Lip Balm Addiction? Here’s What You Should Know, Recipe Included

It’s chapped lip season, and many people are pulling out their trusty tube of lip balm more frequently than usual. All lip balms appear to protect your lips while moisturizing. In reality, a large number of them are actually drying out your lips. This creates a vicious cycle where you pay twice: once for the actual lip balm and once with the actual health of your lips.

When temperatures drop, vulnerable skin is prone to cracks and bleeding. What options do you have to protect your skin without ending up dependent on a product that damages your lips in the long run? Here are some strategies that can help you boost the health of your lips while they’re at their most vulnerable, including what to eat, what to look for in a lip balm, and what to avoid.

Why Use Lip Balm?

Lip balm is designed to combat dry skin in a few ways. It can provide a barrier to protect the lips from the elements. It can help fill in the gaps between skin cells. And it can help your lips absorb water by pulling moisture from other areas in the body.

Dry skin allows moisture to escape while speeding up skin production to the point that many of the skin cells being produced are not yet fully mature. Lips are a particularly problematic area, as they contain very few of the oil and sweat glands that protect other areas of the epidermis. A good lip balm can be used for a few days to help your lips recover and heal themselves, but it’s important to know what’s in the product you’re using and how it specifically affects you. The lips have a different outer layer of skin than the rest of the body, but despite that and the lack of oil and sweat glands, there are still ways you can increase their health and reduce the instances of cracked, dry, and uncomfortable lips that winter brings.

A good lip balm can be used for a few days to help your lips recover and heal themselves, but it’s important to know what’s in the product you’re using and how it specifically affects you. The lips have a different outer layer of skin than the rest of the body, but despite that and the lack of oil and sweat glands, there are still ways you can increase their health and reduce the instances of cracked, dry, and uncomfortable lips that winter brings.

How Diet Can Play a Difference

As tempting as it is to throw up your hands and declare moisturized lips in winter without a lip balm a lost cause, diet can make a difference in whether you spend the next few months with a plastic tube permanently affixed to your mitten. Upping your intake of healthy Omega-3 fats from foods like flax seed or oily cold water fish is a great idea, as they can help prevent dryness.        Vitamins A, B, C, and E are also great nutrients to focus on when targeting dry skin. Vitamin A improves overall skin health. Vitamin B, most specifically niacin (B-3), is a good mood booster found in protein-rich foods that

Vitamins A, B, C, and E are also great nutrients to focus on when targeting dry skin. Vitamin A improves overall skin health. Vitamin B, most specifically niacin (B-3), is a good mood booster found in protein-rich foods that have been shown in studies to protect against some skin disorders associated with skin cracking. Skin benefits from vitamin E and, of course, vitamin C. Possibly the most recommended vitamin for staying healthy in winter, vitamin C also promotes collagen production for smoother skin.

Overall hydration plays a big part in how dry your skin gets and how quickly it recovers. Food and drinks that cause inflammation and leave you dehydrated can be swapped out for water and the hydrating powers of produce!

Also, smoking anything will rapidly dehydrate your lips.

A Good Lip Balm Looks Like….

Even the healthiest of skin still takes a hit every now and then, and having a quality lip balm can give your skin cells the quick break they need to rebuild and return to top form. But what does that lip balm look like? To begin with, fewer ingredients in the lip balm increases the likelihood of quality. All lip balms start with an oil base. Raw, organic, unprocessed plant oils and butters like jojoba, almond, shea, coconut, olive, avocado, castor oil, and cacao are some of the best options out there.  The more closely the oil base mimics your natural body oils, the better it protects your lips.

Other beneficial ingredients in lip balms include herbal infusions, essential oils, and waxes. Herbal infusions can give lip balms an extra dose of skin-friendly ingredients. Some good ones to look for are calendula, yarrow, chamomile, and comfrey. Look for products that get their scent from pure essential oils. Preference obviously plays a big part in what you look for, but mint and its many varieties are the most popular options commercially available. Waxes in lip balm help your balm maintain its shape, and they create a protective barrier on the skin. Popular waxes like beeswax can also have some anti-inflammatory properties. Look for real ingredients

Look for real ingredients like cucumber, aloe vera, rose, or honey that are organic or sustainably sourced. If you have no idea what an item is or it’s called something along the lines of methyl-ethyl-para-oxide-whatchamagidget, it’s probably not going to have any real benefits for your lips.

