Family Health

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Natural Remedies for Lung Infections

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If you live in a part of the world that has an autumn and winter season then you are very familiar with cold and flu season and the last 3 years has had a great impact on our general health but especially our respiratory health.  So, lets talk about what a lung infection is and how to use natural remedies to treat it.

A lung infection occurs when your lungs and airways become infected with a virus, bacteria, or fungus. This can cause a persistent cough, mucous and phlegm, wheezing, or shortness of breath. Most lung infections clear up on their own but sometimes they can be life threatening and lead to pneumonia and swelling in the lungs.

Natural Remedies For Lung Infections

  • Fenugreek tea – add one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds to a pan with two cups of water. Boil this for four minutes, sieve and then drink. Fenugreek contains natural polyphenols that breakdown mucus in the lungs and helps you to cough it up.
  • Zink Chelate – start taking a daily supplement of 200 mg’s chelated zinc to keep your lungs strong and healthy throughout the year. Zinc lowers the risk of pneumonia by activating immune cells and regulating inflammation in your lungs.
  • Wild oregano oil – take two to three capsules of wild oregano oil each day at the first sign of a lung infection. Oregano oil contains carvacrol, one of the most powerful natural antibiotics which speeds up your immune system and fights off respiratory infections in the lungs, throat, and sinuses.
  • Salt inhaler – use an inexpensive salt inhaler to help reduce inflammation in the lungs to make it easier to breathe. Simply place some Himalayan salt into the device and inhale the salty air for 15 minutes per day. The ions from the salt help to calm your airways.
  • Mullein – drop one to two milliliters of mullein extract into a glass of water and drink three times per day. Mullein leaves and flowers have been used for thousands of years to fight viruses and ailments in the lungs. This is effective at reducing lung infections, asthma, earaches, bronchitis, coughs, and even tuberculosis.
  • Rosemary and thyme tea – pick and wash thoroughly a large bunch of thyme and rosemary. Infuse these into a 2-liter bottle of water in the refrigerator overnight and drink through the following day. Rosmarinic acid, Thymol and other compounds from these herbs are antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal which fight off lung infections.
  • Ginger and lemon tea – slice and peel 2 inches of fresh ginger root, add to a pan with three cups of water and allow this to simmer for 20 minutes then add the juice of the fresh lemon at the end. This drink has an anti-inflammatory effect in your lungs helping to reduce the risk of pneumonia, open the airways, and fight off infection.
  • Steam treatment – cover your head with a towel and lean over a bowl of hot water being careful not to burn yourself. Gently inhale the steam to help breakdown thick mucus in your lungs and sinuses. Do this for two to three minutes take a break and then repeat.
  • Eucalyptus oil – is an Australian herb which has been used to relieve asthma attacks and calm the lungs during a coughing fit. Add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to a steaming bowl of water. This will help to calm inflammation in your lungs for easier breathing.
  • Vitamin D3 – take 20,000 IUs of vitamin D3 per day and 200 micrograms of vitamin K2. Vitamin D helps to fight over 300 illnesses especially respiratory infections such as cold and flu. It is a natural hormone which reduces inflammation in your lungs and strengthens your immune system.
  • Garlic – it is one of the most potent antiviral agents on the planet and fights all kinds of infections. This is a broad-spectrum healer rich in allicin which boosts your immunity. Consume garlic whenever you can in soups, stir fries, or shaved into salads to keep your lungs strong and healthy.

As you can see there are many natural remedies which you can use to help fight off lung infections, remove mucus from the lungs, and breathe easier. Try out some of these remedies and see which works best for your unique body. Many of these herbs have been used for thousands of years and have a deep history in the healing of respiratory disorders. These also help those suffering with asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and many other lower and upper respiratory illnesses. Remember to stay hydrated when you have a lung infection because dehydration causes mucus to become thicker and can trigger more painful coughing. It’s highly recommend taking vitamins D3, K2 and zinc as dietary supplements regularly. Most people are deficient in these because we do not get access to enough sunshine and the soils are often depleted of zinc. Zinc and vitamin D both play a crucial role in protecting the lungs from damage illnesses and respiratory infections. Eating shellfish soaked in vinegar at least once per week is a good way to raise your body’s supply of trace minerals to help protect against lung infections

The Early Signs That You Are Becoming Diabetic

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Diabetes occurs when the body struggles to regulate the amount of sugar that’s in your blood. This leads to high blood sugars called hyperglycemia, that over long periods of time these sugars start to weaken your blood vessels which causes damage to your internal organs. Diabetes is one of the most common causes of death in the world and is triggered by prolonged poor eating habits.

Your pancreas releases a hormone called insulin which is the key that allows sugar into your cells and removes it from the blood. However, it’s estimated that over 60% of adults suffer with some degree of insulin resistance, a situation where your cells can no longer accept sugar because they have been bombarded with sugary foods, refined carbs, nitrates, or too frequent meals for many years.

In the beginning this doesn’t usually show up on A1C blood test because your body compensates by pumping out more insulin. For this reason, it is important to recognize the top 12 early signs of insulin resistance and prediabetes to watch out for.

Dark patches of skin

You may start to notice darkened areas of velvety or leathery skin in the folds of your body such as your armpits, neck, or groin. When there’s too much sugar or insulin in your blood the skin cells start to reproduce too quickly and at a rapid rate. These new cells have more melanin pigment making it appear darker then the surrounding skin.

Sugar cravings

After you’ve eaten, when your blood sugars aren’t being controlled properly, you will likely crave the sweet or sugary snack shortly after you finish your meal. This happens because your cells aren’t accepting the sugar normally from your blood which tricks your brain into thinking that you’re still hungry and you crave sugar for a quick energy boost.

