Indigestion. How the Sick get Sicker Quicker

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THE PROBLEM

Gastritis, Nonulcer dyspepsia, GERD, Irritable Bowel, Colitis, etc.

To treat indigestion, reflux, gas, bloating, belching, burning, constipation, diarrhea or GERD, you MUST  get to the root of the problem, rather than taking antacids and acid blockers, if you want to be healthy. Telltale signs of poor digestion include weak, easily broken, peeling fingernails as well as hair loss in women; bad breath, multiple food allergies, iron deficiency, nausea, cramps, chronic intestinal parasites, chronic candida infections, undigested food in the stool and a sense of ‘fullness’ after eating that lasts several hours.

POSSIBLE CAUSES

The possible ‘causes’ of indigestion are many and are out of the scope of this article to cover in depth, but I’ll list them, and then tell you the #1 cause that is so easy to fix. One major cause is the way we tend to eat: rushed meals, poor chewing, large meals, with many different types of foods, processed foods with difficult to digest artificial ingredients, often accompanied by large amounts of liquid that dilute the already compromised digestive juices. Large, undigestible meals stretch the stomach and its valve beyond capacity, resulting in a valve that does not close properly, allowing the stomach acid to enter the esophagus, causing the burning sensation. Caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, nicotine and alcohol relax the esophageal sphincter muscle and can often permit reflux of stomach acids as well. Other possible causes include: bacteria that thrive in city water supplies, Candida Albicans (yeast overgrowth from taking antibiotics), H pylori (the nasty bug that causes most ulcers), improper food combining (eating fruit with a meal), eating wrong for your blood type, prolonged illness, pregnancy and, the most common cause of all- not enough stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Yes, you read that right. NOT ENOUGH stomach acid. You see, the symptoms of too little stomach acid and too much stomach acid are the same. Heartburn!

Allow me to explain by looking at a simplified version of what digestion is, why it is so important to get it right, and the downright scary consequences of not doing so.

Digestion is the process of breaking our food down into the smallest absorbable molecule, and then combining again in such a way as to re-create every cell, every organ, every tissue of the human body. This conversion is accomplished by some 20 chemicals-acid and enzymes-as the food moves through the digestive tract.

Digestion  begins in the mouth. That’s why they say chew your food thoroughly. Saliva has enzymes that begin breaking down starches. Then the stomach secretes hydrochloric acid (Hcl) and pepsin to begin breaking down the complex proteins and minerals. Then in the small intestines, bile is secreted to emulsify fats and then the pancreas secretes enzymes to finish breaking down the already emulsified fats and the carbohydrates and proteins. Then these smallest molecules of nutrients can then be absorbed by the small intestines. The colon then absorbs much of the water, and you know the rest of the story. That is if nothing goes wrong at any of these stages. But in one third to one half of the population, something does go wrong, the main thing being not having enough stomach acid (Hcl).

Without sufficient acid, proteins and minerals do not break down, because pepsin will not be secreted without the acid. If they don’t break down, then you can’t absorb them. Each stage of digestion must do it’s job, before the next stage can do its job. In other words, if the stomach doesn’t begin the process of unraveling the complex protein chains, then the enzymes in the small intestine cannot cleave the amino acids apart. Your intestines cannot absorb these larger molecules and therefore you become deficient in protein. Equally as bad, though, is the resulting indigestion and heartburn.

When there isn’t enough stomach acid to break the food down, it just sits in the stomach and begins to ferment. This produces another kind of acid called “acids of fermentation” which are many times more damaging to the stomach.  This causes the bloating and it is this acid that then forces its way up the esophagus resulting in heartburn. So what do we do? We take antacids. The absolute worse thing you can do! This neutralizes the acid and causes an acid rebound condition, since as the stomach becomes too alkaline more acid is secreted. Then we take more antacids and the vicious cycle goes on and on.  

Besides breaking down our food and preventing heartburn, Hcl does many other valuable things.

According to several medical doctors who researched Hcl in the 1930’s, Hcl “is natures weapon to destroy body toxins, to neutralize poisons, to keep in perfect balance the pH of the tissues, to desensitize allergic reactions no matter what their origin, whether from within or without, and to open congested lymphatic spaces, blocked by secretions and excretions of disease reactions.” (Walter Guy Bryant, MD, Hydrocloric Acid and Mineral Therapy). The acid environment of the stomach also prevents the growth of bacteria and yeast.  

This highly acidic pH has a dual function: to kill bugs that enter the mouth and to continue digestion of food.

What causes low stomach acid? Several studies have shown that gastric acid output decreases with age, and is found in over half of those over age 60. Every decade of life the body produces about 12% less digestive juice. Stress and tension, a poor diet of cooked food devoid of enzymes and high in sugar, chronic use of certain medications like aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs and lack of B vitamins also contribute to the inability to produce enough Hcl.

THE CONSEQUENCES

Now comes the scary part. So what happens when we don’t digest our food well, end up with heartburn, and take antacids or acid blockers?

Quoting from Stop Digestive Discomfort! John Morgenthaler says, “The biggest problem with acid-blocking medications is that they disturb the normal feedback mechanism controlling stomach health, which is acid production. Normally, stomach acid secretion helps balance the growth of stomach cells, especially the acid producing cells. But when we artificially block the production of stomach acid using drugs, the body responds by producing too much gastrin-a stomach hormone normally blocked by our stomach acid production. This results in a condition known as Hypergastrinemia.

This excess gastrin production causes a proliferation of acid-producing cells (causing a rebound ability of our stomach to produce acid). It may also result in cancerous-like stomach growths. The end result is an overproduction of acid after stopping these drugs-beyond what is normal and needed. This sets up a vicious cycle because the drugs very effectively turn off stomach acid until we stop using them. However, they also stimulate the growth of acid-producing stomach cells giving us even more acid production once we stop. Even worse, these drugs may actually promote cancer of the stomach because of the changes they cause.”

In her book, No More Heartburn, Dr. Sherry Rogers relates that a “common cause of indigestion and ulcers is the bacteria that thrive in city water supplies. Years ago, researchers began treating gastritis, heartburn and indigestion resulting from this bacteria with H2-blockers like Zantac and Pepcid. They not only found that the drugs did not cure the problem, but as soon as the people stopped taking the drug, their symptoms returned. And the LONGER the folks were on acid inhibitors, the WORSE the stomach bug grew, even so far as to trigger cancer of the stomach and the duodenum.

Even WORSE, researchers found that within a 12 month period over half (61%) of the folks on H2-blockers had destroyed their stomach linings. (Zucca). Atrophic gastritis, this destruction of the stomach lining, can also lead to malnutrition and its associated effects, senility, and cancer.”

Here is a list of some of the disorders that have been associated with poor stomach acid output. Addison’s disease, allergies, pernicious anemia, asthma, celiac, skin conditions such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis,  auto-immune disorders such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Myasthenia Gravis, Lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, depression, gallstones, Grave’s disease, stomach cancer, hepatitis, osteoporosis, acne rosacea, colitis, thyrotoxicosis, hyper- and hypothyroidism, and vitiligo.

If all that’s not enough to scare you, there’s more.

Remember when I said that if you don’t have enough stomach acid, then you don’t break down your protein and minerals. Every cell in your body is made of protein. How are your cells going to reproduce more healthy cells, and how are they going to function correctly? They’re not. Also, mineral deficiencies lead to osteoporosis, bone loss in the mouth causing pyorrhea, easily broken bones and hip fractures, joint pain, hip and knee replacements, painful muscle spasms in the back, heart palpitations and arrhythmias,  etc. Minerals are crucial to good health.

And finally, there are the nasty side effects of taking drugs like Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Zantac, Tagamet, Mylanta, and any other antacid or acid blocker.

In No More Heartburn, Dr. Rogers is quoted, “Prilosec’s side effects include diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, gas, constipation, acid reflux, and carcinoid tumors in the gut.” (EXCUSE ME, but aren’t these symptoms part of the problem we’re trying to treat???) “But it doesn’t stop there. Prilosec can cause fatal liver rot (necrosis), fatal pancreatitis, headache, back pain, hair loss, and it can stop the production of blood cells. Like Tagamet, Prilosec can severely distort or compromise the detoxification of other drugs and toxins.”

Add to this our daily exposures to toxic substances at home like pesticides in the yard or to kill bugs in the house, all of which must be detoxified, and we get sicker quicker, if we’re not able to detoxify them.

Side effects of Tagamet, and other H2-blockers, include cardiac arrhythmia, hypertension, breast enlargement in men, headaches, dizziness, low white-blood cell count, and diarrhea.

THE SOLUTION

The lower esophageal muscle can be weakened by factors other than food. The following recommendations may be helpful in reducing symptoms:

  1. Stop using tobacco in all forms. Nicotine weakens the lower esophageal muscle.
  2. Avoid chewing gum and hard candy. They increase the amount of swallowed air which, in turn, leads to belching and reflux.
  3. Do not lie down immediately after eating. Avoid late evening snacks.
  4. Avoid tight clothing and bending over after eating.
  5. Eat small, frequent portions of food  
  6. Lose weight if overweight.
  7. Elevate the head of the bed six to eight inches to prevent reflux when sleeping.
  8. The following foods aggravate acid reflux, and should be avoided:
    • fatty or fried foods
    • peppermint and spearmint
    • whole milk
    • chocolate
    • creamed foods or soups
    • most fast foods
  9. The following foods irritate an inflamed lower esophagus and may need to be limited or avoided:
    • citrus fruits and juices (grapefruit, orange, pineapple, tomato)
    • coffee (even decaf)
    • caffeinated beverages including tea and soft drinks
  10. Spicy or acidic foods may not be tolerated by some individuals.

Check to make sure that the medications you are taking are not triggering the problem such as tranquilizers, calcium channel blockers, synthetic estrogen and progesterone, the asthma drug theophilline, and tricyclic antidepressants.  Eat more raw foods to increase enzymes.

Of course, until the stomach lining has had time to heal, I recommend a wonderful product that helps the body build new stomach lining called DGL. This is a licorice root extract that has had the glycyrrhizin removed so it won’t elevate blood pressure.  I also recommend a digestive enzyme with every meal that contains Hcl, unless you are intolerant to any acid right now. A good way to check is to take apple cider vinegar with a meal, and if you burn, then you don’t want any more acid, if you feel better then you do need more acid.