Break Out The Red Tape!

Since the likelihood of ingesting your lip balm is extremely high, it makes sense to avoid balms with toxic ingredients and ingredients that cause more harm than good. Parabens are preservatives commonly used in beauty products that have been linked to estrogen disruption, and they have been found in malignant breast cancer tumors. Ingredients like menthol, camphor, and phenol create a cooling sensation on the lips that gives the impression the lip balm is working, but they can also dry out your lips, and in some cases, they increase lip redness and induce swelling. Artificial fragrances and colors, as well as some natural ingredients like aloe or vitamin E, can cause irritation, so it’s important to pay attention to what works for your lips.

Ingredients like menthol, camphor, and phenol create a cooling sensation on the lips that gives the impression the lip balm is working, but these ingredients can also dry out your lips, and in some cases, they increase lip redness and induce swelling. Artificial fragrances and colors, as well as some natural ingredients like aloe or vitamin E, can cause irritation, so it’s important to pay attention to what works for your lips.

And then there’s petroleum jelly. Petroleum jelly is frequently contaminated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the FDA restricts the use of petroleum in food products due to these contaminants that are linked to cancer. Petroleum jelly can also interfere with the function of skin pores and trap in toxins. The FDA hasn’t, however, banned petroleum jelly from personal care products, and there is no rule that requires companies to refine the petroleum jelly they use. In contrast, the E.U. and Canada have banned the use of petroleum jelly in personal care products. Options that have the same function include beeswax, shea butter, and unrefined coconut oil, among others.

Healthy, Simple, Homemade Lip Blam Recipe

This recipe makes just under a cup of lip balm that you can put into small tins or a lip balm container.

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup beeswax
  • ¼ cup shea butter
  • ¼ cup almond oil (contains vitamin E)
  • 10+ drops essential oil (any essential oil you want for the scent, I like peppermint)
  • Teaspoon of raw honey

Instructions

  1. Melt beeswax and shea butter in a double boiler. Alternatively, you can use a or small glass bowl over a small pot of boiling water. Stir continuously until melted.
  2. Turn off stove (remove pan from heat if electric), but keep stirring; keep it warm and melted.
  3. Add essential oils. And add honey last.
  4. It’s ready! Use the pipette or a dropper to fill the tubes if you are using them. This must be done quickly since the mixture will tend to harden as soon as it is removed from the heat.
  5. Let tubes sit at room temperature for several hours until cooled and completely hardened before capping them.

Notes:

Use an extra teaspoon or two of beeswax if you prefer a thicker and longer-lasting lip balm or slightly less if you prefer a smoother and softer lip balm. This makes 12-14 tubes.

Winter Lips Can Be Lovely

Winter weather is practically designed to exacerbate skin woes, and chapped, cracked lips are no exception.  You can increase your chances of making it through winter unscathed by managing and maintaining your skin by increasing the nutrition you provide it through your diet and by using quality skin care products that do not contain problematic ingredients. Protect your skin and set it up for success.

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Foods That Contribute to Diabetes

One of the fastest-growing causes of death in the world, diabetes is especially prevalent in the United States as about 1 in every 11 people has been diagnosed with the condition. Medical costs for treating the disease are considerable, with worldwide costs reaching 548 billion dollars in 2013. The U.S. is responsible for around 35 percent of that figure, but despite that robust amount of spending, the numbers of those with diabetes are still rising. Traditional disease prevention and management strategies focus on being active, watching your weight, and eating healthy with a particular emphasis on avoiding sugar and paying attention to the glycemic index. But sugar isn’t the only villain in the diabetes narrative. Here are some of the other kinds of foods that can aggravate and contribute to your diabetes.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners don’t provide any actual health benefit. Instead, they serve as a way for people with diabetes to get a sugar fix. There are five artificial sweeteners approved for use in the United States: saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, neotame and acesulfame K. While most of these are usually used by and marketed towards those with diabetes or people trying to avoid sugar, there is evidence to suggest that consuming artificial sweeteners, specifically saccharine, disrupts the bacteria in your gut. Gut health is especially important for people with diabetes since changes to the bacteria in the gut have been associated with a disposition towards diabetes. Artificial sweeteners frequently pass through the gastrointestinal tract without being digested, allowing the unaltered particles to wreak havoc directly on intestinal bacteria. If you have sugar cravings, do your gut bacteria a favor and check out healthy sugar alternatives before you reach for the artificial sugar packets.