Blurred vision

At the early stages of insulin resistance you may begin to develop blurred vision. This happens because your cells are no longer accepting insulin and glucose causing the lenses of your eye to swell with fluid. The high blood glucose could also damage the blood vessels connected to your eyes causing distorted vision, blurriness.

Frequent urination at night

If you have too much glucose or sugar in your blood it binds to water causing your body to hold more fluid. Your kidneys also must work overtime to filter this extra sugar in your blood which causes you to pee more frequently especially during the night. This also makes you thirstier during the day and this causes a vicious cycle.

Puffy face

If you’re eating too many carbohydrates or sugars and your body can’t control your blood sugars, you’ll likely develop puffy face especially around the cheeks. The high amount of sugar in your body is causing fluid retention and making your face appear bloated. You also get darkening and puffiness around your eyes and eyelids. You may notice that if you cut out the carbohydrates for a week or two your face starts to shrink very quickly. This is not usually fat loss but simply a loss of the excess fluid.

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Tingling or numbness in the feet or hands

Tingling, burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in your feet, toes, or hands may be a sign of neuropathy. The high insulin and sugar in your blood is damaging to blood vessels and peripheral nerves causing them to misfire and send odd signals to your brain. This can also worsen into numbness and a loss of function if it develops from pre diabetes into full blown type 2 diabetes.

Skin tags

Skin tags can be harmless but if more continue to grow over time then this could be a sign of prediabetes. High levels of insulin causes the skin cells to reproduce rapidly and as it’s an anabolic hormone, it causes the skin tags to grow. Many people who have reversed insulin resistance with natural methods find that their skin tags naturally start to disappear.

Belly fat

When you have high amounts of sugar in your blood for long periods of time your body must convert this into fat to preserve the energy for the future. Too much insulin and glucose causes your liver to become filled with fat and this starts spilling over into your belly area.

Tiredness

After eating a meal, you should feel energized and alert as you’ve just nourished your body with vitamins and minerals. However, if you notice that you feel extremely tired after eating then this may indicate that you have insulin resistance, and the fuel isn’t getting into your cells properly.

Itchy skin

This occurs because high blood sugar and insulin is damaging to blood vessels which supply nutrients to the skin. It can also make your skin more susceptible to bacterial or fungal infections which may cause boils and abscesses. Eating too many carbohydrates and sugars can also deplete vitamin B3 which is very important for keeping your skin healthy.

Slow wound healing

Higher levels of sugar in your blood causes poor circulation so it can take longer for a minor cut, bruise, or a wound to heal properly. This gets progressively worse as you become a diabetic and can eventually lead to loss of limb.

Brain fog

This happens when your blood sugars spike and then fall dramatically leaving you hypoglycemic. This means that not enough fuel is reaching your brain causing you to feel foggy.

Causes of Prediabetes/Diabetes

Why do refined, highly processed foods cause prediabetes? The nutrients in these types of foods have been stripped away leaving you with only the energy portion which is glucose. Without these nutrients like B vitamins, for example, your body struggles to process the sugars properly causing insulin resistance.

The second cause is high levels of mental stress. When you’re stressed your body makes more of a hormone called cortisol. Problem is that if you have too much cortisol it breaks down your muscle and fat and turns it into blood sugars which overtime can cause insulin resistance and diabetes.

Another cause is having too frequent meals throughout the day which bombards your cells with so much fuel that they cannot handle anymore. Every time you eat you raise insulin, and our bodies weren’t designed to be eating all day which is why fasting really helps to reverse prediabetes.

Can You Prevent Diabetes?

The answer is yes and here are a few tips to start incorporating into your daily routine.

  • Cut out refined carbohydrates, sugar, flour, and grain-based foods.
  • Replace refined foods with healthy fats to keep your hunger levels down.
  • Consume nutritional yeast to supply B vitamins which reduce cravings and reverse nerve damage.
  • Eat lots of organic, cruciferous vegetables such as kale, collard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. These leafy greens are loaded with potassium and magnesium, two key minerals which help to reverse insulin resistance and regulate your blood sugars.
  • Soluble fiber in vegetables also helps to stabilize your blood sugars.
  • Start taking the daily supplement of chromium picolinate. This is a very powerful trace mineral which helps insulin and glucose become more sensitive in the body so that it can be moved into the cells. Chromium also helps your liver to produce the master antioxidant glutathione which also helps to prevent diabetes and oxidative damage.
  • Stop snacking between meals.
  • Try taking a teaspoon of MCT oil at the end of your first meal. This is made from coconuts that keeps you feeling full for longer by providing an alternative fuel source to your cells which are called ketones instead of glucose.
  • Manage your stress levels and get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/chromium#:~:text=In%20one%20well%2Ddesigned%20study,than%20those%20who%20took%20placebo.

5 Easy Ways to Stop Acid Reflux

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What is Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux is a common condition where you experience a burning sensation in your chest known as heartburn or GERD. This condition can make it difficult to digest foods normally and may cause a chronic sore throat along with a sharp pain and nausea especially when you lay down to sleep at night.

The Underlying Root Causes

  1. The first and most common cause of acid reflux is a deficiency in chlorides and potassium. These are minerals that are needed in your body to build healthy levels of stomach acid.
  2. High levels of mental stress will turn off the “rest and digest” part of your nervous system causing the LES valve above your stomach to stay open and acid to leach upwards.
  3. Antacid medications – although these are designed to help you the truth is that common antacids are neutralizing your stomach acid which makes acid reflux worse over time.
  4. If your stomach lining has been damaged it can easily get infected with a harmful bacteria called helicobacter pylori which lowers your stomach acid as its survival strategy.
  5. Eating refined grains which contain gluten irritates the stomach lining in most people, along with sugar and inflammatory vegetable oils.
  6. A history of taking antibiotics or other painkiller medications can damage the mucus layer in your gut and harm your friendly bacteria leading to acid reflux.

