People who describe themselves as a “Night Owls” may not live as long as those who consider themselves a “morning person, according to a new study that followed more than 430,000 adults in the UK. Participants were between the ages 38 to 73. They were studied for six and a half years. At the end of the trial, researchers compared the death rates. Those who prefer the evenings were 10 percent more likely to die during the six-year study than early risers.

27% of the participants defined themselves as “definitely a morning person”, and 35% said they were “more a morning person than evening person” while “more an evening than a morning person” was at 28%, and 9% said they were “definitely an evening person.’ The participants also listed their weight, smoking habits, and socioeconomic status.

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

Researchers also looked at medical issues. Health issues like diabetes and psychological, neurological and gastrointestinal disorders were less common for those who wake up earlier.

The researchers think that sleeping late and the ill-health effects are related to the “internal body clock” being in disarray, but it’s not clear whether or not the late sleep itself is causing the trouble as people who prefer the night were also more likely to smoke, drink alcohol and coffee, eat poorly, and use illegal drugs. While it seems clear that going to sleep at a decent hour, getting enough quality sleep, and being tuned into the circadian rhythm we humans have evolved with promotes better health than staying up late, the finding is only an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship.

Related: Pure Sleep – 11 Tips for Better Sleep

Previous research has linked body-clock disruption to chronic disease including diabetes, hypertension, and mental health problems like depression.

Researchers are investigating whether bright light therapy in the morning or melatonin supplementation in the evening, could shift our chronotype, possibly improving people’s health outcomes.

Related: Insomnia – A Comprehensive Look with Natural Remedies

The authors of the study also suggest that more thought should be given to how our working patterns are designed.

These findings suggest the need for researching interventions aimed at allowing evening types greater working flexibility.”

They also suggest that daylight saving time could disproportionality harm the health of those who prefer evenings.

The switch to daylight saving time is perceived as more uncomfortable by evening types than morning types, placing a further burden on individuals who are already struggling with when to start the working day.”

Related: Co-Sleeping is Not the Reason for High Infant Mortality Rates in the U.S.

People Who Sleep and Wake Up Late, Take Solace…

If you prefer the evenings, here’s some good news for you. Scientific research has shown a correlation with higher IQ scores and more for those who prefer the night. They are also said to be more creative. President Obama, Charles Darwin, Winston Churchill, Keith Richards and Elvis Presley are well known for being nocturnally active.

Source:

• Bad news night owls: People who go to bed later may be at higher risk of poor health – ABC News

There are many ways to improve your health naturally and safely at home – and elsewhere.  If you follow these ten tips every day, they will soon become a habit.

Oil Pulling

Oil pulling means that you rinse your mouth out – ideally with coconut oil. This can have a very powerful cleansing and healing effect, detoxifying or cleansing the body.The process can also help with dental problems in the mouth.

This is a simple and inexpensive way to whiten teeth and freshen breath.  It can also improve several health conditions (ranging from eczema to arthritis) through its effect on oral bacteria. Imagine the oil that lubricates and cleans vehicle engines for many miles before being changed and fresh oil put in. Oil pulling works the same way in our mouth, getting rid of dirt and grime.

First thing in the morning – on an empty stomach and before drinking any liquids – put 1 to 2 teaspoons of the oil in your mouth. Push, pull and swish the oil between your teeth and all around your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes, long enough to bind bacteria with the oil. Spit out the oil and rinse.  You can then brush your teeth with a natural toothpaste and even a natural sea salt and water mouthwash.  At the start, carry this out 3 times a day if possible for a full detox. Later, change to once a day for maintenance.

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

Vitamin D supplement and/or Sunlight Exposure

Unless you are a lifeguard on a California beach or you live on the equator, there is a strong possibility that you will be Vitamin D deficient.  Today, we spend much of our lives indoors, under artificial light and when we do get out in the sunlight, we are encouraged to slather on the sunblock.  Make the change to exposing as much skin as possible to the summer sunlight (without skin block) until the skin starts to turn a light pink (if you are light skinned).  Darker skin tones can tolerate more sun.  The darker your skin, the longer it takes to absorb vitamin D.  Aging can also prevent absorption.

