Gluten-Free Eaters Have Higher Levels of Arsenic and Mercury

The number of people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity is on the rise. When they eliminate wheat and other gluten containing grains from their diet, they usually significantly increase their consumption of rice. Unfortunately, as it is growing, rice soaks up heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, and cadmium from the soil and water. According to a new study,  researchers found those who have been on a long-term, gluten-free diet have double the amount of arsenic in their systems and 70% more mercury than their gluten eating counterparts.

The Metal Sponge

Why does rice suck up arsenic and other heavy metals? Rice is flooded while it’s growing, in part to keep weeds in check and to discourage pests. Water enables the rice’s root system to draw in more nutrients from the soil. As it draws up nutrients, it also sucks up other things in the soil, like mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and tungsten.

Most of the rice in the U.S. is grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California on farmland that was formerly used to grow cotton. Arsenic-based pesticides were used on much of the land to combat boll weevils. Combine those specific pesticides with rice’s extraction abilities, and high levels of heavy metals are the result.

What to Look For in Rice

This does not mean a gluten-free diet dooms you to heavy metal poisoning. With some smart planning and healthy choices, a gluten-free diet can leave you feeling great.

Not all rice is created equal. Though organic rice still has arsenic in it, it’s the best choice to avoid excessive pesticides on top of the metals naturally found in the rice. Brown rice has higher levels of arsenic than white rice. The hull or bran of the rice that gives brown rice its’ higher levels of magnesium, fiber, zinc, and folate also stores arsenic. Of the places where rice is grown, Basmati rice that is grown in California, India, and Pakistan contains less inorganic arsenic.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Another answer to the rice problem? Eat less rice and a greater variety of gluten-free grains. Rotating rice with grains like quinoa or millet will both decrease arsenic exposure and increase your body’s exposure to another nutritional profile. The same rotation can be applied to alternate flours. If you chose processed or pre-made foods, look for ones with alternative flours like chickpea or coconut. Switching up the type of flour you use at home can also limit your arsenic intake.

Get Them Out!

There are also foods that pull heavy metals from the body. Garlic, onions, and cilantro all help detox heavy metals and add extra flavor to food. Other edibles like chlorella, spirulina, and activated charcoal are also great at attracting heavy metals and helping the body process them out. Learn about Diatomaceous Earth, Total Nutrition, and read Top 5 Foods that Detox Heavy Metals and Toxins – With Protocol.

A Healthy Diet is The Best Defense

Someone on a gluten-free diet is more likely to eat rice and foods made with rice flour. The trade-off for this is higher levels of arsenic and mercury. This doesn’t negate the benefits of a gluten-free diet. It can even be seen as a motivation to incorporate new foods and grains into your diet. And check out How To Reduce the Arsenic in Your Rice by 80%.

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The Alzheimer’s Aluminum Connection

In 1982, I was a psychology major attending Georgia State University. One of my favorite professors told us, “If you don’t want to get Alzheimer’s, avoid aluminum. When the brains of Alzheimer’s victims were studied post mortem, the one thing they all had in common was aluminum in their brain tissue. Don’t drink from aluminum cans. Stop buying canned food. And stop cooking in aluminum pans.”

I went home and threw out all of my aluminum pots and pans. I had quite a few. And I took the rest of his advice to heart. From that day forward, I bought drinks in glass bottles and avoided canned foods.

I always imagined the aluminum connection was common knowledge, at least in scientific circles. But in recent years, I discovered there was no general consensus regarding the aluminum, Alzheimer’s connection. As a matter of fact, it seems to have been an issue of debate. But isn’t that always the case when big business is involved? If we malign the aluminum soda can and all that canned food, if we stop wrapping our food in aluminum foil, businesses will lose a lot of money.

A quick internet search revealed the Alzheimer’s Association’s stance. Their website shows the following:

Myth 4: Drinking out of aluminum cans or cooking in aluminum pots and pans can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Reality: During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids, and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.

And yet, recent studies have refuted the claim that there is no link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s. Aluminum accumulates in the body. We are not only exposed through cans and cookware, we accumulate aluminum through cosmetics, antiperspirants, medications, and vaccines.

In Professor Chris Exley’s article published by The Hippocratic Post he states, “ In my view, the findings are unequivocal in their confirmation of a role for aluminum in some if not all Alzheimer’s disease.”

The following quotes reiterate what my professor told us in the 1980s.

We already know that the aluminum content of brain tissue in late-onset or sporadic Alzheimer’s disease is significantly higher than is found in age-matched controls.”

“Individuals who develop Alzheimer’s disease in their late sixties and older also accumulate more aluminum in their brain tissue than individuals of the same age without the disease.”

Why would the Alzheimer’s Association say “…few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.”?

Professor Exley concludes, “We should take all possible precautions to reduce the accumulation of aluminum in our brain tissue through our everyday activities and we should start to do this as early in our lives as possible.”

