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Researchers Develop New Super-Potent Antibiotic to Fight Resistant Bacteria

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Every hear of vancomycin? That the generic name for an antibiotic called vancocin HCL pulvules. Yes, it’s an antibiotic with a narrow range of usefulness, however, it’s still an important medication.

According to Drugs.com:

“Vancomycin is an antibiotic. When taken by mouth it fights bacteria in the intestines.”

“Vancomycin is used to treat an infection of the intestines caused by Clostridium difficile, which can cause watery or bloody diarrhea. It is also used to treat staph infections that can cause inflammation of the colon and small intestines.”

“Oral vancomycin works only in the intestines. This medicine is not normally absorbed into the body and will not treat other types of infection. An injection form of this medication is available to treat serious infections in other parts of the body.”

“Vancomycin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.”

While vancomycin may have been a useful antibiotic in fighting intestinal infections, it does have its harmful side effects like so many other drugs. One of the major side effects is ringing in the ears and even hearing loss. If that happens, a person needs to notify their doctor as soon as possible.

It can also be passed through breast milk, so any woman who is prescribed to take vancomycin and is breast feeding, should stop breast feeding as long as they are taking the antibiotic.

Like many antibiotics, some bacteria are found to be resistant to vancomycin. This is NOT evolution, but a matter of genetic selection. Like all superbugs, certain bacteria already contain the genetic information that makes them resistant to a specific medication. The medication will kill off all of the bacteria that are not resistant, leaving just those with the resistance to survive and multiply. Now that particular population of bacteria all has resistance since they are descendants of the few that previously contained the resistance in their genes. In reality, this is a loss of genetic variation and information which is the opposite of what evolution demands – an increase in genetic variation and information.

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute have announced that they found a way to make vancomycin many times more potent and durable. Their hope is that the newer super-potent form of the antibiotic is powerful enough to kill off the more resistant bacteria.

How much stronger is the new vancomycin? Depends upon the source you turn to. One source said the new form is 1,000 times stronger and another source says it’s 25,000 times stronger. Either way, the announcement may be huge in fighting some strong intestinal bacterial infections.

Regardless of the how many times more potent the new version is, the question is how is it in treating the intended antibiotic resistant bacteria infections? According to a report:

“A team from the California-based Scripps Research Institute have modified the antibiotic vancomycin, deeming the new variation ‘the first antibiotic to have three independent mechanisms of action’ in a press release made public Monday.”

‘Dr. Dale Boger, the lead scientist behind the development, said that the adapted vancomycin meant that ‘doctors would need to use less of the antibiotic to fight infection’.”

“The drug was tested on vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), a bacteria which can cause infections in the intestine, urinary tract and wounds. VRE is listed as being high priority on the World Health Organization’s ranking of bacteria which most urgently need research and development into new antibiotics.”

None of the reports said if the new super-potent form of vancomycin still has the same side effects or even if the side effects have also increased with the new increased potency. It seems that only time will tell what, if any, side effects will be with the new super-potent vancomycin, but it would be best if anyone taking it, knows what the possible side effects could be and to watch out for them.

Chocolate Helps Reduce Chance of AFib

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Image result for chocolatl

Chocolate brings smiles to many people. They like to give chocolate to friends, family and their special loved ones. Few people don’t like chocolate. To many people, especially women, chocolate is a major necessary food group all by itself. But what do you really know about chocolate, its origin, what it really is and its many health benefits?

Chocolate comes from the Theobroma cacao plant. The cacao beans are roasted and then ground. By itself, it’s a bitter tasting product, but when mixed with sweeteners like sugar, it becomes an extremely delicious treat.

The name comes from the Mayan Indians who called it ‘chocolatl’, meaning ‘food of the gods’. They introduced it to the Spanish who took the delicacy back to Europe.

The chocolate we know today is the product of the ground up roasted cacao beans and a variety of other ingredients. The more ground chocolate, the darker and richer the chocolate product is. Dark chocolate has more ground chocolate in it than lighter chocolates. Milk chocolate is when milk is added to make the chocolate product creamier.

Dark chocolate can have a more bitter taste without enough sweetener added, but the darker a chocolate a product is, the more health benefits it has. However, please note that while dark chocolate has a number of health benefits, that the amount of sweetener and other products added to the chocolate may not be nearly as healthy.

The following list of the health benefits of dark chocolate is a compilation from a number of sources:

  • Helps lower cholesterol
  • Helps prevent memory loss
  • Helps reduce risk of strokes
  • Helps reduce risk of heart disease
  • MAY benefit fetal growth and development
  • Helps reduce risk of diabetes
  • Helps blood circulation
  • Rich in needed minerals
  • Healthy antioxidant
  • Helps reduce sun damage to skin
  • Improves mood
  • Good for brain function
  • Helps lower blood pressure
  • Helps reduce appetite
  • Helps quiet coughs
  • Helps improve vision

There is a lot that can be said about each and every one of these health benefits, but for the purpose of this article, I want to focus on one new benefit discovered that helps with heart health.

Are you familiar with the term AFib? You hear it quite a bit on some popular television shows. It stands for atrial fibrillation, which is a quivering or irregular heartbeat. AFib, if not treated, can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart complication. In the US, there are nearly 3 million people who have been diagnosed with AFib.

A study done in Denmark shows that a small amount of dark chocolate eaten weekly can help reduce the risk of developing AFib.

“The study, published in the journal Heart, used data collected for a long-term study of about 55,500 people in Denmark. The participants were between 50 and 64 years old when the study began, and provided information about their diets when they entered the study between 1993 and 1997. Researchers then linked the diet data to Denmark’s national health registries to see who was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AFib).” …

“Based on their data, about 3,346 cases of AFib occurred in study participants over an average of 13.5 years. Those who ate one serving, which is about 1 ounce of chocolate per week, were 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation by the end of the study than those who reported eating chocolate less than once a month.”

“Those who ate 2 to 6 ounces per week were less likely to be diagnosed with AFib, while those who ate more than an ounce of chocolate per day were 16 percent less likely to have the condition. For women, the biggest risk reduction was linked to eating one serving of chocolate per week. For men, the biggest risk reduction was associated with eating two to six servings per week.”

By reducing the chances of AFib, that helps explain why so many sources say chocolate is good for heart health. Less AFib, means less chance of blot clots, stroke, heart disease and heart failure.

Lead author of the study, Elizabeth Mostofsky stated:

“I think our message here is that moderate chocolate intake as part of a healthy diet is an option.”

Note, she said it’s an option, not a requirement. Remember that the chocolate you eat is high in calories and sweeteners. While the chocolate itself may help reduce the risk of diabetes, the sweeteners added to it may increase the risk of diabetes. Moderation is the key.

Unknown Study to Help You Ward Off Colds and Flu

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There have been a number of studies on the beneficial health effects of hot peppers. One can do a search online and find a wealth of information touting adding hot peppers or cayenne pepper to your diet.

Health Freedom Resources lists five foods that will help boost your immune system and help lessen your chances of catching a cold or the flu. The five foods they list are:

1. Garlic: Contains allicin which helps fight off and kill bacteria and viruses. Helps to stimulate the immune system and ward of colds and flu.

2. Onions: They contain quercetin, which breaks up mucus in your head and chest and helps to boost the immune system. Onions also contain allicin which helps kill some bacteria and viruses and slows down the spread of others. Did you know that when you smell onions and your eyes tear and your nose runs, that it is also stimulating your immune system to fight infections?

3. Ginger: They contain shogaols and gingerols that help stimulate blood circulation and opens your sinuses. Ginger also helps sooth sore throats and helps remove mucus from the chest by making you cough.

4. Horseradish: Horseradish causes the body to heat up and encourages coughing which helps to breakup and expel mucus. It also increases blood flow that helps to flush out infections.

5. Cayenne pepper: Contain capsicum, which is a big source of vitamin C, which is a boost to the immune system. They also contain high amounts of antioxidants and beta carotene, which help boost immune system. They raise body temperature causing someone to sweat and increase immune system activity.

Another website, FitnessMagazine.com, also lists five foods that help fight colds and flu. Their list includes: whole grains, bananas, cayenne peppers, sweet potatoes and garlic.

However, there was one unofficial study about the beneficial effects of hot peppers in helping to prevent colds and flu. You will not find it anywhere on the internet or in any scientific or medical journal. I seriously doubt that it was ever published, but in my opinion, is THE most compelling study ever conducted.

When I was college, one of my classmates, Ben (he was in several of my classes), came from a copper mining town in east-central Arizona. His dad ran a local drug store and was the pharmacist. At the time, the town was small enough that virtually everyone relied on this drug store for many of their needs.

At the time I knew Ben and had the opportunity to meet his dad, I learned of a simple study his dad had been conducting for the past 15-years. Since he knew practically everyone in town, he also knew who was catching colds and the flu and who weren’t. Along with their names and how frequently they got sick, Ben’s dad always asked one question – did they eat hot peppers on a daily basis? He had 15-years of data that showed that the vast majority of people who caught colds and the flu either never ate hot peppers or only had them infrequently. Almost all of the people who rarely or never caught a cold or the flu, ate hot peppers daily. Oh, he checked a number of other factors, but the only single factor that he could point to as making a difference was the daily ingestion of hot peppers. Those who did, rarely got sick and those who didn’t were the ones that regularly got sick.

Take it for what you will, I just thought I would share this unknown study with you and let you make your own decisions. If you do catch colds and get the flu, do you eat hot peppers daily? Think about it.

Why Are Women More Prone to Asthma than Men?

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Take a good long look at a large bush. In a way, that’s what the inside of your lungs look like. As you breathe in, air flows into your windpipe which then branches to each lung. As they enter the lungs, they continue to branch more and more, forming smaller and smaller branches, much like a bush. These branches are called bronchioles, and it’s in the smaller ones where oxygen is taken into the blood while the blood releases carbon dioxide, which you exhale.

At times, certain things trigger increased inflammation of the bronchioles, causing them to swell and surrounding muscles to tighten. This leads to shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing and tightness in the chest. A severe asthma attack can lead to asphyxiation if not treated quickly.

Asthma is a condition where the bronchioles are constantly inflamed, but more so at times than others. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, there are four basic types of asthma:

1. Exercise induced asthma. A person can appear normal and healthy most of the time, but physical exertion such as exercising, can trigger increased inflammation of the bronchioles and an asthma attack.

2. Occupational asthma. This is when a person’s asthma is triggered by breathing in fumes, gases, dust and other particles in the air, often at a place of work.

3. Childhood asthma. This is when asthma develops in children, generally before the age of 5. Millions of children in America suffer from childhood asthma.

4. Allergic asthma. This is when asthma occurs in conjunction with allergies. Allergies to specific things can trigger asthma. I suffer from this kind of asthma. It happens to me whenever I walk through the soap and detergent aisles in the stores. It also happens with many perfumes or scents like those used in candles. I’ve found it hard to breathe in places like church when a woman sits in vicinity to me and is wearing a strong perfume. My wife has had to give up many of her perfumes, body washes, skin lotions and more. She’s had to reduce the amount of fabric softener to use in my laundry.

There is no cure for asthma. There are treatments, such as inhalers and medications that are used to help treat the symptoms and improve the quality of life, but even then, knowing what triggers the asthma is very important in helping to prevent serious attacks. It’s also important for those around you know of your asthma so they can properly respond and get you help if need be.

Did you know that asthma affects more women than men?

Researchers have discovered that a recently discovered immune cell, called innate lymphoid cells, plays a role in allergic asthma. They have also discovered that the male hormone testosterone suppresses the production of the innate lymphoid cells, thus reducing the chances of developing allergic asthma.

According to lead author of the research, Cyril Seillet:

“Our research shows that high levels of testosterone in males protect them against the development of allergic asthma. We identified that testosterone is a potent inhibitor of innate lymphoid cells, a newly-described immune cell that has been associated with the initiation of asthma.”

“Testosterone directly acts on ILC2s (which are innate lymphoid cells) by inhibiting their proliferation. So, in males, you have less ILC2s in the lungs and this directly correlates with the reduced severity of asthma.” 

The ILC2 cells have been found to occur naturally in the lungs, skin and other organs of the body. They have been found to produce proteins that are inflammatory to the lungs and can, over prolonged periods, damage lung tissue. In turn, the person become far more susceptible to allergy induced asthma.

Obviously, treating women suffering from allergic asthma with testosterone is not a wise and simple solution as it can have a number of other changing effects on her body. However, learning the role that the ILC2 cells play in the onset of allergic asthma and how testosterone inhibits that process, may help researchers in time learn a way to actually treat and reverse this form of asthma and possible other forms as well.

12 Surprising Beauty Uses for Baking Soda

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You probably have baking soda in your pantry to use in homemade baked goods, and maybe a box in your refrigerator to absorb odors. It turns out that this $1 kitchen staple can also be used as a cheap DIY alternative to many expensive spa treatments. Arm & Hammer, a household products manufacturer best known for its bright-orange boxes of baking soda, suggests these solutions for smoother hair, brighter skin, whiter teeth, and more.

Hair Clarifier

If mousses, serums, sprays, and other products build up in your hair, in can take on a vaguely sticky feeling and limp appearance. Baking soda to the rescue: sprinkle a quarter-size amount of baking soda into a dollop of your regular shampoo. Wash and rinse as usual. Your hair will be shinier and more manageable when you’re done.

Dry Shampoo Alternative

We love dry shampoo for mornings when we’ve overslept, for quick post-gym touchups, and for hot summer days when we’re greasy by 5 p.m. When you need to look presentable in a flash and don’t have a can of dry shampoo on hand, sprinkle a few pinches of baking soda onto your roots, tousle your hair, and then run a brush through your mane.

Hairbrush cleaner

Take a close look at your hairbrush and you may be totally grossed out by what you see built up toward the base of the bristles. Rather than tossing it right into the garbage can, remove this product residue by soaking your brushes and combs in a basin of warm water with 1 teaspoon of baking soda for about 20 minutes. Rinse, and then allow to dry on a towel before using.

Facial scrub

Love that deep-clean feeling you get from a facial scrub with microbeads? These products may do wonders for your skin, but they’re also doing a number on our environment. These tiny plastic beads slip through water filtration systems and are making their way into our streams and oceans, posing risk to fish and other wildlife. A safe alternative: Make your own exfoliating facial scrub using baking soda. Make a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water. Rub onto your face with gentle, circular strokes, then rinse with warm water.

Body Exfoliator

Your skin will look dull and ashy if you allow dry, dead cells to build up on the surface. Speed cell turnover and get an enviable all-over glow by exfoliating once a week. No need to buy an expensive scrub; make your own with baking soda by using the same formula as your face: one part water to three parts baking soda.

Artificial Tan Remover

Have you ever applied self-tanner expecting a summery bronzed glow and instead ended up with orange skin or unsightly streaks? Next time you have a self-tanner mishap, you don’t have to wait for it to fade away. Use the body exfoliator formula—one part water to three parts baking soda—to gently scrub it away.

Deodorant

If you have sensitive skin, you may be able to use a dusting of baking soda in place of store-bought deodorant. Baking soda neutralizes acids and bases, so it removes odors. It also won’t stain your clothes the way many antiperspirants can.

Razor Burn Soother

A razor burned bikini line can be painful, not to mention unsightly. Soothe your sensitive skin with a solution of 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon of baking soda. Allow the solution to dry on your skin (it will take about 5 minutes), and then rinse with cool water. Men can also use this same formula for a pre-shave or after-shave treatment on their face as long as they avoid the eye area.

Nail Scrub

Instead of snipping off your cuticles after pushing them back, which can lead to infection, try using a baking soda scrub to exfoliate and smooth. Just dip a nail brush into a paste of three parts baking soda to one part water, run in a circular motion over your hands and fingers, and rinse clean with warm water. Then apply nail polish as usual.

Footbath

You can repeat the nail scrub on your toes, and you can take your at-home pedicure a step further by making a soothing footbath using a solution of thee parts baking soda to one part warm water. Let your feet soak in a basin for about 10 minutes, and then apply a rich lotion to your legs and feet. Wrap a warm towel around them, and let sit for another 5 to 10 minutes. Your legs and feet will then be salon smooth.

Itchy Skin Reliever

You don’t have to settle for skin that’s dry, itchy, and uncomfortable in the cold winter months.Taking a warm bath (not hot—that’ll make your dry skin problem worse!) with a half-cup of baking soda will soften and soothe your whole body. You can also take a cool baking soda bath in the summer to relieve sunburn or bug bites.

Tooth Whitener

For whiter teeth without all the chemicals that come with home whitening kits, simply sprinkle baking soda into your palm, dip a damp toothbrush into it, and brush your teeth for about a minute. Note: you shouldn’t use baking soda as a replacement for toothpaste. Toothpaste contains fluoride, which is important for preventing cavities.

Source: health.com

12 Super Foods for Preventing Hair Loss

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Hair loss is a common problem among people all over the world, man or women, and the most annoying thing is to see your hair strands in your hands when you brush, oil, shampoo or even on your pillow when you wake up in the morning. The key to triumph over the problem of hair loss is nutritious and healthy food. In the following article will are going to present you some of the super foods that you can use to prevent hair loss.

1.  Beans

This amazing super food should be part of your diet every day. Beans are rich in protein, which is one of the most important element for shiny and strong hair. The nutrients contained in the beans are keeping your hair safe especially in the cold days when it gets frizzy faster and it gets dry easily. By beans we mean: soybeans, pinto beans, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, etc.

2.  Egg

We are aware that our hair is made of hence and proteins; so it is necessary to consume more protein – rich diet in order to keep our hair healthy.  And because eggs are one of the wealthiest sources of proteins, they are the best for providing strength to your hair. They are effective in preventing hair loss in both ways, applying them on your hair or eating them.

3.  Salmon

The proteins and omega – 3 fatty acids found in salmon are excellent for treating hair loss. They are effective in maintaining the hair shaft and a healthy scalp. With the consumption of salmon you are hydrating the scalp and hair, thus solving the troubles of dry and frizzy hair.

4.  Spinach

Popeye’s food is highly recommended to people of every age group to be consumed every day, because it is packed with a number of nutrients, omega fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, iron, minerals and potassium, which are all highly advisable for maintaining the hair healthy.

5.  Oats

Oats are the only super food that contains every nutrient, needed for our hair. Oats deliver a good quantity of B vitamins and protein, copper, zinc, which are some of the salient micronutrients for ending the problems of hair loss.

6.  Beef

There is a common belief that people, who experience the problem of hair loss, are deficient in protein and iron. Beef is a kind of red meat, which is regarded as the extraordinary source of protein, fatty acids and iron. Beef keeps the supply of blood to the hair stable, thereby fighting the problems of hair loss.

7.  Sweet Potato

The easiest way of consuming loads of vitamin A, copper, iron, protein, is with the consumption of sweet potato. This minerals and vitamin are essential for keeping the problems of hair loss away. It makes the tissues of the hair and scalp strong.

8.  Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are one of the best super foods for getting strong and long hair. It is full with nutrients, such as zinc, magnesium, biotin, B vitamins, protein, vitamin E, iron, potassium, copper, calcium and selenium. These all are cooperative in stopping the hair loss.

9.  Green Peas

You must not underestimate peas because they are small! In fact, in terms of their nutritional benefits their power is massive. Peas are also a healthy source of vitamin C, beta – carotene, protein, which are excellent for strong hair.

10.  Nuts

Cashews, walnuts, almonds, pecans and various other nuts are a very effective therapy for hair loss. The essential oils and vital nutrients that they enclose in them are fantastic for the heart, hair health, brain, and also for the skin.

11.  Carrot

Carrots, besides being good for the eyes, they are also proficient in keeping the hair and scalp healthy. Add carrots in your diets at least once a week and you will see how effective it is for you. Carrots are packed with vitamin A, which produces a healthy oily chemical on the scalp, called sebum. Sebum is keeping the hair and scalp safe from getting dry and dirty.

12.  Wheat Germ

If the problem with hair loss is bugging you for a long time, you must insert wheat germ in your diet as soon as possible. It is a powerhouse of nutrients that promote the healthy hair growth. Wheat germ is an amazing source of zinc, dietary copper, fiber, which are cooperative in keeping the hair healthy.

Source: healthyandnaturallife.com

Why You Should Eat Avocados Every Day (If You Aren’t Already!)

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Avocados are truly one of nature’s little miracle foods and we encourage you to enjoy them several times a week. These little green gems can do so much to help keep you well from head to toe, they’re simply too good to pass up. Here are a few thoughts on why you need to get to know them better — and eat them more often:

1. Relax. Avocados won’t make you fat!

The heyday of food-fat-phobia is over. If you’re still avoiding avocados because of some misguided, left-over-from-the-80’s belief that avocados will make you fat, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You’re also missing out on an excellent source of monounsaturated fat – the good fat also found in olive oil – that helps boost heart health.

What’s more, those good fat and fiber-rich avocados can also help curb hunger. Studies indicate that meals which include avocado tend to increase feelings of satiety for longer than those without, so consider adding a few avocado slices to your daily diet to help tame between-meal munchies.

2. An avocado is a creamy, delicious, nutrient-bomb.

As with many superfoods, it’s what’s inside that counts, and avocados are a nutritional goldmine. What’s inside? In addition to “good” monounsaturated fat, avocados pack plenty of health-boosting nutrients to help your body thrive. Underneath the tough green exterior lies over 14 minerals; protein, complete, with all 18 essential amino acids; soluble fiber, to trap excess cholesterol and send it out of the system; phytosterols; polyphenols; carotenoids; omega 3s; vitamins B-complex, C, E and K, to name a few.

3. They do amazing things for your long-term health.

OK, so avocados are packed with nutrition, but what does it all mean in practical terms? It means a belly that feels fuller longer; a brain that’s being well-supplied with the nutrients needed to function optimally now and down the road; and a body that’s receiving the nutrition it needs to help protect it from heart disease, diabetes, cancer, degenerative eye and brain diseases.

What’s more, all those nutrients, good fats and fiber in avocados can help naturally lower LDL and raise your good HDL cholesterol, help regulate blood sugar and tamp down inflammation throughout the body and brain. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why it’s called a superfood.

4. Avocados play well with others.

With their distinct fresh green flavor and creamy (dairy-free!) texture, avocados play well with lots of the other foods on your plate. What’s truly remarkable though is that the research indicates that avocados can help with the absorption of carotinoids, the compounds found in orange and red fruits and veggies that can help protect against cancer. So while they may seem a bit indulgent, avocados could turn out to be lifesavers. Here few ways to dig in:

-Add a quarter of an “avo” to your morning shake – or try my Chocolate Avocado smoothie.

-Enjoy an avocado half as a nutritious side dish with your morning eggs instead of potatoes or toast.

-Spread a few avo slices on toasted paleo bread for a quick pre-workout or mid-day snack.

-Add a half an avo to your lunchtime salad to keep you full till dinner — and hold the mayo!

-Add as a delicious “mix-in” for quinoa, beans or wild rice.

-Top hot or cold soups with chunks of avo to add fiber and “super-size” the nutrients in your bowl.

-Blend with lemon juice, water, vinegar, spices and whip into a nutritious creamy salad dressing or blend in a touch more liquid and drizzle the zesty sauce over chicken and fish dishes.

-Top burgers, egg dishes, chicken or fish with avo slices, or mash into guacamole.

-Blend up your own super-nutritious home-made baby food by combining avocado with fruits and veggies to get little ones off to a healthy start.

5. Treat them right and they’ll return the favor.

At times it can be tricky to find an avocado that’s ready to eat with tonight’s dinner, so a little advance planning is necessary. True avo aficionados recommend buying a few firm ones at a time and then strategically staggering the ripening process so the avocados are ready when you are – and don’t all turn ripe at the same moment.

To expedite ripening, AvocadoCentral.com suggests sealing one or two avocados at a time into a brown paper bag, along with an apple or banana. Over the course of 2 to 3 days, the brown-bagged fruit will release gasses, which will aid the ripening process. Remove the ripe-and-ready-to-eat avo, replace with a firm unripe one, reseal the bag, and repeat!

Some tips:

-Buying avocados? The good news is that conventionally grown avos make the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 List, meaning they’re relatively free of pesticides, and are OK to eat as an alternative to organic versions.

-Cut into your avocado before it’s fully ripened? Spritz the exposed fruit with lemon juice, cover or wrap tightly and let it ripen in the fridge for a day or two. If that’s not enough, salvage the fruit, cut into chunks and add to your next smoothie.

-How you cut and peel your avo matters more than you might think. To do it right, wash the outer skin and pat dry. Cut in half lengthwise. Pop out the seed with a spoon or tap a knife across the top of the seed to slightly imbed it and twist (but be careful not to hit your fingers). Instead of scooping out the fruit, peel skin off gently with your fingers to get the maximum nutritional bang for your buck. Turns out, the dark green fruit closest to the skin is the most nutritious.

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Photo:stockpilingmoms.com

Source: mindbodygreen.com

Do You Have Brain Fog? Check Out Tips To Get Free of the Fog.

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Have you ever walked around my home feeling like a thick blanket of fog had invaded your brain.

Staring blankly at your computer screen, wondering, “what am I supposed to be doing right now?” walk into a room and think, “why did I come in here?” Have you ever been at a store and wonder, “why am I here? Now, what was I supposed to get again?”

Have you ever felt so foggy in your brain that you couldn’t focus on tasks or concentrate on anything…at all? Have you ever almost forgotten to pick your child up at school or that you had an important meeting? I have. And it’s the worst feeling.

You know, that one where you feel that pit in your stomach…that knot telling you you’re forgetting something but you don’t remember what that is. While I was in the throes of thyroid disease, this happened often. It was debilitating. I felt like a fool. I found myself embarrassed often…forgetting names, appointments and to-dos. There was no lighthouse in my brain to guide my way to shore…to my thoughts and ideas. I wondered if I was losing my mind.

Has this ever happened to you?

One of the many and MAJOR symptoms, or clues, that your thyroid may be imbalanced is the experience of having brain fog. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear in my practice and it’s one of the first symptoms we work on banishing to help clients reclaim their lives.

Are you losing your mind?

We have these immune cells in our brain called microglia. 10-15% of all cells in the brain are microglial cells. This is important to note because they are a powerhouse cell which mount the body’s first and main active form of immune defense in the central nervous system…..brain fog and a crazy nervous system, sound familiar?

Anyway, when these microglial cells get agitated by inflammation from a thyroid imbalance perhaps brought on by our diet or lifestyle, they mount a pretty potent attack on the brain and create that feeling of brain fog.

This is the same process linked to disorders such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory conditions.

It’s all connected.

When we’re working to reverse a thyroid condition, we have to address multiple systems in the body at the same time. This is why there is no magic bullet, no quick fix to thyroid disorders (man, do I wish there was!) A thyroid imbalance or immune dysfunction is created by a multiple systems break down. So, when we want to banish that brain fog, we MUST look at several systems – the brain, the belly, our detox pathways, diet and lifestyle.

5 ways to start banishing brain fog

Remember those 5 areas we need to address initially to jump-start healing? Here are simple ways you can address each area effectively and start seeing some serious relief.

1. Heal the gut

Inflammation can start in the gut and the gut-brain connection is undeniable. We could discuss the science behind this all day but let’s talk about some quick tips to start lowering the inflammation in your gut and your brain.

Whether it comes to thyroid health, losing weight, halting the autoimmune response, reducing inflammation or ridding yourself of draining symptoms like brain fog, healing your gut is the first place to start. So, let’s talk about some real world strategies.

Trade your cup of Joe for a cup of bone broth.

Say what?

Cooking the bones, tendons, skin, and other parts of the animal that we don’t otherwise eat to make bone broth releases many beneficial vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting substances into the broth in forms that are easy for our bodies to digest and use.

For example, bone broth contains collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that are great for your health, as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and others that reduce inflammation, support the immune system, and even help heal allergies and other disorders.

Gelatin, which is produced from the breakdown of collagen, is particularly helpful for those of us with leaky gut and other digestive issues, because it can actually soothe the lining of the digestive tract and help heal and reverse dietary allergies and food sensitivities.

All of these substances are also anti-inflammatory, which is incredibly important for people fighting autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s and who want to limit inflammation in the brain.

Get your probiotic on.

As part of any gut health program, you’ll want to include potent probiotics to repopulate your gut with the good bacteria.

Support your digestive juices.

If you frequently suffer from heartburn, it might not just be the foods you eat, but an underlying problem of poor digestive enzyme activity. Betaine HCL + Pepsin can help increase stomach acid and enzyme activity. One caveat, though: you don’t want to supplement with HCL for so long that your body doesn’t rely on itself to produce stomach acid. This is a great jump start as you begin healing the gut but you should taper off use as your gut is repaired. This is a supplement that I recommend you take under the supervision of a knowledgeable practitioner.

2. Go gluten-free

Gluten molecules resemble thyroid tissue. They are highly inflammatory in the gut and the brain. If you have intestinal permeability (leaky gut) or a sensitivity to gluten (which most people with thyroid conditions do), your body will mistakenly attack your thyroid believing it is attacking the gluten molecules.

What happens with autoimmune disease is that the body is having an overactive immune response against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In addition, the thyroid gland is connected to so many of the body’s systems including gastrointestinal function, stomach acid production, adrenal hormone metabolism, changes in brain chemistry and liver detoxification. So, when a gluten molecule escapes through the walls of the digestive tract and the body starts attacking the gluten, it inadvertently begins to attack the thyroid as well, continuing its destruction.

That’s pretty serious stuff. Educated doctors and thyroid researchers insist that if you want to stop the destruction of the thyroid and the brain, you must stop eating gluten.

You may have heard all of this before, but now is the time to start acting on it. If you truly want to heal your thyroid condition and eliminate brain fog, you’ve got to love your body enough to put your hands up and drop the croissant.

“How can I give up my pasta or pizza? What will I eat instead?” you wonder. “Will I ever be full?”

I promise you will and there are loads of delicious, naturally gluten-free foods out there. Giving up gluten seems unappealing and daunting, I know. But you can shift your thinking from giving something up to gaining something back: your health, a clear mind, an energized body. This is not an act of self-deprivation, my friend; it is an act of self love.

I’ve been through it, and before I started living gluten-free, I wasn’t sure how I would ever succeed. But I did succeed. And I learned loads of tips and tricks and have a host of new recipe resources to boot. I began feeling so much better after parting ways with gluten that I don’t even feel like I need it anymore. Sure, a piece of fresh-baked bread smells delightful but my body doesn’t actually crave it anymore. And if this former chef and total foodie can do it, so can you. So go ahead…just do it!

3. Make sleep a priority

Poor sleep is a typical symptom for people with thyroid disorders and often it is just accepted as something you have to live with as part of having the disease. The problem is that insomnia or restless sleep must be addressed so that your endocrine system can be supported in order to heal.

We can’t be flippant about a sleep disorder. Too often, it’s accepted, solely medicated or totally disregarded. Discovering the most effective way to get to sleep and sleep well is a must for loving yourself back to health.

Here’s why:

1. Sleep loss can cause weight gain.

2. Lack of sleep can make you feel depressed.

3. Sleep deprivation can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes.

4. Lack of sleep affects libido.

5. Sleepiness impairs judgments and makes you prone to/causes accidents.

6. Sleep loss affects intellect and memory. (uh, hello!)

7. Lack of sleep ages your skin. (Yikes!)

Sound familiar? A lot of the symptoms of not getting enough sleep mirror the symptoms of thyroid, autoimmune disease and brain inflammation, so you must make sure you’re getting enough sleep to be sure that your symptoms aren’t being caused or exacerbated by exhaustion.

Simple tricks for getting to sleep

  • Maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule. I did this by trying to go to bed 15 minutes earlier each night for 5 nights until I was able to fall asleep by 10pm. I also set my alarm for 6am each day so I could exercise. After 3 days on the 10pm–6am schedule, I started waking up at 6am naturally and was noticeably less foggy.

  • Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep. I can’t stress this enough. I know you’re tired now in the morning so you like your cup of coffee but giving it up could be the difference between sleepless nights and sound rest. I went from drinking coffee several times a day to doing a caffeine detox. I don’t need or crave caffeine anymore. It’s pretty amazing.

  • Make your bedroom a comfortable sleep environment. Keep your bedroom uncluttered and cozy with the right bedding, blankets and a heater (if you need it).

  • Establish a calming pre-sleep routine. For instance, read something spiritual or meditative before bed. It’s actually a great time to do a 10–15 minute meditation.

  • Go to sleep when you’re tired. Don’t stay up to watch the end of that TV show or keep reading to finish a chapter. Research shows that our body wakes itself up after 10pm. Once you’re up later in the night, you’ll get a second wind and may struggle with falling asleep altogether.

  • Keep lights low in the evening. Bright household lights and light from computers and other electronic devices can disrupt messengers in your brain from eliciting the sleep response.

  • Don’t nap close to bedtime. Eating a light meal really helps with this one. If you eat a heavy, carb-laden dinner, you produce chemicals which will make you sleepy and want to take a nap. Taking a nap after dinner is gonna make it hard to fall asleep when it’s best for your body. Six to eight hours of restful sleep each night is crucial for maximum rejuvenation. Interestingly, studies have shown that your body is able to rejuvenate better if you fall asleep in the hours before midnight. Meaning, if you are sleeping eight hours between 10pm—6am, you will feel more rested than if you slept eight hours between Midnight and 8am I can attest to that as I’ve tested it out myself. If I fall asleep by 10pm, I can jump out of bed at 6am and am actually energized enough to exercise. When I stay up late watching TV or reading and go to sleep at 11 or 11:30pm, I’ll drag in the morning even if I’m sleeping the same amount of time.

  • Try setting yourself a sleep schedule and sticking to it. If you feel resistance to this, ask yourself why. Make a list of the best excuses you can think of, and then ask yourself, “Is X more important than my health?” Be honest with yourself and remember that loving yourself enough to give yourself what you need is the key to supporting healing.

4. Dry brush the ditz away

Dry brushing is a great way to stimulate your lymphatic system and my favorite way to start the morning. It’s quick to do (takes about 5 minutes) and I swear, it’s better than a cup of coffee. Yes, I just said that! BETTER THAN A CUP OF COFFEE. When you dry brush, your skin becomes invigorated, your being is enlivened and your brain wakes up! Once I’m finished dry brushing, I’m ready to start the day.

Do you know what your lymphatic system does? I didn’t until mine stopped working. Your lymphatic system is an extensive network that exists virtually everywhere in the body. It serves as the body’s primary system of immunity as it functions to create immune cells. Like a cleaning crew, this system also flushes toxins out of the body and moves fat to the circulatory system.

Toxins in our body can create inflammation everywhere in the body, including the thyroid, the gut and the brain. Remember those microglial cells, they don’t like what toxins do in the body so eliminating our toxic burden is key to keeping things calm in the thyroid, gut and brain.

Lymph, the clear liquid moved through the body via your lymphatic system is full of white blood cells (lymphocytes) which are your body’s main tools when there is an immune response. Having an efficient and functioning lymphatic system is crucial to good health.

Here’s more on why dry brushing is so good for you:

  • It relaxes the nervous system. Although dry brushing can feel a little odd the first few times you try it, those bristle are helping to stimulate nerve endings in the skin which refreshes your nervous system and helps keep ‘ya calm.
  • It increases circulation, buffs and smoothes your skin (great at exfoliating dry skin) and is touted to reduce the appearance of cellulite (I haven’t done it enough yet to support that claim but you can bet your bum I’ll tell you if it works!)
  • It helps with nutrient absorption, removal of toxins and improves blood circulation. This helps you stay healthy and keeps your body running more efficiently—and is totally key for supporting your thyroid health. Simple steps to dry brushing at home:
    1. Buy a good dry brush.
    2. Make sure your skin is dry (best to do this before your bath or shower).
    3. Begin from bottom and move upwards. You’ll use gentle circular motions or longer smoother strokes or a combination of both. I like to do smooth strokes for the legs but round strokes for the ankles, knees, bum, tummy, and elbows.
    4. Always start at your ankles and move toward your heart. Make sure to move the brush in the same direction.
    5. When you get to your back brush from the neck down instead toward your lower back.
    6. Be careful with sensitive skin and never brush over sores, shingles, scars, sun burned areas or areas with skin cancer.

Now that I’m in the habit of dry brushing, I can’t go a day without doing it. It really helps banish brain fog. You’ll notice its power too!

5. Oxygenate that noggin’ with some exercise

Having a fit brain and body does a world of good for brain fog. When I’m feeling fatigued and foggy, I jump on a rebounder for 5 minutes.

Physical activity provides much needed oxygen and blood flow to the brain. It stimulates the expression of hundreds of protective genes, and creates Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), which is necessary to grow new neurons and help them survive. BDNF also protects your mature neurons from damage from stress, environmental toxins, and even traumatic brain injury.

Aerobic exercise has been shown to increase brain volume and to improve memory, concentration and executive function (complex thought and planning ability). Being sedentary, on the other hand, destroys your brain’s vascular network, which is why Alzheimer’s disease is now being called “type 3 diabetes” by some researchers.

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Photo:sclwl05.de

Your brain on the rebound

Ever heard of the exercise known as rebounding? You probably did it when you were a kid—without even knowing it! Rebounding is basically just bouncing on a trampoline or rebounder. It’s low-impact aerobic exercise that can jump-start your metabolism (pun intended!)—oh, and P.S. It’s pretty fun!

Rebounding is gentle enough for people who suffer from thyroid disorders and other chronic fatigue disorders, but it’s powerful enough to get your blood pumping and your body working. Plus, it helps your body detoxify by stimulating the lymphatic system and sweating out the toxins.

Rebounding reduces your body fat; firms your arms, legs, thighs, abdomen, and hips; increases your agility; strengthens your muscles overall; provides an aerobic effect for your cardiopulmonary systems; rejuvenates your body when it’s tired, and generally puts you in a state of mental and physical wellness. Wow!

That’s a lot of goodness from this one simple exercise. You can find an affordable rebounder and store it under your bed or in the closet. Mine sits in our closet and I hop on it for a minute or two before getting dressed in the morning.

Big Bonus Strategy

Reduce sugar!

Unfortunately, on a general level, sugar inhibits all healing. Sugar creates inflammation in your body and brain, turns off your body’s appetite-control function, leads to weight gain and belly fat, feeds candida (yeast) and has a host of additional toxic effects. All of that sounds terrible enough but it gets worse.

Many people with thyroid dysfunction seem to be especially sensitive to refined sugars or even consuming too many natural sugars. When you constantly consume sugar, you literally burn out your adrenal and thyroid glands and inflame your brain. There is a risk of damaging or even destroying the thyroid. If you don’t reduce or eliminate sugar in the diet, there is a risk for permanent damage and that’s no good!

Sugar can also affect your mood and energy levels.

I am not saying to cut sugar out of your diet forever. Fruits definitely have some health benefits as does raw honey, but by eliminating sugar from your diet for a short period of time, you let your body learn to regulate your blood sugar levels, get a better sense of when you’re actually hungry, increase your immune system’s ability to fight off illness, ward off candida infections and keep your brain functioning properly.

We dive deep into sugar detox in The Thyroid Fix in 6 but all you need to do to reduce your sugar is literally to stop eating it.

Banishing brain fog really gave me back my life…and it didn’t take that long to do it. By taking a few nourishing steps, like the ones listed above, I was able to see results quickly. So join me! Come out of the fog and see the light. It’s so clear out here….and now I know what I came in here for!

Source: hypothyroidmom.com

Is Your Body Harboring Millions of Dollars?

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Image result for blood bank

How many of you would like to get your hands on a million dollars or more? Silly question? It’s human nature to want more than what we have. That’s what leads to many wars and power-hungry politicians and world leaders.

That’s also why so many get-rich-quick schemes have bilked millions of dollars from people, who usually cannot afford it, who desire to get rich quick and improve their lifestyle. Pyramid schemes with promises of making people wealthy still thrive with only a few at the top getting rich and many being discouraged after shelling out hundreds of dollars.

What would it mean to you to learn that you had a rare trait that was worth millions of dollars to researchers and pharmaceutical companies?

That’s what happened to Ted Slavin, whose story was told in a best-selling and now movie – The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.

Many people make ends meet by selling their blood plasma. Depending on where one lives, you can make anywhere between $40 to $100 a week, just selling your blood. But what if you found that someone was willing to pay $10 for every milliliter of your blood?

Doesn’t sound like much? If you are a blood donor, a person gives about a pint of blood at a time. Let’s do some simple math. There are 29.573 milliliters in an ounce and there are 16 ounces to a pint. At $10 a milliliter, an ounce of blood would be worth about $295.73 which means a pint of blood would be worth about $4,731.68. On average, a person can donate blood 24 times a year, so at $4,731 a donation, that could tally up to about $113,544 a year or about $1.02 million in just 9 years. Don’t know about you, but that’s a whole lot more than I make.

So, what made Ted Slavin’s blood so valuable?

Slavin was born with hemophilia – the inability of the blood to clot. As he grew into an adult, he received numerous blood transfusions to help replace blood lost and to help provide the vital clotting factors he so desperately needed. A big negative about all of the blood transfusions was that Slavin was exposed to hepatitis B on different occasions. However, he never contracted the illness. When his doctor examined a sample of Slavin’s blood, he discovered that it was loaded with y-shaped proteins that acted as antibodies against the hepatitis B virus.

Slavin’s blood filled with the hepatitis B antibodies was quickly sought after by pharmaceutical companies. They wanted the antibodies to study and replicate in hopes of producing a treatment and/or vaccine to ward off hepatitis B. At the time, Slavin needed money, like most of us and the pharmaceutical companies wanted his blood. So, Slavin began selling his blood for to the companies for $10 a milliliter. Soon, selling his blood became his sole income source, but it more than provided for all of his needs.

The vast majority of us probably don’t house some special anti-body or chemical in our bodies that is worth a fortune, but then again, one never knows. There are hundreds of different viruses and bacteria out there that attack the human body. What if your blood was found to contain a wealth of antibodies against something important, like what happened with Ted Slavin? Kind of puts a different meaning to blood money, doesn’t it?

Estrogen Fluctuations Linked to Some Memory Issues & Mental Disorders

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Image result for female mental health

Generalizations are always dangerous to make, but allow me some latitude in making this one: Many women tend to be not only more emotional than men, but they also seem at times to be forgetful or somewhat scattered in their thoughts. Please, know that this is simply a generalization and does not apply to every woman everywhere.

Men tend to just chalk up these quirks as part of being a woman or to the fact that women tend to be more left brain than men. They tend to not only be more emotional but more caring, loving, creative and nurturing than men, while men in general, tend to be more analytical and scientific – right brain centered thinking.

Even women that are more analytical, administrative and scientific in their thinking, tend to have moments when that precise thought process is interrupted or a memory falters for a few fleeting seconds.

A recent study indicates that there is a biological reason for this behavior:

“Fluctuations in estrogen can trigger atypical functioning in a key brain memory circuit in women with a common version of a gene, NIMH scientists have discovered. Brain scans revealed altered circuit activity linked to changes in the sex hormone in women with the gene variant while they performed a working memory task.”

Researchers found that a common gene variant that codes for brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) is effected by changing levels of estrogen in the body. BDNF produces a chemical messenger in the brain that plays a vital role in the memory circuits in the brain. This variant of the gene is believed to be found in at least 25% or 1 in every 4 women.

When the levels of estrogen change during the monthly menstrual cycle, it can have a direct impact on the production of the chemical messengers in the brain, thus effecting changes in memory and thought processes as well as mood.

Researchers believe that this finding can lead to ways of dealing with the onset and severity of such things as mood swings, anxiety and even schizophrenia during certain times in a woman’s life. Researchers also believe the findings could also help treat menstrual cycle and reproductive-related mental disorders.

The discovery was made by studying a number of women with and without the gene variant. They were administered different levels of estrogen and their brain functions were then studied to determine any effects. They were asked to perform certain memory tests. It was found that when women with the gene variant were exposed to estrogen, that a section of their brain related to memory showed different activity. Areas that were normally suppressed were activated, showing atypical activity patterns which were found to be associated with memory fluctuations and mood changes.  

Face it men, there is a very good reason why the woman in your life goes through different mood and memory phases. It’s not just because she’s a woman, but may well be due to the fact that she is one of those with the common gene variant that is effected by the different levels of estrogen coursing through her veins on the way to the brain. It truly isn’t her fault, so to speak

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