Fructose & High Fructos Corn Syrup

Fructose occurs naturally in fruits, sugars, bread, and cured meat products. It has also found its way into the majority of pre-packaged foods with high fructose corn syrup and other sugars being routinely added to these products. A small amount of fructose, especially from whole food sources that provide other nutrients and enzymes, in of itself isn’t a bad thing, but problems occur with excessive fructose consumption. Fructose is only processed in the liver. Too much fructose causes insulin resistance in the fatty triglycerides in the membranes surrounding the cells of ourperipheral tissue. The more insulin resistant cells you have, the more likely it is that the levels of insulin in the bloodstream are too high since the insulin has nowhere else to go. This is one of the first steps on the way to diabetes.

Fruit is often seen as the biggest contributor to fructose issues, but fruit in moderation has a multitude of health benefits. It makes more sense to avoid manufactured fructose and eat real food, rather than packages of extra calories with potential health problems. The real problem is high fructose corn syrup. There is a direct correlation between the rise of HFCS use and type 2 diabetes.

Refined and Processed Foods

Refined and processed foods like white rice, most of the commercially available breads, and snack foods contain simple carbohydrates and they have had all of their natural nutrients stripped away. This leaves empty calories and easily digestible sugars, spiking insulin and blood sugar levels. People who consume a steady supply of these foods, rather than whole foods with their nutrients intact like brown rice or steel cut oats, are much more likely to be at risk for type 2 diabetes. Processed foods that contain chemicals to enhance their taste can also trigger inflammation, damage tissue, and cause insulin resistance.

Your Diet is Key to Avoiding and Managing Diabetes

Almost ten percent of the population in the United States has diabetes, and that number is on the rise, with even children and young adults developing the disease at alarming rates. Conventional wisdom touts the importance of diet and exercise as ways to manage the risk of diabetes, but the connection between a society facing a growing diabetes epidemic and a society that offers more packaged and fewer whole food options cannot be ignored. Eating a diet rich in fresh, raw, organic produce (mostly vegetables) and with minimal amounts of unhealthy packaged an artificial foods, can make keep you from joining the ranks of those dealing with diabetes.

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Corruption and Pork – Agricultural Boards Behaving Badly

Pork. The other white meat. The incredible, edible egg. Beef. It’s what’s for dinner.

The majority of Americans are probably familiar with these slogans. But have you ever heard, “Pork: Be Inspired?” Probably not, despite the three million dollar licensing fee that the slogan has incurred each year from 2011 on.

What is the point of the slogan, and who has that kind of money to burn? The United States Department of Agriculture Research and Promotion (R and P) programs.

What Are They and Should I Care?

The pork industry is not the only agricultural industry to have its own board formed as part of the R and P. There are more than 20 agricultural products that have been classified by the USDA as research and promotion programs under the Agricultural Marketing Services department, from expected products like soybeans, dairy, beef, and eggs to potential head scratchers like sorghum and mangos. These R and P programs are set up and funded by the farmers in the industries they represent through set charges on specific amounts of units sold. An initial look at the programs shows their benefit in creating a demand and building a brand for a specific commodity, but there have been increasing concerns about a growing lack of transparency and the potential promotion of the interests of large producers at the expense of smaller farmers. There is also a concern about how close these organizations are to the taxpayer-funded USDA. Are our taxes promoting industries that are causing many of our health and environmental problems?

Questionable Decisions

If you’ve paid attention to the world of mayonnaise lately (and let’s face it, who hasn’t), you might have heard of a small startup called Hampton Creek being sued for misleading the public by Unilever, the maker of Hellmann’s mayonaise. While Unilever dropped the lawsuit, the FDA pursued the matter, claiming they were following up a complaint and that Hampton Creek’s product, Just Mayo, cannot be labeled as mayonnaise because the product doesn’t contain eggs.  A little investigation revealed emails from the National Egg Board executives that were targeting the company in ways both benign and malicious, from jokes about having “old buddies from Brooklyn” paying the Hampton Creek CEO a visit to a program promoting real eggs and contacting Whole Foods in an attempt to have the product removed from shelves. There is also the fact that Unilever reached out to the Egg Board for support during their lawsuit, leading to speculation that the Egg Board used its influence to convince the FDA to focus on Hampton Creek and Just Mayo.