One thing is certain – aluminum is a neurotoxin that should not be injected into our children’s bodies through dozens of vaccines. Check out How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children.

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Vaccines Linked to the Diagnosis of Neurological Disorders

As natural health advocates, we are not anti-science. In fact, we want more vaccine science, not less. A new study from Yale School of Medicine and Penn State College of Medicine is just that. Researchers have discovered an association between the timing of vaccines and the onset of certain brain disorders in a subset of children.

Data from more than 95,000 insured children age 6-15 was analyzed. The study compared data from three groups: comparing children with certain neurological conditions, children who had received treatment for broken bones, and children who received treatment for open wounds. Dates of treatment for the 3 groups was analyzed comparing the onset of illness or injury to each child’s vaccinations.

The neurological conditions in the first group included obsessive-compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, anxiety disorder, chronic tic disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder.

Researchers looked at each child’s medical records for the year prior to treatment to establish whether or not the child had received vaccines during that period.

This was a well-designed, tightly controlled study. Control subjects without brain disorders were matched with the subjects by age, geographic location and gender.

As expected, broken bones and open wounds showed no significant association with vaccinations.

New cases of major depression, bipolar disorder or ADHD also showed no significant association with vaccinations.

However, children who had been vaccinated were 80 percent more likely to be diagnosed with anorexia and 25 percent more likely to be diagnosed with OCD than their non-vaccinated counterparts. Vaccinated children were also more likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder and with tics compared to the controls.” – Robert Kennedy

Different Vaccines, Different Disorders

Certain vaccines resulted in higher diagnoses of certain disorders. The flu shot (recommended yearly by the CDC), was associated with a higher level of OCD, anorexia, and anxiety disorder. Children vaccinated for meningitis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B saw higher rates of anorexia, chronic tic disorder, and OCD.

Study Conclusions

In the world we live in, science goes where the money goes. Researchers know that conducting a study that questions the safety or efficacy of vaccines is not likely to be a profitable endeavor. In fact, anyone working in science today knows how dangerous it is to disrupt the status quo. For one of many examples, check out Vaccines, Retroviruses, DNA, and the Discovery That Destroyed  Judy Mikovits’ Career. Regardless of these risks, these researchers have concluded:

This pilot epidemiologic analysis implies that the onset of some neuropsychiatric disorders may be temporally related to prior vaccinations in a subset of individuals.”

Perhaps the first half of the study’s opening sentence and the final closing sentence were chosen in an attempt to align themselves with the conventional vaccine stance and to mitigate blowback from the damning conclusions reached by their study.

The opening sentence was,

Although the association of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine with autism spectrum disorder has been convincingly disproven, the onset of certain brain-related autoimmune and inflammatory disorders has been found to be temporally associated with the antecedent administration of various vaccines.”

The first half of this sentence is simply not true. The CDC whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson, revealed the CDC coverup of evidence that the MMR is linked to autism in African American male children under a certain age. The second half is warning us about other problems: brain related autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.

The final sentence was downright ridiculous. After revealing the association between these neurological disorders and vaccines, they had the guile to end their article with this sentence.

Finally, given the modest magnitude of these findings and the clear public health benefits of the timely administration of vaccines in preventing mortality and morbidity in childhood, we encourage families to maintain the currently recommended vaccination schedules while taking all necessary precautions as documented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

This sentence speaks for itself. Draw your own conclusions.

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The 10 Profound Effects Breathing Has on Our Body

How we breathe affects almost every process in our body from digestion to memory to exercise recovery. This is because breathing has a profound impact on our nervous system, which communicates directly and indirectly with every cell in our body. The message our nervous system communicates to our bodies depends on the messages that it receives from our internal and external environments. This is why we play one of the most important roles in determining the quality of our health.

When we breathe more than once every 4 seconds, we tend to experience more anxiety, stress, and pain. As the anxiety, stress, and pain increases, so does our breathing rate. This creates a repetitive cycle of chronic stress in the body.

Luckily, there is something we can take to reverse this process – a deep breath. To do this we start by letting go of as much air from our lungs as we can, inhaling to expand our lower abdomen and rib cage while our shoulders remain relaxed. This and many other controlled breathing patterns can create 10 profound effects in the body.

1.) Exercise Recovery

How we breathe has a substantial impact on our ability to recover from exercise. But before we can explore how breathing impacts recovery, we must first understand how our bodies respond to exercise.

When we exercise, our sympathetic nervous system activates to increase our breath rate and mobilize energy stores. This allows us to continue exercising by increasing the delivery of oxygen and energy to our tissues.

This is extremely beneficial during exercise, but if the sympathetic nervous system remains activated after exercise, recovery will take much longer. Shallow chest breathing is one way to keep the sympathetic nervous system activated. This breathing pattern tells the brain that we are still in a state of stress even when we are trying to recover.

