Brain `Gut ~ Liver’ Connection

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The interaction between the brain and the gut has been recognized for many centuries. This bidirectional interaction, occurs via neural, immunological and hormonal routes,   and is important, not only,  in normal gastrointestinal function, but also, plays a very significant role in shaping higher cognitive function,  such as, our feelings and our subconscious decision-making.

Therefore, it remains unsurprising that perturbations in normal signalling have been associated with a multitude of disorders, including inflammatory and functional gastrointestinal disorders, and eating disorders.

The Brain-Gut Axis in Health and Disease.  Available from:  Generally speaking,  gut microbiota exerts effects on the brain not only through the nervous system (gut‑brain’s neuroanatomical pathway) but also through the endocrine system, immune system, and metabolic system.

A bidirectional communication between the gut and the brain is referred to as the gut‑brain axis. Interaction of gut microbiota and gut‑brain axis is referred to as the gut microbiota‑gut‑brain axis (hereinafter referred to as the gut microbiota‑brain axis).

In the gut microbiota‑brain axis, because gut microbiota can be used as an independent variable and changed intentionally, more emphases are placed on the role of microbes in gut microbiota‑brain axis. 

Given the Chinese belief that if you keep the liver healthy though all disease. You won’t   die of that disease and in modern medicine being if you poison the host you will kill the disease. It becomes even more compelling that chemotherapy may not be the answer?

What Causes a Congested Liver?

Liver is one of the most vital organ of our body and also the most hard working body organ. The main feature related to any liver disease is tiredness. The main function of     the liver is to remove toxins from the body, which can include varied chemical as well       as physiological substances. When the liver is overloaded with work then it can face problems in clearing toxins from your body, which results in congested liver or liver congestion. There are basically two main causes of liver congestion.

Let us see these in detail: https://familylifegoals.com/body-liver-damage-signs/

The first is when the liver is unable to detoxify the waste in a proper manner.

When there is an excess intake or presence of toxins in the blood, the liver might not be able to function properly. Also, if the bile flow is reduced or is stopped, it might result in congestion of the liver. The reduced supply of bile can be a result of a possible stone or any severe medical condition. Such a situation can leave you feel tired because of the fact that there is an increase of toxins and waste in the blood, which will result in contaminating the body environment. This can also give way to a number of problems like those related to the skin and respiratory problems and you can also gain weight. For getting rid of this it is advised that you follow a detoxification program.

Another problem that can lead to liver congestion is the presence of excess carbohydrates in your diet.  The liver is responsible for carbohydrate metabolism  and  maintenance of a normal blood glucose level.  If the blood glucose level is low,  then the liver can break the glycogen to release energy for the body. But, if the blood glucose level increases then this might hinder in the proper functioning of the liver and cause liver congestion.

Such a condition can result in irregular blood glucose levels and can leave you tired and also result in a number of medical problems.

Another problem that can occur because of congested liver is jaundice. If you suspect     that you are suffering from liver congestion, then before the situation becomes worse,        it is important that you get yourself tested for the same. There are a series of standard  tests that can help you determine whether you are suffering from liver congestion.

The best way to get rid of congested liver is to follow a liver cleanse program or a detoxification process. There are a number of natural therapies available for cleansing      of the liver; one of these is having stewed tomatoes and tomato juice for a period of two days. You can also replace tomatoes with apple and apple juice. Massaging castor oil on your abdomen can also help you in getting your liver back to function normally.

There are a number of supplements available in the market that can help you to revive   the normal functioning of your liver.

Liver is one organ in our body that has the capacity to rejuvenate itself if given in proper time. However, if your problem persists then, it is better that you see your physician as soon as possible to have yourself tested for complications.

The amount of people who are struggling with decreased liver function growing, it is important to address the issue of having a congested liver.

These days, it is hard to avoid toxins. They are in your food, the clothes you wear, your personal care products, the products you use to clean our home, throughout your home and even in the air you breathe. After being exposed regularly to so many toxins, it is no surprise that many people are dealing with higher levels of toxins in their bodies.

The more toxins your body is exposed to, the harder your liver has to work to remove them. If the liver struggles to keep up with the demand for detoxification, it may become sluggish and congested, as its ability to filter toxins diminishes.

If this happens to you, you may begin to see signs that your liver is not functioning optimally. These signs come as reoccurring health issues. They may begin as minor issues, but as the toxic load increases, the health issues can become nagging, chronic complaints.

What are the signs your liver may be congested or sluggish?

  1. Poor digestion- one of the functions of the liver is to produce the bile and bile salts necessary for digestion. Bile assists in helping the body to breakdown fats, as well as to absorb fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, D, E and K. When the body isn’t producing enough bile and bile salts, digesting fats will become difficult. Acid production will increase in the stomach in order to assist in breaking down fats, and indigestion may occur.
  2. Hormone imbalances- The liver is vital for the breakdown and removal of hormones in the body once they have served their purpose in the body. Without being able to fully remove excess hormones, they can build up in the body. This can lead to symptoms such as high blood pressure, bloating, weight gain, fatigue, sleep problems, low libido, low immune system function, cravings for junk food and mood issues.
  3. Weight gain- when toxins build up in the body they can cause an imbalance in blood sugar and hormones which can ultimately cause the pounds to add up…even if you are eating well and exercising regularly!
  4. Skin problems- If toxins are building up in your body because they are not being filtered out properly by the liver and other detoxification pathways in the body, then you may start to see skin problems such as acne, rosacea, rashes, psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema.
  5. Fatigue- if you are feeling drained and fatigued, even if you are getting plenty of sleep, it may be your body telling you that your liver is not functioning properly.
  6. Bad breath or a white coating on your tongue- The tongue is a great indicator of the state of your health and if you have a white coating, it could suggest that your liver is sluggish. The white coating and bad breath are a sign that you are not digesting food well, and as a result, bad gut bacteria such as Candida can spread and an overgrowth can occur. Since the liver is connected to good digestion, when it is sluggish, it can contribute to these symptoms.
  7. Chemical sensitivities- Do the smell of certain perfumes or cleaning products give you a headache or make you anxious or irritable? Are you a lightweight when it comes to drinking alcohol? These are chemical sensitivities and they are often found along with having too many toxins in your liver.
  8. Cravings- When you begin to crave sweets and highly processed carbohydrates, this may be caused by hormone and blood sugar imbalances that are common when the liver is not working effectively.
  9. Gallbladder problems- The gallbladder and liver are connected. The liver produces bile and bile salts that are necessary to break down dietary fats. That bile is then stored in the gallbladder, where it stays until the next meal when it is needed. But if there is not enough bile being produced, then it will be much more difficult for your body to break down fats. When the gallbladder isn’t functioning properly, you can experience health issues such as nausea, indigestion, abdominal bloating and an intolerance to fatty foods as well as an increase in abdominal pain.
  10. Pain in the right upper portion of the abdomen- As the liver becomes more congested, inflammation occurs and with inflammation comes pain. The pain caused by an enlarged liver usually can be felt in the area where the ribs end on the right side of your abdomen.

Many of these symptoms can be disruptive to everyday life, and some can ultimately become life threatening if not dealt with in a timely manner. If any of your symptoms     are severe, please seek medical attention to rule out any life threatening health issues.

If left unresolved, a congested liver can become non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which  can  further compromise liver function.  Fatty liver disease was typically a disease found    in alcoholics, but in recent years, more people are being diagnosed with it, without being alcoholics. 3 million people in the US are currently living with this disease.

A congested liver can be reversed by natural methods and function restored, with proper detoxification, and nutrient support.  Since each person is an individual, there is no “one size fits all” protocol to re-balance the liver and rest of the body. Working with an FDN practitioner is a great option. These functional health coaches can help you to find the right protocol to support your body and help you on the road to feeling better again.

Preview 6 Signs That Your Liver Is Full Of Toxins And Making You Fat

(And How To Stop It)

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ABSOLUTE MUST

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With that in mind let’s see how to identify your negativity levels:

Cash do not flow easily, unpaid bills start to pile and you do not know where your money  is going. Getting a stagnation in our prosperity is a sign that the path to growth is blocked even when we are earning enough money.
You feel tired, exhausted and you get frustrated easily. You experience up and downs like a rollercoaster and you feel bad about yourself. Usually, we still feel exhausted after a good’s night rest and with a balanced diet.
You feel stressed and unable to cope with every day activities, while before everything     was fine.
You are more prone to infections than normal and you start getting sick more often.    Signs of a low immune system topped up with stress.
Communication is affected, people seem to not being able to understand you and you      feel that you don’t understand others.
You find difficult to care for yourself and you cannot find any time for yourself.
Your sleep pattern is affected with strange dreams and nightmares. Your subconscious mind tries to alert you that something is not right.
Negative thoughts and emotions seem to surface every time you are trying to relax.     What is worse is that the more you try to stop them the more resistant they become.
Losing keys, money, wallets, clothes etc and having a difficult time to find them, even though most of the time they are around you and quite visible.
Feel unable to concentrate as your mind tends to focus on random things while you experience a feeling of emptiness.
Ok if you experience more than 5 of these together then it is time to make a change –

TAKE YOUR POWER BACK AND BE IN CONTROL OF AND CREATE YOUR LIFE!
BECOME THE BEST VERSION OF YOURSELF! (^_^)/
YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH TYPE OF REALITY YOU WANNA LIVE!
If you are in that conspiracy theory frequency, you NEED to get out of that vibration, which is a fear based vibration. “Energy flows where your attention goes.” and what you put your attention on is just going to increase and accelerate as time goes on. Get as far away from that shit as you can LOL!!!!! Stop giving ur power away.
Create the reality YOU WANT! WHAT DO YOU!!!! REALLY WANT?, make the transformation internally and shift into it because that reality/your dream already exists!!!!! shift into it! You can do it! 🙂
ALL THE INFO BELOW IS ALL CONNECTED TO “THE LAW OF VIBRATION/ATTR – ACTION” ACTION!!! Gotta Move ur ass lol.
MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU MUST!!!! REPROGRAM YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND!
ALSO CONNEC TO THE REALITY/VERSION OF UR SELF YOU WANT TO LIVE AS!
ALL THE INFO BELOW IS  CONNECTED TO “THE LAW OF VIBRATION/ATTR – ACTION” ACTION!!!
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Gotta Move ur ass …GET IT IN ACTION JACKSON lol
MOST IMPORTANTLY YOU MUST!!!! REPROGRAM YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND!
SO CONNECt TO THE REALITY/VERSION OF UR SELF That YOU WANT TO LIVE AS!
Negativity can cause a B12 deficiency which can cause depression.
A classic B12 deficiency symptom is depression. Other important B vitamins for mental health include B1, B6, B3, and folate. Folate, along with B12 and B6 help to lower levels    of homocysteine, a by-product of protein metabolism. Elevated levels of homocysteine increase the risk for depression.
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Stress. It makes your heart pound, your breathing quicken and your forehead sweat. But while stress has been made into a public health enemy, new research suggests that stress may only be bad for you if you believe that to be the case. Psychologist Kelly McGonigal urges us to see stress as a positive, and introduces us to an unsung mechanism for stress reduction: reaching out to others.
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One of the first hypothesis suggested that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) formed in    redox reactions involving the thiol group of Hcy was responsible for the toxicity of this compound. The major drawback of this hypothesis was that Cys (acts as a regular amino acid) is not a risk factor for vascular diseases, despite its up to 30-fold higher concentration than Hcy.
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 Oxidative stress is defined as an imbalance between the production of reactive species      and antioxidant defenses. It can result from increased production of reactive species and reduced levels of antioxidants. Different studies showed that redox reactions may be a key factors in the development of atherosclerosis, vascular hypertrophy and thrombosis in the animals with hHcy.
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 Oxidative stress is generated during oxidation of the free thiol group of Hcy which binds via a disulfide bound to plasma proteins, mostly albumin, to other low molecular plasma thiols or to a second Hcy molecule. Hcy increased production of reactive oxygen species. They may form hydroxyl radicals which can remove electrons from other molecules and could induce the subsequent oxidation of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and nucleic acids which can lead to the endothelial dysfunction, or to the vessel wall damages, followed by platelet activation and thrombus formation.
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 Autooxidation of Hcy metabolites leads to the accumulation of strong oxidizing agent, H2O2. The necrotic death of neurons was induced after long term incubation of cells with Hcy metabolites. Accumulation of the oxidized biomolecules modifies the biological functions of many cellular pathways.
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Several mechanisms have been proposed for Hcy induced oxidative stress:
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(i) Hcy autoxidation; (ii) inhibition of the enzymatic activity of antioxidants in cells; (iii) disruption of extracellular superoxide dismutase from endothelial surfaces; (iv) activation of NADPH oxidases; and also (v) nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent generation of superoxide anion.
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Moreover, reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress lead to the formation of nitrotyrosine, an indicator of nitric oxide and superoxide radical reaction, resulting in the formation of strong oxidant peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite leads to tyrosine nitration, which causes the alteration in protein function and induces cellular dysfunction.
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For malignant cells, high growth rate is typical and thus higher Met requirement because of increased processes of proteosynthesis and transmethylation. Normal cells can cover their Met consumption from Hcy remethylation. Malignant cells in organs as lung, kidney, breast, colon and bladder are methionine-dependent, because they cannot convert Hcy to Met resulting to Hcy accumulation. An increased level of Hcy is also related to folate concentration. Folate cofactors act as essential intermediates in Hcy remethylation to Met, in SAM synthesis and in the production of nitrogenous bases for DNA/RNA synthesis.
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 In several studies, it was shown that patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, colorectal, ovarian, pancreatic, and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas had elevated plasma tHcy level simultaneously. Methionine-dependent cells have lower SAM/SAH ratio comparing with methionine independent cells.
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Reduction of intracellular SAM levels can alter cytosine methylation in CpG islands of DNA resulting in the repression of tumor suppressor genes, activation of protooncogenes and also with induction of malignant transformation [1]. Higher level of SAH increased Hcy level as long as Hcy is not converted to Cys by transsulfuration pathways.
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 Several studies observed higher Hcy level and unchanged plasma level of Cys in patients with cancer. Naushad et al.  [103] analyzed the epigenetic changes that influence cancer progression. They found that hHcy and genetic variants in “one-carbon” pathway have strong influence on the epigenetic profile of two crucial genes, i.e., RASSF1 and BRCA1, thus directly affected breast cancer progression and explaining one of possibilities of the “methionine-dependent phenotype” phenomenon of breast cancer.
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Inverse association between methylation of RASSF1 and BRCA1 loci and lower level of vitamin B12 is translated to clinical setting and it could be a useful public health strategy to decrease the risk of breast cancer.   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5085763/
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Conclusions and Perspectives

The imbalance in Hcy metabolism is linked with a number of human pathologies.

 It remains unclear whether excessive Hcy concentration directly contributes to the pathogenesis of diseases or it represents a biomarker of metabolic aberrations, such as aberrant methyl group metabolism.  Different strategies to reduce plasma Hcy concentrations have reached inconsistent results, not just in the case of vascular disorders, but also with respect to neurodegenerative disorders, bone tissue health or cancer. hHcy leads to increased thiolation and homocysteinylation of proteins, both in plasma and in tissues.