A more permanent solution is to stimulate your natural secretions rather than become dependent on external supplementation. Hcl can be stimulated by drinking raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar just prior to your meal; 1-3 TBLS in an 8 oz glass is very invigorating. Bitter herbs also stimulate the flow of pancreatic juices and bile.

Food combining is a technique that is successfully used by some people to stop indigestion, gas and bloating, as well as to lose weight. With this plan you merely cut back from eating many dissimilar foods at one sitting. The result is clear: You don’t overtax the capability of your digestive enzymes.

I also highly recommend eating right for your blood type. I have seen more cases of heartburn stop just by doing this one thing! You came too late to tell me it doesn’t work.

It’s time to educate, not medicate.

Dr. Rogers says, “ The bottom line is that the gut houses over half of the body’s immune system and detoxification system. These two systems govern our health. Their integrity determines every symptom and disease you get, right up to cancer. The fact is that all gut drugs make the gut malfunction. And if the gut isn’t healthy, you have very little chance of healing any other condition you may have. This is a major reason why many people are sick and don’t get better. If you are among those who suffer from symptoms in the gut, you have two choices: (1) You can suppress symptoms with drugs while the underlying causes progress to cancer or other illnesses. (2) Or you can learn how to find the causes and cures in your search for a drug-free, symptom-free life.”

Cold and Flu Natural Ways to Prevent and Treat

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Every year, millions of people world-wide get sick with the flu (influenza) and cold. For most of us, the fever, exhaustion, and aches and pains of the flu can be debilitating for a week or two, but for the elderly, newborns and those with compromised immune systems the flu can be much more serious. An estimated 100,000 hospitalizations and about 36,000 deaths occur each year from the flu or its complications in the US alone. On top of that, an average American adult suffers two to three colds a year; the average young child has as many as nine. That adds up to something like one billion colds a year in US alone!

The entry point for most viral and bacterial infections is through the nose, throat and lungs. We are exposed to it from someone coughing or sneezing or touching things that have been sneezed or coughed on. IF the mucous membrane lining in the nasal cavity is moist from the production of mucous, then the virus or bacteria cannot penetrate and set up an infection. The mucous secretion forms a protective barrier to keep them out. However, if they ‘dry out’ due to dehydration, lack of good essential fatty acids, lack of preformed Vitamin A (ie NOT Beta Carotene, but the fat soluble form) taking antihistamines that dry you up, lack of moisture in the air from heaters, etc… then when you are exposed to the virus you will most likely get sick.

At this point the next line of defense comes in which is the cell membrane. The way a virus replicates is by sending an enzyme to break a hole in the cell wall, and then transcribing or re-writing the DNA of that cell to the DNA of the virus. Then when the cell divides and multiplies, the virus is also multiplying. Herbs like Echinacea and Elderberry disable the enzyme used to penetrate cell membranes, thus stopping viral replication.

I’m going to tell you how to PREVENT getting a cold or flu, but also tell you what to do and what NOT to do IF you do get sick. And it’s most likely that SOMEONE in the house WILL get sick at some point during the cold and flu season. In fact, according to an article in the FDA Consumer, at any one time, nearly a third of all Americans had a cold during the previous two weeks.

But before I do that, I want to help you learn how to distinguish between a cold and flu.

How to tell if it’s a Cold or the Flu

*Colds tend to come on slowly while the flu is swift and severe. A cold usually begins with a scratchy throat or a runny nose and a sneeze or two. You usually think nothing of it and go on. However, it is precisely at this stage that you should begin taking supplements to stop it from getting bad.

*With a flu, one minute you’re feeling fine and the next minute you feel awful and need to go to bed. It is also precisely AT THIS MINUTE, that you should take the most incredible supplement ever to stop it from getting you down for the count.

*Colds are rarely accompanied by fever, unless it is low grade; fever frequently accompanies flu.

*Colds show localized symptoms such as runny nose and sneezing; flu has general symptoms like fatigue, chills and body aches.

*Colds usually have mild fatigue and mild to moderate chest discomfort and a hacking cough.

*Flus usually have extreme fatigue, acute chest discomfort and a severe hacking cough.

Sore throats can accompany both. If handled wrong a cold can turn into a bacterial infection of the ears and sinus. A flu can turn into pneumonia or bronchitis. That’s why it is SO IMPORTANT to take care of it the right way!!! Which I’ll cover in a minute

6 Steps to Prevention (but also considered treatment)

1. Stay hydrated! There are several ways to accomplish this.

A. Drink lots of fluids!!! Drink water and lots of it!!!! Drinks with caffeine such as coffee, tea and colas DRY YOU OUT more because caffeine is a diuretic!! And don’t drink sugary drinks either as just one tsp of sugar cripples up to 50% of your immune cells for up to 5 hours. Even orange juice has too much sugar. Drink herbal teas, broths, spicy soups with onion, cayenne and garlic and “Yes, chicken soup really does help,” says Dr. Schachter, who has the science to back up the claim. “In addition to providing nutrition, fluids, and mucus-dissolving warmth, chicken soup actually reduces the inflammatory compounds that rise with a cold and flu, called cytkines, which trigger body aches, fever, and fatigue. Studies have actually shown that chicken soup inhibits the release of neutrophils, thus reducing the discomfort of a respiratory infection.

B. Take Essential Fatty Acids like those in Fish Oil or Flax Oil. When you think of dehydration-think oil and water. If you don’t have the right fats in your body, then all the water in the world won’t keep you hydrated. You need both. This is especially good to also help with dry eyes, dry mouth, dry skin and hair, dry chapped lips, dry nasal passages, etc, as these are signs that you’re deficient in both water and good fats.

C. Run a vaporizer or humidifier to keep moisture in the air.

2. Keep Immune System Strong!

The way to stay well is to be well. You can prevent a multitude of health problems in life with this one simple piece of advice. It’s impossible in our modern world, to eat right all the time. We simply MUST supplement our diets with vitamins and minerals and EFA’s to keep from becoming deficient in them. When we become deficient, among other things, it cripples our immune system. So how do we keep our immune system strong?

Besides eating right, getting exercise, avoiding stress and getting plenty of rest-which are the remaining 4 steps, there are supplements you can take to help. Astragalus is a top-notch herb found in a product we have called Thymulus which also contains Thymus Extract. The Thymus Gland is the master gland of the Immune System. To keep it healthy, we need all the vitamins and minerals. I couldn’t BEGIN to tell you how important Vitamin C is for keeping you well. It enhances white blood cell production, increases interferon levels which interferes with viruses.

Zinc is equally as important. The Lancet has reported that zinc deficiency causes a wasting away of the thymus gland. Zinc is also vital in producing thymic hormones. This is just ONE mineral, and if you’re deficient in just this ONE, you can see what a difference it can make in your health.

Vitamin A has long been called the “Anti-Infection” vitamin because of its role in keeping the mucous membrane lining moist and healthy. Remember this lining is a barrier to invasion of germs. When someone gets a sinus infection, we put them on a product called ViraPlex that has these and other nutrients as well as herbs, and it works GREAT for clearing up Sinusitis.

If you have a healthy immune system, it is possible that even though you’ve been exposed to a virus or bacteria, you won’t get sick. Throat and nose swab/cultures may find the streptococci or pneumacoccus bacteria present, but you exhibit no symptoms of the infection, because either the mucous lining is not letting it in, or your immune system is dealing with it w/o you even knowing it. It’s vital to have and keep a strong immune system.

3. Eat right by avoiding sugar and white flour products, and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. During a cold or flu, avoid all dairy and heavy, fat-laden foods. Eat raw salads and soups.

4. Get plenty of rest and sleep. During the deepest levels of sleep, potent immune enhancing compounds are released and many immune functions are greatly increased.

5. Exercise

6. Avoid Stress. What might be easier is to at least protect yourself from the damaging effects of stress by… TAKING SUPPLEMENTS! Also, wash your hands often.

What NOT to do if you get sick!!

DON’T take OTC symptom relievers such as antihistamines, cough suppressants, Tylenol or other things to reduce fever, etc. These products can actually prolong the illness and make it worse by causing the infection to turn inward setting up secondary infections like pneumonia, strep throat, ear and sinus infections etc!!

Here’s Why: The body has it’s own ingenious mechanisms to get you well by ‘expelling’ the virus as in diarrhea, runny nose, coughing and fever. But what do we do?? We take OTC medicines that STOP these things, thereby allowing the virus to stay in the body and driving it deeper.

Fever impairs viral replication and causes the release of the body’s own interferon, a potent anti-viral substance. Whereas taking aspirin to reduce fever or headache can enhance viral replication. Unless a fever is exceptionally high, (over 103 for children and 102 for adults) or long lasting, (more than two full days) it is usually a wise choice to let it run its natural course, even with children. Administer LOTS of liquids during fever-diluted juices, water, broths, and bathe frequently to wash off the toxins thrown off by the fever so they don’t reabsorb back into the body.

Coughing is your body’s way of getting the junk out of your lungs or passageways, so we should help it along rather than suppress it. UNLESS it’s a dry cough. If your cough is productive, meaning that you’re bringing up heavy, wet mucous or phlegm, don’t take a cough suppressant. To loosen lung or bronchial congestion, take an expectorant-type cough medication containing guaifenesin, wild cherry, slippery elm, mullein, etc.

A dry, hacking cough is different, and although cough suppressants won’t cure it, they can shut down the cough reflex so that you can sleep. Again, if it’s ‘dry’ get a vaporizer going too.

Natural Treatments for Cold and Flu

As mentioned, the same steps that help prevent sickness are even more necessary if you get sick. At the first sign of symptoms, the goal is to attack the virus early because it replicates the most within the first 48 hours

There are just a few things that I would never be without during Cold & Flu season. In fact, I never even travel without them. I have a mini Cold& Flu kit that I keep in my suitcase, because what could be worse than to go on a long-awaited trip and then get sick!! I don’t leave home without it.