With the sympathetic nervous system activated, your parasympathetic nervous system will struggle to do its job. And its job is to initiate recovery. Throughout our lives, our nervous system is switching between the sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system depending on the demands we put on our bodies. In times of danger or activity, our sympathetic nervous system activates to meet the demand. When we are no longer active or in danger, we switch over to our parasympathetic nervous system to rest and digest.

To activate the parasympathetic nervous system and improve recovery from exercise, we can take deep diaphragmatic breaths into our lower abdomen. This type of slow controlled breathing can even illicit better recovery than just sitting and breathing normally.

Whim Hof has used these breathing techniques to withstand freezing temperatures without shivering or getting sick.

2.) Pain Sensitivity

Pain is a sensation that our brain creates to protect us from threats. Our initial response to a threat is to increase our breathing rate and muscular tension to protect ourselves and/or run away. We even increase our sensitivity to pain in anticipation of a perceived threat. The body’s ability to increase pain sensitivity serves as a protection mechanism to keep you safe from danger.However, our brains cannot tell the difference between a perceived threat and an actual threat.

We may not be able to keep real threats from happening, but we can control our body’s response to perceived threats. To do this we must activate our parasympathetic nervous system with slow controlled breaths. When we take slow controlled breaths, our bodies’ response to the perceived threat will decrease and our brain will reduce the amount of pain and tension in our bodies.

3.) Immune System Response

Although chronic shallow chest breathing can increase pain, stress, and tension, intermittent power breathing (Whim Hof breathing techniques) can be used to create an anti-inflammatory response.

Whim Hof has used these breathing techniques to withstand freezing temperatures without shivering or getting sick. He has even climbed Mount Everest while only wearing shorts. This doesn’t mean that we should sprint up a mountain naked, but it does exemplify the power that certain breathing techniques can have over our bodies.

These breathing techniques work by stimulating deep breathing in a controlled way that triggers the release of epinephrine and reduces our inflammatory response.

Two specific breathing techniques were studied that created these effects. The first technique is described as hyperventilation “…for an average of 30 breaths. Subsequently, the subjects exhaled and held their breath for 2–3 min (“retention phase”). The duration of breath retention was entirely at the discretion of the subject. Breath retention was followed by a deep inhalation breath, that was held for 10 s.”

The other breathing technique that was studied consisted of “deep inhalations and exhalations in which every inhalation and exhalation was followed by breath holding for 10 s, during which the subject tightened all his body muscles.”

4.) Memory

Stress stimulates the release of glucocorticoids that increase energy while they impair our ability to form memories and retrieve memories. This explains why we struggle to find the right answer when we are anxious during a test or a job interview.

Whether the stress is from a lion chasing us or a job interview, our bodies’ react in the same way every time by releasing glucocorticoids. These hormones prepare the body to fight or run, not to come up with the right answer to a question.

This is when deep breathing can save the day. When we are anxious, we can improve our brain function and reduce our anxiety by slowing down our breath. This lets our brain know that we are safe and our body can relax. In this relaxed state, we can easily access the answers we need and form new memories.

5.) Meditation

Meditation provides a plethora of benefits including increased prefrontal cortex thickness and function. But it is hard for most of us to simply sit and meditate. Our minds are flooded with thoughts, emotions, and things to do. Ten minutes feels like 100 minutes, but there is a way to make that 10 minutes into the most blissful experience of our day. We can do this by starting our meditation with controlled breathing.

When we concentrate on deepening our breath, we create a relaxed state. In this relaxed state, we will be able to dissociate from our thoughts and emotions. This allows us to meditate easily and reap the benefits of meditation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67SeR3LxtdI

6.) Digestive System Function

In a stressed state, all of our digestive processes are reduced. This is because our body is focused on removing the threat or removing ourselves from the threat. Once there are no threats, our brain will allow us to rest and digest. This means that when we rush through our meals, we will make it harder for our bodies to digest food.

Rushing through meals can cause stomach aches, nausea, and diarrhea in the short term. If we have prolonged stress, we can aggravate chronic diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and heartburn.

To improve our digestive function, we must activate our parasympathetic nervous system. One way we can do this is by taking deep breaths. This will send the message to our brains that we are ready to rest and digest.

7.) Joint Mobility

Some of the muscles that we use to breathe are also used during other movements. This means that when we breathe rapidly into our chest, we can alter the function of our postural muscles. The primary purpose of these muscles is to provide strength and stability to the bones and joints. When the postural muscles are recruited to take on the task of breathing as well, they become stiff due to being overworked. This will restrict joint motion in the joints that the overworked muscle(s) effects.

For example, during a shallow chest breath, a muscle called the trapezius may try to help expand the ribcage. If this is our most common breathing pattern then our trapezius will be chronically tight and pull the shoulders up toward the ears. This can cause neck tension that limits neck mobility.