So, what’s really going?

Your stomach naturally holds very strong stomach acid which is important as it’s needed to breakdown and digest the foods that you eat. Just above your stomach and at the bottom of your food pipe there’s a little valve made of muscle called the LES sphincter. This valve opens when you eat allowing food to get to your stomach. The rest of the time however this valve is supposed to squeeze tight and stay closed to prevent stomach acid from getting up your food pipe and into your throat. Unfortunately, this LES valve often becomes weaker in many people, and it stops closing, remaining relaxed between swallows. This allows stomach acids and digestive enzymes to start moving upwards and regurgitating into your food pipe and your throat. This can cause a burning sensation in your chest behind the breastbone especially when you lay down because it’s easier for the acid to flow back up the pipe. You may also have the sensation that there’s a lump in your throat. Another sign of acid reflux is when sour tasting stomach fluids and food start back flowing and regurgitating into your mouth and these acids cause inflammation sometimes making it hard to swallow. This can cause a sore throat and a buildup of mucus when you wake up each day giving you the urge to clear your throat or cough on a regular basis.

Studies show us that acid reflux is caused by having the wrong level of acid in the stomach. Stomach acid should naturally be between 1 and 3 on the pH scale, which is very strong, in order to help breakdown and digest your foods. However, if this acid becomes too alkaline the little valve becomes loose and the acid starts refluxing into your food pipe. If left untreated acid reflux can lead to ulcers, damage and scar tissue in your esophagus which prevents you from swallowing food properly and ultimately can raise the risk of throat cancer. The very last thing that you want to do is take an antacid drug. It may relieve your symptoms for a short time, but it will also raise the pH and neutralize your important stomach acid making acid reflux much worse over time.

We’re going to explore five vitamins that can be used to help stop acid reflux permanently by restoring the normal pH of the stomach and allow this valve to close. We’ll also look at the simple lifestyle changes that you need to make to fix the root of the problem.

As always, we recommend you speak to your healthcare provider if you have any medical concerns.

  • Betaine hydrochloride with pepsin

Betaine hydrochloride is by far one of the best supplements to help stop acid reflux by fixing the root of the problem. You can take two to four capsules of betaine hydrochloride before eating a meal to start acidifying the pH of your stomach. This will help you to digest food better, the LES valve will tighten up, and start working normally preventing reflux. Try following this protocol for two to three days and if you need to you can slowly add more capsules each time until you feel better. Over the course of the few weeks your stomach acids will build back up and your digestive system will start working normally.

  • Ginger

Acid reflux can be extremely painful and uncomfortable especially when you’re trying to sleep at night and the pain can keep you awake. When you feel heartburn coming on consider chewing on a fresh slice of ginger root. The natural liquids inside ginger root contain powerful phenolic compounds that soothe the tissues in your food pipe and stomach lining to ease the inflammation caused by the acid. Ginger has actually been used for thousands of years and it’s well known for its ability to soothe and heal GI irritation, nausea, acid reflux and indigestion. If you wish you can get dried ginger powder capsules and take one to two after your meal to help prevent acid reflux and to support your digestion. You can also remove the peel from a fresh slice of ginger and then shave the ginger into your salads, stir fries or you can make a spicy drink with ice and cold water and perhaps even a little lemon juice.

  • Probiotics

Probiotics are live, friendly bacteria and friendly yeasts which live in your large intestine and help with digesting your food. They also make neurotransmitters for your brain such as acetylcholine. This is what we call the gut brain axis or the gut as your “second brain”.  These friendly microbes help to stimulate certain nerves which controls the opening and closing of the LES valve above your stomach to make it open when you eat and close again when you stop eating. Basically, if you have lots of friendly microbes living in your gut, you’re much less likely to have acid reflux, indigestion, ulcers, gastritis, IBS, SIBO and autoimmune diseases because they help to keep the whole system healthy and working normally. Unfortunately, many people don’t have enough friendly bacteria because they are easily killed off by antibiotic drugs, medications, artificial sweeteners, and junk foods which can all lead to acid reflux. So, to fix this problem simply start eating fermented foods that are rich in lactic acid bacteria such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir and pickles on a regular basis. These foods are rich in live probiotics that will help to heal your digestive system and improve your overall health.

  • Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is perhaps the most well-known natural remedy for treating indigestion, heartburn, and digestive problems. Simply mix one tablespoon of organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and drink this in a tall glass of water with a straw before every single meal. This liquid contains acetic acid which helps to correct the pH of your stomach helping to digest foods better and prevent acid reflux and GERD. Acetic acid from apple cider vinegar is a type of short chain fatty acid which also supports the cells in your colon providing them with energy so that you can digest foods and absorb vitamins and nutrients properly. Many people find that apple cider vinegar is one of the most simple and effective remedies for acid reflux. However, if you’re in a situation where you have an extremely inflamed throat or food pipe you may want to take two to three apple cider vinegar capsules before each meal instead as these will be less irritating to your esophagus.

  • Zinc L-Carnosine

Zinc is an essential mineral that the body needs to heal tissues especially the cells on the inside of your body. What’s very interesting is the Japanese developed healing compound called zinc L-carnosine which they have used for almost 30 years to treat stomach ulcers. Zinc L-Carnosine is very effective because it works to restore the protective mucus barrier in your gut and throughout your digestive system helping the cells to heal and repair. The zinc mineral in general also prevents an overgrowth of harmful microbes like H-pylori in your stomach. You can take 70 milligrams of zinc L-Carnosine daily in a supplement if you wish. Zinc is an essential mineral needed by men and women so getting it from healthy food sources like shellfish, grass fed red meats and pumpkin seeds is also recommended.