During the winter months, most of us need to supplement with a high-quality vitamin D3 and the dosage can be up to 5000 IUs daily.  If you are unsure about how much you should take, get tested.

Coconut Oil

Often considered to be one of the healthiest oils in the world, the flesh of the coconut is very high in healthy fatty acids. While the composition of fat varies depending on the type and processing of the oil, medium-chain saturated fatty acids make up approximately 90% of coconut oil with a slight contribution of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and poly-unsaturated fatty acids.

Many natural health followers believe that adding coconut oil to your diet will help in preventing the onset of Alzheimer’s. Take two tablespoons daily with food. Start off with just a teaspoon of coconut oil and gradually build up, making sure you use organic virgin coconut oil.

Resistance Exercises

Resistance exercise is any form of exercise that forces your skeletal muscles to contract. For this form of strength training, you can use resistance bands or one of those chest expanders.  You can put your foot on one end and pull upwards with your arm for several times and then change to the other foot and arm.  A resistance band can be attached to a chair or a handy pillar.  Any external resistance will lead to increases in muscular mass, strength, endurance, and tone.  An invaluable way to improve your health.

Recommended: 35 Things You Could Do With Coconut Oil – From Body Care to Health to Household

Grounding – Going Barefoot Outdoors

There are numerous health benefits when you are grounded or connecting electrically with the Earth. But, unlike our ancient ancestors, we no longer have this grounding connection – unless we walk barefoot on grass, sand or even in a body of natural water. Grounding helps to combat inflammation by restoring circulation to fingers and toes, can be very beneficial for problem varicose veins, can thin the blood making it less viscous, and even helps to counteract jet lag.  An hour of grounding after a long flight or car journey can eliminate those unwanted effects of long-distance travel.

A Weekly Epsom Salt Bath

Two cups of Epsom salt in a warm bath can be very beneficial, relaxing and therapeutic.  The bath will help to detox; provide a further form of treatment for skin conditions such as eczema and acne; soothe inflammation, bruising, swelling and muscle strain; and top up magnesium levels where deficient.

Relax Your Back

Apart from an Epsom salt bath above, there is a very useful exercise for the relief of lower back pain.  Lie flat on the floor facing upwards before lifting your legs straight up into the air and, bending at the knees, place your feet on the seat of a dining room/kitchen chair.  Remain like this for at least twenty minutes.  Relax as much as you can and even practice deep breathing at the same time.

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

A Daily 30-minute Walk

And a brisk one at that!  We all need to get moving more and this is an ideal way to start and a very good habit to get into.  Of course, an hour is even better, but I am not pushing it!

Hydrating

Are you drinking enough liquids and especially water?  A jug or glass of water next to your bed at night helps to keep you hydrated and even aids sleep.  During the day, keep a glass or reusable bottle of water at your workplace to remind you to keep drinking. Carry that same bottle with you when traveling or out and about.  Water is not always as drinkable and as safe as you would hope or expect.  Investing in a high quality home water filter is probably the most practical and affordable solution.

Recommended: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

Standing in the Workplace

We don’t have to tell you that most people don’t stand enough, preferring to take the comfortable easy way out.  And yet, spending too much time sitting is now considered to be as dangerous for your health as being a smoker, increasing the risk of diabetes, heart failure, invasive breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer, reducing blood flow, and even leading to deep vein thrombosis.

Think and plan on how you can become more of a stand-up person.

Taking that daily brisk walk above is one way while re-thinking your workplace set up is another.  Change your workstation to a standing one; take all phone calls on your feet; pace up and down while you talk; and urge your work colleagues to try standing or walking meetings.

These tips are all ones that I try to follow regularly.  Not always every day but I have the best intentions and I do benefit!