As a consequence, these post-translational modifications affect the function and activity  of different enzymes, like superoxide dismutase, catalase or glutathione peroxidase [34]. Aberrant Hcy metabolism leads to redox imbalance and to increased oxidative stress and formation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, followed by the protein, nucleic acid and carbohydrate oxidation, and lipoperoxidation.

Moreover, Hcy treatment of cell cultures doubles the rate of telomere shortening.

Elevated levels of Hcy can result from the deficiency of one or more enzyme’s vitamin cofactor involved in its metabolism. Therefore, it would be very important to find the strategies to decrease Hcy levels. It was proven that vegan or vegetarian individuals have deficiency in some vitamins, especially B6 and B12 that are involved in remethylation pathway of Hcy. These persons are more sensitive to develop hHcy [105].

Genetic abnormalities and nutritional deficiencies explain only a part of hHcy pathologies. Hormonal and metabolic factors such as diabetes, thyroid diseases and estrogen deficiency interact with Hcy metabolism [106]. In addition, therapy with multiple vitamins and folate might be as a one clue to correct Hcy level in patients. Clinical trials are needed to determine the optimal doses of vitamins.

Neural cells are sensitive to prolonged hHcy treatment, because Hcy cannot be metabolized by transsulfuration pathway or by folate/vitamin B12 independent remethylation pathway. Therefore, Hcy might be used as an additional valuable  prognostic and predictive biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases.

Elevated level of Hcy detected in cancer patient is one of the major consequences of the rapid tumor cell proliferation. Potentially, circulating Hcy could be used as one of markers to monitor cancer patients during drug therapy, complementing the currently used tumor markers. More studies including larger populations are needed to verify these points and also to find an appropriate cut-off value of Hcy for patients with cancer.

Rapid proliferated tumor cells would deplete folate followed by inactivation of “one-carbon” metabolism.  Their disability to convert Hcy to Met leads to increased levels of Hcy.  This could be one of explanation of  “methionine-dependency”of malignant cells. Refsum et al. [107] found elevated Hcy levels in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia before beginning of drug treatment. It fell dramatically down after few days       of cytotoxic drug administration.

Potentially, elevated Hcy could be a marker for carcinogenesis and also for detecting recurrence. Sun et al. [102] monitored the Hcy concentrations within the concentrations of the dominant tumor markers in a group of patients with carcinomas, who were not taking drugs. The changes of serum Hcy concentrations parallel the rise and fall with serum tumor markers.

These results suggest that serum Hcy, like tumor markers, reflected the tumor cell activity. However, Ozkan et al. [108] observed  higher prevalence of hHcy in lung cancer patients is not sufficient to accept Hcy as a cancer marker.  Also  the  Determination of Hcy  in  larger cancer  population. . . . could be important to clarify the usefulness of Hcy as a marker for cancer and its drug therapy.

The epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in elevated Hcy production.

Since SAM is a universal donor of methyl group, SAH followed by Hcy are produced during these processes.  It becomes more and more evident,  that DNA methylation impairment might be suggested as consequence of hHcy caused by endogenous (polymorphisms of genes which code enzymes involved in Hcy and folate pathways) and/or exogenous factors (dietary deficiency of folate and vitamins, protein intake rich     in Met and Cys) and may be involved in etiopathogenesis of Hcy toxicity.

It is important to find factors that can affect the methyl balance to help us to understand the pathophysiology of diseases from “methylation point of view”. Epigenetic alternations in mitochondrial DNA need to be evaluated in terms of prediction of therapeutic efficacy similar to nuclear DNA [109]. Advanced studies are needed to understand whether and how changes in mitochondrial DNA methylation patterns, global and gene specific are associated to elevated levels of Hcy in context to diseases and risk factors, such oxidative stress, aging and exposure to drugs.

As shown by recent studies,  some natural compounds which are able to decrease the plasma level of the Hcy. Resveratrol is a polyphenol compound found in the skin of          red grapes, in peanuts and berries. This plant antioxidant can protect the body against damages linked to the increased risk for cardiovascular and neurological diseases or cancer. Resveratrol strongly, but not completely, reduced platelet apoptosis induced by Hcy or Hcy-TL [110].

Another compound, paraoxonase 1 (PON1, EC 3.1.8.1) is a calcium-dependent enzyme synthesized in liver. It is a major component of plasma HDL particles, responsible for      the antioxidant protection of HDL or LDL particles. PON1 hydrolyzes Hcy-TL, which is determinant of plasma N-homocysteinylated protein concentration [111]. The lactonase (Hcy-thiolactonase) activity of PON1 can help to avoid the post-translational modification of LDL apoproteins through N-homocysteinylation in HDL particles. It was confirmed, that another compound, tetrahydrocurcumin which is a herbal antioxidant, improves homocysteinylated cytochrome c mediated autophagy in hHcy mice after cerebral ischemia [112]. Tetrahydrocurcumin may be an effective protective agent in the prevention of oxidative stress induced by hHcy.

In conclusion, the increased prevalence of hHcy in the population and crucial role of elevated Hcy levels in pathogenesis of different diseases make this amino acid an interesting target for future investigations. Advanced studies are needed to understand:  (i) the role of new preventative dietary supplements or medicaments, which will decrease plasma Hcy level; (ii) the molecular basis to find the mechanism of Hcy interaction with its target molecules inside the cell also in extracellular space; (iii) the epigenetic alteration of DNA (nuclear and mitochondrial) methylation profiles in correlation with pathogenesis of diseases; and (iv) usefulness and validity of Hcy as a biomarker of multimarker panel to predict (along with other factors such as age, gender, smoking, and some other genetic variants) the risk of developing and/or progression of some diseases.

First, using the methylation and detox profile features on this site require a 23andMe test. 23andMe saves close hundreds of thousands of pieces (called SNPs) of genetic data from your DNA. The test is easy, and there is no doctor needed. Just go to 23andMe.com,  order a kit, spit in a tube, and they run your DNA through their lab. 23andMe has sequenced close to a million people and provides comprehensives ancestry reports and genetic health information.

23andMe provides you full access to your data. This means that when you order your kit, you will be able to use Genetic Genie for methylation and detox profiles. http://geneticgenie.org/

Beyond methylation support, what can we do to mitigate the effects of too much homocysteine? While you’re working on bringing an elevated homocysteine down to optimal levels, there are other interim interventions that can reduce its negative effects. Read on for more info.

Homocysteine in clinical practice

Homocysteine  is one of the most prominent laboratory biomarkers used to assess methylation status. Although we never rely on just one indicator alone, this is one that     we routinely assess in our patients presenting with a myriad of different symptoms and conditions.

We like to see homocysteine within a range of 4-7 nmol/mL. Both too little and too much can be problematic. In this article, we’re looking at one of the ways we address too much homocysteine, but you can read Dr. Fitzgerald’s thoughts on too little homocysteine here  if you are interested.

Damage inflicted by too much homocysteine

Homocysteine is associated with cellular injury, specifically to the endothelial cells that line our blood vessels. For those familiar with the biology, homocysteine appears to exert stress on a cellular component called the endoplasmic reticulum, which creates reactive oxygen species and INFLAMMATION. We know that chronic inflammation can act both locally and on other parts of the body to damage tissue and cause problems.

Homocysteine may also negatively affect another cellular component, the mitochondria. These are crucial energy-producing organelles, producing the ubiquitously-used energy ‘currency’ called ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate). Reduced energy output, as you can imagine, has huge knock-on effects on nearly every other cellular function.

Disruptions in the methylation cycle can also influence levels of homocysteine’s precursor, s-adenosyl homocysteine, which may have even more potent effects than homocysteine and is known to block appropriate DNA methylation, which is crucial for proper gene regulation.

Methylation support reduces homocysteine

A good strategy for methylation support is appropriate for reducing an elevated homocysteine.

This is where we like to take a comprehensive diet and lifestyle approach as outlined

in our eBook, rather just singular B vitamin supplementation.

But what to do while you’re waiting for homocysteine to come down?

In the interim, research shows that there are several natural compounds, familiar               to all Functional Medicine practitioners, which can attenuate the damaging effects              of homocysteine on cellular function and our patient’s symptoms.  These include:

Most of these compounds are found in foods, but all are also found in supplement form.

MTHFR

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an enzyme that converts 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate to 5,methyltetrahydrofolate, which is the active form of folate.  Mutations in this gene cause the accumulation of homocysteine and a lack of available folate for cellular functions. Both of these factors have been linked to oxidative stress, vascular disease (including cardiovascular), neural tube defects, neurological disorders (including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder), cancer, preeclampsia, hypotonia, and seizures.  Common mutations are rs1801133 (C677T), rs1801131 (A1298C), and rs2274976 (G1793A).

The C677T polymorphism is present in about 39% of caucasians as heterozygotes and 17% as homozygotes.  Table 1 provides data on how much activity your MTHFR enzyme would possess with different combinations of the C677T and the A1298C. https://www.greatplainslaboratory.com/gpl-blog-source/2016/4/14/dna-methylation-pathway

The present review focuses on the B-vitamins, i.e. folate, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and riboflavin,   are involved in homocysteine metabolism. Homocysteine is a S-containing amino acid and its plasma concentrations can be raised by various constitutive, genetic and lifestyle factors,  by inadequate nutrient status  and  as a result of systemic disease      and various drugs. Hyperhomocysteinaemia is a modest independent predictor of CVD and stroke,  however,  causality  and the precise pathophysiological mechanism(s) of homocysteine action remain unproven.

The predominant nutritional cause of raised plasma homocysteine in most healthy populations is folate insufficiency.  Vitamin B12 and,  to a lesser extent, vitamin B6          are also effective at lowering plasma homocysteine,  especially after homocysteine  lowering by folic acid in those individuals presenting  raised plasma homocysteine.

However, riboflavin supplementation appears to be effective at lowering plasma homocysteine only in those individuals homozygous for the T allele of the C677T polymorphism of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. This gene codes for the MTHFR enzyme that produces methyltetrahydrofolate, which, in turn, is a substrate for the remethylation of homocysteine by the vitamin B12-dependent enzyme methionine synthase. Individuals with the MTHFR 677TT genotype are genetically predisposed to elevated plasma homocysteine, and in most populations have a markedly higher risk of CVD.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15831132

But there is another dimension to the issue of depression. In the July, 2011 issue of Prevention Magazine (link is external), author Ginny Graves says that depression serves     a purpose in our lives. Graves writes, ” ‘Depression may be nature‘s way of telling you to stop and focus on what’s troubling you, so you can move past it and get on with your life,’ says Paul Andrews, PhD, an evolutionary biologist at Virginia Commonwealth University.

He, along with colleague J. Anderson Thomson, MD, a staff psychiatrist at the Student Health Services and Institute of Law and Psychiatry at the University of Virginia, have become controversial proponents of an idea that actually dates back to Aristotle, that depression may lead to better mental health.”

These authors suggest that depression forces us to go inwards and ruminate on    something that is problematic or troubling. In some cases, internally mulling over a painful experience can gradually lead to healing – what psychoanalysts often classify as “healthy mourning.” In some cases, however, just what we are mourning is not so clear, and we someone else to help us sort it out. Sometimes we also need the presence of another person to make it safe enough to mourn.

Key Topics covered during this presentation:

• Learn about methylation and methylation potential
• Discover how methylation potential is correlated with neurotransmitter balance
• Learn the significance of the methionine and homocysteine ratio
• See how the MTHFR gene affects homocysteine balance
• Understand patient methylation with the MethylDetox Profile  https://cellsciencesystems.com/education/webinars/understanding-methylation-gene-regulation-and-the-methyldetox-profile/

Understanding Methylation, Gene Regulation and the MethylDetox …

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The Absence of Thanks ~ A Day to be Thankful

Image result for thanksgiving 2017 gif

The event that Americans commonly call the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after  their  first harvest  in the New World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days, and—as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow, was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims.

The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating “thanksgivings” — days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as        military victory or the end of a drought.

Americans trace the Thanksgiving holiday to a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation, where the settlers held a harvest feast after a successful growing season. Autumn or early winter feasts continued sporadically in later years, with first as an impromptu religious observance and later as a civil tradition.

Squanto, a Patuxet Native American who resided with the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for them. Squanto had learned the English language during his enslavement in England. The Wampanoag leader Massasoit  had given food to the colonists  during the first winter when supplies brought from England were insufficient.

The Pilgrims celebrated at Plymouth for three days after their first harvest in 1621.

The exact time is unknown,  however,   James Baker,  the Plimoth Plantation vice president of research, stated in 1996, “The event occurred between Sept. 21 and Nov. 11, 1621, with the most likely time being around Michaelmas (Sept. 29), the traditional time.” Seventeenth-century accounts do not identify this as a Thanksgiving observance, rather it followed the harvest. It included 50 persons who were on the Mayflower (all who remained of the 100 who had landed) and 90 Native Americans. The feast was cooked by the four adult Pilgrim women who survived their first winter in the New World (Eleanor Billington, Elizabeth Hopkins, Mary Brewster, and Susanna White), along with young daughters and male and female servants.

“Pilgrims” are often confused with “Puritans“. This sculpture The Pilgrim by Augustus St. Gaudens is based on his earlier work The Puritan

Two colonists gave personal accounts of the 1621 feast in Plymouth. The Pilgrims, most    of whom were Separatists (English Dissenters), are not to be confused with Puritans, who established their own Massachusetts Bay Colony on the Shawmut Peninsula (current day Boston) in 1630.  Both groups were strict Calvinists, but differed in their views regarding the Church of England. Puritans wished to remain in the Anglican Church and reform it, while the Pilgrims wanted complete separation from the church.

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The True Story of the First Thanksgiving, American Experience, PBS, November 24, 2015

Harvest festival observed by the Pilgrims at Plymouth.

Americans also trace the Thanksgiving holiday to a 1621 celebration at the Plymouth Plantation,  where the settlers held a harvest feast after a successful growing season. Autumn or early winter feasts  continued sporadically in later years,  with first as an impromptu religious observance and later as a civil tradition.

Squanto, a Patuxet Native American who resided with the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and grow corn and served as an interpreter for them. Squanto had learned the English language during his enslavement in England. The Wampanoag leader Massasoit had given food to the colonists during the first winter when supplies brought from England were insufficient.

The Pilgrims celebrated at Plymouth for three days after their first harvest in 1621. The exact time is unknown, but James Baker, the Plimoth Plantation vice president of research, stated in 1996, “The event occurred between Sept. 21 and Nov. 11, 1621, with the most likely time being around Michaelmas (Sept. 29), the traditional time.” Seventeenth-century accounts do not identify this as a Thanksgiving observance, rather it followed the harvest.
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It included 50 persons who were on the Mayflower (all who remained of the 100 who had landed) and 90 Native Americans.  The feast was cooked by the four adult Pilgrim women who survived their first winter in the New World (Eleanor Billington, Mary Brewster, and Susanna White), along with young daughters and male and female servants.
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The Founding Fathers of the United States were those individuals of the Thirteen Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown in word and deed and contributed to the establishment of the United States of America. The phrase “Founding Fathers” is a twentieth-century appellation, coined by Warren G. Harding in 1916.  In the 19th century, they were referred to as simply, the “Fathers”.

Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin were members of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Hamilton, Madison, and Jay were authors of The Federalist Papers, advocating ratification of the Constitution.

The constitutions drafted by Jay and Adams for their respective states of New York (1777) and  Massachusetts (1780)  were  heavily  relied  upon  when creating language  for the US Constitution  Jay,  Adams  and  Franklin  negotiated the Treaty of Paris (1783)  that would end the American Revolutionary War.  Washington  was  also  Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and  was  President of the Constitutional Convention. Washington,  Jay and Franklin are considered the Founding Fathers of U.S. Intelligence by the CIA.

All held additional important roles in the early government of the United States, with Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison serving as President. Jay was the nation’s first Chief Justice.  Four  of  these  seven – Washington,  Jay,  Hamilton  and  Madison – were not signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The term Founding Fathers is sometimes used to refer to the Signers of the embossed version of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. It is not to be confused with the term Framers;  the Framers  are defined  by the National Archives as those 55 individuals who were appointed  to  be  delegates to  the  1787 Constitutional Convention and took part in drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States. Of the 55 Framers, only 39 were signers of the Constitution.

Two further groupings of Founding Fathers include:

1) those who signed the Continental Association, a trade ban and one of the colonists’    first collective volleys protesting British control and the Intolerable Acts in 1774

2) those who signed the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. constitutional document.

Benjamin Franklin, also called Ben Franklin, pseudonym Richard Saunders (born January 17 [January 6, Old Style], 1706, Boston, Massachusetts [U.S.]—died April 17, 1790,

Benjamin Franklin’s Foresight

Not only was Benjamin Franklin a scientist, a printer, a businessman, a diplomat, a musician, a writer, and a Founding Father, he also had an uncanny ability to see results in advance. What do I mean? Read these words of his which were sent to George Washington to lift his spirits in the brutal winter of 1780. Ben was 74:

Ben Franklin “I must soon quit this scene. But you may live to se our country flourish, as it will amazingly and rapidly after the war is over; like a field of young Indian corn, which long fair weather had enfeebled and discolored, and which in that weak state, by a thunder gust of violent wind,  hail  and of rain, seemed to be threatened with absolute destruction;  yet the storm being past,  it recovers fresh verdure,  shoots up with double vigor, and delights the eye, not of its owner only, but of every observing traveler.”

Then the next year the British surrendered at Yorktown. The war was over. The troops  that had been beaten down like the corn Franklin described shot up with double vigor    and flourished into history. Clear to “every observing traveler!”

Ben, of course, lived to be a part of the Constitutional Convention. Not only a part of it,  but an influential voice.

What have we got? “A republic . . .if you can keep it!”

Did Benjamin Franklin write that he preferred the turkey over the bald eagle as the national symbol? Yes.
Franklin’s lament of the choice of bald eagle comes from a letter he wrote in 1784. He was remarking upon the medal of the Society of the Cincinnati, which representatives of the new nation were taking to France to bestow upon those who had helped in the American Revolution. The medals depicted a bald eagle that some people thought looked more like    a turkey. The suggestion sent Franklin into a thorough drubbing of the eagle’s merits as a symbol.
The bald eagle’s role as a national symbol is linked to its 1782 landing on the Great Seal      of the United States. Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress also gave Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams the job of designing an official seal for the new nation. However, the 3 Founding Fathers failed to come up with a design that won Congress’ approval, as did two later committees that were given the task.
 In mid-June 1782, the work of all three committees was handed over to Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress. Thomson chose what he thought were the best elements of the various designs and made the eagle—which had been introduced by artistically inclined Pennsylvania lawyer William Barton in a design submitted by the third committee—more prominent. (Since ancient times, the eagle has been considered a sign of strength; Roman legions used the animal as their standard, or symbol.)
Thomson  recommended that the small, white eagle used in Barton’s design be replaced with an American bald eagle, and Congress adopted this design on June 20, 1782. (Contrary to legend, there’s no evidence Ben Franklin protested to Congress about the choice of the bald eagle and lobbied for the turkey, although in a 1784 letter to his daughter he did label the bald eagle “a bird of bad moral character”  that “does not get his Living honestly.”)
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You may have seen him perch’d on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk [Osprey]; and when that diligent Bird has at length taken a Fish, and is bearing it to his Nest for the Support of his Mate and young Ones, the Bald Eagle pursues him and takes it from him.

Bam! Franklin is being pretty selective with his facts, though. While, yes, bald eagles will steal food from ospreys and eat carrion, they’re excellent fishermen. Additionally, birds of prey—including hawks and owls—are constantly being harassed by smaller birds. In fact, birders know to follow the sound of scolding birds in order to find these larger birds.

What about turkeys, Ben?

For in Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America. He is besides, tho’ a little vain and silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.

I am in agreement on all points. Turkeys are indeed native to the United States, are a little vain and silly, and are not to be messed with. But do we really want our national symbol to be something we cook and eat every Thanksgiving? Even in Franklin’s time, it would have been wrong to cover our flag with gross-looking neck wattles.

In todays world, I would like to be thankful for politicians in Washington that aren’t a bunch of wild turkeys instead have the foresight of our Founding Fathers. I laughed as Michelle Obama tried to convince American Citizens. . .that our Founding Father where foreigners not born in the United States (now that’s a true Princeton Graduate.) I didn’t laugh when Obamacare screwed over 71 million baby boomers with his health care plan that was so full of himself.
In todays world, we should have true universal health care not a plan that covers all the illegals he left into this country. A planned that is paid by all those people that live here in the United States. Not a plan where a friend sees his premiums go from $5400 in 2016 to $8300 in 2017 and that caused him so much stress he passes away on December 7 2016. That Barrack has blood on his hands. . . . from his sorry ass decisions.
In todays world, our health care should cover the expense of doctors, not only, see first year doctors pay ungodly amounts for college education  +/- $350,000,  but also, malpractice insurance $70,000 with office and staffing cost that put them into a position they have to rip off insurance companies to make a living for themselves. What our health care should do is tackle the root cause of this country demise …that being the health care crisis that hits everybody in their wallet.
In todays world, we need health care when the root cause is tackled and that alone would allow insurance companies to lower premiums. But we also need a system where insurance companies once again.  Becoming non profit institutions where CEO’s of those companies don’t get rich quick at the expense of our country’s future. We need a system that will drive down cost of doing business and that alone. . .will put smiles back on the face of Americans and give us all something to be Thankful for this coming Thanksgiving weekend 🙂

A Prayer for Thanksgiving Day
By Debbie McDaniel

And usually what goes along with it, is lots of food, family and friends, laughter and fun, times of giving to others in need, maybe some football,       or traditions that you’ve recognized through long years.

And sometimes too, there is also loneliness. And struggle. Or deep loss. Feelings of hurt and painful circumstances that you’re still trying to hurdle over.

Whatever you’re facing this Thanksgiving Day, in the midst of all of it, may we remember again  that God gives us the opportunity each and every day,  to give worship and thanks    to Him.  Every morning He gives us breath,  is His invitation  to come joyfully into His Presence.  He reminds us that  He alone is God and we belong to Him.  He assures us that His plans in our lives are for good,   his love covers us securely,  and His faithfulness extends from generation to generation.

No matter what, He’s given us so many reasons to choose thankfulness and joy this day. Let’s do what the Psalmist of this great chapter says:

So Shout for joy.  🙂

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness, come before  him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God, it is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving,  and his courts with praise,  give thanks to him  and praise his name.  For the Lord is good; his  love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through generations.” Psalm 100:1-5

All across our nation, Thanksgiving is a day that we set aside in order to do one thing.

Be thankful. 🙂

Preview The Real Story of Thanksgiving

(Full Documentary)

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Our Environment is Making us Sick

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Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US, accounting for one in four deaths   in Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Over the last few decades, cancer death rates have been falling, with the exception              of a few key types of cancer: liver, pancreatic, and endometrial cancer.

To get a better look at the incidence of cancer and cancer death rates across the US,         the CDC mapped out the data on a state-by-state level. Here’s what they found.

Erin Brockovich is a 2000 American biographical film directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Susannah Grant. The film is a true story of Erin Brockovich, portrayed by Julia Roberts, who fought against . . . . .  the energy corporation Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). The film was a box office success, and critical reaction was positive.

Erin Brockovich-Ellis is an unemployed single mother, desperate to find a job, but is having no luck. This losing streak even extends to a failed lawsuit against a doctor in a    car accident she was in.  With no alternative,  she successfully browbeats her lawyer to  give her a job in compensation for the loss.  While no one takes her seriously, with her trashy clothes and earthy manners, that soon changes when she begins to investigate a suspicious real estate case involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

What she discovers is that the company is trying quietly to buy land that was contaminated by hexavalent chromium, a deadly toxic waste that the company is improperly and illegally dumping and,  in turn,  poisoning the residents in the area.  As she digs deeper,  Erin also finds herself leading point in a series of events that would involve her law firm in one of the biggest class action lawsuits in American history.  http://putlockersfree.org/watch-erin-brockovich-2000-putlockers-free.html

Understanding epidemics through maps

by Tom Koch

This article as a PDF.

Maps are the workbench on which ideas are fashioned in a manner that permits them       to be argued and, often, tested. The workbench may be tidy or messy, depending on the workman. The real focus is the work itself.

And so it is with maps. A map is not a representation of work that has been completed   but the presentation of arguments about the relationships between things.

Most maps are not beautiful, and that’s okay. A map that is dull or plain may do the job just as well as one that is beautiful. Sometimes, it does the job better. At least, that’s the way it is with the maps I care about and make—maps of disease and its causes.

In 2003, Esri Press supported my desire to write a book about the history of disease mapping, an area of study that had been overlooked. The result was Cartographies of Disease (Esri Press, 2005). This book tells a story of maps, beginning in the seventeenth century, that argue the presence of specific diseases in an environment.
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Dr. Huber has over 50 years of research in this area so he understands what is really taking place with our foods.   Science is not needed for food production as nature has provided what is needed for us to survive. It’s time we return to turn away from GMO to natures seeds and simply begin to educate the people to get away from corporate control where their concern is control.  It’s not profit as many have been mislead to believe, but that’s another matter I hope those who care will do their own research.
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Thank you Dr. Huber for informing the public as to where we are being taken with our very fragile environment.  Lets hope we the people can create the change needed for our health and happiness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKcjT5QK3Lg 
 
Disease  is lowest where education is highest and poverty is lowest !!!
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College-educated people in this country used to be more equally distributed in this country, reports the Daily Yonder.
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It what was a landmark triumph of science over warfare, Dr. Louise Reiss single-handedly put an end to nuclear testing in the United States in 1959. Collecting more than 300,000 baby teeth from the St. Louis, Reiss was able to demonstrate that the levels of radioactive agents in teeth post nuclear testing were significantly higher than before. The implication was that fallout from nuclear testing was entering the food supply and placing the American population at elevated risk for a host of negative health outcomes.
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President Kennedy, recognized the results of the study and successfully worked in a worldwide ban on atmospheric nuclear testing with the cooperation of the Soviet Union. One can only assume that Reiss’ study, had it been performed in 2011, would have been widely discredited and decried as fabricated science and a threat to national security. Thankfully, the powers on both sides of the Cold War saw fit to put human health above the ability to wipe out all life on earth. The data and samples collected from her study, continue to this day.

 The data shows Kentucky has the overall highest rate of cancer deaths (199.3     deaths per 100,000 people), while Utah has the lowest rate (127.9 deaths per   100,000 people).

Image result for cancer rates by stateHealth officials in Kentucky—especially in Eastern Kentucky—hope to increase lung cancer screenings by patterning the effort after a successful colon cancer screening initiative, Jackie Judd reports for PBS NewsHour.

In rural Eastern Kentucky, smoking and lung cancer rates are double the national average, while the state is second in adult smoking rates and leads the nation in lung cancer and rates of death from it. The epidemic in Eastern Kentucky is “fueled by a toxic combination of poverty, medical illiteracy, limited access to care, lifestyle choices like smoking and a fatalism that says knowing you have cancer won’t save you.”

Another problem is that statewide bans of smoking in public places have been largely unsuccessful, with two-thirds of residents living in areas with no such bans. While the state expanded Medicaid under its former Democratic governor, newly-elected Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has sought to change the state’s program.

Fifteen years ago, Kentucky led the nation in “both the highest incidence and mortality rates for colorectal cancer,” Allison Perry reports for University of Kentucky News. Rural residents didn’t seek care, partly because of a lack of facilities and partly because of a refusal to schedule an appointment. If local residents wouldn’t seek care, health officials decided to bring care to local residents.

“In the seven years following this new focus on colorectal cancer, the screenings rates nearly doubled, from 34.7 percent of the age-eligible population receiving screenings to 63.7 percent,” Perry writes. “This raised Kentucky’s rank from 49th in the country to 23rd compared to other states. No other state has had such a dramatic increase in colorectal screenings in such a short period of time.

As a result, the lives of many Kentuckians have been saved: the incidence rate for colorectal cancer is down nearly 25 percent,  and the mortality rate has dropped 30 percent.  Through colorectal screenings,  doctors can find precancerous lesions and   remove them before  they become cancer.  Screenings  also  allow physicians to find          these cancers at an earlier stages, when they are more likely to respond to treatment.”

In Kentucky “the challenge is to not only encourage certain lifelong smokers to get screened, but to get them to quit, and for others to never start,” especially because of the addictive nature of smoking, Judd reports. “It will be even more difficult than changing the profile of colon cancer because smoking involves addiction. The hope of public health officials is that the model used to bring down colon cancer deaths can be used to the same effect, not only for lung cancer but for other diseases plaguing this depressed swathe of America.”

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The Rural Blog is a digest of events, trends, issues, ideas and journalism from and    about rural America, from the IRJCI, based at the University of Kentucky.

   The Institute for Rural Journalism  and  Community Issues is an extension program       for rural journalists and news outlets. It takes no positions on issues and advocates only for strong news coverage, responsible commentary and things that make them possible, such as open-government laws. For more information see www.RuralJournalism.org.

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Earth: A giant greenhouse!!!

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Methane, CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), and nitrous oxide form a belt of gases around Earth. This mixture of gases is responsible for a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. Without this natural greenhouse effect, weather on our planet would be much cooler than it is now.

Greenhouse Effect

1- The Sun’s rays hit Earth, causing it to heat up.

2- Earth releases some of its heat into the atmosphere.

3- Greenhouse gases trap the heat and keep it close to Earth’s surface. This is known as the greenhouse effect.

Human activities like farming and the cutting of trees, along with pollution, produce a large amount of greenhouse gases. Meteorologists fear that these gases dramatically add  to Earth’s natural greenhouse effect and increase global warming. This imbalance in the world’s climate can cause flooding,  hurricanes,  and shortages of rain  in  some  areas.