Simple Lifestyle Changes

Start eating raw shredded cabbage daily. You can use any type of cabbage like red, purple, green, Savoy or even sauerkraut in a delicious salad. All types of cabbage are rich in glutamine chlorophyll and vitamin C which all help to heal your stomach lining, esophagus and intestines from any type of damage that’s already been caused by the acid.

Reduce refined grains and vegetable oils from your diet like bread, biscuits, cereals, pasta, pastries, corn oil, soy oil, canola etc. as these will all irritate the lining of your stomach. You want to replace these highly processed foods with filling, satisfying, whole Foods like pasture raised eggs, wild fish, grass fed meats, extra virgin olive oil and steamed vegetables.

Start sprinkling Himalayan salt or Celtic sea salt on your meals. These provide chlorides which helps your stomach to build hydrochloric acid.

You should also make sure that you’re eating foods that are high in potassium as these activate cells that support stomach acid production. Some suggestions are avocados, leafy greens, wild salmon, beet tops, squash and brussels sprouts.

Also when you’re eating trying to chew your food more often to help break it down and make it easier on your stomach.

In the morning when you first wake up drink a tall glass of carbonated mineral water on an empty stomach this will hydrate your digestive tract and the slight acidity will help to strengthen the pH of your stomach.

Cut back on tea and coffee for awhile until you get your ass in reflux under control.

If you’re living in a state of stress or struggling to sleep well at night you must find ways to relax and get this under control as stress over stimulates your sympathetic nervous system keeping the valve open. Try taking long, slow walks in nature at least 45 minutes a day to bring in lots of oxygen and calm your nervous system down. Also eating probiotic rich foods daily will help to manage stress and heal your entire digestive system.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7146259/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341159/

Think you are feeding your kids healthy food? Think again

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We all know that eating junk food is not healthy for us or our kids.  So, we all strive to eat healthy and that includes feeding healthy foods to our kids.  But there are some foods that are advertised as healthy, full of vitamins and nutrients, when in actuality, they are just junk. These so-called healthy foods will not only lead kids to becoming overweight, but a number of other health issues could follow down the road.

Juice

Perhaps the most common misconception is that juice is healthy for kids.  Parents will pack their kids’ lunch with orange juice, grapefruit juice etc., thinking that it is packed full of vitamins.  But unfortunately, it is just pure sugar. The high sugar content will raise their blood sugars so high that it’s even worse than drinking a soda. This is setting the stage for a cycle of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) in the future. This cycle of spiking blood sugars and subsequent blood sugar crashes is just going to harm the pancreas and it’s going to deplete a lot of nutrition from the body. It will likely also lead to dental problems.  You might be thinking that orange juice is good because it has vitamin C. Unfortunately, there is no vitamin C in orange juice because all of these juices are pasteurized which means they are heated which kills everything in it including all of the vitamin C. The only vitamin C in orange juice is the stuff they add later but it’s synthetic. So, essentially, kids are just drinking sugar water and it’s going to create problems down the road with hyper irritability, ADD, ADHD and so on.  One substitute you can try is carbonated water with flavoured stevia.  Stevia comes in different flavours like root beer, lemon, fruit berry.  Just take 10 drops of liquid stevia and add it to carbonated water and kids will think they’re drinking soda but there is no sugar.

Flavored yogurt

Plain yogurt has 10 grams of sugar per serving!  Flavored yogurt has about 38 grams of sugar per serving size. So, in one of the large tubs of yogurt, for example, there’s probably 4 servings which means that’s 38 x 4 times the amount of sugar.  Yogurt is another one of those foods that is advertised as healthy, and they package them so that it’s easy and portable to pack in a kid’s lunch.  But there’s so much hidden sugar in yogurt.

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Nutritional Shakes

You may have a child who is underweight so naturally you would think that the nutritional shakes like Pedia-sure or Ensure that are supposed to be loaded with vitamins and calories for weight gain are healthy.  Well, this is another item that is just loaded with tons of sugar. The first ingredient is sugar, and all the vitamins are synthetic so you’re really not getting the real deal. If you want your child to gain weight the best foods to give your child are things like potatoes such as red potatoes, yams, or sweet potatoes.  Try to avoid the nutritional shakes because they’re not going to gain weight in a healthy way.

Whole grain Cereal

Firstly, most of the whole grain is made from flour that’s been sitting on a shelf for about six months. When you grind the grain, you lose a lot of nutrition right away and anything that is refined grain like breads, pasta, cereal, crackers, biscuits, waffles, pancakes, etc., should only be consumed in very small amounts. In large amounts, like you see with pasta dinners, it will lead to the child’s insulin being raised which leads to obesity and whole host of other health problems down the road. Instead of grains try proteins and vegetables that the kids like, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Minimizing grains and the other foods mentioned above can be very difficult especially when you have more then one child in an already busy household.  But there are a lot of great resources for recipes that incorporate vegetables and other healthy, nutritious substitutes into foods that your kids will eat.  Here is just one example https://www.freshstartnutrition.com/kid-friendly-ways-to-sneak-in-more-veggies/

 

 

 

Detoxify Your Body Just With Food

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Let’s talk about how to detoxify thousands of toxic chemicals out of your body but doing it in a way that’s very safe. There are many chemicals in our environment like Bisphenol A, PCB’s, heavy metals, certain toxic plastics, and biosolids. What you may not realize is biosolids are treated sewage sludge. It’s very interesting how certain groups use public relations to make something that is normally harmful to the environment sound as though it’s good for you. They came up with this new term ‘biosolids’ and actually redefined treated sewage sludge as a’ nutrient rich organic by-product’. Biosolids contain over 60,000 toxic substances. This is the stuff that exits your toilet, and it goes right into a sewage treatment plant where they are processing this material and actually selling it as an ingredient in your pet food, animal feeds, and in fertilizer. There’s at least 80,000, probably hundreds of thousands of different poisons or toxins called xenobiotics that we are exposed to on a daily basis.