Oscillococcinum – It is by far the most popular homeopathic remedy and the top-selling otc flu remedy in France and has been used for 65 years. If taken at the very first onset of flu symptoms, it can literally have you well by the next day. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies have confirmed it’s effectiveness in decreasing flu symptoms for a significant number of patients. The British Homeopathic Journal reported that 17.4 % of those taking Oscillococcinum were symptom-free the day after treatment began, compared to only 6% of those taking a placebo. In a similar study published in the March 1989 issue of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 24.6% of those with mild to moderate symptoms had recovered by the second day, compared to 11% of those taking placebos.

Gaia’s Quick Defense is my next product. It contains such powerful anti-virals as Andrographis,Echinacea, Elderberry and Ginger. Echinacea is reported to possess antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is claimed to activate and increase white blood cell activitiy and cell-mediated immunity. Echinacea is also reported to increase interferon, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin-1 production.

Elderberry, like Echinacea, disables the enzyme that flu viruses use to penetrate cell membranes. Elderberry has been shown to possess antiviral properties.

A study published in the winter 1995 issue of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine examined the flu-fighting abilities of Sambucol, a commercial elderberry extract preparation.

In the study, scientists found that Sambucol interfered with the growth of multiple strains of both influenza A and B viruses in cell cultures. In human tests, 35 healthy subjects were given 4 TBLS of Sambucol daily for 3 days, and researchers recorded no side effects. 27 subjects were then given either Sambucol or a placebo for 3 days during a flu outbreak at an Israeli Kibbutz. None of the participants had received a flu shot. Fully 90% of those taking Sambucol were completely cured within 3 days, while most of those who took the placebo needed 6 days to recover.

Colloidal Silver: Colloidal Silver Hydrosol is reported to be a very powerful, natural antibiotic, known to destroy over 650 infectious microbes, including bacterial, fungi and viruses. Colloidal Silver is a catalyst, disabling the particular enzyme that all the one-celled bacteria, fungi and viruses use for their oxygen metabolism, which means they suffocate and starve.

Thieves Oil: This is a blend of highly antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-infectious essential oils. Diffuse for 15 minutes every 3-4 hours or apply it directly to the bottom of the feet.

There are many other natural remedies for colds and flu besides herbs and homeopathy that I wish I had room to share with you. I want to list just one more old time ‘home remedy’ that is also used in Ayurvedic (Indian) and Chinese medicine.

Take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses. A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient, which kills the influenza germs.

The “Hot Toddy” recipe of 1 cup boiling water (or herbal tea), 1-2 shots of whiskey, 1 TBLS honey and the juice of ½ lemon is another home remedy that really helps colds and flu.

Again, the secret to all of this is to take action at the first sign of sickness! This means you need to have it on hand before sickness strikes! Don’t be caught unprepared this cold and flu season. It could make all the difference in the world!

THE NECESSITY OF TAKING VITAMINS

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My subject today is about vitamins; how important vitamins are, causes and symptoms of deficiencies and why we should supplement with them, and if time permits, the difference between natural and synthetic vitamins.

I hope to dispel once and for all the myth that if you eat “healthy” you don’t need to take vitamins. That may have been true for past generations that grew their own food and ate it fresh. They had fresh butter, milk and eggs from their own cows and chickens and they didn’t eat all the fast junk food that we eat today.

One of the most common complaints we hear at the store is about how tired people are. They just don’t have the energy they once did. When I question if they are taking any vitamins, the response is almost always no! The ones who say they are taking vitamins, are taking the cheap synthetic drugstore brands and they say they can’t tell any difference between when they do take them and when they don’t! Well, I can tell you that I can tell when I do and when I don’t take my vitamins. In fact, this was proved to me a while back. I had gotten all my vitamins out that I take in the morning- about 4 different things- and left them on the table because I didn’t want to take them until I ate, which would be after I got ready for work. Well, I ate breakfast, but I didn’t take the vitamins because there were some things on the table that blocked them from my view and I just didn’t remember them. All day that day, I kept just wanting to go lay down. I was so tired! I kept asking myself why I would be so tired? I slept good and I KNOW I took my vitamins because I remember getting them out. So as far as the placebo effect going on-it didn’t work for me because I really thought in my mind I had taken them. Well, when I got home, there they were still on the table. I said, “Now I know why I was so tired all day.” I repeated this same scenario a week later and it happened just the same way. I thought I took them, I couldn’t figure out why I was so tired, and got home and there they were.

There are 13 different known vitamins, each with its own special role to play. Sometimes I hear people say if they could only take one vitamin it would be … whatever. They really don’t understand how important every one of them is, or they wouldn’t say that. It’s kind of like saying if I could only have one of the 5 senses I’d choose…whatever. How can you choose between your sight or your hearing? You need them all!

Vitamins help regulate the metabolism and assist the biochemical processes that release energy from food. They work as coenzymes, activating enzyme systems in the body. Enzymes direct and carry out all reactions in the body, first breaking down the food we eat into its nutritional parts, then using those parts to build up our body. When we speak of a vitamin deficiency, we mean that there is not enough of that vitamin to activate all its systems. Thus, if we miss getting a vitamin we need, the enzymes system will not work, and some of our cells will not be made correctly. Disease occurs if we don’t eat the food that contains the vitamin that makes the enzyme system work. It is known that 17 diseases are caused by such deficiencies of vitamins. Aside from the obvious beri beri, pellagra,

scurvy, rickets, etc. I believe that vitamin deficiencies play a major role in every disease. Any problem, especially stress, brings a need for added vitamins and minerals. Long term marginal deficiencies can create a basic physical imbalance that affects our behavior, our intelligence, our performance, our resistance to disease, our recovery from illness, and our longevity.

A recent survey by the USDA revealed that not one of 21,000 people questioned was getting the RDA of 10 nutrients needed for good health. Not one!!! Of 21,000!!! And RDA’s are the bare minimum requirement to keep you from becoming seriously ill.

Some common deficiencies now in the US include: 90% of people are deficient in chromium; 80% are deficient in B6; 75% are deficient in magnesium; 68% in calcium; 57% in iron; 50% are deficient in Vitamin A; 45% are deficient in B1; 41% are deficient in Vitamin C. These amounts are based on average MINIMAL requirements. Ie, they’re not even getting the ridiculously low RDA’s. Individual needs may make deficiencies much more serious. i Marginal deficiencies lead to marginal health.

What causes nutrient deficiency?

A variety of factors can cause a person to expend, excrete, or malabsorb certain vitamins and minerals. Do you consume:

tobacco salt estrogen sugar cortisone mineral oil prescription drugs

antibiotics aspirin alcohol caffeine cortisone white sugar

antacids tranquilizers sleeping pills diuretics laxatives polluted water

fluoride pesticides food additives polluted air oral contraceptives chlorinated water

Or are you?

Nursing pregnant sick under emotional strain

had an accident or surgery

Let’s look at what some of these destroy.

Tobacco-each cigarette destroys 25mg of Vit C as well as B complex, Calcium, and Phosphorus

Antibiotics- Bvitamins and K

Antacids-A and B complex

Estrogen/ Birth control pills-entire B complex, folic acid, C and E

Aspirin-C, B, Calcium, potassium _How many of you have heard to take a baby aspirin a day? Well, if you’re doing that you’re losing these nutrients. How can that be health promoting? I think its ridiculous to do that-especially when fish oils will do the same thing without the harmful effects.

Sugar-all nutrients

Alcohol-A, B, D, E, K, choline and magnesium

Caffeine- B, inositol, biotin, potassium, zinc, calcium and iron-(I know people who take calcium supplements, yet they still have deficiency symptoms of calcium because they’re drinking so much coffee and/or cokes that they’re losing it faster than they’re putting it in

Diuretics, B, potassium, magnesium, zinc

Cholesterol lowering drugs destroy Vitamin A and CoQ10.

So if you’re a smoker who’s on the pill or taking estrogen, and who drinks coffee, cokes, chlorinated water, and takes aspirin, or diuretics, etc and happen to be under a lot of stress-you’re a walking time bomb! Then if something does go seriously wrong with their health, they wonder what happened?

Let’s talk a minute about some of these medications. Most drugs are highly specific according to where they act in the cellular chemistry and in how they inactivate or destroy certain nutrients. The end result is that medications can be the primary cause of nutritional deficiencies. Here are some of the ways medications do this:

  1. by increasing urinary excretion of nutrients

  2. by blocking where the nutrient attaches within the cell

  3. by blocking absorption of the nutrient

  4. by binding to it and therefore, inactivating it

  5. by causing it to be used up more rapidly

  6. by actually destroying the nutrient

  7. by increasing the loss of nutrients in the stoolii

What is really bad about this is that surveys show that on average, an elderly person takes 9 prescription drugs a day.iii Again, medicines can be the primary cause of nutrient deficiency. If you’re taking any medication, you need to find out what that drug is doing in your body in the way of destroying nutrients.

Any one of these factors can cause the body to need an increase in vitamins and minerals, and most people today encounter one or more of these factors on a daily basis! We also must consider other factors that impact our lives today:

  • The kinds of food you eat (Fresh fruits and veggies or processed, fast food) A sign posted on the junk food vending machine at a Zoo read, “Please don’t feed this food to the animals. It will kill them. Yet we eat it every day!!!

  • How these foods are prepared or processed. (Did you boil the food to death and then pour off the water? Was the food stripped of nutrients during refining process? 50%)

  • The physical, mental, and emotional stress you experience.

  • The environment in which you live and work and the contaminants to which you are exposed.(Pollutants increase need for antioxidants)

  • Your unique, individually determined biochemical heredity pattern or genetic code

  • The type and amount of exercise you do, or do not do.

  • The quality of soil in which your food was grown. (Depleted due to farming methods or organic, fertile, rich soil)

  • The type of water you drink-distilled water has had all the minerals removed.

  • Poor digestion (causing malabsorption of nutrients)

  • Early harvesting before food is ripe,

  • Transportation and long term storage

To begin with, food derives its nutritional strength from the soil it’s grown in. If its not in the soil, it can’t be in the food. The mineral content of much of the nation’s soil has been vastly reduced over the years by various factors, chief among which has been the continuous poisoning of the land by insecticides and chemicals. The soil becomes infertile and dead because we killed the soil organisms and earthworms, so we pump fertilizers and

chemicals in the soil and we can still grow a head of lettuce, but without those soil organisms there to help get the nutrients into the vegetables, it will be nutritionally empty.