Related Reading:

• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet
• How to Make the Healthiest Smoothies – 4 Recipes

There are many variations to the following, but the basic procedure here will get you through just about any situation when it comes to making any kind of herbal extract you’d care to.

1. Fill a blender half full with the herb or herbs of your choice (any kind of blender will do in a pinch, but Vita-Mix blenders are the best).
2. On top of these herbs, pour out some 100-proof vodka.  In an emergency you can even use whiskey, brandy or any strong alcoholic hard liquor – Everclear cut 50/50 with distilled water is the best, followed by vodka as these are pure grain alcohols diluted with distilled water only.  Other hard liquors have sugar and other ingredients in them so don’t work as quite as well. Don’t let that stop you in an emergency if all you’ve got on hand is Bailey’s Irish Cream, though. After you’ve poured it in, the alcohol liquid level should be 2 to 3 inches above the top of all the herbs in your blender.
3. Blend the dickens out of it for a minimum of one minute up to a maximum of 2 minutes.
4. Pour the mixed contents into a glass mason jar (these come in pints, quarts, and half gallons), put a lid on, and then store in a dark place.
5. At least once a day, shake your mixture thoroughly.  Twice a day is best.
6. After two weeks, strain off the top liquid into another mason jar, and then press the rest of your mixture using a beer press, or a potato ricer, and an organic cotton canvas cloth to act as a filter to strain out the particles.  You can also use the fanciest press around that money can buy = a Norwalk juicer.
7. Store your tinctures in brown bottles and keep out of the light in a cool, dark place.  A top quality extract made with Everclear can last up to a hundred years or more stored this way.

You’re done!  That’s it!  That’s all there is to it!  You can also use pure apple cider vinegar instead of alcohol with certain softer herbs and veggies, but stay away from using glycerin (which is a lousy catalyst with very poor absorption characteristics).

Also check out DIY Organic Chamomile Tincture (image credit, great article as well), and Cannabis Tinctures 101 if cannabis is your thing, but the basics are the same.

Related Reading:

• How to Make a Tincture
• Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections
• Total Nutrition – Make your own Homemade Multivitamin and Mineral Formula
• Doc Shillington’s Total Body Cleanse
• Homemade Calcium and Magnesium
• Homemade Vitamin C

The mention of fur causes the majority of us to scowl a little. Most of us know how cruel, barbaric, and inhumane the fur trade is. But what about leather? It’s time to shed light on the leather industry.

Leather is a cloth-like material made from the hide or skin of an animal. Cows provide the bulk of leather we use, but goats, pigs, and sheep are in high demand, and reptile skins are also sold at a premium. If you’re like most consumers, you assume that leather is a byproduct of the meat industry, save the reptile skins.

And, the fact is that most of the cow leather that comes from cows is taken from those cows slaughtered for their meat or from dairy cows that no longer produce enough milk. But, that’s not the whole story. It’s assumed that the hide is ‘leftover’, and it will go to waste if it’s not used. This is a common misconception. Also, much of cow leather and in many other animals hides that are produced and sold do come from animals that are killed primarily, or only, for their skins. Leather makes up around 10% of a cows total value. This means that the hide of a cow, not the meat, is the most valuable part of the cow, pound for pound.

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

The demand for leather is increasing, along with the demand for more exotic, luxurious leather goods. The more sought-after, expensive, and  “luxurious” (i.e. soft and thin) hide-material comes from veal calves. The leather sometimes comes from unborn calves taken prematurely from their mother’s wombs. In countries where animal protection laws are weak or non-existent, animals are often killed only for their hides, even when endangered or threatened. Thank consumer demand.

Leather production damages local ecosystems. The chemicals used to produce leather are extremely volatile. The toxic waste from making leather is often dumped illegally, polluting groundwater and rivers.

India and China are two of the biggest producers of leather in the world, and welfare laws there are either non-existent, lax, or seldom if ever enforced. China is the world’s leading exporter of leather, and they aren’t picky about their choices of animal hide. An estimated two million cats and dogs are killed for their skins, and most consumers have no idea what country these hides are coming from, or even from which animals the hide came from.