While much of this seems to be within the guidelines of the R and P programs stated promotion goals, specifically calling retailers to get a competing product off the shelves has raised some eyebrows. It is troubling when an association linked to the USDA feels comfortable blocking the free market, proving that America capitalist preachings come hand in hand with rampant corruption. When the agency managed by the USDA spurs the FDA into action at the behest of an international corporation determined to eliminate a small startup, what chance does anyone else have when government is for the few?

A Mismanagement of Funds

The majority of people want to get their money’s worth when they pay for goods or services. The National Pork Board is not in this majority. Originally, they were licensing their previous popular slogan, “Pork. The other white meat.” from the National Pork Producers Council for a dollar a year. That cost increased to 818,000 in 2004 and then jumped to an incredible 20 year, 60 million dollar contract despite the lack of competition for the slogan and an actual market value of under 400,000 dollars. Though the Pork Board has retired the slogan, they continue to pay a yearly 3 million dollar fee to the NPPC. For farmers required to pay 40 cents for every 100 dollars they make to the Pork Board, that particular expense must sting quite a bit.

But even more interesting is who the money is going to and how it’s pushing out small farmers. The National Pork Producers Council is responsible for licensing the slogan and receives the yearly fees from the National Pork Board. The NPPC is a lobby group dedicated to lobbying political candidates on behalf of large-scale pig operations with environmentally detrimental policies. Despite trying to eliminate the program in the early 2000s, small farmers are still stuck with a government system that ignores their needs and lacks the necessary oversight to correct itself.

Can You Actually Do Anything?

Government shouldn’t actively work against the people who pay for it. The idea behind the USDA’s Research and Promotion Programs is sound, but the lack of actual transparency and oversight make it an easy target for corporate corruption. The transparency issue also makes it difficult for consumers to understand what’s going on and to sort through myriad information, studies, and advertisements that serve to forward the agendas of Big Agriculture. Knowing about the dirty business taking place immediately beyond the public’s eye makes it even more important to support small farmers and to know where your food is coming from. You can make a difference by choosing products from small farms committed to animal welfare, the environment, and health.

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Genetically Modified Salmon Is On Its Way To Your Store

If you enjoy salmon, eat your fill now. The Food and Drug Administration has announced approval for the first genetically modified animal for consumption, and it’s the Atlantic salmon…and the Pacific-Chinook salmon…and the ocean pout, a creature also known for inspiring a synthetic contribution to less-fattening ice cream, all rolled up into one sentient creation.

The possibility of a genetically engineered salmon is not an unfamiliar one, as biotech company AquaBounty has been attempting to bring the Frankenfish to the public for twenty years. The fish is said to be advantageous because it grows at twice the rate of a regular salmon and requires 75% less food. The company is not planning on letting consumers know that the fish is genetically modified, claiming that as “…the first and only, labeling is a dangerous decision. We’d like to label it as a premium product, but we’ll probably introduce it as Atlantic salmon.” It’s ironic that they use the word dangers in conjunction with actual labeling, as the health and environmental dangers of this fish don;t seem to concern  AquaBounty or the FDA.

Safety Concerns Over the Next Step in GMOs

The debate over the GM salmon from AquaBounty (officially referred to as the AquaAdvantage) has been going on for quite some time, although the approval from the FDA has shifted abstract concepts into something very real and potentially scary. Food and Water Watch and the Consumer’s Union have both expressed concerns about the fish and its impact on health and the environmental threat of a possible escape. Like all GMOs, the salmon has been labeled safe to eat by the FDA. That alone is suspect when you consider the amount of countries worldwide who are banning GMOs, but there are also concerns regarding allergies and how the mix of different fish genetics combined into one fish will affect people. Consumer’s Union has been claiming that the research used to make the decision to approve the salmon suffers from inadequate analysis and a sample size that is too small.

But What if Gets Loose?

