoxification effect among some

individuals, olive leaf extract appears to create no side effects.

Past research with calcium elenolate, the derivative or oleuropein,

included safety studies with laboratory animals. They were dosed

orally and also via injection. The only symptom observed was a mild

irritation of the mucous membrane among some animals at the

injection site. Since olive leaf extract is taken orally, this

observation is basically irrelevant.

The research indicated that doses many times higher than recommended

are unlikely to produce toxic or other adverse side effects. During

1993 testing of the liquid form of the product against the herpes

virus, there were no observed or reported side effects.

 

 

 

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Potential Against Serious Infectious Diseases

 

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Deaths from infectious diseases, formerly on the decline, have

recently taken an alarming upward turn in this country.

According to federal researchers, such deaths rose by 58% from 1980

to 1992, pushing this category of illness up behind heart disease

and cancer in the No. 3 spot of killer diseases.

 

While the AIDS epidemic accounts for most of the rise, experts say

there has been an unusual increase in mysterious respiratory

infections among the elderly and blood infections among people of

all ages. When you eliminate the AIDS the death rate during the same

period for all other infectious diseases rose by 22 percent.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO), back in 1978, looked to the

future and issued a report which contended that by the year 2000,

sources other than Western, technological medicine would be needed

in order for all people to have adequate health care. The

organization subsequently adopted the report that recommended the

use of traditional forms of healing and medicine, such as the use of

herbs, to meet the demands of an factor, exploding global

population.

 

As we approach the year 2000, the wisdon -- and the urgency -- of

this advice is obvious in the light of the serious side-effects and

shortcoming of pharmaceutical drugs.

 

With the emergence, for instance, of antibiotic-resistant bacterial

strains, natural products such as olive leaf extract take on greater

importance. Even if new antibiotics are developed, new infectious

bacteria would emerge that are resistant to new drugs. In the case

of herbal medicinals, their complex chemistry may often render them

potentially more effective against a wide variety of microorganisms

for which pharmaceutical drugs prove to be ineffective.

 

 

 

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AIDS

 

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It will be interesting to see if olive leaf extract can benefit AIDS

cases. We know that it inhibits the production of reverse

transcriptase and protease, enzymes necessary for certain viruses,

such as HIV, to damage healthy cells.

Informal, preliminary reports are promising.

 

Mark Konlee, editor of " Positive Health News, " a newletter on

alternative treatments that circulates widely in the AIDS community,

has reported exciting initial results with olive leaf extract,

either in the tablet supplement form or directly as a tea brewed

from leaves, in combination with other ingredients.

 

Those other ingredients, according to Konlee, have been found to be

highly beneficial over the years. They include:

 

 

Naltrexone, an immune-stabilizing drug used in the treatment of

heroin and alcohol addiction. Clinical trials conducted by Bernard

Bihari, MD, a New York City physician specializing in HIV/AIDS,

demonstrated that this preparation stops the progression of the

disease and the decline of the immune system in a majority of

patients who take it regularly. Naltrexone stimulates key hormones

regulating the immune system and the communication between the brain

and immune function. No side effects have been reported.

 

DNCB (dinitrochlorobenzene), a chemical used in photography labs

that is applied in small doses on the skin. This compound acts as

anti-viral agent by stimulating killer cell activity. An estimated

7,000 patients with AIDS have used this substance for some 10 years.

 

A blend of olive oil/whole lemon juice. This " grassroots " recipe

appears to be uniquely helpful in reversing neuropathy, swollen

lymph nodes and wasting syndrome associated with the HIV.

 

For more specifics on this approach, interested individuals may

contact " Keep Hope Alive, " P.O. Box 27041, West Allis, WI 53227, or

by phone at 414-548-4344.

Konlee reports that the combination, with added olive leaf

extract, " has producted stunning results, " including viral loads

dropping dramatically within a month. Among the cases he describes

are these:

 

1. A patient had been using Naltrexone since October 1995 along with

weekly topical applications of DNCB. He had not used the olive

oil/lemon juice blend. In August of that year he had had a CD8 count

of 700. CD8 refers to killer T cells, which, along with so-called

Natural Killer cells, are major immune destroyers of virus infected

cells. They reduce viral loads and inhibit damage to the body's

defenses.

In January of 1996, his CD8 count had risen to 1380. In March of

1996 he added olive leaf extract at the standart dose of one capsule

four times daily. He initially experienced a mild headache, a

probably " die-off effect. " Within days, he reported a significant

increase in energy along with the disappearance of swollen lymph

nodes. He said he felt 20 years younger. On March 21, his CD8 count

had soared to 1920! His physician said never before in his career

had he seen such improvement in an AIDS patient.

