It’s Always the Oxygen… Really…

The Framework

Think of life in the ocean or an aquarium. Our bodies are just bags of “seawater” full of aquatic cells. The water matrix must be well oxygenated to support fish and cells alike. Oxygen delivery depends on a well charged “inner ocean,” and generating that charge depends on oxygen delivery. Real simple. Call me Capt. Obvious.

The universe is a rainbow manifestation born of a singular primal energy that divided itself into a duality of opposites: protons/electrons, acids/alkalies, north pole/south pole, yin/yang, here/there and the boy/girl thing we all deal with daily. They animate our world… to prevent boredom I suppose. Viva la difference! Likes repel each other while opposites desire union in a redox dance, the incessant exchange of electrons, the movement of energy, the spark of life.

We can measure this “sexual” tension as body voltage, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) or pH.  Bottomline, it is energy that drives all life processes.

The major determiner of bio-energy is O2 delivery to cytoplasm and mitochondria where it generates metabolic ATPs  (ATP is the carrier molecule that transfers electrons/energy resulting from cell respiration) …and then sponges-up acidic protons to conserve those electrons, that energy.

If you work from this foundational premise, the puzzle of health and healing unravels nicely. Then the only question is how to correct basic conditions… to move more oxygen… to maximize energy levels and minimize losses… to prevent or heal disease. The charge environment that comes of efficient energy production invites more oxygen to produce more energy, so la la la, the life goes on.

The Way It Used to Be

While scientific studies focus on individual diseases, generalized diets and therapeutic elements like drugs or even natural supplements, they ignored the overall context of life and its basic requirements. All chronic disease really arises from a singular root cause; acidity>hypoxia>energy shortage>enzyme error>cell failure… aka inflammation and oxidative stress. This includes all the “diseases” conventionally identified through downstream symptoms and secondary etiologies. Heart disease, arthritis, depression, infection, cancer, etc. are then conventionally “diagnosed” and treated individually like some evil entity apart from the low energy environment that created them.

The Way It Will Be

The Forbidden approach works on correcting energy levels/body charge at the most basic level to establish conditions necessary for optimal oxygen delivery and energy production so normal biochemistry can proceed. Cells are perfectly capable of both maintaining and restoring function and mounting immune responses when given enough energy. This presents a problem for highly trained doctors and the medical industry who depend on selling thousands of drugs, diagnostics and procedures for hundreds of “different” diseases…after failing miserably at preventing them.

Electrons!

Mitochondria mine solar-energized electrons from carbon bonds (in food) and the conversion to ATP largely fuels our biochemistry and maintains body charge (-40 to -50mv/pH 7.35-7.45). A strong body charge protects cell molecules from being destroyed by acids, oxidants, radiations, free radicals: inflammation/oxidation. Inflammatory immune response, on the other hand, though powered the same way, produces powerfully oxidizing hydrogen peroxide and singlet oxygen (ROS) that destroy pathogens and unwanted cell debris.  Life swings in the balance.

Oxygen is a switch hitter depending on its atomic states and so can act as a metabolic oxidizer, a more powerful immune oxidizer in singlet radical configuration, or as an “antioxidant” as it turns acidic protons to water when it mops-up after the process of respiration. Oxygen recharges pH buffers and conserves electrons.

So big picture, this means that over-fueled/under-oxygenated cells will become acidic and further repel and deplete oxygen. If unable to get enough oxygen to neutralize metabolic acids, charge terrain will degrade, electrons will be stolen from DNA and structural molecules, energy production will be frustrated, and then cells become dysfunctional, diseased, susceptible to pathogens, decompose, or become anaerobic and cancerous.

This view of health and healing hides in plain sight in high school biology/chemistry texts, but has become forbidden knowledge camouflaged in medical industry fear-peddling, intentional disinformation, and by discrediting the competition.

So how do we nudge the redox (oxidation/reduction) balance to create the correct conditions and move more O2?

Skill-set Index

Master these simple skills and practices used by some of the most successful alternative physicians and natural health experts.  They are inexpensive and can be done at home, in the garden and in the kitchen…if one studies and applies.

Breathe

Slow deep breathing allows CO2 to build which improves oxygen release by RBCs.  Hyperventillation/rapid breathing delivers lots of oxygen and blows off CO2 alkalizing the blood (and normally doesn’t induce fainting).

Breathing exercises use both extremes and many in between. It’s free, so why not explore and experiment? Skin, scuba, and hookah diving offer unseen benefits.

HBOT and other enhanced oxygen applications have been found to help overcome almost every ailment from concussions to sports injuries including conventional hospital treatments for gangrene, but are sorely, and negligently underutilized.

Breathing air under pressure saturates blood plasma with O2 above and beyond RBC’s capacity….pure oxygen under pressure delivers even more. HBOT use is quite common elsewhere in the world.The use of promising high-pressure therapies in the U.S. was sabotaged by the medical establishment and has gone the way of Linus Pauling, Vitamin C, and Chiropractic.

“Orval J Cunningham, a professor of anaesthesia at the University of Kansas in the early 1900s observed that people suffering from circulatory disorders did better at sea level than at altitude and this formed the basis for his use of hyperbaric air. In 1918, he successfully treated patients suffering from the Spanish flu with hyperbaric air. In 1930, the American Medical Association forced him to stop such hyperbaric treatment, since he did not provide acceptable evidence that the treatments were effective.”  (Wikipedia entry; HBOT)

I often marvel at the immense size of whales and how they carry sea level air to great depths with 10s of atmospheres of pressure. This jams their blood plasma and cells with high levels of O2 and can only account for their tremendous bulk.  I also wonder what special chemistries allow terrestrial elephants to attain such proportions?  Recall the age of dinosaurs with 35%+ atmospheric oxygen… when living large really meant something.”

Earthing

Contact with Mother Earth passes her negative charge into the body. Perfect. Try going barefoot and swimming at every opportunity.  Grounded bed sheets and many other helpful applications are also available.

Sunshine

Photons raise electron energy levels wherever they strike and power photosynthesis in plants and Vitamin D synthesis in humans. Dr. Gerald Pollack has shown that light, radiant heat, and acoustic energy structure our 99% water, alkalize it, and enhance charge potentials that give living organisms stronger “batteries.” Fresh research (links below; chlorophyll/humans-photosynthesize) concludes that we utilize solar photon energy directly.

Nutrition

Modern processed foods are literally predigested with complex fat, protein, and carbohydrate molecules being oxidized, altered, or broken down into too easily absorbed units. This circumvents normal digestion, ruins bacterial balance in the gut, and causes leakage. The flood of fuel into cells then overtakes oxygen availability resulting in a drop in pH, voltage, and biochemical function, not to mention it is fattening and creates glycations and autoimmune problems.

Grass fed and unprocessed organic ingredients contain the most “life force” or in actuality way more photon energized electrons. A nutrient-dense real food diet satisfies appetite in smaller amounts than deficient factory foods ever can.