Our bodies have a defense mechanism for these toxins.  It is a series of detoxification pathways that will turn these poisons into harmless particles which is then eliminated through our waste and urine.  This is called biotransformation, where you have these very powerful enzymes called cytochrome P-450 enzymes that are meant to breakdown all these poisons and keep us healthy. So, what should you be doing or eating to keep these toxins from causing disease?

Cruciferous Vegetables

There is a really interesting book called The International Agency of Research on Cancer by the World Health Organization, and it talks about cruciferous vegetables and their ability to induce biotransformation. If there is one thing you should be consuming on a regular basis it’s cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, arugula, and bok choy.

Bile salts

Your body makes its own bile, but you can also take a bile supplement. This is very important because anytime you do a detox you should always start by taking bile salts for a few days and then do a detox because taking purified bile salts helps to start the flow through the liver. When you start to detoxify you start killing off certain pathogens that release endotoxins that then shut down the bile ducts. That’s why you might feel toxic from detoxifying.  So, bile salts help you eliminate xenobiotics naturally. The chemicals from your liver should be coming out with the help of bile salts. Also, the microbes in your gut help you detoxify, and they also have the ability to make this cytochrome P-450 enzyme to help you breakdown these poisons. One recommendation is to combine cruciferous vegetables with probiotics.  For example, if you were to take a prebiotic that has fiber as in cabbage and fermented it into sauerkraut then it is not just cruciferous but it’s a prebiotic and a probiotic. So, sauerkraut is a great food to help you detoxify.  The great thing about doing this with food is it happens slowly so you don’t really feel it. There’s many other different vegetables and herbs that will help you detoxify such as garlic, rosemary, thyme and clove. All of these have the enzyme cytochrome P-450.

Fasting

Another thing to make note of is that a lot of these chemicals create a lot of free radical damage in the body but the foods that you eat have antioxidants. However, your body also makes antioxidants called endogenous antioxidants. This is especially true when you fast. When you’re fasting you are putting your body into state of autophagy which not only accelerates repairing the damage in the body but also the clearing out of pathogens. Fasting will help increase your endogenous antioxidant networks so you will have a lot more antioxidants. Not to mention your immune system will be stronger and the body will resist the stress from the free radical damage.

Read labels

Certified organic foods do not contain biosolids so it would be best to try and eat as much organic food as possible.  It would also be a good idea to make sure when you buy pet food that you read the ingredients to make sure it does not have what’s called “nutrient rich organic by-products” because it sounds like it’s really healthy but it’s not because it’s just another name for biosolids.

Fake Food Secrets Exposed! Here’s the Juicy Details

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It may surprise you to know that most people live on a diet that is comprised of mostly fake foods. This could come as a surprise because the differences between real food and fake food can be very subtle, and often confusing. Knowing this, is it any wonder why there is a link between our diet and chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some cancer?

You may also be wondering why fake food even exists. There are many factors that contributed to the production of fake food. After World War 2 chemical agriculture grew in response to starvation and hunger, replacing natural organic methods of farming with fertilizers and pesticides. Supermarkets replaced butchers, bakers and farmers and canned and packaged foods predominated.

Farming practices changed dramatically which affected food production and now 10 companies now control the overall food supply some of which are Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Kraft, Unilever, General Mills, Nestle, Mars, Kellogg, Proctor & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson.

In some areas of the world affected by climate, war or other factors, the consumption of fake food has increased by more than 95 percent.

Here is a list of some fake foods that might surprise you.

Fake Steak

Some restaurants and caterers used pieces of meat that have been glued together with something called meat glue. The glue is called transglutaminase. There are a couple of problems with this glue. First, they must re-handle the meat so there is increased risk of adding more bacteria to the meat. Secondly, they don’t have to actually tell you the process of how they make this glue. Originally it came from blood plasma from either a cow or pig and then they combine that with certain things like bacteria. But then they evolved to just fermenting a bacteria to make these enzymes that make this glue. But the problem in all of this is that they are not very transparent. You don’t really know how they’re making it. If you are eating anywhere where there’s bulk filet mignon, you might want to ask them if they use meat glue.

Parmesan Cheese

Unfortunately, most parmesan cheese does not come from Parma Italy. Most parmesan cheese is made with a mixture of cheap cheeses like cheddar cheese or powdered mozzarella cheese with added cellulose, and a mold inhibitor. What is even worse is the FDA makes it legal to sell this fake parmesan cheese and that is because the cellulose is from natural sources.  This source is wood pulp, and it is between 4 to 20% of the ingredients. So, one-fifth of the product is wood.

Crab sticks

Imitation crab meat has another name- surimi. They take random fish flesh or fish leftovers and add some starch whether it’s from potato, wheat, corn, tapioca and mix that with some MSG to add flavoring.  Then they have to add crab flavoring because it doesn’t taste like crab and some protein but that protein is either egg white protein or soy protein. They also put some sugar in like sorbitol and some soy oil or other vegetable oils. Then they sprinkle a little sodium benzoate as a preservative to make it last longer. Then of course they add colouring to make it look like crab.

Fake tuna

Precooked canned tuna or even packaged tuna is another to look out for. One company that did some investigation into this found that 21% of the companies they found did not contain actual tuna. It was mislabeled. Instead of having tuna they had another fish called escuela. This fish is also known as butterfish or oil fish. It was banned in Japan from 1977 because they said it was too toxic. They even have a name for it, “ex-lax fish” because of the side effects of diarrhea or anal leakage. If you see your tuna looking extremely white, almost opaque white, then it is not tuna.