According to the Journal of Applied Nutrition, 1993; 45:35-39 organically grown food is more nutritious than conventional. Over a two-year period, organically and conventionally grown apples, potatoes, pears, wheat, and sweet corn were purchased in the western suburbs of Chicago and analyzed for mineral content. Four to 15 samples were taken for each food group. On a per-weight basis, average levels of essential minerals were much higher in organically grown vs. conventionally grown food. The organically grown food averaged 63% higher in calcium, 78% higher in chromium, 73% higher in iron, 118% higher in magnesium, 178% higher in molybdenum, 91% higher in phosphorus, 125% higher in potassium and 60% higher in zinc. And the organically raised food averaged 29% lower in mercury than the conventionally raised food.

Practically all of the foods that we buy in the markets contain chemicals added by man. Do you realize that most of the food comes from chemically treated seeds, planted in chemically treated soil, saturated with chemical poisons to kill insects, refined and processed with a huge number of chemical additives and preservatives of one type or another, and finally packaged or canned with chemicals? We’re getting more chemicals in our food than we are nutrients!!

And if that wasn’t bad enough we strip what nutrients were there in the refining process. In the process of refining wheat into white flour 80% of it calcium and phosphorus is lost.iv There are over 24 nutrients stripped in the refining process and then they put 4 back and call it enriched. If I stole $10,000 from you and gave you $60.00 back, would you feel enriched? An experiment by Dr. Roger Williams, author of Nutrition Against Disease, showed that rats fed only white-flour bread died within 6 weeks, while a comparison group of rats fed only whole wheat bread thrived indefinitely.

As you can see, there are so many factors that can destroy the nutrients before you even eat the food, let alone all the things that destroy nutrients in the body, that supplementing with vitamins is a must if we’re to avoid getting deficiencies.

Deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi or pellagra are rarely-if ever- observed in America. However, long before the teeth loosen, joints and legs become painful, and hemorrhages under the skin appear in classical scurvy, there may be “pink toothbrush” (gums that bleed when brushing the teeth), annoying joint aches, easy bruising, or other less severe symptoms which may indicate a marginal vitamin C deficiency.

Long before the clinical disease appears, definite, subtle yet harmful changes are taking place in the body.

The deficiency diseases are simply the final stages in a long-term depletion of the nutrient. Unfortunately, along the way, degenerative and chronic diseases may begin to develop.

Heart disease, arrhythmias, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and mental illness are only some of the diseases which have been associated with low consumption of certain nutrients.v

A large percentage of individuals live much of their lives in this sub-par compromised state. Chronic low-grade health problems such as fatigue, headache, sleep disorders, anxiety and digestive difficulty are often caused by a nutritional deficiency.

The RDAs were instituted over 40 years ago as a standard for the daily amounts of vitamins needed by a healthy person. But these amounts give us only the bare minimum required for a healthy person to prevent deficiency diseases such as beriberi, rickets, scurvy etc. This does not take into account all the factors that can destroy them. As I said, if you smoke, drink alcohol, take medications, eat fast food and are under stress, you’re destroying them faster than you’re taking them in and you WILL be deficient. The government is in the process of revising the RDAs and they will be considerably higher.

SYNTHETIC VS NATURAL

Let’s take vitamin C. It is known that Vitamin C consists of six parts of carbon, eight hydrogen and six oxygen. Vit C can be extracted from foods such as citrus or tomatoes, but can be made much cheaper from coal tar products and basically all of the vitamin C sold today is of this synthetic variety. But are the two the same? Let me tell you about an experiment which was reported in the Russian medical journal called Vitamin Research News, No. 1,40,(1946) Mice were fed a deficient diet which is known to produce scurvy, and when it was apparent that they were all suffering from scurvy, they were divided into two groups and treated with Vitamin C which is known to cure scurvy. But one group was given the vitamin produced synthetically while the other group got vitamin C from a plant. The group that was fed on the natural vitamin C was completely cured within a short time. Those that were given the synthetic C were not.

Another experiment was published in a book called, “Food and Nutrition” (Cruickshank,1951) concerning Vitamin D. Three groups of chicks were fed on the same diet. The first group received no Vitamin D at all. The second group was given synthetic vitamin D and the third group received a natural Vitamin D from cod liver oil.

The chickens receiving no vitamins gained 250 grams of weight, the synthetic D group gained 346 grams, but the natural D group gained 399 grams. But here is the most important part of the experiment. In the no vitamin chicks, 60 % died. In the synthetic D group, 50% died. However, in the natural D group, there was not one death!

Another thing that sellers of synthetic vitamins don’t mention is that the polarity of the synthetic is opposite to the natural and has the opposite effect. Synthetic vitamins always refract light the opposite of the natural vitamin complexes. Though synthetics have the same molecular structure in that they have the same numbers and kinds of atoms, they are a mirror image of the natural and differ in their configuration. It’s a false imitation. A mirror image is the exact opposite of the real thing. Try to shake hands with yourself in the mirror. Everything is opposite. It is not an exact duplication. They are as different from each other as right and left handed gloves.

i Health Counselor 1991

ii Igram, p 12

iii Aging without Growing Old, Lindberg

iv Page DDS p 72

v The Real Truth about Vitamins and Antioxidants, Judith A. DeCava, MS, LNC

Natural Medicines for Superbugs

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Today’s world is fraught with all kinds of possible emergency situations where a person might not have access to prompt medical care. Between natural disasters, superbugs and the delay of treatment that implementation of Obamacare might cause, it would behoove us to learn of and have access to natural emergency medicine.

CBS Sunday Morning, Jan 27, 2013 aired a segment on Superbugs that should have us all concerned. Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Robert Moellering of Harvard’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, has devoted more than 40 years to studying Superbugs. When asked about the threat posed by superbugs, (antibiotic resistant bacteria) he said, “We are very, very close to the edge of having totally non-treatable bacteria, putting us back to the pre-antibiotic era, where the mortality rates were very grim. It’s a ticking time bomb because the bacteria are developing resistance mechanisms more rapidly than we can find new antibiotics. It is, in a very real sense, an emergency. A few of the superbugs are already resistant to everything, and we’re sure to see more of these as time goes on.”

According to a landmark “Antibiotic Resistance Threat Report” published by the CDC2 earlier this year, 2 million American adults and children become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria each year, and at least 23,000 of them die as a direct result of those infections. Even more die from complications.

According to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), just one organism—methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA—kills more Americans each year than the combined total of emphysema, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, and homicide.3

This death toll is really just an estimate, and the real number is likely much higher. The true extent of superbug infections remains unknown because no one is tracking them—at least not in the US.

Between the years of 1993 and 2005, the number of Americans hospitalized due to the antibiotic-resistant “superbug” MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) skyrocketed from about 2,000 to 370,000.

Currently, MRSA and other antibiotic-resistant infections kill about 60,000 Americans annually, and account for billions of dollars in health care costs.2 Antibiotic-resistant disease is not the only danger associated with the misuse of these drugs. Excessive exposure to antibiotics also takes a heavy toll on your gastrointestinal health, which can predispose you to virtually any disease.

The bottom line is, if ALL antibiotics fail, it will in effect mark an end to modern medicine as we know it—and we are quickly heading in that direction.

Common illnesses such as bronchitis or strep throat may turn into deadly sepsis. Surgeries previously considered low risk or “routine,” such as hip replacements, might suddenly be too risky without antibiotics. And complex surgeries like organ transplants would essentially not be survivable.

What can we do?

The impending superbug crisis has a three-prong solution:

  1. Better infection prevention, with a focus on strengthening your immune system naturally
  2. More responsible use of antibiotics for people and animals, with a return to biodynamic farming and a complete overhaul of our food system
  3. Innovative new approaches to the treatment of infections from all branches of science, natural as well as allopathic

There are some promising new avenues of study that may result in fresh ways to fight superbugs. For example, Dutch scientists have discovered a way to deactivate antibiotics with a blast of ultraviolet light before bacteria have a chance to adapt, and before the antibiotics can damage your good bacteria.13

But for now, we must use what is available to us and thankfully, there are a number of alternative ways to treat infection.

In nature’s infinite wisdom, several highly effective substances exist with antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties, all able to protect the human body safely and with deep healing powers. You don’t have to go much farther than the refrigerator or your pantry cupboard to find safe, delicious foods and herbs to eradicate the most virulent bacteria and viruses.

The following foods and herbs are in my Top 5 Ultimate Preparedness Natural Antibiotics that everyone should have in their Medicine Chest at all times!

Raw Honey

One of the most powerful antiseptics known to man is raw, ie unpasteurized, unfiltered honey. Honey was a conventional therapy in fighting infection up until the early 20th century, at which time its use slowly vanished with the advent of penicillin.

Now the use of honey in wound care is regaining popularity again, as researchers are determining exactly how honey can help fight serious skin infections.

Five years ago, the FDA authorized the first honey-based medical product for use in the US. Derma Sciences uses Manuka honey for their Medihoney wound and burn dressings.

When considering using honey for the treatment of wounds, it’s extremely important to understand that there’s a major difference between raw honey—and especially Manuka honey, which is in a class of its own—and the highly processed “Grade A” type honey you find in most grocery stores. The latter is more akin to high fructose corn syrup, which is more likely to increase infection, and should never be used to treat topical wounds! (It also will not offer you the same health benefits as raw honey when consumed.)

Manuka honey, on the other hand, is made with pollen gathered from the flowers of the Manuka bush (a medicinal plant), and clinical trials have found this type of honey can effectively eradicate more than 250 clinical strains of bacteria, including resistant varieties such as:

  • MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
  • MSSA (methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus)
  • VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci)

Russian surgeons, prior to the advent of antibiotics, applied raw honey to wounds after surgery, finding that infection was curbed and the rate of healing increased. They used honey to draw pus out of wounds and applied it to infected tissues, such as boils and cysts, successfully destroying these infections. Currently, British doctors are using honey on open surgical wounds, as they too, have found that it prevents infection and speeds the healing of wounds. Experiments using honey on boils, dog bites, cuts, bed sores and abrasions produced positive results. It is useful for even the most severe burns, again for preventing infection, speeding healing and prevent scar formation. Scientists were pleased by the fact that the treated bacteria didn’t build up any resistance, rendering the honey ineffective.