Recommended: Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones

https://www.facebook.com/lightmoveme/videos/1177183282403351/

Even worse, the production of leather involves unbelievable barbarity and cruelty. Even the animals one would suspect were hunted (pythons, alligators, lizards, stingrays, etc) may have been farm raised for their skins in abysmal conditions. In India, a PETA investigation witnessed the practice of breaking the cows’ tails and rubbing chili pepper and tobacco into the cow’s eyes in order to force them to get up and walk after collapsing from exhaustion on the way to their slaughterhouse.

Let’s take a moment to consider that last fact. Can you imagine going out like that? Can you imagine your last days on this miserable planet consisting walking to your death at the behest of chili peppers and tobacco in the eyes? We’re well past beleiving that animals don’t feel pain, right?

Much of the most heinous abuses are due to the fact that the world leather trade is mostly clandestine and illegal – and the authorities that could stop it are routinely bribed to let it continue. Hindus hold the cow in special esteem, and Jains, a hindu sect, regard all life as so sacred that they avoid hurting insects. But investigations have shown that all pf India’s major communities are complicit in the cruel treatment of their sacred cows.

If you don’t want to contribute to the leather industry, don’t! Natural and synthetic cruelty-free alternatives are available, Checkout MooShoes, Beyond Skin, Vegan Essentials, Alternative Outfitters and Vaute Couture. Vote with your wallet, read the labels, Google the companies, and support smaller ethical companies that consider their impact on the planet.

Excerpt from Peta’s 14 Things the Leather Industry Doesn’t Want You to See

1. Every year, the global leather industry slaughters more than a billion animals.

2. If you’re wearing leather, it probably came from China or India.

In China, there are no penalties for abusing animals on farms.

3. Along with cattle, other animals—including sheep, dogs, and cats—are killed for their skin in China.

Dog and cat leather is often intentionally mislabeled, so you could be wearing dog leather and not even know it.

4. In India, animals fare no better.

India’s animal-protection laws are also rarely enforced.

5. In India, cows are forced to march for days—without food or water—to their own deaths.

6. Cattle who collapse from exhaustion have their tails broken or chili peppers rubbed into their eyes in order to force them to keep moving.

7. There’s virtually no way to tell where leather comes from.

Even if a product says that it was made in Italy or the U.S., the raw materials probably came from India or China.

Click here for the rest of 14 Things the Leather Industry Doesn’t Want You to See

Sources:

• The Global Leather Trade – PETA
• Vegan Guide to Leather Alternatives 2018 Edition – The Vegan Resource Group
• Is your leather from China? It might be made of dog or cat skin – The Guardian

A 33-foot sperm whale carcass surfaced near a lighthouse in Cabo de Palos on Spain’s southeastern coast in February. Washington Post reported that a necropsy revealed the whale had “trash bags, polypropylene sacks, ropes, net segments and a drum, among other things,” located in the stomach and intestines.

Local authorities report that the whale animal died due to peritonitis, inflammation of the abdominal lining, due to blockage from the trash.

The picture, shared by a local environmental group, shows a severely underweight sperm whale. Reports place the animal’s weight at 14,300 pounds. Adult sperm whales are supposed to weight between 77,000 and 130,000 lbs.

Sperm whales reside in the ocean at around 2,000 feet below sea level and feed off of large squid, sharks, and fish. This certainly isn’t the first time. For decades, whales and other marine life have been washing ashore full of plastic.

A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that 77% of grocery store purchases were made up of processed foods, with about 61 percent of purchases being “ultra-processed” foods. This indicates that the average American ingests more than 1,000 calories a day of processed foods. In the UK, they fare slightly better, with a study showing 51% of their diet is made up of “ultra-processed” foods.

Ultra-processed foods are foods with man-made ingredients, food additives invented by food technologists.

