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10 Ways To Empty Your Lymphatic System From Toxins

lymphatic-system-drainage
Yesterday I wrote an article about the lymphatic system sharing the three most important actions to take on a daily basis to drain your lymph fluids and quite a few people asked how else to drain lymphatic fluids so I decided to create a nice size list to share with you so that you could engage in these practices as often as you’d like to see results faster. The lymphatic system is very important in the human body. The lymphatic system is composed of tissue and fluids and runs mostly throughout your entire body just like your circulation does. One key difference between lymphatic tissue and your circulation is that the lymphatic system does not have a heart (pump) to move it throughout the body. This is why consistent daily exercise and hydration are crucial to keep the lymphatic system and lymph nodes healthy.If your lymphatic system is congested, or lymph nodes are swollen this will result in different aches and pains. Your joints could have pain or feel weak, your immune system is compromised dramatically because your immune system works directly with your lymphatic system. Your liver and kidneys become toxic because they aren’t draining toxins and chemicals from the lymphatic system to excrete them from the body as it should be. This can lead to weight gain, digestive disorders, being sick more often, hormonal imbalances, poor circulation, and much more.

Thankfully there are more than a few ways to stimulate your lymphatic system though and it’s important to stay on top of it each and every single day.

10 Ways To Empty Your Lymphatic System From Toxins:

1. Exercise: Exercise moves the lymphatic system and lymph fluids and circulates them to your liver and kidneys to be filtered and excreted from the body. You should walk briskly or engage in high intensity workouts every single day. Do one or both, but move faster than a slow walk every single day to get the lymphatic system moving.

2. Water: The lymphatic system is rich in water and if you’re dehydrated the entire system will be holding onto water for dear life. You need new water to filter the lymphatic system, and to help excrete and remove chemicals and toxins through your liver and kidneys. A good rule of thumb is to drink 50% of your body weight in ounces of water each day. Example: If you weigh 100 pounds, drink 50 ounces daily.

3. Breath work: Breathing does so much for your body, from calm your heart and nervous system to change brainwaves and even to help the lymphatic system drain and stay healthy. By taking deep breathes in through your nose and out through your mouth you’re giving your body more oxygen to work with. Oxygen and Hydration are two essential parts to keeping the lymphatic system clear of impurities. Exercise also helps you breathe deeply by exerting energy so exercise gives you multiple lymphatic draining benefits.

4. Rebounding: Rebounding is simply jumping on a small trampoline up and down. It doesn’t take much energy but is a slight workout that get’s your heart rate and breath up. It uses the force of gravity to move your lymphatic system and to detoxify cells by going in an up and down motion. This is a great exercise for lymphatic drainage as well as overall health and well-being. You can look for rebounders by clicking here.

5. Massage: Massage works by hands physically moving your lymphatic tissue. Deep tissue massage will work to move the lymphatic tissue to drain it most but any form of massage is beneficial. Massage is a way to squeeze the lymphatic system to remove impurities so that new hydration and nutrients can keep the lymphatic system healthy and able to do it’s job.

6: Laughter: Believe it or not laughter is an effective method for helping the lymphatic system. Laughing causes you to take deeper breaths which is once again beneficial but it also stimulates your lungs, circulation and other organs that create more harmony working with the lymphatic system. You need to make it an effort to laugh at least a few times daily for not only your lymphatic system but your heart, immunity, brain and overall sense of well-being.

7. Skin Brushing: Dry skin brushing is taking a brush and rubbing it around your entire body. It is similar to massage except for it’s not quite as deep into the tissue and it’s a great way to exfoliate dead skin cells. It works best right before a bath or shower so you don’t have a layer of dead skin cells on your skin. You can get a dry skin brush by clicking here.

8. Take A Hot+Cold Shower: I personally love taking a hot+cold shower because it’s so invigorating. What is a hot+cold shower you ask? it’s a shower where you turn the water hot, then cold, then hot, then cold. You continue switching the temperature of the water. It’s extremely invigorating and the change in temperature stimulates your lymphatic system to move as well as circulation by expanding and contracting blood vessels. It’s a great practice that will leave you feeling extremely rejuvenated.

9. Eat Raw Fruits: Fruits are great for stimulating the lymphatic system to drain. The key here is to eat fruits raw (uncooked) and to eat them on an empty stomach so that the acids and enzymes in the fruit have the best lymphatic draining and stimulating effects. Lemon, lime and grapefruit work well. You can also get these in therapeutic grade essential oils to add to your water and drink throughout the day to stimulate lymphatic drainage and overall digestive detoxification.

10. Use Essential Oils Topically: You can apply ginger, peppermint and rosemary essential oils topically on lymph nodes throughout your body to stimulate drainage. Specifically on the back of your neck is a great spot to apply these oils to get into the skin, circulation and lymph nodes and allow them to go to work. I use certified pure therapeutic grade essential oils which can be found here.

There you have it, 10 different ways to stimulate the lymphatic system to drain and detoxify. The more of these you engage in the more you’ll feel the benefits of a healthy lymphatic system. I hope you try these out and keep them as consistent practices.

By   July 7, 2015

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Categories: Cleansing Cleansing Depression General Health Immune System Information Lymphatic System Organic Food Reversing Diseases

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The Secret to Lowering Your Blood Pressure in 15 Minutes

bloodpressure

Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a very serious health concern that can lead to heart disease and increased risk for stroke. The good news is, by optimizing your dietary intake, exercising, and effectively managing your stress, the odds of lowering your blood pressure are greatly in your favor.

If you or someone you love is affected by high blood pressure, then please review and share the guidelines given below. A list of supplementary articles is also included, if you desire further information. Hypertension is actually an easily treated condition, but one that can cause serious damage to your health if ignored.

Your Diet Will Raise or Lower Your Blood Pressure

Are you on a high grain, low fat regimen? If so, I have bad news for you, because this nutritional combination is a prescription for hypertension and can absolutely devastate your health.

Groundbreaking research published in 1998 in the journal Diabetes reported that nearly two-thirds of the test subjects who were insulin resistant (IR) also had high blood pressure, and insulin resistance is directly attributable to a high sugar, high grain diet, especially if accompanied by inadequate exercise. So, chances are that if you have hypertension, you also have poorly controlled blood sugar levels, because these two problems often go hand in hand.

As your insulin level elevates, so does your blood pressure.

As explained by Dr. Rosedale, insulin stores magnesium. If your insulin receptors are blunted and your cells grow resistant to insulin, you can’t store magnesium so it passes out of your body through urination. Magnesium stored in your cells relaxes muscles. If your magnesium level is too low, your blood vessels will constrict rather than relax, which will raise your blood pressure and decrease your energy level. Insulin also affects your blood pressure by causing your body to retain sodium. Sodium retention causes fluid retention. Fluid retention in turn causes high blood pressure and can ultimately lead to congestive heart failure. If your hypertension is the direct result of an out-of-control blood sugar level, then normalizing your blood sugar levels will also lower your blood pressure readings into the healthy range.

Fructose Can Cause Your Blood Pressure to Skyrocket

The first thing you need to do is remove all grains and sugars from your diet, particularly fructose, until both your weight and your blood pressure have normalized. Eating sugars and grains — including any type of bread, pasta, corn, potatoes, or rice — will cause your insulin levels and your blood pressure to remain elevated.

A study1 published earlier this year discovered that those who consumed 74 grams or more per day of fructose (the equivalent of about 2.5 sugary drinks) had a 77 percent greater risk of having blood pressure levels of 160/100 mmHg. (For comparison, a normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mmHg.) Consuming 74 grams or more of fructose daily also increased the risk of a 135/85 blood pressure reading by 26 percent, and 140/90 by 30 percent.

This is significant because the average American now consumes 70 grams of fructose EVERY day!

Fructose breaks down into a variety of waste products that are bad for your body, one being uric acid. Uric acid drives up your blood pressure by inhibiting the nitric oxide in your blood vessels. Nitric oxide helps your vessels maintain their elasticity, so nitric oxide suppression leads to increases in blood pressure. In fact, 17 out of 17 studies demonstrate that elevated uric acid levels lead to hypertension. For more information on the connection between fructose, uric acid, and hypertension, please see this article that explains it in greater depth.

I’ve also interviewed Dr. Richard Johnson, one of the leading medical researchers in this field, about his research into the health dangers of fructose, specifically how fructose causes health problems such as high blood pressure.