Balance acid-forming and alkalizing foods and cook gently, sticking with low glycemic choices and those rich in balanced omega/saturated fats, diverse proteins, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidant polyphenols.

Membrane Musts

One must build an oxygen expressway into cells and so must consider the quality of red blood cells, electrolytes and the charge of blood… up to and through membranes which must be constructed of the proper saturated and omega fats, not trans or other damaged oxidized polyunsaturates.

Membranes must present a charge gradient to transport oxygen and materials, and that depends on adjacent H2O/H3O2 structure, viscosity, electrolytes, and the conductivity of pristine fat molecules as well as vigilant protection of those fat molecules from oxidation by maintaining well-charged fluids.

Supplements

Vitamin C is more than a vitamin though it performs dozens of essential functions; it’s a bulk electron source!!! 

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate, a giant medicine in its own right, is an alkalizing source of pH buffering bicarbonate which releases beneficial CO2 and swings between bicarbonate and carbonic acid with every breath and is also active in the kidneys.When ascorbic acid (pure Vitamin C) is mixed with baking soda, ascorbic acid is neutralized and becomes sodium ascorbate to flood the system with electrons.

When ascorbic acid (pure Vitamin C) is mixed with baking soda, ascorbic acid is neutralized and becomes sodium ascorbate to flood the system with electrons.Large serum spikes in ascorbate levels also generate oxidizing hydrogen peroxide in a Fenton Reaction which yields singlet oxygen, the selfsame oxidant naturally produced in an inflammatory immune response.

Large serum spikes in ascorbate levels also generate oxidizing hydrogen peroxide in a Fenton Reaction which yields singlet oxygen, the selfsame oxidant naturally produced in an inflammatory immune response.Orally or via IV, Vitamin C should be considered a core element of any protocol.

Orally or via IV, Vitamin C should be considered a core element of any protocol.Magnesium and potassium are essential electrolytes (most have good levels of calcium and sodium) that form charge gradients and also buffer pH. Magnesium is found in red blood cells where it helps carry oxygen and relaxes the heart muscle for more efficient pumping which is key to oxygenating the system. Rebuilding magnesium reserves takes time and concerted effort.

Magnesium and potassium are essential electrolytes (most have good levels of calcium and sodium) that form charge gradients and also buffer pH. Magnesium is found in red blood cells where it helps carry oxygen and relaxes the heart muscle for more efficient pumping which is key to oxygenating the system. Rebuilding magnesium reserves takes time and concerted effort. Cysteine and glutathione are electron rich pH buffers increased via NAC and MSM sulfur. Taurine is another acid fighter.

Cysteine and glutathione are electron rich pH buffers increased via NAC and MSM sulfur. Taurine is another acid fighter. Niacin and nicotinic acid compounds NAD+/NADH are essential electron-proton ping-pong players that soak up excess protons and deliver electrons in metabolic energy production. Niacinamide has recently been found to prevent some skin cancers.

Niacin and nicotinic acid compounds NAD+/NADH are essential electron-proton ping-pong players that soak up excess protons and deliver electrons in metabolic energy production. Niacinamide has recently been found to prevent some skin cancers. Official medicine dismissed many of these cheap therapies with extreme prejudice. I have only listed a few, but you get the idea and point of view of oxygen and electrons and the primary importance of body charge.

Official medicine dismissed many of these cheap therapies with extreme prejudice. I have only listed a few, but you get the idea and point of view of oxygen and electrons and the primary importance of body charge.

All vitamins and minerals are important, but conventional intake numbers are bogus, many times too little too late. The whole idea of minimum nutrient requirements bows to the high priests of pharma and the czars of industrial food. Confusion rules the subject, so we must quantify our own needs based on nutrient contents of our particular diet, hair analysis, levels of inflammation and any apparent symptoms.

Megadosing of Vitamins C, B3 (niacin) and B12 is common in alternative literature and even short term loading of Vitamin A, D and E have been reported.

Synergistic benefits accrue when combinations are used like adding Vitamin E, K2, NAC, and RALA to Vitamin C megadose along with minerals since their charges and effectiveness are maintained through Vitamin C’s electron benevolence.  This is quantitative chemistry where quantity counts and excess quantity pushes equilibria…a good thing.

GMI has frequent articles reminding us of valuable nutrient sources to bring to the kitchen to enhance one’s intake of phytos, healthy fats and protein sources.  Polyphenol-rich items (see link below) like turmeric, citrus flavonoids and green tea enable oxygen delivery by knocking off damaging hydroxyl radicals that would otherwise oxidize membrane fats and cell structures.

In a perfect world with a higher oxygen content and pure foods in magnificent variety, one could be free of health worries and supplements. Unfortunately, man in his infinite ignorance has created an artificial food supply, burned forests and fossil fuels, and spilled his chemistry set to the extent he has acidified, contaminated, and inflicted oxidative stress and mass extinctions upon the entire planet.

Emotional

Stress is an acidic, out-of-control emotion commonly described as fear, shame, guilt, and anxiety which excites the sympathetic nervous system and dumps cortisol.  Improving body charge helps the mind-bulb glow brighter as do love, gratitude, and the attitude of sharing.  Beware of the mass media anxiety machine.

Lifestyle Activity

Exercise accelerates circulation, oxygenation, and the removal of wastes like maintaining the aquarium or the ebb and flow of the tides that prevent stagnation.  It keeps the heart in shape and the mind calm. Quality sleep releases melatonin, a powerful antioxidant, and relaxes all energy gobbling tension.  Sleep apnea deprives the body of oxygen when it needs it most for restorative processes. The symptoms are exaggerated examples of O2 deprivation with (often misdiagnosed and mistreated) circulatory distress and edema that magically disappear when normal breathing and deep sleep are restored.

Metals/Toxins

These are charge killers – avoid and detox. Hair analysis identifies metal loads such as mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and aluminum which source free radical oxidants, encourage infections, and result in chronic inflammation.  Many people are surprised by their accumulations and mineral deficiencies. I’ve used Eidon/Biotrend Labs with satisfaction and there are others.  It is only a matter of mailing a hair sample with a check and waiting for results so you really know where you stand. Then try to account for ingested metal sources and mineral levels.

AC/DC

There are a number of electronic, magnetic, laser and acoustic devices that have shown effectiveness in conditions across the board: electric brain stimulators and acupuncture techniques, various magnetic wraps, pulsed laser therapy for joints, frequency generators to raise vibrations, and sound machines that heal stubborn ulcerations. Each supplies or modulates different forms of energy.

So

Aging is not much fun if you suffer with chronic disease(s) and pain. It is sad to see so many spend their later years (along with their life’s savings) at the doctor’s office and the drug store. To avoid this fate, you must attend to the maintenance of your own body.  Give your cells the same conditions you would supply a goldfish: clean, well-oxygenated, pH balanced, properly-charged fluids so they will have plenty of energy to function at healthy levels.

Forbidden Protocol

A common sense approach, based on solid science, provides an organizational framework and skill guide to correct body chemistry via thousands of well-known healthy practices and natural therapies.

Goals

• antioxidize/add electrons
• alkalize
• oxidize pathogens
• correct nutrient/vitamin/mineral levels
• detox metals and organic toxins
• get sunshine
• breathe and exercise
• quiet the mind
• allow time for results
• have a purpose
• enjoy life…

Author’s Note:

What with man’s propensity to burn things and use our oceans as an open sewer, it always seemed implausible for geo-science to conclude that global oxygen levels are “remarkably stable.”

New analyses of atmospheric O2 disagree with this conventional view and point to industrial practices that deplete oxygen even faster than they raise CO2 concentrations.
Interestingly the study states; “In humans, failure of oxygen energy metabolism is the single most important risk factor for chronic diseases including cancer and death.” – O2 Diving Towards Danger Point – Institute of Science in Society

Check out other Articles by Capt. Randall on GreenMedInfo.

 

Recommended Products:

• Shillington’s Body Balance+
• Micro Liposomal C – Allergy Research Group
• Vitamin D
• Niacin (with flush)
• Niacin (without flush)
• Total Nutrition Formula

Further Reading:

• How To Breathe
• Earthing – Ground Your Body for Optimal Health
• Sunlight and Vitamin D

Sources:

• Amazing Discovery: Plant Blood Enables Your Cells To Capture Sunlight Energy – GreenMedInfo
• Can Humans Harvest The Sun’s Energy Directly Like Plants? – GreenMedInfo

Working out and dieting can be tedious, tiresome, and generally undesirable. But since treating our bodies with care is of the utmost importance, maintaining healthy exercise and eating habits is essential. Luckily, there are ways to add zest to the practices of working out and dieting, making both – dare I say it – fun.

The easiest way to enjoy healthy eating and exercising is to mix up your routine. Break out of your everyday rut of the same workout, same meals with new activities and new foods.

Spicing Up Your Workout Schedule

The gym is not the only place where you can achieve a decent workout. Challenge yourself to be creative and explore all the options around you.

1. Get outside.

Doctors started prescribing outdoor exercise for individuals suffering from a slew of medical problems. Why? It’s extremely beneficial, and, for some reason, people find it easier to adhere to a workout regimen when it takes place outside. Here are some outdoor exercises to include in your workout schedule:

• Trail running through a local park
• Biking to a destination (rather than driving)
• Playing tennis with a friend
• Surfing or skimboarding at the beach
• Jumping rope
• Lap swimming (or just swimming around) at the pool

2. Join a class.

Working out in a group is great. There’s increased motivation to keep going, accountability to show up to the session, and camaraderie that accompanies group activities. There’s always a chance of making new friends, too. Here are some classes/group activities to consider:

• Spinning
• Yoga or pilates
• Boot camp
• Running/walking group
• Zumba

Make Your Healthy Food More Fun

Dieting doesn’t have to be boring, limiting, or even a struggle. There are ways to make it more fun and satisfying. Just get creative.

1. Enhance Presentation and Appreciate Every Bite

No food reaches maximum satisfaction potential when it’s consumed in mere seconds in the standing position. Instead, put effort into your food’s presentation and take your time eating it. Dress up your table, light some candles, and beautify your meals as much as possible. Make sure you’re eating from a plate (or bowl) while sitting.

2. Explore New Foods

As with exercising, mixing up a routine adds fun to dieting. Without variety, you could become bored and stray off course. Sticking with just a few meal options also makes you feel limited. In reality, healthy eating offers a limitless number of meal possibilities. Ask fellow healthy eaters for recipes or peruse recipes online and try something new when you’re feeling bored.

3. Challenge Yourself on Paper

A healthy diet is one that’s balanced: made up of different colors, different vitamins, and minerals, different tastes. Make sure you’re getting all that you need by keeping a chart and documenting your consumption. Forget calorie counting and aim instead to achieve balanced, clean eating. You can even invite friends to do it with you, and make a competition of it.

• Doctors’ new prescription: Don’t just exercise, do it outside – the guardian
• How to Skimboard – Outdoor Board Sports 
• 3 Reasons It’s Better to Work Out With a Group – Active

Microbeads were introduced into products like face washes and toothpaste as an extra scrubbing agent. These tiny pieces of plastic were originally added to personal care products as a cheaper replacement for natural exfoliators like walnut husks and diatomaceous earth.

What Are They?

Microbeads are usually made with polyethylene or polypropylene, two of the more commonly used plastics. A single tube of face wash can contain more than 300,000 beads. In a 7oz bottle of face cleanser, roughly three-quarters of an ounce is microbeads. Each of these beads is smaller than 1mm, which is 5 times smaller than the traditional definition of microplastic. Deliberately designed to be rinsed down the drain, their tiny size allows them to slip past water filtration services. This is how they end up in bodies of water, fish stomachs, and our own bodies.

Related: How to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors

Environmental and Health Issues Caused by Microbeads

Much of the data regarding microbeads and their effect on the environment comes from the Great Lakes. The New York state attorney general released a report on microbeads that stated, they found as much as 19 tons of microbeads are discharged into NY waters. In Lake Ontario, the most contaminated of the Great Lakes, 1.1 million microbeads per square kilometer were found in the lake bed. It is believed that wildlife mistake the tiny plastic particles for fish eggs and get them lodged in their digestive tracts. Not only do these beads cause damage as they end up in the environment, but the damage is magnified by the plastic’s ability to absorb pollutants like industrial chemicals, phthalates, PCBs, and estrogen-disruptors. These toxins are then passed on to the animals that consume them – seagulls, turtles, fish, and humans.

The initial push for legislation against microbeads came from the dental industry after professionals began finding bits of blue plastic stuck in patients’ mouths. Microbeads leave the mouth at greater risk of infections like gingivitis and periodontal disease due to their ability to absorb industrial chemicals and bacteria. Microbeads also may be hormone disruptors, which makes it even more upsetting to have them lodged between your teeth and gums. The American Dental Association cites a lack of clinical evidence supporting the health risks of the microbeads, conveniently mirroring the stance of major retailers.

Related: Microplastics in Sea Salt – A Growing Concern

How to Find and Avoid Microbeads

The FDA maintains that microbeads are safe and they are even approved for uses in food (Think about it; the FDA is totally cool with you eating bits of plastic). The good news is, many companies are noticing the public and state pressure concerning the safety of microbeads and are removing them from their products. Many of them are still in the process of removing them, though, and knowing how to read your ingredients can help you avoid microbeads right now. Polyethylene is the most important ingredient to look for. Other ingredients that indicate the presence of micro beads are polypropylene, poly-e-terephthalate, and polymethyl methacrylate. Some of the major brands using microbeads in their face wash, body scrubs, and toothpastes include:

• Proctor and Gamble (this includes Crest and Olay)
• Johnson & Johnson (this includes Neutrogena and Aveeno)
• L’Oreal (this includes Garnier and the Body Shop)
• Proactiv
• Nivea
• Estee Lauder (this include Clinique)
• Discount lines from Walgreens, CVS, and other retailers

Obviously not every product has them, which makes it even more important to check out the ingredients of personal care products you use. Using wildcrafted or organic personal care products from a trusted business also eliminates the health and environment pollution of microbeads.

Legislation Regarding Microbeads

Illinois is the first state to have legal action in place concerning non biodegradable microbeads. Starting in 2017, microbeads will be phased out of all products until the total ban of them in 2019. Colorado, Maine, and New Jersey have laws resembling Illinois’. Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Wisconsin are close behind with similar bills having been presented to their legislation. One issue with these bills is the fact that they leave the possibility open for companies to claim that their microbeads are actually “biodegradable.” California is addressing that issue by approving a bill that will ban microbeads in all forms. If that bill makes it into law, it could be the end for microbeads because of the prohibitive cost of making microbead-free products for only one state. The businesses that don’t see anything wrong with microbeads despite growing evidence otherwise are only going to stop using them when it becomes too costly to use them in their manufactured products.

Internationally, non-government organizations have been quicker to sound the microbead alarm. In 2011, a Dutch NGO, the North Sea Foundation, began asking major businesses to remove microbeads from their products due to their negative environmental impact. Companies responded to initial entreaties with vague, unsubstantiated claims about the safety of their products. In 2012, the North Sea Foundation joined with the Plastic Soup Foundation to create Beat the Microbead, a campaign to end the use of microbeads. This campaign has met success worldwide, with the biggest coup coming when international corporate giant Unilever agreed to stop using microbeads in its global portfolio with 2015 as its target year. This campaign is a great example of how grassroots activism can make a difference using consumer pressure to have a positive impact on harmful business practices.

Microbeads might seem like a tiny thing to be worried about, but the ripple effects from them can have a big impact. The wildlife in the Great Lakes is already feeling it, as every time they mistake a microbead for dinner they ingest a piece of plastic that will add to their demise. In the human health arena, maintaining your oral health is important to your overall health. Digestion starts in the mouth, and wedging teeny tiny pieces of plastic along your gumline is a horrible way to treat yourself. States are slowly coming around to the idea that these microbeads are not only dangerous, but unnecessary. There are alternates to these products, and who doesn’t want to feel good about the personal care products they use?

Sources:

• Your Toothpaste May Be Loaded With Tiny Plastic Beads That Never Go Away – Mother Jones
• Why dentists are speaking out about the plastic beads in your toothpaste – The Washington Post
• Plagued by Plastics, Microbeads in the Great Lakes – Watershed Council
• Unseen ­Threat: How Microbeads Harm New York Waters, Wildlife, Health And Environment –(404) State of New York
• Plastic Microbeads: The Newest Threat To The Great Lakes – EWG
• International Campaign Against Microbeads In Cosmetics – (404)Beat the Microbead

Hypothyroidism is diagnosed when a dysfunctional thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone for the body to function properly. Conventional medical doctors and naturopaths are discovering the lab tests for thyroid function are highly inaccurate and hypothyroidism is more prevalent than previously believed. Many health care providers now diagnose and treat hypothyroidism based on symptoms rather than lab tests.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include the following:

• Weight gain
• Decreased libido / erectile dysfunction
• Cold hands and feet
• Cold sensitivity
• Thinning, brittle hair (could result in significant hair loss)
• Loss of the outer third of eyebrows
• Edema
• Muscle and connective tissue pain (may be severe)
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Cognitive problems (poor memory, poor concentration, fogginess)
• Dry rough skin
• Menstrual irregularities
• Headaches

Hypothyroidism can also contribute to cardiovascular problems, tinnitus, vertigo, depression, post partum depression, PMS, infertility, fibrocystic breast changes, polycystic ovary syndrome, and more.

One of the diagnostic tools used to diagnose or rule out hypothyroidism is taking the basal temperature upon waking, before rising, moving about, eating, drinking, or smoking. The temperature is taken in the armpit for 3-5 days and averaged. If the temperature is 97⁰ F or lower, 3 days is sufficient. If the average temp is 97.4 (some say 97.8) this may be a strong indicator of hypothyroidism.

Another diagnostic tool is a quick look at the palms and the bottom of the feet. When hypothyroidism is present, palms and bottom of feet may be somewhat orange in color.

Hypothyroidism interferes with the body’s ability to digest and utilize beta carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the small intestine and elsewhere in the body.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A (retinol) is an antioxidant that is vital for vision, the immune system, sperm production, and maintaining tissues including skin, the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the genital and urinary systems, and more.

While there is a long list of illnesses or conditions that benefit from vitamin A, this vitamin can cause toxicity if taken too long, in too high a dosage, or if the liver is unable to metabolize it correctly.

It is best to consume yellow and orange vegetables (sweet potatoes, carrots, squash etc. for beta-carotene and to heal the thyroid so it does not interfere with digestion and absorption of this vital nutrient.

The link between Candida, leaky gut syndrome, gluten sensitivity, and hypothyroidism is becoming clear. To learn more, read Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Auto-Immune Diseases and Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention And Natural Remedies.

Recommended Supplements:

• Thyro Complex – Progressive Labs
• Thyroid I – Wise Woman Herbals
• B-Complex #12 – Thorne Research
• Other supplements for thyroid health

Further Reading:

• The Power of Our Hormones and How To Balance Them
• How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem
• Natural Remedies for Adrenal Fatigue
• Mercury Fillings, Root Canals, Cavitations – What You Need to Know

Sources:

• Nutritional Medicine 1^st Edition – Alan R. Gaby, M.D.
• Thyroid Disease Epidemic, How’s Yours Doing? – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

The general public shares a common misconception – that all doctors, or all “real doctors” support vaccination. Although it is true that the majority of doctors support vaccines, not all do.

Most doctors blindly support the recommendations of the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Doctors are trained in administering vaccines, not in how they are made. There are some doctors that choose to do the research themselves in order to develop an informed opinion on the subject. These doctors who become knowledgeable about vaccines usually become anti-vaccine. A little knowledge goes a long way.

Without a doubt we live in the age of autism, but it is also the age of chronic illness. One in eighty-eight children are diagnosed with autism, while half of all children now struggle with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, ADHD, etc. This rise in illness correlates with the dramatic increase in vaccines given to our children along with a growing exposure to other toxic chemicals.

Recommended: Sugar Leads to Depression – World’s First Trial Proves Gut and Brain are Linked (Protocol Included)

Dr. Russell Blaylock

Dr. Blaylock is a man who wears many hats. He is a board certified neurosurgeon who owns a nutritional practice. Dr. Blaylock is a health practitioner, lecturer, and author. He practiced medicine for 25 years before pursuing his nutritional studies and research full time.

What Happens to the Brain With Vaccination?

It seems the brain is always neglected when pharmacologists consider side effects of various drugs. The same is true for vaccinations. For a long time no one considered the effect of repeated vaccinations on the brain. This was based on a mistaken conclusion that the brain was protected from immune activation by its special protective gateway called the blood-brain barrier. More recent studies have shown that immune cells can enter the brain directly, and more importantly, the brain’s own special immune system can be activated by vaccination.

You see, the brain has a special immune system that operates through a unique type of cell called a microglia.

These tiny cells are scattered throughout the brain, lying dormant waiting to be activated. In fact, they are activated by many stimuli and are quite easy to activate. For our discussion, activation of the body’s immune system by vaccination is a most important stimuli for activation of brain microglia.

Numerous studies have shown that when the body’s immune system is activated, the brain’s immune cells are likewise activated. This occurs by several pathways, not important to this discussion. The more powerfully the body’s immune system is stimulated the more intense is the brain’s reaction. Prolonged activation of the body’s immune system likewise produces prolonged activation of the brain’s immune system.

Therein lies the danger of our present vaccine policy.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Practice have both endorsed a growing list of vaccines for children, even newborns, as well as yearly flu shots for both children and adults. Children are receiving as many as 22 inoculations before attending school.

What Happens When the Brain’s Immune System is Activated?

The brain’s immune system cells, once activated, begin to move about the nervous system, secreting numerous immune chemicals (called cytokines and chemokines) and pouring out an enormous amount of free radicals in an effort to kill invading organisms. The problem is–there are no invading organisms. It has been tricked by the vaccine into believing there are.

Unlike the body’s immune system, the microglia also secrete two other chemicals that are very destructive of brain cells and their connecting processes. These chemicals, glutamate and quinolinic acid, are called excitotoxins. They also dramatically increase free radical generation in the brain. Studies of patients have shown that levels of these two excitotoxins can rise to very dangerous levels in the brain following viral and bacterial infections of the brain. High quinolinic acid levels in the brain are thought to be the cause of the dementia seen with HIV infection.

The problem with our present vaccine policy is that so many vaccines are being given so close together and over such a long period that the brain’s immune system is constantly activated. This has been shown experimentally in numerous studies. This means that the brain will be exposed to large amounts of the excitotoxins as well as the immune cytokines over the same period.

Studies on all of these disorders, even in autism, have shown high levels of immune cytokines and excitotoxins in the nervous system. These destructive chemicals, as well as the free radicals they generate, are diffused throughout the nervous system doing damage, a process called bystander injury. It’s sort of like throwing a bomb in a crowd. Not only will some be killed directly by the blast, but those far out into the radius of the explosion will be killed by shrapnel.

Normally, the brain’s immune system, like the body’s, activates quickly and then promptly shuts off to minimize the bystander damage. Vaccination won’t let the microglia shut down. In the developing brain, this can lead to language problems, behavioral dysfunction, and even dementia. In the adult, it can lead to the Gulf War Syndrome or one of the more common neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s dementia, or Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS).

Recommended: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Dr. Jay Gordon

In 1980, I abandoned the recommended vaccine schedule. I received dozens and dozens of phone calls from moms and dads reporting that their child had received shots a couple of days ago and they were acting a little different. They couldn’t quite put their finger on it but their child was just not acting quite the same as before I gave the shots. They’d ask if this was okay…was it normal? Initially, as I was trained to do, I replied yes. After dozens and dozens and dozens of phone calls, I decided that I had better listen to these moms a lot more.

I stopped some vaccines. I delayed others.

No, I am not ‘anti-vaccination.’

I am aware of the public health implications of completely abandoning our current vaccine schedule, and I certainly don’t advocate that. What I really want is an honest discussion of the risks and benefits of each vaccine and combinations of vaccines for your child. Just your child. My experience is that many parents don’t have the opportunity to discuss these concepts and these details with their doctors.

As you can see, Dr. Gordon really isn’t all that anti-vaccine. He’s been made famous because he is the doctor that is treating Jenny McCarthy’s son, and she isn’t all that anti-vaccine either. Dr. Gordon has earned himself a reputation for being anti-vaccine because he is against some vaccines and the current recommended vaccine schedule.

Recommended:

Dr. Suzanne Humphries

I am a conventionally educated medical doctor who was a participant in the conventional system from 1989 until 2011.  During those years I saw how often that approach fails patients and creates new diseases.

I left conventional medicine to research the many problems with mainstream medical theory.

I do not consider it my place to tell anyone whether to vaccinate or not. It is my place to understand as much as I can about vaccines and give people a more complete understanding from which to make their choices. This has never been a priority to the public health services. In fact there is ample documentation that the priority was quite the opposite, and actually to quell ‘any possible doubts, whether well founded or not’ regarding vaccines.

The following document is the American 1984 DHHS federal register, which listed final rules pertaining to the polio vaccination campaigns in USA after three decades of scandal and misinformation.

That priority has placed many lives in jeopardy as major problems with vaccination were and are overlooked by vaccine policy makers.

There are many problems with the science that underpins vaccine information. I’ve yet to meet a pediatrician who is informed enough to offer informed consent. Infant immunity has been misunderstood by immunologists, as the immunology literature admits to. Only recently have some important questions been answered about why infant immune systems don’t function like adult ones. There is good reason for the tolerance that an infant has, and the answer is not to interrupt the program with aluminum and vaccines to ramp it up. That is now known to have long term consequences.

There is a paucity of studies comparing never vaccinated children, with partially or fully vaccinated children. In terms of safety studies, a major issue is that most vaccine studies use another vaccine as the control placebo, or use the background substance of the vaccine.  There is only one recent study (Cowling 2012) where a true saline placebo was used, rather than another vaccine or the carrier fluid containing everything except the main antigen. That study showed no difference in influenza viral infection between groups but astonishingly it revealed a 5-6 times higher rate of non-influenza viral infections in the vaccinated. It is no small wonder more true placebos are not used in vaccine research.

Dr. Tenpenny, D.O.

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is ardently anti-vaccine. She has spent countless hours researching the vaccine debate, and she is familiar with all of the arguments for and against. She is adamantly against vaccines. She, like the other doctors on this list, has been accused of cashing in on vaccine fears, but which side of the debate is really making more money?

It continually breaks my heart that people have to personally experience a severe vaccine injury – or observe a serious reaction in someone they love  – before they wake up to the absolute truth: vaccines can and do cause harm. They have heard the arguments and the stories from others. They ignored the pleas about risks and poo-pooed the concerns about vaccine reactions put forth by concerned friends. Instead, they trusted their uninformed pediatrician or caved under the pressure of their badgering RN mother-in-law.

And now, they are left holding the bag, so to speak: a terrible tragedy and a lifetime of medical care and medical bills, as they watch their loved one’s health deteriorate before their helpless, regretful, angry eyes. Gardasil alone has had more than 38,000 adverse events reported through March, 2015. And that number is estimated to be only 10% of all actual adverse events. SaneVax.org  documents case, after expensive case, of injured girls with huge medical bills after this vaccine – and Gardasil is only one of 16 vaccines given to children. How many dollars are actually spent on vaccine injuries, looking for a diagnosis, paying for medications and desperately trying to find a way to reverse the damage? The true cost of vaccination is more than the cost of buying and administering vaccines. The untold tens of millions spent on injuries are not included in the calculations.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield

Dr. Wakefield is a gastroenterologist and researcher who followed the evidence where it lead him. In 1998, Wakefield, Prof. John Walker Smith, Dr. Simon Burch, and 10 other co-authors published a paper in the Lancet, a British Medical Journal, which showed a possible correlation between the MMR vaccine and resultant gastrointestinal dysfunction along with developmental delays and autism. Though the paper did not state a conclusive causal effect, it did state the need for further study into the possibility that the MMR shot was to blame. Wakefield went on to publicly bring attention to the possibility, criticizing the MMR shot and calling for separation of the three vaccines.

Read any pro-vaccine article that disputes the link between vaccinations and autism and chances are Andrew Wakefield and this fraudulent study will be mentioned. His offense wasn’t so much being a vaccine separatist so much as him questioning the vaccine dogma. This also made him big pharma enemies.

Dr. Wakefield was accused of fraud, and subsequently lost his medical license. Dubbed the father of the anti-vaccine movement, Wakefield has been both revered and vilified, depending on which side of the argument uses his name. The bizarre thing is, he is not anti-vaccine. He is, however, a critic of the MMR vaccine and has publicly stated that the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines should be given separately.

In 1999, I proposed that the MMR-autism risk may, in part, be a function of age of exposure: the younger you get the vaccine the greater the risk. Why? Because, the younger you get measles, the greater the risk of an adverse outcome. This idea was shared with the CDC. They tested the hypothesis in children in the Atlanta Metro area and they found it to be true.

They found beyond a shadow of a doubt that two subgroups of children were at risk: children who were in effect developmentally normal to age 1 and black boys. They concealed this risk for 13 years and deceived everyone, putting millions of children at risk. In the words of Dr. William Thompson, the senior scientist responsible for this study, for the data analysis, and for disclosure of the fraud: I was involved in deceiving millions of tax payers regarding the potential negative side effects of vaccines.

I have filed a formal complaint with the Office of Research Integrity detailing the fraud. It is provided for you to examine. The matter is currently under investigation by the US Congress with the prospect of hearings later this year.

Dr. Lawrence Palevsky

I did not turn my back when I heard parent after parent – in the dozens, in the hundreds, and then in the thousands – start to say that their children were fine, then they got vaccinated, and then something really bad happened to them acutely or within days, weeks, or even months. Those parents were told 100 percent of the time by the conventional medical system, ‘It’s a coincidence. It couldn’t possibly be related to the vaccine.

As a person who’s curious about science and questioning, it became obvious to me that there may not be a coincidence here and that something more may be going on.

The literature is pretty supportive of the fact that vaccines have much greater adverse outcomes on the genotype of the body, the immune system of the body, the brain of the body, and the intracellular functions of the body than we are willing to tell the public about.

Pro-vaccine advocates argue that there are thousands of studies that prove that vaccines are safe. Dr. Palevsky explains why those studies are flawed.

…in order for us to really delve into those studies, we have to look at who supported the studies. What was the study design? What were the control groups? How big was the actual number of kids or adults that was used in those studies? I think we will see that in most of those studies, the actual safety has never really been proven.

One of the reasons that I think we can fairly say that is that the vaccine manufacturers and the conventional medical organizations have not done studies that compare vaccinated to unvaccinated children. In order for us to really know if children who were vaccinated are having an adverse effect from a vaccine, we have to use a placebo group that’s given an injection of maybe normal saline to evaluate whether or not they developed the same symptoms that children who were vaccinated may develop after they’re injected with the vaccine.

Those studies are not done. They’re not done because the conventional medical system says it’s unethical to leave kids unvaccinated for any length of time. But, most of the vaccine safety studies that are being done last anywhere between one and four weeks anyway. The kids are followed within those one to four weeks. Then, they’re not followed in a very detailed way to recognize whether any of their health outcomes could be related to the vaccine that they got one to four weeks ago.

What ends up happening is they compare the incidence rates of these vaccine reactions or these symptoms that kids get after they’re vaccinated to how often those symptoms are seen in the general population, to check and see if this vaccinated group is in any way getting an increased incidence of these symptoms than the general population would get. But the fact of the matter is that the general population is vaccinated, so they’re comparing a vaccinated group with a vaccinated group.

Dr. Buchwald, M.D.

The decline in infectious diseases in developed countries had nothing to do with vaccinations, but with the decline in poverty and hunger.

Dr. Glen Dettman

It is pathetic and ludicrous to say we ever vanquished smallpox with vaccines, when only 10% of the population was ever vaccinated.

Dr. Archie Kalokerinos, M.D.

Up to 90% of the total decline in the death rate of children between 1860-1965 because of whooping cough, scarlet fever, diphtheria, and measles occurred before the introduction of immunizations and antibiotics.

Dr. Mendelsohn, M.D.

My suspicion, which is shared by others in my profession, is that the nearly 10,000 SIDS deaths that occur in the United States each year are related to one or more of the vaccines that are routinely given children. The pertussis vaccine is the most likely villain, but it could also be one or more of the others.

Peter Baratosy, M.D. PhD, Australia

I see many children in my practice. I see the difference between the immunized and the non-immunized. The non-vaccinated are much healthier and have less infections, colds, otis media, and tonsillitis.

John B.Classen, M.D., M.B.A.

My data proves that the studies used to support immunization are so flawed that it is impossible to say if immunization provides a net benefit to anyone or to society in general. This question can only be determined by proper studies, which have never been performed. The flaw of previous studies is that there was no long-term follow-up and chronic toxicity was not looked at. The American Society of Microbiology has promoted my research…and thus acknowledges the need for proper studies.

Raymond Obomsawin, PhD

Delay of DPT immunization until 2 years of age in Japan has resulted in a dramatic decline in adverse side effects. In the period of 1970-1974, when DPT vaccination was begun at 3 to 5 months of age, the Japanese national compensation system paid out claims for 57 permanent severe damage vaccine cases, and 37 deaths. During the ensuing six-year period 1975-1980, when DPT injections were delayed to 24 months of age, severe reactions from the vaccine were reduced to a total of eight with three deaths. This represents an 85 to 90 percent reduction in severe cases of damage and death.

Dr. Howard Weiner, Immunologist, Harvard Medical School

If a person has a tendency towards a disease, at a certain age, a vaccine might make him/her more susceptible later when other challenges come along.

Philip Incao, M.D. Testimony on the Hepatitis Vaccine, Ohio 3/1/99

A critical point, which is never mentioned by those advocating mass vaccination is that children’s health has declined significantly since 1960 when vaccines began to be widely used. According to the National Health Interview Survey conducted annually…a shocking 31% of US children today have chronic health problems… In my medical career, I’ve treated vaccinated and unvaccinated children, and the unvaccinated were far healthier and more robust. Allergies, asthma, and behavioral and attention disturbances were clearly more common in my young patients who were vaccinated.

Mary N. Megson, M.D.

Autism may be a disorder linked to the disruption of the G-alpha protein, affecting retinoid receptors in the brain. A study of sixty autistic children suggests that autism may be caused by inserting a G-alpha protein defect, the pertussis toxin found in the D.P.T. vaccine, into genetically at-risk children.

Guylaine Lanctot M.D.

The medical authorities keep lying. Vaccination has been a disaster on the immune system. It actually causes a lot of illnesses. We are changing our genetic code through vaccination.

Dr. Kalokerinos, M.D.

It was similar with the measles vaccination. They went through Africa, South America and elsewhere, and vaccinated sick and starving children…They thought they were wiping out measles, but most of those susceptible to measles died from some other disease that they developed as a result of being vaccinated. The vaccination reduced their immune levels and acted like an infection. Many got septicaemia, gastro-enteritis, etcetera, or made their nutritional status worse and they died from malnutrition. So there were very few susceptible infants left alive to get measles. It’s one way to get good statistics, kill all those that are susceptible, which is what they literally did.

Conclusion

The AMA has always been corrupt. Just look back at their old recommendations for smoking tobacco. The AMA has also been sued for maintaining an illegal boycott of chiropractors. Their expert advice has always been for sale to the highest bidder. The CDC is no different. Recently they’ve been outed for covering up the link between the MMR vaccine and autism in African American children. Their advisory board is filled with industry insiders promoting their own self-interest. The AAP seems to be working primarily for vaccine manufacturers.

There are two kinds of pro-vaccine experts; those who regurgitate pro-vaccine rhetoric and those who are getting paid by pharmaceutical industries. Most regulators are the second kind of expert. (We all know money talks, and big money yells). You cannot do all of the research and come to the conclusion that vaccines are safe. Those that do the research invariably reject all vaccines, or refuse many of them.

Want to read what more smart physicians have to say? Check out More Doctors Against Vaccines. And be sure to check out How To Detoxify From Vaccinations.

Further Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Influenza Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness of the Flu Shot
• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview Of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• How Plumbing, Not Vaccines, Eradicated Disease
• Autism and Vaccines: CDC Whistleblower Exposes Vaccine Dangers, Lies, and Cover-ups

Sources:

• Vaccine Truth – Dr. Blaylock
• An Open Letter on Vaccinations – Triple the Fun Plus 2
• Disease, Vaccines, and the Forgotten History – Dissolving Illusions
• Defending the Right to Poison – Dr. Tenpenny
• Dr. Mercola Interviews Dr. Palevsky – Mercola
• Vaccine Induced Diseases – Vaccines Uncensored
• Lots of Great Vaccine Quotes – Vaccination Liberation
• What Wakefield Would Have Told Oregon Health Committee – Age of Autism

If we hyperextend or twist a joint, we know exactly what caused the pain. But there are times when joint pain sneaks up on us and we have no idea what started it, much less how to stop it. Before you pop a pill or two, or regularly fill a prescription for the rest of your life, why not discover the cause, rather than just treat the symptoms? If you heal the body, you end the pain.

Joint Pain

Joint pain has many presentations and symptoms. The joint may be weak, stiff, locked, or exhibit a limited range of motion. It may be warm, tender, and swollen. The skin surrounding the joint may be red. Pain may be present at all times or only when the joint is moved. The pain may be restricted to one joint or affect multiple joints; it may migrate from one to another. Pain and other symptoms may be acute or chronic. Joint pain may be the only symptom of disease or it may be one of many.

An injury or other ailment may affect one or multiple structures inside or outside of the joint: the tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bursae (fluid filled sacks or cavities that help cushion the joint), the synovial membrane (lining of the joint that secretes fluid to help lubricate the joint), or the bone itself.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is pain and inflammation of a joint. While some sources say there are around 100 causes of joint pain, Arthritis Care states there are around 200 causes, which fit into three classifications:

• Inflammatory Arthritis – such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, gout
• Non-inflammatory Arthritis  – such as osteoarthritis, scoliosis, torn ligaments
• Connective Tissue Disease – such as lupus, sclerosis, Sjogren’s syndrome

Joint Injury

A joint injury is not always caused by a bruise or sprain. Repetitive stress injuries from sports, hobbies, work or an injury caused by a workstation that is not ergonomically correct can cause joint pain. For instance, a desk that may be too high or a chair may be too low causing undue stress and strain on joints. Old, sagging mattresses that do not properly support the body for a third of our daily life can also contribute to joint injury and pain.

Viruses, Bacteria, and Candida Can Cause Joint Pain

Viral illnesses that can cause joint pain include (but are not limited to) hand, foot and mouth disease; hepatitis B and C; HIV, human parvovirus; mumps; rubella; influenza; polio; pericarditis; and encephalitis.

Bacterial infections that can cause joint pain include (but are not limited to) staph, strep, gonorrhea, chlamydia, tuberculosis, and Lyme’s disease.

Candida overgrowth (or any other kind of fungus), can infect the body in ways that are similar to a virus or bacteria and can cause auto-immune symptoms, including joint pain.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is classified as non-inflammatory and is characterized by deterioration of cartilage. This type of joint pain is more severe after rest.

Autoimmune Diseases That Cause Joint Pain

Autoimmune diseases that cause joint pain include (but are not limited to) polymyalgia rheumatica, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, systemic lupus erythematosus, type I diabetes, celiac sprue disease, pernicious anemia, vitiligo, scleroderma, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, Hashimoto’s disease, Addison’s disease, Graves’ disease, reactive arthritis, and Sjögren’s syndrome. Candida overgrowth is typically at the root of autoimmune disease.

Natural Treatment for Chronic Arthritic Conditions

Naturopathic medicine and natural treatments focus on healing through nutrition, detoxification, exercise, and appropriate herbal remedies when indicated. Natural treatment begins with diet.

Diet

First and foremost, our bodies require nutrition that is abundant in fresh, whole, organic foods. The most nutrient dense foods are produce. The healthiest diet consists of 80% (or more) fresh, whole, organic produce – more vegetables than fruits. We also must include healthy fats in our diet.

While filling the body with the most nutrient dense foods, we must avoid adding toxins to the body and we must be vigilant about removing toxins from the body that we cannot help but accumulate from our polluted environment.

To avoid adding toxins and other damaging substances to our bodies, we must eliminate artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives; MSG; trans fats; GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, and all other processed sugars. We also must minimize caffeine intake.

In other words, we need to eat real food – not processed foods.

Detox

If we are eating right, we are detoxing our bodies through the food we eat. Green leafy vegetables, along with other produce high in fiber, help to balance the microbiome in the gut, reducing bad bacteria and increasing good bacteria. Garlic, cilantro, cruciferous vegetables, spirulina, and chlorella all help chelate heavy metals and other toxins and remove them from the body.

By eating the right diet, we are helping our bodies detox on a daily basis. It is still a good idea to go through a good, healthy detox regimen twice a year if you are exposed to a heavy toxic load (generally anyone living and urban lifestyle).

Exercise

Yes, exercise is vital. Not only is exercise needed for bone density and muscle strength, our immune system requires movement to do its job. The lymphatic system is a circulatory system that is dependent on body movement to push fluids through the body. Walk, run, dance, jump rope, swim, do yoga – whatever you can do to get moving. Mix it up and have fun.

Next Steps to End Joint Pain

When the body receives the proper nutrition, detoxification, and exercise, it will begin to heal. But we can help the process with supplements and targeted foods.

Anyone familiar with natural healing is aware of leaky gut syndrome. Antibiotics and a poor diet start the deterioration of the gut. Gluten and Candida continue the destruction and imbalance. When a leaky gut allows foreign particles direct access to the bloodstream, allergies and autoimmune disorders result. In order to stop joint pain, you must heal your gut.

“I have noticed a pattern that many women who suffer from joint pain also have digestive issues. Ongoing digestive imbalances in the GI system (such as leaky gut, dysbiosis and inflammatory bowel disease) have long been associated with allergens and chronic inflammation.” Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

While the general belief system is that autoimmune diseases are the result of the immune system running amuck and attacking healthy tissue, the leaky gut connection and systemic Candida suggest a different scenario – that the immune system is attacking foreign particles that have escaped the gut. One thing is for certain; many people who suffer from autoimmune disease report a decrease or a complete resolution in joint pain and other symptoms after healing their gut and following a healthy diet that eliminates gluten, milk, known allergies, and sugar.

An increase in omega 3 fatty acids is also crucial. Flaxseed oil or Udo’s 3.6.9. with DHT oil are both great sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Use either on salads or cooked vegetables. Check out Johanna Budwig’s anti-inflammatory recipe. (See suggested reading).

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is another common cause of arthritis, frequently associated with pain in the wrist, shoulder, elbow, neck, knee, and hip. Hypothyroidism also causes pain in the arches and triggers headaches, including migraines. Again, it seems that health begins in the gut as hypothyroidism often follows leaky gut syndrome, gluten sensitivity, and Candida overgrowth. Healing the gut and the thyroid can resolve pain in the joints and connective tissues.

Conclusion

Joint pain and disease is not a necessary part of aging. It is a sign that your body is crying out for you to make changes in your life – especially in your diet. Pay attention. Give your body what it needs. It will repay you with years of pain-free living.

Recommended Supplements:

• AR-Encap – Thorne Research (joint support, facilitates normal inflammatory response)
• Boswellia – Pure Encapsulations (promotes healthy joint, connective tissue, pain releif)
• Arctic Omega-D – Nordic Naturals (omega 3s and Vitamin D)
• Systemic Enzymes – (Removes waste, unwanted proteins, promotes long-term healing)
• Curcumin 500 – Pure Encapsulations (Supports the body’s natural inflammatory response,musculoskeletal and cell function)
• Shillington’s Deep Tissue Repair Oil (powerful topical relief for stiff muscles and ligaments, inflamed tissue, and conditions like arthritis and lumbago)

Further Reading:

• Budwig Cancer Cure (Her recipe stops inflammation)
• Understand Hypothyroidism Prevention and Natural Remedies
• What Causes Chronic Inflammation and How To Stop It For Good
• Gluten Candida Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune Diseases

Sources:

• What causes joint pain? 101 possible conditions – Healthline
• Joint Pain – com
• Joint Pain: Many Joints (Polyarticular Joint Pain) – Merck Manual
• Arthritis and Joint Pain – Inflammation Could Be At Work – women to women
• Joint Pain – healthgrades
• The Approach to the Patient Presenting With Multiple Joint Pain – Arthritis Research UK
• Types of Arthritis – Arthritis Care
• Short and long-term risks of taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories)- Natural News

 

Many of our favorite junk foods increase the risk of weight gain, cardiac arrest, stroke, and other diseases. Diet sodas appear to be an easy way around unhealthy calories while still allowing you a familiar indulgence, but don’t let yourself be fooled. Diet sodas contain a chemical cocktail that drives your metabolism crazy and increases your risk of disease.

If you’re regularly guzzling down diet sodas, here are seven reasons why you seriously need to quit today. I’ll also give you a few practical solutions to help ditch the habit.

Cravings

All diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners trick your brain (momentarily) into thinking it is about to receive sugary calories. But when the calories are not received, your brain sends signals that you need food, resulting in food cravings.

Weight Gain

Food cravings make it difficult to balance the pleasure centers of the brain, thus increasing your vulnerability to the next high-calorie sweet treat that crosses your path. That’s a tough psychological battle to win.

Chronic Illness

Aspartame, an artificial sweetener found in over 6,000 food products including diet sodas, has been found to trigger or worsen chronic illnesses including brain cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and multiple sclerosis. Aspartame should be considered an enemy of the State!

Corrosion

If a diet soda (search youtube.com for this one) can be used to clean a corroded battery and remove rust, imagine what it’s doing to the lining of your stomach, esophagus, and teeth.

Kidney Decline

A Harvard Medical School study found that women who drank more than two diet sodas per day had a 30% decline in kidney function compared to women who do not drink diet soda.

Dehydration

Diet soda is in no way a replacement for water. Caffeine and sodium found in most diet sodas make you thirsty and cause frequent urination. The average person would rather pay a little extra at the vending machine for another diet soda instead of drinking a free glass of water. This causes a cycle of headaches, fatigue, dry mouth, constipation, and hot flashes — each one a symptom of dehydration

Poor Metabolism

A Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) study linked diet soda to a 36 percent higher risk of metabolic syndromes that cause your metabolism to function at unfavorable speeds. If you want a metabolism that can keep pace with the Indy 500, avoid diet sodas.

So how do you ditch the diet soda habit? Replace it with water. The human body is more than 60 percent water, yet most of us still don’t drink enough of it. Here are a few practical solutions to drinking more water:

Add a Lemon: Yes, water is sometimes tasteless and boring. Try adding a lemon, mint or an orange slice to liven it up a bit, or experiment with a fruit-infused water.
Spice it Up: Not only are cayenne (red) peppers a super healthy seasoning, they will also have you reaching for a cold glass of water during dinner.
Keep it on You: Buy a clear 74- ounce container and keep it in plain sight at all times. Challenge yourself to drink the entire container over the course of the day.
Remember the Savings: Restaurant water is free — why pass up on the savings? Plus most restaurants use a filtration system on their tap, so it tastes even better.

Diet soda can lead to several serious health problems. Replace it with water for a healthy alternative. What’s your best tip for quitting?

Further Reading:

• 4 Reasons To Never Drink Soda Again
• Diet Soda Aspartame Linked To Premature Deaths In Women

Sources:

• Can’t seem to shed weight – no matter how hard you try – or after dieting, you always gain it all back? Here are 5 simple steps to fix this – ReinventingAging
• Associations of Sugar and Artificially Sweetened Soda with Albuminuria and Kidney Function Decline in Women – PMC
• Diet Drink – Wikipedia
• Diet Soda Intake and Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome and Type 2 Diabetes in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) – PMC