Meanwhile, Food and Water Watch is viewing the AquaAvantage from a different angle, and seeing a different problem – escape. The salmon are grown in land-based, contained tanks in Canada and Panama that are sealed completely off and all fish grown for food, as opposed to breeding, are sterile. Or at least they are sterile by FDA standards, which require 95% sterility. Setting aside the questions of what and where exactly the fish for breeding are kept (or if there is even a need for breeding fish when they’re potentially raised in a lab), the FDA maintains that even if the fish were to escape, they would be unable to thrive and establish themselves. Even if the fish aren’t able to sustain a population out in the natural environment, isn’t it naive to assume there won’t be other consequences? Wild salmon that come in contact with farmed salmon have registered a population drop of more than half due to parasites and disease. At what point does the desire for cheap salmon outweigh the increasing delicate needs of the actual wild salmon providing the genes for the Frankenfish? Despite claims that the potential of escape is highly unlikely, Food and Water Watch remains committed to making sure that GMO salmon does not reach the marketplace.

More Care is Needed in Introducing GM Meats

The marketplace at the moment has a slightly different view from the FDA. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have been critical of the AquaAdvantage and have publicly pledged not to sell the salmon. Other retailers like Safeway and Kroger also have no plans to stock the product. The criticism from consumer and environmental groups, as well as the lack of support from stores, have the potential to stop the forward march (swim, really) of the GMO salmon. Anything can happen within the two-year period from approval to market. If you oppose GM salmon, now is the time for your voice to be heard.

Extensive research occurs when new varieties of conventional foods like fruits and vegetables are introduced. A newly developed type of apple, for instance, takes an average of 15 years. A salmon spliced together from three different fish and altered at the base genetic level is a huge step in the food system and should not have any room for groups to claim inadequate analysis. The consequences of unleashing the Frankenfish could permanently damage the oceanic ecosystem or even play out like a science fiction movie. Do we want to be the at the mercy of our own ill-advised creation because the population is looking for cheaper salmon? At the very least we should be able to know what we’re being sold.

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Why Are We Accepting Less Healthy, Lower Quality Options From Food Companies?

Living a healthy lifestyle is all about making the healthiest choices. But what if the best choice (or the information needed to make the best choice) wasn’t available to you because the people tasked with looking out for you and your interests don’t have the same high standards and the corporations don’t deliver the same high-quality products in the United States as they do in Europe?

Whether it’s an American corporation introducing organic products in Europe but not in the U.S., the fact that we are denied the opportunity to know what’s in our food or where it came from, or the disproportionate amount of refined sugar and chemicals in our everyday products, it’s disheartening to realize that companies are more than happy to take advantage of corporate friendly, health-indifferent attitudes in the United States. For every company claiming that a safer, healthier way of producing food isn’t “cost-effective,” it is interesting to see what they’re doing in other countries. It’s becoming increasingly clear that cost is not the only reason they’re giving consumers in the U.S. less than their best.

Organic Fast Food is Finally an Option – But Not For Everyone

Let’s look at McDonald’s, one of the largest fast food chains and a worldwide symbol of the United States. They’ve been experiencing a decline in sales numbers as consumers make better lifestyle choices and become more health-conscious. The United States is now the largest organic market in the world, and McDonald’s corporate attempt to grab a piece of that pie is their new pledge to use only cage-free eggs by 2025. They’re also introducing a hamburger made entirely of organic meat.

McDonald’s promised the European Union they would only use cage-free eggs by 2011. Now they make the same promise to U.S. citizens with a 10-year target date? And yes, they will be offering an organic burger – but only in Germany, the second-largest organic market.

McDonald’s also sells organic milk at their U.K. locations. Many consumers in the United States are not aware that McDonald’s can and does make more animal welfare friendly and environmentally sustainable choices in other countries even though we are the largest organic market in the world.

Three Little Letters

Countless activists in the United States are fighting for the right to mandate labeling genetically modified foods. Opponents claim labeling all of these products will raise the cost of food, a cost they will be forced to pass on to the consumer. But this argument ignores the fact that the European Union, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and China are among the 64 countries that currently require GMO labeling. If so many countries already require labeling, why not simply extend that consideration to the United States? Obviously, corporations are aware of the rising numbers of health-conscious Americans that will choose a more environmentally conscious and healthy option.