Related: Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Research by global nutrition experts shows how our food has evolved from real food too salty, refined, artificially flavored, chemically preserved foods like sugary cereals, industrially-made breads, desserts, sugar-laden microwaveable meals, instant noodles, reconstituted heavily processed meats, and sweetened (or chemically sweetened) soft drinks, etc.

A new study that’s making waves in the medical community shows that a 10% increase in consumption of ultra-processed foods correlates with a 12% increase in overall cancer rates and an 11% increase in breast cancers. The study, led by researchers based at the Sorbonne in Paris, looked at eating habits and the medical records of nearly 105,000 adults.

‘Examples of NOVA Group 4 foods include “mass produced packaged breads and buns; sweet or savoury packaged snacks; industrialised confectionery and desserts; sodas and sweetened drinks; meat balls, poultry and fish nuggets, and other reconstituted meat products transformed with addition of preservatives other than salt (for example, nitrites); instant noodles and soups; frozen or shelf stable ready meals; and other food products made mostly or entirely from sugar, oils and fats, and other substances not commonly used in culinary preparations such as hydrogenated oils, modified starches, and protein isolates’ – in short, many of the foods sold in supermarkets.” – BMJ 2018;360:k322

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

Related Reading:

• How to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors
• How to Detoxify and Heal the Lymphatic System
• Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
• Start Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

Sources:

• Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort – The BMJ
• Over half US grocery store purchases are highly processed foods, says study – Fox News
• ‘Ultra-processed’ products now half of all UK family food purchases – The Guardian

Much of the discussion surrounding microplastics in the environment have focused on our oceans, but a new report from Germany confirms that these tiny bits of plastic are also entering the food chain through organic fertilizers. Reducing and reusing waste are key elements of a healthy ecosystem, but proper pretreatment of waste destined for organic fertilizer is essential to avoid contributing microplastics to the soil. Professor Ruth Freitag from the University of Bayreuth in Germany, one of the study’s authors, identifies that pretreatment as a key to minimizing the impact of plastics on the soil.

Related: How to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors – Organic Lifestyle Magazine

We have plants where they use a lot of precautions and there we find hardly any plastic particles, and other plants where they simply use a shredder to prepare everything and break it down – there you find a lot…One example is people use plastic bags and then put everything together in the bin, and then this is entering the waste treatment plant and ending up in the fertilisers…”

Germany’s Recycling Efforts

Germany leads the world in recycling, with 65% percent of the population using the country’s color-coded bins. Almost 12 million tons of food and garden waste are composted or turned into bio-gas yearly. The researchers examined fertilizer samples from different types of waste treatment plants, finding samples from those plants converting biowaste contained plastic particles of varying sizes and concentrations. On the other hand, agricultural energy crop digesters tested for comparison only had isolated particles, suggesting that plastics are entering fertilizers through improperly sorted compost waste. Samples tested had low levels of plastic, with a maximum of around 150 microplastic particles per kilogram found.

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

Plastics Are Everywhere Now

There are six different bins to divide your recycling into in Germany. 317.7 million metric tons of waste were recycled in 2015. They are the worldwide leaders in refining personal recycling systems. Now they’re finding microplastics in organic fertilizers, a scary proposition.

We know that plastics like BPA and BPS disrupt the endocrine system and cause other health issues, but we still don’t know how they affect our health. We likely won’t have the full picture until well after it’s too late. Plastic is in our drinking water, the fish eat, and the soil we grow our food in. How soon will we be talking about how much plastic people can safely ingest before something serious occurs?

Related Reading:

• Drinking Bottled Water Means Drinking Microplastics, According To Damning New Study
• Many Hand-me-down Plastic Toys Are Toxic for Kids
• Microplastics in Sea Salt – A Growing Concern

Sources:

• Organic fertilizer as a vehicle for the entry of microplastic into the environment – Science Advances
• Microplastics found in fertilizers being applied to gardens and farmland – Independent
• Germany Gleefully Leads List of World’s Top Recyclers – New York Times