Health News
How To Fight Back Against Adrenal Fatigue
By James Templeton Feeling tired and worn out all the time seems to be an epidemic issue in our country. We’ve gotten so fast paced and busy and don’t take a break to disconnect from it all. It used to be that the phone hung on the wall and people knew it was hit-or-miss whether they’d reach you when they called. Now we’re rarely away from our phones and if we text or email we expect an immediate response. No Quick Fix When fatigue sets in, we turn to coffee and energy drinks or look to other quick fixes and stimulants to give us the boost we need to get through another day. Our busy schedules have us grabbing fast food because it’s the only thing we have time for in between appointments, sports, school functions and other responsibilities. We’re robbing Peter to pay Paul – these habits create a health deficit, add extra pounds around the middle, and bring on nutrient deficiencies. Sooner or later it all catches up to us and we feel blindsighted when disease hits. Adrenal Fatigue Whether you wake up tired, feel tired mid-afternoon, or are tired all day then get a burst of energy at night, it’s all sides of the same issue – adrenal fatigue. I like to use a rubber band analogy when it comes to adrenals: healthy adrenals get stretched and pulled on under stress and recover during times of rest, as opposed to adrenal fatigue where stress and overwork keep stretching and pulling on the adrenals until they stop recovering and stay stressed out. Have you ever met someone who says their back went out when all they did was bend over? The root of this is in adrenal fatigue. The ligaments also fall under the rubber band analogy, and when stressed adrenals use the nutrients the ligaments need to be “stretchy,” they lose that stretch and then muscles spasm trying to hold things in place. I’ve seen chiropractors have a lot of success when they supplement for adrenal stress in these individuals while doing adjustments to hold everything in place. Learn how to fight adrenal fatigue below! Fatigue Fighting Strategies 1. Cutting out caffeine and other stimulants is essential to healing the adrenals and getting your energy back. These are called stimulants because they stimulate the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, which is one of the body’s main stress hormones. High cortisol levels put the body into fight-or-flight mode, which increases heart rate, causes fast, shallow breathing, and raises blood pressure. We mistake this hyper-vigilance for a boost in energy, but the reality is we are wearing out our adrenals by making them work so hard. 2. Sugars and alcohol (which is like a concentrated sugar to the body) need to be eliminated when healing the adrenals. When blood sugar rollercoasters up and down, it triggers a rise in both insulin and cortisol, which stresses both the adrenals and the pancreas. Eating regular small meals rich in protein is essential to keeping blood sugars stable. If you know blood sugar is an issue for you, consider a serving of good quality whey protein like our Fat Flush Whey Protein (or a dairy-free protein powder if you are sensitive) both first thing in the morning and last thing before bed to help you stabilize sugars. 3. If your stress and fatigue go beyond normal lifestyle issues and into disease, I recommend testing and supplementing. I’ve rarely met a person dealing with a major disease who didn’t have adrenal fatigue. It seems like if the disease doesn’t get to you the fight against it will. This is when it’s important to test and see when cortisol is either too high or too low and supplement accordingly. UNI KEY’s Adrenal Stress Panel is saliva testing that coordinates to your body’s Circadian rhythms, the natural patterns of cortisol production that happen throughout the day and night. Based on the results, recommendations are given for diet modifications and supplements that may help you get your energy back. The best adrenal supplements contain the vitamins and minerals the adrenals need, amino acids and adaptogens to help with stress response, and glandular extracts to support endocrine function. I developed UNI KEY’s Adrenal Formula with all of this in mind and take it myself. 4. Unplug your bedroom and get a good night’s sleep. Exposure to EMFs can produce nearly 20 different kinds of stress hormones. Turn off your cell phone or charge it outside of your bedroom, turn off your WiFi router at night, and disconnect all appliances (including the TV) in the bedroom. Keep your bedroom dark and cool, and commit to 7-9 hours of sleep per night. If falling asleep and staying asleep are issues for you despite these techniques, then supplementing with melatonin or saliva testing for adrenal and sex hormones are a good next step. 5. It helps to think of energy like you think of money and put yourself on a budget. You only have so much energy to spend throughout the day, so choose activities that are unavoidable or meaningful to you, and build up a savings for when you have a particularly stressful or busy time coming. When stress hits, it helps to practice yoga, do deep breathing exercises, and strengthen your spiritual connection through meditation and prayer. Mild exercise like walking also helps calm an overactive stress response and can help aid weight loss.