By taking deep diaphragmatic breaths for a couple minutes before activity we can give the overworked muscles a chance to relax. This can decrease joint stiffness and improve function.

8.) Joint Stability

Many musculoskeletal injuries are caused by a lack of stability, especially in people with low back pain. Spinal instability is commonly the result of shallow chest breathing patterns. When we breathe into our chest, diaphragm, deep core muscles, and back muscles do not activate effectively. This creates instability of the spine that can lead to injury.

Ideally, our movements should be accompanied by diaphragmatic breaths. During inhalation, the diaphragm is designed to contract to bring air in, while it simultaneously creates spinal stability. During exhalation, the deep postural muscles of our back and core activate to create stability.

The stability we create with diaphragmatic breaths allows us to activate our postural muscles in the right way at the right times so that we can decrease the chance of injury and increase stability.

9.) Sensory acuity

The acuity of our senses changes throughout the day. One of the causes of the change in our sensory acuity is the state of our nervous system. When we are in a stressful state, we tend to overwhelm ourselves with past regrets and future concerns. This significantly reduces our sensory acuity.

Taking deep breaths will indirectly increase our sensory acuity by keeping our attention on the present moment. When we focus on something in the present moment like our breathing, we can bring ourselves back to what’s happening now instead of stressing about the past or future.

10.) Neck Issues

Neck pain is correlated with breathing dysfunction. It may seem strange to us at first, but with a deeper understanding of a dysfunctional breathing pattern we can easily find out why it correlates with neck pain.

Dysfunctional breathing is commonly characterized by a shallow inhale into the chest that causes the shoulders to raise toward the ears. During this type of breathing pattern, muscles around the neck, like the scalenes and sternocleidomastoid, activate to pull the shoulders up when these muscles would normally be relaxed.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, an average adult takes 12 to 20 breaths per minute. This equates to breathing between 17,280 and 28,800 times per day.

If our most common breathing pattern is to overuse our neck muscles, that means that these muscles are being used 17,000 or more times than they should be used throughout the day. Imagine all of the extra work that these muscles have to do. This is why dysfunctional breathing patterns are a major cause of chronic neck tension and pain.

When we take a breath, our lower abdomen should expand before the chest, and the shoulders should remain relaxed. This allows the neck muscles to take a break at the right time and function properly.

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Lavender: A Portrait of an Overlooked Panacea

For most people, lavender conjures memories of powdery-scented sachets in lingerie drawers, spray colognes, or dainty English soaps. Because of this nostalgic cosmetic association, this age-old garden plant has been mostly forgotten as a medicinal, even by seasoned herbalists. Lavandula angustifolia or true lavender is a gentle but highly effective multitasking plant ally for children and adults alike. This fragrant shrub in the mint family has tiny, purple flowers, but don’t let the lovely fragrance or size only connote cosmetic pleasantry. Lavender is highly therapeutic. It is capable of combating influenza and strep throat yet mild enough to calm the stormiest of tummy troubles in youngsters.

When infused gently in hot water, this lovely herb displays aqua hues that mellow to mauve as it fills the room with its fragrance. With such fairy glamor charms, this tea makes an easy internal medicine for nervous exhaustion, digestive spasms, tension headache and migraine, anxiety, panic attacks, chest infections, tonsillitis, bowel infections, excessive Candida, cold and flu, insomnia, and fevers including typhoid. Lavender can easily be combined with synergistic herbs such as lemon balm, chamomile, and rose petals to tailor its valuable properties for specific maladies.

On the other hand, lavender essential oils—true lavender and spike lavender–—are some of the most important oils in clinical aromatherapy that are capable of fighting drug-resistant infections including MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) when used topically.

When looking at the body of modern clinical studies, old herbal manuals, and scribbled notes of aromatherapists, it is easy to see why this humble plant should be one of the most important items to keep on hand at all times—in the medicine chest, the kitchen cabinet, and the travel case.

Uses for Lavender Tea

Allergies and Adrenal Support

Lavender is a natural immune booster, but it can also calm an overactive immune system that is responsible for multiple allergies or sensitivities. The adrenals, the body’s stress glands, can play a significant role in promoting equilibrium between both extremes, and lavender can help. When the adrenals are nourished and the more the parasympathetic nervous system kicks into temper chronic fight or flight response, there will be fewer allergies and less severe allergies.

Tip: To prevent the body from neutralizing the effects of long-term use, alternate weeks that you drink lavender tea. For example, after a week of consistent use, skip a week and then resume.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups a day.