A Little Something Extra

When looking at the way food corporations treat consumers in the United States, it’s also interesting to note the unhealthy things they add to our food. The FDA seems content to let corporations treat us like guinea pigs, sitting back and claiming there is a lack of concrete evidence to remove ingredients until something forces their hand.

For example, the majority of pigs in the United States are still raised using the muscle drug ractopomine, which is banned in the European Union, China, and Russia. The U.S. has been claiming there is no evidence for this ban in science, while China, the largest consumer of pork worldwide, sees it as a threat to food safety. It seems odd that the pork companies in the U.S. argue that there is no science supporting concern when other nations have clearly found evidence to the contrary.

This isn’t the only time products in the United States have added a little something extra that can compromise our health. Companies in the U.S. can sell “bromated bread” which contains potassium bromate. Since the 1980s, that additive has been considered carcinogenic, but the FDA only asks that it be eliminated on a voluntary basis. Unfortunately, this is not the only potentially dangerous food additive that the FDA is unwilling to take a stand on, leaving U.S. consumers at the whims of companies trying to make the most profit possible.

Consumer Action

You’re a consumer in the United States who has done the research, and you’ve decided that you want to lead a healthier, more sustainable, eco-friendly life. It’s hard enough to change old habits and learn to appreciate healthy choices without having to sift through misinformation. As you become more informed and discover the extent to which you need to protect your own health, you may become furious with the American food system. You’d have every right to be. More and more companies show they are willing to accommodate stricter international standards while taking full advantage of lax regulations in the United States.

Let’s face it, corporations run America. Despite the fact that 90% of Americans want GMOs labeled, The DARK Act has passed Congress. Our crops and our soil are poisoned with glyphosate. And it’s not just our food industry that is corrupt. Our personal care products are filled with ingredients that are banned overseas. Our water is contaminated with fluoride. Until we face the fact that our government officials are bought and owned by corporate interests, and we make real change in the electoral process and how we protect consumers, we will have to provide our own due diligence to protect our health.

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Optimize Your Candida Cleanse & Minimize the Symptoms of Die Off

You’ve finally figured out that Candida is causing so many of your health problems, and you’ve started the perfect protocol to rebalance your gut bacteria…but for some reason you feel even worse than before. There’s a moment of despair (I’ll never get rid of this ridiculous fungus!), but then comes a light at the end of the tunnel!

When Candida is killed it releases nearly 80 different toxins into the body, causing myriad symptoms from nausea to fatigue to fevers and headaches. There isn’t a way to avoid the release of these toxins, but there is a way to minimize their effect and the discomfort you feel while on your way to a healthier you.

Good news, though – if you’re following a protocol designed to eliminate your overgrowth and maintain a long-term balanced gut, you’re already doing a lot of things that can mitigate the die off symptoms. Here are some suggestions that can help you get over the die off more quickly.

Evacuation Station

The easiest and most accessible way to minimize Candida die off is to push those toxins out of your system as fast as you can. A diet consisting of 80 percent raw produce (more vegetables than fruit) has enough fiber to keep waste moving efficiently through your body. The longer it takes you to push out the dying Candida fungus, the longer you will suffer from the die off symptoms.

The same principle is true of liquid waste. Make sure you drink a large quantity of clean water from a trusted source. It is one of best things you can do to flush out Candida toxins. Upgrade your water to cranberry lemonade (see the link below and use stevia so you don’t feed the Candida you’re trying to get rid of), and you’ll also improve your kidney function and give your immune system a shot of much-appreciated vitamin C. The best part of upping your fiber and liquids to flush out the fungus die off? Everything you need is a trip to the nearest market away.

Super Charge the Immune System

Die off doesn’t effect everyone is the same way. Some people hardly notice the release, whereas other people experience particularly bad reactions. One of the most destructive toxins released during Candida die off is acetaldehyde, a neurotoxin that attacks red blood cells and destroys brain cells. If you’re having a difficult time dealing with the symptoms or worried about potential damage, it’s time to boost your immune system. Flushing the body with cranberry lemonade will provide vitamin C. You’re also going to get great immune system benefits from Echinacea or cat’s claw.

Get Sweaty

Exercise, especially exercises with up and down movements like dancing, rebounding, and jumping, lets you sweat out your toxins while also moving your lymph system. Since your lymph system doesn’t naturally circulate, this movement can increase its ability to expel Candida waste. Movement also gets your circulatory system moving and expelling more die off.