Not to mention how wonderful honey is for coughs when combined with cinnamon, or in making a hot toddy with lemon juice and hot water or tea.
(How to Survive Disasters with Natural Medicine. Cass Ingram, D.O.)

Garlic

Garlic has the broadest spectrum of any anti-microbial substance that we know of. It’s antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiprotozoan and antiviral. Some researchers say that one medium sized garlic clove has as much antibacterial power as 100,000 units of penicillin. Because it was used so commonly as an antibiotic by Russian army medics during WW II, it became known throughout all Europe as the “Russian penicillin”. 500 tons of garlic was trucked into Moscow to combat one influenza epidemic in the 1950s. The National Library of Science now lists nearly 150 papers published on garlic’s ability to maintain good health. In various studies, garlic has had positive effects in preventing cancer in animals, improving diabetes; lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, preventing deadly blood clots. In hundreds of experiments, garlic has destroyed the germs that spread such diseases as botulism, tuberculosis, diarrhea, staph, dysentery and typhoid. This wonder plant treats everything from a simple earache to pneumonia, MRSA, Helicobacter pylori, the flu and even the black plague. (Healing Foods from the Bible p 38)

Garlic, in fact, has several hundred therapeutic properties, confirmed by a growing body of scientific research, which you can view directly on GreenMedInfo.com.[i]

The newest research comes from Italy’s University of Pisa. The researchers tested garlic against the infective bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. The research found that all three bacteria species were inhibited by the Garlic extract, which was taken from fresh Garlic bulbs.

This research confirmed another recent study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, and conducted by researchers from King Saud University and India’s Rangasamy College.

This study focused on seven of the most dangerous superbugs – called MDRs or multidrug resistant bacteria. These included E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus cloacae and Bacillus subtilis.

The particular strains used in the study were some of the most multi-drug resistant strains known. Some of the bacteria strains tested against the Garlic and Ginger were resistant to more than 10 different antibiotics. These antibiotics included ampicillin, amoxicillin, amikacin, cephalothin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, clindamycin, co-trimoxazole, erythromycin, gentamycin, kanamycin, methicillin, novobiocin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, penicillin, rifampicin, streptomycin, tetracyclin and vancomycin.

Last year an article was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal showing that garlic was capable of inhibiting a wide range of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis strains.[ii] The authors concluded “The use of garlic against MDR-TB may be of great importance regarding public health.” Garlic’s anti-infective properties do not end with MDR-TB, as it has been demonstrated to inhibit the following pathogens as well:

  • Amoeba Entamoeba histolytica (parasite)
  • Cholera
  • Clostridium
  • Cytomegalovirus
  • Dermatophytoses (a type of topical fungal infection)
  • Haemophilus Influenzae
  • Helicobacter Pylori
  • Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1
  • Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2
  • Klebsiella
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus A. (MRSA)
  • Parainfluenza Virus
  • Peridontal Infection
  • Pneumococcal Infections
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Streptococcus Mutans
  • Streptococcus Infections: Group A
  • Streptococcus Infections: Group B
  • Streptococcus pyrogenes
  • Thrush (oral fungal infection)

Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE)

100% effective at killing dozens of bacteria, fungi, viruses, yeast and other harmful organisms, including Candida, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Streptococcus, and E. coli. It is a non-toxic, broad spectrum antimicrobial that does not suppress the immune system like antibiotics can, nor does it destroy good bacteria. Tests show that GSE is even more effective than colloidal silver, iodine, tea tree oil and Chlorox bleach when tested against E. coli. Many gram negative and gram positive bacteria will be affected by this product.

A recent study done by Microbiologists from the University of Georgia found that GSE was more effective than alcohol and surgical soap when used as a skin disinfectant. The same study found that GSE demonstrates a “wide spectrum of activity,” including antiviral, antimycotic, and antiprotozoan capacities against many bacteria and viruses, including E.Coli.

Another recent study from The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that grapefruit-seed extract was effective in killing over “800 bacterial and viral strains, 100 strains of fungus, and a large number of single and multi-celled parasites.”² No other naturally-occurring anti-microbial can come close to these results.

Because of it’s unique ability to destroy harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites, this powerful product is perfect for first aid as well as keeping clean. It has been found effective for acne, candida, colds, flu, cold sores, cuts and wounds, dandruff, diaper rash, diarrhea, earache, gingivitis, impetigo, poison oak and poison ivy, sinusitis, sore throat, food poisoning and ulcers. GSE is also excellent as a fruit and vegetable wash or meat and poultry wash. Just a few drops even controls mold in humidifiers, vaporizers and water pik units. Add it to laundry or the dishwasher, and it will disinfect clothing, linens, and eating utensils. It even removes warts. (Passport to Survival, Rita Bingham and Natural Defenses againt Bioterrorism by Skye Weintraub, N.D.))

Echinacea

Echinacea has been used for hundreds of years to strengthen the immune system and fight a variety of infections. It increases antibodies and stimulates white blood cells to engulf bacteria and viruses. Traditionally, echinacea was used to treat open wounds, diphtheria, cellulitis, blood poisoning, syphilitic lesions and other bacterial-related diseases. Although it’s mostly used today for fighting colds and flu, this potent herb possesses the ability to destroy the most virulent bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus which causes deadly MRSA.

It is also valuable as an anti-viral-disabling the reverse transcriptase enzyme that is responsible for penetrating the cell membrane and re-writing the dna of that cell to that of the virus, thus replicating itself. Echinacea stops this process as well as stimulates the immune system to attack the virus.

 

Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver is the ultimate preparedness first aid product. Colloidal silver is a powerful antibiotic for both internal and topical use. It can treat drug-resistant staph, tuberculosis and the bird flu. In Africa, it is used to treat just about everything, including AIDS, hepatitis, malaria, cholera, and pneumonia. It can be used topically to treat burns, wounds, thrush and other skin infections.


The germicidal and antibacterial properties of colloidal silver were discovered almost a century ago. Numerous clinical cases and anecdotal evidence provides us with the knowledge of the power of colloidal silver to kill bacteria, fungal infections and viruses. In fact, Colloidal Silver kills 650 disease causing organisms. Even though the FDA has tried to discredit the efficacy of this important healing substance, the effects of colloidal silver in the treatment of bacterial diseases such as MRSA, topical wounds, sores and infections speaks for itself.

Use a 5-partspermillion concentration, at a dose of one teaspoon three to four times per day. There have been rare instances of silver overdose resulting in skin and nail discoloration. However, this is from ingesting silver salts, not colloidal silver. Carefully research the product you are buying for is strength and purity and follow the directions for usage to the letter.

Oregano Oil. Wild oregano and oregano oil both fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections, along with boosting your immune system.

Microbiotest Labs conducted an experiment using Oregano oil against the human coronavirus, a category which causes both SARS and the common cold. Using the P73 spice oil blend called Oreganol, viral levels were reduced from 5 million per milliliter to about 100: all in a mere 20 minutes.

Use oregano to help fight acne, allergies, athlete’s foot, insect stings, bronchitis, colds, diarrhea, gum disease, parasites, sinusitis and skin infections. Oregano oil killed 96% of all pneumococcus bacteria. Oregano oil was also shown to eliminate 83% of streptococcus, which is linked with strep throat, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, toxic shock syndrome, cystitis, and wound infections. Apply the oil topically as needed. Wild oregano is also available in capsules to take orally as directed.

There are many more natural products available to fight infections of all types. Time and space does not allow me to talk of Tea Tree Oil, Probiotics, Olive Leaf and Bee Propolis which are also very powerful natural medicines to fight infection.

By taking control of your own health and building a strong immune system, you’ll minimize your risk of acquiring an antibiotic-resistant infection. We have covered the more common ones here. It’s astonishing how readily available these treatments are — and they are inexpensive! You can avoid germ resistance, antibiotic side effects, and long waits at your doctor’s office by allowing Mother Nature to heal you.
Sources for this article available upon request, as well as tips on dosing.

Sara Bumgarner is owner of Sara’s Health Foods in Borger.

…owths(This is not a true infection as everyone has E.coli-always). Iodine and volatile oils such as oregano are great for respiratory overgrowths. Oregabiotic has kept many a patient out of the hospital for pneumonia. Garlic oil will take care of most ear infections. Use Germa Cleanz for
cuts and scrapes. Germa Cleanz kills MRSA,so should be in every athlete’s locker. MRSA can kill a seemingly healthy college athlete in 24 hours. Several documented cases. MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bacteria are the result of the overuse of antibiotics in livestock and by prescription. Colloidal silver can be used for minor eye infections.

[i] GreenMedInfo.com, Garlic Research Page: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/substance/garlic

[ii] Pak J Pharm Sci. 2011 Jan;24(1):81-5. PMID: 21190924

[iii] Contemp Clin Dent. 2010 Oct ;1(4):214-7. PMID: 22114423

Propolis – Defends the City, Stops Invaders

There’s little doubt that most people have heard about the health benefits of honey – immune and DNA protection are just two of them – but I think fewer people are probably familiar with propolis.

Propolis is made from the resins gathered from trees and other plants and then modified by the bees’ own enzymes as they process the material, mix it with beeswax, and make it into a protective antibacterial glue and sealant. It’s not surprising that the word “propolis” means “defender of the city” in Greek.

Propolis was used as a medicinal ingredient in the ancient world, and continues to be intensively studied and recommended today.

Propolis Provides Powerful Nutrients

The color and natural properties of propolis vary depending on geography. While many bees tend to use resins from trees (poplars and conifers are a favorite) as a source, other flowers and plants are often part of the mix, too. That’s why you’ll hear propolis referred to as “green”, “red”, “yellow”, or any variety of names. Interestingly, even though the plant sources of propolis can differ around the world, they all supply some benefits though many experts prefer the European variety to provide maximum benefits for fighting pathogens.