Anxiety, Depression, and Neurotransmitter Balance

Lavender—both its scent and chemical properties within the flowers themselves when ingested—affect the production of serotonin, a vital neurotransmitter found within the gut and the brain. When this neurotransmitter is imbalanced or deficient, a multitude of “mental health” conditions can manifest. An inhibitory neurotransmitter, serotonin plays a major role in taming excessive production of excitatory chemicals that are responsible for low immunity, disrupted sleep cycles, sugar cravings, and heightened pain. Regular consumption of coffee and other stimulants, prolonged stress, hormonal changes, and poor diet compromise and deplete our serotonin levels. In the simplest terms, serotonin imbalance directly affects many functions in the body including digestion as well as emotional wellbeing. When it is disrupted, it can be evident in many ways ranging from hormonal moodiness to eating disorders such as bulimia and certain types of depression to chronic anxiety. Lavender tea can offer wonderful and near-immediate calming effects by lowering the stress hormone cortisol and regulating adrenaline.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups a day.

Blood Sugar Balance

 Lavender tea has balancing effects on the pancreas and insulation production, therefore it can be beneficial for blood sugar stability, especially for non-diabetic/reactive hypoglycemia.

Recommended amount: 1-3 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Because of its effects on neurochemicals and the adrenals, lavender tea is helpful for some individuals with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea a day.

Digestive Balance

Chamomile has long been hailed as the quintessential herb for stomach upset, but lavender is also a heavy hitter when it comes to calming nervous bellies, nausea, gas, bloating, and griping pains. A warm infusion of lavender can also increase good intestinal flora while combatting yeast overgrowth. Lavender tea is also an excellent children’s remedy for tummy troubles, school jitters, nightmares, and stomach aches from nervous origins.

Recommended amount for adults: 1-3 cups a day. Recommended amount for little ones: ½ cup twice a day taken by the tablespoon if need be. A little local honey makes it a pleasant drink.

Energetic Properties and Emotional Influence

On the energetic level, lavender can soothe stormy emotions, stimulate peace where there is resentment or jealousy, and lift the mood.

Immunity

 An infusion of lavender flowers drunk a few times a week is a pleasant immune booster that can prevent illness during the flu season, guard against infections, and balance neurochemicals such as serotonin that play an important role in strong immunity. Lavender tea is also wonderful for sore throats, and an added touch of local honey enhances its healing and soothing properties. The tea can be drunk cold, at room temperature, or hot. The latter is useful in bringing down high fevers.

Recommended amount: 3-5 cups a week, skip a week and then resume.

Insomnia  

The scent of lavender and its effects on calming the body and inducing sleep are well known, but the herb prepared as tea gets little attention. A warm lavender infusion taken half an hour before bed can help the body wind down and calm racing thoughts.

Recommended amount: 1 cup of strong unsweetened tea before bedtime.

Muscle Tension and Headaches

Warm or hot lavender tea  can relieve tension headaches and muscle tightness (anywhere in the body, including the neck), and it may help migraines.

Recommended amount: 1-2 cups of unsweetened tea.

Caution: Because of lavender’s effects on neurotransmitters and insulin, those on antidepressants, diabetic pharmaceuticals, or sleep medications might need less of these drugs and should be monitored. Always ask your physician about contraindications regarding any medication. Also, despite lavender’s gentle effects, some individuals can be allergic to it. If any signs of allergic reaction occur, discontinue use.

How To Make Lavender Tea

Quick Method

Use 1-1 ½ teaspoons of dried organic lavender flowers per cup of water. Place the dried herb in a heat proof Pyrex measuring cup or a tea pot, pour boiling water over the lavender and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking. If preferred, add honey to taste.

Overnight Method for a Larger Quantity

Fill a 1-quart Mason jar with ½-3/4 cup of dried organic lavender flowers. Pour boiling water over the herbs, filling the jar halfway. Stir the herb mixture and then fill the rest of the jar with water until full. Put a lid on and cover with a towel overnight. Strain and drink. If preferred, add honey to taste. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. Individual portions can be reheated.

Topical Use of Lavender Essential Oil

How to Use Lavender Oil Topically

Due to individual skin sensitivity, neat, or undiluted, application of lavender essential oil is recommended via the soles of the feet. Pores of the foot sole are the largest in the body and are therefore ideal for fast delivery of essential oils into the bloodstream. Inhalation of lavender essential oil can also have profound benefits.

Adults: For undiluted application to the soles of the feet, use 3-4 drops of essential oil maximum per foot. Apply to the soft part of the sole between the heel and the ball of the foot.

Children: Use 1 drop essential oil per sole of the foot or 1 drop of essential oil mixed into 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and massage on chest, belly, or any other part of the body. Avoid mucus membranes.

Tip: The easiest way to apply essential oils neat to the soles of the feet is to simply place an index finger over an essential oil bottle, invert the bottle, and then turn right-side up. The amount of essential oil dispensed on your finger should equal 1 drop. Be sure to allow oils to be absorbed before putting on shoes and socks.

