Vijaya Nair

Merlian News: When did you first become interested in holistic healing? 

I first became interested in holistic healing during the time when I was doing my post doctoral psychiatric fellowship in Boston at Harvard University some 13 years ago.

The psychiatric unit I was attached to was involved in Zen meditation as part of the dialectical behavior therapy program that we were doing in the out patient clinics. It was fascinating to see how effective the inclusion of a short meditation practice helped the clients to be more grounded and to take time before they acted on impulse.

I started learning and teaching meditation/guided imagery sessions for staff and patients wherever I was practicing. We found the practice to be simple, enriching and beneficial for everyone.  From then I started researching evidence for safe, effective reproducible natural mind-body-spirit therapies. In most cases adopting Western evidence based research techniques on the best in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine traditions.

Merlian News: How did you become involved with the HAELAN 951 research? 

I became involved in Haelan 951 research in 2001 whilst a faculty at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health. Mr. Walter Wainright, the founder and inventor of a fermented soy nutraceutical approached us to evaluate testimonials from survivors of terminal cancers who had consumed the soy beverage. We set up a research project with the National Cancer Institute, Office of Cancer, Complementary and Alternative Medicine that is still going on after 4 years and have won recognition for funding from the NCI.

We also did a successful submission to the FDA authorities for approval to conduct a prostate cancer trial using Haelan at Columbia University. Since then we have promoted research not only in the field of cancer but also for infectious diseases such as chronic Lyme disease, HIV/AIDS, dengue fever and malaria. I have since left my faculty position at the University to help set up the Haelan Research Foundation, Inc., a non-profit research organization dedicated to finding the  the right nutritional support to help decrease morbidity and mortality, minimize side-effects and improve compliance and adherence to conventionally based treatments in cancer and other debilitating illnesses such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Currently, there is no known supplement that meets these criteria. Research using fermented soy-based therapies is now being conducted all over the world.

Merlian News: What is HAELAN 951, in layman's terms? 

Haelan 951 fermented soy beverage is one of the best natural fermented soy nutraceuticals with potent anti aging, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. This is according to the numerous clinical reports and in vitro studies conducted over the past 15years in countries around the world.  

Haelan 951 has 22 amino acids, isoflavones genistein, daidezin, glycetin and their respective metabolites, protease inhibitors, saponins, phytosterols, and phytic acid compounds in them.  Almost all of these have been identified as powerful anti-cancer compounds. 

Fermentation in the intestines breaks down nutritional components into smaller molecular clusters that can go into the blood stream and as such are more "bio-available" to the cells than larger molecules.  Digestive enzymes help dissolve proteins as part of the digestive process.  Haelan's fermentation process breaks down the isoflavone clusters from their natural range of 500-3,000 Daltons to the 200 Dalton range, which makes them far more "bio-available" than unfermented products. 

In addition, the "nitrogenation" process is a delivery mechanism that puts these anti-cancer compounds directly into cancer cells when they are present in the body.  Cancer cells use high levels of nitrogen and normally steal the nitrogen from the lean muscle mass of the cancer patient which results in protein malnutrition, which in turn results in the death of 80% of advanced cancer patients. 

One of the studies, conducted over nine weeks at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999, found that soy protein can reduce plasma concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol but does not adversely affect levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, which at high levels has been associated with a reduction in heart disease risk. Another often-quoted study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1995, examined 38 separate studies and concluded that soy protein can prompt "significant reductions" not only in total and LDL cholesterol, but also in triglycerides, another fat linked to health problems when present at elevated levels.  

The US FDA has determined that diets with four daily soy servings can reduce levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the so-called "bad cholesterol" that builds up in blood vessels, by as much as 10 percent. This number is significant because heart experts generally agree that a 1 percent drop in total cholesterol can equal a 2 percent drop in heart disease risk. Heart disease kills more Americans than any other illness. Disorders of the heart and blood vessels, including stroke, cause nearly 1 million deaths yearly. 

To qualify for the health claim, foods must contain at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving and fit other criteria, such as being low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. These amounts are more than adequately present in each 8 ounce bottle of Haelan 951.  

Other studies hint that soy may have benefits beyond fostering a healthy heart. At the Fifth International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease, held in late 2003, researchers presented data linking soy consumption to a reduced risk of several illnesses. Disorders as diverse as osteoporosis, prostate cancer, and colon cancer are under investigation.

An anti aging clinical trial conducted over 4 months with Haelan involving 303 healthy individuals aged 50-69 years showed significant improvement in immune function with improved ratios between CD3 and CD4 cells and between CD4 and CD8 cells, increased production of interferones and interleukens, increased cytotoxic effects of the NK  killer immune cells, 25% increase in volumetric lung function,  25% increase in the volumetric pumping capacity of the heart, increased cellular levels of zinc, copper and manganese super oxide dismutase antioxidant enymes, balanced the levels of testosterone and estradiol sex hormones in men and women and improved significantly cognitive functioning in study participants.

MN: How can one obtain this product? 

Look up website: www.haelanproducts.com or call main office in Seattle, Washington, USA: 1-800-542-3526

The research foundation website: www.HaelanReserachFoundation.com

MN: As a healer, what would you say is the most important key to staying healthy?