Here are 5 major factors that currently pose a threat to the Earth’s ability to sustain life.
Mother Earth is like a giant living organism made of many closely interrelated components.  These components are constantly interacting to provide and maintain the circumstances necessary for survival. The microcosm and macrocosm have to work in unison to support life. From the tiny bacteria to forests and ecosystems which act as carbon sinks in maintaining the complex interaction of gases in the atmosphere, every component plays a crucial role.

If you were a doctor looking at Earth as a living organism, you would see that her survival is threatened. Human activity is breaking the balance of life. Unless we mend our actions, the system’s ability to support life is being lost.

Loss of Biodiversity

Ecosystems with higher levels of biodiversity are more stable and resilient. Each species is an important part of the ecosystem, specializing in their own functions and contributing to the whole. But planet Earth is currently going through a drastic change! It is estimated by experts that the current species extinction rate is between 1000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction rate.

Unsustainable Agriculture

Most of our agriculture is out of balance, putting a lot of stress on Earth’s life support systems. Modern-day agriculture usually consists of a monoculture, which leads to unstable ecosystems. If a farmer grows only corn, there will be no habitat for predators which consume pests, leading to a need for synthetic pesticides. In a monoculture, there are no species with large root systems to hold the soil together, causing soil erosion. Also, there are no species to cycle nutrients and fix soil nitrogen, leading to usage of chemical fertilizers. All over the world, farm land is turning to dust leaving a large and unpleasant question as to how our future generations will provide for themselves.

Population Growth

Over the last 100 years, the population has gone from less than 2 billion to over 7 billion. Alongside the population rise,  the industrial revolution has made us more capable at consuming the Earth’s resources.  As population size in developing countries continues to grow by the millions, there is a rise in the already high demand on resources.  This growth is damaging Mother Earth’s organs. Her liver is now unable to filter out all our toxic waste which is polluting the water we drink; and also her lungs can no longer handle all the toxic smog coming from our cities,  changing the balance of gases in the atmosphere.   It is our responsibility to make sure she doesn’t collapse.

Deforestation

During the last century, most the world’s forest cover has been lost. Trees have been providing oxygen,  filtering  and  cleaning the water,  purifying the air,  preventing soil erosion in farm lands and also providing us with food. All this, for FREE! Deforestation    is seriously diminishing Earth’s capacity to provide for us today and for the generations    to come.

Overuse of Non-renewable Energy

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, consumption of fossil fuels has been rising drastically. Sadly, it does not look like this will reduce in the near future. Economic growth has lead to an increase in the demand for fossil fuel based energy. So what’s wrong with all this? Not only does the burning of fossil fuel pollute the air, it also releases carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas and has the effect of trapping energy from the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere. This affects global weather patterns causing drastic changes and endangering ours and our planet’s survival.

Chlorofluorocarbons, commonly known as CFCs, are a group of man-made compounds containing chlorine, fluorine and carbon. They are not found anywhere in nature.  Does Methane,  CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons),  and nitrous oxide form a belt of gases around Earth cause cancer?
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 The production of CFCs began in the 1930s for the purpose of refrigeration. Since then they have been extensively utilised as propellants in aerosols, as blowing agents in foam manufacture and in air conditioning. There are no removal processes or sinks for CFCs in the lowest part of the atmosphere called the troposphere. As a result they are transported  up into the stratosphere, between 10 to 50 km above the Earth’s surface, where they are broken down by ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, releasing free chlorine atoms which cause significant ozone depletion.
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Although the amounts of CFCs in the atmosphere are very small, measured in parts per trillion (million million), they do contribute significantly to the enhancement of the natural greenhouse effect, because they are very good at trapping heat. Molecule for molecule some CFCs are thousands of times stronger than carbon dioxide as greenhouse gases.

Since the dangers caused by CFCs to the ozone layer were first identified, their use has gradually  been phased out,  according to international agreements  made  in  Montreal, Canada, in 1987.  However,  CFCs have long lifetimes  in the atmosphere before they are broken down by sunlight, and they will consequently enhance the greenhouse effect well into the 21st century.

Diseases Caused By Acid Rain

“Acid Rain” is a broad term referring to a mixture of wet and dry deposited material from the atmosphere containing higher than normal amounts of nitric and sulphuric acids.

The acidic deposition can be caused by natural phenomena like volcanoes and decaying vegetation or man-made sources like fossil fuel combustion. Gases like suphur, nitrogen and carbon emitted during these processes react with water molecules in the atmosphere to produce the acids.

Acid Rain causes acidification of water sources. . . . like lakes and streams. This has an immediate and adverse impact on aquatic life.  Many modern companies  now  use  very    tall smoke funnels to avoid impacting the local area. But due to this pollutants are carried much further and have been shown to cause widespread ecological damage. High altitude forests are also especially vulnerable as they are often surrounded by acidic cloud and fog. Buildings and monuments are also being impacted by acid rain, with the inscriptions on many monuments becoming completely illegible.

The most worrying impact is on human health. The pollution that causes acid rain can also create tiny particles. When these particles get into people’s lungs, they can cause health problems, or can make existing health problems worse. Also, nitrogen oxides cause ground-level ozone. This ground-level ozone causes respiratory problems, like pneumonia and bronchitis, and can even cause permanent lung damage. Illnesses such as lung cancer, asthma, cardiovascular issues and premature death have all been attributed to the inhalation of pollutants present in the atmosphere. Researchers suggest that even short-term exposure at elevated concentrations could significantly contribute to heart disease.
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Acid Rain – Its Causes And Effects:

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As we all know, acid rain have harmful effects on vegetation, animals and humans. Acid rain is caused by too much pollution that contaminates the rain water. Before, rain is believed to be pure and said to contain minerals that are good for the hair and skin, but now, rain water can already cause diseases. This article will give you information on what is acid rain and what are its effects in the environment.

Too much nitrogen oxide, carbon, and ammonium can mix with water droplets in the atmosphere causing the water’s pH level to go below 7 making it acidic. This is the cause of acid rain. Acidic water can be harmful to all living things on the ground.

One of the things that can suffer the harsh effect of acid rain is the vegetation. Microscopic organisms that are important for biochemical processes that aids in the food production of the plants can die due to acid rain, thus, affecting the food making process of the plants and can cause them to die. Acid rain can also affect the reproduction and growth of plants. It can also take off the waxy covering of plants causing them to be more vulnerable to diseases.

Animals can also fall victims of acid rain. It can make harmful elements like mercury to leak to the ground and be washed down the rivers, lakes and seas. This can affect the marine life. Not only that fishes and other aquatic animals will die but humans can also get affected by eating fish with high harmful element deposits in its stomach.

Human beings can also be affected with acid rain. Contact with the acidic water of the rain can cause skin irritation, blisters and can even burn the skin if there is so much acid in the water. Acid rain can even cause skin cancer according to some doctors. Humans are also affected by acid rain when they were able to consume plants and animals containing harmful chemicals.

Now that you are already aware of thee already aware of the causes of acid rain and the harmful effects it can bring, it is best to help prevent acid rain from happening by doing our role in protecting our mother nature.

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“Earth’s infection.”

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WE always hear so much about the depletion of the ozone layer. The Ozone is mainly found in two regions of the Earth’s atmosphere. Most ozone (about 90%) resides in a layer that begins between 6 and 10 miles (10 and 17 kilometers) above the Earth’s surface and extends up to about 30 miles (50 kilometers). This region of the atmosphere…. is called the stratosphere. So when we think Earth’s atmosphere.
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We should envision a 80 inch ball ( the earth is 8,000 mile in diameter) with a 1/8 inch halo around it (representing the ozone level at 8 miles up.) In demographics, the world population is the total number of humans currently living.
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The world population was estimated to have reached 7.6 billion as of October 2017.          The United Nations estimates it will further increase to 11.2 billion by the year 2100.           The World was in harmony in mid 1992 with 5.480 billion individuals …
 

In his  book “The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A Final Warning,” (Basic Books, April 2009) James Lovelock says humanity is “Earth’s infection.”

  We are the viruses. While in theory it would be extremely difficult to truly destroy this planet, it’s not such a stretch for some scientists to also imagine us making it a place that doesn’t support humans.  The planet would go on, the thinking goes, but it’d get rid of us much like we shake the flu. Lovelock’s thinking is that our increasing presence is getting things so out of whack that, in the manner of a human immune system, the planet has no choice but to respond.

“Individuals occasionally suffer a disease called polycythaemia, an overpopulation of       red blood cells,” writes Lovelock, environmentalist, futurologist and creator of the Gaia hypothesis. “By analogy, Gaia’s illness could be called polyanthroponemia, where humans overpopulate until they do more harm than good.”
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In his blog, MSNBC’s Alan Boyle writes that University of Washington paleontologist  Peter Ward has an alternate new theory: Earth is set up to kill off life, including us, when   it spreads too widely.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_population So, let’s just fix things, yes?  Lovelock would reply: “So is There is nothing humans can do to reverse the process; the planet is simply too overpopulated to halt its own destruction by greenhouse gases. In order to survive, mankind must start preparing now for life on a radically changed planet.” Good luck!!!

Ward is more optimistic, Boyle reports. If we change habits, we can engineer our continued existence.

The Matrix and humans as viruses
In the massively popular American movie The Matrix, the writer-director team of Andy and Larry Wachowski presented a dazzling vision of a dystopian future in which intelligent machines have enslaved the human race to use them as an energy source. One of the machine race, a sentient computer program known as Agent Smith, tells one of the human heroes at a key point in the movie that the human race is functionally equivalent in ecological terms to a virus: https://flenix.net/movies/1634-the-matrix.html

For those who can’t watch YouTube videos, here’s a transcript of Agent Smith’s monologue:

I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you aren’t actually mammals.  Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium. . . . with its surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move   to an area and you multiply  and  multiply until every natural resource is consumed, and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is?     A virus. Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague. And we are the cure.

(Fans of Thomas Ligotti, who claims Burroughs as a major influence, might be interested to hear that he once told me about the time he was watching The Matrix in a theater when the movie was in its original release, and he shouted at the top of his lungs, in disgust, “A virus!” in tandem with Smith on the screen, thus discomfiting his fellow moviegoers. As a longtime student of Burroughs, he had intuited the virus idea coming from a mile away, and was annoyed at the way the moviemakers presented it with a “Hey, this is a new and ingenious idea!” tone.)

James Lovelock, the groundbreaking originator of Gaia theory, in conversation with science editor Tim Radford warns that we are about to reach a tipping point, beyond  which our planet will not recover sufficiently to sustain human life comfortably.

Preview  James Lovelock – The Vanishing Face of Gaia

James Lovelock, the renowned scientist, environmentalist, and futurist who famously spearheaded the scientific study of global warming and formulated the now-standard Gaia model that views the earth as a living organism — and who will turn 90 years old this July — had a new book (his tenth) published last month titled The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A Final Warning.
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His basic message is that radical climate change with globally catastrophic results for the human race is now locked in as an inevitability.

LiveScience published an article about Lovelock and his new book a few days ago that imparts the flavor: “Die, Humans! Is Mother Nature Sick of Us?” (May 7).

The article’s opening paragraphs link up Lovelock’s thesis with Burroughs’ and Agent Smith’s famous pronouncements:

In his new book “The Vanishing Face of Gaia: A Final Warning,” (Basic Books, April 2009) James Lovelock says humanity is “Earth’s infection.”

Nice. We are the viruses.

While in theory it would be extremely difficult to truly destroy this planet, it’s not such a stretch for some scientists to imagine us making it a place that doesn’t support humans. The planet would go on, the thinking goes, but it’d get rid of us much like we shake the flu.

Lovelock’s thinking is that our increasing presence is getting things so out of whack that, in the manner of a human immune system, the planet has no choice but to respond.

Or consider these choice paragraphs from a March 1 review of Lovelock’s book in The Guardian titled “Now we know why we’re all doomed“:

Unfortunately, Gaia is in trouble today, says Lovelock. It is infected by a virus called Homo sapiens. Humans are destroying ecosystems, killing off species in their thousands and destabilising climates. “We became the Earth’s infection a long and uncertain time ago, but it was not until about 200 years ago that the Industrial Revolution began: then the infection of the Earth became irreversible,” he says.

Not incidentally, this is followed by oh-so-choice intimations of doom:

Lovelock names this illness polyanthroponomia, a condition in which humans are so plentiful they do more harm than good. More to the point, the condition is untreatable. Renewable energy projects, cutting carbon footprints and promoting sustainable development and other green ideas are no more than the posturing of “tribal animals bravely wielding symbols against the menace of an ineluctable force”. In short, we are heading towards a climate catastrophe that will leave only pockets of humanity left alive, says Lovelock.

The reviewer describes this as “impressive, frightening stuff and all the more chilling coming from a man of such a mild disposition and of such varied credentials.”

Back to the topic at hand, tracing the “humans are a virus” meme from Burroughs through The Matrix to Lovelock is of course not the only way to do it. Variations on the idea of humans as a disease on the planet and/or of human consciousness as an alien and destructive development have appeared in science fiction and horror fiction for decades. And the idea that the human race may be a destructive species without whom planet earth would be better off, and regarding whom planet earth may be prepared to take decisive cleansing action, has wound its way through the radical environmentalism movement since its birth in the 1970s.

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For a recent example of the latter, see the widely quoted assertion by Paul Watson — militant whale protector, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and an early member of Greenpeace — that “Humans are presently acting upon [the earth’s ecosystem] in the same manner as an invasive virus with the result that we are eroding the ecological immune system.

A virus kills its host and that is exactly what we are doing with our planet’s life support system. We are killing our host the planet Earth” (“The Beginning of the End for Life as We Know It on Planet Earth?” Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, May 4, 2007.)

But all of that said, it’s still fun to see. The progressive adoption and deployment and evolution of the virus idea in Burroughs and The Matrix and Lovelock, that is.

As for the possibility that Lovelock is right about the inevitability of catastrophic climate change and Gaia’s likely destructive actions to protect herself against the human infection — well, that’s not nearly as much fun, is it?

Peter D. Ward studies life on Earth — where it came from, how it might end, and how utterly rare it might be.

Why you should listen

Paleontologist and astrobiologist Peter D. Ward studies the Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event (the one that killed the dinosaurs) and other mass extinctions. He is a leader in the intriguing new field of astrobiology, the study of the origin, distribution and evolution of life in the universe.

In his book Rare Earth he theorizes that complex life itself is so rare, it’s quite possible that Earth is the only planet that has any. But, he theorizes, simple life may exist elsewhere — and possibly be more common than we think.

His upcoming book, The Medea Hypothesis, makes a bold argument that even here on Earth, life has come close to being wiped out several times. Contrary to the “Gaia hypothesis” of a self-balancing, self-perpetuating circle of life, Ward’s Medea hypothesis details the scary number of times that life has come close to flatlining, whether due to comet strikes or an overabundance of bacteria.

In March 2009, Ward’s 8-hour television series, Animal Armageddon, premieres on Animal Planet Network.