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Acid Reflux Remedies That Work
Heartburn is so common now it’s thought of as normal, but in reality it’s far from it. When you feel that familiar sour stomach, acid burps and bloating after meals, it’s your body’s cry for help with digestion. Treating GERD or heartburn with acid reducing medicines can be helpful for short-term relief, but long-term can inhibit absorption of calcium, iron, protein, Vitamin B12, folate, zinc, Vitamin C, magnesium and more. Long-term deficiencies in these nutrients lead to osteoporosis, anemia, lowered immunity to infections and other serious consequences. The good news is there are natural remedies for acid reflux that are real solutions for acid reflux relief. Acid Reflux Remedy #1: Increase Stomach Acid with Betaine HCl Chances are if you’ve been to a doctor for this condition, you’ve been told you have too much stomach acid and need acid reducing medicines to bring the level back to normal. Research shows low stomach acid is actually far more common than excess stomach acid, and the symptoms are the same. The older we get the less stomach acid we make. With low stomach acid, food is either fermented or basically rots in the stomach because there isn’t enough acid to break it down. In addition to not getting the nutrients you need from the food, the pressure from the gas that builds during this process causes bloating, then the valve between the stomach and esophagus opens, allowing the contents to wash up into the esophagus. By supplementing with Betaine HCl, stomach acid normalizes and food is broken down properly. Dose is determined by how you feel when you take it; start with one pill before meals, and increase until a slight burning is felt in the stomach, then decrease by one pill and that’s your dose. Your dose may change over time; many people need less acid supplementation as digestion improves and are able to wean off the supplement. Acid Reflux Remedy #2: Melatonin For Acid Reflux Relief Famous for its helpful effects on insomnia, there is actually 400 times more melatonin in the gastrointestinal tract than there is in the brain. In the stomach, melatonin protects the mucosal lining from damage caused by free radicals and NSAIDs. It also modulates the production of HCl and pepsin. Studies show its efficacy is comparable to Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) like Prilosec. In a daily dose of 6mg of melatonin at bedtime, it takes 6 weeks to reach its full healing potential for GERD. Acid Reflux Remedy #3: Heal Injured Tissues with Pine Nut Oil In Russia, China and Europe, pine nut oil is widely used to heal gastrointestinal tissues damaged by erosions from GERD and ulcers from Peptic Ulcer Disease. It is estimated now 1 in 10 people develop an ulcer in their lifetime. Pine nut oil is rich in free radical scavengers and helps heal mucosal tissues from erosion and ulcer damage. Herbs That Work Meadowsweet is an often overlooked herb is anti-inflammatory and relieves pain while toning, coating and soothing inflamed mucosal tissues. Make a tea from 1 teaspoon of powder in 4 ounces of hot water, steep for 20 minutes and drink 3 times daily. Add slippery elm bark or marshmallow root for an even more soothing brew. It coats and soothes as it goes down, so capsules are not nearly as effective as the tea. DGL chewable tablets. DGL is the form of licorice root that doesn’t raise blood pressure. Taken before meals, it provides a protective coating for the stomach and esophagus to prevent erosion and damage from acid reflux and h. pylori, the bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. Mind Your Minerals Magnesium is a smooth muscle relaxer that helps open the pyloric sphincter at the bottom of the stomach and empty its contents into the small intestine. It’s estimated 80% of Americans are magnesium deficient, and it’s not commonly tested for in the doctor’s office. Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) deplete magnesium so much that the FDA has issued a warning for anyone taking these drugs. Supplementation of magnesium glycinate or malate at 400-800mg is ideal; if diarrhea occurs decrease your dose. Zinc is a key player in the formation of stomach acid and is critical for healing the lining of the digestive tract. PPIs deplete zinc so supplementation of up to 75mg daily may be needed for at least 3 months after PPI therapy to restore healthy levels. Iodine is another key player in the formation of stomach acid. Look at your fingernails. Do you see healthy white half-moons (lunulae) coming up the bottom 1/3 of at least 8 of your fingernails? If not, you may be iodine deficient. Supplementing with at least 400mcg of potassium iodide or 1 drop of Lugol’s solution daily will help bring iodine levels up, and the “moons” of your nails will grow as your iodine level increases. Himalayan or Celtic sea salt contains almost 100 essential trace minerals as well as the chloride necessary to make stomach acid. Just ½ teaspoon daily is enough to support your stomach acid production. If you have high blood pressure and are sodium sensitive, you can decrease the sodium by making a saturated salt water: simply add ¼ cup of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt to 1 quart of filtered water, shake well and let sit for a day; take ½ teaspoon daily diluted in 4 ounces of water. Tame the Flames of Heartburn with Probiotics and Fermented Foods Many people report relief from heartburn with probiotic-rich foods and supplements, especially fermented milk products like yogurt and kefir. Work up to one cup per day, in divided doses if needed. Probiotic supplements are not well researched for acid reflux but anecdotally perform better with higher potency and more diverse strains in the product. Probiotic dosage is 1-2 capsules per day on an empty stomach. Apple Cider Vinegar and sauerkraut juice are the most popular folk remedies for acid reflux. One tablespoon in 4 ounces of water can be drunk slowly throughout the day to improve digestion and balance stomach acid production, though should be avoided when you have erosions or ulcers. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2639970/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1494327 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4991651/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2821302/ http://www.westonaprice.org
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Exercise for a Long, Healthy Life
By James Templeton If you want to add good, healthy years to your life, make a commitment to walk at least 30 minutes a day. Movement and exercise were a key factor in my healing from cancer, and still play a big part in my life today. When I was healing I walked every day, whether it was below zero weather or 100 degrees. I visualized my healing as I walked, and practiced deep breathing for at least 10 minutes – in through my nose and out through my mouth, holding my breath for 5 seconds each time. It really helps to get that oxygen in; every cell in your body needs oxygen and cancer hates it. I didn’t see anyone at the Kushi Institute walking as much as I did while I was there, and I seemed to improve so much faster with it. I hiked for hours on the weekends and just felt so much better after exercising and being out in nature. I joined groups and hiked through the mountains; being with like-minded people and getting in shape feels good. Continue reading to find out the importance of fitness for a healthy life. Walk It Off I believe walking is as important as a healthy diet for healing and preventing health issues. Just 30 minutes fully activates the lymphatic system, triggers the anti-aging process, turns on DNA repair, increases circulation and mobility, improves sleep, and lifts your mood by giving you the same endorphin release as high intensity exercise without the strain to the body. Once you get started you can get addicted to it, but it’s a healthy addiction – your body’s way of telling you what it needs to thrive. If you are looking for weight loss and getting in shape, you can step up your game to one hour of walking once a day to tone muscles and activate the fat burning enzymes or twice a day to keep them working for the full 24 hours. I personally know people who have lost up to 40 pounds just by walking an hour a day. Don’t Beat Yourself Up When I go to the gym I see very few people of retirement age, yet movement is so important as we get older. You’re never too old to start moving and improve your health and mood. It’s remarkable how you lose stiffness and increase mobility with just yoga-type stretches and deep breathing. You don’t need to do any of the trendy, strenuous workouts; walking is natural to our bodies and doesn’t require a recovery time. I used to do strenuous workouts through long distance running and biking, and lifting weights. I was hooked on that endorphin high but tired whenever I wasn’t exercising. I was burning out my adrenals and running on empty. I get the same endorphin rush from walking now but my body doesn’t suffer the consequences it did when I pushed it too hard. Walking barefoot in the grass or dirt is even better; it allows you to absorb electrons from the earth and gives your cells a recharge, and the sun exposure helps you make Vitamin D which so many of us are deficient in.
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Herbal Wisdom for Allergy Relief
It’s that time of year again where itchy eyes, running nose and sneezing can be your constant companions. Long before we had antihistamine pills and steroid shots, herbalists used nature’s pharmacopoeia to relieve the discomfort of seasonal allergies and even get to the root causes. 10 Herbal Remedies for Seasonal Allergies Here are 10 tried and true remedies from herbalists for seasonal allergy relief: 1. Goldenrod. This bright yellow flowering herb is often mistaken for ragweed, the true cause of most hayfever-type allergies. Goldenrod tincture is the best-kept secret of folk herbalists to rescue you from ragweed allergy. For quick relief of congestion, a large dose of up to 100 drops of tincture can be taken, but doses of 25-50 drops twice daily are the standard during allergy season. 2. Nettles. The antihistamine properties of the stinging nettle leaf have long been used for allergy relief. Freeze-dried stinging nettle leaves in 500mg strength capsules can be taken up to 4 times daily during the allergy season. The “stinging” that this plant is famous for is neutralized when cooked or dried, so no need to worry about it burning or stinging when properly prepared. 3. Eyebright. This herb is often used in combination with nettles, for good reason. Eyebright gets its name from its astringent and antimicrobial effects on the eyes. If itchy, red or watery eyes are part of your allergy symptoms, don’t leave eyebright out. Eyebright also helps with mucus when taken as a capsule, but herbalists usually make an infusion from 1 ounce of the herb added to a pint of boiling water, then use in warm compresses to relieve allergic eye symptoms. 4. Fire Cider. Well-loved herbalist Rosemary Gladstar’s now famous formula is an excellent allergy reliever. Equal weights of whole ginger root, cayenne peppers, horseradish root, garlic and onion are ground up in a blender or food processor, raw apple cider vinegar is added to fill the jar to the top, and it’s left to ferment for up to 2 weeks. The liquid is then strained off, bottled and kept cool in the refrigerator. A teaspoon of this fiery “cider” is taken daily as needed for congestion relief and as an overall health tonic. 5. Local Raw Honey and Bee Pollen. Raw honey contains the pollens the bees have carefully gathered from your local flowers and weeds, and bee pollen is the more concentrated form. This remedy is based on desensitizing you to small amounts of the pollens triggering your allergies and is best started in the Spring and carried through late Fall. The source needs to be local or it won’t have the same pollens you are being exposed to. If allergies are severe, it’s best to start with honey, but if you’ve been using this for a few years or symptoms are more mild, bee pollen can be used. It’s best to start small with ¼ teaspoon and work up to a full teaspoon, and it should never be heated or the health benefits will be lost. 6. Quercetin. This polyphenol found in foods like apples, pears, onions and green tea has been known for thousands of years for its antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. If your allergy symptoms come with asthma, then quercetin is a powerful weapon in your arsenal because it also calms bronchial inflammation. It takes 3-6 weeks to experience the full benefits of this antioxidant. It is rarely found alone in supplements because it is better absorbed in foods or in combination with other herbs like stinging nettles. 7. Vitamin C. Quercetin enhances the antihistamine effects of Vitamin C when they are taken together. Vitamin C also thins mucus, making it easier to drain from the sinuses. Doses of 500-1000mg up to 4 times daily can help lessen inflammation and nasal drainage. Natural sources like whole lemons are especially helpful during summer allergy congestion because they contain both the Vitamin C and bioflavonoids, which help boost immune function and adrenal health as well. 8. Support Adrenal Health. Wise herbalists recognize the effects long-term stress has on our immune system and supplement with nourishing and adaptogenic herbs and foods. Restoring adrenal health through restful sleep, a nutrient-rich diet high in fresh vegetables and fruits, and managing stress protects our immune health. Stress and adrenal fatigue are a root cause of allergies. If you have a hectic lifestyle consider an Adrenal Formula to help fight allergies and adrenal fatigue. 9. Restore Gut Health with Probiotics and Lactofermented Foods. Disordered digestion from poor diet, stress, and overgrowth of unwanted bacteria and fungus is another root cause of allergies herbalists recognize. Overuse of antibiotics and steroids lead to unhealthy bacteria and fungus overgrowing and crowding out the good guys who support our digestion and help us make and absorb nutrients. A diet high in processed foods and sugary drinks causes us to use more nutrients to do the work of digestion than we can absorb through these non-nutritious choices which leads to deficiencies. This puts stress on our adrenals and our immune system and makes us susceptible to allergies and infections. Avoiding grains including corn which are often contaminated with mold and mycotoxins, increasing consumption of live foods like unpasteurized sauerkraut, and supplementing with an anti-inflammatory probiotic, like our Flora-Key Probiotic Powder, to help restore the healthy bacteria population are great first steps to relieve allergies and inflammation and heal the gut. 10. Reconnect with Nature. This may sound counterintuitive, since we’re taught by allergists to wear big hats and cover up to avoid pollen landing on us, use sinus rinses to wash the pollen out of our nasal passages, and take showers after being outdoors to wash all the airborne allergens off; but herbalists believe reconnecting with nature is one of the best ways to avoid overreacting to it with allergies. Healthy sun exposure causes us to synthesize our own allergy-fighting Vitamin D; grounding and earthing restore electrons and energy to our stressed and depleted bodies; and exposure to sunrise, full sun and dusk help reset our circadian rhythms, healthy cortisol levels and sleep cycles. Being in nature has the ability to calm us and restore health in ways no pill or supplement can.
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Radiation, The Invisible Health Threat
By James Templeton These days we hear a lot about cell phone radiation, EMFs, and the cumulative effect of too many x-rays, but you don’t hear about nuclear radiation. Even though we can’t see it and most of us don’t feel it, it’s still a threat to our health. Multiple studies done since the Three Mile Island meltdown in 1979 show cancer rates soar within 100 miles of a nuclear power plant, especially in children – but nobody is talking about it. In the US, we have 104 nuclear power plants similar to Fukushima and Chernobyl, over 5,000 atomic warheads in storage, and over 100 million pounds of nuclear waste. We have reactors like Hanford in Washington state actively leaking radiation despite cleanup efforts. It’s in the air we breathe, water we drink and bathe in, and the food we feed our families. New Jersey “Flu” I felt healthy and energetic when I moved to New Jersey, and had completely recovered from the cancer. Not long after I got settled there, I started feeling flu-like all the time and was achy, tired and nauseous. Occasionally I’d have a sore throat like you get with swollen glands. My upper back and neck felt tight, like I’d been put into a vice. I hadn’t felt anything like it before and worried the cancer could be coming back. I started hiking in upstate New York with the Appalachian Mountain Club on the weekends. All my symptoms would go completely away while I was there, but shortly after I’d get home to New Jersey they’d all come back. The fact it would come and go just by changing locations told me it wasn’t cancer but something in my environment that was making me feel sick. I discovered I lived 2.5 miles as the crow flies from a nuclear storage facility. There are also 16 nuclear reactors at 7 plants in a 90-mile radius in this area, the densest concentration of nuclear facilities in the US. It wasn’t long before I left and moved to Massachusetts, and all my symptoms went completely away. Fallout in Santa Fe Some years later when I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, those flu-like symptoms came back. I knew Los Alamos was only about 20 miles away and there was a potential for radiation exposure, but I believed the area was so health conscious that it wouldn’t be enough for me to get sick from it. I was wrong. I’d feel good during my morning run, but by the time I was done showering I’d feel tired and run down again. I found really high radiation readings there, even in the water, which explains why I felt worse after a shower. The underground nuclear storage facilities leaked radiation into the water table, and even the water being sprayed on organic foods contained radiation, so the food felt lifeless and didn’t seem to give me much energy when I ate it. Repairing After Radiation Exposure I was working at Dr. Hazel Parcells’ lab about an hour away in Albuquerque and learned how to make a homeopathic remedy to fight the effects the radiation was having on me. She also taught me about salt and soda baths: dissolve 2 cups of sea salt plus 2 cups of baking soda in a fairly hot bath and soak for 20 minutes at least twice a week if you have a radiation exposure or live near a facility. With severe illness she would mix a teaspoon each of baking soda and sea salt into a quart of water along with some cream of tartar (for the potassium) and have you drink 8 ounces every hour for 2 hours, then 2 hours apart for two more doses, then once every three hours until all symptoms are gone. Not everyone feels lower level radiation exposure like I do, but that doesn’t change the cancer risks. Radiation targets the thyroid first, which can cause fatigue, hair loss, neck and back pain. Flu-like feelings, weakness, headaches and nausea are signs it’s affecting your immune system. Vitamin C to bowel tolerance, Vitamin E 400 IU, potassium iodide in Lugol’s solution, phosphatidyl choline in sunflower lecithin, and alpha lipoic acid all help with radiation exposure. After Chernobyl they used a niacin sauna detox program with good results as well. We are careful to avoid too many x-rays and CT scans, but ignore the leaking nuclear reactor just a few miles from our backyard. Research it yourself – look at maps like radiationnetwork.com to see what kind of exposure you’re having on a daily basis. Reference https://energy.gov/em/cleanup-sites
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The Missing Vitamins In Mystery Diseases
Autoimmune diseases are on the rise, many without known medical causes or cures. There’s also a category of diseases known as diagnoses of exclusion, where testing for common diseases with your symptoms are normal, so the diagnosis is made based on a process of elimination. These diseases include Parkinson’s, Migraine, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome (CFIDS), and more. There are key vitamin and nutrient deficiencies found in many of these conditions, and correcting them can produce dramatic results, providing one more piece of the puzzle in putting your health back together. Continue reading to discover the missing vitamins found in mystery diseases. Migraine Relief Migraine is more than just a headache. Symptoms are debilitating and range from the classic nausea, light sensitivity and extreme headache to even mimic a stroke with trouble finding words and slurred speech, numbness and difficulty moving arms and legs. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) has been shown in studies to decrease frequency and number of migraines. It’s found in small amounts in a variety of foods including meat, dairy, legumes, nuts, eggs and leafy greens, but is easily destroyed by exposure to light or an alkaline environment. The effective supplement dose is 400mg daily, which may take 3 months to see results. Low magnesium in the brain has been measured during a migraine attack, and many migraine sufferers are found to be magnesium deficient overall, especially those with menstrual migraine. Magnesium relaxes smooth muscles, and high dose supplementation of 600mg or more has been shown to prevent migraine attacks. Magnesium oxide and citrate forms are known to cause diarrhea at high doses. The malate, threonate and glycinate forms are better tolerated at the dose needed to prevent migraine. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a strong antioxidant involved in the body’s energy production through the ATP molecule. An ongoing dose of 150mg daily can decrease the number of days and intensity of migraine attacks. The effect is cumulative and may take 3 months before results are seen. Help with Hashimoto’s Fatigue Hashimoto’s Autoimmune Thyroiditis is the most common cause of hypothyroidism. The fatigue can be crippling despite thyroid meds and a grain free diet. Low thiamine (Vitamin B1) can be the cause of your fatigue. The most common source of this vitamin is fortified grains, so the grain free diet that does so much good for you can also lead to thiamine deficiency. Supplementing with 600mg daily of benfotiamine can relieve fatigue in less than a week. Slowing the Progression of Parkinson’s Parkinson’s is a disease that progresses to complete disability, and the drug side effects can be worse than the disease itself. Glutathione is the second strongest antioxidant in the body and is found to be deficient in the brains of Parkinson’s patients. Glutathione IV therapy was made famous through David Perlmutter, MD, whose remarkable results restoring mobility to severe Parkinson’s sufferers brought new hope and research for a disease with very few answers. Glutathione IV dosing ranges from 600mg twice daily for 30 days, to an ongoing biweekly dose starting at 900mg and working up to 3000mg. Liposomal glutathione, S-Acetyl Glutathione or sublingual glutathione is often supplemented at home between IV doses to keep levels up. Testing for Vitamin Deficiencies Your regular health care provider can do blood testing for some vitamin deficiencies, but these usually only show severe deficiency. Your body may have a functional deficiency, where you have enough to stay alive but not enough to overcome disease or achieve optimal health. There is more comprehensive testing available through labs like Spectracell or Genova Diagnostics, if you feel you need testing. You may still see positive results from supplementing even when all of these tests look normal. References Schoenen J, Jacquy J, Lenaerts M. Effectiveness of high-dose riboflavin in migraine prophylaxis. A randomized controlled trial. Neurology. 1998; 50:466-470. Ramadan NM, Halvorson H, Vande-Linde A. Low brain magnesium in migraine. Headache. 1989;29:590–593. Peikert A, Wilimzig C, Kohne-Volland R. Prophylaxis of migraine with oral magnesium: results from a prospective, multicenter, placebo-controlled and double-blind randomized study. Cephalalgia. 1996;16:257–263. Sandor S, Di Clemente L, Coppola G, et al. Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: A randomized controlled trial. Neurology. 2005; 64:713. Thiamine and Hashimotos thyroiditis. J Altern Complement Med. 2014 Mar;20(3):208-11. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 1996 Oct;20(7):1159-70. Reduced intravenous glutathione in the treatment of early Parkinson’s disease.
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Getting to the Root of Dental Health
By James Templeton When I turned to natural methods to heal my cancer 30 years ago, I researched everything that could be wearing my immune system down. I wanted to get to the root causes of how I got cancer in the first place. It didn’t take long to find the connection between dental amalgams, root canals and the health of the immune system. Read about the connection between cancer and dental health. Mercury Toxicity and Dental Amalgams Dental amalgams are 50% mercury, which is a neurotoxic heavy metal. Mercury vapors are released every time you drink hot liquids, bite down, chew or even brush your teeth, and you breathe these vapors in. People with amalgam fillings excrete 10 times more mercury in their waste than people who don’t have them. When I learned this, I went to my dentist and asked to have my mercury fillings removed. It was done just like any other dental procedure. I really didn’t notice any changes in how I felt afterward. Better Health Through the Huggins Protocol I started having a lot of sore throats and frequent colds. My white blood cell count was low every time I had a blood test. I heard about Dr. Hal Huggins, probably the most controversial dentist at the time. He was outspoken about his belief that dental amalgams and root canals lead to cancer and autoimmune diseases like MS. He had an entire program of removal and treatment that would last 2-3 weeks and included treatments like IV Vitamin C, sauna, massage and diet. I personally saw people who came into that program in a wheelchair leave a couple weeks later walking with a cane. The results were miraculous to me. He tested my mouth with his Amalgameter and found I still had mercury tattoos on my teeth and tested high for mercury vapors. This explained why I wasn’t a lot better after the first removal. He said my blood chemistry testing would normalize after the removals were done, and he was right. Not only did my white blood cell count normalize, I also felt better. I noticed a lot of differences between the amalgam removal done by the first dentist and the one done by Dr. Huggins. With Dr. Huggins it was treated like a biohazard and removed with a dental dam, oxygen to avoiding breathing mercury vapors, and my body was completely covered. The dental staff was wearing protective gear, too. Dr. Huggins also made sure the materials he used to replace the amalgams were biocompatible, and not something my body would react to. The first dentist treated it like any other dental procedure and didn’t use those precautions, and I wasn’t given a choice of materials for the replacement fillings. Toxic Root Canals Two years later, I cracked a couple of fillings and the dentist I saw decided I needed crowns. Those teeth hurt for an entire year after those crowns were placed. It turns out the dentist drilled my teeth too deep, and it wasn’t long before two of them started dying. It’s not a good idea to leave dead tissue in the body, including dead teeth; it’s a breeding ground for infection. Root canals in these dead teeth are bad for the body; they trap infections at the jawline and drive them deeper, causing cavitations, cysts and infection in the jawbone. And even though I knew all this, I had one tooth pulled and went ahead and got one root canal done because I didn’t want to lose too many teeth. And 6 months later when an adjacent tooth died I had another root canal done, this time by a specialist. I started not feeling well. I was having unexplained twitches and tremors, frequent sore throats and low white blood cell counts. I contacted Dr. Huggins again. He explained even though there were no issues with the root canals showing up on testing, he usually found issues during surgery and it was important to have them removed. I saw him in Montreal and had the root canals removed. During the surgery, he found a quarter inch cyst. Each tooth in the mouth lines up with one of the body’s meridians (energy highways) and the cyst was right on my heart meridian. He said a cyst like that rupturing could cause a heart attack. We know now there’s a connection between heart disease and bacteria in the mouth, but back then it sounded revolutionary to me and I was grateful I had the surgery done, even though it looked like I didn’t need it beforehand. I felt much better afterward and my white blood cell count went back to normal. True Tooth Health If you have any type of cancer, autoimmune disease, diabetes, seizures, or birth defects, an evaluation by a biologic dentist may be warranted. The International Academy of Oral Medicine & Toxicology (IAOMT) is a great resource. Dr. Huggins has passed on, and they have revised and updated his protocols and techniques and have a registry of dentists who use them. Don’t make the same mistakes I did. After seeing 4 different dentists, including a specialist, I can tell you with confidence a biologic dentist is the way to go. A Hair and Tissue Mineral Analysis Test Kit (HTMA) will detect any mercury in your body for a 3-month period and is helpful to monitor your detox progress. Supplements I’ve found helpful after removal of amalgams and root canals include IV Vitamin C, S-Acetyl Glutathione, sweating through exercise or FIR sauna, and our Daily Greens Formula with chlorella. References Björkman L, Sandborgh-Englund G, Ekstrand J. Mercury in saliva and feces after removal of amalgam fillings. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 1997; 144(1):156-62. IAOMT.org
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When Grain Is A Drain
For too long, the government nutrition guidelines have centered around cereal grains as the mainstay of the American diet, and as a result we’re sick, fat, tired and depressed. Wheat, which was once the center of everything from our economy to our religious practices, is not the darling it used to be. On top of that, we also have wheat digestion problems. Changes in harvesting, processing, pesticide use, and our digestive health have led to the rapid rise in grain free and gluten free diets. Grain Proteins Gluten, agglutinin, and amylase-trypsin inhibitors are the proteins in grains that cause inflammation and allergic response, even in people without Celiac Disease. All grains have these proteins – wheat, barley and rye have the highest amounts while corn and rice have some of the lowest amounts. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is a highly debated topic in scientific literature today. The question that remains is whether it’s these proteins causing the intolerance or the anti-nutrients and fermentable carbs. Celiac Disease The 2003 Human Genome Project showed us that less than 1% of all diseases are actually caused by genes. The truth is the environment our genes are exposed to makes us susceptible to illnesses like Celiac Disease. You can have the genes that predispose you to becoming Celiac, but until an unhealthy cellular environment “flips the switch” and turns those genes on, you’re as healthy as anyone else living a similar lifestyle to yours. This paradigm shift is so important; it takes us from the mindset that illness is inherited – “it’s genetic in my family” – to the reality that it’s the environment you’re exposed to through familiar habits, beliefs, and lifestyles that causes the disease. Celiac Disease is now seen as a product of the environment we’re exposed to, inside and outside of our bodies. This is good news; it takes us from having no control over developing the disease to being able to prevent it with a healthy lifestyle. Phytic Acid Everything in nature has defense mechanisms to keep itself from being eaten. Animals have teeth; grains have anti-nutrients like phytic acid that block essential mineral absorption. Phytic acid blocks the absorption of calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc from plant-based sources but not from meat. The highest concentrations are found in whole grain rice, wheat and wild rice. Soaking, sprouting or fermenting grains breaks this anti-nutrient down, as does a healthy probiotic population in your digestive tract. Lectins Lectins are sticky little proteins that adhere to the intestinal membrane. When enough of them are present, the lining of the intestines increases its permeability, releasing whole proteins into the blood stream. This condition is commonly called “leaky gut” and is the gateway to autoimmune diseases including allergies and inflammatory bowel disease. Not everyone has a problem with lectins; if you have a good population of healthy probiotics you’ll probably handle them fine. You’ll know you’re sensitive when joint pains, runny nose and stomach issues come shortly after a meal high in lectin-rich foods. The lectins in grains and legumes (beans) are different from the lectins in nightshade vegetables (eggplant, tomato, peppers). The lectins in vegetables break down once exposed to heat, so cooking them often makes them better tolerated. The lectins in wheat are heat-resistant and stay intact despite cooking. Grain Mold and Mycotoxins One reason given for less tolerance of wheat these days is how it’s harvested. Before the combine harvester came on the scene, wheat was harvested by hand and stacked in sheaves. Later, once all the wheat was cut, the harvesters came back and collected the sheaves. The process of stacking the sheaves led to alternate cycles of drying then fermenting, depending on rainy or sunny weather. These cycles broke down the phytic acid and made the wheat more digestible. With the invention of the combine harvester, wheat is processed as its harvested, and is stored in grain bins and silos right after harvest. Instead of the fermentation we used to get, now only a little moisture accumulates as it’s stored and mold is the result. The mold toxins stay with the wheat and other grains including corn, even when it’s processed into flour. We inhale and ingest these molds and their toxins as we prepare or eat these foods. These mycotoxins cause cancer, hormone disruption and inflammation. Adding in the pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate, grains become even more toxic. Another toxic concern are the high levels of arsenic found in many rice crops (due to the soil where it’s grown). Rinsing rice before cooking and cooking in extra water, then draining it before eating will get rid of most of it. Carbohydrate Load and Insulin Resistance Grains are mostly carbs and sugars, with only a little protein and fat. Unless you are active enough to burn these calories right away, your body will store these sugars as fat in just a few hours after eating them. As those carbs cause your blood sugar to rollercoaster up and down, insulin rises and causes more sugar cravings and unsatisfied hunger. This is the perfect storm that leads to weight gain, insulin resistance and Type II Diabetes. The best way off this rollercoaster ride to disease is a diet high in healthy fats and low in grain-based carbs, like Ann Louise Gittleman’s Fat Flush Plan. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20715598 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mnfr.200900099/epdf?r3_referer=wol&tracking_action=preview_click https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1115436/?tool=pubmed https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21374488 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232528784_Non-celiac_Gluten_Sensitivity http://gut.bmj.com/content/early/2016/07/21/gutjnl-2016-311964.full http://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/abs/10.1094/PDIS-11-10-0795
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Safe Sun Exposure Does NOT Cause Melanoma
By James Templeton Back when I was in my twenties, I had a basal cell skin cancer removed from the top of my head. The dermatologist told me to wear sunscreen 24/7, stay protected and keep out of the hot Texas sun. I followed his directions exactly, putting on sunscreen every day as soon as I woke up and being careful to avoid the sun as much as possible. Ten years later I found myself with a diagnosis of Stage IV Melanoma cancer. After years of study on natural health, I have come to believe it’s the chemical soup in all that sunscreen and lack of UVB rays getting to my skin that were part of getting melanoma, and not sun exposure. Read on to find out more info on melanoma and safe sun exposure. Toxic Sunscreen Sun up to sun down, I faithfully made sure my sun-exposed areas were carefully covered in sunscreen. I didn’t know chemicals like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and homosalate are dangerous hormone disruptors and break down into toxic byproducts once absorbed by the skin. The CDC has found oxybenzone in 96% of Americans, including children, and it’s causing boys to have lower testosterone. The Environmental Working Group recommends avoiding oxybenzone all together because it’s so toxic, and I agree. Elizabeth Plourde, PhD, is a California-based scientist and author of Sunscreens – Biohazard: Treat as Hazardous Waste, which extensively documents the serious and potentially life-threatening dangers of sunscreens. In her book, she provides evidence that skin cancer including malignant melanoma increased substantially with pervasive sunscreen use over a 30-year period. She stresses that many chemicals found in sunscreens are known carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC). Vitamin D Deficiency – The True Cause? Have you ever had a skin exam at the doctor’s office? They look for melanoma behind your ears, in your hair, and other areas that get little to no sun exposure. I find it curious that a cancer assumed to be caused by sun exposure is often found in the least exposed areas of the body. The truth is there’s very little data linking melanoma to sun exposure. Since the 1940s, studies show melanoma has been increasing in indoor workers who have minimal exposure to the sun. A study done in 2008 came to the reasoning that the windows block the UVB rays that our bodies use to convert sunlight to Vitamin D. Researchers believe exposure to high levels of the UVA oxidizing radiation combined with Vitamin D deficiency are the reason for increasing melanoma rates. Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic, and people think 15 minutes of face exposure to the sun is enough to recharge those levels which is simply not true. The most effective way to increase Vitamin D levels is to get as close to full-body skin exposure as you can – without sunscreen – during the hours of 10am to 3pm when the sun is strongest. You’ll know you’re done when the skin gets a light pink cast to it. For fair-skinned folks this may only take 10 minutes, but most need to spend a longer time in the sun to get the benefits. Natural Skin Protection One thing I use to get the maximum benefits from sun exposure is astaxanthin. I can be out in the sun for long periods of time without getting burned. Hawaiian islanders have long used astaxanthin from microalgae to protect their eyes and skin from the oxidizing UVA radiation and UVB rays that cause sunburn. Antioxidants in the diet also help, and a large amount of vegetables and fruits need to be eaten to accomplish this. Iodine is another protector – as it’s excreted through sweat it mixes with the oil on the skin and increases its natural protective barrier. People with iodine deficiency don’t sweat easily, and dry skin is more prone to injury and sunburn than skin naturally lubricated with sweat and oil. If you have to use sunscreen, the best out there are the mineral-based, non-nano zinc oxide formulas, like 3rd Rock Sunblock or Keys Solar Rx. These form a sun-blocking barrier on the skin as soon as they are applied. Make sure to read your sunscreen label carefully – a marketing trick is to label a sunscreen mineral-based, but it’ll contain only a small amount of the mineral along with the toxic ingredients. Melanoma is a whole body, systemic cancer that is expressed through the skin. I learned this the hard way through my Stage IV diagnosis. But as controversial as it is, once I discovered natural healing and did my research, I’ve now stopped using sunscreen and I haven’t had melanoma for 30 years now. I’m an outdoors guy, and spend a lot of time out in nature – in the sun; I believe this has been an important part of my healing. References: http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877%2808%2900599-9/abstract http://www.ewg.org/sunscreen/report/the-trouble-with-sunscreen-chemicals/#.WXEQUVKZPVo http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/20/deadly-melanoma-not-due-vitamin-d-deficiency.aspx
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