My Recommended Fructose Allowance

As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day. Since the average 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar, at least half of which is fructose, this can of soda ALONE would exceed your daily allotment.

In addition, most people would be wise to also limit the amount of fructose you get from fruit to 15 grams or less, because you’re virtually guaranteed to consume “hidden” sources of fructose (typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup) from most beverages and just about any processed food you eat.

Fifteen grams of fructose is not much — it represents two bananas, one-third cup of raisins, or just two Medjool dates. In his book, The Sugar Fix, Dr. Johnson includes detailed tables showing the fructose content in different foods, and I’ve included a sample of these values in the linked article.

Additional Dietary Considerations

  1. Normalize your omega 6:3 ratio — Both omega-3 and omega-6 fats are essential for your health. Most Americans, however, are getting too much omega-6 in their diet and far too little omega-3. Consuming omega-3 fats is one of the best ways to re-sensitize your insulin receptors if you suffer from insulin resistance. Omega-6 fats are found in corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil. If you’re consuming a lot of these oils, you’ll want to avoid or limit them.Omega-3 fats are typically found in flaxseed oil, walnut oil and fish, with fish being by far the best source. Unfortunately, most fresh fish today contains dangerously high levels of mercury. Your best bet is to find a safe source of fish, or if this proves too difficult, supplement with a high quality krill oil, which has been found to be 48 times more potent than fish oil.
  2. Eliminate caffeine — The connection between caffeine consumption and high blood pressure is not well understood, but there is ample evidence to indicate that if you have hypertension, coffee and other caffeinated drinks and foods can ex­acerbate your condition. Caffeine is a drug, and while it’s entirely legal and widely consumed, it can have a powerful effect on your individual physiology. If you want to eliminate caffeine from your diet, try to do it gradually over a period of days or even weeks in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms like headaches.
  3. Consume Fermented Foods – Differences in gut flora from one person to another appears to have a large effect on whether or not you develop heart disease. If your gut flora is not healthy, your risk is much greater for heart disease, as well as many other chronic health problems. The best way to optimize your gut flora is by including some naturally fermented foods in your diet, such as sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables, yogurt, kefir, and natto. An additional benefit of fermented foods is that some of them are excellent sources of vitamin K2, which is important for preventing arterial plaque buildup and heart disease.

Use Exercise as a Drug

Physical activity is by far one of the most potent “drugs” there is, and its side effects are exactly the kinds you want to experience. Regardless of the primary reason you start an exercise program, your efforts will be rewarded in countless other ways.

A comprehensive exercise regimen, such as my Peak Fitness program, is very important in producing long-term benefits in people with high blood pressure. Nearly every program should incorporate anaerobic sprint or burst-type exercises one to three times a week, as these have been shown to be even more effective than aerobic exercises at reducing your risk of dying from a heart attack.

If you are insulin resistant, you’ll definitely want to include weight training in your exercise program. When you work individual muscle groups, you increase blood flow to those muscles. Good blood flow will increase your insulin sensitivity. Depending on your physical condition when you embark on your exercise program, you may need to consult with a health care professional for help increasing to the intensity required to lower your insulin level. Exercise in combination with the supplement L-arginine has been shown to correct the abnormal functioning of blood vessels seen in people with chronic heart failure. However, I would view this more as a drug approach and not necessarily a supplement you would consider using for optimizing health in general. L-arginine probably works through its interaction with nitric oxide. I would consider it an adjunct, not a replacement, for coenzymeQ10, which is a well-proven therapy for heart failure.

Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels

Believe it or not, the farther you live from the equator, the higher your risk of developing high blood pressure2. And did you know that blood pressure is typically higher in winter months than in summer?

Sunlight actually affects blood pressure in several ways:

  • Sun exposure causes your body to produce vitamin D. Lack of sunlight reduces your vitamin D stores and increases parathyroid hormone production, which increases blood pressure.
  • Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to insulin resistance (IR) and Syndrome X (also known as Metabolic Syndrome), a group of health problems that can include IR, elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels, obesity, and high blood pressure.
  • Vitamin D is also a negative inhibitor of your body’s renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which regulates blood pressure. If you’re vitamin D deficient, it can cause inappropriate activation of your RAS, which may lead to hypertension.
  • Additionally, exposure to UV rays is thought to cause the release of endorphins, chemicals in your brain that produce feelings of euphoria and pain relief. Endorphins naturally relieve stress, and stress management is an important factor in resolving hypertension.

Exposure to appropriate amounts of sunlight is a basic health requirement that extends far beyond blood pressure normalization. Vitamin D helps systems and organs throughout your body to function properly. Ideally, you’ll want to get your vitamin D through safe exposure to sunshine or a safe tanning bed, but vitamin D3 supplements can also be used. Please do NOT let your doctor give you a “prescription” vitamin D. That is vitamin D2, which is synthetic, and not nearly as beneficial as the real vitamin D, which is D3 (cholecalciferol).

Keep in mind that if you decide to supplement with oral vitamin D3, you must carefully monitor your vitamin D blood levels to avoid overdosing. (This is why it is highly preferable to get your vitamin D through sun exposure, since there is virtually no chance of overdosing.)

To learn much more about vitamin D test values and the best labs to get your tests done, please visit the linked page. I also recommend watching my free one-hour vitamin D lecture for more information about the incredible health benefits of this essential nutrient.

Controlling Your Stress is Crucial


ABC US News | World Newsnbsp;

One in three American adults have high blood pressure (hypertension), and just as many, if not more, battle emotional and mental stress on a day-to-day basis.

Are these two conditions connected?

You bet. As reported by ABC World News on September 16, 20103, one cardiologist believes the connection between stress and hypertension is undeniable, yet still does not receive the emphasis it deserves. In response, Dr. Kennedy developed a stress-relieving technique he calls “The 15 Minute Heart Cure,” a set of breathing and creative visualization techniques that can be done anywhere, anytime. The technique is demonstrated in the ABC World News video above. By teaching your body to slow down and relax when stress hits — essentially short-circuiting your physical stress reaction — you can protect your health.

My preferred method is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), an easy to learn, easy to use technique for releasing negative emotions. EFT combines visualization with calm, relaxed breathing, while employing gentle tapping to “reprogram” deeply seated emotional patterns.

Supplements and Other Alternatives

Although certain supplements may be helpful, it’s important to understand they should never be used as a substitute for basic lifestyle choices that treat the real cause of the problem. Using only supplements without modifying your lifestyle is an allopathic approach not very different from using drugs. In most instances, it is not likely to be effective. Once you have made some beneficial changes to your lifestyle, you can then consider some of the following supplements as a way to further enhance your health:

  • Calcium and magnesium. Daily calcium and magnesium supplementation can be useful in lowering blood pressure, especially if yours is on the high end of high. However, if you avoid sugars and grains and eat for your Nutritional Type™ (see above), it’s unlikely additional calcium or magnesium supplements will be necessary.
  • Vitamins C and E. Studies indicate that these vitamins can be helpful in lowering your blood pressure. Ideally, you’ll want to get the right amount of both these nutrients through diet alone. If you decide you need a supplement, make sure to take a natural (not synthetic) form of vitamin E. You can tell what you’re buying by carefully reading the label. Natural vitamin E is always listed as the “d-” form (d-alpha-tocopherol, d-beta-tocopherol, etc.) Synthetic vitamin E is listed as “dl-” forms.
  • Olive leaf extract. In one 2008 study, supplementing with 1,000 mg of olive leaf extract daily for eight weeks caused a significant dip in both blood pressure and LDL (“bad cholesterol”) in people with borderline hypertension. If you want to incorporate olive leaf extract as a natural adjunct to a nutritionally sound diet, you should look for fresh leaf liquid extracts for maximum synergistic potency. You can also prepare your own olive leaf tea by placing a large teaspoon of dried olive leaves in a tea ball or herb sack. Place it in about two quarts of boiling water and let it steep for three to 10 minutes. The tea should be a medium amber color when done.
  • Electrical acupuncture. Acupuncture combined with electrical stimulation has shown to temporarily lower elevations in blood pressure in animals by as much as 50 percent. It’s currently undergoing testing in humans and could be a promising alternative treatment for controlling blood pressure.
  • Breastfeeding. Studies have shown that babies who are breastfed for more than 12 months have a dramatically lower risk of developing hypertension. Researchers believe long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (the same found in fatty fish) in breast milk provide a protective effect for newborns.
  • Quick tricks. Increasing nitric monoxide in your blood can open constricted blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Methods of increasing the compound include taking a warm bath, breathing in and out through one nostril (close off the other nostril and your mouth), and eating bitter melon, rich in amino acids and vitamin C.

Like obesity, high blood pressure is an epidemic. And like obesity, your best treatment is to evaluate your lifestyle and make the necessary adjustments.

A natural approach to preventing disease and healing yourself when illness strikes is always the better choice. In the case of high blood pressure, lifestyle changes — with particular emphasis on normalizing your insulin levels — can put you on the road to a drug-free, all-natural return to optimal health.

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Categories: Cleansing Cleansing Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy General Health Healthy Techniques High Fructose Corn Syrup Himalayan Salt Immune System Information Kidney Health Lowering Cholesterol Natural Cures Organic Food Organic Foods Pain Relief Personal Health Reversing Damage Reversing Diseases Sugars Vitamins

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How To Rid Your Colon Of Extra Weight Fast

The digestive system is responsible for delivering essential vitamins and nutrients throughout your body. An encrusted, unclean colon blocks your body from absorbing the vitamins and minerals from your food.

When this happens to your colon can become very bloated and result in  weight gain. When your colon can do its job properly it will make you less bloated, reduce weight gain and have fewer digestive issues.

If your want to keep your colon running smooth and your digestive system running efficiently simply try these natural methods.

Natural Colon-Cleansing Methods

Water:

For colon cleansing, the best thing you can do is drink plenty of water. It is essential to drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water in a day. Regular consumption of water will give your body the liquid and lubrication required to flush out the harmful toxins and waste from the body in a natural manner.

Drinking plenty of water will also stimulate the natural peristaltic action, helping the food to move through the digestive system. Also, water is essential to keep your body well hydrated. Along with water, you can also drink fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

Yogurt:

Eating fresh yogurt on a regular basis is a good way to keep the colon healthy. Being a probiotic food, yogurt, especially the one with live and active cultures, will introduce “good” bacteria into the gut that promote digestion. It will also combat inflammatory bowel diseases.

Plus, it contains a good amount of calcium that discourages the growth of cells lining the colon. The intestine-friendly yogurt also solves various stomach problems such as indigestion, flatulence, irregular bowel movements and lots more.

You can eat yogurt as it is or add some fresh fruit such as apples, limes, bananas and berries.

Lemon Juice:

Lemon has antioxidant properties and its high vitamin C content is good for the digestive system. Hence, lemon juice can be used for colon cleansing.

Apple Juice:

Eat your favorite type of apple all day long or drink 100% apple juice with no sugar added, from morning to dinner time, to lose weight and cleanse your colon.

Directions

1. Start your day with one glass of unfiltered apple juice.

2. After 30 minutes, drink one glass of water.

3. Repeat this routine several times throughout the day and continue for three days.

4. In between, you can also drink one glass of prune juice. When following this remedy, it is advisable to avoid solid foods.

Fiber-rich Foods:

Eating foods rich in fiber will help cleanse the colon of the harmful toxins. Fiber helps keep the stools soft and improve the bowel movement, which ultimately encourages the body to expel waste products. At the same time, fiber-rich foods will also help get rid of any kind of intestinal problem.

You can add a lot of fiber into your diet by eating fresh fruits like raspberries, pears and apples, as well as fresh vegetables like artichokes, peas and broccoli. Cereals, whole grains, nuts, beans and seeds also contain a good amount of fiber.

Raw Vegetable Juice:

For colon cleansing, it is essential to keep away from processed and cooked food for one or two days. Instead of solid food, drink fresh vegetable juice several times a day. Green vegetables, in particular contain chlorophyll that helps remove toxins. Also, the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes present in it will keep your body healthy and well energized. You can also drink herbal teas.

Sea Salt:

Sea salt is another effective home remedy for colon cleansing. It stimulates the bowel movement and helps to remove all the harmful toxins that accumulated in fecal matter, regular feces, parasites and bacteria from digestive system.

Ginger:

Ginger not only helps to reduce bloating but also stimulates the functionality of colon and keeps it free from wastes and harmful toxins.

Flaxseeds:

Flaxseeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants and natural fibers that helps to cleanse your colon naturally. It absorbs the water and expands in the colon, assists in removing toxins and mucus as it passes through. It will be very effective if you include flaxseeds in your diet to get rid of the problem.

Aloe Vera:

Aloe vera is well known for its detoxification abilities and laxative property which makes it as an effective colon cleanser. It has some medical properties that not only improves the condition of the colon but also helps to treat other health problems like headache, diarrhea, constipation, skin infection and gastric pain.

Sources:

http://homeremediesforlife.com/colon-cleanser/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/115950-homemade-natural-colon-cleanser/

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5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Can Kill You

High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup

IF YOU CAN’T CONVINCE THEM, CONFUSE THEM – Harry Truman

The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year.

During that time period, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Not perhaps the only cause, but a fact that cannot be ignored.

Doubt and confusion are the currency of deception, and they sow the seeds of complacency. These are used skillfully through massive print and television advertising campaigns by the Corn Refiners Association’s attempt to dispel the “myth” that HFCS is harmful and assert through the opinion of “medical and nutrition experts” that it is no different than cane sugar. It is a “natural” product that is a healthy part of our diet when used in moderation.

Except for one problem. When used in moderation it is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, and more.

Why is the corn industry spending millions on misinformation campaigns to convince consumers and health care professionals of the safety of their product? Could it be that the food industry comprises 17 percent of our economy?

The Lengths the Corn Industry Will Go To

The goal of the corn industry is to call into question any claim of harm from consuming high fructose corn syrup, and to confuse and deflect by calling their product natural “corn sugar”. That’s like calling tobacco in cigarettes natural herbal medicine.

In the ad, the father tells us:

“Like any parent I have questions about the food my daughter eats–-like high fructose corn syrup. So I started looking for answers from medical and nutrition experts, and what I discovered whether it’s corn sugar or cane sugar your body can’t tell the difference. Sugar is sugar. Knowing that makes me feel better about what she eats and that’s one less thing to worry about.”

Physicians are also targeted directly. I received a 12-page color glossy monograph from the Corn Refiners Association reviewing the “science” that HFCS was safe and no different than cane sugar. I assume the other 700,000 physicians in America received the same propaganda at who knows what cost.

In addition to this, I received a special “personal” letter from the Corn Refiner’s Association outlining every mention of the problems with HFCS in our diet–whether in print, blogs, books, radio, or television. They warned me of the errors of my ways and put me on “notice”. For what I am not sure. To think they are tracking this (and me) that closely gives me an Orwellian chill.

New websites like www.sweetsurprise.com and www.cornsugar.com help “set us straight” about HFCS with quotes from professors of nutrition and medicine and thought leaders from Harvard and other stellar institutions.

Why is the corn industry spending millions on misinformation campaigns to convince consumers and health care professionals of the safety of their product? Could it be that the food industry comprises 17 percent of our economy?

But are these twisted sweet lies or a sweet surprise, as the Corn Refiners Association websites claim?

What the Science Says About HFCS

Let’s examine the science and insert some common sense into the conversation. These facts may indeed come as a sweet surprise. The ads suggest getting your nutrition advice from your doctor (who, unfortunately, probably knows less about nutrition than most grandmothers).

Having studied this for over a decade, and having read, interviewed, or personally talked with most of the “medical and nutrition experts” used to bolster the claim that “corn sugar” and cane sugar are essentially the same, quite a different picture emerges and the role of HFCS in promoting obesity, disease, and death across the globe becomes clear.

Last week over lunch with Dr. Bruce Ames, one of the foremost nutritional scientists in the world, and Dr. Jeffrey Bland, a nutritional biochemist, a student of Linus Pauling, and I reviewed the existing science, and Dr. Ames shared shocking new evidence from his research center on how HFCS can trigger body-wide inflammation and obesity.

Here are 5 reasons you should stay way from any product containing high fructose corn syrup and why it may kill you.  

  1. Sugar in any form causes obesity and disease when consumed in pharmacologic doses.Cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup are indeed both harmful when consumed in pharmacologic doses of 140 pounds per person per year.When one 20 ounce HFCS sweetened soda, sports drink, or tea has 17 teaspoons of sugar (and the average teenager often consumes two drinks a day) we are conducting a largely uncontrolled experiment on the human species.Our hunter gatherer ancestors consumed the equivalent of 20 teaspoons per year, not per day. In this sense, I would agree with the corn industry that sugar is sugar. Quantity matters. But there are some important differences.
  2. HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body. High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from “natural” or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would not allow the investigative journalist Michael Pollan to observe it for his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS. Some basic biochemistry will help you understand this. Regular cane sugar (sucrose) is made of two-sugar molecules bound tightly together– glucose and fructose in equal amounts.The enzymes in your digestive tract must break down the sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are then absorbed into the body. HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, not in a 50-50 ratio, but a 55-45 fructose to glucose ratio in an unbound form. Fructose is sweeter than glucose. And HFCS is cheaper than sugar because of the government farm bill corn subsidies. Products with HFCS are sweeter and cheaper than products made with cane sugar. This allowed for the average soda size to balloon from 8 ounces to 20 ounces with little financial costs to manufacturers but great human costs of increased obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease.Now back to biochemistry. Since there is there is no chemical bond between them, no digestion is required so they are more rapidly absorbed into your blood stream. Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called “fatty liver” which affects 70 million people.The rapidly absorbed glucose triggers big spikes in insulin–our body’s major fat storage hormone. Both these features of HFCS lead to increased metabolic disturbances that drive increases in appetite, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and more.

    But there was one more thing I learned during lunch with Dr. Bruce Ames. Research done by his group at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute found that free fructose from HFCS requires more energy to be absorbed by the gut and soaks up two phosphorous molecules from ATP (our body’s energy source).

    This depletes the energy fuel source, or ATP, in our gut required to maintain the integrity of our intestinal lining. Little “tight junctions” cement each intestinal cell together preventing food and bacteria from “leaking” across the intestinal membrane and triggering an immune reaction and body wide inflammation.

    High doses of free fructose have been proven to literally punch holes in the intestinal lining allowing nasty byproducts of toxic gut bacteria and partially digested food proteins to enter your blood stream and trigger the inflammation that we know is at the root of obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia, and accelerated aging. Naturally occurring fructose in fruit is part of a complex of nutrients and fiber that doesn’t exhibit the same biological effects as the free high fructose doses found in “corn sugar”.

    The takeaway: Cane sugar and the industrially produced, euphemistically named “corn sugar” are not biochemically or physiologically the same.

  3. HFCS contains contaminants including mercury that are not regulated or measured by the FDA. An FDA researcher asked corn producers to ship a barrel of high fructose corn syrup in order to test for contaminants. Her repeated requests were refused until she claimed she represented a newly created soft drink company. She was then promptly shipped a big vat of HFCS that was used as part of the study that showed that HFCS often contains toxic levels of mercury because of chlor-alkali products used in its manufacturing.(i) Poisoned sugar is certainly not “natural”.When HFCS is run through a chemical analyzer or a chromatograph, strange chemical peaks show up that are not glucose or fructose. What are they? Who knows? This certainly calls into question the purity of this processed form of super sugar. The exact nature, effects, and toxicity of these funny compounds have not been fully explained, but shouldn’t we be protected from the presence of untested chemical compounds in our food supply, especially when the contaminated food product comprises up to 15-20 percent of the average American’s daily calorie intake?  
  4. Independent medical and nutrition experts DO NOT support the use of HFCS in our diet, despite the assertions of the corn industry. The corn industry’s happy looking websites www.cornsugar.com and www.sweetsurprise.com bolster their position that cane sugar and corn sugar are the same by quoting experts, or should we say misquoting … Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has published widely on the dangers of sugar-sweetened drinks and their contribution to the obesity epidemic. In a review of HFCS in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,(ii)he explains the mechanism by which the free fructose may contribute to obesity.He states that: “The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis (production of fat in the liver). In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight (to control appetite), this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain. Furthermore, calorically sweetened beverages may enhance caloric over-consumption.”He states that HFCS is absorbed more rapidly than regular sugar and that it doesn’t stimulate insulin or leptin production. This prevents you from triggering the body’s signals for being full and may lead to over-consumption of total calories. He concludes by saying that:“… the increase in consumption of HFCS has a temporal relation to the epidemic of obesity, and the overconsumption of HFCS in calorically sweetened beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity.”

    The corn industry takes his comments out of context to support their position. “All sugar you eat is the same.”

    True pharmacologic doses of any kind of sugar are harmful, but the biochemistry of different kinds of sugar and their respective effects on absorption, appetite, and metabolism are different, and Dr. Popkin knows that.

    David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, and a personal friend, has published extensively on the dangers and the obesogenic properties of sugar-sweetened beverages.

    He was quoted as saying that “high fructose corn syrup is one of the most misunderstood products in the food industry.” When I asked him why he supported the corn industry, he told me he didn’t and that his comments were taken totally out of context.

    Misrepresenting science is one thing, misrepresenting scientists who have been at the forefront of the fight against obesity and high fructose sugar sweetened beverages is quite another.

  5. HFCS is almost always a marker of poor-quality, nutrient-poor disease-creating industrial food products or “food-like substances”. The last reason to avoid products that contain HFCS is that they are a marker for poor-quality, nutritionally-depleted, processed industrial food full of empty calories and artificial ingredients. If you find “high fructose corn syrup” on the label you can be sure it is not a whole, real, fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants. Stay away if you want to stay healthy. We still must reduce our overall consumption of sugar, but with this one simple dietary change you can radically reduce your health risks and improve your health.While debate may rage about the biochemistry and physiology of cane sugar versus corn sugar, this is in fact beside the point (despite the finer points of my scientific analysis above). The conversation has been diverted to a simple assertion that cane sugar and corn sugar are not different.

The real issues are only two.

  • We are consuming HFCS and sugar in pharmacologic quantities never before experienced in human history–140 pounds a year versus 20 teaspoons a year 10,000 years ago.
  • High fructose corn syrup is always found in very poor-quality foods that are nutritionally vacuous and filled with all sorts of other disease promoting compounds, fats, salt, chemicals, and even mercury.

These critical ideas should be the heart of the national conversation, not the meaningless confusing ads and statements by the corn industry in the media and online that attempt to assure the public that the biochemistry of real sugar and industrially produced sugar from corn are the same.

Now I’d like to hear from you …

Do you think there is an association between the introduction of HFCS in our diet and the obesity epidemic?

What reason do you think the Corn Refiners Association has for running such ads and publishing websites like those listed in this article?

What do you think of the science presented here and the general effects of HFCS on the American diet?

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below—but remember, we can’t offer personal medical advice online, so be sure to limit your comments to those about taking back our health!

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, MD

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Categories: Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Food General Health High Fructose Corn Syrup Immune System Information Organic Food Personal Health Sugars

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The Health Truth about Coffee

Liver CoffeeThe health effects of coffee are quite controversial. Depending on who you ask, it is either a super healthy beverage or incredibly harmful. But despite what you may have heard, there are actually plenty of good things to be said about coffee. For example, it is high in antioxidants and linked to a reduced risk of many diseases. However, it also contains caffeine, a stimulant that can cause problems in some people and disrupt sleep. This article takes a detailed look at coffee and its health effects, examining both the pros and cons.

 

Coffee Contains Some Essential Nutrients and is Extremely High in Antioxidants

Coffee is more than just dark brown water… many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the drink.

A typical 8oz (240 ml) cup of coffee contains (1):

•Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 11% of the RDA.

•Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 6% of the RDA.

•Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 2% of the RDA.

•Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 2% of the RDA.

•Folate: 1% of the RDA.

•Manganese: 3% of the RDA.

•Potassium: 3% of the RDA.

•Magnesium: 2% of the RDA.

•Phosphorus: 1% of the RDA.

This may not seem like a lot, but try multiplying with 3, 4, or however many cups you drink per day. It can add up to a significant portion of your daily nutrient intake.

But where coffee really shines is in its high content of antioxidants.

The average person who eats a typical Western diet actually gets more antioxidants from coffee than fruits and vegetables… combined (2, 3).

Bottom Line: Coffee contains a small amount of some vitamins and minerals, which add up if you drink many cups per day. It is also high in antioxidants.

Coffee Contains Caffeine, A Stimulant That Can Enhance Brain Function and Boost Metabolism

Caffeine is the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world (4).

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Soft drinks, tea and chocolate all contain caffeine, but coffee is the biggest source.

The caffeine content of a single cup can range from 30-300 mg, but the average cup is somewhere around 90-100 mg.

Caffeine is a known stimulant. In the brain, it blocks the function of an inhibitory neurotransmitter (brain hormone) called Adenosine.

By blocking adenosine, caffeine actually increases activity in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. This reduces tiredness and makes us feel more alert (5, 6).

There are numerous studies showing that caffeine can lead to a short-term boost in brain function… including improved mood, reaction time, vigilance and general cognitive function (7, 8).

Caffeine can also boost metabolism (calories burned) by 3-11% and even increase exercise performance by 11-12%, on average (9, 10, 11, 12).

However… some of these effects are likely to be short-term. If you drink coffee every day, then you will build a tolerance to it and the effects will be less powerful (13).

There are also some downsides to caffeine, which I’ll get to in a bit.

Bottom Line: The main active compound in coffee is the stimulant caffeine. It can cause a short-term boost in energy levels, brain function, metabolic rate and exercise performance.

Coffee May Help Protect Your Brain in Old Age, Leading to Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

 

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of dementia.

Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (14, 15, 16).

Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.

Coffee drinkers have a 32-60% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. The more coffee people drink, the lower the risk (17, 18, 19, 20).

Bottom Line: Several studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease in old age.

 

Coffee Drinkers Have a Much Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars due to resistance to the effects of insulin.

This is a very common disease… it has increased 10-fold in a few decades and now afflicts over 300 million people.

Interestingly, coffee drinkers appear to have a significantly reduced risk of developing this disease, some studies showing that coffee drinkers are up to 23-67% less likely to become diabetic (21, 22, 23, 24).

In one large review study that looked at 18 studies with 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was linked to a 7% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (25).

Bottom Line: Numerous studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Liver Diseases

The liver is an incredibly important organ that has hundreds of different functions in the body.coffee liver

 

It is very sensitive to modern insults like excess alcohol and fructose intake.

The end stage of liver damage is called Cirrhosis, and involves most of the liver being replaced with scar tissue.

Coffee drinkers have up to an 84% lower risk of developing cirrhosis, with the strongest effect for those who drink 4 or more cups per day (26, 27, 28).

Liver cancer is also common… it is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer (29, 30).

Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. The more coffee they drink, the lower the risk.

 

People Who Drink Coffee Are at a Much Lower Risk of Depression and Suicide

Depression is an incredibly common problem.

It is the world’s most common mental disorder and leads to a significantly reduced quality of life.

In one Harvard study from 2011, people who drank the most coffee had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed (31).

In one review of 3 studies, people who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide (32).

Bottom Line: Studies have shown that people who drink coffee have a lower risk of becoming depressed and are significantly less likely to commit suicide.

 

Some Studies Show That Coffee Drinkers Live Longer

Given that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of many common, deadly diseases (and suicide), it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.

There is actually some good evidence to support this.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012 looked at the habits of 402,260 individuals between 50 and 71 years of age (33).

In this study, people who drank coffee had a much lower risk of dying over the 12-13 year study period:coffee death

 

The sweet spot seems to be at 4-5 cups per day, with men having a 12% reduced risk and women a 16% reduced risk.

You can read more about it in this article on how coffee can make you live longer.

Bottom Line: Some studies have shown that coffee drinkers live longer, which makes perfect sense given that they have a lower risk of many diseases. The strongest effect is seen for 4-5 cups per day.

 

Caffeine Can Cause Anxiety and Disrupt Sleep

It wouldn’t be right to only talk about the good stuff without mentioning the bad.

The truth is… there are some important negative aspects to coffee as well (although this depends on the individual).

Consuming too much caffeine can lead to jitteriness, anxiety, heart palpitations and may even exacerbate panic attacks (34).

If you are sensitive to caffeine and tend to become overstimulated, then perhaps you shouldn’t be drinking coffee.

Another unwanted side effect is that it can disrupt sleep (35). If coffee reduces the quality of your sleep, then try avoiding coffee late in the day, such as after 2pm.

Caffeine can also have some diuretic and blood pressure raising effects, but this usually goes away with regular use. However, an increase in blood pressure of 1-2 mm/Hg may persist (36, 37, 38).

Bottom Line: Caffeine can have various negative effects, such as causing anxiety and disrupting sleep, but this depends greatly on the individual.

 

Caffeine is Addictive and Missing a Few Cups Can Lead to Withdrawal

One issue with caffeine, is that it can lead to addiction in many people.

When people consume caffeine regularly, they become tolerant to it. It either stops working as it used to, or a larger dose is needed to get the same effects (39).

When people abstain from caffeine, they get withdrawal symptoms like headache, tiredness, brain fog and irritability. This can last for a few days (40, 41).

Tolerance and withdrawal are the hallmarks of physical addiction.

A lot of people (understandably) don’t like the idea of being literally dependant on a chemical substance in order to function properly.

Bottom Line: Caffeine is an addictive substance. It can lead to tolerance and well documented withdrawal symptoms like headache, tiredness and irritability.

 

The Difference Between Regular and Decaf

Some people opt for decaffeinated coffee instead of regular.

The way decaffeinated coffee is usually made, is by rinsing the coffee beans with solvent chemicals.

Each time this is done, some percentage of the caffeine dissolves in the solvent and this process is repeated until most of the caffeine has been removed.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that even decaffeinated coffee does contain some caffeine, just much less than regular coffee.

Unfortunately, not all of the health benefits of regular coffee apply to decaffeinated coffee. For example, some studies show no reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s or liver diseases for people who drink decaffeinated coffee.

Bottom Line: Decaffeinated coffee is made by extracting caffeine from the coffee beans using solvents. Decaf does not have all of the same health benefits as regular coffee.

 

Things to Keep in Mind in Order to Maximize The Health Benefitscoffee benefits

 

There are some things you can do in order to maximize the beneficial health effects you get from coffee.

The most important is to NOT add anything unhealthy to it. This includes sugar and any sort of artificial, chemical-laden creamer.

Another important thing is to brew coffee with a paper filter. Unfiltered coffee (such as Turkish or French press) contains cafestol, a substance that can increase cholesterol levels (42, 43).

Also keep in mind that some of the coffee drinks at places like Starbucks can contain hundreds of calories and a whole bunch of sugar. These drinks are NOT healthy.

There are some more tips in this article on 8 ways to make your coffee super healthy.

Bottom Line: It is important not to put sugar or a chemical-laden creamer in your coffee. Brewing with a paper filter can get rid of a cholesterol-raising compound called Cafestol.

 

Should You be Drinking Coffee?

There are some people who would definitely want to avoid or severely limit coffee consumption, especially pregnant women.

People with anxiety issues, high blood pressure or insomnia might also want to try limiting coffee for a while to see if it helps.

There is also some evidence that people who metabolize caffeine slowly have an increased risk of heart attacks from drinking coffee (44).

All that being said… it does seem clear that for the average person, coffee can have important beneficial effects on health.

If you don’t already drink coffee, then I don’t think these benefits are a compelling reason to start doing it. There are downsides as well.

But if you already drink coffee and you enjoy it, then the benefits appear to far outweigh the negatives.

I personally drink coffee, every day… about 4-5 cups (sometimes more). My health has never been better.

Take Home Message

It’s important to keep in mind that many of the studies in the article are observational studies, which can not prove that coffee caused the beneficial effects.

But given that the effects are strong and consistent among studies, it is a fairly strong indicator that coffee does in fact play a role.

Despite having been demonized in the past, the evidence points to coffee being very healthy… at least for the majority of people.

If anything, coffee belongs in the same category as healthy beverages like green tea.

by KRIS GUNNARS

Source: Authority Nutrition

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Categories: Coffee Depression Diabetes Disease & Prevention Folklore General Health Immune System Information Insomnia Kidney Health Liver Disease Managing Diabetes Myths Suicide

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Vitamin B17: The Greatest Cover-Up In The History Of Cancer

Apricot Seeds - Vitamin B17

Ever heard of Vitamin B17 chances are you probably haven’t. Since Vitamin 17 has been banned by the FDA.

One of the biggest concentrated types of vitamin B17 can be found in the seed of the apricot. A fruit we don’t give enough credit to. The actual seed can be found within the hard pit in the apricot. The anti-cancer agent based in the actual Laetrile B17 vitamin is known as amygdalin.

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Why is B17 not prescribed by modern Physicians as a treatment? If it is so helpful towards the elimination of many cancers? G. Edward Griffin answers, “A control for cancer is known, and it comes from nature, but it is not widely available to the public because it cannot be patented, and, therefore, is not commercially attractive to the pharmaceutical industry.”
Vitamin B17 is comprised of hydrogen cyanide and glucose that is what gives it its cancer-solving properties. The benzaldehyde from the glucose and the cyanide work together as a poison that targets cancer cells. Many medical professionals claim B17 is toxic, but this is merely a myth.

So Here’s Where The Cover-Up Comes In

Even though this vitamin was not approved for treatment by the FDA, many doctors including one named John A. Richardson M.D. who started using the vitamin “illegally” in order to treat parents at his medical clinic in San Francisco, and it was giving astonishing results better than orthodox treatments. Richardson’s success in these treatments is documented in Laetrile Case Histories: The Richardson Cancer Clinic Experience by John A. Richardson M.D. and Patricia Irving Griffin, R.N. The FDA came out hard in its attack on Laetrile. The FDA sees at Laetrile as an unapproved form of treatment and is ” illegal” for a practitioner to administer, there for buying Laetrile is not available in the United States. But, on the other hand, you can still buy amygdalin (B12) in supplement form. There are many reports of people who will swear they have defeated cancer from using B17.

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Sloan-Kettering outraged at the B17 cover-up by the FDA and the AMA, for five years studies were conducted by Sloan on the anti-cancer benefits of B17 to which it was found that:

1. It improved general health of the cancer patient

2. It acted as a cancer preventative.

3. It stopped the spreading of cancer in mice.

4. Laetrile inhibited the growth of tumors.

To hear about clinical trials of B17 and learn how it fights cancer cells is one thing, but actually to hear real life people who have fought against cancer and thanks to vitamin B17 they won.

Being Protective in Our Fight Against Getting Cancer

If you exercise very little and engage in harmful bodily choices, then cancer is only chasing you. Although in some cases they are no matter how much you exercise or no matter what you do cancer will find you. But this is no reason not to be proactive throughout your day and engage in healthy bodily choices.

Besides B17 there has also been many other natural foods that help fight cancer such as: Consuming aloe gel, wheatgrass, sumac, chili peppers, swiss chard, food mushrooms, turmeric, Vegetables and raw fruits, flax, aloe juice, chia and black seed better known as Nigella sative. It is never too start late eating healthy and lowering your health risks. You could even start right now!

Sources:

http://treatments-for-cancer.com/tag/alternative-cancer-treatment/

http://www.ssqq.com/stories/cancerfight02.htm

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Categories: Cancer Cancer Cures Cleansing Cleansing Cover Up Eating Healthy Folklore General Health Healthy Choices Information Myths Natural Cures Reversing Damage Vitamins Your Body

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Baking Soda And Himalayan Salt, A Danger to the Pharmaceutical Industry ?

baking-soda-himalayan-salt-drink-recipe
Image Courtesy of HealthyWildAndFree

Baking soda is commonly found in most homes around the world as a good all purpose scraping and cleaning powder, or to be used for baking purposes but there’s a good chance that you’re not fully utilizing the full potential of baking soda for your health and well-being. Baking soda is very cheap, only a few bucks and can be bought practically anywhere so to use baking soda like it can be used to treat ailments and health issues is information that the pharmaceutical industry does not want to get out.

The great thing about it is that it can be used in many different ways and to help reduce aches and pains, reduce symptoms or even reduce the chances of potential life-threatening issues by doing all that it does! So what does baking soda actually do to your body and health?
The first and probably the earliest use of baking soda medicinally was written in 1924 by Arm & Hammer to treat and prevent the cold and flu. They found that people who consumed baking soda in water prevented the flu and cold and those who had already caught the flu or cold could take baking soda in water and their symptoms would begin to dissipate.
Baking soda is also used for ulcer pain, instead of taking an anti-acid medication baking soda can neutralize the pH of the stomach helping to relieve the Ulcer symptoms. Reducing stress and having healthy lifestyle practices will ultimately reduce the ulcers in the first place, but supplementing with baking soda orally can help relieve symptoms on the spot.
Baking soda is slightly more alkaline than human blood and helps to deliver oxygen to the body as well as bring the pH level up if it is too low (too acidic). This means that any ailment, or medical condition that suffers from an acidic environment or lack of oxygen can be benefited by baking soda. Literally every cell in the human body could use more oxygen and alkaline support because of the acidic, chemically-laden and overuse of acids in our world today.

People have used and recommended baking soda for ulcers, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease or any and all skin conditions ranging from sunburn to scars and acne. It is also very commonly used topically as a foot bath, a sunburn remedy, an addition to the bathtub for skin health as well as used in all natural aluminum free baking soda based deodorants like Primal Pit Paste which I personally use and love. Baking soda mainly oxygenates the body which allows your body to have direct access to more oxygen especially in cells that are suffering and need it, wherever they may be in the body. Secondly, it will alkalize your body and work to bring the pH into a more alkaline state, there is one issue with this however.

Based on my research I do not personally think that just swallowing baking soda and water throughout the day is the healthiest idea as most suggest. Why? Baking soda water is quite alkaline and that water goes right into your gut which is supposed to be an acidic environment in order to digest hard food. If you continuously bombard your gut with alkaline liquid without giving it some acids (which may not be an issue for some people) throughout the day you can actually weaken your gut and digestive system in general. This is why (and where) the second ingredient comes in, pink Himalayan salt.I’m sure you’ve heard of this salt before, it’s very mineral rich boasting a mineral content of 84 minerals as well as being rich in electrolytes which help the health of the cell, nervous system and entire body.

By mixing baking soda with Himalayan pink salt you are creating a mineral rich water (which provides more hydrogen and oxygen to your cells and entire body) that is pH balanced for the human blood which is going to supply your entire body. This is a drink that oxygenates, alkalizes and hydrates your body while balancing the pH of the blood which works to balance the pH of other individual organ as a carrier and modulator. This drink also balances and oxygenates the lungs which are responsible for balancing pH throughout the body as well as the kidneys with the many minerals and oxygen infusion. By drinking this you help your lungs and kidneys perform healthier which helps to supply a balanced pH and carry more oxygen and a balanced pH effect throughout the entire body.

Healthy human blood has a pH in the range of 7.35-7.45 and in order to optimize and enhance the health of your blood we’ll be ingesting something meant to do so as well as to balance the pH of your blood and get it back in the 7.35-7.45 range, or very close to it. The pH of baking soda in water is 8.2, slightly alkaline, The pH of Himalayan pink salt in water is right around 6.50 (depending on your water source) and if you put the two of these together you have something quite magical I discovered, You have a mineral and electrolyte rich drink that also gives you all of the benefits of baking soda, not to mention the pH of this drink will be right around a pH of 7.35-7.5 or so, this is right in the exact range of pH to balance the pH of your blood which runs through and gives your entire body nutrients, hydrogen and oxygen which are all vital to healing whatever is going on anywhere in your body.

Baking Soda + Himalayan Salt Drink Recipe:

1/2 tsp. of baking soda + 1/2 tsp. of Himalayan salt in a half glass of water (approximately 3-4 ounces of water) Simply add the baking soda and Himalayan salt to a half glass of water, stir and drink! You can drink this once in the morning and once at night.

Ingredients needed:

1. Himalayan Pink Salt 2. Baking Soda (Some people and companies claim that most conventional baking soda contains aluminum in it, which is a toxic metal that you definitely do not want to ingest! I’m not sure if this is true or not but you can get an aluminum free baking soda by clicking here just to be safe, I’m not sure if these claims are true and the aluminum free baking soda does cost a bit more but still fairly cheap.) 3. Purified Water (Ionizer/Distilled/Reverse Osmosis) Tap water is dead water. It’s sanitized and toxic. Chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals, traces of pharmaceutical drugs and many other compounds are in our tap water. It’s not the healthiest water and has little to no vitality left in it.

I highly recommend looking into getting a water filtration system, whether it’s purified, ionized, distilled or reverse osmosis, whatever floats your water floating boat! This drink recipe above can be used for heartburn, to balance pH of the blood and body, to oxygenate the body. Boost your immune system to fight the cold and flu as well as any other infection or sickness/disease. It can also be used to treat ulcers, help the blood for diabetic patients and many more uses. It’s oxygen, mineral and electrolyte rich and does a great job at fighting candida, bacteria or fungal infections as well as keeping your cells and blood healthy. Try drinking it once or twice daily and go from there!

By David Benjamin – June 23, 2015

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Categories: Bone Health Cancer Cures Cleansing Cleansing Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Food Himalayan Salt Information Kidney Health Lowering Cholesterol Natural Antibiotics Natural Cures Organic Food Personal Health Spices Well Being

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How To Grow 168 Plants In A 6×10 Space: DIY A-Frame Hydroponic System

Here’s an incredibly efficient system that grows 168 plants in a 6 X 10 space by using an A frame hydroponic system. It’s an effortless way to grow a lot of food in a small space.

This idea can be approached in several ways. Once you understand the basic concept you could swap in salvaged materials or adjust the shape. To get a good idea of how it works check out the horizontal A-frame hydroponic system below.
This system is a fantastic way to grow greens, herbs, strawberries, and more.

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Sources:

http://thehomesteadsurvival.com/grow-168-plants-in-a-6-x-10-space-with-a-diy-a-frame-hydroponic-system/

http://www.offgridworld.com/a-frame-vertical-hydroponic-garden-grows-168-plants/

 

Cymantra Admin – June 20, 2015

 

 

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Categories: Eating Healthy Food General Health Herbs Hydroponic Growing Information Management Organic Food Personal Health

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10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin

Young Indian Woman Holding SpicesTurmeric may be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence.

Many high quality studies show that it has major benefits for your body and brain.

Here are the top 10 evidence-based health benefits of turmeric.

1. Turmeric Contains Bioactive Compounds With Powerful Medicinal Properties

Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.

It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.

Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does contain compounds with medicinal properties (1).

These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

However, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s around 3%, by weight (2).

Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, then you need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.

Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000% (3).

I personally prefer to swallow a few whole peppercorns along with my curcumin supplement, in order to enhance absorption.

Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.

Bottom Line: Turmeric contains curcumin, a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Most studies used turmeric extracts that are standardized to include large amounts of curcumin.

2. Curcumin is a Natural Anti-Inflammatory Compound

Turmeric in Wooden Bowl

Inflammation is incredibly important.

It helps the body fight foreign invaders and also has a role in repairing damage.

Without inflammation, pathogens like bacteria could easily take over our bodies and kill us.

Although acute (short-term) inflammation is beneficial, it can become a major problem when it is chronic (long-term) and inappropriately deployed against the body’s own tissues.

It is now believed that chronic, low-level inflammation plays a major role in almost every chronic, Western disease. This includes heart disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, Alzheimer’s and various degenerative conditions (4, 5, 6).

Therefore, anything that can help fight chronic inflammation is of potential importance in preventing and even treating these diseases.

It turns out that curcumin is strongly anti-inflammatory, it is so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs (7).

Curcumin actually targets multiple steps in the inflammatory pathway, at the molecular level.

Curcumin blocks NF-kB, a molecule that travels into the nuclei of cells and turns on genes related to inflammation. NF-kB is believed to play a major role in many chronic diseases (8, 9).

Without getting into the gory details (inflammation is extremely complicated), the key takeaway here is that curcumin is a bioactive substance that fights inflammation at the molecular level (10, 11, 12).

In several studies, its potency has compared favorably to anti-inflammatory pharmaceutical drugs… except without the side effects (13, 14).

Bottom Line: Chronic inflammation is known to be a contributor to many common Western diseases. Curcumin can inhibit many molecules known to play major roles in inflammation.

3. Turmeric Dramatically Increases The Antioxidant Capacity of The Body

Turmeric in Bowl and Spoon

Oxidative damage is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind ageing and many diseases.

It involves free radicals, highly reactive molecules with unpaired electrons.

Free radicals tend to react with important organic substances, such as fatty acids, proteins or DNA.

The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial, is that they protect our bodies from free radicals.

Curcumin happens to be a potent antioxidant that can neutralize free radicals due to its chemical structure (15, 16).

But curcumin also boosts the activity of the body’s own antioxidant enzymes (17, 18, 19).

In that way, curcumin delivers a one-two punch against free radicals. It blocks them directly, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant mechanisms.

Bottom Line: Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own, then stimulates the body’s own antioxidant enzymes.

4. Curcumin Boosts Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Linked to Improved Brain Function and a Lower Risk of Brain Diseases

Young Indian Woman Holding a Plate With Turmeric

Back in the day, it was believed that neurons weren’t able to divide and multiply after early childhood.

However, it is now known that this does happen.

The neurons are capable of forming new connections, but in certain areas of the brain, they can also multiply and increase in number.

One of the main drivers of this process is Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is a type of growth hormone that functions in the brain (20).

Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone. This includes depression and Alzheimer’s disease (21, 22).

Interestingly, curcumin can increase brain levels of BDNF (23, 24).

By doing this, it may be effective at delaying or even reversing many brain diseases and age-related decreases in brain function (25).

There is also the possibility that it could help improve memory and make you smarter. Makes sense given its effects on BDNF levels, but this definitely needs to be tested in human controlled trials (26).

Bottom Line: Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF, which increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in the brain.

5. Curcumin Leads to Various Improvements That Should Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

Large Wooden Spoon Filled With Turmeric Powder

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world (27).

It has been studied for many decades and researchers have learned a lot about why it happens.

It turns out that heart disease is incredibly complicated and there are various things that contribute to it.

Curcumin may help reverse many steps in the heart disease process (28).

Perhaps the main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease, is improving the function of the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessels.

It is well known that endothelial dysfunction is a major driver of heart disease and involves an inability of the endothelium to regulate blood pressure, blood clotting and various other factors (29).

Several studies suggest that curcumin leads to improvements in endothelial function. One study shows that is as effective as exercise, another shows that it works as well as the drug Atorvastatin (30, 31).

But curcumin also reduces inflammation and oxidation (as discussed above), which are also important in heart disease.

In one study, 121 patients who were undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized to either placebo or 4 grams of curcumin per day, a few days before and after the surgery.

The curcumin group had a 65% decreased risk of experiencing a heart attack in the hospital (32).

Bottom Line: Curcumin has beneficial effects on several factors known to play a role in heart disease. It improves the function of the endothelium and is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant.

6. Turmeric Can Help Prevent (And Perhaps Even Treat) Cancer

Cancer is a terrible disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells.

Turmeric Roots and a Jar of Turmeric Powder

There are many different forms of cancer, but they do have several commonalities, some of which appear to be affected by curcumin supplementation (33).

Researchers have been studying curcumin as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment. It can affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level (34).

Studies have shown that it can reduce angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels in tumors), metastasis (spread of cancer), as well as contributing to the death of cancerous cells (35).

Multiple studies have shown that curcumin can reduce the growth of cancerous cells in the laboratory and inhibit the growth of tumours in test animals (36, 37).

Whether high-dose curcumin (preferably with an absorption enhancer like pepper) can help treat cancer in humans has yet to be tested properly.

However, there is some evidence that it may help prevent cancer from occurring in the first place, especially cancers of the digestive system (like colorectal cancer).

In one study in 44 men with lesions in the colon that sometimes turn cancerous, 4 grams of curcumin per day for 30 days reduced the number of lesions by 40% (38).

Maybe curcumin will be used along with conventional cancer treatment one day. It’s too early to say for sure, but it looks promising and this is being intensively studied as we speak.

Bottom Line: Curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level that may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer.

7. Curcumin May be Useful in Preventing and Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

A Pile of Fresh Turmeric Roots

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world and a leading cause of dementia.

Unfortunately, no good treatment is available for Alzheimer’s yet.

Therefore, preventing it from showing up in the first place is of utmost importance.

There may be good news on the horizon, because curcumin has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier (39).

It is known that inflammation and oxidative damage play a role in Alzheimer’s disease. As we know, curcumin has beneficial effects on both (40).

But one key feature of Alzheimer’s disease is a buildup of protein tangles called Amyloid plaques. Studies show that curcumin can help clear these plaques (41).

Whether curcumin can really slow down or even reverse the progression of Alzheimer’s disease needs to be studied properly.

Bottom Line: Curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier and has been shown to lead to various improvements in the pathological process of Alzheimer’s disease.

8. Arthritis Patients Respond Very Well to Curcumin Supplementation

A Plate Full of Turmeric Powder

Arthritis is a common problem in Western countries.

There are several different types, but most involve some sort of inflammation in the joints.

Given that curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory, it makes sense that it could help with arthritis. Several studies show this to be true.

In a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, curcumin was even more effective than an anti-inflammatory drug (42).

Many other studies have looked at the effects of curcumin on arthritis and noted improvements in various symptoms (43, 44).

Bottom Line: Arthritis is a common disorder characterized by joint inflammation. Many studies show that curcumin can help treat symptoms of arthritis and is in some cases more effective than anti-inflammatory drugs.

9. Studies Show That Curcumin Has Incredible Benefits Against Depression

Turmeric Roots and Powder

Curcumin has shown some promise in treating depression.

In a controlled trial, 60 patients were randomized into three groups (45).

One group took prozac, another group took a gram of curcumin and the third group took both prozac and curcumin.

After 6 weeks, curcumin had led to improvements that were similar to prozac. The group that took both prozac and curcumin fared best.

According to this (small) study, curcumin is as effective as an antidepressant.

Depression is also linked to reduced levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and a shrinking hippocampus, a brain area with a role in learning and memory.

Curcumin boosts BNDF levels, potentially reversing some of these changes (46).

There is also some evidence that curcumin can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine (47, 48).

Bottom Line: A study in 60 depressed patients showed that curcumin was as effective as prozac in alleviating the symptoms of depression.

10. Curcumin May Help Delay Ageing and Fight Age-Related Chronic Diseases

If curcumin can really help prevent heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s… then this would have obvious benefits for longevity.

For this reason, curcumin has become very popular as an anti-aging supplement (49).

But given that oxidation and inflammation are believed to play a role in ageing, curcumin may have effects that go way beyond just prevention of disease (50).

11. Anything Else?

If you want to buy a turmeric/curcumin supplement, then there is an excellent selection on Amazon with thousands of great customer reviews.

I recommend that you find one with bioperine (another name for piperine), which is the substance that enhances absorption of curcumin by 2000%.

Without this substance, most of the curcumin just passes through your digestive tract.

By Kris Gunnars

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What are the Best Cannabis Strains for Anxiety Relief ?

ARCHIV - Eine von der Polizei entdeckte Cannabis-Plantage, aufgenommen in Made, Niederlande, am 26.08.2011. Die Niederlande wollen nach Medienangaben ihre Drogenpolitik weiter verschärfen und einen Großteil der bislang legalen Cannabisprodukte verbieten. Softdrogen wie Haschisch und Marihuana sollen künftig als illegales Rauschgift eingestuft werden, wenn sie mehr als 15 Prozent des Wirkstoffs THC enthalten Foto: Robert van den Berge (Zu dpa vom 06.10.2011)

The relationship between cannabis and anxiety is a complicated one. For some, a small puff of cannabis provides unrivaled relief of worry, panic, stress, and other anxiety-related symptoms. Unfortunately others experience heightened paranoia and exacerbated anxiety with marijuana. This common reaction can be attributed to a strain’s THC content, but what many people don’t realize is there are many strains now that have little to no THC. These low-THC, high-CBD strains are changing the game for anxiety sufferers, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t strains rich in THC that can’t also help.

The first step to picking a good strain to combat your anxiety is recognizing your tolerance and sensitivity, and step two involves experimenting with new strains to determine which best suit your symptoms. This guide is meant to help you through the discovery process as it points out the nuances to look for the next time you visit your local dispensary.

Best Cannabis Strains for Generalized Anxiety

Leafly Granddaddy Purple cannabis strain tileLeafly Granddaddy Purple cannabis strain effects

Many people prefer indicas over sativas because they relax the mind rather than supercharge it. For this reason we recommend Granddaddy Purple, which eases you into a peaceful mindset while urging your body to release all that stress and tension.

Leafly Jack Herer cannabis strain tileLeafly Jack Herer cannabis strain effects

A high-THC sativa typically wouldn’t be our first recommendation for anxiety; they tend to have racy cerebral effects that tug at anxiety rather than help it. But Jack Herer is different in that its euphoria tapers in gently with calming effects that could possibly be explained by Jack’s relaxing parent, Northern Lights.

Leafly Cannatonic cannabis strain tileLeafly Cannatonic cannabis strain effects

For the THC-sensitive, we recommend the high-CBD hybrid Cannatonic. This strain typically has a CBD profile that sizes up to its THC content in a 1:1 ratio, which helps blunt the anxious edge that a lot of anxiety-sufferers experience with cannabis. Cannatonic tends to also boast high levels of the terpene myrcene, which contributes to this strain’s deeply relaxing attributes.

Leafly user kevinbsmith14“I’m not very good when it comes to marijuana with high THC contents as the effects give me anxiety. Cannatonic is high in CBD and low(er) in THC and is a great combination! It helps relieve stress and anxiety… without causing any!”

Best Cannabis Strains for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Leafly Girl Scout Cookies cannabis strain tileLeafly Girl Scout Cookies cannabis strain effects

Girl Scout Cookies has numerous Cannabis Cup awards to back up its reputation for containing staggering amounts of THC. White this may seem like a panic attack waiting to happen, studies have shown that people with PTSD often have a deficiency of a naturally occurring THC-like compound called anandamide, which plays a role in memory. When we consider the fact that THC can replenish these compounds for therapeutic benefit, it’s easy to see why so many PTSD patients sing GSC’s praises.

Leafly user jennidy“Great for PTSD-related symptoms. Vaped last night and slept really well (no night terrors) after a relaxed night with my partner. Felt equal and balanced the next day, with a much lower level of anxiety.”

Leafly Canna-Tsu cannabis strain tileLeafly Canna-Tsu cannabis strain effects

Not everyone wants to get stoned every time their PTSD symptoms flare up. Luckily, there are high-CBD strains like Canna-Tsu to help you keep a clear head while you medicate. Canna-Tsu still has some THC, but it’s counterbalanced by CBD for a relaxing, functional effect.

Best Cannabis Strains for Social Anxiety

Leafly Strawberry Cough cannabis strain tileLeafly Strawberry Cough cannabis strain effects

Social anxiety is tricky: you want a strain that keeps you alert and social, but nothing so stimulating that your mind races as you exude awkwardness. Strawberry Cough may be a sativa, but it manages to walk the fine line between energizing and calming, making it easy to converse without feeling overly paranoid.

Leafly user windowlickingood“I usually shy away from going out in the public while smoking any bud. With this, it actually felt nice to be out while being medicated. I was able to hold constructive conversations.”

Leafly ACDC cannabis strain tileLeafly ACDC cannabis strain effects

For more severe cases of social anxiety, a high-CBD strain might be better suited for you. ACDC’s cannabinoid profile can vary, but it typically contains about 20 times more CBD than THC so its psychoactive effects are minimal. This makes it easy to stay relaxed, clear-headed, and focused in what would normally be an uncomfortable social situation.

Best Cannabis Strains for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Leafly Northern Lights cannabis strain tileLeafly Northern Lights cannabis strain effects

The link between OCD and cannabis is not well understood, but based on user ratings and reviews it would seem that there are a few strains out there that help settle nervous fixations. A tranquilizing indica like Northern Lights helps slow the mind and body down, bringing them into a relaxed state where the organization of your Tupperware drawer doesn’t matter quite so much.

Leafly user mjmend“Northern Lights won me to Team Indica. I suffer from OCD, social/generalized anxiety, arthritis and muscle spasms in my back. Most hybrids and sativas have made me paranoid as all hell. This might be my favorite strain so far. The overall effect was calm, relaxed, without racing thoughts, and a definite decrease in pain.”

Leafly White Fire OG cannabis strain tileLeafly White Fire OG cannabis strain effects

White Fire OG, or WiFi OG, might have high levels of THC, but many OCD patients find solace in this potent hybrid strain. This could possibly be attributed to the presence of myrcene and/or limonene, terpenes that promote relaxation and stress-relief.

Best Cannabis Strains for Insomnia

Leafly Blackberry Kush cannabis strain tileLeafly Blackberry Kush cannabis strain effects

Blackberry Kush is a heavy indica strain that inherits crushingly sedating effects from its Afghani parent and a sweet berry flavor from Blueberry. This may not be a strain you can indulge in throughout the day, but you’ll be more than grateful to have it at your bedside when insomnia rears its ugly head.

Leafly Purple Urkle cannabis strain tileLeafly Purple Urkle cannabis strain effects

Another powerfully relaxing indica strain, Purple Urkle, annihilates the anxiety and stress that keeps you tossing and turning throughout the night.

By Bailey Rahn — 6/3/2015

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