In April 2013, Ward published a surprisingly moving essay about his life’s obsession: the chambered nautilus >>

What others say

“What are the chances of all the necessary factors coming together to allow the emergence of complex organisms? Not good, unfortunately. As far as we know, it’s only happened once.” — review of Rare Earth in the Skeptical Inquirer.   https://www.ted.com/talks/peter_ward_on_mass_extinctions

Some environmentalists say toxins that work like estrogens are already having an effect: Such agents, found in pesticides and industrial PCBs, have been linked to earlier puberty for women, increased incidence of breast cancer and lower sperm counts for men.

“One of the great frontiers is going to be trying to keep humans alive in a much more toxic world,” he observed from his Seattle office. “The whales of Puget Sound are the most toxic whales on Earth. Puget Sound is just a huge cesspool. Well, imagine if that goes global.”

Global epidemics or dramatic environmental changes represent just two of the scenarios that could cause a Uni-human society to crack, putting natural selection — or perhaps not-so-natural selection — back into the evolutionary game.  Then what?

“We Are Damned Whatever We Do”: James Lovelock’s “Final Warning …

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In (part one) of today’s Doomsday sermon from , : James Lovelock’sFinal … rocky pulpit

James Lovelock’s “Final Warning” To Humanity (Part Two of Two …

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In (part two) of today’s Doomsday sermon, I dig deeper into my latest favorite Bible of the Apocalypse,

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Exercise Makes It Good Again

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Hi, my name is. . . . Kevin Richardson

And in my work as an Natural Health Researcher I’ve helped over
thousands people from all over the world eliminate their chronic, persistent,
and recurring pain regardless of where it is in the body…

…and gain the ability to move and feel like a limber 20-year old
again, simply by making a few easy and enjoyable lifestyle changes.
.
Ever since two-time Nobel Laureate recipient, Otto Von Warburg discovered that tumors and cancer can only grow in a low-oxygen environment.

More research has been done on oxygen and it’s role in all illness and disease.

Oxygen is absolutely essential for healthy cells, as it acts against foreign toxins in the body.

Many such toxins, like viruses and bacteria, are mostly anaerobic, (meaning that they thrive in a low-oxygen environment).

When levels of oxygen increase, the potential for disease decreases. Germs, parasites, fungi, bacteria, and viruses are killed along with diseased and deficient tissue cells.

At the same time, healthy cells not only survive but are better able to multiply.

The result is a stronger immune system and improved overall immune response.

After helping thousands of people with their health problems, using the latest natural methods and discoveries, I have discovered that decreased oxygen levels in one or more areas in your body is at the root of all illness.

When you find where you are oxygen deficient, and you use the correct approach to restore it…

…amazing things can happen.

You will learn how this works, including what we call the “Pain-Brain Cycle”, after you take this short quiz.

As a dedicated natural health researcher, I have become passionate about bringing chronic pain relief to every man, woman, and child.

This issue of helping people permanently and naturally eliminate oxygen-deficiency is core to this mission because more people are chronically ill and more medicated today than ever before.

My promise to you is that if you take this short quiz and follow our advice, living your life without the threat and fear of pain and illness will become significantly easier. http://oxygenstarved.com/analysis/tf/?trans=102a42b41530653763ec9250819729&aff_sub1=Internal

Sincerely,

This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Exercise

By Sarah Klein

Whether you do it to lose weight, to reach a fitness goal or — dare we say it? — just for fun, exercise changes you.

There’s the red face and the sweating, the pounding heart and pumping lungs, the boost to your alertness and mood, the previously nonexistent urges to talk about nothing but splits and laps and PBs.

But while we all know that staying physically active is essential to a long, healthy, productive life, we don’t often understand exactly what’s happening behind the scenes.

We asked the experts to take us through — from head to toe — what happens in the body when we exercise. Neuroscientist Judy Cameron, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Tommy Boone, Ph.D., a board certified exercise physiologist, and Edward Laskowski, M.D., co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center spill the beans on what gets and keeps you moving.

Muscles The body calls on glucose, sugar the body has stored away from the foods we eat in the form of glycogen, for the energy required to contract muscles and spur movement.

It also uses adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, but the body only has small stores of both glucose and ATP. After quickly using up these supplies, the body requires extra oxygen to create more ATP. More blood is pumped to the exercising muscles to deliver additional O2. Without enough oxygen, lactic acid will form instead. Lactic acid is typically flushed from the body within 30 to 60 minutes after finishing up a workout.

Tiny tears form in the muscles that help them grow bigger and stronger as they heal. Soreness only means there are changes occurring in those muscles, says Boone, and typically lasts a couple of days.

Lungs Your body may need up to 15 times more oxygen when you exercise, so you start to breathe faster and heavier. Your breathing rate will increase until the muscles surrounding the lungs just can’t move any faster. This maximum capacity of oxygen use is called VO2 max. The higher the VO2 max, the more fit a person is.

Diaphragm Like any muscle, the diaphragm can grow tired with all that heavy breathing. Some argue that as the diaphragm fatigues,  it can spasm,  causing a dreaded side stitch. (Others argue that a side stitch is due to spasms  of  the ligaments around the diaphragm instead, while others believe the spasms to originate in the nerves that run from the upper back to the abdomen and are caused by poor posture!) Deep breathing and stretching can alleviate the discomfort in the middle of a workout, and preemptive strengthening in the gym can ward off future issues.

Heart When you exercise, heart rate increases to circulate more oxygen (via the blood)    at a quicker pace.  The more you exercise,  the more efficient the heart becomes at this process, so you can work out harder and longer. Eventually, this lowers resting heart rate in fit people.

Exercise also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels, causing blood pressure to decrease in fit people.

Stomach & Intestines Because the body is pumping more blood to the muscles, it takes some away from the systems and functions that aren’t top priority at the moment, like digestion. That can result in tummy troubles. Movement, absorption and secretion in the stomach and intestines can all be affected.

Brain Increased blood flow also benefits the brain. Immediately, the brain cells will start functioning at a higher level, says Cameron, making you feel more alert and awake during exercise and more focused afterward.

When you work out regularly, the brain gets used to this frequent surge of blood and adapts by turning certain genes on or off. Many of these changes boost brain cell function and protect from diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or even stroke, and ward off age-related decline, she says.

Exercise triggers a surge of chemical messengers in the brain called neurotransmitters, which include endorphins, often cited as the cause of the mythical “runner’s high.”

The brain releases dopamine and glutamate, too, to get those arms and legs moving, as well as gamma-amino butyric acid, or GABA, a prohibitive neurotransmitter that actually slows things down, to keep you moving in a smooth and controlled manner.

You’ll also likely feel better thanks to a bump in serotonin, a neurotransmitter well known for its role in mood and depression.

Hippocampus:  This part of the brain is highly involved in learning and memory, and it’s one of the only sections of the brain that can make new brain cells. Exercise facilitates this, thanks to the extra oxygen in the brain.

Even when you stop exercising, those new brain cells survive, whereas many other changes in the brain during exercise eventually return to their normal state should you become less active.

Hypothalamus:  The hypothalamus is responsible for body temperature,  as well as salt     and water balance, among other duties. As your body heats up, it tells the skin to produce sweat to keep you cool.

Pituitary Gland This control center in the brain alerts the adrenal glands to pump out    the hormones necessary for movement.  It also releases growth hormones.  As the body searches for more fuel to burn after using up your glycogen stores,  it will turn to either muscle or fat, says Cameron. Human growth hormone acts as a security guard for muscle, she says, telling the body to burn fat for energy instead.

Kidneys The rate at which the kidneys filter blood can change depending on your level   of exertion. After intense exercise, the kidneys allow greater levels of protein to be filtered into the urine. They also trigger better water reabsorption, resulting in less urine, in what is likely an attempt to help keep you as hydrated as possible.

Adrenal Glands A number of the so-called “stress” hormones released here are actually crucial to exercise. Cortisol, for example, helps the body mobilize its energy stores into fuel. Adrenaline helps the heart beat faster so it can more quickly deliver blood around   the body.

Skin As you pick up the pace, the body, like any engine, produces heat — and needs to cool off. The blood vessels in the skin dilate, increasing blood flow to the skin. The heat then dissipates through the skin into the air.

Eccrine Glands At the hypothalamus’s signal, one of two types of sweat glands,            the eccrine glands, get to work. These sweat glands produce odorless perspiration, a mixture of water, salt and small amounts of other electrolytes, directly onto the skin’s surface. When this sweat evaporates into the air, your body temp drops.

Apocrine Glands This second type of sweat gland is found predominantly in hair-    covered areas, like the scalp, armpits and groin. These sweat glands produce a fattier sweat, typically in response to emotional stress, that can result in odor when bacteria       on the skin begin to break it down, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Face The capillaries close to the skin’s surface in the face dilate as well, as they strain to release heat. For some exercisers, this may result in a particularly red face after a workout.

Joints Exercising puts extra weight on the joints, sometimes up to five or six times more than your bodyweight, says Laskowski. Ankles, knees, hips, elbows and shoulders all have very different functions, but operate in similar ways. Each joint is lined with cushioning tissue at the ends of the bones called cartilage, as well as soft tissue and lubricating fluid, to help promote smooth and easy motion. Ligaments and tendons provide stability.

Over time, the cushioning around the joints can begin to wear away or degenerate,             as happens in people with osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis.

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

By Mayo Clinic Staff

Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, regardless of age, sex or physical ability.

Need more convincing to get moving? Check out these seven ways exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

1. Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

Regular trips to the gym are great, but don’t worry if you can’t find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. To reap the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day — take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight, being active also boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Regular exercise helps prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, a number of types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

3. Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A gym session or brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed.

You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

4. Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just don’t exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to hit the hay.

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.

But there’s even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise.

7. Exercise can be fun … and social!

Exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy     the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can    also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.

So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends.

The bottom line on exercise

Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, boost your health and have fun. Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise.

Try to engage in a combination of vigorous and moderate aerobic exercises, such as running, walking or swimming. Squeeze in strength training at least twice per week by lifting free weights, using weight machines or doing body weight exercises.

Space out your activities throughout the week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to ramp up your exercise efforts.

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you haven’t exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes  or arthritis, or you have any concerns

Preview  What Happens To Your Body When You Exercise?

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Going Wireless Around Children

9 Facts About Wireless & Your Child’s Brain

About Jacqueline Full Portrait

By Jacqueline

FACT #1  Children absorb more of this (wireless) radiation than adults. 

“The average exposure from use of the same mobile phone is higher by a factor                   of 2 in a child’s brain and higher by a factor of 10 in the bone marrow of the skull.”

Children using mobile phones absorb as much as double the amount of radiation through their heads as adults. Dr. Om Ghandi, a leading scientist and professor of electrical engineering at the University of Utah found that young children under 10 years of age could absorb radiation across their entire brain. He found that more radiation is able to go past the ear and into the head since a child’s ear is thinner and the telephone is closer to the head. All it takes is two millimeters difference,” Dr Ghandi said. (source)

The picture below shows how wireless radiation penetrates the brain of a five-year-old deeper than an adult.

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FACT #2  US exposure standards do not protect children. 

The radiation absorption model is of a 200-pound, 6-foot tall male brain (called SAM). This standard was set up almost 20 years ago.  Wireless radiation standards do not protect the 97% of the population with heads smaller than this adult male SAM model.  Read more about children’s absorption compared to adults and all about the research that informed the  picture above here.

FACT #3  Current exposure limits are based solely on the heating of tissue. 

They do not take into account accumulating research showing serious biological effects    at low level  “nonthermal”  radiation levels.  These effects  include  DNA impacts,  sleep damage, altered brain activity, and increased cancer.  Also cellular changes,  skin tissue changes, damaged sperm motility and viability, decreased cognitive functioning, memory impairment, and disruption of the blood brain barrier.

FACT #4  The  biggest window of vulnerability occurs in utero and             during childhood when the immune system and brain are developing. 

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Small insults can have large effects while cells are rapidly dividing. Microwave radiation has been shown to more strongly impact stem cells and children have more active stem cells.

Proffessor Leif Salford, who headed the research at Sweden’s prestigious Lund University, says “the voluntary exposure of the brain to microwaves from hand-held mobile phones” is “the largest human biological experiment ever”. Research suggests that mobile phones and the new wireless technology could cause a “whole generation” of today’s teenagers to GO SENILE in the prime of their lives.

Professor Salford and his team have spent 15 years investigating microwave radiation. Their studies proved radiation could open the blood-brain barrier, allowing a protein called albumin to pass into the brain. Their latest work shows the process is linked to serious brain damage. Professor Salford said neurons that would normally not become “senile” until people reached their 60s may now do so when they were in their 30s. (source)

International Parenting Association/BrainDevelopment/Cellphones

FACT #5  Wireless radiation is classified by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a Class 2 B carcinogen.

This classification is based on evidence of increased numbers of brain tumors in heavy users of cell phones observed over ten years. Heavy use was defined as 30 minutes   a day. Adults who started using wireless devices as teens had a 4 times greater risk of brain tumors. Other Class 2 B Carcinogens include:  lead, dioxin, DDT, chloroform,      and ethylbenzene.

FACT #6  Wireless radiation impacts brain maturation. 

Accumulating research shows significant impacts on the neuron development of young brains.

Dr. Hugh Taylor, Chief of Obstetrics at Yale, lead in utero research showing wireless radiation during pregnancy resulted in developmental and behavioral problems in offspring.  The baby mice had impaired memory and increased hyperactivity.

Dr. Suleyman Kaplan did several research studies showing decreased neurons in the hippocampus and cerebellum after exposures to wireless radiation.  He summarized        his state of the art research in his FCC submission. 

Furthermore, brain imaging studies show changed electrical activity during wireless exposures.  See below the picture of a brain  from the National Institute of Health study showing increased glucose metabolism in the brain areas exposed to wireless radiation.

                                        Cell Phone On                                Cell Phone Off

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FACT #7  The United States is lagging behind on protections for Children. 

The governments of France, tramadol buy online overnight Belgium, Israel, Finland, Russia, India and the European Union have all taken steps toward reducing children’s exposure to radiation from wireless devices. This ranges from banning the marketing         of cell phones to children under 14 to restricting wireless routers at schools.

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The latest nation to join in this precautionary principle is Belgium.  As of March 1, 2014, sale and advertising of cell phones especially designed for children under the age of seven years old is banned.   So is advertising for cell phones during children’s programs on TV, radio, and the internet.  Recently, France’s National Assembly passed legislation banning Wi-Fi from nursery schools. They strongly recommended wired connections rather than Wi-Fi until safety is proven.

FACT #8  NO ONE is offering safety assurances. 

The EPA states “More research is needed to clarify the question of safety.”

We know of no medical organization stating that this radiation is safe.  Instead, they all state more research is needed.

 Dr Samet of the World Health Organization states that the IARC clasification means     that safety cannot be assured. It is a particular concern, given the prospect that most of the world’s population will have lifelong exposure to radio frequency electromagnetic fields.”

Several World Health Organization scientists have now stated that the evidence has increased and that the proper classification for this radiation is in a higher risk catagory.   Please see Dr. Anthony Miller testifying to the City of Toronto that wireless exposure should be a 2A (probable) carcinogen.

FACT #9  Low power does not mean LOW effects. 