 

2. One patient reported that after finishing a bottle of olive leaf

extract, one of three Kaposi Sarcoma lesions on his chest vanished.

He experienced headaches and flu-like symptoms for about two weeks,

again a probable " die-off effect. " Continuing with a second bottle,

he said the second lesion was completely gone and the last one

was " fading fast. "

His HIV viral load, as measured by PCR technology, had dropped from

160,000 to 30,000 in two months. Soon afterward, he reported that

his PCR results for HIV were now down to 692.

 

3. An HIV patient reported his genital herpes vanished within four

days of starting on the olive leaf extract.

 

4. Another patient with Kaposi's Sarcoma and retinitis added five

capsules of olive leaf extract daily along with Naltrexone and DNCB.

After doing this, he said that the sarcoma lesions stopped growing.

This prompted him to stop two drugs he had been taking --

Ganciclovir and Biaxin -- because of severe intestinal side effects.

A few days after discontinuing the drugs, his digestion returned to

normal. He soon reported improved vision and that lesions were

becoming lighter in color.

 

5. One patient took the olive leaf extract by itself for about 3 1/2

months. His HIV viral load dropped nearly in half as a result, along

with significant improvements in his white blood cell counts. After

adding Naltrexone and the lemon/olive oil drink, his improvement

accelerated.

 

 

 

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Herpes

 

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I have recommened olive leaf extract to many patients with herpes.

The results have been encouraging.

One man in his early 40s suffered from repeated lesions plus

fatigue. In a week after starting the supplement, his lesions

disappeared and his energy level increased. He told me that olive

leaf extract was the only preparation that had ever cleared up the

herpes. " Even the most minute blisters are gone, " he said.

 

A female patient had an unusually stubborn herpetic cold sore in the

mouth for four months. She also suffered from cancer, thus there may

have been some significant immune exhaustion involved. After one

week with the olive leaf, the sore disappeared.

 

These and other similar clinical successes are consistent with a

private 1993 herpes study in humans. In that investigation, a weaker

and ethanol (alcohol-based) form of olive leaf extract was used by

six individuals with herpes.

 

All reported symptomatic relief.

 

Three said their lesions disappeared within 48 hours. The remaining

three, who experienced no improvement, then received a stronger

dose. One said that three days later, most of the lesions were gone.

The other two also reported doing better.

 

All six subjects said the olive leaf extract produced better results

than Acyclovir, a medication they had previously used.

 

 

 

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Flu and Colds

 

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Results to date indicate that olive leaf extract may be a good

weapon against the common cold and flu. Consider the following

letter written to me in August of 1995 by a female patient suffering

from persistent flu symptoms:

" I became ill with the flu in February and had several immune

boosters, extra vitamins and three antibiotics. My fever was 102-103

every afternoon and this continued even after the antibiotics. I

developed paralyzing chest and abdominal pain, being confined to the

couch for weeks -- not able to hardly walk. My weight dropped to 84

pounds. Medical tests revealed nothing specifically wrong.

 

I started taking olive leaf extract on July 18. Within a few days my

temperature started dropping and it is slowly and steadily going

down, so that some days I haven't needed to take Tylenol to reduce

it. The pain is subsiding gradually and my appetite and strength is

returning. "

 

At the time of her next medical examination, the woman's temperature

had been normal for a week. She hadn't needed pain-killers for two

weeks.

 

I received a striking testimony from an elementary school teacher

with a history of asthma and vulnerability to colds and flu. She

felt that olive leaf extract fortified her against the constant

exposure to germs circulating throughout her classroom.

 

" I used to get sick all the time, " she told me. " One school year I

got strep throat eight times. If you sneezed at me, the chances are

I would get sick. Not any more. When many kids in my class were

coughing, sneezing, and blowing their noses before Christmas, I

caught a slight cold and that's it. "

 

 

 

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Bacterial Infections

 

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The ability of olive leaf extract to destroy bacteria was

demonstrated dramatically in the case of a 64-year-old physician who

had been bedridden for several years following a serious stroke. He

also had recurrent bladder infections which caused considerable

pain, smelly urine and fever.

All efforts to alleviate his condition had been generally

unsuccessful. Even a $1,000 antibiotic specially made for him had

not worked. He had constant discomfort. His urine was cloudy " and

looked like soup. " Often it was bloody.

 

After one month on olive leaf extract, the infections had vanished.