Uses for Lavender Oil

Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Depression, and Chronic Worry

Lavender essential oil is the premiere essential oil for afflictions of the nervous system that manifest as emotional or psychological conditions ranging from certain types of depression to PTSD. Dermal (skin) application and inhalation are both recommended for any of the above. Lavender essential oil is best used consistently, even when symptoms are not apparent. For example, a person who suffers from panic attacks will benefit from lavender by using it between attacks as a preventative measure as well as when symptoms are present. When inhaled, lavender essential oil immediately affects the limbic portion of the brain and works with the adrenals to regulate stress hormones such as adrenalin and cortisol.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. For inhalation, put a drop on a tissue and inhale as needed.

Cardiovascular Health

Dermal application of lavender essential oil has been shown to increase oxygen and decrease inflammation, thus making it beneficial for heart disease or the prevention of this condition.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Steam inhalation is also beneficial and can be used by dropping 3 drops of lavender essential oil into hot water and inhaling for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

Chronic Pain Syndromes and Inflammation

Rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other pain syndromes respond positively to a topical application of lavender. Lavender is a gentle analgesic that reduces pain, swelling, and inflammation. Steam inhalation of lavender can also benefit the body by reducing physiological stress responses and reducing inflammation.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed.

Steam inhalation: add 3 drops of lavender essential oil to hot water and inhale for ten minutes with a towel over the head.

First-Aid and Skin Health 

A drop or two of lavender essential oil applied to cuts, burns, wounds, and other injuries can instantly promote healing and stop bleeding. Immediate application followed up with daily re-application is recommended for best results. A few drops of lavender essential oil added to water in a spray bottle makes a wonderful sunburn soother that can also be used for inflamed skin condition such as acne, rosacea, and allergies. Lavender applied to the skin after radiation treatment can speed healing and ease pain. Lavender has been shown to decrease certain types of skin cancers, especially when combined with high quality frankincense essential oil.

Headaches

A few drops applied to the back of the neck, the temples, and the forehead can relieve headaches stemming from tension, stress, and allergies. Use as needed.

Immunity

Lavender essential oil is a powerful oil to use during the cold and flu season and is best used as a preventative.

Application: 3 drops per sole of the foot daily, preferably before bed. Lavender essential oil can be combined with other immune-boosting essential oils such as clove or organic lemon. If combining, use 2 drops of lavender to 1 drop of lemon or clove.

Conclusion

In the world of alternative health, lavender is an all-around remedy with many more uses than those discussed here. It is also a gift for the frazzled spirit in challenging times. Here’s wishing you lavender’s beautiful benefits!

Recommended Reading:
Where to Find Dried Organic Lavender Flowers:
Author’s Recommended Brands of Essential Oil of Lavender, Spike Lavender, and Other Lavender Species:
  • Birch Hill Happenings
  • doTERRA
  • NOW
  • Young Living
Sources:
Books
  • Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss
  • Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Andrew Chevallier
  • Flower Power by Anne McIntyre
  • Goddess Consciousness by Marlaina Donato
  • Healing Oils, Healing Hands by Linda Smith
  • Multidimensional Aromatherapy by Marlaina Donato, CA
Online


Food, Nutrition, and Herbs for Insomnia

If your mantra in life is, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” you might want to take 5 minutes to rethink this strategy. Driver fatigue is responsible for an estimated 25% of all fatal and serious car accidents and a continual lack of quality sleep is directly linked to weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. You can pump the weights and crank up the cardio, but if you are not balancing your body with the healing powers of sleep, you won’t be able to stave off these debilitating symptoms and conditions forever. In fact, pushing your mind and body beyond its natural limits without rewarding it with well-earned sleep can result in chronic fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, and hormone dysregulation.

Not convinced? Research confirms that lack of sleep is also directly linked to:

  • Shrinking of the brain
  • Organ failure
  • Infertility
  • Memory reduction
  • Cancer
  • Depression
  • Obesity
  • Chronic illness
  • Premature aging
  • Reduced life expectancy

Luckily, stacking your fork with slumber-inducing snacks is easier than you think. But can you really eat yourself to sleep? Is it possible to create your best dreamscape while stuffing your face? Is your dinner your best doctor? Yes, yes, and definitely yes.

The Science of Sleep

There are more than a dozen interconnected hormones and chemicals responsible for the onset and execution of a successful sleep session. They’re all important ingredients for a dream feast, but having a bite-sized understanding of these primary components will see you to sleep in no time.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It’s a vital element of the system that regulates your internal body clock and natural sleep-wake rhythms.

How and when your body creates and releases melatonin is contingent upon light exposure in the day and the gradual onset of darkness in the evening. Levels start to rise from early evening, remain high and steady throughout the night, and begin to drop off in the early morning hours.