When it comes to Wi-Fi radiation many will say that Wi-Fi is “lower” power so we should not worry.  We wish that were true.

  1. Our children are now exposed to chronic low-level radiation for hours a day and no research has been done to quantify this risk.  Scientists are specifically concerned with the erratic nature of the pulsed digital signal rather than the power.

  2.  In addition to the radiation from routers, the wireless devices in a classroom emit radiation. Unlike cell phone radiation, this results in full body exposures on our children.  When children rest their laptops on their laps,  their reproductive organs   are absorbing most of this radiation.  Since experimental research is showing damage to sperm and ovaries from this radiation, we can assume that there is a serious risk to our children’s reproductive health as well as their brains.

No comprehensive research has been done to evaluate the levels of radiation exposure       in classrooms where 30 or more devices are in use in a single room.

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(Ban computers from schools until children reach age 9, says expert, The Telegraph, UK)

Our Children Are At Risk

Wi-Fi is microwave radiation, a possible human carcinogen.

What if this radiation is proven to conclusively cause cancer a decade from now?

If so, our children will have had a massive exposure since birth. We can act now to reduce the risk. As thoughtful parents, we are not comfortable playing Russian Roulette with our children’s health. Why risk our children’s future?

Proven, safe technologies exist. National Association for Children and Safe Technology has a page that shows us how. Create a Safe Home. Let’s use them!

Excerpts and data reproduced from National Association for Children and Safe Technology.

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8 Ways to Reduce Potential Health Risks of Cell Phones:

  1. Don’t allow children to use a cell phone for calling.
  2. Limit calls to those that are absolutely necessary.
  3. Carry and store cell phones away from the body.
  4. Don’t use your telephone when in a moving vehicle or a parked one.
  5. We are using a Pong case for our smart phones. The Environmental Health Trust      has tested this product and found it to be reliable.
  6. Use an air-filled, wire-less tube headset, or use a speaker instead of holding phones close to the head.
  7. Make longer calls from a land line when possible.
  8. Only use your cell phone in conditions of optimum reception.

If it turns out that cell phones are as safe as sunbonnets, great. In the meantime, take         a better-safe-than-sorry approach to this wonderful and potentially dangerous modern convenience.

“Mobile phones are arguably the most radiative appliance we have ever invented apart from the microwave oven, People are putting them up to     their head – arguably the most sensitive part of the body. Human brains     may absorb up to 40% of a cell phones radio frequency energy and much        as 60% of microwave energy.” ~Dr. Roger Coghill, Coghill Research Laboratory

 “Look the world straight in the eye.”
~Helen Keller

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EMF Radiation Permeates the Air

Electropollution is a collective term for the unseen, unfelt and unnatural electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that we are increasingly exposed to. EMFs are generated by everything from high-tension electrical wires, wiring in the walls of homes and offices, cell phones, wireless networks and even such accepted home appliances as radios, televisions and microwave ovens.

The truth is, there’s much that is still unknown about the effects of EMF radiation on the human body. What I think is clear, though, is that chaotic EMFs crisscrossing your community, flooding your household and bathing your body cannot be good for you. After all, we are highly tuned and highly sensitive bioelectrical creatures. Every process in the body is regulated by dynamic electrical currents.

The three most obvious, of course, are the pumping action of the heart, the neurotransmissions taking place within the nervous system and the electrochemical activity of the 500 trillion synapses contained in the organic computer that runs it all—the brain.

EMF Radiation, Behavioral Problems and Brain Tumors

A team of researchers at UCLA studied the possible association between behavioral problems in young children and prenatal and postnatal exposure to cell phones. They reviewed questionnaires answered by the mothers of 13,159 Dutch children once their children reached seven years of age.

The researchers concluded that exposure to cell phones before birth—and, to a lesser degree, after birth—was associated with “emotional and hyperactivity problems around the age of school entry.”

I also read the results of two long-term Swedish studies that concluded the use of cell phones could substantially increase the risk of developing either a malignant brain tumor or a nonmalignant auditory tumor that could lead to ringing in the ears, loss of hearing and problems with dizziness and loss of balance.

The researchers found that long-term, heavy use indicates a 20 percent increased risk of developing one of the two types of tumors—particularly on the same side of your head that you usually use to talk on your cell phone.

How To Reduce Your EMF Exposure

I want to make it clear that I’m not a Luddite who shuns all technology. I love how much easier it is to keep in touch and stay informed with devices like cell phones and laptop computers with Wi-Fi connections. However, when it comes to health, I’ve decided to err on the side of caution by monitoring my exposure to electropollution and trying to reduce it when possible.

  • Use a landline. For most phone calls I make or receive, I’m content to wait for a landline. However, not all landlines are safe either. Cordless phones, which have become the norm in most households, generate alarmingly large amounts of EMF radiation compared to phones with cords.
  • Put it on speaker. When you do use a cell phone, use the speakerphone feature         to better protect your ears and brain.
  • Make it brief. If you must place the cell phone next to your ear, make the conversation as brief as possible and don’t always hold it on the same side of your head.
  • Know the SAR. When purchasing a cell phone, find out its specific absorption       rate (SAR). SAR is a way of measuring the quantity of radio frequency energy that        is absorbed by the body. The lower the SAR of a cell phone, the better it is. I wouldn’t consider any cell phone model with a SAR level of more than 0.5.
  • Become an EMF radiation detective. Consider buying an electro-pollution detector. Electro-pollution detectors can tell you how strong EMF radiation waves are—and how far they extend beyond their source.
  • Try Earthing. Research shows that Earthing (also known as grounding), which is the practice of physically reconnecting with the Earth by either going barefoot outside or sitting or lying on special conductive devices (such as pads for the floor or bed) that are plugged into a grounded electrical outlet, powerfully protects you from EMF radiation.

Preview  The Proof You’ve Been Looking For – Cell,

Wi-Fi, Radiation, Health (Dr.Sinatra, Dr.Davis, Dr.Havas)

The Science 0f Mindfulness

If you came to this my personal blog for Cancer Survivor Stories, “yes” I have blogged many of those. However, recently I have been blogging about “The Cause and Effect.”

Preview YouTube video Is Breast Cancer Linked to Stress?

 
Psychological Stress and Breast Cancer:  here is a Link?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UVXt_3nfdA    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWg90-oOZ3I&t=83s

The Theory of Stress http://colinchamp.com/stress-and-cancer/

The first thing I think of when I think about and consider stress is that it produces   shallow breathing and lower oxygen content into the body!!!

Generally, stress is either beneficial or harmful to the body.

During inflamm-aging, the body is constantly in the stress environment, which is caused by different kinds of stressors that induce and maintain the chronic pro-inflammatory status in the body. Stress, as one of regulated factors of immunity, provokes the greatest immune response in the bodies of young persons, whereas it provokes that weakest response  in elderly persons with signs of immuno-senescence and inflamm-aging. https://www.intechopen.com/books/oxidative-stress-and-chronic-degenerative-diseases-a-role-for-antioxidants/inflammatory-environmental-oxidative-stress-in-tumoral-progression

According to a series of studies involving different species from invertebrates to humans, from an evolutionary perspective, inflammation is closely related to innate immunity and stress.  Based on evolutionary studies,  also immune response,  stress response, and inflammation form a defensive network in the body. However, the compatibility between inflammatory status and longevity and the paradoxical pro-inflammatory character in healthy centenarians strongly suggest the existence of physiological inflammation.

Therefore, inflammation and the pro-inflammatory status in healthy persons and centenarians show a beneficial response that helps the elderly deal with the stimuli generated by chronic antigen stressors. However, excessive stress response, as well   as an accompanying increasingly high pro-inflammatory response, leads to human inflamm-aging.  https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jir/2016/8426874/

Stress is implicated in increased tumor progression risk and poor survival in cancer patients. A number of recent studies have linked these effects to the promotion of tumor cell dissemination through the bloodstream via stress-induced pathways.

Now, a mouse study led by researchers in Australia has revealed the mechanisms by  which stress modulates cancer’s spread through another transport network open to   tumor cells—the lymphatic system. The findings were published today (March 1) in  Nature Communications.

“Stress not only affects your well-being, but it also affects your biology,” said study coauthor Erica Sloan, a cancer researcher at Monash University in Melbourne. “Our   study particularly highlights the early steps of tumor cell dissemination into the    lymphatic system.” http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-28/stress-can-speed-up-spread-of-cancer-in-body-scientists-say/7548024

“This is an excellent contribution,” said Kari Alitalo, a professor of translational cancer biology at the University of Helsinki, Finland, who was not involved in the study. “It’s certainly a very refreshing, novel aspect of biology that they explore in this paper.”

Chronic stress, mediated partly through the sympathetic nervous system, has been associated in cancer patients with a number of physiological changes that promote metastasis (the spread of cancer), including the promotion of blood vessel formation and the recruitment of inflammatory cells like macrophages.

To investigate whether stress could also induce changes in lymph vasculature, the researchers subjected various types of mammary tumor–bearing mice—including strains genetically engineered to develop tumors spontaneously, as well as animals given tumor transplants—to a paradigm designed to induce chronic stress: confinement in a tight space.

Comparing stressed mice to controls that bore the same cancerous tumors but had been kept in normal cage conditions, the researchers found no difference in primary tumor growth, but significant differences in lymph vasculature architecture and the frequency    of metastases.“We found that stress helps to build new lymphatic freeways out of the tumor [and] modulates how quickly lymph flows through lymph vessels,” said Sloan, adding that “stress increases the speed limit on these little lymphatic highways and     helps cells     transit more quickly out of the tumor.”

Since tumor cell dissemination is a key step in cancer metastasis, the team wanted to     test whether dissemination through the lymphatic system could be reduced by blocking stress signaling pathways.

The researchers turned to beta-blockers—cheap, widely available drugs commonly used    to treat hypertension—which inhibit signaling of norepinephrine  (or no-adrenaline), a stress hormone already implicated in cancer progression risk.

Administering beta-blockers to tumor-bearing mice,  the researchers were also able to  minimize changes in the density of lymph vessels at the primary tumor site, and subsequently reduce metastasis to the lymph nodes.  By contrast, artificially stimulating norepinephrine receptors increased both lymph vessel density and metastasis.  Through     a series of further experiments, the team demonstrated important roles for macrophages involved in inflammatory signaling and also a set of tumor-secreted vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) in the regulation of lymph vasculature remodeling and tumor cell dissemination.

“It’s an important step in understanding how stress pathways can influence metastasis,” said Anil Sood,  a professor of translational research  at  MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,  Texas,  who was not involved in the research. “It really helps us to understand  the possible mechanisms by which sympathetic nervous system pathways can affect how lymphatics may be remodeled.”

The study also included an analysis of observational data from a cohort of nearly 1,000 breast cancer patients in Milan, which corroborate the team’s findings in mice: patients taking beta-blockers showed a significantly lower incidence of lymph node and distant metastases, even once potentially confounding factors such as age and treatment type   had been taken into account.

But Alitalo cautioned against drawing strong conclusions from these data. “Stress biology is complex,” he said. “In laboratory conditions with mice, it’s easier to define and measure stress. In real life, these things fluctuate a lot, especially in cancer patients.” He added that beta-blockers show “no specificity to the lymphatic system, so [their] effects as such could be transduced via a variety of pathways.”

Sloan and colleagues are now working to further resolve the molecular mechanisms involved in stress-induced remodeling of the tumor microenvironment in mice, and        are investigating potential interactions between beta-blockers and standard cancer treatments, with a view to using the drugs to tackle stress-related metastasis risk in         the clinic.  http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0108157

“This is something that, when we treat cancer, we should be considering,” Sloan said.     “By actually addressing stress in the patient, we’re giving our cancer therapies a better chance to work.”   Yoga and stress  🙂

Dr. Christine Teaño Lipat’s whole health chiropractic approach explores 6 interferences   to wellness (as outlined in the Brimhall Wellness Seminars) that may hinder your health and your state of balance.

Image result for These 6 interferences: 1. structural interference 2. electrical pollution

These 6 interferences:  1. structural interference 2. electrical pollution 3. nutritional deficiency  4.  allergies/sensitivities  5.  emotional stress  and   6.  toxicity levels

When you feel healthy – how do you feel?

The Total Stress Load Concept – Why Your Body May Not Be Healing Itself

Total Stress Load Concept - Why Your Body May Not Be Healing Itself by Dr. Christine T. Lipat, DC

 We talk a lot about root causes in the alternative health community, as though by locating and pointing “it” out to the patient, we can help them eliminate their symptoms. Indeed, when chiropractic was founded in 1895, spinal misalignments were theorized to be a primary cause of disease, and a spinal correction could perform miracles for a patient’s nervous system.Adjustments continue to play an important role in ensuring the flow of our amazing life force energy, but in this toxic millenium, it is important to take into account our total stress/toxin load when considering root causes of chronic health issues and our body’s inability to fully and properly heal.2

Any stress or toxin exposure sets off the same sympathetic fight/flight response of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, toxins require anti-oxidants to neutralize the    free radicals produced. We were born with different detoxification capacities, which is  why some people notice the effects of toxicity much earlier in life than others.

Simultaneous stress/toxin exposures lower this threshold for triggering the fight/flight response, and the accumulated free radical damage triggers inflammation and accelerated aging.

What stressors contribute to the total stress/toxin load?:

  • structural/fascial – ie. atlas misalignment, scar tissue, adhesions
  • emotional – current and past experiences, toxic relationships
  • digestive dysfunction – mineral/vitamin absorption deficiencies, endotoxins              from leaky gut
  • immune – auto-immune reactions, inflammation, food sensitivities
  • environmental – pesticides, fragrances, heavy metals, molds, food preservatives,     BPA, flame retardants, etc.3
  • infections – dysbiosis (viruses, fungi, parasites and bacterial imbalance)
  • endocrine – cortisol/thyroid hormone imbalances, high insulin levels, estrogen/progesterone or testosterone imbalance
  • neurotransmitter imbalance
  • oxidative/mitochondrial – poor circulation, poor detoxification
  • spiritual – lack of purpose/connection/trust in life
  • or electromagnetic – interference from wifi, cellphones, computers, etc.4

The sympathetic fight/flight response causes the body to increase its heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. Muscle tension also increases, blood vessels constrict and prioritize blood away from the skin and digestive system to the muscles and brain. Digestion slows, the immune system is on high alert and blood platelets become “sticky”   to help blood coagulation. The liver releases sugar in to the blood for energy. “The mind scans for danger, even magnifying threats that may not be serious. . . . Emotions become magnified – irritability turns to anger, concern turns to anxiety, fatigue turns to depressed mood.”5

On a short term basis, the body uses up its limited resources to prioritize its own survival. On a long term basis, these functions are destructive, decrease our ever dwindling reserves, and can result in subclinical conditions that eventually manifest into named diseases. Doctors who use the Functional Medicine Matrix of which total stress/toxin load is an underlying concept, recognize the complex interplay between all these factors in supporting and/or blocking the healing process.

Today, when a patient comes into the office with chronic health issues, we ask: If the body is so intelligent, why is it not healing itself? What are the factors that are blocking healing from occurring?