After six months, the condition has not recurred.

 

The doctor also suffered from frequent allergies and colds and had

to take medication to keep these under control. The incidence and

severity were significantly minimized with the supplement and as a

result he requires considerably less medicine.

 

Naturopath Phil Selinsky reports success against bacterial

infections in a number of cases. These include sinus and bladder

infections and oral infections associated with tooth or gum disease.

 

" Some patients have told me that olive leaf extract took down their

dental-related infections within hours, " according to

Selinsky. " They were quite impressed by the response. "

 

The general recommendation for olive leaf extract is four tablets

daily. For these kind of infections, Selinsky recommends patients

begin with two tablets followed by another every four hours.

 

" That usually gets you on top of the situation, " he says. For more

serious infections, tablets can be taken at shorter intervals.

 

One night a patient of mine developed swelling and intense pain from

an abscess and decided to take several tablets at one time. It

reduced the pain. In the morning, when the pain returned, he took

a " handful " of tablets -- about eight or nine, he guesses. An hour-

and-a-half later, the pain and swelling were gone. The pain did not

return but a dental examination determined that the involved tooth

had to go.

 

 

 

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Diabetes

 

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Researchers have found that the natural olive leaf compounds can

decrease the level of blood sugar. I have had several cases in my

clinic confirming this finding.

One involved a 15-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes. The teenager

had been regularly taking 350 units of insulin daily for control.

After one month on olive leaf extract, she was able to maintain

similar control with just 220 units.

 

In another case, the blood sugar level of a diabetic elderly priest

dropped from 450 to 160 after three months. In an yet another

instance, the blood sugar of a middle aged man stabilized at 140,

down from 250, after one month. He reported a great increase in

energy during this time.

 

These results are exciting. I look forward to more opportunities to

gauge the benefits of olive leaf for diabetics. Will it generate

improved blood flow and antioxidant effects to help against the

destructive vascular complications of diabetes that contribute to

stroke, heart disease and peripheral circulatory problems?

 

Time will tell.

 

 

 

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Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

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A number of patients have experienced significant easing of joint

pain. We don't know yetprecisely how this is happening.

A male patient, who had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis

five years before, had this to say: " After taking all the medicines

I could stand with no real results, I was informed about some

nutritional supplements. One of them was an olive leaf

extract.' " After taking it for three weeks I noticied more

flexibility in my fingers, elbows, and neck. There was marked relief

of muscle tension surrounding my joints. Overall I am enjoying olive

leaf extract with my daily routine. "

 

 

 

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Multiple Symptoms

 

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One of our clinical observations is that olive leaf extract appears

to work on many different levels in the body. As a result we often

hear reports from patients that a variety of symptoms begin

improving.

One woman with chronic fatigue, frequent colds, asthma, and vaginal

yeast infections said that all her symptoms had virtually cleared up

within five weeks. The woman, a teacher, was able to take on new

projects she wouldn't even begin to think were possible before.

 

A male patient wrote a detailed letter about his experience:

 

" I became ill in December 1993 and was diagnosed with a stomach and

prostrate infection. I was treated with high doses of antibiotics,

but never fully recovered. I was troubled with multiple symptoms,

some of which were back and neck pain, fatigue, flu-like symptoms,

swollen glands, sinus and digestive problems. I was subsequently

diagnosed with fibromyalgia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and the

physicians recommeded Prozac-type antidepressants and anti-

inflammatory drugs. But I refused them. I began taking olive leaf

extract along with my regular vitamin and mineral supplements in

August of 1995 at the rate of one tablet every six hours. I

increased the dosage after five days and began to feel better. "

 

" I tried different dosages for a number of days until I found the

optimum amount for me. Today I take three tablets four times a day.

My overall health has greatly improved and so has my energy and

disposition. One very interesting thing has occurred. My finger

nails were infected, by whatever infection I had, leaving them

wrinkled looking. Now they are slowly returning to their normal

shape. "

 

A female patient, after taking olive leaf extract for a month, gave

me this happy report:

 

" It has improved my allergy-like psoriasis, and symptoms of a kidney

infection. I have been having back aches for almost a year and

frequent urination. These have improved a lot also.

 

 

 

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Fungus and Yeast Infections

 

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Earlier I mentioned my own positive experience with olive leaf

extract. I started taking the supplement and it completely cleared

up a stubborn toenail fungus infection. A number of other patients

have told me similar stories.

A woman with an infection of the large toenail said that within 60

days her condition was about three-quarters healed. For five years,

she had tried many types of medication and natural agents without

help.