In some cases, Candida die-off can make it difficult to exercise, due to nausea, joint and muscle pain, and possible infections. Even if exercising isn’t an option, there are still others ways to get rid of die off toxins through sweat, like saunas or hot and cold hydrotherapy. With exercise, it’s important to pay attention to your body, so as not to overdo anything or do anything you aren’t comfortable with.

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

It seems unfair, really. After everything you’ve been going through with fighting actual Candida, you’re still not done, as you have to deal with the aftershock. Getting discouraged and letting up on your Candida treatment to make the fatigue and brain fog go away seems like an appealing solution, but making it through the die off and coming out on the other side will have you forgetting how awful you felt in the first place. Relief can come when you efficiently flush the body’s waste, sweat out the bad stuff, and keep your immune system functioning at a high level. Even if you’re still experiencing some of the symptoms, don’t stop all of your hard work or stop taking antifungal supplements because it’s likely you have a major overgrowth. Scale back for a little while. But don’t let yourself get caught up in an unhealthy cycle again. Keep pushing through and you’ll reap the rewards.

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Galactagogues Foods, Herbs, and other Ways to Increase Breast Milk Production

If you Google ways to increase your breast milk supply, you’ll find a wide range of advice, not all of it healthy. Ideas range from prescription medicines to drinking Gatorade, and most of them are poor choices. Many advocate increasing refined sugar intake through sugary drinks and fruit juices.

If your breast milk supply is low, the first two things you need to ask yourself is, “Are you getting enough to eat?” and “Are you drinking enough water?” While sugar can help increase milk supply, extra sugar can also lead to diaper rashes. Instead of fruit juices or refined foods, reach for fruit and water first. Here are four simple, healthy ways to increase your breast milk supply.

Hydration

Proper hydration is the number one key to keeping a good milk supply flowing. Drinks like Gatorade, with all of their artificial flavors, colorings, and additives, actually hinder your milk supply. A good rule of thumb is to drink an 8-oz glass of water every time you breastfeed and carry around a water bottle to sip on throughout the day. Make sure most of what you drink is water, but if the idea of plain water is unappealing, other options do exist.

Other good sources for hydration include coconut water and fruit infusions. Besides tasting great, coconut water is a great source of minerals and electrolytes. Fruit infusions are flavored waters that have traces of vitamins and minerals; they are easy to make at home. Although it may be easier said than done for some, try to avoid caffeinated beverages. If you do drink coffee or tea, make sure to drink extra water.

On the other hand, too much water in the system can inhibit breast milk production. Stay hydrated, but don’t keep adding fluids to the body if hydration is not the problem.

Breast Pumping

While not the first go-to for many mothers, pumping, if done in addition to nursing, can be a highly effective way to increase supply. Tricks include pumping after each nursing session, adding an extra pumping session or two during the day, cluster pumping, power pumping, and nursing vacations.

Cluster pumping is when you nurse and pump every half hour or hour for a couple of hours.

Power pumping is like interval training for breastfeeding. Plan to do this for a couple of days. Pick an hour where you can sit and relax. Pump for twenty minutes, rest for ten, pump again for ten, rest for ten, then pump again for ten minutes.

Nursing vacations include spending two to three days, trying to relax and nurse and pump as often as possible.

All of these techniques help increase supply by mimicking the increased demand from a baby during a growth spurt. Simply put, increased demand for milk will increase the supply.

Natural Galactogogues

Because breast milk production is maintained by local feedback mechanisms (autocrine control), more frequent and more thorough emptying of the breast typically results in an increase in supply. A galactagogue is a substance that promotes lactation in humans and other animals. Natural galactagogues include foods, herbs, teas, and nutritional supplements. If the breast milk supply is low, even after breast pumping, it may be time to look at galactagogues, but do consider a thorough evaluation with a natural health care practitioner who is familiar with maternal health issues. Maternal hypothyroidism is a common cause of low breast milk production, and medications can also reduce milk as well.