Bees seek out the best resins they need to protect their hives. They instinctively know what works. Tree resins and plant saps perform the same protective functions across species lines. The main compounds in propolis include typically include polyphenols, vitamins (including vitamins B1, B2, B6, C, and E), minerals (including magnesium, potassium, zinc, and calcium), enzymes and antifungal and antibacterial flavonoids, plus pinene and other essential oils inherent in tree and plant resins.

Polyphenols, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, are the prime movers of antioxidant activity in propolis. In many areas of the world, Eastern Europe among them, propolis has been extensively researched for antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties as a natural offshoot of both beekeeping and traditional medicine. As antioxidants, the bioflavonoids in propolis work in two ways: they stop the formation of free radicals to begin with, and reduce the potency of existing free radicals. Other propolis research has found that propolis has liver-protecting effects as well.

Strong Antibacterial Power to Fight “Superbugs”

The over-prescription of antibiotics has led to dangerous bacterial resistance, creating a class of “superbugs” that synthetic antibiotics can’t stop, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is especially troublesome following surgery or anytime the immune system is weakened. Fortunately, propolis can stop it.

A study at the University of Heidelberg tested a propolis extract (GH2002) against a variety of disease-causing bacteria, including MRSA, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), Candida albicans, and Streptococcus pyogenes.

Within six hours, propolis stopped the activity of S. pyogenes, the cause of strep throat and hard-to-stop skin infections. The study also found that it had a high degree of antibacterial activity against all tested MRSA strains, and inhibited Candida as well. While this test did not show an ability to kill off VRE as it did with other dangerous bacteria, it was able to stop it from further growth. Because of these dramatic results, the researchers concluded that propolis extract might be used in the development of alternative products for therapy of microbial infections.”

Other studies have found similar results. British research also discovered that propolis shows antibacterial activity, and other work has shown that propolis has strong antifungal abilities, reducing the activity of Candida albicans, and inhibiting dangerous Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria. The researchers found that it was propolis from Northern and temperate zones (like Europe), that provided the phenolic acids and flavonoids that fight bacteria and fungus.

Laboratory work in Bulgaria found that propolis is a strong inhibitor of many strains of Helicobacter pylori bacteria, known for causing ulcers and gastric cancer. In fact, the National Institutes of Health report that H. pylori is the leading cause of peptic ulcers worldwide, and that about two-thirds of the world population is infected with the bacteria. Even though H. pylori doesn’t always develop into an illness, the fact that propolis can defend against it is just one more point in its favor.

Antiviral

Research at the University of Heidelberg pitted a propolis extract (GH2002), against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and found that it reduced the formation of viral plaques (the areas of cell destruction) by 98%. Interestingly, the researchers stated that while only two of the analyzed compounds in propolis, galagin and chrysin showed antiviral activity separately, other components of the whole extract, (caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, and pinocembrin) showed stronger effects than single constituents.

Other research using this same propolis extract as a topical found that it also suppressed herpes simplex virus 2, reducing the strength of the virus by 99%. The researchers also discovered that pretreatment prior to an infection was significantly effective at stopping the herpes virus. They concluded that the propolis extract could be an effective topical for stopping recurring infections as well.

Anti-inflammatory, Anti-tumor

Propolis is more than an antibacterial and antiviral. It has been shown to stop tumor growth as well. Remember when I mentioned that H. pylori is the cause of gastric cancer? Well, aside from that, a study from Thailand that found that propolis shrank cancer cells after 24, 48, and 72 hours of treatment. Scientists reporting in the journal Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that the polyphenols in propolis were mainly responsible for cancer cell inhibition, and consider it a possible treatment option for different types of leukemia.

What to Look for in Propolis:

Even though many propolis extracts from around the world have shown similar abilities, some are simply more effective than others, so be selective when you look for your propolis extract.

Found raw in the hive, propolis is often mixed with wax (which doesn’t break down in the body or provide any benefits), dirt, bee’s wings, and other debris. It needs to be purified and clear of beeswax before it can be truly useful. It should also be a clinically-validated variety, so you can start off with a propolis extract that has already shown results. Additionally, the best extracts will be from sources with a more “controlled” environment – that is, from hives that are strategically placed near a stand of specific trees that produce beneficial resins that bees use naturally. That way you’re getting a propolis that has been standardized and provides consistent benefits.

Terry recommends taking 100 mg of concentrated bee propolis extract daily. If additional support is needed, increase to 100 mg twice daily.

Hidden Factors that Hinder Weight Loss

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According to NHANES (Nat’l Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 64% of US adults are either overweight or obese. Over 300,000 US deaths a year are associated with obesity, making it now topple smoking as the #1 most preventable disease. There’s hardly a day goes by that I don’t have a customer tell me that they are REALLY dieting and exercising and REALLY working at trying to lose weight and it just isn’t happening. Oh they may lose a few pounds, but their husbands or friends are doing the same thing and they’re losing like crazy. What makes the difference?

In a word. Hormones. We know that our body’s metabolism is primarily controlled by hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands such as the thyroid that produces thyroid hormones, the adrenals that produce cortisol and adrenaline and others, the pituitary, the pancreas that secretes the hormone insulin, etc.1 Hormones help keep the body functioning properly, unless, of course, they are out of balance. Over the years we have found various imbalances in these glands that will hinder a person from losing weight. Things such as a sluggish thyroid, high cortisol levels, estrogen and progesterone imbalance, fatty liver, insulin resistance and so on. It seems whenever we correct these problems, then their efforts at losing weight work.

Not only that, but we feel better and become healthier as well. In addition, our body’s ability to burn excess calories rather than store them plays a key role in weight loss. It’s not simply a question of how much you eat or how little you exercise. It’s a question of how effectively your body’s systems use the calories that you ingest.2 Everytime I hear someone say weight loss is just a matter of taking in less calories than you burn, it frustrates me because I know there is so much more to it. Yes, for maybe 70% of people who are healthy and don’t have endocrine problems, then I would say that’s true. Most of those people aren’t overweight anyway. Just think of the people you know who can eat as much as they want and not gain an ounce. More and more research is uncovering the reason why some people can’t lose weight even though they are really trying.

These two books (Adrenal Fatigue and the Cortisol Connection) talk about how the adrenal glands producing high cortisol levels will not only hinder weight loss, but can actually put weight on even though you’re not doing anything different.

These books, Before the Change, Creating and Maintaining Balance, and What Your Doctor/Premenopause, list the possible hormonal reasons for weight gain such as estrogen Dominance and/or Progesterone deficiency.

These books, Syndrome X and Combat Syndrome X,Y and Z talk about how insulin resistance, which is a precursor to Diabetes, can hinder weight loss.

These three books, Cracking the Metabolic Code, Your Fat is Not Your Fault-Overcome Your Body’s Resistance to Permanent Weight Loss, and ALT MED’s Weight Loss list various combinations of these issues.

What I have done, is take the information from all of them plus information on body types, and the result is this questionnaire which should help us identify them all. By checking off the symptoms under the various categories, this questionnaire can help us determine if any of these issues are hindering your weight loss program. Then we can show you what supplements can help correct that and which diets work best for you. This is by far the most exciting new development in helping people lose weight that I’ve ever seen.

We also have Saliva Test Kits available that can determine your levels of these things too. So what I’m going to do today is briefly discuss as many as I can with the time I have available.

The first thing to keep in mind is that all of the body works together to create our current state of health. One faltering or overworked system impacts on another organ or system, which can then translate into a symptom or even a disease.

Adrenal Fatigue/High Cortisol

One clear example of how this works is by looking at the first hormone I want to talk about and that is Cortisol, which is a result of stress. Chronic stress alters adrenal gland function. (The adrenal glands produce the stress hormones cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline.) Under stress, the adrenal glands produce more of these stress hormones which begins a disruptive chain reaction that impacts several organs and systems. Chronic stress depletes certain neurotransmitters in the brain, which can trigger 1) carbohydrate cravings and eating binges. If this continues, it can lead to 2) disturbed sleep patterns with an inability to “turn off” the day and fall asleep, which in turn can cause changes in the release of growth hormone.

Chronically elevated cortisol levels also 3) decrease insulin sensitivity of receptor cells, reducing their ability to absorb glucose from the blood and thus 4) increasing blood sugar. What happens to this extra sugar? 5) It gets turned into fat and gets stored especially in the abdominal area. The extra sugar also 6) raises cholesterol and triglycerides.

As cortisol continues to be elevated, it depletes DHEA which is responsible for production of our sex hormones and consequently our 7) libido begins to decline. Not only that, but the adrenal glands use up progesterone to produce cortisol, thereby leading to a state of 8) progesterone deficiency and/or estrogen dominance. Again, the result is weight gain. Low levels of DHEA also play a role in 9) skin wrinkling, memory decline, and other aging processes, and 10) depresses the immune system.

Finally with chronic cortisol elevation, 11) changes in thyroid function begin to occur because the same protein, tyrosine, needed to make thyroid hormone is also needed to make cortisol therefore limiting the amount of thyroid hormone that can be produced. This in turn lowers the body’s metabolic rate and makes it even more difficult to lose weight.

This is how delicate and interdependent the balance of our body systems are and how any alteration in this balance can cause a chain of reactions that leads to a decline in health.3

What is cortisol? Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands in response to stress. Stress can come from illness, injuries, trauma, accidents, surgeries, death of a loved one, moving, work related issues, money problems, divorce, marital conflict, trouble with children, chronic pain and on and on it goes. If you’re a type A personality, if you experience road rage, if you are impatient, demanding, or if you worry a lot, then you probably have cortisol levels off the charts.

Cortisol levels can also be elevated by estrogen hormone therapy, exercise, pregnancy, depression, anxiety and by the intake of mild stimulants such as ephedra or caffeine ( as little as two or three cups of coffee will elevate cortisol levels).4

One of cortisol’s many functions is that is stimulates the release of glucose, fats and amino acids for energy production in response to stress.