 

More than 10 million Americans are said to have disfiguring fungal

nail infections, a widely ignored medical problem. It is frequently

found among patients with AIDS, cancer and diabetes, athletes,

elderly individuals, people who spend considerable time standing or

who wear the same shoes day after day, or who wear artificial

fingernails. Drugs taken for cancer and AIDS lower resistance and

are believed to make people more susceptible to infection.

 

For the first time in 35 years, a new drug has been approved for the

condition. It is called Sporanox and is reported to be more

effective than previous anti-fungal preparations. But none of these

preparations come cheap. Patricia Anstett of the Knight-Ridder

Newspapers reports that two 100-milligram pills of Sproranox are

taken daily for about three months at a cost of $900. Older drugs,

taken for 12 months or more, cost double or more that amount over

the longer duration. Even with the new drug, the condition may

return if the medication is stopped.

 

Olive leaf extract may offer a natural -- and for sure, less

expensive -- method of self-treatment.

 

One patient said a fungal infection of the tongue he had for 30

years responded virtually overnight to the olive leaf. " I had tried

all kinds of diets, treatments and regimes but to no avail, " he told

me. " Within three weeks on olive leaf extract the fungus

disappeared! "

 

More than a dozen patients with candidiasis have reported

significant improvements. They say they have fewer infections,

allergic reactions, less dullness and more energy. One woman said

she was finally able to clean out her dust-ridden garage. Before

olive leaf extract that would have been impossible for her.

 

One 36-year-old woman, who had suffered repeated vaginal yeast

infections for several years, told me this account of her experience

with olive leaf extract:

 

" I have seen several doctors using conventional medicine. They

prescribed every medication available to combat yeast, all to no

avail. After less than three weeks of taking the olive leaf

supplement, all symptoms cleared up and have not returned. As a

sufferer of herpes simplex II, I would experience outbreaks several

times a year. Now, I have had no more flare-ups. "

 

 

 

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Skin Conditions

 

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A chronic scalp infection that had stubbornly resisted all treatment

for more than 10 year responded directly to olive leaf extract

within 60 days. The patient wrote me this detailed letter:

" The condition would flare up causing very painful eruptions and

lesions in my scalp, which, over time, have killed quite a few hair

follicles. Modern medical doctors and dermatologists have been

unable to eradicate (the condition). I had resolved my self to the

fact that there was no cure.

 

" I am satisfied that I am getting some significant results from

using the olive leaf extract. My scalp remains a little tender, but

the eruptions have all but ceased. I am continuing to use the

product about twice a day, and the skin color is much healthier than

it has been in recent time.

 

" No matter what drug therapy my doctors have prescribed in the past,

none has provided me with the level of relief I am currently

experiencing. I would gladly recommend this product to others

suffering chronic skin aliments. "

 

A female patient reported better energy and disappearance of a rash

in 30 days. The rash occurred in winter, or during times of extreme

cold.

 

 

 

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Tropical Illnesses

 

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Olive leaf extract may offer considerable potential in the treatment

of tropical infections such as malaria and dengue.

Malaria is caused by parasitic protozoans injected into the body by

infected mosquitoes. Protozoans, in case you are interested, are one-

 

 

celled organisms, the simplest creatures in the animal kingdom.

 

As far back as 1827, reports have appeared in medical literature

indicating the benefits of olive leaf extract in the treatment of

malaria. In 1906, one report stated that olive leaves were, in fact,

superior to quinine for malarial infections. Quinine was preferred,

however, because it was easier to administer. In studies performed

by the Upjohn company, calcium elenolate, the substance within

oleuropein, was found to be effective against the malaria protozoa.

 

Now in tablet form, there may be renewed interest in olive leaf

extract as an anti-malarial agent. Preliminary reports from Latin

America are promising.

 

A full-fledged case of malaria at a clinic in Mexico was totally

cured with a dosage schedule of two olive leaf extract supplements

every six hours. A clinic report said that the 34-year-old female

patient made a steady recovery and after six months, " she was

without any of the malaria symptoms, not even anemia or shivers. Her

breath is good. Her state of mind excellent and she does not show

any signs of chronic or contagious disease. "

 

Malaria has been reported recently in Texas and continues to be a

leading cause of illness and deaths worldwide, particularly because

of the development of drug-resistant strains. " It is a continuing

concern in the United States because of increased international

migration, travel, and commerce, " according to the publication

Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports.