Healthy Foods

Oatmeal is probably the most well-known choice of food for increasing breast milk production. If you want to try oatmeal, skip the instant ready packs and choose fruit instead of refined sugars to sweeten it. A well-balanced diet consisting of 80% fresh produce is is the foundation for optimal health, and for most moms, adding more fresh, raw, organic produce to the diet may be enough to stimulate milk production. Other favorites of nursing mothers include carrots, seaweed soup, garlic, fennel, fennel seed, cashews, alfalfa, asparagus, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, coconut, fennel, chaste tree fruit, chicken soup, cilantro, papaya (some say green works better), pumpkin, dates, and ginger. All of these foods are powerhouse sources of nutrients that also help in milk production.

Herbs, Teas, and Nutritional Supplements

As mentioned, garlic, ginger, and fennel seed can increase milk production. Other options along the herbal variety include fenugreek, anise, coriander, cumin, dandelion, dill, caraway, red clover, red raspberry, nettle, marshmallow root, borage, and blessed thistle. These are commonly made into teas or tinctures and are widely appreciated for their ability to increase milk supply.

The most common herbal remedies for increasing breast milk production include:

Garlic & Ginger are two herbs that seem to help with almost every health ailment. Both are known galactagogues, and there are also additional benefits to consuming both of these while breastfeeding. Ginger root stimulates the body in many ways, including the release of milk. Eating garlic or taking a garlic supplement can stimulate the supply of milk and can reduce the risk of  mastitis (and alleviate it). Babies have also been found to enjoy the taste of breast milk when their mothers consume copious amounts of garlic and therefore, nurse more often.

Red Raspberry Leaf is a regular ingredient in pregnancy and breastfeeding teas and tinctures. It helps to increase breast milk production, and it also helps the uterus recover after birth. Red Raspberry Leaf is incredibly high in vitamins and minerals, including Niacin (a B vitamin).

Alfalfa is  great for increasing breast milk production while providing the body with many vitamins and minerals. It is particularly high in Vitamin K, which helps to staunch bleeding. Many midwives encourage clients to consume alfalfa for six weeks before birth and for several months after birth to help avoid hemorrhaging, to help the body recover from the birth, and to help the body produce plenty of breast milk.

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is a member of the pea family and is  commonly used around the world for centuries as a herbal galactagogue. It has been theorized that fenugreek may affect milk production due tot he fact that milk glands are similar to sweat glands, and fenugreek stimulates sweat production. The herb is usually discontinued once milk supply has reached the desired output, but there is not risk with using the herb long term.

It’s said that with fenugreek you can judge the proper dosage by smell. Once you have reached the ideal dosage of fenugreek, your sweat is said to smell like maple syrup.

Goat’s Rue (Galega officinalis) is widely used in Europe due to the observation that it increased milk supply in cattle in the early 1900’s. No human trials have been done; however, limited studies involving animals have shown a milk supply increase of up to 50%.

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), also known as St. Mary’s thistle, has been historically used in Europe. Early Christians thought that the white veins on its leaves represented Mary’s milk.

Inositol and Choline are two vitamins in the B complex family that have been used for centuries to help increase breast milk production. Too many B vitamins in the body can hinder milk production, and taking just one or two B vitamin nutrients without the other B vitamins for long periods of time can cause problems. The effectiveness of nutritional supplementation is highly individualized, as it depends upon whether someone happens to be deficient in something they may never have otherwise noticed.

How To Increase Your Milk Supply Without Losing Your Mind (By Mom Loves Best)

Conclusion

Not all breast milk is created equal. The better the mother’s diet, the better her breast milk will be. Eating a truly healthy diet consists of 80% raw produce, more vegetables than fruit. A healthy diet isn’t found in packages. Healthy foods don’t have ingredients that only a chemist would understand. A healthy diet eliminates artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, MSG, trans fats, and GMOs. The healthiest diet is a diverse, organic diet filled with nutrient dense foods and plenty of clean water. A healthy diet makes the healthiest breast milk. If a breastfeeding mother consumes pesticides in her food, they will be passed on to her baby in her breast milk.

While building a good milk supply may seem challenging, the number one thing to keep in mind is that the more you feed the baby, the more your body will produce. The ideas mentioned in this article are meant to help support your body’s efforts to produce milk. Keeping yourself in the best possible health will help your body in your endeavors to feed your baby. Taking a nutritional supplement can help with making sure you get all the nutrition your body needs.

Supplements that Promote Lactation:
Further Reading:
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