Extra virgin olive oil

80% of extra virgin olive oil is not extra virgin. Extra virgin means it’s processed very quickly and cold pressed.  It’s a high-quality process so it has more antioxidants and when you consume it, it has a completely different taste and smell. It has a fresh smell and a taste that gives you a little tickle in the back of your throat. In the fake EVOO they add canola or just a blend of other oils so it is rancid, cooked, and heated.  It does not have the vital nutrients that real extra virgin olive oil has.

Maple syrup

Most maple syrups that you buy is either made from dark brown sugar or refined white sugar with maple syrup flavoring and artificial colorings. Some are even made with high fructose corn syrup. Because these ingredients don’t have the natural antioxidants as a preservative, they have to add preservatives like sodium benzoate and ascorbic acid to prevent this syrup from spoiling.

Truffle oil

Truffle oil comes from a very expensive mushroom. Instead, they use a flavoring molecule to make some other ingredients taste like truffle oil. They use this in restaurants a lot because it is a way to save money.

Powdered instant coffee

Some of the blended ingredients include cereal, caramel, starch, malt and figs. In addition, instant coffee has something called acrylamide that is a potentially very harmful chemical. This chemical is created when the beans are roasted. Instant coffee has more than double the amount as other types of coffee. It can affect the nervous system and increase the risk of cancer if you are consuming it regularly.

Wasabi

The vast majority of wasabi in the US is simply a mixture of horseradish, hot mustard, and green dye. It doesn’t actually come from the wasabi plant.  A report showed that up to 95% of the wasabi sold is not real wasabi. This is because wasabi is very difficult to grow and it’s extremely expensive. Also, when you take fresh wasabi and pulverize it, it only lasts for about 15 minutes meaning it loses its flavor. So, horseradish is used because it lasts a lot longer.

Commercial guacamole

The impostors are made with skim milk vegetable oil, water, emulsified egg yolks and a slew of gums and gels. It’s even created with isolated soy protein.  Of course, to make it look green they add food dye. Some commercial guacamole only has 2% avocado!

The Devastating Impact of Lack of Sleep

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What can happen if you have poor sleep for 14 days?  What actually happens overtime if you’re sleep deprived might shock you because every single cell in your body is connected to an internal clock that controls your circadian rhythms.

Symptoms of Poor Sleep

  • Tiredness – The most obvious symptom is you’re going to be tired which will lead to chronic fatigue.
  • No energy to carry out your daily tasks.
  • Cognitive function will suffer. This means that your memory is not going to be that great, you’re going to lose creativity, imagination, focus and concentration. You may notice brain fog and your mood will suffer.
  • Anxiety, depression, or irritability may show up and you’re going to have more overall stress.
  • The heart is greatly influenced by your sleep. The risk for having a heart attack and stroke goes up. The heart must constantly pump 24/7. It doesn’t have a chance to rest unless when you’re sleeping. But when you’re going through the day and you’re exercising or going through stress that is more strain on the heart.  So, at the very least it needs a good night’s rest to recoup and recover.
  • Hormones and the endocrine system are greatly influenced by your sleep cycles. Testosterone and libido are negatively affected by poor sleep. Infertility is another issue if you have poor sleep.
  • Inflammation increases with lack of sleep. You might have more pain.
  • Blood sugars rise because cortisol increases when you’re not sleeping. The stress hormone glucocorticoid increases so your body starts making more sugar even when you’re not eating. This is going to lead to more weight gain. Most of the fat that is burned is at night when you are sleeping. So, if you’re not sleeping, you’re not going to lose weight and you could potentially gain weight.
  • Immune system is highly influenced by the quality of sleep. People that don’t sleep are more susceptible to getting infections because they have a weakened immune system.

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How to Improve Sleep

  • Increase oxygen when you sleep. There are several plants that produce a lot of oxygen that can help you sleep and give you more oxygen.  One is called Pothos which is also called Devil’s Ivy and the other is Peace Lily. Keep these in your room and they’ll produce more oxygen for you. People also tend to sleep better with the window open.
  • Lighting is important when you’re sleeping. You want no light when you are sleeping and unfortunately, we have lights 24/7. If you live in the city, you have even more lights.  You also want to avoid blue light.  This is the kind of light that comes from cell phones, computers, tablets and even some of the lighting in your house. The reason why blue light is bad for sleep is because it inhibits melatonin. Red light or infrared light increases melatonin. So, if you are using incandescent lights in your house that’s very good because they will give off a lot of infrared.  Even a fireplace, candles and campfires will give off infrared light which are all really good for building up melatonin which can then help you sleep at night.  What’s interesting about melatonin is that it doesn’t necessarily cause sleepiness, but it is involved in the circadian rhythms, and you need enough of it to be able to get into a proper sleep cycle.
  • Getting enough sleep. We need about 7-8 hours of sleep in order to recuperate, regenerate and heal.
  • Temperature of the room is very important as well. You want your room to be on the cooler side between 64- and 68-degrees Fahrenheit because your body tends to sleep better when it’s cooler versus when the room is hot.
  • No liquids before bed. Try to get most of your water around dinner time and not past that so you can avoid getting up in the middle of the night. If you are getting up in the middle of the night to urninate, then fixing your insulin resistance will resolve this issue.
  • If you have pain and inflammation that keeps you up at night the solution for that is usually vitamin D3. You want to take about 10,000 international units before bed and that should usually resolve that issue. Vitamin D in general for most people before bed will help them sleep.
  • Reduce noise as much as possible. If you can wear ear plugs that will help.

 

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  • If you’re thinking too much or trying to resolve problems instead of sleeping, then taking vitamin B1 helps to turn that off and that can help you drift off into a better sleep. Another helpful tip is to write things down. Jot down a short list of tasks you want to accomplish the next day.  A short list won’t overwhelm you but will allow you to achieve the tasks on your list.
  • Cramps in your feet is usually caused by a magnesium deficiency. It could also be a potassium deficiency. If you get cramps, chances are you need to look at what you are eating or not eating.
  • If you have a higher pulse rate that is going to affect your sleep greatly and that usually is a potassium deficiency. So, you need to consume foods high in potassium which are usually vegetables, in larger quantities. You could also take a potassium supplement. Another cause of high pulse rate is your pH is too acidic.
  • Stress is an obvious disrupter of sleep. There are many things you can do for stress and of course exercise is at the top of the list. But physical work is a little bit better than exercise because it doesn’t give you a chance to focus in on problems that are on your mind. When you’re working on something your mind can focus on the task at hand. Ashwagandha is a good supplement as is lemon balm tea and vitamin B1 which you can get in the form of nutritional yeast.
  • Kiefer before bed. It has a combination of not just good bacteria but friendly yeast as well. This is going to help your gut and you will also make more neurotransmitters like L tryptophan and serotonin. Serotonin turns into melatonin which we already know is important for sleep.
  • Melatonin – one good way to get melatonin naturally is to be out in the sun. The sun’s rays give out various wavelengths, infrared is one of them, and that increases melatonin. Just getting outside, without direct sun exposure is enough. You can actually wear a hat, sunglasses and clothes that cover most of your skin because infrared can still penetrate clothing.
  • Avoid stimulants like caffeine, tea or even chocolate later in the day.

Here’s What Happens to You When You Cut Out Sugar!

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We’ve all heard that sugar is bad for you but do we know why?  Let’s take a look at what cutting out sugar  would to to our bodies and by understanding this we can learn how to live healthier lives.

Lose Your Appetite for Sugar

Every time you consume sugar it triggers a hormone that pushes your blood sugars down causing a low blood sugar state, essentially hypoglycemia to some degree. This will cause you to crave sugar so by cutting out sugar you get rid of the craving for sugar.

Less Hunger

Sugar keeps you hungry all the time so when you give it up you decrease hunger because you stabilize your blood sugars. Without sugar your cells can be actually fed.  This is because sugar is toxic to the body, and it will start rejecting it.  This is called insulin resistance, when the body is blocking insulin because that controls sugar. What your body is really trying to do is limit amount of sugar inside the cells.  So, the body doesn’t consider sugar a good thing, it’s a bad thing and when you give up sugar it could reverse this process. Without sugar you can now absorb proper amounts of fuel, absorb nutrients much better, and absorb minerals and vitamins.

Less Fatigue

When you consume sugar, you will notice that you feel tired especially after eating a meal. This has to do with blood sugar levels.  Cutting sugar out of your diet allows blood sugar levels to stabilize which means your brain and body are getting the fuel and nutrients it needs for energy.

Loss of Excessive Water and Fat

For the first week off of sugar you’re going to get rid of a lot of water and some fat. But after that you will start to lose both fat and water.  You would be surprised how much fluid you can retain.  Some people within one week can lose about 13 pounds of fluid they are holding which is not healthy for the heart. You will notice fat loss especially on the midsection.  Your waist is one of the best indicators of too much sugar. If you reduce the sugar, the waistline shrinks.

Enhanced Mood

Cutting out sugar will lead you to be a lot calmer, less stressed and you’re going to be in a better mood which is also good for the people around you. Also, your cognitive function will improve because you’re going to feel more focused. You may better concentration and more attention to focus on your projects.

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Improved Skin

Less sugar means better skin.  It is going to look much better, have less acne and more glow. The skin is a reflection of what happens when you consume sugar.  With high sugar levels your insulin goes up and so do the androgen hormones.  In females, high androgen levels will create acne. In a male body the increase insulin will lower testosterone so you’re going to have other problems that are associated with low testosterone.

Less Stiffness

When you cut out sugar you will notice less inflammation and less pain. What happens is that you are converting your fuel source from sugar to fat, and it takes three days of cutting down the carbohydrates and sugar to do so. You may have a worsening of the symptoms for three days but for most people three days is manageable.  But if you take some B vitamins from nutritional yeast and some potassium you probably won’t have any symptoms. At the cellular level your building new enzymes to run your body off fat fuel. Your cells are literally changing over to a different fuel source. You’ll also have decreased inflammation in your arteries which will prevent a clot or plaquing and help reduce the risk of a stroke and a heart attack. Also, you’ll start growing brain cells because your body is running off a different source of fuel called ketones and ketones support the growth of nerve cells.

Healthier Liver

Some of this fat that’s been accumulating in your liver will start to shed and you can use that as fuel. So, you’re initiating a cleansing of the liver. As a side note, if you have a large belly, chances are you have a fatty liver.

Better Kidney Function

If we take a look at a diabetic, the kidneys are the target for the disease. When you actually cut down the amount of sugar and carbs you can improve to their function greatly.

https://www.nature.com/articles/482027a

5 Ways Word Games Boost your Brain Health

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Regarding mental health, it is best to keep things simple. Word games are a fun activity that many individuals participate in. These games put your lexical knowledge and expertise to the test. 

Word games are among those dual-purpose games that can be used for amusement and teaching. These games impact your cognitive function whether you are playing for enjoyment or to learn. Many individuals think that playing such games keeps their minds fresh. Continue reading to understand how word games boost one’s mental health.

Improves your Concentration 

Playing word games necessitates a high degree of attention. The game is based on how concentrated you can be when identifying brain teasers, solving riddles, and deciphering clues. 

Despite how challenging the game was, you will always find it refreshing once you are done. Furthermore, the greater the complexity, the more concentrated you are during the game. 

After all, who denies needing good concentration power at some point in their lives? No one, for sure. So if you want to keep your concentration and focus at its peak, you should play more. 

Moreover, our attention spans have shrunk dramatically due to messages, emails, and multitasking. This leaves us with few opportunities to focus on a single task. Playing word games demands focusing on the board and planning your next move ahead of time. So training your brain to focus can be highly beneficial for both children and adults. 

Aids Psychological Well-being 

Keeping an active mind requires more than just studying and memorizing; it also entails keeping a sound and healthy mindset. If you wish to have keen cognitive talents, you must take care of your mental health. 

Many folks consider that distracting their brains with a word game is calming and stress-relieving. It allows them to escape the innermost anxieties and troubles they may have had during the day. To put it differently, it is one of the many helpful and healthy breaks a person can enjoy every day to improve their mental health. 

Your self-confidence is enhanced due to crafting complex words and scoring double and triple letter words. It makes no difference whether you win or lose. Word games are also known for bringing out creative and innovative sides of a person as they think of new words and try to figure out where they should go on the board.

Helps with Memory 

Anyone with a fish brain is aware that it is not the best they want. Word games have been demonstrated in studies to help your brain by improving memory. They stimulate your hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for long-term and short-term memory. 

You will notice that the more you play, the more it gets difficult. Most word games need you to decode letters, and it is always a smart option to hunt for more practice and help resources online, for example, a jumble solver. They help in solving jumbled words and can solve just any word puzzle. This also strengthens memory by reinforcing old knowledge with new knowledge. 

It will eventually dawn on you that having a better recall is among the most valuable assets somebody can acquire. You will be far more likely to recognize specific items for a long period as your memory strength improves.

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Makes your Brain Work Harder 

A healthy brain is an active one. Word games need concentration and critical analysis, which holds your brain engaged. They do the same to your intellect as going to a gym does to one’s body: they exercise it. 

Your mind will constantly focus on finding strategies to master any word game as soon as you start it, regardless of how challenging it is. After that, you will notice that your brain is much more alert and capable of doing more tasks than it normally does. Moral of the story is that word games train your brain to change its activity.

Improves Cognitive Abilities 

Playing semantic games that strengthen mental abilities can help people improve their cognitive skills. If you are unsure how you should learn further about your intellectual capacity. 

Cognitive talents are the abilities that enable your brain to think, focus, memorize, and understand. After you have grasped this simple definition, you will see how word games can help you improve your cognitive abilities. 

When confronted with real-life problems, acquiring such a talent will come in handy. They are beneficial not only to your mind but also to your interpersonal skills and relationships with others.

Final Verdict 

Semantic games are a lot of fun since people of all ages can play them. You can enjoy playing word games and profit from the perks it can provide to your intellect, regardless of your age.

 

Fun Ways to Get Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth

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Oral health is one of the most crucial aspects of our overall well-being. With numerous dental products and services available today, like dentures, night guards, and cleaning and whitening services found in clinics like denturewinnipeg.ca, it is key that we take advantage of them for the sake of our oral health and appearance. This goes especially for kids.

Children need plenty of guidance when it comes to oral health.  How often have you reminded your kids to brush their teeth, but they still don’t do it? You’re not alone: many parents struggle to get their kids to brush their teeth regularly. But don’t worry, there are plenty of fun ways to encourage them. Try some of these ideas to get your kids to brush their teeth!

Make Dentist Visits Fun

If we’re being honest, a visit to the dentist is one of the least fun things that a kid can do, especially since a dentist’s office is hardly the most fun place. One of the best ways to help your kids promote healthy teeth, especially if you want to get them to brush, is to establish a healthy perception of the dentist.

Of course, many dentists make their offices as kid-friendly as possible, like Edmonton Emergency Dentist in Edmonton, especially in the case of a dental emergency, which can be a scary situation for a child. These dentist offices do their best and make an effort to make the child as comfortable as possible.

Although visits to the dentist are often stressful, there are things that you can do to make the experience fun, too. One way to make a dentist visit fun is by making a day of it. For example, after visiting the dentists, you can take them to eat their favorite food or visit an amusement park.

Teach with Games

Another thing you could do if you want to get your kids to brush their teeth is by teaching with games. Games have been added to education because educators have realized that kids learn faster when having fun.

One game that you could play with your kids is telling them that they are small, tiny, invisible monsters living on their teeth, and the only way to get rid of these monsters is by brushing them away. Of course, you’ll have to introduce this game in a fun way. Otherwise, it can be particularly scary.

Offer Rewards

The best way to make brushing their teeth fun for kids is by rewarding them for doing it. It can be easy to forget to reward your kids for the behaviors you want them to display, especially if you have been battling with them to do it in the first place.

However, it’s imperative to remember that positive reinforcement is a powerful motivator for young children, even adults. As such, every time your kids finish brushing their teeth, reward them somehow, whether it be with some playtime or introducing them to a new toy.

Set an Example

Another fun way to get your kids to brush their teeth is by setting an example. How can you expect your children to brush their teeth if they never see you doing it? More than this, when you brush your teeth, take it as an opportunity to make it seem like the most enjoyable activity in the world.

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Be the Test Subject

Very similar to setting an example, what you can do is be the test subject for your children. Some kids might be hesitant or nervous about brushing their teeth by themselves since it is quite a strange action if you think about it.

To counteract this, all you need to do is hand them the toothpaste and toothbrush and tell them to brush your teeth. While they are brushing your teeth, you can make it seem like you’re having fun. This will naturally make them want to do it, too.

Fun Toothpaste

Finally, if you want to inspire your kids to brush their teeth, consider buying fun toothpaste. There’s a very good reason why toothpaste for kids features fictional characters. If you know that your child’s favorite fictional character is Iron Man, try to find toothpaste with Iron Man on it. This creates a positive association with brushing their teeth, and they’ll be excited to brush their teeth using a toothpaste that has their favorite character on it.