 

Another serious tropical disease giving concern to public health

officials is dengue fever. This ailment is also mosquito-borne, in

this case caused by a virus, and occurs mainly in tropical Asia and

the Caribbean. It can cause vomiting, high fever, loss of appetite,

and abdominal pain, and is deadly in 50 percent of the cases. Some

50 million people are affected each year and about half a million

require hospitalization, according to the World Health Organization.

Researchers are trying to find a vaccine but no breakthroughs have

occurred yet.

 

In 1995, large outbreaks of dengue were reported by health

authorities in 12 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

 

 

 

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Dosages

 

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Olive leaf extract is currently available in the form of 500 mg.

tablets. The routine dosage is one tablet every six hours or four

throughout the day. Take the supplement between meals for best

results.

In the case of bad colds or flu, you can use two tablets every six

hours. For acute infections, some individuals have taken more --

three and even four every six hours -- and reported rapid relief.

 

If you encounter a " die-off " effect, cut back on the number of

tablets you are taking or temporarily discontinue them. See the

section on " die-off effect. "

 

For healthy folks seeking more energy or the prevention benefits of

olive leaf extract, we suggest one or two tablets a day. The younger

and cleaner the body, the more responsive it is to supplements such

as this. When a person becomes older and more toxic, more of the

supplement is required to do the job.

 

 

 

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Dr. James R. Privitera, M.D.

 

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Dr. Privitera, M.D. earned his medical degree at Creighton

University and completed an Internship in Internal Medicine at

Providence Hospital in Seattle, Washintion and his residency at

Presbyterian Hospital in San Francisco, CA. Following a Clinical

Fellowship in allergy, immunology and rheumatolgy at Scripps Clinic

in La Jolla, he entered private practice in allergy and nutrition in

Covina, California where he practices today. Affiliated with the

American Preventive Medical Association and the International

College of Applied Nutrition, among others, Dr. Privitera has served

on the boards of several top health organizations including the

National Health Federation. A pioneer in dark field microscopy, Dr.

Privitera has been asked to consult to some of our nations's leading

vitamin manufacturers. He has a book soon to be released

entitled " Silent Clots - the Nation's Biggest Killer " .

 

 

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References

 

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Cruess WV, and Alsberg CL, The bitter glucoside of the olive. J.

Amer. Chem. Soc. 1934; 56:2115-7.

 

Samuelsson G, The blood pressure lowering factor in leaves of Olea

Europaea. Farmacevtisk Revy, 1951; 15: 229-39

 

Veer WLC et al, A compound isolated from olea europaea. Recueil,

1957; 76:839-40

 

Panizzi L et al, The constitution of oleuropein, a bitter glucoside

of the olive with hypotensive action. Gazz. Chim. Ital; 1960;

90:1449-85.

 

Renis HE, In vitro antiviral activity of calcium elenolate.

Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 167-72.

 

Elliott GA et al, Preliminary studies with calcium elenolate, an

antiviral agent. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 173-76.

 

Soret MG, Antiviral activity of calcium elenolate on parainfluenza

infection of hamsters. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1970; 160-66.

 

Petkov V and Manolov P, Pharmacological analysis of the iridoid

oleuropein. Drug Res., 1972; 22(9); 1476-86.

 

Juven B et al, Studies on the mechanism of the antimicrobial action

of oleuropein. J. Appl. Bact., 1972; 35:559-67.

 

Hirschman SZ, Inactivation of DNA polymerases of Murine Leukaemia

viruses by calcium elenolate. Nature New Biology, 1972; 238:277-79.

 

Heinze JE et al, Specificity of the antiviral agent calcium

elenolate. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., 1975: 8(4), 421-25.

 

Kubo I et al, A mutichemical defense mechanism of bitter olive olea

europaea (Oleaceae)-- Is oleuropein a phytoalexin precursor? J.

Chem. Ecol 1985; 11(2):251-63.

 

Gariboldi P et al, Secoiridoids from olea europaea, Phytochem.,

1986; 25(4)865-69.

 

Zarzuelo A et al, Vasodilator effect of olive leaf, Planta Med.,

1991; 57 (5),417-9.

 

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Society of Pharmaceutical

Industries of Tunis, Hypotension, hypoglycemia and hypouricemia

recorded after repeated administration of aqueous leaf extract of

Olea europaea, Belgian Pharmacology Journal, March-April 1994; 49

(2), 101-8.

 

Visioli F and Galli C, Oleuropein protects low density liproprotein

from oxidation, Life Sciences, 1994; 55(24), 1965-71.

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by James. R. Privitera

_________________

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JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest