Natural Health
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Poor oral health linked to multiple cancer types, new study finds
Liver cancer is one of the fastest-growing cancer threats in the United States and other parts of the world. Yet, too few understand that the health of the mouth could be the source of the problem.
Past studies have established that poor oral health does increase the risk of several serious health conditions, such as heart disease, certain forms of cancer, stroke, and diabetes. Simply put, failing to take care of your teeth and gums will affect far more than just your mouth.
For example, a new study delved into the connection between periodontitis and cancer, particularly head and neck cancer, due to its proximity to the oral cavity. Another recent study found that bleeding gums, loose teeth, and other signs of poor oral health increase the risk of liver cancer. People who reported these symptoms had a 75% higher risk of developing this type of cancer.
Researchers surprised by the link between poor oral health and liver cancer risk
While cancers of the digestive system are a massive problem across the world, with gastrointestinal cancer accounting for nearly 28% of new cancers globally, the evidence linking poor oral health and these types of cancers has been inconsistent. So, researchers set out to examine data to determine whether there is a connection between oral problems like bleeding gums and these types of cancer.
Although the analysis, published in the United European Gastroenterology Journal, didn’t find a significant link between oral health and the overall risk of digestive system cancers, it did find something else.
When they started looking at cancers of specific organs, they found links between poor oral health and liver cancer, as well as cancers that occur in bile ducts and the gallbladder. The most definite link found was with the most common type of liver cancer – hepatocellular carcinoma.
Their analysis discovered that poor oral health increased the risk of this type of cancer by 75%. According to the American Cancer Society, since 1980, the incidence of liver cancer within the U.S. has more than tripled. In 2023, the American Cancer Society projects approximately 41,630 new cases of primary liver cancer and intrahepatic bile duct cancer in the United States, with 28,000 diagnoses expected in men and 13,630 in women.
Health warning: Vitamin C deficiency associated with mouth and gum problems
What can be done to improve the symptoms of poor oral health, like bleeding gums and tooth loss? Inflammation of the gums, tooth loss, and bleeding gums are all symptoms of scurvy – a condition brought on by vitamin C deficiency.
Although cases of (severe) scurvy are rare today, vitamin C deficiency still can cause oral health problems. However, it’s easy to address issues with the mouth and gums caused by a deficiency in vitamin C with supplements or simply increasing your intake of foods high in this vitamin.
Since your body can’t create its own vitamin C, you’ll need to get it from food sources or supplements. Fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C include bell peppers, citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, kiwi, and pineapple.
From NaturalHealth365
Cardamon
1. Digestive issues: Cardamom is great for curing and preventing digestive issues. Other than this, it is also good for boosting digestive health. The cooling effects of cardamom, despite being a spice, can help in relieving acidity. Along with this, cardamom can also help in treating gastrointestinal issues like indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and spasms.
2. Bad breath: Cardamom has anti-bacterial properties which help in getting rid of bad breath as it helps in neutralizing dental bacteria.
3. Expectorant action: Those suffering from asthma and bronchitis, cardamom is a wonder spice for you. This is because cardamom can help improve blood circulation in the lungs by blood thinning action.
4. Sexual dysfunction: Sexual dysfunctions like impotency and premature ejaculation can also be successfully treated with cardamom. Consuming cardamom with milk and honey can do wonders for your sex life.
Follow: Barbara O’neill
How Bodies Heal
Flu Bomb Recipe
Linen Fabric Has Healing Properties
In 2003 a Jewish doctor, Heidi Yellen, did a study on the frequencies of fabrics, in which she showed that a healthy human body has a signature frequency of 100, and wearing a material that measures less than 100 units of energy would compromise our wellbeing. Each fabric gives of a frequency that can be measured in mHz (megaHertZ). Organic cotton has a tested value of 110 mHz, polyester around 10 mHz. A diseased person generally measures 15 mHz. Wool and Linen both have a signature of 5000 mHz! That amazing naturally created feature of the fabrics will also give energy to your body as you wear it. It is important however to not wear linen and wool together, however, as the frequencies in both of the linen and wool fibres run in opposite current directions. If you wear them together, the two frequencies will cancel each other out and bring you to a 0.
“Dr. Philip Callahan, a noted physician and researcher, was able to prove the existence of this energy using plant leaves attached to an oscilloscope. About six months ago, he visited me in California and showed me a new development. He had discovered that flax cloth, as suggested in the Books of Moses [the Torah or Pentatuch], acts as an antenna for the energy. He found that when the pure flax cloth was put over a wound or local pain, it greatly accelerated the healing process. He was also using the flax seed cloth as a sophisticated antenna for his oscilloscope. This is the instrument that he uses to determine the energy of flax.”
I think it’s amazing that the Bible tells us this simple health principle to not mix linen and wool fabrics: Lev 19:19……neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.
Israeli boy featured in COVID vaccine campaign dies of heart attack at age 8
After a distinguished physician’s grandson who appeared in vaccine promotions tragically passed away, one commentator asked, ‘How many more children will die on the golden altar?’
Lamenting the tragedy, one Israeli commentator on social media asked indignantly, “Where are the headlines? The investigations? How many more children will die on the golden altar? In particular, there are already two controlled studies indicating that mRNA vaccines cause heart problems … Remember that at any given moment this can happen to your beloved children and grandchildren.”
Last year, an Argentine boy who had similarly served as a national poster child in an ad pushing Covid vaccination for children died suddenly at age 4. According to reports, Santino Godoy Blanco was rushed to the hospital because of a fever and vomiting and died of “bilateral pneumonia.”
“Before passing his mom says he took off his mask and gave her little kisses because he couldn’t talk anymore,” one post on X stated.
The tragedy of the boy’s death is underscored by the fact that the Argentine government uses his photo on their website to still push the vaccination of children. The boy is pictured holding up his fist, with a slogan stating, “Vaccines protect us.”
5 Early Signs of Liver Damage You MUST Look Out For!
Warning Sign #1 – Chronic Fatigue
According to a 2006 review, chronic fatigue is one of the most common symptoms patients with liver damage experience.
Researchers aren’t certain as to why fatigue occurs in patients with liver damage, although they hypothesize that it has to do with chemical changes in the brain.
According to the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, there is no direct link between the liver disease’s severity and the severity of fatigue one might experience.
If you have a healthy diet, are active and sleep well yet still feel chronically fatigued, liver damage is one of many health issues (some much less scary) that could be plaguing you. Follow up with your doctor for a closer look.
Warning Sign #2 – Dull Abdominal Pain
Liver damage can result in abdominal pain and swelling. Some patients describe this as a dull, throbbing pain. And because the liver is located in the upper-right abdomen, the pain may radiate from here.
Further, this pain can sometimes seem to radiate through a patient’s back and up to their right shoulder blade. Maybe the pain isn’t always debilitating, but if it is, you should immediately seek medical treatment.
Warning Sign #3 – Nausea
As mentioned earlier, your liver is responsible for getting rid of toxins in your blood and digesting food. When liver damage impairs this organ’s function, unusually large amounts of these toxins will build up in your body.
Your body will respond with feelings of nausea and eventually vomiting if the liver damage persists.
You may also experience a general malaise and feel very unwell at all times.
Warning Sign #4 – Easy Bruising and Bleeding
A healthy liver produces proteins your body needs for proper clotting.
A damaged liver won’t be able to do this efficiently, resulting in you bleeding and bruising very easily.
Warning Sign #5 – Discoloration of Skin and Eyes (Jaundice)
Liver damage can progress very quickly – even in seemingly healthy people. If you manage to shrug off some of the other symptoms, this is one that will likely raise alarm bells.
Jaundice can happen for a few different reasons, all of which are cause for concern. In the context of liver damage, jaundice happens when your liver cannot filter out bilirubin (a yellow substance) from your blood.
As a result, the bilirubin will color your skin a pale yellow.
Jaundice is very common in newborn babies because their livers are not mature enough to filter out the bilirubin. Most hospitals will check babies for jaundice at birth, and then again between 3 and 5 days after birth. In most cases, jaundice will disappear in babies within 2 to 3 weeks.
A healthy adult liver, which is fully developed, is plenty strong enough to ward off jaundice. As such, if you find yourself experiencing it, you’ve got a sure sign that you need to follow up with a medical practitioner, as something may be amiss with your liver.
From davidwolfe.com
Cleaning your house is also exercise!
Although we may consciously exercise when we go out for a walk or bike ride, we are also exercising when we do household chores or take the stairs—and this ‘incidental activity’ is also making a difference.
Short bursts of activity of up to three minutes a time all help reduce our heart disease risk, say researchers from the University of Sydney. The ideal is achieving a degree of intensity where you are a little out of breath, the researchers say.
They analysed results from 103,684 participants in the UK Biobank study, who wore a fitness tracker on their wrist.
The researchers weren’t interested in the standard exercise the participants did, but the ‘incidental activity’ we all do but don’t usually register, such as washing up, mopping the floor, making the bed or taking the stairs.
The longer and more intense the activity the better, the researchers found. Those whose incidental activity that lasted longer than 10 minutes saw the biggest drop in heart disease risk, and moving consistently for up to three minutes also made a bigger difference. Intensity also mattered and those who huffed and luffed for at least 15 percent of the time they were active also saw greater benefits.
From wddty.com
New study: Exposure to PESTICIDES linked to METABOLIC DISORDERS like diabetes and obesity
The review published September in Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology analyzed 4,051 articles from the PubMed database. It found that even low levels of exposure from pesticides during pregnancy or childhood can lead to metabolic disorders like diabetes, obesity, chronic kidney disease and hypertension.
These toxic chemicals usually affect liver enzymes and lipid profiles. They also disrupt insulin signaling within cells and the body’s response to chemical exposure by means of oxidative stress and inflammation. Moreover, exposure to these chemicals can also cause reproductive, cardiovascular and hormonal issues.
The study also showed that exposure to the pesticide DDT can increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiometabolic disorders in multiple successive generations, due to an inherited risk of obesity. While DDT has been banned in the U.S. for 50 years now, its hazardous byproduct DDE is still present in the environment.
Read full article HERE
mRNA vaccines linked to vaginal bleeding in non-menstruating women: STUDY
New research out of Sweden has found that many non-menstruating women who got “vaccinated” for the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) are now suffering from vaginal bleeding.
Published in the journal Science Advances on Sept. 22, 2023, the landmark study identified three groups of non-menstruating women who are negatively affected in this way by COVID jabs: postmenopausal, perimenopausal, and non-menopausal due to the use of hormone-based contraception pharmaceuticals.
Kristine Blix, one of the study’s lead authors and a medical doctor and researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, commented about the findings that a very large number of women were included in the research.
“In this study, we have documented the responses from a large sample of women who were asked about unexpected vaginal bleeding shortly after vaccination,” Blix stated.
Compared to pre-vaccination, women in the postmenopausal category were between two- and three times more likely to experience abnormal bleeding after getting jabbed. Peri- and premenopausal women who get jabbed experienced a three- to fivefold increased risk of vaginal bleeding.
“Together with current knowledge, it seems probable that both pre- and postmenopausal women are at increased risk of unexpected vaginal bleeding after COVID-19 vaccination,” the study concluded.
These horrific findings serve as a backdrop for the thousands of reported cases of “menstrual disturbances” that have popped up ever since the launch of Operation Warp Speed in late 2020.
Many women reported experiencing heavy and unusual bleeding, though the media was quick to dub these reported vaccine injuries are just more “anti-vax conspiracy theories” and “wild rumors.”
Mother Jones, for instance, ran a story written by Kiera Butler that claimed “social media influencers” were “spreading wild rumors about COVID-19 vaccines and period.”
The BBC also reported on the matter a bit more accurately in May 2021, though the British news outlet made sure to include a caveat that most of the negative effects were “short-term,” the suggestion being that they are not that big of a deal.
It took all the way until October 2022 for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to even list “heavy menstrual bleeding” as a side effect for Comirnaty (the “approved” Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA jab) and Spikevax (Moderna’s mRNA jab).
Keep in mind that the EMA was told a full year earlier about heavy menstrual bleeding being a side effect of COVID injections, meaning the agency sat on this information for many months before finally getting around to warning the public about it.
Pfizer-BioNTech told the EMA about all this in its first ever Periodic Safety Update Report, which came as a three-part series, but it was only made available later on through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by a group of European medical professionals acting in goodwill on behalf of the public.
“The regulator, the vaccine manufacturer (Pfizer) and Marketing Authorisation Holder (BioNTech) never had the intention of sharing them with the public,” reported Vigilant News about the scandal.
The worst thing about all this is that Pfizer-BioNTech still denies that its jabs are even responsible for vaginal bleeding. In a concluding appendix to their three-part series, the two drug giants tried to claim that women suffering from these side effects are merely experiencing pandemic-related “psychological distress and stress,” which is about as patronizing and ridiculous as it gets, even for Big Pharma.
From naturalnews.com
WARNING: U.S. food supply will soon be contaminated with mRNA vaccine-tainted MEAT – beware the source of your beef, pork and seafood – NaturalNews.com
Americans will soon be able to add shrimp to the list of high-risk meat products getting slipped into the increasingly toxic United States food supply, thanks to an Israeli company that just raised $8.25 million from a group of venture capitalists to start administering oral, RNA-based “vaccine” drugs to the marine life food chain.
Since shrimp are bottom feeders, everything that eats them, including humans, will end up intaking these RNA chemicals through the muscle tissue, or meat, of these animals. Once ViAqua, as the Israeli venture capital operation calls itself, gets its RNA-based vaccine product into ocean life as planned, Americans and the world will have one less safe meat product to consume.
According to reports, ViAqua’s RNA-based vaccine, which is still in development, uses ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) to manipulate the genetic profile of shrimp, essentially turning the sea creatures into living genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“RNAi is a biological process where RNA molecules are used to inhibit gene expression or translation by neutralizing targeted mRNA molecules,” reports Epoch Health about the Frankenfood technology.
(Related: Scientists at MIT have confirmed that RNA vaccines are absorbed through the stomach lining and intestines – this would seem to include mRNA vaccines in animal meat.)
If nobody stops them, the globalists will genetically reengineer the entire “food” supply, creating a global population of GMO “people”
Instead of using needles to inject each and every shrimp – because that would be silly, eh? – ViAqua’s mad scientists are planning to “inject” the RNAi poison into the food that shrimp consume. A specially coated feed supplement designed to resist white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) – or so we are told – will be added to farmed shrimp feed in an attempt to stymie the loss of $3 billion worth of shrimp every year.
We are told that 15 percent of the world’s shrimp production is lost every year to WSSV, which is what ViAqua says it wants to stop by mass-vaccinating shrimp with RNAi drugs.
“ViAqua suggests RNA molecules can inhibit the expression of genes that cause disease with every meal containing its coated product,” reports explain.
Also known as a “nanovaccine,” ViAqua’s RNAi drug was supposedly found in a 2022 “proof-of-concept” study to be 80 percent effective against WSSV in vivo (in living organisms). At the very same time, the study did not assess the potential long-term impact of creating GMO shrimp – not to mention the long-term impact of what will become of humans who eat them as “food.”
“Oral delivery is the holy grail of aquaculture health development due to both the impossibility of vaccinating individual shrimp and its ability to substantially bring down the operational costs of disease management while improving outcomes,” proudly announced Shai Ufaz, the CEO of ViAqua.
“We are excited to bring this technology to market to address the need for affordable disease solutions in aquaculture.”
The first GMO shrimp from ViAqua is expected to be produced starting in India in the year 2024.
Another company called Genvax Technologies also recently launched a startup to develop mRNA “vaccines” for other animals, having secured $6.5 million in funding to develop a self-amplifying mRNA (saRNA) platform to rapidly develop herd- or flock-specific vaccine injections for all sorts of animal species.
Genvax’s approach involves inserting a specific “transgene” or “gene of interest” based on the matched variant strain of a virus or disease. The saRNA portion of the technology then generates an antibody response, we are told, without requiring the entire pathogen to be matched to a given circulating disease strain.
The latest news about the mRNA assault on humanity through both health care and the food supply can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.
Sources for this article include:
Rising Addiction to Milk Tea Linked to Depression in Adolescents
Milk teas – a variety of sweet drinks including bubble tea – have become phenomenally popular in China and other parts of Asia in recent years, and a new study has highlighted some worrying links between the beverage and mental health issues.
Researchers from Tsinghua University and the Central University of Finance and Economics in China surveyed 5,281 college students from Beijing, finding that symptoms of milk tea addiction were not only real, but linked to problems such as depression and anxiety.
“Milk tea has experienced tremendous growth in popularity in China, especially among youths,” the researchers write in their published paper.
“Our findings highlighted that milk tea consumption might lead to addiction, and it is associated with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.”
Using a recognized scale of addiction – that looks at factors such as persistent cravings and over-indulgence – the team found evidence that some young people were showing signs of being addicted. Almost half of those surveyed said they had at least one cup of milk tea a week.
As well as extra sugar, milk teas often include caffeine, and concerns have been expressed about how these kinds of drinks can lead to low moods and social isolation in adolescent youngsters.
In this study, milk tea consumption was associated with loneliness and depression. While the study wasn’t designed to determine the cause, it does highlight a potential problem that needs to be investigated further, especially considering the increasing popularity of these types of drinks.
The researchers behind the study suggest youths in China and elsewhere could be using milk tea as a coping mechanism and a way of regulating emotions – and that these drinks could be addictive and damaging in the same way as social media or drugs.
Future research could include larger sample sizes and track milk tea consumption over longer timescales.
“The results indicate that milk tea consumption might lead to addiction symptoms, including frequency, dependence/craving, intention to stop, unable to stop, tolerance, and guilty feelings,” the researchers write.
The team recommends that measures be put in place to guard against both physical and mental problems that might be linked to milk tea, from obesity and tooth decay to addiction and depression.
“Current findings can assist policymakers in developing regulations such as restricting advertising, providing psycho-education, establishing food hygiene standards for such a prosperous youth-dominant consumption industry while protecting their mental health,” write the researchers.
The research has been published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.
From sciencealert.com
WARNING !! CAUTION ABOUT OCTOBER 4TH AND 11TH – BE VIGILANT !! DR_ LEE MERRITT
Chicken and pork: Why we need to be careful with these
The quality of food that your chicken or pig consumes matters a lot, and it is INCREDIBLY challenging to find chickens or pigs that consume purely high-quality foods.
Pigs and chickens are monogastric (single-stomach) animals, and they can’t convert polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) into saturated fatty acids.
So when they’re fed an evolutionarily-inappropriate diet (too high in PUFAs), those PUFAs accumulate in their fat.
When you eat that same pork or chicken, you accumulate those PUFAs in your fat too, because you are also a monogastric animal.
BTW in case you didn’t know, PUFAs AKA seed oils AKA omega-6 fatty acids are the absolute worst thing you can put into your body.
The fact is, most pigs and chickens are intensively-raised on a super high PUFA diet of corn, soy and grain
And even if you can find pastured pork and chicken, it’s believed that something like 99% of these are also fed corn and soy too (and I don’t blame the farmers for this).
Fortunately, we don’t see the same problem with ruminants like cattle, deer and bison.
These animals are mostly raised on grass, and even when they are fed corn or soy, they don’t store it in their fat to the same degree as pigs or chickens.
Ruminants keep the PUFAs in their fat at less than 2%, but pigs and chicken can hold as much as 20%. I’m convinced that 20% is not optimal for pigs, chickens OR humans.
Thinking of things from an evolutionary perspective, we know our ancestors sought meat and organs from large, grazing ruminant animals, such as bison, elk, caribou, and predomestic cattle, like the auroch.
Our user manual evolved from eating those animals, so it makes sense this habit would be optimal for our health.
There is no historical precedent where we would have consumed animals with such high PUFA levels as we see in intensively-raised pork and chicken today.
99% of the meat and organs I eat are from beef, as I find it much easier to source grass-finished beef and organs from regenerative farms, than to find good quality chicken or pork.
Remember, fish is also fine on an animal-based diet, but avoid species with high amounts of heavy metals (like tuna, swordfish, etc.).
Article from paulsaladino.co
GMOs And Gut Health
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) have genes from another species transplanted into their DNA. This is done to increase production or yield or add some other previously nonexistent quality to the organism.
These experimental organisms have so far been mostly plants, but animals are also being modified.
This is not the same as hybridizing. Hybrids are created through breeding. Genetic modification is actual transferral of DNA material from one species into another in order to achieve some desired characteristic.
To be able to insert the foreign DNA into the recipient plant or animal DNA, either a virus or bacteria must be used as a sort of carrier.
As bizarre as the genetic transfer may seem, perhaps the bigger problem is the use of these viral and bacterial carriers. We’ll come back to that in a minute.
One of the targeted characteristics of GMOs is called Roundup Ready. This means that the herbicide glyphosate (Roundup) can be sprayed on the crop without killing it. Evidently, the weeds must be developing a tolerance to this herbicide, because more and more of it is being used every year. Much of this glyphosate is absorbed into the plant and ends up in our food.
Glyphosate acts like a highly targeted antibiotic in the guts of animals and people. Unfortunately, it targets only our beneficial bacteria—the microbes that help with digestion, detoxification, hormonal balance, immune system and more. It has no effect on pathogenic bacteria like E. Coli and botulism. This throws off the delicate balance of friendlies and unfriendlies, which will become a big problem sooner or later.
Another characteristic that has been added to GM corn is Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt)a pesticide that occurs naturally as a soil microbe. It has been sprayed on crops for decades by organic farmers to deter insect damage.
Now the middleman has been eliminated by inserting the pesticide directly into the plant. It wasn’t supposed to affect animals, only insects. It kills pests by creating holes in the cell walls in their digestive tracts.
Surprise! That’s also what it does to cows that are fed GM corn, and to humans, too. Destroying the integrity of the cells naturally leads to leaky gut and to all that it entails.
Believe it or not, it gets worse. When we eat plants, we chew and digest the plant material. Under normal circumstances, the DNA from that plant doesn’t impose itself on us like some sort of invader. Instead, we extract the nutrients from the plant to use in our own body processes.
Bt is a bacteria that has been forcefully inserted into plants. Somehow this bacterial DNA is separating itself from the plant material being digested. It appears that Bt can survive and replicate itself in our own gut Microbiome, essentially turning us into pesticide factories. Basically, the Bt can continually injure the gut lining because instead of flushing out of the system within a few hours, what it’s supposed to do, it’s moving in and raising a very destructive family.
Similar to this scenario, those bacterial and viral genetic carriers mentioned above have been discovered in the digestive tracts of bees. It’s normal for bacteria to exchange genetic material with one another. It’s part of the way they communicate.
But these microbes appear to be cross-breeding with the bees’ natural bacteria and creating new varieties.
The gut biomes of bees and humans are closely related. It has been theorized that maybe the same thing is happening in human digestive tracts as well. And that it could be a part of the cause of the explosive increase in food allergies in recent years.
Realistically, we don’t know the extent of damage that has already been done, or what is still to be discovered. Sometimes the wisest move is to assume the worst, and do your best to avoid GMOs until we know how to fix the problems.
Article from thecenterforfunctionalhealth.com
Common US foods that are banned in other countries
Farm-raised salmon
People in the United States love their salmon. However, farm-raised salmon available in America is fed astaxanthin to give it its coral color. Salmon containing this petrochemical is banned for consumption in Australia and New Zealand.
Dairy with rBST or rBGH hormones
Milk in the United States, unless marked otherwise, is treated with either rBST or rBGH, which are artificial hormones that stimulate milk production. The FDA says there is no difference in the milk produced by cows treated with the hormone, but countries like Canada and those in the European Union ban it.
Mountain Dew
This citrus-flavored soft drink uses brominated vegetable oil (BVO) as an emulsifier. BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, which can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss as well as skin and nerve problems.
Chicken that’s been chlorinated
Chicken produced in the United States gets washed in chlorine to reduce its risk of spreading diseases and illnesses like salmonella. This practice is banned in the United Kingdom and the European Union because it promotes unsanitary farming practices.
Meat with ractopamine
In the United States, farmers use ractopamine to increase lean muscle growth in livestock, including in 40-60% of American pigs. Elsewhere, 160 nations—including the European Union, Russia, and China—ban the use of the drug in meat production.
Little Debbie Swiss Rolls
This popular dessert in the United States contains food dyes Yellow 5 and Red 40. While they now are permitted in the European Union, they have to carry warnings that they cause adverse effects in children. They are also banned in foods for infants and young children. No such warning is required domestically. Norway and Austria have banned the chocolate treats outright.
Arby’s Sourdough Breakfast Bread, Croissant, and French Toast Sticks
The fast-food chain uses the chemical azodicarbonamide as a whitening agent and dough conditioner in its baked goods. Although its use is decreasing in the United States because of concerns that it is a carcinogen, the FDA still permits it. It is banned in Europe.
Frosted Flakes, Honey Bunches of Oats, and Rice Krispies
These popular breakfast cereals contain BHT, a flavor enhancer, which has long been studied for its potential carcinogenic properties; the evidence is inconclusive. It is banned in Japan and the European Union.
Coffee-mate
Trans fats like the partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils in Coffee-mate are linked to heart disease and were officially banned in the U.S. as of June 18, 2018. However, they still linger in the U.S. food supply. There are also mandatory limits on trans fats in many other countries such as Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
Stove Top stuffing
You can make stuffing in just five minutes with this popular Kraft product. But the mix contains preservatives BHA and BHT, which are suspected to be carcinogenic and to impair blood clotting. This has caused these preservatives to be banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and several European countries.
Drumstick frozen dairy desserts
Drumstick uses carrageenan for texture in its ice cream, but the additive that is derived from seaweed can affect the human digestive system. The adverse effects have caused the European Union to limit it in products like baby food.
Skittles
When consumers are tasting the rainbow of this popular candy, they are also ingesting food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40. These dyes have been known to have adverse effects on young children. They are banned in foods for infants in the European Union, and foods that contain the dyes must carry a warning label. Norway and Austria ban them completely.
Wheat Thins
To add freshness to a package of Wheat Thins, Nabisco adds BHT to the packaging. The chemical is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe.
Gatorade
This sports drink claims to replenish electrolytes, but it also contains food dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in foods for infants and children in the European Union, and they must also carry warnings on all other products there. They are completely banned in Norway and Austria.
Pop-Tarts
The colorful breakfast pastry contains food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which are still deemed safe to eat domestically but are partially banned in the European Union.
Farmer John Pork Breakfast Sausage Links
This breakfast food uses the flavor enhancer BHT, a suspected carcinogen that is banned in the European Union and Japan.
Lucky Charms
This colorful breakfast cereal gets its rainbow hue by using additives Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which must contain warning labels in the European Union. They are also banned in Norway and Austria. They are permitted in the U.S. even though they are known to cause itching and hives for some.
Bread tainted with potassium bromate
Potassium bromate is added to bread dough as a strengthener that creates a higher rise, reduces baking time and cost, and gives finished loaves a bright white color. But the chemical is also linked to cancer, nervous system damage, and kidney damage. Potassium bromate is banned in the United Kingdom, Canada, Peru, and many other countries, but is still ubiquitous in many American bread products including bagel chips, rolls, and even breadcrumbs.
Tostitos Salsa Con Queso Dip
The bright color of Tostitos Salsa Con Queso Dip is derived by food additives Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. These artificial colors are banned in Norway and Austria and must contain warnings on labels in the European Union.
Ritz Crackers
Nabisco’s Ritz is among the leading cracker brands in the United States. Its namesake cracker contains partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, which is a trans fat that is currently banned domestically and is limited in many other countries like Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
Fresca
This grapefruit-flavored citrus drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company contains flame retardant bromine to prevent the separation of ingredients. BVO is banned in Europe.
Genetically engineered papaya
In the United States and parts of Asia, farmers are cultivating virus-resistant variants of the fruit. These genetically engineered offshoots are legal to eat in the U.S. and Canada, but illegal in the European Union.
Pillsbury Biscuits
The Pillsbury Doughboy’s biscuits make it simple to have freshly baked bread in minutes. However, these baked goods also contain trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean oil, which is known to cause heart disease.
Sunkist Soda
The citrus drink contains artificial colors that are restricted in Europe. Products that contain Yellow 6 and Red 40 must include warning labels in the European Union. These dyes are also banned in Norway and Austria.
Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix
Baking brownies couldn’t be easier with this popular mix. However, a closer look at the ingredients reveals the product still contains trans fats in the form of partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil. Trans fats were recently banned in the U.S., but a few still remain. They are also heavily limited in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark.
Pillsbury Pie Crust
Pillsbury brings the convenience of a ready-made pie crust to kitchens across the country. However, this product is banned in the United Kingdom, Japan, and parts of Europe because it contains both BHA and BHT. The substances are suspected to be carcinogenic and have been linked to impaired blood clotting.
Raspberry Jell-O
This popular jiggling dessert is low in calories and free from artificial sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup. But its color is far from natural. It contains Red 40, which is restricted in Europe and illegal in Norway and Austria.
High fructose corn syrup
This sweetener—made from pure fructose and sugar—is linked to a variety of ailmentslike obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It’s found in everything from beverages to cereals and ice cream. While it isn’t banned specifically in any country, the U.K. and some European countries have restricted the products and placed them under quota limitations.
Doritos Light
Olestra is a fat substitute the FDA approved in 1996 to make snacks and chips guilt-free. However, side effects of the additive include abdominal cramping and loose stools. The fat substitute also inhibits the absorption of vitamins and nutrients. It’s banned in Canada and many European countries.
Article from stacker.com
Vitamin B12 so powerfully beneficial for brain health that psychiatric drugs could become OBSOLETE
A shocking number of psychiatric disorders that Western medicine tries to treat with pharmaceutical drugs have at their root a vitamin B12 deficiency, which is easily remedied through diet and supplementation.
In a piece she wrote for The Epoch Times, Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) founding president Sally Fallon Morell unpacked the findings of a 2015 case report published in the Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine (IJPM) concerning vitamin B12 deficiency and neuropsychological disorders.
In that report, a 13-year-old boy from southern India who was following a traditional lacto-vegetarian diet suddenly stopped talking while exhibiting “rigidity, immobility, staring look, disturbed sleep, ideas of worthlessness and hopelessness, aimless wandering, and guilt and suicidal ideas.”
Manifesting many common symptoms associated with autism, the boy was placed on an ever-evolving cocktail of drugs after being diagnosed with “acute schizophrenia-like psychotic disorder.” He was given:
• Lorazepam, a drug used to treat anxiety disorders
• Olanzapine, an antipsychotic drug
• Sertraline, an antidepressant drug more commonly known as Zoloft
• Aripiprazole, an antipsychotic drug
When those four strong drugs ultimately failed the body, resulting in him becoming hyper with “suspiciousness, hearing voices, over-talkativeness, over-cheerfulness, inflated self-esteem, decreased need for sleep, increased appetite, increased pleasurable activities, and disruptive socio-education,” his diagnosis was revised to “schizoaffective disorder, manic type” and his Zoloft was replaced with divalproate sodium, a drug used to treat seizures.
After the boy’s symptoms worsened even more, he returned for yet a sixth drug: lithium carbonate, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder.
Before taking dangerous pharmaceuticals, try upping your vitamin B12 levels first
Nothing was working until finally the boy was tested for vitamin B12 levels, revealing that he was grossly deficient at only 112 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) – the normal B12 range is between 180-914 ng/mL, with 180 ng/mL being associated with the most severe manifestation of B12 deficiency, known as pernicious anemia.
Even B12 levels of 500-550 ng/mL is considered in Japan and some European countries to be associated with psychological and behavioral manifestations such as dementia and memory loss.
After the boy was given several injections of vitamin B12, lo and behold his symptoms improved and his diagnosis was revised to “schizoaffective disorder secondary to Cobalamin (vitamin B12) deficiency” – problem solved.
It was a very simple solution – and a safe one, at that – and yet it took multiple rounds of erroneous drugging and testing before Indian doctors were able to figure out that the boy simply lacked a necessary vitamin crucial to his brain health and mental abilities.
“B12 deficiency is associated with a wide range of psychological disorders – depression, memory loss, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, irrational or chronic anger, violent behavior, and other psychological problems,” Morell notes.
“And vitamin B12 therapy has proved useful for a range of conditions deemed neurological – vision problems, loss of hearing and tinnitus, numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, alcoholism, impotence, incontinence, neuralgia, combat fatigue, and lack of balance or abnormal gait.”
“In addition, low B12 is indicated in a range of other diseases – osteoporosis, asthma, skin conditions including psoriasis, diabetes, glaucoma, infertility, and of course anemia.”
Among the best natural sources of vitamin B12 are meat and raw milk, as well as liver and mollusks. Some plant foods such as soy, mushrooms, and spirulina, also contain B12, but in a form that can actually worsen B12 deficiency due to the presence of B12 analogs called cobamides that can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine.
Article from health.news
What’s Wrong With Sugar?
Sugar is another substance creating our physical problems. Sugar is so
denatured and concentrated from its original plant form that it is actually
a drug. If it were introduced to the Food and Drug Administration for
approval today it would not pass. (Hmmm)
Sugar causes irritation and weakening of the mucous membranes of the body
and robs the teeth, bones and blood of a great percentage of their minerals.
Inflammatory diseases of the breathing and digestive organs result from the
use of brown and white sugar. Other diseases that are caused or worsened by
the consumption of sugar include appendicitis, diabetes, cancer, and
poliomyelitits which is a painful, crippling disease caused by inflammation
of the grey matter in the spinal cord.
One of the lines of defense our bodies have is the immune system. Do you
know that a can of soda pop has 10 teaspoons of sugar in it. Thirty
teaspoons (3 cans of soda pop) will paralyze the immune system for one day!
Caffeine, also found in some sugar soft drinks, suppresses the immune system
by upsetting the delicate mineral balance, which deprives the immune system
of essential minerals.
Eating This Superfood Daily Maintains Healthy Blood Pressure and Improves Memory
Blueberry muffins, blueberry pancakes, blueberry pie… need I go on? Not only do blueberries make the perfect tasty snack, it turns out they’re great for you!
Blueberries are sweet and low in calories, but high in nutrients! They are a good source of dietary fiber, and they contain Vitamin C, Vitamin K and manganese. Manganese helps control the body’s blood sugar and maintains healthy skin.
Blueberries also have one of the highest antioxidant capacities among all fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in blueberries can protect your body from DNA damagefrom free radicals, which may help protect against early aging, and diseases such as cancer.
Adding blueberries to your diet can also protect the cholesterol in your blood. The antioxidants in blueberries work to prevent oxidative damage, which can help protect you from heart disease. They have also been proven to help lower blood pressure, so they’re great for those with hypertension.
If you’ve been a little extra forgetful lately, blueberries to the rescue! A six-year study of over 16,000 elderly participants found that blueberries were linked to delays in cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years! If your memory needs a little boost, or you just want to keep your brain healthy and sharp, it’s another reason to munch on some delicious blueberries.
Studies have also shown that blueberries have anti-diabetic effects. A study concluded that a blueberry smoothie can cause major improvements in insulin sensitivity, which can lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.
If you exercise regularly, you know the feeling of muscle soreness and fatigue. You’d never guess it, but blueberries can help! In a study done on female athletes, blueberries accelerated muscle recovery after strenuous exercise. They can help reduce molecular damage to minimize muscle soreness.
Good things really do come in small packages!
Article from davidwolfe.com
Natural Remedies For Anxiety, Nervousness Or Fear In Dogs And Cats
What actually works for your pet’s symptoms will depend on the root cause and their specific reaction to stress. You’ll probably have to try more than one natural remedy until you find out which one (or combination) works best.
Notes of Caution:
- Cats can be extra sensitive to herbs and essential oils. Use them with extreme caution or refrain from using them entirely.
- Essential oils are too potent for pets and should be heavily diluted. Many should be avoided altogether.
- Consult with a veterinarian before introducing herbs to your pet to avoid drug interactions, problems with pre-existing conditions, etc.
- Source high-quality products to ensure success and purity.
Diet
Dietary changes can be amazingly effective in treating anxiety in pets. Switching to a raw diet or other homemade diet, complete with vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants can improve symptoms over time. Certain vitamins may also help, such as Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid).
“Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B5, is known as the anti-stress vitamin since it is involved in the production of adrenal hormones and antibodies produced by the body’s white blood cells,” writes Shawn Messonnier, DVM, in his book Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats.
The best way to administer nutrients to your pet is through whole foods. For example, Vitamin B5 can be obtained from organ meat, beef, marine fish, eggs and mushrooms. Pet supplements can be used with caution.
Herbs and herbal extracts
Herbs and herbal extracts that help calm nervousness include Catnip, German Chamomile, Hops, Passionflower, Skullcap, St. John’s Wort, Astragalus, and Lemon Balm. The easiest way to administer these herbs is with an extract that contains a combination of them, such as Stress Gold for Dogs or Calming Care for Cat Anxiety.
Natural sedatives (such as Passionflower, Valerian or Skullcap) may be used for temporary relief of symptoms when necessary, but they shouldn’t become a way of life.
Essential Oils and Aromatherapy
Several heavily-diluted essential oils may be used (topically or through aromatherapy) to treat anxiety or nervousness in dogs. We do not recommend them for (or around) cats, birds, and other small animals.
You’ll find a lot of information online about using essential oils for pets, much of which is dangerous and irresponsible. Whether it’s for profit or due to ignorance, following this advice can lead to toxicity. We cover that in further detail in 30 Essential Oils That May Not Be Safe For Pets and Common Diffuser Essential Oils that may be Toxic to Dogs, Cats, Birds & Other Pets.
We recommend the calming recipes in the book, Holistic Aromatherapy for Animals: A Comprehensive Guide to the Use of Essential Oils & Hydrosols with Animals, by expert, Kristen Leigh Bell.
“I have had great success with the use of essential oils for calming dogs in numerous situations,” writes Kristen. “Dogs with separation anxiety; training or show nerves; hyperactivity; hypersexuality; fear of people, places or things; fear of loud noises; essential oil blends have been ideal in all these stressful situations.”
Calming essential oils are derived from the same herbs that have been found to soothe pets, including Valerian, Sweet Marjoram, Vetiver, Lavender, Roman Chamomile, and others.
Flower Essences
Flower Essences (such as Bach Flower Remedies) are gentle treatments that can have a profound effect on fear, nervousness and anxiety in dogs, cats and horses. Their versatile administration options (oral, topical and sprayed) makes them a practical choice for most pet parents. Effective flower essences include Rescue Remedy, Aspen, Mimulus, Star of Bethlehem, Chestnut Bud, Sweet Chestnut, Rock Rose, and Larch. You can buy liquid blends of several of these ingredients for a convenient way to administer them.
CBD Oil for Anxiety
CBD (cannabidiol) oil (medical hemp, hemp oil) is a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. CBD is often used to relieve stress and anxiety in dogs and cats. It should only be administered under the guidance of your veterinarian, however, especially to determine dosage. Cannabis, and any of its forms containing THC, should never be given to pets and should be kept out of their reach.
“The major psychoactive constituent of C. sativa, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (9-THC), causes toxicosis in dogs and is therefore of limited use in canine patients,” states the study, Pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol administered by 3 delivery methods at 2 different dosages to healthy dogs. “The list of non-psychotropic compounds is expanding, but cannabidiol (CBD) is the most promising phytocannabinoid candidate, owing to its non-psychotropic effects, low toxicity, and high tolerability.”
Homeopathic Remedies for Stress and Anxiety in Dogs or Cats
Homeopathic remedy Aconitum napellus 30C is especially effective for situational fears, such as traveling.
“Give one pellet of this medicine an hour before leaving home; give another pellet just a few minutes before actually leaving the house,” writes Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn in his book, Complete Secrets to the Natural Health of Dogs & Cats. “This usually is enough for most animals and most trips. This medicine is very safe to use and often functions better than a tranquilizer.
Thundershirt
The Thundershirt creates a gentle, constant pressure that has a dramatic calming effect on dogs and cats (if you can get them to wear one). All types of anxiety, excitability and hyperactivity may be controlled or reduced by using the Thundershirt. It can be used on its own without training for less serious issues, or in combination with a behavior modification program.
Article from allnaturalpetcare.com
10 Rules of Being Human
1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for as long as you live. How you take care of it or fail to take care of it can make an enormous difference in the quality of your life.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time, informal school called Life. Each day, you will be presented with opportunities to learn what you need to know. The lessons presented are often completely different from those you think you need.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error and experimentation. You can learn as much from failure as you can from success. Maybe more.
4. A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it (as evidenced by a change in your attitude and ultimately your behavior) then you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no stage of life that does not contain some lessons. As long as you live there will be something more to learn.
6. “There” is no better than “here”. When your “there” has become a “here” you will simply discover another “there” that will again look better than your “here.” Don’t be fooled by believing that the unattained is better than what you have.
7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects something you love or hate about yourself. When tempted to criticize others, ask yourself why you feel so strongly.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you create with those tools and resources is up to you. Remember that through reliance on your God-given wisdom, goal setting and unflagging effort you can have anything you want. Persistence is the key to success.
9. The answers lie before you. The solutions to all of life’s problems lie within your grasp. All you need to do is ask God, look, listen and trust in Him to show you.
10. You will forget all this.
You Can Make Your Own Apple Cider Vinegar
While you can always buy a cheap bag of organic apples from the store, you can also make vinegar from apple scraps.
Every time you eat apples, toss the leftover peels and cores in a food safe container in your freezer. When you have enough to make vinegar (about 6 apples worth), simply let them thaw on the kitchen counter before tossing them in a jar with sugar water. Place the jar in a warm, dark pantry for several weeks to kick off fermentation and turn the apples into vinegar.
You will know your vinegar is ready when you see a dark, cloudy foam in the jar. This is “the mother” which makes raw vinegar so good for you.
Ready to drink apple cider vinegar? Enjoy it straight or dilute a tablespoon in water for maximum health benefits.
DIY Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe
—3 whole organic apples or scraps from about 6 apples
—2 tablespoons sugar (raw or white is fine)
—Filtered water to cover – I used about 3 cups but you might need more or less depending on the size of your container
—Large glass jar
—Paper towel and a rubber band
—Fermentation stone or cabbage leaves to keep the apples submerged (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Wash and chop your apples into large pieces. Place them in a clean jar.
Mix the sugar with 1 cup water and pour on top of the apples. Add more water so that apples are covered by about an inch.
Depending on how small your apple chunks are, you might find that some pieces float to the top. If they continue floating after 24 hours, use a fermentation stone or large cabbage leaves to weigh them down and keep them fully submerged. This will prevent mold from forming in your vinegar.
To keep fruit flies away, cover the jar with a paper towel and secure it with a rubber band.
Place the jar in a warm pantry for 2 weeks, checking regularly for mold or other growth. If you do find mold, you’ll need to toss out the mix and start over.
Strain out the liquid and discard the apple pieces. Return the liquid to the same jar. Cover it again and place it back in the pantry.
Continue fermenting for an additional 4 weeks, stirring every few days. After 4 weeks, taste test your vinegar. Once it reaches an acidity you like, transfer to a bottle and begin using it.
STORAGE:
Once you’ve made your homemade apple cider vinegar, it’s important to store it properly to maintain its quality and freshness. Improper storage can lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria or mold, which can spoil the vinegar and make it unsafe to consume.
Store in a cool, dark place. Apple cider vinegar should be stored in a cool, dark place away from sunlight and heat, which can cause the vinegar to break down and lose its flavor. A pantry, cupboard or refrigerator are ideal spots.
Use airtight glass containers. Avoid storing the vinegar in plastic containers as the acid in the vinegar can react with the plastic and leach harmful chemicals into the vinegar.
Label and date your brew. Like with any homemade concoction, you’ll want to label your homemade apple cider vinegar with the date and a quick description. This will help you keep track of its freshness and ensure that you use it before it goes bad.
Throw out after a year. Properly stored apple cider vinegar can last up to six months to a year. Over time, the vinegar may start to lose its flavor and acidity. If you notice any changes in color, texture, or smell, discard the vinegar.
Article from helloglow.co
Exposure to Certain Fragrances During Sleep Dramatically Boosts Cognitive Function
Of all the senses we love to indulge, scent is often neglected – but the right smells could be just what your brain needs to keep it whirring in old age.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine recently uncovered strong evidence that enriching the air with fragrances improves cognitive performance by strengthening a critical connection between neurological areas involving memory and decision-making.
Their experiment, involving 43 men and women aged 60 to 85, suggests cognitive decline and conditions such as dementia might be slowed by simply diffusing a different choice of perfumes through the bedroom before bed each night.
Keeping the old gray matter stimulated as we age is vital to maintaining good cognitive health. That doesn’t just mean keeping up with the daily crossword – it means peppering our environment with all kinds of sights and sounds for the brain to chew on.
For other animals, enriching the environment with odors has been shown to stimulate neuroplasticity, especially in tests involving animals with human-like symptoms to neurological disorders.
It’s not exactly a stretch to believe humans could also benefit from experiencing a complex ‘scent-scape’. Physiologically speaking, our ability to detect smells deteriorates before our cognitive ability begins to decline.
Losing this sense also correlates with a loss in brain cells, hinting at a strong connection between smell and neurological function.
“The olfactory sense has the special privilege of being directly connected to the brain’s memory circuits,” says neurobiologist Michael Yassa.
“All the other senses are routed first through the thalamus. Everyone has experienced how powerful aromas are in evoking recollections, even from very long ago. However, unlike with vision changes that we treat with glasses and hearing aids for hearing impairment, there has been no intervention for the loss of smell.”
To determine whether cognitive decline can be saved with this kind of sensory stimulation, Yassa and his colleagues provided 20 of the study’s recruits with an assortment of natural oils containing fragrances of rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender.
Cashews Help Prevent Cancer, Diabetes & More (part 2 of 2)
1. Fight Heart Disease
A 2017 review published in the journal Nutrients states, “Although nuts are high calorie foods, several studies have reported beneficial effects after nut consumption, due to fatty acid profiles, vegetable proteins, fibers, vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, and phytosterols with potential antioxidant action.”
Frequent nut and legume consumption can help lower your risk for many of the biggest risks associated with heart disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and obesity. Cashews are believed to have beneficial effects on oxidative stress levels, inflammation and vascular/arterial activity, all of which promote a healthy heart.
Cashews can help lower LDL cholesterol (considered the dangerous kind) and improve HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind). They contain special phytosterol compounds that play an important structural role in cell membranes. They stabilize cells and interfere with cholesterol absorption.
This is responsible for their cholesterol-lowering abilities and the reason cashews may be able to help prevent the formation of plaque within artery walls. Cashews are also associated with lowered triglyceride levels and reduced levels of inflammation, all of which help protect you from heart disease, heart attacks or stroke.
2. Help Prevent Gallstones
Some research has found that eating nuts weekly, including cashews, can help lower the risk for gallstones. Gallstones are associated with healthy cholesterol levels. They’re caused by hardened cholesterol, a result of too much cholesterol present within the bile that circulates through the digestive tract.
Normally, your liver doesn’t secrete a high enough amount of cholesterol to harden and form stones. However, when liver health is poor, cholesterol can essentially act like glue, hardening and binding together with other substances like calcium inside the gallbladder.
3. Can Help With Weight Loss or Maintenance
Do cashew nuts make you gain weight? Studies suggest that cashews and other nuts are not tied to weight gain. In fact, they may actually promote weight loss or help with weight management.
Nuts have a high total fat content — cashews are made of approximately 46 percent fat — but they’re also very nutrient-dense and provide a lot of important minerals and fatty acids that support weight loss.
Cashews can help you feel fuller after a meal, which is beneficial for curbing food cravings, overeating and unhealthy snacking. Fats in general make food more satisfying and increase nutrient absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin A and vitamin D.
Cashews are also a good source of plant-based protein (somewhere around 25 percent of the nut is made up of amino acids), partially in the form of beneficial amino acid L-arginine. L-arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide known to help improve vascular reactivity and circulation.
The combination of fat and protein in cashews nutrition makes cashews a filling food that can help control cravings.
4. Help Maintain Bone Health
Cashews nutrition benefits include bone health improvement due to the presence of calcium, magnesium and potassium, together with a low sodium intake. These are associated with protection against bone demineralization. Cashews’ bone-building benefits also come from their supply of vitamin K.
Cashews provide over 12 percent of your daily vitamin K needs in just an ounce serving — working as a great source to prevent vitamin K deficiency. Vitamin K works with other essential minerals like calcium to support bone mineralization and maintain bone mineral density. This can help protect you from bone fractures and osteoporosis.
They’ve also been found to help with degenerative joint disease treatment in an experimental model.
5. May Help Prevent Colon, Prostate and Liver Cancers
Why are cashews good for you if you’re looking to boost immunity and defend against disease? Regularly eating nuts, including cashews, is associated with a lower risk for certain common cancers.
This is especially true for cancers that occur in the digestive tract, including liver and colon cancers. A 2016 review found that “higher nut intake is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, total cancer and all-cause mortality,” and more recent research confirms this.
Nuts are good sources of antioxidant vitamins (for example, tocopherols and certain phenolic compounds, which are mostly stored in the shells of cashews and nuts). These are needed to protect the body from high levels of free radical damage that causes oxidative stress, potentially contributing to DNA damage, cell mutation and cancerous tumor formation.
6. Support Healthy Brain Function
The brain is made up of mostly fat and relies on a steady supply of healthy fatty acids within the diet. Nuts are one of the natural plant foods richest in fat. They support cognitive function, healthy aging and mood regulation.
Several dietary components of cashews can help support cognitive abilities and multiple brain processes by regulating neurotransmitter pathways, synaptic transmission and membrane fluidity. The healthy fats in cashews in particular are responsible for this, along with trace minerals like zinc, iron and copper.
Dietary deficiency of healthy MUFA and PUFA fatty acids has even been associated with increased risk of several mental disorders, such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, dyslexia and dementia.
Roasted cashew consumption was even found to forestall cisplatin-initiated brain harm in rats.
7. Lower the Risk for Diabetes
Why are cashews healthy if you’re prone to metabolic syndrome or diabetes? Cashews are a great source of MUFA fats, which slow the rate at which blood is released into the bloodstream.
The anti-diabetic properties of cashews nutrition are partially due to the active ingredient called hydroethanolic extract in the form of anacardic acid, which stimulates glucose transport and control.
Hydro-ethanolic extract of cashew tree (Anacardium occidentale) nut and its principal compound, anacardic acid, stimulate glucose uptake.
A 2014 analysis showed that tree nuts improve glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Cashews also help lower levels of inflammation.
Studies show that a diet higher in nuts results in lower circulation of inflammatory biomarkers that can contribute to insulin resistance and diabetes formation. Additionally, cashew nutrition benefits include the ability to prevent or treat other complications of diabetes, including arterial hypertension, obesity and cardiovascular risk.
8. Help Prevent Migraine Headaches
Cashews help support healthy brain function and improve blood circulation while lowering blood pressure, which may be beneficial for fighting headaches.
Additionally, cashews fight rapid changes in blood sugar and hypoglycemia, other well-recognized triggers for migraines.
9. Help Maintain Healthy Skin
Cashews nutrition supports healthy skin due to the presence of healthy essential fatty acids. Healthy sources of fat are needed to keep skin hydrated and free from irritation, flaking and premature aging.
Cashews are also a high source of copper. Copper helps with the production of the skin and hair pigment called melanin, as well as the formation of collagen and maintenance of connective tissue, which supports skin’s elasticity and defends against signs of aging.
Article by Jillian Levy, CHHC- draxe.com
Cashews Help Prevent Cancer, Diabetes & More (part 1 of 2)
Cashews are technically seeds, as opposed to nuts. They are light-colored, kidney-shaped and come from the fruit of the tropical tree called Anacardium occidentale that produces the bitter-tasting cashew apple.
Due to their high nutrient density and supply of many vital minerals, “cashew nuts” and other nuts are often recommended most often to improve heart health. Cashews nutrition is rich in unsaturated fatty acids and numerous other beneficial compounds, including:
- plant-based protein
- dietary fiber
- minerals, like copper, zinc and magnesium
- antioxidants in the form of phytosterols and phenolic compounds
The composition of the cashew kernel is about 21 percent protein, 46 percent fat and 25 percent carbohydrates (a portion of which is indigestible fiber), making it a filling, high-protein and high-fat food choice.
One of the key factors of cashews nutrition is the healthy fat content. Cashews are primarily made up of unsaturated fats in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs that contain oleic acid), plus a smaller proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS mostly in the form of linoleic acid). Roughly 62 percent of the cashew’s fats are monounsaturated fat, 18 percent polyunsaturated fats and the rest a mix of saturated fats.
Because of the positive effects of MUFAs and PUFAs on metabolism and other bioactive functions, many studies associate cashew consumption (and nut consumption in general) with a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity.
A one-ounce serving of cashews (about 28 grams) contains approximately:
- Calories: 157
- Total Carbohydrates: 8.6 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Sugar: 1.7 g
- Total Fat: 12.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 6.8 g
- Protein: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 3.4 mg
- Copper: 0.6 mg (31% DV)
- Manganese: 0.5 mg (23% DV)
- Magnesium: 81.8 mg (20% DV)
- Phosphorus: 166 mg (17% DV)
- Vitamin K: 9.5 mcg (12% DV)
- Zinc: 1.6 mg (11% DV)
- Iron: 1.9 mg (10% DV)
- Thiamine: 0.1 mg (8% DV)
- Selenium: 5.6 mcg (8% DV)
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg (6% DV)
- Potassium: 185 mg (5% DV)
*Daily Value: Percentages are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day.
Cashews nutrition also contains some vitamin E, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid and calcium.
Cashew Nutrition vs. Almonds vs. Other Nuts
- Among all nuts, cashews are one of the best sources of copper, iron and zinc. They are also a bit higher in carbs than other nuts.
- Compared to cashews, almonds nutrition is higher in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and niacin. You can see why almonds are considered a superfood by many. Almonds contain a good amount of monounsaturated fat and less polyunsaturated fat, including less omega-3s than nuts like walnuts. They are the best source of calcium among all nuts. Both cashews and almonds are among the lowest-calorie nuts.
- When we compare cashews to walnuts nutrition, we find that walnuts are a better source of heart-healthy alpha linoleic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acidfound in plants.
- Macadamia nuts are one of the nuts with the most fat and highest amount of calories, more than cashews. However, they are still a healthy food because they contain lots of monounsaturated fat, just like olive oil. Both cashew butter and macadamia nut butter make great alternatives to peanut butter.
- Compared to cashews and other nuts, Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium (just one nut contains more than a day’s worth!) and contain a good mix of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat.
- Pecans are a high-calorie nut with a high fat content, mostly monounsaturated fat. They contain oleic acid along with phenolic antioxidants. Pecans and macadamia nuts overall have the lowest amounts of protein and the highest amounts of fats (but these are still healthy fats).
- Pistachios and cashews are both lower in calories than many other nuts. They have similar amounts of protein and fat per ounce. Pistachios are exceptionally high in vitamin B6 and potassium.
- Peanuts are one of the highest protein and fiber nuts, containing more than cashews. They are also one of the lowest nuts in calories. However, peanuts can contain mold and are a common allergen, so take precaution when eating them.
Overall, eating a variety of nuts gives you the most benefits. Nuts and seeds benefit your hair, skin, nails, brain and heart because they all contain healthy fats and slightly different types of fats, antioxidants and minerals.
Article by Jillian Levy, CHHC- draxe.com
Plants for wound healing, part 5 of 5
Slippery elm
Slippery elm is a common tree in North America and it has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years by Native Americans.
The tree can be found growing in the eastern part of the country. Slippery elm trees can grow up to 70 to 90 feet tall.
The trees have hairy and deeply-veined leaves. Use the leaves to make poultices that can help heal wounds and encourage healing.
Slippery elm bark can also be used to treat topical ailments.
Like marshmallow root, slippery elm bark also contains mucilage, which is instrumental to healing. It can be used on cuts, scrapes, boils, burns, and other forms of skin inflammation.
Using slippery elm for wound healing
Harvest and use fresh leaves from the tree. When harvesting the bark, pick a few branches about two inches in diameter from the lower section of the tree and pull away the bark. If the tree is healthy, the branch should pull away easily.
You can dry slippery elm bark for later use.
Bark poultice
Mix dried and ground bark with an equal part of warm water and mix until the liquid has a gel-like consistency. Apply the bark poultice directly to the wound.
Leaf poultice
If you get hurt when SHTF, create a poultice out of slippery elm leaves by chewing them up and applying the paste over your wounds. You can also use a blender to make a poultice.
Tea
To make slippery elm tea, soak the bark in hot water for five to 10 minutes. However, instead of drinking the tea, you need to take a clean cloth, soak it in the tea and wrap it around the wounded area.
From growyourmedicine.com
7 Simple Ways to Unclog Your Arteries Naturally
At present, atherosclerosis (the progressive narrowing and clogging up of the arteries) is the driving process behind cardiovascular mortality, the #1 cause of death on this planet, at approximately18 million deaths annually. A complex process, involving autoimmunity, infection, dietary incompatibilities, and many known and unknown factors, it is – despite conventional medical opinion – entirely preventable, and in some cases reversible.
Here is the peer-reviewed, published research proving that fact:
- B Vitamins – yes, something as simple as adding a source of B-complex to your regimen can prevent the juggernaut of heart disease from taking your life prematurely. A doubled-blind, randomized study, published in 2005, in the journal Atherosclerosis found that a simple intervention using 2.5 mg folic acid, 25 mg Vitamin B6, and 0.5mg Vitamin B12 for 1 year, resulted in significant reductions in arterial thickness (as measured by intima media thickeness). Even niacin or folic acid alone has been show to have this effect in patients. [Note: Always opt for natural sources of the B-group vitamins, including probiotic supplementation (which produce the entire complement for you), or a whole food extract, versus synthetic or semi-synthetic vitamins which, sadly, predominate on the market today].
- Garlic – as we have documented extensively previously, garlic can save your life. It has been found to regress plaque buildup in the arteries, among many other potentially life-saving health benefits.
- Pomegranate – this super healing fruit has been found to regress plaque buildup in the arteries, as well as being demonstrated to provide dozens of validated health benefits, including replacing the function of the mammalian ovary!
- Fermented Cabbage – Kimchi, a Korean recipe, which includes fermented cabbage, hot pepper, and various other ingredients, including fermented fish, appears to stall the atherosclerotic process in the animal model. Additionally, strains of good bacteria in kimchi have been found capable of degrading toxic chemicals that can additional bodily harm.
- L-Arginine: This amino acid is capable of preventing arterial thickening – up to 24% reduction! — in the animal model. We have done an extensive literature review on arginine supplementation and have found that in over 30 studies demonstrating this fact addition to 150 known health benefits, it is capable of addressing the underlying dysfunction associated with cardiovascular disease: endothelial dysfunction, with no less than 20 studies proving this fact.
- Turmeric (curcumin): the primary polyphenol in the Indian spice turmeric known as curcumin has been found to be an excellent cardioprotective, with over 30 studies demonstrating this fact. One study found that curcumin prevented damage to the arteries associated with blockage (neointima formation).
- Sesame Seed: probably one of the most underappreciated super foods on the planet, sesame seed, which we have shown is as effective as Tylenol for arthritic pain, may be an excellent cardioprotective substance, ideally suited for preventing the progression of atherosclerosis. One animal study found it was capable of preventing atherosclerosis lesion formation. Another human study found that eating sesame seed paste can reduce blood markers of cardiovascular disease.
Remember, heart disease is not a natural process, that we must accept as inevitable based on family history of an outdated gene-based model of human disease risk. Our daily decisions, especially regarding what we decide we are going to eat or do not eat, are first and foremost. We can use food as medicine, sloughing off the pharmaceutical industry meme that we need statins to stave off the ‘inevitable.’ Take back control of your health with nutrition, and realize that food is the only medicine that will both nourish us and heal our bodies in a way that will produce lasting health.
Written By: Sayer Ji, Founder, greenmedinfo.com
Plants for wound healing, part 4 of 5
Marshmallow root
The marshmallow plant is a tall upright perennial with delicate pale pink flowers. The plant originated in coastal areas of Europe, but it is now widely naturalized and can be found on almost every continent.
Marshmallow is a common herb that grows in many gardens across North America. It has been used as an herbal remedy and as a vegetable in times of need.
To treat wounds, you need marshmallow root. It helps speed up tissue repair, minimize inflammation and prevent infections.
Marshmallow root can also help address skin rashes or other inflammations because of its soothing quality.
Marshmallow root contains mucilage. When mixed with warm water, mucilage turns into a thick gel that you can apply directly to your skin to induce healing effects.
The gel dries into a sort of adhesive that protects the wound from contaminants and acts as a natural Band-Aid.
Using marshmallow root for wound healing
After harvesting marshmallow root, cut it up and let it dry.
After the roots have dried, grind them up to use for the following recipes:
Poultice
Mix dried and ground-up marshmallow roots with an equal part of boiling water. Mix the ingredients until they become jelly-like. Apply the marshmallow poultice directly to your wounds.
Salve
Infuse dried marshmallow root in oil and melt some beeswax into the mixture. Pour the salve into a small tin and use as needed.
From growyourmedicine.com
Spanish Study Reveals Secrets to Superagers’ Long Lives And Sharp Minds
There are some special folks among us whose sharp minds defy their advanced years, their brains somehow resisting the slow march of time.
There are lots of possible reasons why, from genetics to personality. Now a Spanish study, one of the longest and largest of its kind, has pinpointed a few more traits that may explain how these so-called superagers retain their wit and memory.
“We are now closer to solving one of the biggest unanswered questions about superagers: whether they are truly resistant to age-related memory decline or they have coping mechanisms that help them overcome this decline better than their peers,” says lead author Marta Garo-Pascual, a neuroscience graduate student at the Queen Sofia Foundation Alzheimer Centre in Madrid.
Superagers are a rare breed of elders aged 80 or older whose memory rivals those 20 or 30 years younger.
In this new study of 64 superagers and 55 typically healthy older adults, both groups averaging 82 years, Garo-Pascual and colleagues looked for differences in brain scans, mobility tests, clinical mental health assessments, lifestyle surveys, and blood samples.
If their findings are representative of superagers in other countries, the results suggest superagers’ nimble minds might have something to do with their agile bodies.
Over six annual visits, the researchers tracked study participants’ lifestyle factors, scanned their brains, sampled their blood, and put them through their paces on mobility tests – inputting the data into a machine learning model tasked with identifying factors associated with superagers.
In line with previous studies, MRI scans showed that superagers’ brains shrank slower than their contemporaries’ brains had over the 5-year study period in areas involved in memory and movement.
Superagers were generally more active in midlife, satisfied in their elder years with their sleep, had better mental health, and showed greater independence in their day-to-day living – likely enabled by their ability to move, balance, and remember things.
Superagers were also faster at standing up out of a chair, in a ‘Timed Up and Go Test’, and had better fine motor skills. Yet there was no discernible difference in the overall activity levels reported by superagers and typical older ported.
“Though superagers report similar activity levels to typical older people, it’s possible they do more physically demanding activities like gardening or stair climbing,” says neuroscientist Bryan Strange of the Polytechnic University of Madrid.
“It’s also possible that having better brain health in the first place may be what’s responsible for superagers having faster movement speed.”
The study also found no differences in blood biomarkers of dementia, consistent with earlier studies that found superagers retain their memory function despite similar levels of Alzheimer’s disease proteins in their brains.
“Our findings suggest superagers are resistant to these processes, though the precise reasons for this are still unclear,” says Garo-Pascual.
Past research has revealed an abundance of spindle neurons, a rare type of neuron linked to memory capability, in superagers’ brains. So their razor-sharp memories may partly be the product of a biological lottery as much as they are a reflection of their lifestyle choices, social connections, or outlook on life.
Genetics, too, likely plays a role, as the machine learning model used in this study to differentiate superagers from their peers could only do so correctly 66 percent of the time, based on 89 demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors.
Further research involving superagers could, in time, reveal ways to help older people age well and preserve memory function, though there is a likely overlap with factors associated with dementia prevention, such as physical activity and low blood pressure.
Longer, larger studies on superagers might also provide more data to refine our understanding of what sets superagers apart.
The study has been published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
Article from sciencealert.com
Plants for wound healing, Part 3 of 5
Garlic
Garlic is an effective herb for killing bacteria and inducing quicker wound healing. Garlic contains allicin, a beneficial compound that has been the topic of many studies.
Research has found that allicin has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Data also shows that allicin activates fibroblasts or special types of cells found in your body that contribute to the formation of connective tissues.
Garlic helps increase the proliferation of fibroblasts in affected areas when applied topically. You can also take garlic internally to help fight various colds and bugs.
All parts of the garlic plant contain healing compounds, but most of them are stored in the bulb.
Using garlic for wound healing
Garlic is best used fresh, but you can also use garlic powder made of dried and ground-up garlic cloves.
Fresh cloves
If you have fresh garlic cloves, cut a fresh clove and rub the cut side over your wound.
Paste
Make a paste with fresh garlic cloves by blending them with a little bit of oil in a blender. If you don’t have access to a blender, chew up the garlic.
Apply the paste directly to a wound and put gauze over it to keep it in place.
Poultice
Increase the healing effects of garlic paste by adding a tablespoon of manuka honey. This creates a healing poultice.
Apply the garlic poultice the same way you would apply the paste.
From growyourmedicine.com
Antidepressants are almost as lethal as cocaine
Antidepressants are the most dangerous prescription drugs and are almost as lethal as cocaine.
The drugs are killing 21 people for every million taking them, while cocaine’s death rate is 29 per million.
Most of the antidepressant deaths are the result of drug poisoning, according to figures from the UK’s Office of National Statistics (ONS).
The second most lethal drug group are the benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and Valium, which are responsible for 18 deaths per million. The drugs are routinely prescribed for anxiety, seizures, and insomnia, but can quickly become addictive as higher doses are needed as the body builds tolerance.
New psychoactive substances (NPS)—which are legally available and are designed to replicate the effects of illicit substances such as ecstasy and LSD—kill nine people per million.
Paracetamol—which can be found in most homes—is the fourth most lethal medicine, responsible for nearly eight deaths per million.
From wddty.com
Health Benefits of Monk Fruit
Monk fruit, also known as Luo Han Guo, is a zero-calorie sweetener that’s been gaining popularity in the United States. The fruit comes from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant, which is native to southern parts of China.1
Monk fruit extract is 300 times sweeter than table sugar and doesn’t impact blood sugar levels. Plus, unlike artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose, monk fruit is considered a natural sweetener and hasn’t been linked to health risks.
For these reasons, monk fruit has become a helpful sugar alternative for people looking to reduce their intake of added sugar and for those with health conditions like type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Since monk fruit is still a relatively new sweetener in the U.S., human research on the health benefits of monk fruit are limited. However, some studies suggest that replacing added sugar with monk fruit could benefit health in several ways.
Offers a Healthier Sugar Substitute
Monk fruit sweetener is made by crushing whole monk fruits and extracting their juice. Monk fruit gets its sweetness from a group of triterpene glycosides (sugar compounds) known as mogrosides. These are extracted from monk fruit juice and made into products like powdered and liquid sweeteners.
Mogroside V is the sweetest and most abundant mogroside in monk fruit and is the main mogroside used in sugar alternative products.
In addition to providing monk fruit’s sweetness, mogrosides are responsible for its biological effects. Some research suggests that monk fruit may offer antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties.
Useful for Reducing Calorie Intake
Sweeteners like table sugar, honey, corn syrup, and agave make up a significant part of most people’s daily calorie intake.
For example, a two-teaspoon serving of granulated sugar contains 32.6 calories. Though this may not seem like much, the average American consumes around 17 teaspoons of added sugar every day, which equates to around 277 calories.
A diet high in added sugar can contribute to an energy surplus (consuming more calories than you burn) and subsequent weight gain. It can also promote the onset of health conditions like type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and heart disease.
Monk fruit contains zero calories and is a blood sugar-friendly alternative to caloric sweeteners. Replacing table sugar and other caloric sweeteners with monk fruit can help cut back on calories, which could be especially beneficial for those trying to lose weight.
Could Help Lower Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels
Monk fruit doesn’t impact blood sugar and insulin levels in the same way as sweeteners like table sugar, honey, and corn syrup. For this reason, it’s a popular product among people with diabetes in countries like the U.S., China, and Japan.
Animal studies show that monk fruit extract has blood sugar and insulin-lowering properties.
A study on rodents found that rats with induced type 2 diabetes who were fed a yogurt fortified with monk fruit extract showed greater improvements in blood sugar regulation and a significant decrease in insulin resistance compared with rats fed yogurt sweetened with table sugar.
Findings from other rodent studies also suggest monk fruit extract may have positive effects on blood sugar and insulin levels.
However, a human study did not show as great of an effect. The study examined the effects of beverages sweetened with aspartame, monk fruit, and stevia on post-meal blood sugar and insulin responses in 30 healthy men. Researchers found minimal differences when compared to table sugar-sweetened beverages.
While some study results indicate monk fruit extract could be a smart sugar replacement for people with type 2 diabetes, more human research is needed before strong conclusions can be made.
May Benefit Gut Health
Preliminary research suggests monk fruit mogrosides may act as prebiotics, or compounds that promote the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract.
An in vitro (test tube) study found gut bacteria could break down mogroside V into secondary mogrosides that have antioxidant properties. These secondary mogrosides promoted the growth of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species. They also reduced disease-causing bacteria like Clostridium XIVa.
The study also suggested mogroside V may help increase the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like acetate, propionate, and butyrate. SCFAs are byproducts of the bacterial fermentation (breakdown) of prebiotics. They act as an energy source for the cells lining the colon called colonocytes and benefit health in several ways, such as maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and regulating inflammation.
Nutrition of Monk Fruit
Although mogroside V shows promise as a prebiotic ingredient, research in humans is needed to confirm its potential gut health-promoting properties.
One teaspoon (0.5 grams) of monk fruit powdered sweetener contains:
- Calories: 0
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0.5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Added sugars: 0g
- Protein: 0g
Risks of Monk Fruit
Monk fruit is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means the sweetener has been shown to be safe for its intended use in food.
Even though human studies investigating the health effects of monk fruit sweeteners are limited, monk fruit hasn’t been linked to any adverse side effects or health risks.
However, certain ingredients often found in monk fruit products may carry some risks. For example, research suggests that erythritol, a sugar alcohol that’s commonly added to granulated and powdered monk fruit sweeteners, may have adverse effects on health.
Recent study findings suggest that consuming erythritol may be linked to an increased risk of blood clotting, stroke, heart attack, and death in people at an elevated risk for developing heart disease.
When buying monk fruit products, you may want to avoid items that include erythritol. Make sure to check the ingredient list so you’re aware of any additives you’re consuming.
Tips for Consuming Monk Fruit
Monk fruit can be used in the same way as regular sugar. You can add it to beverages as well as sweet and savory recipes.
The sweetener is safe to use at high temperatures and is a popular ingredient in baked goods like sweet breads, cookies, and cakes.
There are many ways to add monk fruit into your diet. For example, you can use monk fruit in:
- Your favorite cake, cookie, and pie recipes, as a sugar replacement
- Cocktails, iced tea, lemonade, and other drinks for a hint of sweetness
- Your coffee, instead of sugar or sweetened creamer
- Dishes like yogurt and oatmeal for extra flavor
- Sauces and marinades, in place of sweeteners like brown sugar and maple syrup
Monk fruit is available in several forms, including liquid monk fruit drops and granulated or powdered monk fruit sweeteners.
You should not use monk fruit for canning. There is not enough research on how monk fruit affects the pH of home-canned foods like jams. In theory, monk fruit could change the pH of canned goods, making them unsafe for consumption. For this reason, experts recommend avoiding monk fruit in home canning.
A Quick Review
Monk fruit is a natural sugar alternative derived from the Siraitia grosvenorii plant. It gets its sweetness from substances called mogrosides and is calorie-free.
Although some research suggests that monk fruit may offer benefits such as promoting healthy blood sugar levels, human studies investigating the health effects of monk fruit are limited.
Monk fruit is considered safe by the FDA and can be used as a calorie-free alternative to sweeteners like table sugar and corn syrup.
Article from health.com
Plants for Wound Healing, Part 2 of 5
Echinacea
Echinacea grows in North America and it has been used by Native Americans for hundreds of years as a natural “cure-all.”
Echinacea bears beautiful tall pink or purple flowers with a central cone where it stores seeds. The plant grows in many gardens and in the wild.
Echinacea can help boost your immune system, treat colds and viruses and treat slow-healing wounds. It is also commonly consumed as a tea that helps shorten the duration of a cold.
Echinacea is also used for wound healing, especially wounds that persist.
Echinacea plants contain different active compounds like alkamides, caffeic acid, phenolic acids, polyacetylenes, rosmarinic acid and more. Research also suggests that the compounds in echinacea are linked to many health benefits like improved immunity, reduced inflammation and lower blood sugar levels.
When using echinacea to treat cuts, harvest the upper part of the plant except the roots because that’s where most of the wound-healing compounds are stored.
Use echinacea plant to treat burns, cuts, scrapes, insect bites and snake bites. The plant has antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and antiviral properties, so it can help prevent serious infections at the site of the wound.
The plant also helps increase the activity of your immune system, which helps speed up healing. Echinacea also decreases inflammation, which helps reduce discomfort.
Using echinacea for wound healing
The flowers, leaves and stems of the plant can be used to make home remedies. While the roots can also be used, they are more effective against colds and flu.
Paste
An echinacea paste is similar to a poultice. You can make the paste immediately after harvesting and apply it directly to your wounds.
Pick fresh leaves from the plant, blend them up and apply the paste over your wounds. If you don’t have access to a blender, chew the leaves to make the paste.
Poultice
You can also use an echinacea and honey poultice to treat wounds.
Use dried ground-up echinacea leaves and mix them with an equal part of Manuka honey, then apply the poultice directly over the wound.
Salve
Infuse dried echinacea leaves and flowers in some oil, add beeswax and pour into a small tin to make a portable salve for treating wounds on the go.
From growyourmedicine.com
Fight Canine Cancer With These 8 Antioxidants + Dog Treat Recipe
Cancer is all too common in dogs and it’s the leading cause of their death. By some estimates, there’s a one in three chance your dog will be diagnosed with cancer. Some types are more common than others. That makes cancer prevention as important to them as it is to humans.
Antioxidants (and their bioflavonoid cousins) are well-known for their health benefits, including cancer prevention and sometimes treatment. Many studies have been done on humans and animals, with positive or mixed results.
“Antioxidants protect the body’s cells and tissues from free radicals, which are made when our bodies use oxygen,” writes the Canadian Cancer Society. “Free radicals can damage cells, which may lead to cancer. Antioxidants are thought to help protect cells by removing free radicals before they cause damage.”
The value of these natural wonders is anchored in prevention. There have been positive results from incorporating them into the diet of those who already have cancer, but some studies show at that point they may do more harm than good. The problem appears to be related to the use of supplements or high doses. Organic natural sources (namely whole food and herbs) help to prevent over-consumption of antioxidants, which may make some cancers worse or interfere with treatment. Plus, whole food sources come packaged with other cancer-fighting nourishment and anti-cancer properties.
For example, seaweed is a rich source of antioxidants. It also offers several other properties that have been found to protect against cancer, including lymphoma (common in dogs and cats). Each property tackles cancer in different ways, including:
- Inhibition of cancer-cell multiplication and attachment
- Preventing the production of blood vessels in tumors to arrest growth
- Prevention of free radical damage
- Preventing Metastasis
That isn’t to say you should never use supplements. Some of the best sources of antioxidants for dogs are easier to administer as a supplement. Or there may be no food sources that contain a high enough level to be beneficial, such as Arabinogalactan. Bioavailability from food sources can be a problem sometimes, which the better supplements are designed to offset (such as Curcumin supplements with BioPerine). You can either use small portions of each supplement, or only give your dog a supplement a couple of times/week instead of daily.
WARNING:
Cancer treatment should be undertaken with the guidance of your veterinarian. Inform your veterinarian if you make changes to your dog’s diet or add natural supplements, to prevent drug interactions or treatment complications.
“Further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to establish the clinical implications of antioxidant doses and timings based on treatment regimens, disease stage, and especially immune suppression status,” cautions the study, Potential Contributions of Antioxidants to Cancer Therapy: Immunomodulation and Radiosensitization.
8 Antioxidants That Fight Canine Cancer
Some antioxidants are more powerful than others and some are known to be better for cancer prevention and treatment, in both humans and dogs. That’s what we’ve focused on here.
1. Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid that is even more potent than other carotenoids.
“I believe that astaxanthin is the most powerful carotenoid in terms of free radical scavenging,” states Dr. Mercola. “It is 65 times more powerful than vitamin C, 54 times more powerful than beta-carotene, and 14 times more powerful than vitamin E.”
Best Sources of Astaxanthin for Dogs: Krill, shrimp and algae supplements (especially Haematococcus pluvialis).
2. Turmeric Curcumin
Curcumin is a strong anti-inflammatory that comes from Turmeric, which boasts a number of anti-cancer properties.
Best Source of Curcumin: Organic, digestible supplement.
3. Arabinogalactan
Arabinogalactan protein (AGP) possesses strong antioxidative activity, and also offers a number of other cancer-fighting properties.
Best Source of Arabinogalactan: Supplement
4. Epigallocatechin-3 Gallate
Studies have shown Epigallocatechin-3 Gallate targets an enzyme that fuels tumor growth.
Best source of Epigallocatechin-3 Gallate: Pure Green Tea. Do not use Green Tea Extract supplements. Brew a weak tea instead.
5. Lycopene
A super carotenoid antioxidant known to prevent cancer, including lung cancer.
Best Sources of Lycopene: Ripe, cooked tomatoes and seedless watermelon.
6. Procyanidins
Studies have shown procyanidins “inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells.”
Best source of Procyanidins: Apples. Team apples up with cinnamon and you’ll add even more antioxidants (and flavour).
7. Vitamin D
“Vitamin D-3, which is the most bioavailable form of Vitamin D, is one of the most powerful anti-cancer vitamins in nature,” claims Conscious Lifestyle Magazine. “Research on Vitamin D and cancer shows that it positively influences over 200 genes in the body, reduces inflammation, inhibits the cancer cell’s growth and replication cycle, inhibits new tumor blood vessel growth, and induces cancer cell self-destruction.”
Best sources of Vitamin D: Egg yolks and fatty fish like sardines.
8. Quercetin
Quercetin is a flavonoid antioxidant. Studies have shown that it inhibits tumor growth, causes cancer cells to self-destruct, and may make cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
Best Sources of Quercetin: Leafy greens, broccoli, tomatoes, berries and green tea.
What about Vitamin C?
Dogs and cats synthesize their own Vitamin C (humans don’t). A healthy dog probably isn’t lacking in Vitamin C, and he’ll ingest some with other foods on our list of anti-cancer antioxidants. Too much Vitamin C may cause digestive upset.
Amazing Antioxidant Dog Treats:
1 1/2 cups barley flour
1 1/2 cups green pea flour (or other flour substitute)
1/2 tsp unprocessed/raw sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp Spirulina Powder
1 egg
1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
2/3 cup lightly-brewed green tea
1/8 cup pure Manuka honey
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup unseasoned, unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup strawberries (chopped small)
Empty 1, 500mg capsule of Arabinogalactan into mix
Empty 1, 500mg capsule of Turmeric Curcumin into mix
Preheat Oven: 350F
Mix all ingredients together. Add more flour or liquid if required to reach desired consistency.
Roll into 1″ balls and place on cookie sheets, greased with a bit of extra virgin olive oil.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until they are just starting to brown.
Serve 1-2 treats per day. Freezes well.
From AllNaturalPetCare.com by Melody McKinnon
Plants for Wound Healing, Part 1 of 5
Calendula
Calendula is a plant that bears brightly colored flowers with wound-healing abilities. It can also be used to help treat viral infections and stomach pain.
Calendula has been used for wound healing and for treating burns, cuts, scratches and even deep-open wounds.
Data suggests that calendula can help wounds heal faster. Experts think that this is because the plant helps increase blood flow and oxygen to the damaged tissues, which helps the natural processes of the immune system heal them more efficiently.
Calendula also helps prevent the overgrowth of bacteria. This helps keep any infections at bay while your wounds are healing.
Using calendula for wound healing
To heal wounds with calendula, harvest the flowers and petals. Try to collect the flowers during summer when they are at their medicinal peak.
Fresh or dried calendula flowers can be used for these recipes:
Cream
To make a soothing calendula cream for burns and insect bites, infuse calendula flowers in some oil and add coconut oil and a little bit of beeswax using a blender. This emulsifies the cream and gives it a soft and airy texture.
Salve
Make calendula salve by infusing the flowers in some oil and adding beeswax. Pour the mixture into a small tin container and use the salve to treat wounds on the go.
Tincture
Make calendula tincture by grinding dried flowers to a powder and adding distilled water and 80+ proof alcohol in a small jar. Let the mixture sit for six weeks.
You can use the tincture internally or topically. Mix a few drops of the tincture in water to create a rinse that can help disinfect wounds.
From growyourmedicine.com
Dentists Hid That Colgate Toothpaste Can Cause Cancer
A vast majority of consumers have heard about Fluoride in many toothpaste commercials, all touting that Fluoride is a paramount ingredient in dental care.
A recent study has revealed there is another dangerous chemical lurking in toothpaste, even more dangerous and damaging than Fluoride and already linked to causing Cancer.
Toothpaste Health Risks
The revealed chemical goes by the name of triclosan, and can be found in only one major toothpaste brand.
Colgate is the only major toothpaste brand known to use the chemical triclosan as an ingredient. Colgate is one of the mainstream toothpastes most often used by Americans, and is exposing them to the health risks of triclosan.
The chemical triclosan is added to the toothpaste to supposedly reduce the risk of bacterial infection. However, studies have found that the health risks associated with triclosan may cancel out any benefits that the chemical can provide.
Various animal studies conducted on triclosan uncovered that it has a extreme affect on the hormone balance of mammals.
This means that it has an impact on male and female hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, as well as our thyroid system.
Disrupting the balance of certain hormones, specifically estrogen, has been linked to various diseases, most notably breast cancer.
This is because breast cancer cells are generally receptive to estrogen, meaning that having an excess amount of estrogen can cause them to grow.
If triclosan exposure really does increase the amount of estrogen in our bodies, which many studies have shown is a reasonable possibility, then it is safe to conclude that exposure to the chemical triclosan can greatly increase our risk of breast cancer.
Apart from being linked to cancer, triclosan’s antimicrobial properties have also caused concern among experts due to the possibility of “super-bugs”.
These are bacterial strains that have become resistant to triclosan’s antimicrobial properties, and will eventually spread without any form of medication able to stop these bacterial strains.
Other names for this chemical:
In personal care products, look for triclosan and its alternative names: Irgasan DP-300, Lexol 300, Ster-Zac, Cloxifenolum. It also has a close cousin called triclocarban. In plastics and clothing, look for triclosan and its alternative name Microban.
Natural Toothpastes
Instead, there are a variety of options for natural toothpastes or even homemade toothpastes. Here are a few examples:
Baking Soda and Hydrogen Peroxide
Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide both have natural whitening and antimicrobial properties.
To use them, all you have to do is mix them together and apply them to your toothbrush the same way you would any normal toothpaste.
In order to properly make baking soda-hydrogen peroxide toothpaste, make sure to use less baking soda than hydrogen peroxide.
Mix about two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide with one tablespoon of baking soda. Make sure that it isn’t gritty.
After brushing with the paste, let it sit on your teeth for about a minute to get the full whitening effects of both ingredients.
Coconut Oil and Peppermint Leaf
Coconut oil is another great, all-natural bacteria killer.
Although you can use coconut oil on its own, add peppermint leaf for that distinctive fresh, minty flavor.
Simply mash up some peppermint leaf (mixing in peppermint extract instead works as well) and brush your teeth with the mixture.
Unlike other antibacterials, coconut oil is not an immediate solution. Instead, it breaks down bacteria and plaque over time.
This means that it may take prolonged use before you will see any noticeable effects.
Article from beforeitsnews.com
Artemisinin from sweet wormwood treats not just malaria but also CANCER
A unique class of antimalarial drugs known as artemisinins, or just artemisinin, shows promise as a novel anti-cancer therapy.
Research published in the journal Pharmacology & Therapeutics explains that repurposing drugs for other purposes, such as artemisinin for cancer, “can significantly shorten new therapeutic discovery pathways, ensuring greater accessibility and affordability globally.”
“Cancer is a leading cause of death globally and the majority of cancer related deaths occur in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) where conventional treatment options are often limited by financial cost,” the study further explains.
“Artemisinins have an excellent safety and tolerability profile as well as being affordable for deployment in Low and Middle Class Income Countries at around USD1 per daily dose. Robust, well designed clinical trials of artemisinin drug repurposing are indicated for a variety of different cancers and treatment settings.”
Artemisinins are safer and arguably more effective than chemotherapy and radiation
It was Nobel Prize winner and eminent Chinese scientist Prof. Youyou Tu who four decades ago first discovered that artemisinin is a powerful remedy for malaria. The drug class is used all around the world to mitigate the disease.
Since then, the artemisinin class of drugs has continued to intrigue scientists and medical professionals because they recognize that its repurpose potential as a novel therapeutic agent for other conditions is strong.
“Artemisinins are a remarkable class of compounds that have shown promising cytotoxic effects against viruses, fungi and a variety of cancers as well as powerful anti-inflammatory effects in animal models of asthma, sepsis, arthritis, pancreatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus and haemorrhagic shock,” the paper explains, citing a litany of sources to back their use for each of these unique purposes.
Keep in mind that, despite being labeled as “drugs,” artemisinins are technically natural in that they are derived from sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua L.). They represent a family of sesquiterpene trioxane agents that contain an active metabolite known as dihydroartemisinin, or DHA for short.
“Artesunate, artemether and arteether are derivatives of artemisinin that are wholly or partially converted into the active metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA),” the study reveals.
“Sweet wormwood (qinghao) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for two millennia to treat fevers and a variety of inflammatory conditions. Humanity has probably wrestled with the life-threatening global epidemic of malaria since as far back as 770 BCE with a detailed description of symptoms of malaria described in the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor, written around the time of the Chun Qiu and Qin Dynasties (770–207 B·C.).”
Renowned Chinese physician Ge Hong (284-363) listed qinghaosu as an essential remedy for fevers in the publication Emergency Prescriptions Kept up one’s Sleeve. He also wrote a treatise called “On Airs, Waters, and Places” in 400 B.C. when Hippocrates was describing “agues” and “tertian fevers” as frequently affecting people who lived close to swamps and marshlands where mosquitoes happen to live and breed.
Fast-forward to today and artemisinins are not only being used to treat malaria but also cancer.
“The antimalarial quinine was used in the early 20th century as an anti-arrhythmic agent to treat atrial fibrillation,” the study explains.
“Difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) which was originally developed as an anti-cancer therapy has been repurposed as a treatment for sleeping sickness. To date there are over 100 candidate drugs undergoing drug repurposing clinical trials for cancer.”
“An artemisinin drug repurposing program for a number of cancer types, with a variety of clinical settings and combination therapies from pump priming window studies to Phase III clinical trials is urgently needed.”
From herbs.news
HRT increases chances of Alzheimer’s after just a year – What Doctors Don’t Tell You
Women who take HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for just a year increase their risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
They are 24 percent more likely to suffer from the disease later in life, researchers from Copenhagen University Hospital estimate.
The researchers are the first to discover that short-term use of HRT—even for less than a year—increases the risk of dementia. Other studies have already established that people taking HRT longterm have a higher risk of developing the disease.
For the new study, the researchers recruited 55,890 healthy women who were taking oestrogen-progestin HRT and discovered that the risk increases with use: taking it for less than a year increases the risk 21 percent, and by 74 percent after taking it for 12 years or longer.
They also discovered that women who were aged 55 and younger faced a similar risk as older women when they first started taking HRT.
From wddty.com
Top 10 Human Medications That Poison Pets
Following are the top 10 human medications that poison pets, according to the Pet Poison Hotline:
- Ibuprofen
- Antidepressants & anxiety medication
- Vitamin D3
- Stimulants
- Acetaminophen
- Thyroid Hormone Medications
- Beta Blockers
- Allergy Medications
- Albuterol
- Sleep Aids
MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — When your pet accidentally ingests one of your human medications, it can be of concern. The specific drug may be poisonous to non-humans, or the strength may be dangerous. What happens, however, when a pet accidentally ingests multiple medications? That’s when you want the toxicology experts at Pet Poison Helpline by your side.
“Due to the vast array of human medications, most veterinarians don’t have extensive knowledge regarding the toxicology of them on pets,” said Dr. Renee Schmid, a senior veterinary toxicologist at Pet Poison Helpline. “It becomes even more challenging for veterinary teams when they’re treating a pet who has ingested multiple medications. Not only does the veterinarian need to potentially be concerned about each specific medication, but also its potential interaction with other ingested drugs.
Pet Poison Helpline is a division of SafetyCall International, which offers adverse event management services for some of the nation’s largest consumer product manufacturers, including the majority of veterinary pharmaceutical companies. As a result, the company has developed an extensive database of hundreds of thousands of household and commercial products and medications built over 30 years. Because of its proprietary data and years of experience, the toxicology team has access to answers others simply don’t.
Based in Minneapolis, Pet Poison Helpline is available in North America by calling 800-213-6680. Additional information can be found online at www.petpoisonhelpline.com.
Article from allnaturalpetcare.com
Nature’s 9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and the Science Behind Them
Gingko
As one of the oldest tree species, gingko is also one of the oldest homeopathic plants and a key herb in Chinese medicine. The leaves are used to create capsules, tablets, and extracts, and when dried, can be consumed as a tea.
It’s perhaps best-known for its ability to boost brain health. Studies say that gingko can treat patients with mild to moderate dementiaTrusted Source, and can slow cognition decline in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Recent research is looking into a component that can help diabetes, and there continue to be more studies, including an animal study that says it might influence bone healing.
INTERESTING FACT
The gingko tree is considered a living fossil, with fossils dating from 270 million years ago. These trees can live up to 3,000 years.
Gingko could be beneficial for:
- dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
- eye health
- inflammation
- diabetes
- bone healing
- anxiety
- depression
Things to consider
- Long-term use may increase chance of thyroid and liver cancer, which has been seen in rats.
- It’s known to be hard on the liver, so liver enzymes may need to be monitored.
- It can interact with blood thinners.
- Gingko seeds are poisonous if ingested.
- Side effects can include headache, upset stomach, dizziness, and allergic reaction.
- Gingko use needs to be discussed with your doctor because of numerous drug interactions.
Turmeric
With its brilliant orange hue, it’s impossible to miss a bottle of turmeric sitting on a spice shelf. Originating in India, turmeric is believed to have anticancer properties and can prevent DNA mutations.
As an anti-inflammatory, it can be taken as a supplement and it’s been used topically for people with arthritis who wish to relieve discomfort. It’s used worldwide as a cooking ingredient, which makes it a delicious, antioxidant-richTrusted Source addition to many dishes.
According to recent research, turmeric is also showing promise as a treatment for a variety of dermatologic diseases and joint arthritisTrusted Source.
INTERESTING FACT
Turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb for 4,000 years. It’s a tentpole of an Indian alternative medicine practice called Ayurveda.
Turmeric could be beneficial for:
- pain caused by inflammatory diseases, like arthritis
- preventing cancer
- stopping DNA mutations
- several skin diseases
Things to consider
- When used as a supplement, people tend to take too much, so it can be difficult to trust the dosage and quality. Safety increases when ingested as an herb in cooking or tea.
- Long-term use can potentially cause stomach problems.
- Turmeric has low bioavailability. Consuming with pepper can help your body absorb more of its benefits.
Evening Primrose Oil
The vibrant yellow evening primrose flower produces an oil that’s thought to alleviate the symptoms of PMS and skin conditions like eczema.
Studies that are available on this oil tend to be all over the map, but there are studies that are stronger than others. For example, some studies have found that evening primrose oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s been known to help with conditions such as atopic dermatitis and diabetic neuropathyTrusted Source. It can also help with other health concerns, such as breast pain.
Recent research points to improving the quality of life for patients with multiple sclerosisTrusted Source, changing hormones and insulin sensitivity in those dealing with polycystic ovary syndrome, and using it topically to improve mild dermatitis.
According to these studies, evening primrose oil might just be the Swiss Army knife of the medicinal plant world. The caveat is that it can interact with several medications. More research is coming, and the applications are promising.
INTERESTING FACT
Evening primrose flowers are also called moonflowers because they bloom as the sun begins to set. People often say they smell like lemons.
Evening primrose oil could be beneficial for:
- PMS
- mild skin conditions
- breast pain
- menopause
- inflammation
- diabetic neuropathy
- multiple sclerosis
- PCOS
- blood pressure
Things to consider
- interacts with some blood-clotting medications
- safety during pregnancy is uncertain
- may interfere with drug absorption during HIV treatment
- interacts with lithium for bipolar disorder
- long-term use may not be safe
Flax Seed
Flax seed, also available as an oil, is one of the safer choices among plant-based dietary supplements. Harvested for thousands of years, today flax seed is praised for its antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Although more research needs to be done with human subjects, one study says that flax seed can help prevent colon cancer.
Another studyTrusted Source cites that flax seed has the ability to reduce blood pressure. When consumed, it can even aid in reducing obesity. Many people add flax seed and flaxseed meal to oatmeal and smoothies, and it’s also available in the form of tablets, oil (which can be put into capsules), and flour.
The best way to add flax seed is through your diet. Sprinkle ground seeds on cereal or salad, cook in hot cereal, stew, homemade breads, or smoothies. Add flaxseed oil to salad dressing.
INTERESTING FACT
Flax seeds are one of a handful of plant-based sources for omega-3 fatty acids. Other sources include chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
Flax seed could be beneficial for:
- decreasing obesity
- regulating blood pressure
- preventing colon cancer
- inflammation
- hot flashes
Things to consider
- Flax seed can affect estrogen production in women, especially if they have a history of cancer or are pregnant.
- Don’t eat raw or unripe flax seeds, as they can be toxic.
Tea Tree Oil
The tea tree, which is native to Australia, produces an oil that’s long been thought to be beneficial for skin conditions, including mild acne, athlete’s foot, small wounds, dandruff, insect bites, and other inflammatory skin conditions.
There needs to be further study into acne and scalp use, but for now, there’s a degree of research into the antimicrobial superpowers of tea tree oil on wounds and topical infections.
One recent study said that tea tree oil slowed the growth of acne-causing microbes. It’s commonly used as a highly concentrated essential oil.
Wilson recommends that tea tree oil, as with all essential oils, should be diluted in a carrier oil. She adds that it often already comes diluted in a variety of skin care products and creams.
INTERESTING FACT
Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of a tree that’s native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia.
Tea tree oil could be beneficial for:
- acne
- athlete’s foot
- cuts
- dandruff
- insect bites
Things to consider
- Tea tree oil is poisonous if taken orally.
- Your skin could experience an allergic reaction.
- It may influence hormones.
- Long-term use isn’t recommended.
Echinacea
Echinacea is a lot more than those pretty, purple coneflowers you see dotting gardens. These blooms have been used for centuries as medicine in the form of teas, juice, and extracts. Today, they can be taken as powders or supplements.
The best-known use of echinacea is to shorten symptoms of the common coldTrusted Source, but more studies are needed to verify this benefit and to understand how echinacea boosts immunity when a virus is present.
Generally, save a few potential side effects, echinacea is relatively safe. Even though it needs more testing, you can always choose to use it if you’re hoping to see your cold symptoms end more quickly.
INTERESTING FACT
Some of the earliest people to use echinacea as a medicinal herb were Native Americans. The first archaeological evidence dates back to the 18th century.
Echinacea could be beneficial for:
- colds
- immunity
- bronchitis
- upper respiratory infections
Things to consider
- It can be tough on the digestive tract and upset the stomach.
- Allergic reactions are possible.
Grapeseed Extract
For years, grapeseed extract, which is available via liquid, tablets, or capsules, has been well-established and applauded for its antioxidant activity. It has potent health benefits, including lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and reducing symptoms of poor circulation in the leg veins.
StudiesTrusted Source are confirming that regular consumption of grapeseed extract has anticancer effects and seems to halt cancer cell growth.
INTERESTING FACT
Grapeseed extract contains the same antioxidants found in wine.
Grapeseed extract could be beneficial for:
- cancer
- lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol
- leg vein circulation
- edema
- blood pressure
Things to consider
- Proceed with caution if you take blood thinners or blood pressure medications, or if you’re about to go in for surgery.
- It may reduce iron absorption.
Lavender
If you experience anxiety, chances are that someone along the way has recommended that you use lavender essential oil, and for good reason. This aromatic, purple flower has a fairly strong standing among studies, which have mainly focused on its anti-anxiety capacities.
It’s proven to be soothing in a study conducted among dental patients, while another studyconfirmed that lavender can directly impact mood and cognitive performance. It’s also been commended for its sedative properties to help people get much-needed sleep.
Recently, it’s been discovered that lavender carries anti-inflammatory benefits as well. It’s most effective diluted and applied to the skin or used in aromatherapy, and it has few side effects.
INTERESTING FACT
Lavender was first brought to Provence, France, by the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Lavender could be beneficial for:
- anxiety
- stress
- blood pressure
- migraine
Things to consider
- It can cause skin irritation.
- It may disrupt hormones when applied undiluted.
Chamomile
With flowers that resemble small daisies, chamomile is another medicinal plant that’s thought to have anti-anxiety properties. Most people know it because it’s a popular tea flavor (one reviewTrusted Source says that over 1 million cups per day are consumed around the world), but it can also be ingested through liquids, capsules, or tablets.
The calming powers of chamomile have been frequently studied, including a 2009 studyTrusted Source that states chamomile is superior to taking a placebo when treating generalized anxiety disorder. One recent study confirmed it’s safe for long-term use, and another recent studyTrusted Source looked beyond its use for anxiety and confirmed that it also shows potential in anticancer treatments.
INTERESTING FACT
There are two types of chamomile: German chamomile, an annual that thrives in the Midwest, and Roman chamomile, a perennial that attracts pollinators and smells like apples.
Chamomile could be beneficial for:
- anxiety
- stress
- insomnia
- cancer
Things to consider
- It can cause allergic reactions. There’ve been reports of anaphylaxis.
- It can interact with blood thinners.
Article by Shelby Deering, healthline.com
Naturally Treating Brown Recluse Spider Bites
Avoiding Brown Recluse Bites
Since bites often occur whilst people are sleeping, it is not always possible to avoid them. We recommend that bedding be fully checked before going to sleep, and that clothing be violently shaken before it is worn. These little devils love the insides of shoes, so beat your shoes together, and inspect the insides of them before wearing them. Keep all dresser drawers tightly closed, because they will hide in the underwear too.
How To Know If You Have Been Bitten
A brown recluse victim is not always aware that he has been bitten; at least not immediately, when treatments would be the most beneficial. Sometimes the bites immediately cause extreme pain, but in other cases, there is no sensation at all. There may be visible fang pits at the bite site, but this is not always true either. Sometimes there is itching at the bite site, or a generalized fever. The general rule is that there are no general rules for brown recluse spider bites in the early stage. Some victims do not realize that they have been bitten until several days have passed.
Between one and three days after being bitten, an untreated brown recluse spider bite is likely to form one or more blisters. The bite site may become bluish colored at this time, and it may begin forming a crater.
Seeking Emergency Medical Care
A brown recluse spider bite could easily be considered an emergency condition, so a hospital visit may be essential to ensure that the victim is stabilized. Be forewarned that there is very little that orthodox medicine can do to stop the regional damage that is caused by a bite. Doctors typically give antibiotics and anti-histamines in the hope that regionalized damage can be somewhat minimized. These are truly desperate measures that yield very little success. Therefore, we recommend that you follow our alternative treatment recommendations.
Self Treatment – Stage 1
If you have been bitten by this spider (or any other spider), the first thing that you should do is apply activated charcoal directly to the wound. This is something that should always be kept in the medicine cabinet for poison emergencies. You can find it inside capsules sold at health food stores, or you can buy it in the aquarium department of a grocery store. Either way, the charcoal must be finely ground before it is used. Apply a thick paste to the bite area that is made from the fine charcoal powder and water. Tape the charcoal and water mixture to the bite, and leave for four hours. Using it again, or for longer periods is unlikely to help.
We also recommend orally consuming a teaspoon of dampened charcoal powder, in order to get a tiny amount of charcoal into the blood. Please read the article about activated charcoal usage, or proceed at your own risk. It is best to have it made ahead of time in preparation for any poison emergency, and the sooner that it is used, the better.
Take massive amounts of echinacea supplements until the bite wound completely disappears. Echinacea was used by the American Indians to heal snake bites, which is believed to be where the term “snake oil” originated. Some reports indicate that echinacea is very effective for treating venomous spider bites.
Self Treatment – Stage 2
After the first few hours, charcoal will no longer be useful. Purchase bentonite clay powder from a health food store, and mix it with enough water to form a paste. Apply this paste onto the wound, and cover it with medical tape. Use colloidal silver instead of water if it is available. This paste should be left on the skin for at least two hours, several times a day. The skin should be washed before the clay is applied to remove any oils. A mild hand soap should be adequate. Avoid moisturizing soaps and lotions.
Topical bentonite clay has yielded some amazing results for victims of brown recluse bites. Internal use of bentonite clay is not advised. For best results, mix a small amount of echinacea with the bentonite clay powder. The clay will typically remain useful for about a week, but every bite will be different. Continue for a couple of weeks.
Brown recluse spider bites usually take 6-8 weeks to heal, but this treatment method should speed the process dramatically, and reduce suffering in the meantime. Hopefully it will help victims eliminate, or at least reduce the crater scars that these spiders have become infamous for causing.
Be Prepared
You may not be able to get bentonite clay from local retailers, so every family that has a possibility of being bitten by brown recluse spiders should purchase it as soon as possible, and keep it ready in storage. Once bitten, a person may not be able to obtain it from online sources in time to be useful. Seriously, order it now, along with the activated carbon.
By Sarah C. Corriher
Natural Remedies for Bee, Wasp, and Hornet Stings
Bee, Wasp, and Hornet Stings
If a stinger is left embedded in the body, then remove it as soon as possible. This should be the first step. Use whatever tools are immediately available to dig it out. You could use a knife, credit card, pliers, tweezers, or a needle. Sterilize the tool if possible, but do not waste time. For maximum absorption, clean the area with soap and water before applying remedies, otherwise the oils on the skin will repel them.
Wasp and Hornet Stings
Vinegar – Wasp and hornet venom are powerful alkalines. Use an acid such as vinegar to neutralize them. It can be applied via a piece of cloth or bandaging. Make sure to keep the stings soaked for at least 15 minutes. Some vinegar will absorb through the skin, and it should greatly help eliminate the discomfort.
Bee and Yellow Jacket Stings
Baking Soda – In the case of bee stings, baking soda will help to neutralize the acidic venom. Make a paste by combining baking soda with water. Leave this paste on the sting site for at least 15 minutes. Some of the dissolved baking soda will leach through the skin to neutralize the venom somewhat. After applying it, and cleaning the sting area of residue; a chamomile tincture may be repeatedly applied for any residual itching or swelling.
Emergency Allergic Reactions
If there is difficulty breathing, extreme dizziness, or nausea after a sting, then there is a high probability that it triggered a dangerous allergic reaction. In these cases, we recommend quickly consuming a large (i.e. quadruple) dose of chamomile. Chamomile is related to ragweed, so those with ragweed allergies should skip this step. A large amount of echinacea is also strongly recommended, if available. If pulse irregularities are experienced, then try to take some taurine, even if that means just holding the powder in the mouth. Then immediately get to the nearest hospital. The allergic reaction may stop by the time you arrive at the hospital, but you should definitely make the trip in case it does not. In these unfortunate latter cases, a steroid injection may be required to save your life.
Misinformation About Sting Remedies
Treating most bee, wasp, and hornet stings is easy, but that may be difficult to believe if you have spent any time researching this topic on the Internet. Researching natural treatments for bee, hornet, and wasp stings is revealing about how much misinformation there is on the Internet. Some of it is laughable.
Sting “Treatments” That We Discourage
- Meat tenderizer
- Onion
- Potato
- Mud (literally dirt and water)
- Garlic
- Ammonia
- Vinegar combined with baking soda (neutralize themselves)
Article by Sarah C. Corriher, healthwyze.org
Can Graphene Nanobots being transmitted by the COVID Vaccinated be Removed from your body?
In an era marked by the infiltration of graphene nanomaterials/nanobots into various aspects of our lives, concerns over their potential health implications have grown. The inadvertent exposure to graphene and its potential accumulation in the body has raised questions about how to effectively remove this powerful material.
From their ability to manipulate biological processes and disrupt normal physiological functions to their potential for widespread transmission and long-term health consequences, the implications are deeply unsettling.
Sadly, one doctor has already proven that Graphene Nanobots are within the mRNA Covid-19 injections. But what’s even more upsetting, is that he has also concluded that they are being transmitted from the vaccinated to the unvaccinated, destroying red blood cells and forming strange and rare blood clots.
So as the prevalence of graphene nanomaterials continues to increase, understanding how to safely remove them from the body becomes crucial. Thankfully, there are already several known ways to do so.
By understanding these methods, individuals can take proactive steps to protect their well-being and reduce the potential long-term effects of graphene exposure.
- Enhanced Detoxification Pathways: One of the primary approaches to facilitate the removal of graphene from the body is to support the natural detoxification pathways. Several techniques can be employed to optimize the functioning of organs involved in detoxification, such as the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system.
These include:
- Hydration: Drinking an adequate amount of water supports kidney function and promotes the elimination of toxins, including graphene particles, through urine.
- Liver Support: Consuming foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries and leafy greens, can aid in liver function and enhance the detoxification process.
- Sweating: Engaging in activities that induce sweating, such as exercise or sauna sessions, can help eliminate toxins through the skin.
- Dietary Interventions: Certain dietary strategies can assist in the removal of graphene from the body. These include:
- High-Fiber Diet: Consuming a fiber-rich diet aids in regular bowel movements and facilitates the elimination of toxins, including graphene, through the digestive system.
- Detoxifying Foods: Incorporating foods with natural detoxifying properties, such as garlic, cilantro, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and Brussels sprouts, can support the body’s ability to eliminate harmful substances.
- Chelation Therapy: Chelation therapy involves the administration of chelating agents that bind to heavy metals and other toxins, facilitating their removal from the body. While research specifically on chelation therapy for graphene removal is limited, certain chelators, such as EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), have shown potential in removing various heavy metals from the body.
- Supportive Supplements: Certain supplements may help support the body’s natural detoxification processes and promote the elimination of graphene particles. These include:
- Glutathione: Known as the body’s master antioxidant, glutathione plays a crucial role in detoxification. Supplementing with glutathione or its precursors, such as N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), may support the body’s ability to remove toxins.
- Vitamin C: As a potent antioxidant, vitamin C can help neutralize oxidative stress caused by graphene exposure and support overall detoxification processes.
- Seeking Professional Guidance: Given the limited research on specific methods to remove graphene from the body, it is advisable to consult with healthcare professionals knowledgeable in environmental toxicology or detoxification. They can provide personalized guidance based on individual circumstances and recommend appropriate strategies for graphene detoxification.
As the prevalence of graphene nanomaterials continues to increase, understanding how to safely remove them from the body becomes crucial.
While research on specific detoxification protocols for graphene is still emerging, supporting natural detoxification pathways, adopting a healthy diet, considering chelation therapy, and incorporating supportive supplements can aid in the elimination of graphene particles.
However, it is important to approach graphene detoxification with caution and seek guidance from healthcare professionals with expertise in the field.
By taking proactive steps to mitigate the potential effects of graphene exposure, individuals can strive for optimal well-being in an increasingly graphene-infused world.
Make a Comfrey Poultice (For Sprains, Strains & Broken Bones)
Ingredients Needed
- Comfrey Leaves (1.55 ounces/45 grams fresh leaves OR .51 ounces/15 grams dried comfrey) – You can use the flowers, stems and leaves for this poultice. I like to have a combination of each. If you don’t have fresh comfrey, you can also use dried comfrey.
- 1 Cup Water – Blending the water with the comfrey helps create a slurry. This slurry will then be thickened with a binder.
- 1/4 Cup Binder – If you have bentonite clay, that works well as a binder. You can also use arrowroot powder, cornstarch or regular old flour
Making the Poultice
- Take the comfrey flowers, leaves and stems and place them into a high-powered blender.
- Add water and add the lid.
- Blend until you’re left with a rough puree.
- Add binder (I used flour) and blend again. Check consistency and add more binder, as needed, until you reach a paste consistency (similar to a muffin or cake batter consistency).
Making a Comfrey Poultice Pack
- Separate a large piece of gauze into two pieces.
- On the gauze with the wider weave, spoon on the comfrey poultice. How much you use and how wide you spread it out will be determined based on the injury.
- Cover the poultice with the tight-weaved gauze. This is simply to keep the poultice from running off the gauze.
- You can freeze the gauze to create a healing ice pack or use it immediately.
How to Use
- Place the gauze with the poultice over the injured area and let it sit for at least 10 minutes, up to several hours (or overnight).
- Use a towel to keep the liquid from dripping onto the surface below.
- Apply three times a day, reducing the applications as the injury heals.
Tip: Make multiple applications ahead of time by following the steps above, then place the poultice-filled gauze into the freezer to flash freeze. Then, transfer the frozen poultice packs to a zip-top baggie until needed. If you don’t freeze them, store them in the refrigerator with pieces of wax paper between each poultice pack and use within a few days.
From melissaknorris.com
How Air Fresheners are Killing You
The residual chemicals from common cleaning and deodorizing products often result in accidental poisonings to the very people who were supposedly being protected. Some toxic chemicals accumulate in ever-increasing amounts in the human body over a period of years, so the health consequences are rarely attributed to them. Victims sometimes suffer from a strange form of cancer, or they might have some new-age disease like chronic fatigue syndrome; and of course, there is the growing popularity of ‘genetic disorders’.
You may find the causes of your suffering health in your cleaning products, medicine cabinet, laundry products, foods, municipal water, in “healthy” products (soy, canola, margarine), and in your air fresheners. There is an endless barrage of unregulated, toxic retail products; ranging from Clorox wipes to hand sanitizers and air fresheners. The long-term health consequences of these products multiplied
together invariably become much worse than any infection or other seemingly isolated ailment.
It is usually assumed that these products must go through rigorous safety testing before placement in retail stores, but this is not true. The cleaning industry is self-regulated, which translates to no regulation. Chemical companies do not need permission from any authoritative body before releasing their latest air fresheners or cleanup wipes. In fact, it took months for the F.D.A. to even warn Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. that bacteria was living inside its line of supposedly anti-bacterial products. The hand sanitizer was eventually voluntarily recalled, but only after the situation became a public relations problem for both organizations. These voluntary recalls are the most common type, and the term “voluntary” indicates that the F.D.A. officially informed the guilty corporation that it would not take any action against it. The phrase “voluntary recall” seriously means this in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Air fresheners are thought to be even further outside the jurisdiction of regulators than most products. To its credit, the State of California forces labeling of ingredients that are known to cause cancer or reproductive harm, under Proposition 65, but this is the entirety of this industry’s regulations.
The Natural Resources Defense Council studied the effects of air fresheners, discovering that they currently undergo no safety testing. The results were disturbing, because they revealed high levels of phthalates, which are known to be especially harmful to children. These chemicals were even present in sprays which were claimed to be “All-Natural” and “unscented”. Phthalates were not disclosed in the list of ingredients for any of the products.
“Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can be particularly dangerous for young children and unborn babies. Exposure to phthalates can affect testosterone levels and lead to reproductive abnormalities, including abnormal genitalia and reduced sperm production. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates — including one that we found in air freshener products — are ‘known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.'”
— Natural Resources Defense Council
1,4-Dichlorobenzene is a chemical that is found in the blood of 96% of Americans. It has been linked to lung damage, is a known carcinogen, and it is an E.P.A. registered pesticide. Studies found it to increase rates of asthma. It can be found in the majority of air fresheners, toilet deodorizers, and mothballs. It works by attacking the receptors in the nose, and thus eliminating the sense of smell. This is how the new generation of air fresheners actually “freshen”. This chemical was introduced into the American market with the Febreze product from Proctor & Gamble. The new generation of air fresheners that were inspired by the success of Febreze are literally using chemical warfare to destroy their customers’ sense of smell. That lack of smell is where the illusion of freshness comes from. The user only smells these air fresheners for about a minute after they have been sprayed, and then the nose cannot smell most fragrances anymore. This is not a normal adjustment to odors, anymore than a loss of one of the other four senses. The process is the equivalent of using a chemical blinding agent to escape the unpleasantness of a bright light; when that chemical is known to be both poisonous and carcinogenic. By design, the freshening chemical causes damage to the mucous membrane, which is claimed to be temporary. However, no long-term studies have ever been done to test the effects of chronic exposure. It is important to remember that anything inhaled is immediately absorbed into the blood through the lungs relatively unchanged.
Dichlorobenzene is, in large part, the reason why so many pet birds die directly after the use of air fresheners. Due to hundreds of reports of bird deaths on the Internet, Procter & Gamble (Febreze manufacturer) funded its own internal study into this, and (without surprise) concluded that there are no safety issues whatsoever concerning pet birds or human beings.
Dichlorobenzene is the main ingredient used to manufacture the infamous pesticide DDT, and its cousins, DDE and DDD. Chlorine alone has a tendency to form DDT and DDT-like compounds when it reacts with many other substances. These compounds disrupt the endocrine system by destroying hormones throughout a body, in a similar manner to BPA; but in a much more powerful way. Sometimes exposure results in horrific health problems that never completely disappear. It may help readers to put the situation into perspective by being made aware that their use of most air freshener brands is the literal practice of inhaling small amounts of DDT. Inhalation is much more dangerous than oral ingestion of the same amount.
“Problems associated with DDT, as well as many chlorinated hydrocarbons, involved their tendency to concentrate in the fat of humans, livestock, aquatic food chains, and wildlife. This latter phenomena, called bioaccumulation, has had, and continues to have, severe adverse effects on many forms of wildlife…
“Since implementation of [the DDT ban], residues of the pesticides have significantly decreased in many regions where they were formerly used. However, DDT, DDD and DDE persist in the environment for a very long time. DDT, DDD and DDE residues can still be found in most areas of the United States”… [80 years later]
— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The issues of synthetic fragrances have been around for years, and have led to many companies selling unscented options. Some fragrances cause changes in blood flow, blood pressure, mood, and trigger migraine headaches. A massive 72% of asthmatics cite these fragrances as a trigger in causing asthma attacks, and they have been implicated as a cause for the initial development of asthma. Asthma rates in the United States have doubled since 1980, and the use of air fresheners has doubled since just 2003. Most synthetic fragrances are also known respiratory irritants, which means that they cause inflammation in the lungs, leading to an increased mucous production, and a greater vulnerability to other chemicals, allergens, and infections. Ninety-five percent of synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum. They include benzene and aldehydes; which are known to cause cancers, reproductive effects, and problems with the central nervous system. These effects on the nervous system result in increased cases of Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and more. A study from 1991 entitled, Chemical Exposures: Low Levels and High Stakes, tested the effects of fragrances among test subjects. When asthmatics were exposed to cologne for 10 minutes, their pulmonary function was impaired by 58% from a previous 18% handicap. Of the 60 asthmatics that they surveyed, 57 complained of respiratory symptoms with exposure to common scents.
Phthalates, like those found in air freshener mists, are usually used in the production of PVC plastics. All air fresheners containing phthalates lack any labeling to indicate their presence. Phthalates are also found in air fresheners that are labeled “unscented” and “all natural”. With an estimated 75% of consumers using air fresheners in their homes, we strongly recommend improving ventilation systems to dilute these chemicals as much as possible, if they cannot be eliminated altogether. According to the Environmental Working Group, phthalates produce liver cancer, but this link has not been officially acknowledged by regulatory agencies.
The chemicals emitted from air fresheners (and other toxic products) accumulate in the fatty tissues over time, so the danger increases as they build up inside a body. The presence of toxins inside fat can make weight loss difficult. Since the human body uses fat to store certain materials that are too toxic for it to process, breaking down the fat would mean releasing those toxins again, so a body may resist fat loss for self-defense. Thus, fat retention is sometimes the result of an immune system properly responding to a danger.
Sooner or later, society will have to revert to old-fashioned means of cleaning, cooking, and keeping our homes smelling pleasant. This will include the removal of non-stick pans, air fresheners, and hand sanitizers. While they may make certain tasks easier, avoiding them is an essential step to ensure a long, healthy life for your family. Since children are most at risk, we hope that those reading this will dispose of their air fresheners, to minimize the exposure of those who are not able to protect themselves.
By Sarah C. Corriher, healthwyze.org
4 BEST PFAS WATER FILTERS
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a complex group of chemically manufactured compounds that is used in almost every manufacturing industry, from automotive to construction to food packaging. Thus, they’re everywhere – in soil, water, air, and even fish.
Since they’re newly-emerging compounds, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is yet to regulate them under the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. However, despite the lack of EPA regulation, there is enough scientific evidence of the health hazards posed by drinking PFAS contaminated water such as respiratory problems, increased cholesterol levels, and even various forms of cancer.
So, it’s best to take the necessary measures to eliminate the threat of PFAS from your drinking water supply. Today, we’ll share 4 best water filters that remove PFAS.
WHOLE HOUSE FILTER
- Filter type: Whole house water filter
- Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with flex bed, KDF media, catalytic carbon, and sediment filter
- PFAS reduction rate: More than 99.5%
- NSF certifications: Not certified
- Warranty: Lifetime on the tank and valves
REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM
- Filter type: Countertop Reverse Osmosis
- Filtration technology: 4-stage filtration with two pre-filters, one RO membrane, and one VOC post-filter
- PFAS reduction rate: More than 97.5%
- NSF certifications: NSF/ANSI Standards 42, 53, 58, and 401
- Warranty: 1-year
WATER PITCHER
- Filter type: Water pitcher
- Filtration technology: Affinity Filtration Technology with a unique structure and contaminant magnet
- PFAS reduction rate: More than 95%
- NSF certifications: NSF standards 42, 53, 244, 401, and 473
- Warranty: Lifetime
GRAVITY FILTER
- Filter type: Gravity filter
- Filtration technology: Black Berkey Elements with micro-filtration, absorption, adsorption
- PFAS reduction rate: 99.9%
- NSF certifications: Not certified
- Warranty: Lifetime
Our Body’s Reaction to MSG
If you have health problems that the doctors cannot fix, then consider your bodies reaction to MSG. Beyond the basic definition of MSG, we are left with the question of what is MSG to our body.
What is MSG?
It is difficult to define what MSG is to our body. It is even more difficult to identify an adverse reaction to the consumption of MSG since there are so many different names for MSG.
You may have an adverse reaction to MSG from food, drugs, cosmetics, or supplements and never know the cause.
The most common reaction to MSG is Monosodium Glutamate Symptom complex. It was first described in 1968 as the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome.
Both anecdotal reports and small clinical studies attribute various symptoms resulting from MSG in our diet. These symptoms include…
- MSG-induced asthma
- headache
- migraine headache
- throbbing headache
- feeling of head expanding and contracting
- dizziness
- pin prick sensations
- jaw tightness
- throat tightness
- upper back tightness
- dry mouth
- flushing
- urticaria
- angio-edema
- pitting pedal edema
- polyps
- rhinitis
By Any Other Name
Some foods have something called Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, which is just another name for Monosodium Glutamate.Do you know how many foods you feed your children that are filled with MSG?
Other Names for MSG
Monosodium Glutamate
Monopotassium glutamate
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Plant Protein
Autolyzed plant protein
Yeast Extract
Glutamic acid
Gelatin
Textured Protein (Including TVP)
Plant Protein Extract
Sodium Caseinate
Calcium Caseinate
Autolyzed Yeast
Hydrolyzed Oat Flour
Corn Oil
Food Additives Frequently Containing MSG
If MSG is as safe as the proponents say it is, then why is it listed (read hidden) behind so many different names?Malt Extract
Autolyzed Yeast
Calcium Caseinate
Malt Flavoring
Malt Extract
Natural Flavors/Flavoring
Natural pork flavoring
Plant Protein Extract
Protease and protease enzymes
Natural Beef Or Chicken Flavoring
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Hydrolyzed Protein
Hydrolyzed Pant Protein
Other Seasonings
Natural Flavorings
Flavoring
Seasoning
Barley malt
Maltodextrin
Bouillon
Broth
Stock Flavorings
Sodium Caseinate
Yeast ExtractStock
Spices
Food Additives That May Contain MSG
Enzymes
Carrageenan
Soy Protein Isolate
Soy Protein Concentrate
Whey Protein Concentrate
Whey proteinWith MSG in so many foods in your diet, you can boost your glutathione to manage the excess MSG that you cannot eliminate. By boosting glutathione you can help your body heal its self. It starts with your diet.
From glutathionediseasecure.com
Bras and Breast Cancer
Would you give up your bra to prevent breast cancer?
DID YOU KNOW?
- Bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, while the tighter and longer the bra is worn the higher the risk rises.
- Red marks or indentations in your skin means your bra is too tight.
- Sleeping in a bra is the worst thing you can do to your breasts.
- Bras also cause breasts to droop, and develop cysts and pain. Fibrocystic breast disease should be called Tight Bra Syndrome.
- Bras also cause weakening of the natural suspensory ligaments in the breasts and make breasts to droop.
- The best way to prevent breast cancer is by not wearing tight bras. Bra-free is the best for your breasts.
Common Lies:
Unfortunately, there is lots of money in selling bras and in detecting and treating breast cancer. As a result, there is lots of misinformation about this issue, with some affected industries calling the bra-cancer link a “myth”. Despite showing the American Cancer Society and other cancer organizations the scientific evidence, they refuse to admit that bras may be causing cancer. Worse, they are lying about the link, and have even funded a study to try disproving the link. Here are some of their lies.
1. From Breastcancer.org “Underwire bras do not cause breast cancer. Only one scientific study has looked at the link between wearing a bra and breast cancer. There was no real difference in risk between women who wore a bra and women who didn’t wear a bra.”
Fact: There is no such study, and no reference is given to support the claim. The study they may be referring to is the Hutchinson study (see below), but this study did not include any bra-free women for comparison, making it flawed. This lie from breastcancer.org says there were bra-free women in the study. They tried hiding the study’s flaw.
2. From the American Cancer Society “There are no scientifically valid studies that show wearing bras of any type causes breast cancer.”
Fact: There are numerous studies. See references. The ACS refuses to call for more research, and refuses to admit there are supportive studies.
3. From the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center “Our study found no evidence that wearing a bra increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer,” said Lu Chen, a researcher in the Public Health Sciences Division at Fred Hutch. “The risk was similar no matter how many hours per day women wore a bra, whether they wore a bra with underwire, or at what age they began wearing a bra.”
Fact: This is the only study that did not find a bra-cancer link. The study did not include any bra-free women, and only included bra-using women over 55 years of age. That means there was no control group of bra-free women for comparison. You cannot come to a conclusion of the impacts of bra usage without a bra-free control. This flaw was mentioned by the study’s authors in their study text, but not in the press release above. The exclusion of women under 55 also limits the scope of the study. Essentially, this is a useless study that is more propaganda than anything.
4. From the American Cancer Society “Because of the attention this book generated, ACS scientists Ted Gansler, M.D. and Ahemdin Jemal, Ph.D. conducted a small study in 2009 published in the Breast Cancer Journal (subscription required) to explore the biological mechanism behind the carcinogenic bra hypothesis. They looked at survivors of shoulder or upper extremity melanoma. Many patients with this cancer have their underarm lymph nodes removed surgically, which substantially impedes lymphatic drainage from the breast. If lymphatic obstruction caused breast cancer, one would expect those who got the surgery to have higher rates of breast cancer. Their analysis found no increase in breast cancer among those who had surgery to remove the lymph nodes. The authors caution that their study was preliminary, but concluded the “results do not support the hypothesis of lymphatic disruption being a breast cancer risk factor.””
Fact: This “study” was actually a letter to the editor in the ACS’s Breast Journal, so it was not a peer reviewed study. The text does reveal that they did find that there was a significant 700% increase in skin cancer in women who had had lymph node dissection, which supports the model that impaired lymphatic drainage leads to cancer. In addition, their sampling was too small to come up with a significant conclusion about the breast cancer link. And they looked for breast cancer within 5 years or so of the lymph node surgery. This is not a good model for breast cancer caused by chronic constriction from bras, which may take decades to develop into cancer.
WHY ARE THEY LYING?
Why are the ACS, Komen Foundation, and breastcancer.org (some websites’ referenced source) misinforming the public about this issue? It’s because bras are big money, and so is breast cancer detection and treatment.
According to a conversation we had with David Sampson, ACS director of communications, this issue will take lots of studies before they will support it, since there will be lots of upset people if bras are shown to cause cancer.
This is also why it took 30 years and 7000 studies before the US Surgeon General announced the tobacco-cancer link. Culture-caused diseases are resisted by affected industries.
Unfortunately, the cancer “authorities” have taken the position that this issue should not get any further consideration, instead of calling for more research. We believe this is because breast cancer studies to date that have been ignoring bra usage in their study design are flawed. That’s like studying lung cancer and ignoring if the subjects smoke. This challenges expert opinion that has denied a bra-cancer link, and puts into question the value of past research. And since the ACS and Komen have taken a position calling this link a myth, how will they explain to women that they have been wrong these past 25 years that they have been resisting and suppressing this information?
Millions of women could have been spared this disease had the ACS and other authorities taken a more interested approach in researching this issue.
There is also a conflict of interest between the prevention of a disease and the early detection and treatment of disease. Preventing breast cancer by eliminating breast constriction from tight garments does not serve the current detect and treat medical model. And asking women to consider their bra usage is a difficult job, as we have discovered over the past 25 years. Medicine is not in the business of changing the culture, but in treating culture-caused disease.
The reason this issue has not been completely suppressed is because women who have stopped wearing bras as a result of this information and have discovered for themselves that their breast pain and cysts go away once the bra is no longer used. Breasts also lift and tone once the natural suspensory ligaments regain strength after years of artificial support. These women also say they can breathe easier without a tight band around the chest. And in the current #MeToo environment, women are asking themselves why they have to wear bras in the first place, and why artificially-shaped breasts are so important on women, but not on men.
Clearly, it can’t be healthy for a woman to constrict her breasts with bras for long hours daily, day after day, year after year, from puberty until death. Ignoring the bra when studying breast disease is like ignoring shoes when studying foot disease, or ignoring smoking when studying lung disease.
Article from brasandbreastcancer.org
High-dose vitamin D reduces heart attack risk
Taking a high-dose vitamin D supplement every day reduces your risk of a heart attack and bypass surgery.
Researchers have discovered that people who take 60,000 IUs of the vitamin a month—which is three times the RDA (recommended daily allowance)—reduce their chances of a heart attack by around 20 percent.
They are also 11 percent less likely to need heart bypass surgery, say researchers from the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Queensland, Australia.
Although the risk reduction is quite low, the researchers estimate the results would be more emphatic if the participants had been from the sun-starved northern hemisphere. Australians already get high doses of vitamin D from the year-long sunshine in their country.
They recruited 21,315 Australians who were between 60 and 84 years of age, who were either given 60,000 IUs of vitamin D supplements every month for five years or a placebo. The vitamin’s RDA is just 600 IUs a day, or 18,000 IUs a month.
In the five years of the study, 1336 participants suffered a heart attack—699 in the placebo group, and 637 among those taking the vitamin—and 11 percent fewer people taking the vitamin needed bypass surgery.
Overall, the vitamin’s protective effect was small, the researchers say, although this may be because levels are already high among Australians.
High-dose vitamin D supplements also reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrythmia or heart flutter that can increase the chances of stroke, heart failure and death, a separate study has found.
Researchers at the University of Eastern Finland recruited 2495 participants who were over 60 years of age, who were either given 1600 IUs of the vitamin a day—double the RDA—or 3200 IUs a day, or a placebo.
During the five years of the study, 190 participants were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation—76 in the placebo groups, 59 in the 1600 IUs group, which was around 27 percent less than the placebo group, and 55 in those taking 3200 IUs, 32 percent lower than placebo.
Article from wddty.com
Infusion, Decoction, or Tincture? Which Herbal Preparations to Use for Different Plant Parts
By Catherine Winter
Infusions:
If you’ve ever had a cup of tea before, then you’ve had an infusion. Think of the word “infuse,” and you’ll get it. Basically, plant parts are steeped in hot water to draw out their medicinal components. As a result, that water is …yes, infused, with their herby goodness.
When it comes to herbal preparations, infusions are used for delicate plant parts that break down easily. These include standard aerial parts like leaves and flowers. You’ll also use infusions for things like corn silk, mosses, and lichens (like Usnea spp.), etc.
Just take a teaspoon of fresh or half a teaspoon of dried herbs, and steep them in a cup of hot (not boiling) water for 5-7 minutes. I like to use a tea strainer, but you can strain this through cheesecloth instead and sip either hot or cold.
Once created, your infusion can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Pros:
Infusions are pretty much the easiest form of herbal medicine out there. After all, you just take some plant material, steep it in hot water, and drink it.
More importantly, some herbs release their medicinal constituents into water more easily than into alcohol. For example, you’ll get more medicine from raspberry leaf tea than a tincture. Always do your research to find out the best methods of herbal preparations for the plant you’re working with.
Cons:
Although these are easy to make, they don’t always taste spectacular. This is particularly true for bitter and astringent herbs. As a result, they can be difficult to choke down, especially for children.
The good news is that you can add a bit of honey, agave, or maple syrup to most infusions to counteract the “ugh” factor.
Decoctions:
In contrast to herby bits, hard plant parts (twigs, bark, roots) need to be simmered in water on low heat to break them down and draw out their medicinal components.
These are known as decoctions.
Generally, you use one ounce of dried root or two ounces of fresh, in one pint of water. Chop up the plant matter as best you can, and place it in a small pot with the water. Make sure that you don’t use an aluminum pot, but rather stainless, enamel, or glass.
Bring this mixture to a boil, then quickly lower the heat and reduce it to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain well through a cheesecloth inside a colander into a cup and drink while warm. You can store your decoction in the fridge for up to a week.
Pros:
Decoctions are ideal for drawing medicine out of dried roots or other woody parts. This is because they won’t release all their healing properties if just dipped into tea.
Even better, decoctions are absorbed quickly and are some of the most potent herbal preparations. This makes them great for treating issues quickly and effectively.
Cons:
Because they’ve been simmered and are quite concentrated, decoction flavors can be strong and intense. This might be an issue for people who have sensitive palates or delicate digestive systems.
Children don’t generally do well with decoctions unless they’re sweetened.
Note: Decoctions’ strength also makes them great for topical applications, such as compresses.
Tinctures:
Tinctures can use any or all plant parts, and rely on alcohol or apple cider vinegar to draw out the plant’s healing properties.
These herbal preparations are more concentrated and take much longer (6-8 weeks), but on the bright side, they can be stored for a couple of years.
This is my favorite way to prepare herbal medicines, as alcohol draws out more medicinal properties from most herbs than water can.
Of course, there are exceptions to this, such as nettles and raspberry leaves, which is why it’s so important to do thorough research about the plants you’ll be using for your medicines before deciding which preparation to use.
To make a tincture using the folk method, the ratio is 1:2 fresh herb to alcohol or 1:5 for dried herbs and roots. Use alcohol that’s at least 80 proof (40%). Everclear grain alcohol, vodka, and brandy are great, and the latter two are ideal for people who may have gluten allergies/celiac disease.
Pros:
Alcohol can draw out pretty much any medicinal property from any plant, so this is basically an all-purpose method.
Alcohol is also a perfect preservative: these tinctures can remain potent—and effective—for decades as long as they’re stored properly.
They don’t need to be refrigerated, so keep your tinctures in amber or cobalt glass bottles, in a cool, dark location, out of direct sunlight. I keep mine in a hutch in the living room, so they’re close at hand but away from heating vents or windows.
Cons:
Since these are alcohol-based, they’re not the greatest option for treating children. People who avoid alcohol for personal or religious reasons won’t be able to take them either.
Vinegar based tinctures:
If you don’t drink alcohol for personal or religious reasons, you can use apple cider vinegar instead. These are ideal for children since most people aren’t too comfortable boozing their kids up, even for medicinal purposes.
The ratios for vinegar-based tinctures are the same as for alcohol-based herbal preparations, namely 1:2 or 1:5 for fresh and dried plant matter, respectively.
Many culinary herbs are great in vinegar, as are stinging nettles, as the vinegar helps to draw out their medicinal components really well.
Pros:
Versatility! You can take cider vinegar tinctures on their own, in oxymels (see below), or add them to dishes you’re cooking. I’ve added them to soups, fresh juices, salads… you name it.
Vinegar-based tinctures are also great for those who don’t consume alcohol, as they can benefit from the medicine without the booze.
Cons:
One of the main reasons why alcohol is used to tincture herbs is because of how effectively the alcohol draws out the medicinal properties. Many herbs won’t release their healing components unless they’re in a solvent that’s powerful enough to extract them.
As mentioned before, some herbs simply won’t release their medicinal qualities to a solvent that is less potent, such as water, apple cider vinegar, or vegetable glycerine.
Cider vinegar tinctures also have a much shorter shelf life than alcohol-based tinctures. You need to keep them refrigerated, and they’ll keep for about a year.
Aspartame: Decades of science point to serious health risks (It’s About Time!)
LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) – One of the world’s most common artificial sweeteners is set to be declared a possible carcinogen next month by a leading global health body, according to two sources with knowledge of the process, pitting it against the food industry and regulators.
Aspartame, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars’ Extra chewing gum and some Snapple drinks, will be listed in July as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research arm, the sources told Reuters.
Does aspartame cause cancer?
After consuming aspartame, this chemical is hydrolyzed and absorbed in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This process leads to the release of methanol, aspartic acid, and phenylalanine.
The metabolism of methanol begins in the liver, where it is first oxidized to formaldehyde then again to formic acid. In addition to the direct damage methanol causes to the liver, formaldehyde is also directly toxic to liver cells and associated with cancer-causing properties.
Several studies have investigated the carcinogenic potential of aspartame. For example, one study in rats found that aspartame exposure early in life increased the risk that rat pups subsequently developed cancer.
In a recent French population-based study, researchers reported an increased risk of cancer associated with aspartame consumption. These individuals were found to be at a particularly high risk for breast cancer and obesity-related cancers including colorectal, stomach, liver, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophageal, ovarian, endometrial, and prostate cancers.
Benefits of Gentle Stretching for Physically Inactive Older Adults
Retirement is the perfect time to try some new things and pick up some healthier habits you may not have had time to consider in your working years. If you’ve never tried gentle stretching before, there are many online guides and videos. Some of the benefits of gentle stretching for seniors are:
- Strengthened bones. Stretching for seniors can help prevent the onset of osteoporosis, which causes bones to become brittle or weak. Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone can’t keep up with the decrease of bone mass and density that occurs with aging.
- Reduced stress. Stretching offers a relaxing way to let go of the tension you’re holding in your body, especially in your shoulders and upper back. It’s been known to help relieve some of the stresses that lead to hypertension, which in turn leads to not needing as many medications on a daily basis. It also helps reduce anxiety, lowering your heart rate, blood pressure, and helping you breathe easier.
- Improved sleeping habits. Because stretching can be so relaxing, many individuals report that they are sleeping longer and more soundly, which can often be an issue for older adults.
- Enhanced balance, flexibility, mobility and strength. The slow, measured movements involved with stretching poses can lead to better balance and movement, which can also help prevent falls. As falls are the leading cause of injury among seniors, stretching helps provide the tools you need to improve your mobility so you can get around more safely.
- Lessen the risk for depression. Gentle stretching is a mood-booster; the combination of movement, breathing and meditation can create an overall sense of well-being. Plus, when stretching is done in a class setting with your peers, you’re getting the benefit of staying socially active, as well.
- Alleviate aches and pains. Even if you have some physical limitations, gentle stretching can help ease the aches and pains associated with aging. It can be especially beneficial to those suffering from osteoarthritis, teaching you how to breathe and relax through any chronic pain you may be dealing with.
Try a gentle routine for beginners and if any of the poses are uncomfortable or lead to pain, know your limits. No matter what your current fitness level is, seniors can benefit from stretching.
What to Eat to Repel Mosquitoes
1. Onions and garlic
How it works: Garlic is the most well-known food linked to deterring blood-sucking mosquitoes. This popular Italian food ingredient releases a compound known as allicin, which is released through your pores when you consume it.
Allicin interferes with your natural scent, therefore helping to mask you from those persistent pests. Onions and other members of this plant family, such as leeks, shallots, and chives, also emit allicin when consumed, so they can be used interchangeably.
How to use it: Because allicin depletes the longer it is exposed to heat, many people suggest that this repellent method works best when these foods are cut into slivers and consumed raw.
However, if eating uncooked garlic and onions is unappealing to you, both make a great addition to your favorite pasta and tomato-based dishes. They can even be used to add some flavor to stir-fry, rice, and baked chicken!
2. Apple cider vinegar
How it works: Apple cider vinegar has been a commonly used natural mosquito repellent for many years. Like most of the other ingredients on this list, apple cider works by altering your scent. This makes you less appealing to those pesky mosquitoes.
Don’t worry – it won’t affect the way you smell to other people!
How to use it: Many tales claim that taking an undiluted tablespoon of apple cider vinegar at least once per day is just what you need to keep mosquitoes away for good. For a more pleasant experience, you can mix the dose with honey.
You might also try incorporating apple cider vinegar into soups, homemade salad dressings, and even cocktails and other beverages.
3. Lemongrass
How it works: Lemongrass contains an oil known as citronella, which is a popular natural bug repellent that is generally applied to the skin or used in other forms. Eating lemongrass has been shown to provide similar protection as well.
All of these methods are effective because this fragrant plant helps to conceal your natural odors, which makes it harder for mosquitoes to identify you.
How to use it: Lemongrass is frequently used in many styles of Thai cooking and makes a great addition to soups and curries.
If you want to protect guests at your backyard barbecue, try serving some delicious lemongrass wings!
4. Chili peppers
How it works: One word: capsaicin. This potent, heat-producing compound is the active element of the chili pepper, which produces its signature spiciness. Capsaicin is an irritant for many species, which is why you experience that burning sensation when you eat it. Because it is such a renowned irritant for many types of bugs, capsaicin is already used as a natural insecticide in many parts of the world.
In addition, mosquitoes are repelled by the smell that you release upon eating capsaicin-containing foods, so they steer clear.
How to use it: Chili peppers are a great way to add a little heat to your favorite foods. They are popularly used in chili, hot sauce, Pico de Gallo and other salsas, as well as many other tomato-based dishes.
5. Tomatoes
How it works: Tomatoes are one of several foods that are rich in thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. Many people suggest that a diet abundant with thiamine can be very effective at deterring mosquitoes and some other bugs, though this has faced some debate in recent years. Thiamin-rich tomatoes make you less enticing to mosquitoes and prevent them from biting.
If you still get bit, you can rub the juices from your leftover tomatoes on the affected area to stop the itching!
How to use it: With so many ways to use them, tomatoes can easily be incorporated into your daily meal routine. Try some simple favorites such as tomato soup and freshly tossed salads, or top your favorite pasta with a zesty tomato sauce – bonus points if you throw in some garlic and onions!
You could even make some bite-sized tomato and cheese cups to share with your friends at the next outdoor event.
6. Grapefruit
How it works: Not only is this juicy fruit an excellent source of vitamin C and health-boosting antioxidants, grapefruit has been linked to deterring mosquitoes and is also effective against ticks. It has been suggested that it may repel other insects such as bed bugs and head lice as well.
This is because of a compound contained in grapefruit called, nootkatone, which is used as both an insecticide and natural pesticide.
How to use it: Citrus fruits can make a great addition to your daily meal routine. Try eating half a grapefruit for breakfast before you start your day, or combine it with other citrus fruits to create a fresh fruit salad.
For an on-the-go dessert to keep you protected no matter where you are, you can whip up some grapefruit cupcakes.
7. Beans and lentils
How it works: Beans and lentils work in a similar way to that of tomatoes. All of these foods are rich in thiamine and release a smell that is repellent to bugs when consumed.
How to use it: Beans and lentils can be added to just about anything to add some needed flavor or texture. Whether you use them as a side dish to complement your entre, create spreads such as hummus, or add them to your favorite spicy foods such as chili or burritos, these popular legumes are a great way to enhance your meals and shield you from mosquitoes.
From summitenvironmentalsolutions.com
Hydrangea Root Benefits
The compounds in hydrangea root have been used to treat autoimmune diseases and kill parasites, used as a diuretic and blood cleanser, and used to remove calcification to treat bladder and kidney stones.
The hydrangea root species, Chang Shan (Dichroa Febrifuga or Dichroa Root), contains a compound called febrifugine from which the halofuginone drug is derived, and is useful in treating autoimmune diseases.
Under normal circumstances the body’s immune system produces Th17 T-cells to fight of viruses, but sometimes it can produce harmful variants that target healthy cells.
Th17 cells are associated with several autoimmune diseases including arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis. Febrifugine and its halofuginone derivative selectively stop production of the harmful Th17 T-cells without harming the good T-cells.
HYDRANGEA ROOT AND PARASITIC INFECTIONS
The febriugine compound in Chang Shan hydrangea root is also responsible for it anti-parasitic propert. Febriugine disrupts the process of aminoacylation that allows organisms to synthesize the proteins they need to live, effectively killing malaria in the bloodstream.
HYDRANGEA ROOT, CALCIFICATION, AND KIDNEY STONES
The Hydrangea root species, including Hydrangea arborescens, is classified as a lithotriptic herb because of its ability to dissolve calcium deposits through its soapy action.
Calcification in bones and teeth is wanted, but calcification of soft tissue is unwanted and interferes with normal cell function.
Hydrangea root has been used in traditional medicine to remove calcium stones in the bladder and kidneys, and in general to remove calcification in soft tissue.
Decalcification of soft tissue is important because it allows beneficial components to enter and clean cells of viruses and other harmful substances.
Hydrangea contains hydrangin (skimmetin), a naturally-occurring phytochemical solvent, has been implicated in hydrangea’s ability to dissolve calcium deposits.
HYDRANGEA ROOT GENERAL BENEFITS
Hydrangea’s anti-inflammatory properties stem from its ability to inhibit pro-inflammatory compounds such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).
Hydrangea root is a diuretic and increases urination to clean the urinary tract. It is important to drink between 3/4 to 1 gallon of water a day to make sure you remain hydrated.
Hydrangea is a mineral-rich plant containing magnesium, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur. Hydrangea root also contains high levels of flavonoids, kaempferol, quercetin, saponin, and volatile oil that are protective against cell damage.
From naturallifeenergy.com
The Problems With Processed Milk
The minute you start to process your milk, you destroy Mother Nature’s perfect food. You can live exclusively on raw milk, especially milk from nature’s sacred animal, the cow. We have no sense of the sacredness of our animals today. Instead, we have an industrial system of agriculture that puts our dairy cows inside on cement all their lives and gives them foods that cows are not designed to eat—grain, soy, citrus peel cake and bakery waste. These modern cows produce huge amounts of watery milk which is very low in fat.
Milk from these industrial cows is then shipped to a milk factory. Emily Green wrote an excellent article in the LA Times, about milk processing. Milk processing plants are big, big factories where visitors are not allowed. Lots can go wrong in these factories. The largest milk poisoning in American history occurred in 1985 where more than 5,000 people across three states were sickened after a “pasteurization failure” at an Illinois bottling plant.
Inside the plants all you can see is stainless steel. Inside that machinery, milk shipped from the farm is completely remade. First it is separated in centrifuges into fat, protein and various other solids and liquids. Once segregated, these are reconstituted to set levels for whole, low-fat and no-fat milks; in other words, the milk is reconstituted to be completely uniform. Of the reconstituted milks, whole milk will most closely approximate original cow’s milk. The butterfat left over will go into butter, cream, cheese, toppings and ice cream. The dairy industry loves to sell low fat milk and skim milk because they can make a lot more money from the butterfat when consumers buy it as ice cream. When they remove the fat to make reduced fat milks, they replace the fat with powdered milk concentrate, which is formed by high temperature spray drying. All reduced-fat milks have dried skim milk added to give them body, although this ingredient is not usually on the labels. The result is a very high-protein, lowfat product. Because the body uses up many nutrients to assimilate protein—especially the nutrients contained in animal fat—such doctored milk can quickly lead to nutrient deficiencies.
The milk is then pasteurized at 161 degrees F by rushing it past superheated stainless steel plates. If the temperature is 200 degrees the milk is called ultrapasteurized. This will have a distinct cooked milk taste but it is sterile and can be sold on the grocery shelf. In other words, they don’t even have to keep it cool. The bugs won’t touch it. It does not require refrigeration. As it is cooked, the milk is also homogenized by a pressure treatment that breaks down the fat globules so the milk won’t separate. Once processed, the milk will last for weeks, not just days.
Milk Allergies
Many people, particularly our children, cannot tolerate the stuff that we are calling milk that is sold in the grocery shelves. And you can see why. It starts with cows in confinement, cows fed feed that cows are not designed to digest, and then it goes into these factories for dismantlement and reconfiguration.
The protein compounds in milk have many important roles, including protection against pathogens, enhancement of the immune system and carrier systems for nutrients. However, like the proteins in grains, the proteins in milk are complex, three-dimensional molecules that are very fragile. The pasteurization process deforms and denatures these proteins. When we drink pasteurized milk, the body mounts an immune response instead of deriving instant nourishment.
Numerous animal studies in the 1930s and 1940s showed the superiority of raw milk over pasteurized in building strong bone, healthy organs and a strong nervous system.
Fortunately what we call real milk, which is full-fat milk from pasture-fed cows, milk that is not pasteurized, processed or homogenized, is becoming more available. Parents are discovering just how healthy and happy their children can be when they drink raw milk instead of pasteurized. (See realmilk.com for sources.)
Article excerpt by Bob Worthington
Eating more nuts may lower death rates from cardiovascular disease and cancers
From Green Med Info
RESULTS: Seven studies for all-cause mortality, 6 studies for CVD mortality, and 2 studies for cancer mortality were included in the meta-analysis with a total of 354,933 participants, 44,636 cumulative incident deaths, and 3,746,534 cumulative person-years. Nut consumption was associated with some baseline characteristics such as lower body mass index and smoking status as well as increased intakes of fruit, vegetables, and alcohol. One-serving of nuts per week and per day resulted in 4% (RR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93, 0.98) and 27% (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.60, 0.88) decreased risk of all-cause mortality, respectively, and decreased risk of CVD mortality [RR: 0.93 (95% CI: 0.88, 0.99) and 0.61 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.91), respectively]. Effects were primarily driven by decreased coronary artery disease deaths rather than stroke deaths. Nut consumption was also associated with decreased risk of cancer deaths when highest compared with lowest categories of intake were compared (RR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.98), but no dose-effect was shown.
CONCLUSION: Nut consumption is associated with lower risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality, but the presence of confounding factors should be taken into account when considering such findings.
The Critical Role of Wheat Lectin in Disease
Now that celiac disease has been allowed official entry into the annals of established medical conditions, and gluten intolerance is no longer entirely a fringe medical concept, the time has come to draw attention to the powerful little chemical in wheat known as ‘wheat germ agglutinin’ (WGA) which is largely responsible for many of wheat’s pervasive, and difficult-to-diagnose, ill effects.
WGA may be Pro-inflammatory
At exceedingly small (nanomolar) concentrations, WGA stimulates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers (cytokines) including Interleukin 1, Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 8 in intestinal and immune cells. WGA has been shown to induce NADPH-Oxidase in human neutrophils associated with the “respiratory burst” that results in the release of inflammatory free radicals called reactive oxygen species WGA has been shown to play a causative role in patients with chronic thin gut inflammation.
WGA may be Immunotoxic
WGA induces thymus atrophy in rats and may directly bind to, and activate, leukocytes. Anti-WGA antibodies in human sera have been shown to cross-react with other proteins, indicating that they may contribute to autoimmunity. Indeed, WGA appears to play a role in the pathogenesis of celiac disease (CD) that is entirely distinct from that of gluten, due to significantly higher levels of the immunoglobulins IgG and IgA antibodies against WGA found in patients with CD, when compared with patients with other intestinal disorders. These antibodies have also shown not to cross-react with gluten antigens.
WGA may be Neurotoxic
WGA can pass through the blood brain barrier (BBB) through a process called “adsorptive endocytosis” and is able to travel freely among the tissues of the brain which is why it is used as a marker for tracing neural circuits. WGA’s ability to pass through the BBB, pulling bound substances with it, has piqued the interest of pharmaceutical developers who are looking to find ways of delivering drugs to the brain. WGA has a unique binding affinity for N-Acetylneuraminic acid, a crucial component of neuronal membranes found in the brain, such as gangliosides which have diverse roles such as cell-to-cell contact; ion conductance, as receptors, and whose dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative disorders. WGA may attach to the protective coating on the nerves known as the myelin sheath and is capable of inhibiting nerve growth factor which is important for the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain target neurons. WGA binds to N-Acetylglucosamine which is believed to function as an atypical neurotransmitter functioning in nocioceptive (pain) pathways.
WGA may be Cytotoxic
WGA has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to both normal and cancerous cell lines, capable of inducing either cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death (apoptosis).
WGA may interfere with Gene Expression
WGA demonstrates both mitogenic and anti-mitogenic activities. WGA may prevent DNA replication WGA binds to polysialic acid (involved in post-translational modifications) and blocks chick tail bud development in embryogenesis, indicating that it may influence both genetic and epigenetic factors.
WGA may disrupt Endocrine Function
WGA has also been shown to have an insulin-mimetic action, potentially contributing to weight gain and insulin resistance. WGA has been implicated in obesity and “leptin resistance” by blocking the receptor in the hypothalamus for the appetite satiating hormone leptin. WGA stimulates epidermal growth factor which, when upregulated, is associated with increased risk of cancer. WGA has a particular affinity for thyroid tissue and has been shown to bind to both benign and malignant thyroid nodules. WGA interferes with the production of secretin from the pancreas, which can inhibit with digestion and cause pancreatic hypertrophy. WGA attaches to sperm and ovary cells, indicating it may adversely influence fertility.
WGA may be Cardiotoxic
WGA induces platelet activation and aggregation. WGA has a potent, disruptive effect on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, which plays a key role in tissue regeneration and safely removes neutrophils from our blood vessels.
WGA may adversely effect Gastrointestinal Function
WGA causes increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reduction in surface area, acceleration of cell losses and shortening of villi, via binding to the surface of the villi. WGA can mimic the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) at the cellular level, indicating that the crypt hyperplasia seen in celiac disease may be due to the growth-promoting effects of WGA. WGA causes cytoskeletal degradation in intestinal cells, contributing to cell death and increased turnover. WGA decreases levels of heat shock proteins in gut epithelial cells leaving these cells less well protected against the potentially harmful content of the gut lumen.
WGA may share pathogenic similarities with certain Viruses
Relieve ringing ears with these eight natural remedies
There is no known cure for this irritating condition, although here are various remedies and options for managing the symptoms-
1. Cut out caffeine
This isn’t a new concept, and most doctors recommend limiting your caffeine intake as a general rule anyway. In the case of tinnitus, caffeine can reduce the flow of blood to the head and ears – constricting the capillaries and aggravating your symptoms.
2. Take some Ginkgo biloba
This natural supplement made from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree will increase blood flow to the head, neck and brain, whilst also reducing inflammation in blood vessels. Though this may not have an immediate effect, ginkgo biloba will alleviate your symptoms with time.
3. Reduce your salt intake
This is another recommendation from medical professionals that you should really apply to your everyday life: Limit the amount of salt you have in your diet. Salt will increase your blood pressure, which helps to aggravate tinnitus. By limiting it, you should find that the intensity of the ringing diminishes.
4. Give CoEnzyme Q10 a go
CoQ10 has been found to be helpful in some cases of tinnitus, according to a study by the Journal of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. CoQ10 can reduce the noises you experience, as well as the intensity of your tinnitus.
5. Stay away from loud noises
While this seems logical, you’d be surprised how many people suffering with tinnitus neglect to avoid the types of noises that cause it in the first place. Protect your ears if you absolutely must be around loud noise, for example if you work in construction.
6. Listen to white noise
Fans or similar household items that create gentle white noise can help to cover up the tinnitus, providing relief from the constant ringing.
7. Remove any built up wax
Make sure that your tinnitus isn’t due to wax buildup. It is recommended that you visit an audiologist to have your condition assessed, however there are various ways to remove wax at home. Try using a few drops of mineral oil, baby oil or commercial ear drops for a couple of days to soften the wax, before syringing with lukewarm water.
8. Drum your fingers
A technique that probably requires a little more patience, and doesn’t necessarily have any medical studies to back it up, is the finger drumming technique. It’s pretty simple. Place the palms of your hands over your ears and rest your fingers gently on the back of your head, middle fingers pointing towards each other. Place your index fingers on top of your middle fingers and tap them onto the skull to create a loud, drumming noise. Repeat this about 50 times. Some people have reported immediate relief with this slightly bizarre method. You can do this several times each day, depending upon the extent of the ringing.
These simple, cheap and natural home remedies should help to relieve that irritating ringing, allowing you to concentrate on your day-to-day life without distraction.
By Sarah Landers, Natural News
The Honest Food Guide
Click the picture to download the guide from the original site, or click my secure download link below.
The ADHD Scam and the Mass Drugging of Schoolchildren
The Drugs Don’t Work
It was a team of American scientists researching what is called the “Multi-Modal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD — MTA for short. They found that the drugs are useless over long-term. The drugs used to treat ADHD such as Ritalin and Concerta are useless. They have no benefits whatsoever after three years and even though they may show some short-term benefits depending on who is watching, and depending on their judgment of the child’s behavior, the truth is there is no long-term benefit whatsoever. But here’s the most important part.
They found that these drugs stunt the growth of children. “They were not growing as much as other children in terms of both their height and their weight,” said the report’s co-author, Prof. William Pelham from the University of Buffalo. “I think we exaggerated the beneficial impact of medication in the first study,” he added in reference to a study they did a few years ago where they declared that these drugs were helping children.
“We had thought that children medicated longer would have better outcomes. That did not happen to be the case. The children had a substantial decrease in their growth rate,” he continued. The second point was that there were no benefits to children taking these drugs whatsoever.
ADHD Drugs Stunt Brain Growth in Children
What they did not say in the results of this study is that the same drugs also stunt the growth of the children’s brains. Now this is my assessment of the situation, having studied this issue for several years and knowing that this drug is stunting the development of the children. It is very reasonable to conclude that it also stunts the growth of their brains and guess what? This new study actually proves it, because these MRI brain scans of children’s brains that found that these brains were three years behind schedule in development.
80% of the children who were looked at with those MRI scans were on ADHD medications. That’s right. All that study did was prove that medication stunts the growth of children’s brains. Amazing is it not?
How lousy the science has become out there in the world of ADHD when they are trying to push these drugs on to parents, children and school administrators. They come up with anything. They actually take a bunch of healthy children, they invent a fictitious disease, then they come up with a chemical called “Speed” — it used to be called speed when it was sold on the street as a street drug. They give it to the children.
It harms the children, stunts their growth, and causes their brains to develop more slowly. Then they stick these children under an MRI machine, run some brain scans, and announce to the world that oh my goodness ADHD children have smaller brains that are behind schedule. How amazing is that? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what is really going on here.
5-Step Plan to Reverse Diabetes
Step 1: Remove These Foods to Reverse Diabetes Naturally
Certain foods negatively affect your blood sugar levels, cause inflammation and trigger immune responses. To reverse diabetes naturally, the first step is to remove these foods from your diet:
- Refined sugar: Refined sugar rapidly spikes blood glucose, and soda, fruit juice and other sugary beverages are the worst culprits. These forms of sugar enter the bloodstream rapidly and can cause extreme elevations in blood glucose. Even though natural sweeteners like raw honey and maple syrup are better options, they can still affect blood sugar levels, so only use these foods on occasion. Your best option is to switch to stevia, a natural sweetener that won’t have as much of an impact.
- Grains: Grains, especially gluten-containing grains like wheat, contain large amounts of carbohydrates that are broken down into sugar within only a few minutes of consumption. Gluten can cause intestinal inflammation, which affects hormones like cortisol and leptin, and can lead to spikes in blood sugar. I recommend removing all grains from your diet for 90 days as your body adjusts to this healing program. Then you can try bringing sprouted ancient grains back into your diet in small amounts.
- Conventional cow’s milk: Conventional cow’s milk and dairy products should be eliminated, especially for people with type 1 diabetes. Dairy can be a fantastic food for balancing blood sugar if it comes from goat’s, sheep or A2 cows. But stay away from all other forms of dairy because the A1 casein produced by conventional cows will harm the body and trigger an immune response similar to gluten. When buying dairy, only purchase raw and organic products from pasture-raised animals.
- Alcohol: Alcohol can dangerously increase blood sugar and lead to liver toxicity. Research published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that there was a 43 percent increased incidence of diabetes associated with heavy consumption of alcohol, which is defined as three or more drinks per day. Beer and sweet liquors are especially high in carbohydrates and should be avoided.
- GMO foods: GMO corn, soy and canola have been linked to kidney and liver disease and may promote diabetes. I suggest removing all GMO foods and all packaged foods from your diet. Opt for products that are labeled organic or GMO-free.
- Hydrogenated oils: Remove hydrogenated, rancid oils from your diet, including vegetable oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil and canola oil. Because these oils are processed, treated at very high temperatures, and combined with bleaching agents and artificial dyes, consuming them has been linked to many health concerns, including diabetes.
Step 2: Incorporate These Foods to Treat Diabetes
To reverse or prevent type 2 diabetes, add the following foods into your diet:
- Foods high in fiber: Research shows that 90 percent of the U.S. population doesn’t consume enough fiber on a daily basis. High-fiber foods help slow down glucose absorption, regulate your blood sugar levels and support detoxification. Aim to eat at least 30 grams of fiber per day, which can come from vegetables (like Brussels sprouts, peas and artichokes), avocados, berries, nuts and seeds, especially chia seeds and flaxseeds.
- Foods high in chromium: Chromium is a nutrient that’s involved in normal carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Foods high in chromium can improve the glucose tolerance factor in your body and naturally balance out blood glucose levels. It plays a role in insulin pathways, helping bring glucose into our cells so it can be used for bodily energy. Broccoli has the highest amounts of chromium, but you can also find it in raw cheese, green beans, brewer’s yeast and grass-fed beef.
- Magnesium-rich foods: Magnesium can help regulate blood sugar levels because it plays a role in glucose metabolism. Research shows that diabetes is frequently associated with magnesium deficiency. Eating magnesium-rich foods, like spinach, chard, pumpkin seeds, almonds, yogurt and black beans, can improve type 2 diabetes symptoms.
- Healthy fats: Medium-chained fatty acids found in coconut and red palm oil can help balance blood sugar levels, and they serve as the preferred fuel source for your body rather than sugar. Using coconut milk, ghee and grass-fed butter can also help balance out your blood sugar levels, so include these foods into your meals and smoothies. Some research actually suggests that a high-fat, low carb diet known as the keto diet may be a novel approach to reverse diabetes naturally, although you don’t technically have to go into ketosis to achieve the benefits of healthy fats in treating diabetes.
- Clean protein: Eating protein foods has a minimal effect on your blood glucose levels, and it can slow down the absorption of sugar. Some of the best sources of clean protein include wild-caught fish, which contains omega-3 fats that reduce inflammation, grass-fed beef, organic chicken, lentils, eggs and bone broth.
- Foods with a low glycemic load: The glycemic index of a food tells you about the blood glucose-raising potential of the food. Foods that have a high glycemic index are converted into sugar after being eaten more quickly than low glycemic foods. If you are fighting diabetes, stick to low glycemic foods like non-starchy vegetables, stone fruits and berries, nuts, seeds, avocados, coconut, organic meat, eggs, wild-caught fish, and raw pastured dairy.
One benefit of these foods is that they generally promote weight loss, which is a major factor in reversing diabetes. A study following 306 diabetic individuals found that losing weight under a structured program (with the supervision of a primary care physician) resulted in almost half of the participants going into total diabetes remission. This means they were able to stay off their medications permanently (assuming they stayed on a healthy diet). Quality of life also improved by over seven points on average for the patients on the dietary regimen, while it decreased by about three points for the control group.
Step 3: Take These Supplements for Diabetes
1. Chromium Picolinate
Taking 200 micrograms of chromium picolinate three times daily with meals can help improve insulin sensitivity. A review published in Diabetes Technology and Therapeuticsevaluated 13 studies that reported significant improvement in glycemic control and substantial reductions in hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia after patients used chromium picolinate supplementation. Other positive outcomes from supplementing with chromium picolinate included reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels and reduced requirements for hypoglycemic medication.
2. Cinnamon
Cinnamon has the ability to lower blood sugar levels and improve your sensitivity to insulin. A study conducted at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif. found that the consumption of cinnamon is associated with a statistically significant decrease in plasma glucose levels, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cinnamon consumption also helped increase HDL cholesterol levels.
To take advantage of the many health benefits of cinnamon, add one teaspoon to food, smoothies or tea. You can also take one to two drops of cinnamon essential oil internally by adding it to food or tea, or combine three drops of cinnamon oil with half a teaspoon of coconut oil and massage it into your wrists and abdomen.
3. Fish Oil
Taking a fish oil supplement can help improve markers of diabetes by reducing triglyceride levels and raising HDL cholesterol levels. Research published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences shows that omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are necessary for proper insulin function, preventing insulin intolerance and reducing inflammation. To use fish oil as a natural remedy for diabetes, take 1,000 milligrams daily.
4. Alpha Lipoic Acid
Alpha lipoic acid is an antioxidant that helps turn glucose into fuel for the body. It effectively improves insulin sensitivity and reduces symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, such as weakness, pain and numbness that’s caused by nerve damage. Although we make alpha lipoic acid and it can be found in some food sources, like broccoli, spinach and tomatoes, taking an ALA supplement will increase the amount that circulates in your body, which can be extremely beneficial when trying to reverse diabetes naturally.
Big Medicine pushing women to start getting risky mammograms at age 40, subjecting them to MORE cancer-causing radiation
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released new draft recommendations urging all women to undergo x-ray mammography breast screenings every other year starting at age 40 now, rather than the previous starting age of 50.
Ever since Breast Cancer Awareness Month was first launched in 1985, so-called “cause marketing” campaigns promoting mammography have only increased. It started with older women and has been progressively decreasing to also include younger women.
The idea of “early screening” has been drilled into women’s heads to such a degree that some have developed an obsession with getting their breasts squeezed to possibly identify the presence of breast cancer early – but at what cost?
It turns out that the cancer industry uses breast cancer screening as a vehicle to suck women into the expensive world of breast cancer treatment. And all the while, women are never told about anything preventative they can do to avoid developing the disease in the first place.
“The ‘breast cancer awareness industry’ is notorious for shamelessly promoting products known to cause cancer, like junk food, soda pop, toxic cosmetics, and even fracking, which requires the use of dozens of carcinogenic chemicals – and even radionuclides, resulting in environmental contamination,” one report warns.
“The industry slaps a pink ribbon on virtually any product or service willing to donate to its ’cause,’ which never addresses the root causes of the cancer epidemic. To the contrary, it even covers it up.”
The more mammograms a woman gets, the greater her chances of developing cancer
Mammography itself is a cause of cancer due to all the radiation the technology blasts into women’s bodies. The more mammograms they get, the greater their likelihood of developing breast cancer, which in turn generates more money for the cancer industry.
Women are never told any of this when being pressed to get mammograms. And now that women as young as 40 will be getting them regularly, the risks are even greater because they will undergo an additional 10 years of radioactive screenings, increasing their chances of developing cancer as a result.
“Unfortunately, mainstream media, government health agencies and the medical industry foreground and even inflate the theoretical benefits of mammography without accurately representing the seriousness of its known risks,” reports warn.
“This bias violates the medical ethical principle of informed consent, which requires patients to be informed of the true risks and benefits of an intervention, in order to make an informed choice.”
It is interesting that the USPSTF has suddenly dropped the starting age for mammograms from 50 to 40, seeing as how in 2016, the agency advised against any woman under 40 getting one.
“Beginning mammography screening at a younger age and screening more frequently may increase the risk for overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment,” the group said just seven years ago.
What changed in the interim to cause the USPSTF to suddenly abandon this warning and embrace the exact opposite? Chances are that it all has to do with money and continuing the cancer racket.
In many ways, mammography plants the radioactive seed, so to speak, that starts a woman’s body down the fatal path of developing breast cancer, which is then “treated” with more radiation, chemotherapy, and other poisons, which often kill the patient.
“Consider that medical radiation associated with both diagnostic technologies such as x-ray mammography and therapeutic technologies such as radiotherapy may contribute to the immortalization of benign or low-risk tumor cells that otherwise would not possess tumor-forming capabilities or a metastatic phenotype,” reports warn.
Article from Natural News, by Ethan Huff
What Cancer Research Shows
(after 40 years)
By Elizabeth Hawke
Research conducted by Dr. Hardin B. Jones, Professor of Medical Physics and Physiology at Berkeley, California reveals that if you have cancer and seek conventional treatment (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy), your average life expectancy is 4 times shorter than if you do nothing at all.
And the real shocker…
His findings remain uncontested by the medical establishment, which still dictates that the ONLY permitted methods to treat cancer are surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
After almost 40 years researching cancer, Dr. Jones concluded,
People who refused treatment lived for an average of 12-1/2 years. Those who accepted other kinds of treatment lived an average of only 3 years. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, radical surgery on cancer patients does more harm than good.
Needless to say, those who chose surgery, radiation and chemotherapy increased their pain and suffering to an intolerable degree.
What Your Doctor Never Told You
(not because he doesn’t care, but because it’s not taught in medical school)
1. Cancer Cells Love Sugar
Cancer cells have 8 to 10 times more glucose receptors than normal cells. When a person with cancer eats carbohydrates, the cancer grows faster.
By making simple dietary changes, it is possible to safely starve cancerous cells while at the same time nourishing your healthy cells. In fact, the only way to overcome the low energy state of cancer is to strengthen those cells that are healthy.
2. Cells Become Cancerous In Low Oxygen Environments
Two-time Nobel prize winner, Dr. Otto Warburg, demonstrated that normal cells become cancerous under low oxygen conditions. In fact, Dr. Warburg said,
Deprive a cell 35% of its oxygen for 48 hours and it may become cancerous.
Gets ya thinking, doesn’t it?
How can you tell if your cellular oxygen levels are low? And better yet, how can you increase your cellular oxygen levels so you never get cancer?
References
- The Foundation for Advancement in Cancer Therapy (F.A.C.T.)
- The Metabolism of Tumors in the Body by Otto Warburg
How to Stop a Heart Attack in 30 Seconds
by Madison Cavanaugh
Can an ordinary cooking condiment used in cooking spicy, hot dishes really stop a heart attack or stroke?
Cayenne pepper (also called capsicum frutescens) is a red, hot chili pepper used primarily for flavoring dishes, but it has also been used for medical purposes for centuries. This stimulating herb has been widely used all over the world to treat a variety of health conditions, including heart disease, poor circulation, weak digestion, chronic pain, sore throat, headaches and toothache, among others.
Cayenne pepper derives its medicinal properties from a resin-like substance known as capsaicin. Capsaicin is an ingredient that has thermogenic properties, that is, it increases body temperature and is the greatest blood circulation stimulant known. It doesn’t cause palpitations, hyperactivity or an increase in blood pressure that most other stimulants cause. It also provides temporary relief of pain, which is why it is used in pain-reducing topical preparations such as Capsazin-P, Zostrix-HP, Dolorac, R-Gel and others.
Cayenne has steadily gained the reputation of being a wonder herb over the past few decades. Dr. Richard Schulze, a notable medical herbalist and naturopath, stated, “If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other.”
Perhaps the most important recognition that cayenne has gained in recent years has been its ability to stop a heart attack or stroke. Dr. Richard Anderson, author of “Cleanse & Purify Thyself,” reported that one of his fellow doctors rushed out into the parking lot to attend to a man who had died of a heart attack while parking his car. The doctor put cayenne tincture into the mouth of the man, and within a few minutes, the man’s heart started beating again.
According to Dr. John Christopher, pioneer of herbal medicine, “In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in–if they are still breathing–I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water), and within minutes they are up and around.”
Cayenne has been shown to stop heart attacks in as little as 30 seconds. Perhaps the most well-known anecdotal evidence of this involved a 90-year-old man in Oregon who had a massive heart attack. When the medics arrived at his home, he was pronounced dead. His daughter was able to administer cayenne extract into his mouth, and within a few minutes, he regained consciousness. Thereafter, he was rushed to the hospital, and while he was in a semi-conscious state, his daughter continued giving him the cayenne extract. By the time they arrived at the hospital, he had fully recovered and insisted that he be taken home so that he could mow his lawn! When the doctor asked the daughter what she had given him, and she told him it was cayenne, the doctor declared it was the closest thing to a miracle he had ever seen.
The capsaicin in cayenne pepper is unrivalled in its ability to boost circulation and increase heart action. It has a mechanism of action that has the extraordinary ability to enhance cardiovascular performance while actually lowering blood pressure. Capsaicin has an energizing effect on the entire cardiovascular system.
Dr. Anderson believes that cayenne greatly strengthens the heart and could possibly even prevent heart attacks. He routinely carries capsules of cayenne with him in the car and whenever he goes hiking, mountain climbing or backpacking. “You never know when you may find someone having a heart attack,” he says.
Other doctors, however, insist that cayenne capsules are not as effective as cayenne tinctures or cayenne powder in emergency situations, such as in the event of a heart attack or stroke. If a heart attack or stroke should occur and the person is conscious, it is suggested that 5 to 10 droppersfull of cayenne pepper tincture (or 1 teaspoon of cayenne powder in a glass of hot water) be administered into the mouth, and repeated every 15 minutes until the crisis has passed.
Natural remedies for allergies
Seasonal allergies are often the bane of anyone who happens to have a hypersensitive immune system. Allergens are typically innocent substances, but when your body detects their presence, your immune system treats them as harmful intruders and responds accordingly. This is what causes an allergic reaction. While it is ideal to avoid exposure to allergens in the first place, they can sometimes be unavoidable in certain situations, such as in the case of airborne allergens. Some people may take antihistamines and decongestants to relieve the symptoms of allergies, but many prescription medicines tend to cause unpleasant side effects. Instead, you can alleviate allergy symptoms naturally, with the help of useful home remedies.
Neti pot and saline rinse
When allergens such as dust or pollen get trapped in your nostrils, your body may try to flush out the allergen with an increased production of mucous. To avoid a runny nose, you can beat your body’s natural defense system to the punch with a saline rinse. A neti pot is a small plastic or ceramic pot that can hold around a cup of water. It has a long spout that will allow you to pour liquid into your nostril. Pour some water that is slightly warmer than your body temperature into the neti pot and mix it with 1/8 of a teaspoon of salt. While leaning over a sink, tilt your head to the right so that you left nostril is above your right one. Gently pour the saline solution into your left nostril, while allowing it to drip out of your right nostril. Take care to avoid accidentally inhaling the solution. Once you are done, repeat the process with your head tilted to the left. The remaining solution now goes into your right nostril and drains out of your left. Afterwards, gently blow your nose to clear out any remaining liquid.
Dietary changes
Your diet plays a large role in your overall health and well-being. Many people experience allergic reactions to certain foods, such as shellfish, peanuts, wheat, and soy. If you notice your body reacting negatively when you consume certain foods, try to make changes in your diet to avoid those food items, and see if there is any improvement. Vary your diet so that you can experiment with different food groups. This way, you can find out what kinds of food work best for your body and what kinds don’t. If you begin to feel the symptoms of a food allergy within an hour after eating, drink plenty of water to help flush it out of your system. Processed foods should be avoided as well, since these may only aggravate your symptoms.
(Mary Miller, Natural News)
Prevent Hairballs in Cats Naturally
You know that disturbing sound: your cat struggling to expel a hairball. The retching, gagging, and vomiting noises can wake you at night or ruin your lunch. As your poor cat struggles to rid him or herself of the alien product, you run for the paper towels and cleaning sprays.
Hairballs, or trichobezoars (tricho-, meaning “pertaining to hair” and bezoar, meaning “a mass trapped in the gastrointestinal system”) occur after cats attempt to groom themselves. Licking at the coat causes hair to be swallowed and delivered to the stomach. Balls form and when they become uncomfortable, the cat vomits up the wad.
Many cat owners think hairballs are a fact of life, but you can stop these occurrences using a home remedy. Be sure to talk to your veterinarian before trying the techniques below, especially if your cat is elderly or dealing with a chronic illness.
Brushing
Shedding is the underlying cause of hairball formation, so removing loose hair from your cat is critical in eliminating hairballs. Brush your cat every day-especially if he or she is long-haired and during shedding periods. Your cat will learn to love these grooming sessions, and you may find it relaxing as well.
Wipes
You can finish your grooming session by wiping down your cat with a wet paper towel or a baby wipe. This will help pick up remaining loose hair. If you use wipes, be sure to choose a fragrance-free brand that is hypoallergenic.
Olive Oil
Adding olive oil to your cat’s food can ease digestion and help pass the hair naturally. If you see your cat struggling with hairballs, consider adding a bit of olive oil to his or her food. Never force oil into the mouth, though, as you could send it into the lungs. Allow your cat to lick it up.
A teaspoon of olive oil every week or so should do the trick. Oil throughout the digestive system will help your cat eliminate hair in its stools and aid in digestion. This should cut down on stomach aches associated with hairballs. Other oils, such as butter, can also help.
Go Fishin’
Many canned fishes have natural oils, and they are often packed in oil as well. Give your cat a special treat with a bit of tuna or a sardine occasionally. You can share your lunch by draining the oil from a can and putting it on your cat’s dinner.
More Fiber
An increase in fiber is good for anyone’s diet, and cats are no different. canned pumpkin can help pets pass obstructions. You can add a teaspoon or so into their bowl of food.
Warning Signs of Problems
Hairballs are usually harmless, but they can cause a blockage. Call your veterinarian if your cat develops a swollen or hard belly or has difficulty defecating (constipation), unproductive attempts to vomit, or repeated coughing.
Balancing the Crystals in Your Ear
For anyone who has ever found themselves with unexplained vertigo, crystals in your ear may be a likely cause for sudden dizziness. Often triggered by certain head positions, crystals in your ear can be debilitating. The good news is, you don’t have to suffer. There is a way to balance the crystals in your ear and rid yourself of this “dizzying” condition.
The idea of crystals in your ear sounds very “new age,” if not farfetched. But for those who experience sudden and unexplained dizziness, it is very real and can be quite frightening. Crystals in your ear are one of the most common causes of vertigo or a false sensation of spinning.
Crystals (otoconia) are made of calcium, and they’ll shift from either one or both of the otolith organs of the inner ear. From there, they fall into one of the semicircular canals, disrupting the flow of fluid in that canal. The result is a condition called benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
To break down this condition further, let’s look at the name “benign paroxysmal positional vertigo” or BPPV for short. The Vestibular Disorder Association describes BPPV like this:
- Benign: means it’s not life threatening
- Paroxysmal: means it comes suddenly and lasts only briefly
- Positional: means it is triggered by certain head positions or movements
- Vertigo: describes a false sense of rotational movement
When crystals accumulate in one of the ear canals they interfere with the normal fluid movement that these canals use to sense head motion. This causes the inner ear to send false signals to the brain and cause dizziness.
There is a way you can balance the crystals in your ear without visiting a doctor and racking up medical bills. Here’s how:
Balancing the crystals in each ear
John Hopkins Medicine suggests balancing the crystals in your ear this way. For the right ear, try this:
- Begin by sitting on a bed.
- Turn your head 45 degrees to the right.
- Quickly lie back, keeping your head turned. Your shoulders should now be on the pillow and your head should be reclined. Wait 30 seconds.
- Now, turn your head 90 degrees to the left, without raising it. Your head will be looking 45 degrees to the left. Wait another 30 seconds.
- Turn your head and body another 90 degrees to the left, into the bed. Wait another 30 seconds. Sit up on the left side.
If the problem is in your left ear, follow these steps:
- Begin by sitting on a bed.
- Turn your head 45 degrees to the left.
- Quickly lie back and keep your head turned. Your shoulders should now be on the pillow, and your head should be reclined. Wait 30 seconds.
- Turn your head 90 degrees to the right, without raising it. Your head will now be looking 45 degrees to the right. Wait another 30 seconds.
- Turn your head and body another 90 degrees to the right, into the bed. Wait another 30 seconds. Sit up on the right side.
Vertigo can be frightening. But with these simple and non-evasive maneuvers, you can balance the crystals in your ear and free yourself from ongoing sensations of spinning. Good luck!
9 Food Additives Linked To ADHD
For 64 Percent of kids with ADHD, food is the cause, and that’s important because that means it can be cured for those kids without the use of drugs! And check this- after three years on Ritalin, children were about an inch shorter and 4.4 pounds lighter than their peers! A link between ADHD and certain foods, including food dyes and preservatives, has been suspected since the 1970s. our best course of action? As close to a natural diet as we can get, with fresh fruits and veggies. If the package has any of the following dyes or preservatives listed, avoid it at all costs!
Here is the list of 9 food additives linked to ADHD:
1. Blue Dye #1- Also known as: Brilliant blue-What it is: A food coloring- Where you can find it: Frito-Lay Sun Chips French Onion and other Frito-Lay products; some Yoplait products; some JELL-O dessert products; Fruity Cheerios; Trix; Froot-Loops; Apple Jacks; Quaker Cap’N Crunch’s Crunch Berries; some Pop-Tarts products; some Oscar Mayer Lunchables; Duncan Hines Whipped Frosting Chocolate; Edy’s ice cream products; Skittles candies; Jolly Ranchers Screaming Sours Soft & Chew Candy; Eclipse gum; Fanta Grape.
2. Blue Dye #2- Also known as: Indigotine- What it is: A food coloring- Where you can find it: Froot-Loops; Post Fruity Pebbles; Pop-Tarts products; Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Strawberry Supreme Premium Cake Mix; Betty Crocker Frosting Rich & Creamy Cherry; M&M’s Milk Chocolate Candies; M&M’s Milk Chocolate Peanut Candies; Wonka Nerds Grape/Strawberry; pet foods.
3. Green Dye #3- What it is: A food coloring, though rarely used these days- Where you can find it: Candy, beverages, ice cream, puddings.
4. Orange B- What it is: A food coloring, but no longer used- Where you can find it: Sausage casings.
5. Red Dye #3- Also known as: Carmoisine- What it is: A food coloring found in only a few types of food products- Where you can find it: Candy, cake icing, chewing gum.
6. Red Dye #40- Also known as: Allura red- What it is: A food coloring and the most widely used food dye in the U.S., trumping both Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6- Where you can find it: Some Frito-Lay products; some Yoplait products; JELL-O Gelatin desserts; Quaker Instant Oatmeal; Trix; Froot-Loops; Apple Jacks; some Pop-Tart products; Kid Cuisine Kung Fu Panda products; Oscar Mayer Lunchables products; Hostess Twinkies; some Pillsbury rolls and frostings; some Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines frostings; some Edy’s ice creams and candies; Popsicle Sugar-Free Life Savers; some M&M’s and Skittles candies; Nestle’s Butterfinger; Twizzlers Strawberry Candy; Sunkist Orange Soda; Dr. Pepper sodas; Propel Invigorating Water, Berry & Citrus; Gatorade Orange Thirst Quencher; Fanta Orange.
7. Sodium Benzoate- What it is: A food preservative- Where you can find it: Fruit juice, carbonated beverages, and pickles. You’ll find it in abundance in acidic foods. It is used to stymie the growth of microorganisms, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).
8. Yellow #5- Also known as: Tartrazine- What it is: Yellow No. 5 is the only food dye that has been tested alone and not simply as part of a mix. Those studies did link it to hyperactivity. It is the second most commonly used dye in the U.S.- Where you can find it: Nabisco Cheese Nips Four Cheese; Frito-Lay Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar and other Frito-Lay products; some Hunt’s Snack Pack Pudding products; Lucky Charms; Eggo waffles and other waffle products; some Pop-Tarts products; various Kraft macaroni and cheese products; Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper and other products; some Oscar Mayer Lunchables products; Hot Pockets Ham & Cheese; some Hostess cup cakes; some Betty Crocker frostings; some M&M’s and Skittles products; some Gatorade products.
9. Yellow #6- Also known as: Sunset yellow- What it is: The third most widely used food dye in the U.S.- Where you can find it: Frito-Lay Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Crunchy and other Frito-Lay products; Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-ups; some JELL-O gelatin desserts and instant puddings; Fruity Cheerios; Trix; some Eggo waffle products; some Kid Cuisine Kung Fu Panda products; some Kraft macaroni and cheese dinners; some Betty Crocker frostings; some M&M’s and Skittles candies; Sunkist Orange Soda; Fanta Orange.
Study shows refined carbs NEGATIVELY impact cognitive function
A new study has revealed that refined carbohydrates have a negative effect on cognitive function – in essence, they make people dumb.
A group of French researchers looked at this prospect through a study published May 2023 in Personality and Individual Differences. They looked at the relationship between refined carb consumption and cognitive performance in a group of 95 healthy young adults between the ages of 20 and 30. Of the 95 participants, 48 were women and 47 were men.
The study authors found that across both genders, eating food made from refined carbs had a negative impact on cognitive function. They noted that the consumption of foods that often have a high glycemic index (GI) “is associated to [sic] a decrease of [sic] cognitive performance.”
How to Check Your Dog or Cats’ Pulse Rate
1 The best place to check a pulse on a cat or dog is the major artery in the groin area. Put your fingers around the front of the hind leg and move up the crease between the thigh and the abdomen.
2 Move your fingertips back and forth on the inside of the thigh until you feel the pulse. It may feel like a very light beating, or it may be very strong. Try to tune out everything else and even close your eyes to focus if you can’t feel it beating right away.
3 Count the number of pulses in 15 seconds and multiply by 4. (I find a wrist watch with a second hand is the handiest clock to use.) This will give you the pulse rate in beats per minute.
Know what is normal for your pet before a crisis happens. You may want to take all of these readings while your pet is healthy and write them down. Then you’ll know when something is abnormal. Normal for Dogs: Pulse should be 70 to 120 beats per minute (higher after physical exercise, or excitement). Smaller dogs will have a higher pulse rate than larger dogs. Normal for Cats: Pulse rate should be 110 to 130 beats per minute (higher after physical exercise, or excitement). If you dog or cats is experiencing a higher than normal pulse rate, proceed to your Veterinarian immediately.
Different Kinds of Practitioners
Medical Doctor: An M.D. has successfully completed medical training in an officially recognized school. Medical doctors practice allopathic medicine. Definition of allopathic: Medical practice that uses drugs to treat disease that will produce an effect different from that of the disease.
Osteopathic Doctor: Uses manipulation to restore functional balance. These doctors also use medicine and surgery. They have met the qualifications for licensing in the practice of medicine.
Chiropractic Doctor: Engages in a system of adjusting the spinal column by hand to correct the cause of disease. These doctors must qualify for licensing in their practice.
The three different kinds of doctors listed above are alike in that they all must qualify for licenses to practice. The following is a list of alternative health practitioners who “diagnose & treat disease”:
Herbalist: Treats disease with herbal medicines. Usually certified by a school, but not regulated by licensing.
Homeopath: Homeopathy is a system of medical practice that treats a disease especially by the administration of minute doses of a remedy that would in healthy persons produce symptoms similar to those of the disease.
Iridologist: Diagnoses and treats disease by reading the iris of the eye. Most iridologists are school certified.
Naturopathic Physician: One who treats disease with herbs, homeopathic drugs, and other substances. They have completed a course of studies in ‘Naturopathic Medicine’ in a state-recognized school. There are only a few states that license these physicians.
Nutripath: Uses nutrients to overcome disease. Graduates of a nutripathic course receive a ‘Doctor of Science in Nutripathy’ degree.
The following is a list of practitioners that do not diagnose and treat disease, but educate:
Life Science Practitioner: Teaches and counsels people in health matters. These practitioners do not diagnose, prescribe, or treat. They teach people to build better health.
Naturologist: Educates people through their study of physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, and environmental applications. The title of Naturologist, however, may only be used by graduates of the ‘American Institute of Holistic Theology’.
Traditional Naturopathic Doctor: Uses natural forces such as diet, massage, water, light, heat, and air. They have earned a degree in traditional naturopathy (N.D.) in an accredited school. A true N.D. allows the body to heal itself by producing a correct internal environment.
Many other natural health practitioners are not included here such as workers in reflexology, massage, and acupressure.
The link between bras and breast cancer
Bras constrict lymph flow, restrict removal of toxins
Dr. Sherry Tenpenny, an osteopathic medicine practitioner, shared that the authors discovered a “staggering” difference in breast cancer rates between Western and non-Western women they looked at.
Grace then explained that bras constrict lymph flow. Toxins collect in the body, generally in the fatty tissue, and women have plenty of this tissue in their breasts.
“So that’s where toxins, waste products can collect and normally the lymphatic system would flush it out. But if you’re constricting it with a bra, the tighter it is – if you’ve got tight on the wire – that can make it impossible for those toxins and waste products to flush out. And so you get pain, cysts and potential tumors,” Grace explained.
Aside from constricting fatty tissue in the breasts, the underwire also picks up dirty electricity and electromagnetic frequencies (EMF). Grace mentioned the case of her younger son who suffered a nightmare because the wire headgear he was using acted as a receiver for dirty electricity and EMF.
Tenpenny also mentioned the trend of women and young girls who engage in physical activities and put their mobile phones inside their bras. She warned that doing so allows the EMF and dirty electricity to go through their underwire bras and into their chests.
Aside from underwire bras, Grace also zeroed in on training bras. She mentioned the increasing number of problems that women were having with breastfeeding because of the inverted nipples they had. Wearing training bras was not just flattening out the nipples, but was also preventing the nipples from growing out properly.
While Grace advised viewers to ditch the bras altogether, Tenpenny said bras should still be worn when going to work or any other public settings.
The Heart Disease – Homogenization Connection
Don’t confuse the process of homogenization with pasteurization. Pasteurization kills bacteria while homogenization breaks down fat cells and makes milk smooth, with no separation of cream and milk. Keep in mind, homogenization is not necessary for any food safety reason and I have found that non-homogenized milk stays fresh as long or longer.
Homogenization is a somewhat recently invented process and it has been called “the worst thing that dairymen did to milk.” When milk is homogenized, it is pushed through a fine filter at pressures of 4,000 pounds per square inch. In this process, the fat globules are made smaller by a factor of ten times or more. These fat molecules then become evenly dispersed throughout the milk.
Homogenization makes fat molecules in milk so much smaller that they become “capsules” for substances that are able to bypass digestion. The process breaks up a specific enzyme called Bovine Xanthene Oxidase (BXO) in milk which in its smaller state can then enter the bloodstream and react against arterial walls. This causes the body to protect the area with a layer of cholesterol. If this only happened once in a while it wouldn’t be of big concern, but it happens regularly, and there are long term effects on heart health. Recently, even young children in the U.S. are showing signs of hardening of the arteries.
For you locals, Dillons and Natural Grocers sells Hildebrand cream in the glass bottles. I actually enjoy the ‘cream on top’ effect. It makes it easier to skim off when you don’t want the calories, or to use the straight cream in your coffee.
Walking Slows Mental Decline
Start walking if you’re worried about mental decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
It can slow memory loss, and could even reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s, researchers say.
Walking is even more important for people who are already starting to suffer mild cognitive decline, such as not being able to remember things or understand everything that’s going on.
But these symptoms can stabilise and even reverse if you go for a walk at least four days a week, say researchers from the University of Maryland.
They tested the impact of regular walking on 33 people, aged between 71 and 85, who were experiencing mild cognitive decline. They walked on a treadmill four days a week for 12 weeks, and their ability to remember details from a short story before and after exercising was monitored, and their brains were also scanned.
By the end of the 12 weeks. The participants showed ‘significant’ improvements in their ability to recall the stories, and scans also showed that connections between three areas of the brain were being re-established.
Four of the Best Seeds to Sprout
There are many varieties of sprouts. Since a sprout is just a newborn plant; any seed, pit, or nut can be sprouted. Here are four of the healthiest-
Alfalfa
Alfalfa sprouts are pretty well-known in the West. These delicate sprouts come from tiny seeds that produce tiny shoots. They can be a refreshing addition to everything from sandwiches to garnishes for soups. Alfalfa sprouts come from alfalfa wheat and have a large amount of nutrients that can be beneficial for bone strength.
Amongst the nutritional content of alfalfa is a high amount of both calcium and vitamin K. In a study sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Tufts University, “regular consumption” of alfalfa sprouts helped both women and men prevent the beginnings of osteoporosis.
Sunflower
Sunflower seeds are good for more than just road food. You can also sprout them! When you do, you are getting a protein-packed snack since sunflower seed sprouts contain about 25% protein (one of the highest amongst all sprouts).
Sunflower sprouts are also good for the immune system. They contain high amounts of zinc, vitamin B, and vitamin D. In Ayurveda, nutrient-dense sprouts such as sunflower sprouts are said to be good for clearing out congestion and quite beneficial for the lungs in general.
Radish
All sprouts are great to eat when you want to support your detoxification pathways. Radish sprouts, however, are especially beneficial for clearing out and strengthening the liver and removing gallstones.
This is because radishes have been found to have substances, especially in their leaves, that can help with the removal of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellowish-brown fluid that is created through the breakdown of red blood cells. It is one of the key ingredients in bile.
Some studies also suggest that radish can kickstart enzymatic processes which are key for both Phase I and Phase II liver detoxification.
Radish sprouts have a spicy flavor that is refreshing and delightful for people who like a little zest with their meal!
Bean
There are several different kinds of bean sprouts that are popular these days. Lentil, mung, garbanzo, and soybean are just a few. Most bean sprouts have big shoots and a hearty flavor, so they make a great addition to stir-fries and even coleslaws.
One of the most awesome things about bean sprouts when it comes to nutrition is their high protein content. Bean sprouts have higher levels of vitamin C and folate (B9) than regular cooked beans. This makes them a hearty source of DNA-repairing antioxidants.
There are benefits for each type of bean. Mung beans are extremely hearty, so they are super easy and fast to grow. Want to go from dried beans to sprouts on your plate in 2 days? Go for the mungs!
Lentils take a little more time to grow (at least 10 days). On the other hand, lentils have a very high protein content and are fairly low in calories, which makes them great for weight loss.
Cilantro shown to help remove heavy metals from the body
Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) is a culinary herb whose sharp scent often divides people. However, this super herb has been found to remove most toxic heavy metals from the body that cause various health issues.
According to chiropractor Dr. Eric Berg, cilantro has been around for a very long time. It was even found in the tomb of the Egyptian King Tutankhamun. In line with this, several studies have outlined the positive effects of cilantro in removing heavy metals.
A November 2009 study published in Biological Trace Element Research noted that cilantro significantly decreased oxidative stress triggered by lead exposure. The authors of this paper found that serum testosterone levels and sperm density were suppressed in mice exposed to the heavy metal. Daily administration of cilantro extracts reversed this damage.
The eight tell-tale signs you might have cancer
There are eight major tell-tale signs that suggest you could have cancer without realising it. Any one of the eight symptoms means you have at least a five per cent chance of having some type of cancer, researchers say this week.
The eight symptoms are: • blood in your urine • anemia • rectal bleeding • coughing up blood • breast lump or mass • difficulty in swallowing • post-menopause bleeding • abnormal prostate test.
Researchers at Keele University have compiled the list, and have come up with the symptoms that represent a one in 20 or higher chance of being an indication of cancer. However, the risks vary depending on age. There are just two possible signs of cancer in someone who is younger than 55 years – breast lump and an abnormal prostate test. A difficulty in swallowing was a sign of oesophageal cancer for a man who is 55 years or older, and blood in the urine was a particular concern for both men and women who were more than 60 years of age.
Genetically Modified (engineered) Foods
Genetically engineered potatoes and corn now on the market produce their own pesticide. These crops contain a foreign soil bacterial gene called bacillus thuringiensis, or Bt, which creates a toxin in the plant to kill insects.
Evidence indicates that the Bt corn does not produce a season-long high dose against the European corn borer. Farmers who were initially advised there was no need to spray their crops, were later told to spray in order to save their crops from disaster.
In addition to corn and potatoes, insect-resistant cotton was also cultivated last season, but with foreboding results. In its first year of commercialization, genetically engineered Bt cotton (Bollgard) failed dramatically to control cotton bollworms, its targeted pest. This failure now puts in question the major focus of biotechnology in developing many Bt crops. (Other Bt crops soon to be released include tobacco, tomatoes, walnuts, and beets.)
Insect Resistance
Agronomists are concerned that by making Bt an integral part of crops, biotech firms will hasten the evolution of Bt resistant insects, which are more difficult to control and force farmers to used more toxic chemicals. Biotech companies admit that it is only a matter of time before the bugs develop resistance to Bt. Organic and non-organic farmers who have been applying Bt externally as a natural pesticide for many crops will no longer find this effective for controlling insect pests.
Another concern with the Bt crops is the unknown long-term effects for the entire population from eating foods containing the insect toxin. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advised that crops containing insect toxin be regulated like chemical pesticides, which require extensive acute and chronic safety tests. However, the biotech companies, which want to avoid these expensive, lengthy tests, convinced the government to forego the long-term testing. Consequently, Bt crops (and other GE foods) are generally considered “substantially equivalent” to their non-GE counterparts, and then fast-tracked to the market.
Short-Term Animal Tests Only
For instance, one can look at the official decision document of Agriculture Canada (reference #DD96-06) for the insect resistant potatoes now being grown and marketed in Canada. The document states that these potatoes were deemed safe for human consumption following short-term tests conducted on animals (rats, mice, and birds). The animals fed these potatoes showed no significant adverse effects in the short-term. However, long-term tests have not been conducted on animals or humans. (Those of us eating these foods could be considered the laboratory animals for the long-term tests.)
Biotech officials claim that when these foods are eaten by humans or other mammals, the Bt toxin is deactivated in the acidic environment of the stomach. However, doctors, scientists, and health professionals are concerned about possible long-term toxic or other adverse effects for those with low stomach acidity, such as the elderly, or individuals using antacid medications.
_________________________________________________________
Richard Wolfson, PhD
Campaign to Ban Genetically Engineered Food
Diatomaceous Earth for Dogs
While it’s more common to use Diatomaceous Earth as flea prevention, many people have added small amounts of DE to their pet’s diet. There a numerous benefits a pet can receive from a consistent dosage of DE. Pet owners who have given their pets DE have found their pet has an improved coat, appetite, metabolism, and digestion. DE is largely made up of amorphous silica, but it also contains calcium, magnesium, titanium dioxide, gallium, sodium, and other trace minerals. Keep in mind that there are different grades of diatomaceous earth, so make sure you purchase food grade diatomaceous earth for your pet.
The instructions below are on how to feed your dog DE.
Step 1:
You need to make sure that you are using food grade DE. Only food grade DE safe for pets. Other types of DE are not safe for humans or animals.
Step 2:
Your dog’s size will affect the DE dosage size
Small Dogs and Puppies*
½ tsp of food grade DE
Dogs (<50 lbs)
1 tsp of food grade DE
Dogs (50-100 lbs)
1 tbsp of food grade DE
Dogs (>100 lbs)
2 tbsp of food grade DE
*We recommend you hold off on adding DE to their diet until they move to solid food.
Step 3:
The type of food you are giving your dog will also affect the way to give it to them.
Wet Food
Remove the food from the can and add it to the dish. Then add the appropriate dose of DE and mix in.
Dry Food
There are 2 methods for adding DE to your dog’s food:
Method 1: One and Done
This method also helps deter insects that may be infesting your pet’s food supply (ants, weevils, beetles, flies).
Step 1:
Take note of the number of servings in the bag of dog food.
Step 2:
Multiply the appropriate DE dosage by the number of servings. Add that amount of DE to the bag of dog food and shake the bag to distribute it evenly.
The DE will absorb the scent of the dog food and be almost indistinguishable from it allowing your dog to enjoy their food.
Step 3:
Repeat method 1 with every new bag of dog food.
Method 2: Damp Approach
Step 1:
Mix the dosage of DE with a quarter cup of water.
Step 2:
Pour the mixture over your dog’s dry food coating most of it.
As you feed your dog DE you can rest easy knowing that you are helping promote their health and happiness.
(Instructions from diatomaceousearth.com)
Pancreatitis
The pancreas is a gland located behind the stomach and near a part of the small intestine. It helps us secrete digestive enzymes and release hormones to digest food. When it becomes inflamed, it is termed pancreatitis.
Symptoms include pain in the upper abdomen and back, swollen abdomen, nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid pulse, diarrhea and oily stools. Many things contribute to pancreatitis including gallstones, heavy alcohol use, certain medications, infection, tumors and genetic abnormalities.
Natural Remedies
More common remedies are dietary changes and supplements like aloe vera and papaya juice. A sensible diet, exercise and a balanced lifestyle can offer effective healing.
Dietary Changes
First, you need to find out what your body can and cannot handle. Using a food diary and keeping track of your foods and your body’s reaction is the best way to identify triggers. Common triggers are fruit, sugar and other high starch foods.
Aloe
Pancreatitis often involves inflammation of the pancreas, so aloe also serves as an effective treatment. Aloe vera can be taken internally to control inflammatory conditions. It has antibiotic and soothing benefits. Papaya and aloe vera juices seem to help some patients deal with certain symptoms of pancreatitis.
Papaya Juice
Papaya juice is often used to treat pancreatitis. It has a unique composition and complex carbohydrate structure, so it relieves inflammation and delivers nutrients to the body. Paired with flax seed, the juice is an even more potent treatment.
Going Barefoot for Health
Children experience the joy of going barefoot outside. Should we all relearn that childhood habit for the sake of their own health? Natural health care practitioners who believe in the principles of earthing or grounding promote the idea of going barefoot and being as close to the earth as possible in order to balance the body’s ionic potential and the body as a whole.
Going barefoot can be good for bones and joints as well, from the foot through the leg joints and right up to the hips and back. Shoes can cushion impact, but they also tend to change our body mechanics and encourage a harder heel strike. Recent trends in barefoot (or near-barefoot) running point toward this fact, and to the fact that shoes can encourage heel spurs, bone spurs, flat feet, and other misalignments.
As for earthing, the idea in going barefoot is to soak up the positive ions to be found in the earth in order to counteract all the negative ionization found in our bodies and surrounding environments.
Earth connection helps with sleeping, inflammation, neutralizes free radicals, headaches, pain, TMJ, swelling, bloating, heart burn, stomach reflux, constipation, nausea, PMS, irritability,tendonitis, wound healing, consistency of performance in sports, cortisol and melatonin are normalized, circulation, circadian rhythms synchronized, skin thickness, depression, thyroid problems, aging, and so much more.
Dietary Changes
Treating pancreatitis via dietary changes involves identifying what the body can and cannot handle. Utilizing a food diary and journaling foods as well as the body’s reaction is the best way to identify triggers. Common trigger foods include fruit, sugar and other high starch foods.
Aloe
Aloe is an anti-inflammatory compound that is traditionally applied to cuts and wounds. However, as pancreatitis often involves inflammation of the pancreas, aloe also serves as an effective pancreatitis treatment. The compound also contains a number of nutrients that offer healing.
Papaya Juice
Papaya juice is another nutrient-rich formula often used to treat pancreatitis. With its unique composition and complex carbohydrate structure, papaya juice relieves inflammation and delivers nutrients to the body. Paired with flax seed, the juice is an even more potent treatment.
Pancreatitis is often a painful condition. However, treatment when started at the onset of the condition offers extensive relief with minimal deviation from the normal diet.
Foods to Eat and Not Eat
Proteins:
Eat small amounts of proteins frequently. It is best if you have some protein at each meal. It need not be a large amount at any one time, in fact it is best if you stick to smaller amounts (2-4 ounces of meat, fish, foul, or eggs at a time). Choose a variety of meat products and try to find the healthiest options available, i.e. free range, antibiotic free and/or organic, whenever possible. Eggs for most people are an excellent source of protein. Eat free range, fertile organic eggs only and the whole egg. The lecithin in the yolk is essential to lower blood fat and improves liver and brain function. With any protein, the way in which you prepare it is critical. The closer to raw or rare the better. Remember, any time foods are heated over 110° Fahrenheit, crucial enzymes are damaged and lost. Avoid frying. Grilled, boiled, steamed, soft boiled, or poached are best. Avoid all soy, as it contains many anti-nutrients that interfere with the body’s mineral and digestive balance.
Vegetables:
Eat more, more, more!! This is the one area where most everyone can improve his/her diet, and it is an especially important area for you. Always look for a variety, although make green leafy type your preference, including spinach, chard, beet greens, kale, broccoli, mustard greens, etc.
As stated above for proteins, the quality of your produce (fresh and organic preferred) and the method of preparation is critical. Raw is preferred with lightly steamed or sautéed as your second choice for all vegetables. Use only clarified butter (ghee) or coconut oil to sauté. When eating salads, try not to eat iceberg lettuce, rather use lettuce with a rich green color, sprouts and pre-soaked raw nuts. Do not make salads your only choice for veggies. When using raw nuts, soak them overnight before eating. And NO PEANUTS or CASHEWS; to many funguses on these nuts.
Fruits:
Most people wrongly try to drink their fruits. Fruit juice is loaded with the simple sugar fructose, which is shunted into forming triglycerides and ultimately stored as fat. Without the fiber in the fruit, juice sends a rapid burst of fructose into the blood stream. When you do eat fruit, eat it in moderation and only eat one type of fruit at a time on an empty stomach; second, avoid the sweetest fruits/tropical fruits, except papaya, which is very rich in digestive enzymes (fruits from colder climates are preferred); and third, eat only the highest quality, fresh and organic when possible.
Carbohydrates:
This is a very tricky area. Most people have one classification when, in reality, there are really three different types — complex, simple, and processed. Unfortunately, for most clients suffering with imbalance problems, almost any carbohydrate is a no-no. It is a physiological fact that the more carbohydrates you eat, the more you will want. Craving carbohydrates is a symptom of an imbalance, so, you can use this craving to monitor your progress. Overall, eat vegetables as your carbohydrate choice (except NO potatoes which convert almost instantly to sugar) and limit grains (even the whole grains can be trouble). When you do eat whole grains, only have them in moderation, and only at dinner. If you start the day with carbohydrates, you are most likely to crave them throughout the day, and then you will eat more and it is downhill from there. Absolutely stay away from white breads, muffins, cookies, candies, crackers, pastas, potatoes, white rice and most baked goods. 100% rye-only bread is the least of the evils, if you must eat bread.
There is another dark side to processed carbohydrates that is not talked about much — the connection to weight gain, elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, heart disease, and cancer. You do not even need to know the details to get the idea how much trouble carbohydrates can be.
Wheat and Grains:
There has been a tremendous amount of debate regarding grains. Whole unprocessed grains can be rich sources of vitamins and minerals, but with soil depletion and the special strains of grain that modern agriculture has developed, it is not clear what nutrients remain. The two predominantly used grains in this country (barley and wheat) are genetically engineered and have five times the gluten content and only 1/3 of the protein content of the original form which they were derived. This high gluten content is to blame for many patients’ allergic reactions. Chemicals naturally found in certain grains, lack of the appropriate enzymes, and the carbohydrate content of grains make them a source of trouble for many individuals. Our opinion at this time is to minimize all grains. Unprocessed rye, rolled oats and brown rice can be considered on occasion to give you more variety.
Sweeteners:
Use only a small amount of raw Tupelo honey or Stevia as sweetener. Absolutely NO NutraSweet, corn syrup, table sugar or any ingredient that ends with “ose” (fructose, sucrose, etc..).
Fats:
The bad news is you probably do not get enough of the right fats in your diet. So, please use olive oil (cold-pressed, extra virgin), walnut oil, flax seed and grape seed oils. These are actually beneficial, as long as they are cold-pressed and fresh. When cooking, use only coconut oil and ghee — they are the only two oils safe to cook with. Avoid all hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats! They are poisons to your system! Never eat margarine again! Also avoid peanut butter. Eat all the avocados and raw nuts (pre-soaked) you desire.
If you think eating fat will make you fat, think again. When you eat fat, a chemical signal is sent to your brain to slow down the movement of food out of your stomach. As a result, you feel full. It is not surprising that recent research is showing that those who eat “fat-free” products tend to actually consume more calories than those who eat foods that have not had their fat content reduced (low-fat usually means high sugar/high calories). In addition, fats are used not only for energy, but also for building the membrane around every single cell in your body. Fats also play a role in the formation of hormones, which of course make you feel and function well. It is far worse to be hormone-depleted from a low fat diet than it is to overeat fat. The sickest patients we see are the ones who have been on a fat-free diet for a long period of time. Like carbohydrates, choose your fats wisely — this program is not suggesting fried or processed foods.
Milk Products:
Forget pasteurized cow’s milk products (milk, certain cheeses, half & half, ice cream, cottage cheese and yogurt). If you only knew all the potential problems from pasteurized milk, you would swear it off forever. Dr. Page found out that milk was actually more detrimental than sugar for many people (man is the only mammal that continues to drink milk after weaning). Avoiding dairy will make it much easier for you to attain your optimal level of health and hormonal balance. Raw butter and unsweetened Kefir (liquid yogurt), however, are excellent sources of essential nutrients and vitamins. Raw goat and sheep cheeses and milk products are great alternatives because their genetic code and fat content are apparently more similar to those of humans. We should still be cautious with these, however.
There has been a lot of hype about using soy milk and rice milk to replace dairy. While they sound like healthy alternatives, they really are highly-processed and indigestible foods that are primarily simple carbohydrates. You are better off doing without these as well. Of course, Vitamiter, Mocha Mixer, and other dairy substitutes are highly-processed, nutrient-depleted products that honestly should not be considered a food.
Liquids:
Water is best, minimum ½ your weight in ounces a day, and herbal tea. Eliminate all soda. No coffee until you are fully recovered, if then. Fruit juices are forbidden because of their high fructose content and dumping of sugar into the blood stream. An occasional glass of vegetable juice with a meal is probably okay, BUT water really is best.
If you enjoy wine and still insist, there are some guidelines. First, drink only with meals. Red wine has less sugar and more of the beneficial polyphenols than white wines. Occasional rather than regular. Eliminate all beer. Because coffee and alcohol force you to lose water, you will have to drink two times more water to compensate.
The most important life-giving substance in the body is water. The daily routine of the body depends on a turnover of about 40,000 glasses of water per day. In the process, your body loses a minimum of six glasses per day, even if you do nothing. With movement, exercise, and sugar intake (that’s right), etc., you can require up to 15 glasses of water per day. Consider this — the concentration of water in your brain has been estimated to be 85% and the water content of your tissues, like your liver, kidney, muscle, heart, intestines, etc. are 75% water. The concentration of water outside of the cells is about 94%. That means that the water wants to move from the outside of the cell (dilute) into the cell (more concentrated) to balance out things. The urge water has to move is called hydroelectric power. That is the same electrical power generated at hydroelectric dams (like Hoover Dam). The energy made in your body is in part hydroelectric. We just know you would not mind a little boost of energy. Drink ½ your weight in ounces of water per day in 4-5oz increments every forty five minutes to an hour. Take fluids before or more than 1 hour after meals.
Eat Smaller Amounts More Frequently
Eating a smaller amount reduces the stress of digestion on your energy supply. Eating small meals conserves energy. Give your energy generator a chance to keep up with digestion by not overwhelming it with a large meal (the average meal time in the United States is 15 minutes. In Europe, the average meal time is 1 to 1½ hours. Little wonder American suffer such a high rate of digestive disorders!). When digestion is impaired, yeast overgrowth, gas, inflammation, food reactions, etc. are the results.
Another reason for eating smaller meals is to prevent the ups and downs of your blood sugar level, so you end up craving less sugar. As mentioned earlier, you can overwhelm your digestive capacity. You can also overwhelm your body’s ability to handle sugar in the blood. Since the body will not (or should not) allow the blood sugar level to get too high, insulin and other hormones are secreted to lower the blood sugar. Often times, the insulin response is too strong and, within a short period of time, insulin has driven the blood sugar level down. As a result of low blood sugar, you get a powerful craving for sugar or other carbohydrates. You then usually overeat, and the cycle of ups and downs, yo-yo blood sugar results (depression and the lack of energy are all part of this cycle). Eating a small meal again will virtually stop this cycle.
Eating smaller meals also has advantages for your immune response to ingested food. It turns out that a small amount of food enters the blood without first going through the normal digestive pathway through the liver. As a result, this food is seen by the body not as nourishment, but as a threat and you will stimulate an immune reaction. Normally, a small immune reaction is not even noticed, but if a large amount of food is eaten (or if a food is eaten over and over again) the immune reaction can cause symptoms. Over time, disease develops.
By eating smaller amounts, the size of the reaction that occurs is small and inconsequential. A large meal, and thus a large assault of the immune system, could cause many symptoms of an activated immune system, including fatigue, joint aches, flu-like symptoms, headaches, etc. This reaction was called the Metabolic Rejectivity Syndrome by the late nutritional pioneer Arthur L. Kaslow, M.D. Through thousands of his patients’ food diaries, he compiled a list of high-risk foods which is much the same as Dr. Page’s.
Important Note: When in doubt, don’t eat it, wait and ask your doctor or nutritionist on your next visit. This plan is designed to help you to optimal health. It is not intended to make you suffer or sacrifice, in fact, quite the opposite is true, as you will be delighted with the physical and emotional improvements you experience from the food your body was designed to run optimally on. And what you eat and drink at the occasional party or evening out is not going to be significantly harmful to your nutritional balance in the long run, so you can enjoy it (not more than once a month).
Lastly, as with all things that are beneficial to your health, it is hard to start, but the longer you use this diet, the greater the benefits you will realize from it. Relax and enjoy the benefits!
Each of your meals must include some protein. The easiest sources are meat, fish, poultry or eggs. (Count 2 eggs as equal to 3 oz.) Vegetarians must combine proteins carefully and consistently using a different calculation. An easy way to calculate the amount of protein you need is to divide your ideal body weight by 15 to get the number of ounces of protein to be consumed per day. This is not a “high protein diet.” Like many people, you already eat this much protein during a day, but you eat it mostly in one or two meals instead of spreading it out evenly over three to five meals. If you are more physically active, eat more protein.
90 lb. IBW = 6 ounces a day or 1 3/4 – 2 ounces of protein per serving.
150 lb. IBW = 10 ounces a day or 3 – 3 1/3 ounces of protein per serving.
195 lb. IBW = 13 ounces a day or 4 – 4 1/3 ounces of protein per serving.
Notes:
Foods eaten closest to their raw state have the best digestive enzyme ability.
Take fluids before or more than 1 hour after meals.
Limit fluid intake to no more than 4 oz-5 oz at a time.
!!!!! No processed grains, white flour, sugar, sugar substitutes.
(Article by Bob Worthington, ND)
Petrochemical Pesticides and Fertilizers Linked to Children’s Health Issues
Human health threats:
Children’s health — Motor skill deficiency; Respiratory disease; Prenatal exposure and ear infections; Oxidative stress, DNA damage and cancer; Pediatric cancer; Childhood diabetes; Developmental delays; Biomonitoring of pregnant women; Kidney cancer; Early onset puberty; Autism.
Gut microbiome — Disinfectant/antimicrobial and inflammatory bowel disease; Metabolic distress.
General — Parkinson’s disease; Farm exposure and effects; Multigenerational effects and cancer; Environmental injustice: Disproportionate exposure and impacts; Post-hurricane water contamination; Global pesticide hazard footprint; Military exposure hazard: Gulf War illness; Male infertility; Alzheimer’s/Neurodegenerative disease; Thyroid cancer; Endocrine disruption; Hazardous inert ingredients underregulated; Covid: Elevated disinfectant hazards.
Anti-inflammatory Food Guide
Study: Refined Carbs Might Be Making You Dumb
A new study out of France this month linked consumption of refined carbohydrates with lower cognitive function.
In their paper published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, French researchers studied the relationship between carb consumption and cognitive performance in 95 healthy young adults between 20 and 30. Of the 95 participants, 48 were women, and 47 were men.
The French team of scientists found negative impacts on cognition across both genders. The consumption of foods with a high glycemic index, mainly refined carbohydrates such as white bread and many ultra-processed foods, “is associated to a decrease of cognitive performance.” Individuals’ cognitive performances were measured by the Wechsler’s digit symbol substitution test.
Since molasses wasn’t on this chart, I did the research and found it has a glycemic index of 55, which puts it at the high end of blood sugar friendly sweeteners. Use in moderation, but definitely ok to use!
How to Increase Your Platelet Count
Low platelet count is a disorder in which the number of platelets is lower than the normal. This health disorder is known as thrombocytopenia. Plateletshelp in blood coagulation and circulate in the blood. They have an average lifespan from 5 to 9 days. The normal range of platelets in the blood ranges from 150,000 to 450,000 platelets per ml of the blood. Any value below 150,000 is considered as low platelet count. However, it is not always a serious condition. Only a value further lower than 50,000 platelets per ml in the blood is considered as a serious condition requiring medical emergency treatment.
The three main causes of low platelet count are decreased platelet production, increased splenic sequestration and increased platelet destruction. Even dengue can cause your platelet count to fall. The symptoms of low platelet count are easy bruising with or without injury, nosebleeds, blood in the urine and stools, severe headaches, bleeding from the rectum, pain in the muscles and joints, fatigue, enlarged spleen, bleeding from wounds that does not stop, etc. Some women may experience heavy menstrual flows.
Changes in lifestyle and some easy-to-follow home remedies for increasing platelet count in the blood can improve your count and help you in living a healthy life. Follow the below mentioned remedies to restore your platelet count.
Foods that combat low platelet count
1. Papaya
Both the fruit and its leaves are helpful in increasing the platelets within a few days. Take leaves of papaya, wash them properly, add them to water in a bowl and put it on medium heat from 10 to 15 mins. Boil till the volume reduces to half. Let the extract cool and have it. If it tastes bitter, either add a pinch of salt or add a tablespoon of honey. Drink this extract at least twice a week to increase your platelets.
2. Vitamin C rich foods
Increasing your ascorbic acid intake can help in increasing your low platelet count. Foods rich in vitamin C also prevent you against free-radical mediated damage of the platelets, as vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Such fruits include lemons, kiwi, grapefruit, cantaloupes, oranges and other citrus fruits.
3. Wheatgrass
It is helpful in increasing not only platelets but also red blood cells, hemoglobin and total white blood cells. This is because of the chlorophyll present in wheatgrass whose structure is similar to the molecule of hemoglobin in the blood.
4. Pomegranate
All dark red-colored foods are rich in iron and so is pomegranate. It is also rich in fiber. It will not only help in increasing your platelet count but also keeps you feel fuller for long. Despite of a low platelet number, this fruit keeps you full of energy.
5. Spinach
To help treat the low platelet problem, vitamin K plays an important role. Spinach is rich in vitamin K. it helps in reducing the risk of excessive bleeding and helps in proper blood clotting.
6. Indian gooseberries
They are also known as “amla” in Hindi is one of the popular Ayurveda remedies to combat low platelet count. They are rich in vitamin C and also boost your immune system. Have this food in any form: jam, pickle, vegetable, raw or its juice mixed with honey.
7. Milk and other dairy products
Milk is rich in calcium and both calcium content and vitamin k together along with fibrinogen, the milk protein. This increases your platelet count by improving the blood’s ability of forming clots. Deficiency of this important mineral – calcium – prevents the blood clot to form quickly. Other dairy products like yogurt, cheese, etc. are also helpful in keeping your calcium levels normal.
8. Lean proteins
These foods are rich in vitamin B12 and zinc, which are capable of reversing the effects of thrombocytopenia lean proteins diet such as chicken, turkey, salmon and oysters are good sources and their adequate dosage helps in increasing the platelet count.
9. Macrobiotic diet
Apart from all requires essential vitamins and minerals, an anti-inflammatory diet are also equally important. This will help in healthy blood production. Such foods are whole grains, organic beans and a variety of vegetables.
Foods to increase platelet count in dengue fever
Apart from spinach, papaya and pomegranate and vegetable juices, following foods will also help in increasing your platelet count in dengue fever.
1. Garlic
It is a powerful source of vitamin C. It is also an anticoagulant so keeps your platelets from sticking together. It is a natural ingredient for thinning your blood, but if you are already on blood-thinning prescription, then you should first consult with the doctor whether you should consume garlic or not.
2. Beetroot
It is natural antioxidant and is high in hemostatic properties. Prepare juice of beetroots alone and drink 1 or 2 tablespoons a time and have it three times a day. You can also add 3 tablespoons of beetroot juice to a glass of carrot juice and drink it twice a day.
3. Leafy greens
Leafy greens are an excellent source of vitamin K. they help in blood clotting. Examples include kale, spinach and fenugreek leaves. Parsley and vegetable oils are also good sources of this vitamin.
4. Pumpkin
Vitamin A helps in increasing platelet count naturally. Pumpkin is rich in vitamin A and also helps in the regulation of proteins produced in the cells. Add its puree to your smoothies, stews and juices. You can also prepare fresh juice of pumpkin and to it add a tablespoon of honey. Drink this juice 2–3 times a day.
5. Omega-3 fatty acids
They are a best source of anti-inflammatory diet and also boost your immune system; thus they are effective in increasing your low platelet number. Such foods include fish, seaweed, eggs, walnut and flaxseeds and its oil.
Other important points to help increase you platelet count
Apart from following above-mentioned diet and natural remedies for low blood platelets, also follow following recommendations to raise your platelets.
1. Decrease alcohol consumption
2. Quit smoking
3. Decrease consumption of sugary drinks
4. Reduce exposure to toxic chemicals
5. Stop using painkillers
6. Protect yourself from infections and injuries
7. Take helpful herbs and supplements like vitamin D and K rich foods and sea vegetables
8. Treat your bruise naturally
9. Drink plenty of water
10. Get plenty of rest
11. Exercise five times a week for at least 30 mins a day (stretching and walking exercises count too!)
Emotional Causes of Disease
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Visual Verse of the Day
“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven..." Matt. 18:3