To find out, we conduct a thorough history, chiropractic exam, nutrition response      testing and applied kinesiology to identify possible stressors specific to your situation. Using a myriad of techniques, including low force chiropractic approaches, myofascial deep tissue percussion, neuroemotional technique, nutritional/detox/lifestyle counseling, reiki/energy work, herbs and nutrient supplementation, we partner with you to help you decrease your total stress/toxin load so that you can rebuild your resilience and reclaim your vibrant health.

Here are some suggestions on how you can increase your total health load:

  • minimize your toxic stressors (see above)
  • eat organic/local nutrient-dense foods and drink clean water
  • avoid food irritants/sensitivities/intolerances, processed food chemicals and sugar
  • listen to your body and respect its limitations
  • soak in a sensible amount of sunshine regularly
  • prioritize a good night’s sleep (by 10pm is ideal)
  • engage in regular movement/exercise and sweat often
  • touch the ground with your bare feet
  • nourish yourself with regular laughter, hugs, reading, singing, dancing, planting, creating…
  • lead a purposeful, loving, gratitude-filled life
  • and find spiritual sustenance.

Those who work to increase their total health load, decrease their nervous system stress, and better maintain their structural alignment. They are able to activate and spend more time in parasympathetic rest/digest mode – this is when repair and rejuvenation occurs. They maximize their own body’s healing abilities and save on future healthcare dollars.

Throughout my own journey, I have benefited from the monthly sessions with my          own chiropractor which helps me to better understand my body.  My healing process is dynamic, and my nutritional needs are evaluated regularly. I benefit from learning about and resetting any accumulated stress built up since the last visit. I walk my talk, and I look forward to serving you!

Click here for a sample of the free Niu Patient Workbook which discusses the role of chiropractic in promoting health and outlines more specific suggestions for lifestyle changes that can improve the body’s ability to heal itself.

  1. Vertebral Subluxation on wikipedia.
  2. Dr. Charles Gant (Total Stress Load) and Dr. Sherry Rogers (Total Toxic Load)
  3. “Scientists estimate that everyone alive today carries within her or his body at least  700 contaminants, most of which have not been well studied.” Chemical Body Burden website. “A study also conducted on newborns by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in umbilical cord blood from 10 babies born in August and September of 2004 in U.S. hospitals. Tests revealed a total of 287 chemicals in the group. The umbilical cord blood of these 10 children, collected by Red Cross after the cord was cut, contained pesticides, consumer product ingredients, and wastes from burning coal, gasoline, and garbage.” Green Mental Health Care: How to Get Off and Stay Off Psychiatric Drugs.
  4. Cynthia Perkins, How Toxins Make you Sick
  5. Stress Directions Inc.

Educated patients get the best results and save on future healthcare dollars! Below are valuable health articles posted on Niu Health Chiropractic’s Facebook page. 

Like us and select “Get Notifications” and “Show in Newsfeed” for the latest posts:

  • Yet more compelling reasons to avoid sugar!: White Sugar’s Burden
  • How chronic stress/chronic toxins and their total load impacts the nervous system and wreaks havoc on the body’s healing and repair systems: How Toxins Make You Sick
  • …when chiropractors clear your nerve system with an adjustment, not only does your physical body improve, but so does your mental focus and ability to express your true self 🙂 The Part We Love the Most
  • “These studies show links between fluoride exposure and kidney disease;  pineal, thyroid, and reproductive gland problems;  arthritis;  and bone,  tooth,  and nervous system disorders. Reviews of the science  show that water fluoridation may not even prevent tooth decay …. drinking fluoride in water is as dumb as eating sunscreen   to prevent sunburn or swallowing condoms for safe sex!”: Water Fluoridation: Folly or Fraud
  • “Asthma, food allergies, chronic sinusitis, eczema, urticaria, migraine, irritable bowel, fungal disorders, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory joint disorders including rheumatoid arthritis are just a few of the diseases that can originate with leaky gut. It contributes to PMS, uterine fibroids, and breast fibroids.  Leaky Gut Syndrome is often the real basis for chronic fatigue syndrome and pediatric immune deficiencies.” Leaky Gut: Can This Be Destroying Your Health?
  • Avoiding grains and flours for optimal health reasons? Whoa. Then what’s left to eat? Lots! Here’s a shopping list from Practical Paleo: Guide to Paleo Foods
  • “Emerging evidence shows that contact with the Earth—whether being outside   barefoot or indoors connected to grounded conductive systems—may be a simple, natural, and yet profoundly effective environmental strategy against chronic stress, ANS dysfunction, inflammation, pain, poor sleep, disturbed HRV, hypercoagulable blood, and many common health disorders, including cardiovascular disease. The research done to date supports the concept that grounding or earthing the human  body may be an essential element in the health equation along with sunshine, clean   air and water, nutritious food, and physical activity.” Earthing: Health Implications of Reconnecting the Human Body to the Earth’s Surface Electrons
  • “The health of the upper cervical spine is thus critically important to both blood and CSF flow and that makes it important to overall health.  It is especially important to   the health of the brain and cord. In addition to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis this site discusses many common and important health conditions related to upright posture.”Brain Cooling and the Cranial Veins
  • Food for thought! Why Are Americans Less Healthy?
  • “What if your purpose is to take impeccable care of yourself so that you have the energy and joy to serve others?” The Myth of Finding Your Purpose
  • “We are not slaves to our DNA. Our environment controls the activity of our genes. Our interpretation of the environment determines how our genes express themselves, and we can direct our interpretation of life’s events. In short, we are not slaves to biochemical caprice. As sentient beings, we sculpt our biology…” Legacy and Lifestyle: Epigenetics and the Potential for Chiropractic

One of the core dietary recommendations we make, aside from avoiding your food sensitivities, is to avoid sugar, grains, dairy, and nightshades. See our Pinterest page         for recipe ideas in line with our healing foods philosophy.

Spread the health – share this newsletter with your friends and family.                   Your referral could dramatically improve a loved one’s quality of life!

Yours in health,

Dr. Christine T. Lipat, DC, CFMP, White Light and Karuna Reiki Master

Niu Health Chiropractic, Your Honolulu Chiropractor
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Preview YouTube video Managing Stress and Anxiety During Cancer Treatment

Neuroscientists Richard Davidson and Amishi Jha join clinical mindfulness expert   Jon Kabat-Zinn  to explore the role  of consciousness  in mental and physical health,   how we can train the mind to become more flexible and adaptable, and what cutting-    edge neuroscience is also revealing about the transformation of consciousness through mindfulness and contemplative practice. Often, these difficulties stem from the human brain’s hardwired tendency to seek pleasure and avoid pain.…Numerous studies show which parts of the brain are affected by mindfulness practice, and  how these neurobiological changes benefit our minds and bodies.

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams ran a two-part report titled “Power of Prayer” — an overview of medical evidence revealing the positive, even miraculous, outcomes  from believers praying. HEALING THROUGH PRAYER – HOW PRAYER PRODUCES SEROTONIN for HEALING & LONGEVITY.

It begins from the Brain and is transmitted throughout the Human body: It heals tissue    as well as damaged livers. It promotes the feeling of well-being and disperses depression. Examples of how prayer affects the Human Brain (Brain scan images) as well as the improved mental and physical Health of the person and the Community.

Preview  PRAYER increases ‘SEROTONIN’

resulting in HEALING, LONGEVITY & HEALTH.

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How does the brain function during prayer, meditation, and trance states? Andrew Newberg has conducted hundreds of brain scans of people during these “enlightened” states and found unique patterns of brain activity. He has surveyed 2,000 people to find the essential elements of the enlightenment experience. With these findings, Andrew aims to help people find their own enlightenment, an experience that can radically change and improve your life.
A doctor at a Philadelphia hospital says prayer is not a cure for cancer — but can sometimes be as important as science in helping patients heal. Dr. Andrew Newberg of Thomas Jefferson Hospital has been studying the effect of prayer on the human brain for more than 20 years, injecting radioactive dye into subjects and watching what changes inside their heads when they pray. You can see it’s all red here when the person is just at rest, said Newberg. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pv5v1lBcbZs
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Preview What Happens To Your Brain When You Pray

 The Grande Finale to this blog: Join Dr. Timothy Water as he presents this Expert Angle webinar:                              “Living with Prostate Cancer, Stress, Mindfulness and Optimal Wellbeing.”

Preview  Expert Angle: Living with Prostate Cancer, Stress, Mindfulness and Optimal Wellbeing

Expert Angle: Living with Prostate Cancer, Stress, Mindfulness and Optimal Wellbeing
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The Infinite Unknown

Related image

IN TODAYS WORLD WE LIVE IN A TOXIC WORLD!!!

THESE TIMES ARE Crazy, Insane and Weird ALSO 😉😗😂

“Discoveries and inventions are not terminals; they are fresh starting points from which we can climb to new knowledge.” – Dr. Willis R. Whitney, founder of General Electric Laboratories  https://www.activistpost.com/2015/02/chemtrails-exposed-history-of-new.html

After so many years of watching airplanes produce the lines in the sky, largely without knowing of what this Project consists or why, we have recently gained an understanding. Evidence suggests today’s chemtrail spraying operations consist of airplanes saturating our atmosphere with nano-sized particles influenced by electromagnetic energy for the purpose of weather modification.

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U.S. patent #4,686,605 “Method and Apparatus for Altering a Region in      the Earth’s Atmosphere, Ionosphere and/or Magnetosphere” ALSO shows  THAT stratospheric and tropospheric aerosols can be manipulated using electromagnetic energy in order to modify the weather.

The ground-based antennas (known as ionospheric heaters) needed               to produce the appropriate electromagnetic energy exist. For a detailed discussion, please see the author’s previous article “Smoking Gun: The HAARP and Chemtrails Connection.”

Cancer Connection

Some forms of cancer can also be attributed to inflammation gone awry. Recent research indicates that inflammation plays either a leading or supporting role in many of the most common types of cancer – colon, stomach, lung and breast. Chronic inflammation wreaks havoc in the body by creating an ideal environment for free radicals, rogue molecules that travel through the body leaving a path of destruction in their wake. If a healthy cell’s DNA is damaged by free radicals, it may mutate. As it continues to grow and divide, it may set the stage for a cancerous tumor. Free radicals stimulate inflammation and thereby perpetuate the inflammatory cycle.

Chronic inflammation alone won’t always spark cancer, but left untreated it may create      a more hospitable place for cancer cells to thrive, according to Dave Grotto, director of nutrition education at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care in Chicago.

Chronic inflammation alone won’t always spark cancer, but left untreated it may create a more hospitable place for cancer cells to thrive.
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Colon cancer is one of the most common examples of a cancer that feeds on inflammation. Chronic inflammation  is thought to heighten the risk of colon cancer by allowing free radicals to flourish in the intestines. Although scientists have long known that people with long-term inflammatory bowel disorders,  such as ulcerative colitis  and  Crohn’s  disease, have an increased risk of colon cancer, they are only now beginning to point the finger at inflammation.

In a study published last February in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers followed 22,887 adults for more than 10 years to determine if a link existed between colon cancer and inflammation.

They found those participants who developed colon cancer had significantly higher plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker used to measure one’s level of inflammation, than their disease-free counterparts.  (See BELOW  “Take the CRP Test,”  on measuring CRP levels.)

The good news: Unlike many uncontrollable risk factors for serious illness, such as family history of heart disease or living in a polluted city, chronic inflammation is something you can control and even prevent through diet and exercise. Here’s a closer look at how both can influence inflammation.

Anti-Inflammatory Eating

Most foods either rev up inflammation or tamp it down. A diet high in trans-fatty acids, carbohydrates and sugar drives the body to create inflammatory chemicals. On the flip side, a diet heavy on vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids puts   the brakes on the inflammatory process.   http://www.gapsdiet.com/

Early humans consumed an excellent balance of pro-inflammatory fats (mainly omega-6s) and anti-inflammatory fats (such as omega-3s and -9s). People today, however, often chow down on 30 times more bad fats than good. “The typical American diet is priming people for inflammation,” says Jack Challem, author of The Inflammation Syndrome (John Wiley & Sons, 2003). “It’s like sitting in a parked car with your foot on the gas. Eventually you’ll overheat.”

But your diet doesn’t have to be a recipe for disaster. In fact, dozens of foods, herbs and spices can help the body douse inflammatory hot spots.

For evidence, witness recent studies of rheumatoid arthritis. In one, published in the journal Rheumatology International (Jan., 2003), German scientists studied 68 patients with the crippling disease. Some were asked to eat a typical Western diet for the duration of the eight-month trial, while the rest followed an anti-inflammatory diet, which included cutting back on meat and high-fat dairy foods. A subset of each group also took fish-oil supplements. By the study’s end, those in the anti-inflammatory-diet-only group reported a 14 percent decrease in joint tenderness and swelling compared to those in the Western diet group. Fish-oil supplements boosted the results even further, bringing the final tally of those feeling a marked improvement up to 31 percent in the anti-inflammatory-diet group.

The bottom line? If you have an inflammation-related illness, such as atherosclerosis or arthritis, altering your eating habits may help you tame your symptoms, or even change the course of the disease. And if your genes or a sedentary lifestyle put you at risk for chronic inflammation, eating right may make the difference between staying healthy or drifting downhill.

Here is a simple five-step diet plan to help you fight inflammation.

1. GET FRIENDLY WITH FISH: Fish overflows with two key omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA and DHA for short). Both are potent anti-inflammatories. Studies show that people who eat fish regularly are less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke, or develop Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, studies have shown that eating omega-3-rich fish just once a week may lower a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 60 percent.

To reap fish’s health perks, nutritional experts recommend indulging in a fish dish at   least twice a week (baked or broiled, not fried). To get the most omega-3 fatty acids, stick to either fresh or frozen coldwater fish, including mackerel, salmon and tuna.  Avoid oil-packed tuna, since the omega-3s tend to leach into surrounding oil.

You also need to watch out for fish that may contain toxins, especially if you’re in a      high-risk category. Women who are either pregnant or hoping to be should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, all of which may hold potentially dangerous levels  of mercury, which can damage a developing fetus. (Nursing mothers and young children also should avoid these fish.) Studies have shown some albacore tuna (often packaged as canned white tuna) has unsafe mercury levels.

This past March, the FDA and Environmental Protection Agency published a joint statement recommending that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children eat no more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna each week, or approximately one serving.

There are options for vegetarians, too, though they’re not ideal. The body can make its own EPA and DHA from omega-3 fats (called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), which are found in flaxseed, wheat germ and walnuts (as well as some oils).  But you’d better be hungry.  The body’s mechanism for converting plant-based omega-3s isn’t particularly effective.  You’ll need to eat four times as much ALA to equal the amount of bioavailable omega-3s found  in a 3-ounce serving of fish.

Although flaxseed is often touted as an equal substitute to fish oil, it just can’t compete, says Jim LaValle, a naturopathic physician at the Longer Living Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio, and author of The Cox-2 Connection (Healing Arts Press, 2001).

Vegetarians concerned about inflammation should consider fish-oil supplements. If fish oil is out of the question, focus instead on lowering intake of bad fats and ingesting more good fats, including extra virgin olive oil, wheat germ oil, hemp oil and flaxseed oil.

2. CHOOSE FATS WISELY: The body uses fatty acids to make prostaglandins, the main hormones that control inflammation. Because the body must make do with what’s   at hand, a diet heavy in pro-inflammatory fats will fan inflammation.

Conversely, meals that balance pro- and anti-inflammatory fats cool things off. Fats to avoid include safflower oil, sunflower oil, corn oil and all partially hydrogenated oil. Fats that get a green light are fatty coldwater fish, extra virgin olive oil, canola oil, walnuts and flax (plus those listed above).

Begin tackling fat by cutting out the worst offender: trans-fatty acids.

“If your diet is rich in trans-fatty acids, you’re going to drive your body to make more inflammatory chemicals,” says LaValle. The top sources for trans-fatty acids are vegetable shortenings and hard margarines, but most processed foods also contain them in various levels. Soon, trans-fatty acids will be easier to spot, thanks to new legislation requiring food makers to add trans-fatty acids to ingredient labels by 2006.

3. EMBRACE YOUR INNER HERBIVORE: Fruits and vegetables are storehouses of antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory compounds. The best sources are brightly colored fruit and vegetables, such as blueberries, strawberries, bell peppers and spinach. “Anytime you go with a large variety of colors, you get a powerhouse of phytochemicals, some of which have anti-inflammatory effects,” says Melanie Polk, director of nutrition education at the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.

An easy way to up your phytochemicals is to select foods that are deeper shades of colors than you already eat, Polk says. For salad greens, choose the darker spinach over iceberg; grab a ruby strawberry instead of a banana.

An easy way to up your phytochemicals is to select foods that are deeper shades of colors than you already eat, Polk says. For salad greens, choose the darker spinach over iceberg; grab a ruby strawberry instead of a banana.

For a simple way to eat more plant-based foods, Polk suggests using your dinner plate as a measuring tool. Ideally, two-thirds of the plate should be covered with plant-based foods, including fruit, vegetables, whole grains and beans, she explains. The remaining one-third can be filled with lean animal protein, like a chicken breast or fish fillet. Consider eating more anti-inflammatory herbs, like ginger and turmeric, and augmenting your diet with antioxidant supplements.

4. CUT BACK ON WHEAT AND DAIRY:  Not heeding food intolerances and sensitivities is a one-way ticket to chronic inflammation, and no two foods are bigger triggers than dairy and wheat. For people who suffer from lactose intolerance or celiac disease (gluten sensitivity),  as the stomach treats dairy and wheat products as hostile invaders. It Often it only takes one bite of bread or a spoonful of ice cream to kick the immune system into high gear.

5. SAY NO TO SUGAR: Sugary foods can also be a problem, especially when eaten between meals, since they cause a surge in blood-sugar levels. To regain balance, the pancreas releases a rush of insulin, which in turn activates the genes involved in inflammation. This biochemical roller coaster is thought to contribute to the onset of type 2 diabetes. “When I’m trying to quell people’s inflammation, I make sure they knock out refined grains and refined sugars,” says LaValle. “You’ve got to get rid of the inflammatory chemistry.”
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Does Sugar Cause Cancer?

I had a member of our Facebook group doing really well on a vegan diet for over a year after receiving immunotherapy in Guangdong Sheng, China,  for Leiomyosarcoma. As cancer caused her body to crave sugar she caved to the cravings and was back at Fuda 3 months later. http://www.fudahospital.com/en_asp_new/  I say,  yes sugar causes cancer!!!

The idea that cancer cells thrive on sugar has been around at least since the 1924 publication of Dr. Otto Warburg’s paper, On Metabolism of Tumors. Warburg was a  Nobel Prize-winning cell biologist who hypothesized that cancer growth was caused when cancer cells converted glucose into energy without using oxygen.  This was an interesting assertion, in part because we know that healthy cells make energy by converting pyruvate and oxygen.  The pyruvate is oxidized within a healthy cell’s mitochondria.  Since cancer cells don’t oxidize pyruvate, Warburg thought cancer must be considered a mitochondrial dysfunction.

But that’s not how cancer works. Cancer is caused by genetic mutations, either inherited mutations, or those that are acquired over time through exposure to carcinogens or as a consequence of the normal metabolism of cells.

Learn more

Although healthy cells and cancer cells do convert their food to energy in different ways, that difference is an effect, not a cause, of cancer. (Learn about the   differences between cancer cells and normal cells.)

 
Relationship between sugar and cancer is now clearer, scientists say

Belgian scientists say they’ve made a research breakthrough in the relationship between sugar and cancer.

Researchers found yeast with high levels of the sugar known as glucose overstimulated   the same proteins often found mutated inside human tumors, making cells grow faster. The finding, published in Nature Communications on Friday, aims to shed light on how cancer develops.

Johan Thevelein, Wim Versées and Veerle Janssens started researching sugar’s link to cancer in 2008 to try and better understand what’s called the Warburg effect, when tumor cells make energy through a rapid breakdown of glucose not seen in normal cells. That energy fuels tumor growth.

The research “is able to explain the correlation between the strength of the Warburg    effect and tumor aggressiveness,” Thevelein, from KU Leuven in Belgium, said in a release. “This link between sugar and cancer has sweeping consequences.  Our results provide a foundation for future research in this domain, which can now be performed with a much more precise and relevant focus.”

While it’s a monumental finding for the research team, it’s not a medical breakthrough.    It also doesn’t prove that eating a low-sugar diet could change a cancer diagnosis.

More: Myths about breast cancer debunked: Family history often has nothing to do with diagnosis

More: Obesity rates skyrocketing, and health experts say it’s time to change how we’re dealing with the problem

“The findings are not sufficient to identify the primary cause of the Warburg effect,” Thevelein said in a release. “Further research is needed to find out whether this primary cause is also conserved in yeast cells.”

Victoria Stevens, a cancer researcher with the American Cancer Society who was not involved in the study, said this research is great, but it comments only on “about one product made during the breakdown of glucose to produce energy.”  In other words,         it’s a small step in a long process.

“They are providing a potential way (the Warburg effect) could be a cause of cancer,         but they are a long way away from saying this could actually happen,” Stevens said.

VIB, KU Leuven and Vrije Universiteit Brussel researchers conducted the study. VIB is a life sciences research institute that works with five universities, including KU Leuven, and is funded by the Flemish government.    https://globalnews.ca/news/3814185/sugar-and-cancer/ 

How does sugar play a factor in mental health? High sugar intake exerts a toxic effect on mental health by causing leptin and insulin resistance in the body which has been known to suppress the activity of a key hormone called BDNF, which is critically low in depressed patients. Sugar consumption triggers a cascade of chemical reactions in your body that promote chronic inflammation. In the long term, inflammation disrupts the normal functioning of your immune system, and wreaks havoc on your brain.
Toxic Chemicals In Our Food and Environment

Similarly, toxic chemicals in our food and environment contribute to the loss of healthy gut bacteria, which leads to Candida Albicans overgrowth (commonly called “yeast”). When someone has a yeast overgrowth, they crave carbohydrates and sweets, which destroy the gut lining even more. When left untreated, Candida grows into a plant-like structure complete with roots. As these roots gain strength, they break through the intestinal walls and allow the yeast to travel to the sinuses, throat, reproductive organs, lungs, and skin; often resulting in what is thought of as a chronic sinus infection, chronic urinary tract infection, inflammatory bowel syndrome, and thrush or sores in the mouth.

Once established in the sinuses, it feeds on the glucose, which is abundant in the fluid around the brain causing a depletion of food for the brain and resulting in brain fog, muscle and pain syndromes, or cognitive dysfunction.

Candida is a living thing; it eats and has waste products. The waste products are a perfect “fertilizer” for harmful bacterial infections. Bacteria are also living things that eat food and have waste products. Years of recurrent bacterial infections leaves a perfect “fertilizer” in the body for parasites.

Yeast Overgrowth

Microscopic parasites that exist in our water, food supply, and in the earth around us    pass through our bodies constantly. If someone has a yeast overgrowth, those parasites will feed on the waste products and grow and stay around. They get stronger, lay eggs,   and can eventually make toxic the entire body and brain.

In order to get rid of the parasites, you must get rid of the yeast; and in order to get rid      of the yeast, you must get rid of sugars in the diet. That includes table sugar, fruit juices, pastas, breads, and all simple carbohydrates for long enough to cleanse the gut from the yeast overgrowth.

Once the gut is compromised, there must also be some detoxification of the body and brain, and there must be a conscious, consistent plan to repair and rebuild good flora in the gut. First detoxifying the brain then repairing and reseeding the gut have been shown to have tremendous beneficial effects on autism,  ADD/ADHD,  mood swings of bipolar, dyslexia, dyspraxia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia & learning disabilities. It is when we identify the true culprit of disease and address it at its core we all progress on the journey to a happy and healthy life.

HOW MUCH SUGAR SHOULD YOU EAT?

No one should eat more than 50 grams of sugar in a day, but most Americans consume far more than this amount. A recent study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association showed a significant correlation  between consuming too much sugar and an increased risk  of dying from cardiovascular disease.  This study was carried on for fifteen years, and included more than 30,000 Americans. It studied the difference between those whose calorie consumption contained less than 10% sugar vs. those whose diets contained 25% or more sugar. As you have probably guessed, those with the high sugar consumption were twice more likely to die from heart disease than those who limited sugar.

So how much sugar should you be eating? Women should not consume more than 25 grams of sugar a day, and men should not consume more than 37 grams of sugar a day. When you stop to think that a snickers bar contains 27 grams of sugar, you realize that your snacking habits have to change. If you want to avoid metabolic syndrome, obesity, and heart disease, one of the best things you can do is to cut the sugar out of your life,        or at least monitor it very closely.

Start reading labels! Read the sugar grams and realize that your “bank account”       absolute limit is 50 grams. If you exceed that, you are risking heart disease and obesity.

If you are already struggling with health issues, your bank account sits at 25 and 37 grams (women/men).  Don’t exceed your “bank account” limits!  Also,  avoid any “food” product that contains high fructose corn syrup as it will derail your best attempts at good health.

How does the sugar in fruit compare to the sugar in processed foods like soda or cookies?

Everyone loves a sweet treat, but on average, Americans eat nearly 66 pounds of added sugar per person per year. It’s easy to exceed the daily recommended sugar intake when     a 12 oz soda has about 11 teaspoons of added sugar.   But what about the sugar in fruit? Should people be worried about how much fruit they’re eating?  Dr. Kimber Stanhope,         a Nutritional biologist at UC Davis, walks us through the science.

Preview  Is Sugar in Fruit Different Than Sugar in Soda?

Get a Move On

Although the role of exercise in staving off chronic inflammation is less well documented than dietary changes, experts still tout physical activity as one of the best ways to keep inflammation at bay. The best part? It doesn’t matter how you move – just get out and go. The indirect results of exercise on inflammatory diseases are bountiful.

Running for an hour or more per week lowers a man’s risk of developing heart disease by 42 percent, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Oct. 23, 2002). People who exercise regularly are also less likely to be overweight, which lowers the odds of suffering from an inflammation-related illness.

Exercise also may directly muffle inflammation. In studies, both aerobic and nonaerobic exercise have been shown to lower levels of C-reactive protein, or CRP (the body’s marker for inflammation). The lower the body’s CRP, the less inflammation is present.

In a recent study published by the American Heart Association, researchers at the Cooper Institute in Dallas recruited 722 men to observe how fitness affects inflammation. The men’s fitness levels were measured by how long they could walk on a treadmill at gradually rising inclines. Inflammation levels were calculated by performing blood tests for CRP.

Take the CRP Test

Do you have inflammation, or will you in the near future?  There’s a simple way to find    out – with a CRP blood test. Here’s how it works: A marker called C-reactive protein (CRP) measures inflammation in the blood.  As inflammation creeps up,  so do CRP levels.  Test results can range from 1.0 to 4.0 mg/L (milligrams to liters) and up. A CRP level below 1.0 mg/L is best, 1.0  to  3.0 mg/L is moderate and above 3.0 mg/L means there is a high risk for inflammation. (High CRP levels are often found in patients who already have autoimmune disease and cancer.)

Another advantage of a CRP test is that it can signal a warning for possible heart disease even if you don’t possess any telltale physical symptoms.    The CRP test is not definitive, although studies have shown it to be valuable in predicting heart disease in both men and women. The test costs between $25 and $35 and can be performed in a doctor’s office. Ask your physician for more information.

In the end, researchers saw a clear trend toward lower CRP levels among those men who aced the treadmill test and higher CRP levels among those who struggled. Among the men in the lowest fitness group, 49 percent had dangerously high CRP scores. Conversely, only 16 percent of those in the highest fitness group had elevated CRP levels.

The rub is that scientists aren’t sure exactly how exercise diffuses inflammation. One theory is that exercise goads the body into making more antioxidants, which then seek  and destroy free radicals associated with prolonged inflammation. William Joel Meggs, MD, PhD, author of The Inflammation Cure (McGraw-Hill, 2004), believes exercise may fool the body into thinking it’s younger than it is.  “If the body senses it has a biological need to stay healthy, it will produce more antioxidants to control inflammation and slow the aging process,” he says.

For more on how and why to exercise as you age, see “Power Aging.”

To maximize the anti-inflammatory properties of exercise:

MAKE IT A HABIT: Aim for 30 minutes daily of moderate physical activity, such as walking, running, swimming or even yard work. Remember, a little each day is more beneficial than squeezing in a week’s worth of exercise on the weekend.

MIX AND MATCH: For your best shot at lowering CRP levels, get a mixture of both aerobic exercise, such as walking, running or riding a bike, and moderate weightlifting, either at a gym or with small hand weights at home.

DON’T OVERDO IT: If you find yourself hobbled for days after each trip to the gym,   dial down your workout. An overzealous workout can leave muscles and joints sore,  which may ultimately fuel the inflammatory fire instead of quell it.

RECRUIT YOUR MIND: “Mental states are important,” says Meggs. “We know           that angry, hostile people have higher CRP levels than people who keep their cool.”        The thinking goes that cortisol, a stress hormone, triggers the body to release a host          of chemicals that contribute to the inflammatory cascade.

Activities that calm the mind, such as meditation and guided imagery, lower CRP levels,   he says. Better yet, try combining a meditative focus with physical movement in practices like yoga, tai chi or qigong. (For more on this topic, see “Emotional Biochemistry” in the Nov./Dec. 2003 Experience Life.)

Squelching chronic inflammation with diet and exercise is in many ways a no-brainer. Certainly health experts have touted much of this same advice (less junk food, more vegetables and regular exercise) for years.

But who knows, maybe understanding the inflammation connection will be enough            to convince more folks to straighten up and fly right – particularly if keeping a lid on inflammation turns out  to  be  the secret of healthy aging, or wellness in general,  as Meggs suggests. “Inflammation may also well turn out to be the elusive Holy Grail of medicine,”  he notes, “the single phenomenon that holds the key to sickness and health.”

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