You’ve all heard of the “fight or flight” response to stress. If you were being attacked by a bear, you would want the fight or flight stress hormones to rush energy to the muscles to run or fight, and to the brain to be alert. You would want your pupils to dilate to let more light in so you can see better, and your heart to race and your airway passage to open up to help you respond to the danger. This is fine, in an emergency situation, but then when the danger is over, cortisol should go back to normal levels. However, a byproduct of modern living is constant and chronic stress which causes constant cortisol secretion, which causes weight gain. The reason weight gain happens is that cortisol causes the body to turn protein into glucose that the body can use for energy. This causes an increase in blood sugar levels. If the glucose is not needed for some action such as running, (ie if the boss jumps down your throat or your stuck in traffic and late for a meeting, then you can’t expend that extra energy) then the excess glucose causes insulin to be secreted which then stores all that glucose as fat-especially in the abdominal area. In the meantime, the protein came from the breakdown of muscle tissue which is more metabolically active than fat meaning it burns more calories. But now, we have more fat and less muscle, thanks to cortisol.5 All without eating a bite of food.

Another thing cortisol does is cause food cravings because you used up all your stored energy and now your body wants to get more in reserves. So you crave high-fat, high-sugar foods which act as a temporary mood ‘boost’ by stimulating the release of insulin. If you remember nothing else, remember this, that insulin is a fat storing hormone par excellence. When it is released, it rushes all the fat and sugar calories into fat storage. Eventually, by over stimulating insulin release, the body becomes insulin resistant, and with more insulin resistance, more fat is stored than the body needs. This insulin resistance is commonly called Syndrome X or more recently is being called Metabolic Syndrome. We’ll discuss it in more detail later. It is one of the Hidden Weight Gain Factors listed on the questionnaire.

So you can see that it is vitally important to support the adrenal glands, to do what you can to eliminate and reduce stress, and to keep cortisol levels to a minimum. How do we do that? Stress depletes a number of nutrients so a high-quality multivitamin is crucial in the program. There are also a number of wonderful supplements that not only reduce cortisol but also nourish and support the adrenal glands that become exhausted from the stress. Theanine, Ginseng, Holy Basil and Rhodiola, are all valuable in reducing cortisol and its damaging effects.

Estrogen Dominance

The next imbalance I want to address is what is termed “Estrogen Dominance”. Anytime there is too much estrogen and not enough progesterone to counteract its effect, you have estrogen dominance. You men might think that you don’t have to pay attention to this one but that is not true. This one is, however, a major player in the women, not only because it causes weight gain, especially in the hips and thighs, but it has been linked to a wide range of conditions, including PMS, uterine fibroids, endometriosis, fibrocystic breasts, headaches, infertility, and low libido, as well as breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer, and cervical dysplasia or Class III or abnormal pap smears.

In men, it causes low sperm count and infertility, enlarged prostate, but the latest research is now linking excessive estrogens in men to prostate cancer and testicular cancer.6 It also slows down the production of testosterone with resulting loss of muscle strength, stamina, sex drive 7 excess body fat and depression.8

Xenoestrogens

You might ask, how does a man get excessive estrogen? For the most part, the same way women do. Through what is called xenoestrogens or xenohormones or environmental estrogens. We also call them hormone mimickers. Xenoestrogens are foreign substances with estrogen-like effects in the body. Xenoestrogens can mimic natural estrogen or block it at estrogen receptor sites on cells throughout the body.

Hormones are like keys and receptor sites are like locks. We used to think that only one key worked for each lock, but now we know many keys can fit into the same lock.9 This can be good and it can be bad.

These artificial estrogens activate receptors to stimulate a hormonal effect AND/OR they can occupy the receptor and block natural hormones from doing their job, either way disrupting normal hormone function. Receptor sites on cells can be likened to parking spaces. If xenohormones get in that parking space, then they disrupt hormonal activity because they are much more potent than our own hormones, AND they keep our own hormones from getting in there and doing their job. They also may interfere with the actual manufacture of estrogen or decrease the rate of estrogen excretion from the body and cause a buildup of the hormone.

What do they do when they get in there? The main function of estrogens is to promote cell proliferation. For instance, they stimulate the lining of the uterus called the endometrium to produce more cells to prepare for a pregnancy. However, if left unchecked, it causes endometriosis which is an uncontrolled reproduction of endometrial cells. More than 70 million women and girls worldwide have this condition which can result in very painful periods, infertility and endometrial cancer.10

Xenoestrogens also affect the cells’ ability to take up thyroid hormones, resulting in symptoms of low thyroid even though blood tests indicate you are not low in thyroid hormone. 11And you aren’t. It’s just that those thyroid hormones aren’t getting in the cell and doing their job. The result is weight gain and inability to lose weight.

And it results in estrogen dominance which carries with it all the problems I mentioned earlier.

Where do we get these xenohormones? They are everywhere-in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the foods we eat and all the creams and lotions and perfumes we slather our bodies with. Most xenoestrogens are derived from petrochemicals and include pesticides, industrial chemicals such as PCBs and dioxins, cleaners, plastics (water bottles, food containers) nail polish and remover, solvents and adhesives, car exhaust and even from preservatives in cosmetics and lotions and shampoos etc called methyl and propyl parabens.

The way we get them in our food is by eating meat from livestock fed estrogenic drugs to fatten them up and likewise with dairy products to make them produce more milk.

The way we get them in our water is two-fold. All the women using birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy exrete the hormones in their urine and the waste water treatment plants apparently are not able to remove it all. There are now detectable amounts of hormones in our water supply. So tap water is out of the question, however, it is also in plastics, so if you drink bottled water, you’re also getting them.

Other ways to become estrogen dominant

If xenoestrogens aren’t bad enough, there is another factor that can cause estrogen dominance. Estrogen can be broken down into two pathways one of which is good and one is BAD. When it converts to the good estrogen metabolites, then we have all the benefits of estrogen and none of the bad. However, if it converts to the bad estrogen metabolites, then it causes all the bad and none of the good. So it’s very important for estrogen to be metabolized correctly and we’ll talk about how you can make sure of that in a minute.

On top of all this, women also get excessive estrogen through synthetic hormones in HRP and Birth Control Pills. anovulation, digestive problems, stress, poor diet and emotional issues are other ways to become estrogen dominant. An interesting side note is that Oriental women have 1/10th the rate of breast cancer as American women do. However, if they come here and are raised here, they have the same rate. This takes away the genetic factor.12

What can we do to get away from them and get rid of them?

We absolutely MUST do everything we can to reduce these xenoestrogens from our lives as much as possible. You can’t get away from them all, but the effects are cumulative over a lifetime and therefore, anything that you can do from now on will make a difference.

There are at least 4 things we can do to get our hormones back in balance.

1. Avoid xenoestrogens by doing the following:

1. Drastically decrease reliance on pesticides of all sorts, including lawn and garden sprays as well as for bugs inside the house.

2. Eliminate or decrease consumption of meat and dairy products that have been fed estrogens. Use hormone-free meat and dairy products and buy organically grown food as much as possible.

3. Avoid exposure to solvents, 4. Avoid all synthetic hormones, such as Premarin, Provera, Birth control pills and spermicides.

5. Avoid drycleaning and plastic clothing like polyester.

6. Choose wood or stone tile floors rather than carpets. The glues and solvents in the backing of carpets emit toxic molecules for several years. For the same reason avoid particle board and fake wood paneling.

7. Don’t drink or eat out of plastic containers. Again, bottled water in plastic bottles is no good. The obvious solution to this problem is to buy a reverse osmosis water filter for your home. Even if you buy water that is RO, if you store them in plastic you’re not getting away from them. As much as is possible, I carry my own water from my own RO filter in a glass bottle. I try to store my food in glass with plastic lids, but at least the plastic isn’t touching the food. I never microwave anything in plastic or use plastic wrap over the food. Use wax paper or paper towels. While I’m at it, never drink hot or acidic liquids, or really anything for that matter, out of Styrofoam. Within 15 minutes of drinking hot or acidic liquids out of Styrofoam, they can pick up measurable amounts of the styrene chemical in your blood.

8. Choose shampoos, cosmetics, lotions and soaps made without petrochemicals and the preservatives methylparaben and propylparaben. The parabens have definite estrogenic affects.

9. Don’t use air fresheners, fabric softeners and scented laundry soaps. Try to use chemical free soaps.

These are all steps you can take to reduce the amount of xenoestrogens from getting in your body, but there are also supplements that can help the liver detoxify excess estrogen and get rid of it, and also make sure the estrogen follows the good pathway of metabolism.

2. Assist the liver in removing excess estrogen

The liver rids the body of excess hormones by secreting chemicals such as glucuronic acid to disarm them so they can be eliminated. However, a poor diet that has too much sugar and red meat can cause the release of a bacterial enzyme known as beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme inhibits glucuronic acid from rendering the excess hormone harmless and allows it to continue circulating in your body.

Gee, it seems we can’t win for losing. But not to fear, because there are compounds in nature to come to our rescue.

Calcium d-glucurate, found in many fruits, and vegetables including grapefruit, apples, oranges, broccoli and Brussels spouts, slow the release of the enzyme glucuronidase. Results of studies show this compound to have preventive and therapeutic activity against a number of cancers, including breast, liver, prostate, and colon. Researchers have demonstrated that calcium D-glucarate contributes to healthy cell development and estrogen metabolism.

Rosemary has been shown to increase liver enzymes that deactivate xenoestrogens.

Sulforaphane, a phytochemical also found in cruciferous and other vegetables is another aid. Drug companies are all over this one, trying to figure a way to alter it and patent it and sell it for breast cancer to the tune of $6000. 00 a month.13

We also have a product called Choline/Inositol Complex that helps the liver detoxify excess estrogen, whether your own natural, whether from synthetic hormones or xenoestrogen.

3. Assist estrogen metabolism

You can find another natural estrogen detoxifier in the cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. Known as Indole 3 Carbinol (I3C), this compound has OVER 500 clinical studies that have shown it can help the body detoxify excess estrogens. It is converted in the body into DIM and it helps ensure that estrogen follows the good pathway of metabolism.14 This in turn can “free up”

testosterone thereby improving libido. Healthy estrogen metabolism also combines with exercise to support a more active fat-burning metabolism. The ‘good’ estrogen metabolites resulting from taking DIM assists the specific fat-burning hormones, called catecholamines, that are produced during exercise to release stored fat. Basically the good estrogen metabolites help fat cells release more fat. 15

4. Supplement with beneficial estrogens

Not all estrogens are bad though. Our bodies require this hormone for proper functioning, but it should be the estrogen naturally created in our bodies, and it should be present in proper proportion with progesterone. Balance is the key. There are also “good” estrogens, namely those from plants called phytoestrogens. These beneficial estrogens can act as allies in reinstating or maintaining hormone balance.

Phytoestrogens are plant-based substances with weak estrogenic activity. They are considered hormone balancers because they have both mild estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects. They can compete with the more potent xenoestrogens by vying for receptor sites on cells. They get in those parking places instead of the bad ones thereby limiting the activity of the more potent xeno as well as natural estrogens. They provide a balancing effect based on what the body needs. If there is too much estrogen, phytoestrogens will block estrogenic activity. If the body does not have enough estrogen, they will provide mild estrogenic activity.

Phytoestrogens can be found in foods including flaxseeds, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, fennel, celery and parsley. They are also in herbs like Vitex or chaste tree berry, dong quai, red clover, black cohosh, wild yam and others.

5. Increase Fiber

6. Take a multivitamin

SYNDROME X

We’ve already talked about Syndrome X being one of the results of too much cortisol, but I’d like to talk more in detail about it and what you can do to reverse it, aside from getting cortisol down. Because you can have Syndrome X and not have high cortisol. Syndrome X is also called Metabolic Syndrome and has at its core, what we call insulin resistance.

Many people with Syndrome X are easily recognizable because of their accumulation of abdominal fat (they look apple-shaped) and their high waist-to-hip ratio. Research has clearly shown that the higher a person’s WHR (the bigger one’s waist circumference compared to his or her hip circumference), the higher his or her risk for developing syndrome X.

Other signs and symptoms of Syndrome X is high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, feeling spacey or fuzzy thinking, being irritable and angry, exhausted, difficulty concentrating, craving for carbohydrates and sweets

Let’s talk about insulin. Insulin is a hormone that the pancreas secretes when we eat sugar or carbohydrates and determines how our bodies will use those starches. Not only does insulin regulate blood-sugar levels, it is also responsible for getting fat stored in our fat cells, getting sugar stored in our liver and muscle cells as glycogen, and getting amino acids directed toward protein synthesis or muscle building. Due to these varied actions, insulin is sometimes thought of as a ‘storage’ hormone because it helps the body put all these great sources of energy away in their respective places for later. That’s great, but it is exactly the opposite effect of what the body experiences during the stress response – when the heart and muscles need lots of energy and need it fast.

One of the first signals the body sends out –via cortisol-during stress is one that screams, “NO MORE energy storage!” and that means shutting off the responsiveness of cells to the storage effects of insulin. When cells stop responding to insulin, they are able to switch from a storage or anabolic mode to a secretion or catabolic mode- so fat cells dump more fat into the system, liver cells crank out more glucose, and muscle cells allow their protein to be broken down to supply amino acids for conversion into even more sugar. This is ok if it doesn’t happen very often, but telling the body’s cells to ignore insulin on a regular basis, as happens with chronic stress, can lead to a condition known as insulin resistance and predisposes a person to the development of full-blown diabetes.16

Normally, insulin controls appetite by keeping blood sugar levels fairly constant. However, they mechanism that regulates insulin can be thrown off balance when it is forced to work overtime on processing excess sugars and starches, causing too much insulin to enter the blood.

Immediately after a meal or eating sugar, the blood sugar levels rise, causing the pancreas to secrete insulin to help get the blood sugar levels back to normal by getting the sugar out of the blood and into the cells. All cells have receptor sites that allow insulin to get the sugar in the cell and out of the blood. When the levels become low, we feel hungry and eat, thus beginning the process all over again.

With time and after doing this over and over because of eating too much sugar, the high blood levels of insulin lead to insulin resistance, a condition that occurs when the cells no longer react to the hormone. The pancreas reacts by releasing even more insulin into the blood, which only worsens the problem, as the rising insulin simply increases the cells’ resistance. 17

What can we do?

There are several things that are very effective at improving insulin resistance:

Exercise lowers IR

Nutrients such as: Magnesium, Chromium, Vanadium, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Gymnema Sylvestre, Banaba and Green Tea are just a few things that are great.

Increase Fiber

Avoid refined carbs and sugar. Eat protein and complex carbs as in vegetables18

The Right Diet

The right diet is a balanced diet. High this or low that is unbalanced. In the book, Your Fat is Not Your Fault, p 55 says,

…It’s also been discovered recently that high-protein, ketogenic diets may cause changes in the fat cells, making them 10 times more active in sequestering fat than they were before you went on the diet. So when you go off the diet, you continue to accumulate fat at a frightening rate…

I believe that last diet you’ll ever need is found in The Rosedale Diet. This should be the last book you ever need to read and follow to be healthy and lose weight.

1 Total Body Tune-up, Michael Murray, N.D.

2 Weight Loss, p 124

3 Cracking the Metabolic Code, James B. LaValle

4 The Cortisol Connection, Shawn Talbott, PhD

5 Cracking the Metabolic Code p 80

6 Creating and Maintaining Balance, Holly Lucille, ND, Rn

7 Weight Loss, Burton Goldberg p231

8 All about DIM p 23

9 Creating and Maintaining Balance, p 7

10 Creating and Maintaining Balance p76

11 Super Nutrition for Menopause, Ann Louise Gittleman. Weight Loss p.211

12 Your Health, Dr. Becker

13 Lecture by Lorna Vanderhague on Hormone Health, Anaheim Expo West 2004

14 Creating and Maintaining Balance p 23

15 All about DIM, FAQ p 20

16 The Cortisol Connection p 29

17 Weight Loss

18 Syndrome X

Causes and Cures For Allergies

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If you’re like most allergy and asthma sufferers, you either endure the symptoms, or you endure the side effects of the medications you take for the symptoms. Fortunately, there is a better choice.

The words, allergic to imply that the allergenic substance is the cause, when in fact, this only demonstrates that the person has lost the normal ability to cope appropriately with that substance. The substance itself is not the cause; it is only the trigger of the allergic reaction. If the substance was the cause, then everyone everywhere would also react to it. Why is it that some people react while others don’t?

I submit to you today that the real problem lies within each individual’s body chemistry. It’s a metabolic imbalance inside the body that needs support to bring it back into balance.

There are several factors that influence whether a person will suffer from allergies or not. They are: the adrenal and other glands, the immune system, the liver, the digestive tract, the acid/alkaline balance and the genetic tendency. When these are working properly and one’s nutrition is what it needs to be, allergies are unheard of.

The cause of allergies is also the cumulative effect of many insults to the body, which, over time, have overwhelmed the body’s protective mechanisms. So what are these insults? They can come from physical, environmental and emotional stresses.

PHYSICAL STRESSES include infections, chronic disease, poor nutrition, excessive or lack of exercise, hormonal imbalances, acid/alkaline imbalance, poor digestion, insufficient sleep, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES include extremes of heat, cold, or altitude, air and water pollution, food additives, radiation, excess heavy metal exposures, pesticides, toxic cleaning and personal care products, new building materials, etc.

EMOTIONAL STRESSES can include divorce, death of a loved one, abuse of any kind, job related problems, family situations, etc.

Our body can adjust to a few stressors, but when there is an accumulation or repetition of them, they upset the normal control mechanisms of the immune, nervous, and/or endocrine systems. At this point, we develop symptoms because our total body burden is too high.

So how do we approach treating allergies from a natural standpoint? You’ve heard the saying, “the straw that broke the camel’s back”? The natural approach to allergies can be viewed as an attempt to: (1) remove as many straws as possible, and (2) strengthen the camel’s back. “Removing straws” means avoiding allergens in the food and air. “Strengthening the camel’s back” means using natural substances which can build and support the adrenals, immune system, liver detoxification, etc which can help reduce the allergic response.

(1) It is vital that you determine what you are allergic to and avoid those things as much as possible. Have allergy testing done. Avoiding toxic chemicals is absolutely essential for everyone, but especially the allergic. If unavoidable, at least protect yourself from the damage by taking antioxidants. Clean up your indoor pollution with air and water filters and use non-toxic cleaning and personal care products which are readily available at health food stores. A fantastic book to help you go through this process is The Whole Way to Allergy Relief and Prevention by Jacqueline Krohn, MD.

After detoxifying your environment, it is important to detoxify the body. One of the insidious causes of symptoms is an overload of toxins, chemicals and biochemical debris that our body is unable to get rid of. This cumulative toxicity has resulted from our 21st Century demand for “better living through chemistry”. There are 60,000 chemicals in current production. 3000 of these are used as food additives and 800 are found in drinking water. There are many key nutrients essential for the detoxification system to function properly, and the Allergy Relief and Prevention book can lead you through this important process.

(2) Strengthening the camel’s back involves supporting the immune and endocrine systems. Dr. William Rea describes our immune system as a rain barrel. Any combination of stresses ‘fills up’ our rain barrel. If we can keep our rain barrels emptied by cleaning up our environment, improving our nutrition, and reducing other stressors, we can keep our rain barrel from overflowing. We also need to drain our rain barrels (by detoxifying) so that our immune system will not be pushed to exceed its adaptive capacity.

The immune system is our first line of defense against substances that would harm us and is affected more than any other body system when an allergic reaction occurs. In the allergic person, the immune system is continually at work, much like leaving a car with its engine running. This weakens it even further. But there are various nutrients, herbs and antioxidants that can support, strengthen and build up the immune system.

The adrenal glands and liver are also very involved in the allergic reaction and must be supported as well. At Sara’s Health Foods we can help you find the products you need to get well.

Remember, the objective in treating any illness is not just to treat the symptoms, but to fix the problem so you won’t have the symptoms. Treating symptoms alone is like scooping water out of a sinking boat. Unless you stop the leak (correct metabolic imbalances) you’ll soon be drowning in more symptoms and side effects. Don’t just treat the symptoms; get rid of allergies for good!