Healthy levels are attributed to the ability to fall asleep quickly, to reduced or eliminated sleep interruptions, and to being able to wake easily at consistent times. In addition, melatonin is a powerful antioxidant. It is capable of free radical scavenging throughout the entire body due to its ability to penetrate cell membranes and navigate the blood-brain barrier.

Though there is still much to learn about this heroic hormone, there is growing evidence that supports the positive impact melatonin may have on countless biological functions. From heavy metal chelation, Alzheimer’s Disease treatments, and obesity prevention to insomnia, immune function, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) treatment, melatonin is king.

Studies show, melatonin has a hand in:

  • Immune function
  • Jet lag recovery
  • Headache reduction (particularly cluster headaches)
  • Managing sleep cycle disruption due to night or shift work
  • Delayed sleep phase syndrome treatment
  • Controlling sleep disorders associated with autism, cerebral palsy, blindness, and ADHD
  • Reducing withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking
  • Medication or pharmaceutical induced insomnia
  • Helping to fight certain types of cancer (particularly brain, breast, colon, lung, and renal)
  • Reducing the side effects associated with chemotherapy
  • Reducing the impact and instance of tinnitus
  • Protection from radioactivity
  • Prevention of gallstone development
  • Improved fertility

Studies suggest that it may be especially useful to treat sleep issues that are due to behavioral, developmental, or mental disorders.

Tryptophan

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is responsible for making melatonin and serotonin. Humans cannot synthesize it, and a lack of tryptophan would be lethal; it must be obtained from plant or animal sources.

This vital molecule is helpful in dealing with sleep disorders including sleep apnea, insomnia, and bruxism. It may also have a serious psychological impact, with low levels showing a correlation with depression, anxiety, irritability, and aggression. Conditions such as PMS, ADHD, and Tourette’s syndrome all show symptom relief when consistently healthy tryptophan levels are present.

Due to the link with both serotonin and melatonin, tryptophan induces feelings of calm, relaxation, well-being and sleepiness. It also assists your body in manufacturing and assimilating proteins for cellular function and efficiently assists with niacin production and conversion.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the flight-or-fight hormone responsible for a wide range of functions and reactions in the body. Produced in the adrenal glands, it is transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. Cortisol creates the rise and shine impulse that wakes you up in the morning. Maintaining homeostasis of this hormone is an essential component to finding that sweet sleep spot.

Cortisol levels peak between 8-9 am. and respond to daily activity levels. Production sharply declines between midnight and 4am. This balance creates what is known as a diurnal rhythm (being awake during the day, sleeping at night).

Depending upon the cells it is interacting with, cortisol can have a directly positive impact on your stress response, blood pressure, and inflammation reduction. It also influences blood sugar control, metabolism regulation, and memory formation.

However, both high and low cortisol levels will have a negative influence on your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Cortisol regulates energy by selecting the right nutrients the body needs to function. When elevated for extended periods of time, cortisol can interfere with weight, immune function, and chronic disease.

Experiencing a spike of cortisol late in the day or evening can induce an elongated stress response due to adrenaline release that prevents the yummy wind down after a long day. Similarly, dysregulation can cause unhelpful hiccups of cortisol through the night that interfere with a solid sleep state and those vital REM periods.

Excess cortisol may present as an inability to shut your brain down at night and racing thoughts that often focus on negative experiences in the past or worries about the future – otherwise known as being “tired but wired”.

Overproduction of cortisol can be caused by being overworked, routinely stressed, worn down, or chronically ill. Over time, this can manifest as adrenal fatigue, insomnia, sleep disruption, and depression.

Low levels will reduce the “cortisol awakening response”. Energy is often at a bare minimum, inducing a state of chronic fatigue. This can prevent initiation of other hormone cycles or incite overreaction of others, creating a negative feedback loop.

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter and the most important amino acid for sleep, muscle relaxation, and anxiety reduction. In short, it turns off the worrying thoughts that impede restful sleep and prepares the mind for mood balancing subconscious decongesting. These sedating effects have a huge impact on sleep quality and quantity.

GABA can be helpful with relaxation and the ability to fall and stay asleep. It has also useful in dealing with restless leg syndrome, muscle spasms, and even epilepsy.

Low levels of GABA can prevent you from going into a deep sleep, which allows minor distractions to wake you up and prevent you from nodding off again. In addition, low GABA is linked to depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders.

Poor diet, illness, age, and exposure to environmental toxins can all affect the GABA levels.

When to Eat

Eating yourself to sleep involves diet consciousness. Get familiar with the best foods for supporting those 40 winks.

Make sure you’re not consuming the wrong stuff at the wrong time. It confuses the natural flow of chemicals and hormones that orchestrate revitalizing rest, which can be a tripwire for general system dysregulation. All sources of caffeine should be consumed before 2 pm. For sensitive folk, this includes chocolate. Additionally, avoid taking Vitamin D supplements or Fermented Cod Liver Oil after 2 pm. Ideally, you should stop eating for 4 hours before bed, but at the very least, skip heavy, spicy, and/or difficult to digest meals within that time frame.

If necessary, eat a small high protein/high fat snack at 7pm or earlier to tide you over and keep your blood sugar balanced. A handful of nuts promotes tryptophan production. To keep nighttime interruptions to a minimum, stop drinking about 2 hours prior to bed.

Foods and Substances That Prevent Sleep

Trans fatty acids and industrial seed oils (vegetable, canola, margarines, and shortenings) promote systemic inflammation, that encourage biological stress. Foods with a high glycemic index will also interfere with natural sleep patterns by spiking blood sugar and cortisol response. These include simple carbs, sugar, fruit juices, sodas, and energy drinks.

Pharmaceuticals, Over the Counter Meds, and Substances

Medications can be seriously disruptive to sleep, but also very sneaky. It’s often difficult to ascertain whether those tablets are tampering with your sleep, particularly if you are taking multiple medications. Have a rifle through your medicine cabinet to check whether one of these top culprits is causing problems.

  • Alpha-blockers and Beta Blockers
  • SSRI antidepressants
  • Angiotensin II-receptor blockers (ARBs)
  • Cholinesterase inhibitors and ACE inhibitors
  • Second-generation (nonsedating) H1 antagonists
  • Glucosamine and chondroitin
  • Statins
  • Corticosteroids

Nicotine and THC (marijuana) could also be a factor.

The Best Sleep Diet

Let’s eat! It’s time to breakfast, lunch, and dinner ourselves into bed. These dietary additions will manufacture the building blocks of structural hormone and chemicals to balance and promote the best sleep.

Follow an organic, anti-inflammatory diet that excludes processed products and is high in whole foods, healthy fats, vegetables, and some fruits. Along with plenty of nuts and seeds, you’ll be able to load up on important antioxidants and phytonutrients while maximizing fiber intake. Be sure to keep your Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid intake ratio within the 1:3-1:4 range.

Top Foods for Melatonin Management

  • Tart cherry juice
  • Bananas, oranges, pineapple
  • Tomatoes, bell peppers, sweet corn
  • Barley, oats, rice
  • Flaxseed, walnuts, almonds
  • Fenugreek and mustard seeds

Top Foods for Tryptophan Production

  • Seeds and nuts
  • Soy
  • Cheese
  • Red meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish and shellfish
  • Beans and lentils
  • Eggs

Top Foods for Cortisol Control

  • Cold water fish
  • Beef liver
  • Eggs
  • Greek or fermented yogurt
  • Flaxseed and walnuts
  • Chard (swiss, ruby, rainbow)
  • Citrus fruits and papaya
  • White beans

Top Foods That Promote GABA

  • Black, green, oolong tea
  • Halibut, mackerel, shrimp
  • Beef liver
  • Fermented foods
  • Jumbo oats and rice bran
  • Almonds and walnuts
  • Lentils

Other Foods for Sleep

There are lots of additional options and substitutes for getting the most delicious sleep. Switch regular potatoes for beta-carotene rich sweet potatoes, and that greasy side dish for some steamed dark leafy greens. Cook with coconut oil and drizzle a fresh salad with extra virgin olive or avocado oils. Incorporate grass fed gelatin and a dash of creamy milk into your smoothies.

In the evening, make up a brew of your favorite herbal tea. Chamomile, mint, lavender and St. John’s Wort are particularly soothing.

What Supplements Promote Good Sleep

Finding the right combination of supplemental additions to your diet and routine is extremely personal. There is no one-size-fits all approach, so careful experimentation and observation is an important part of finding what’s right for you.

Herbs

Vitamins and Minerals

Supplements and Extracts

Final Thoughts

Stop hiding your sleep worries under the bed. Make integrating these balancing practices into your routine a daily, lifetime habit. Eat yourself to sleep, sleep yourself to life.`

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Renewing Health After Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is currently the most common treatment for cancer. While there are many well-researched and less-risky natural treatments available to cancer patients (The Gerson therapy, the Budwig protocol, and many others), the majority ends up choosing chemotherapy. Common reasons for this choice are fear, lack of funds, or lack of information about viable alternative treatments. (If you are newly diagnosed and still have time, I urge you to complete your research in order to make an informed decision).

Those who survive chemotherapy are sent home with little information. They are told the percentage of people who live for five years after remission. They are given a list of other chronic or even life-threatening illnesses they can expect to battle down the road. They are not given information on how to detoxify from the chemicals they were given or how to repair the damage caused by mainstream cancer treatment. They are not even given directions for lifestyle changes to address the original cause of their cancer.

Fortunately, there is a wealth of information out there from natural cancer research clinics and doctors of naturopathic and functional medicine. These practitioners look at the body as a whole. They can help you detox and bring your body to an optimal state of health to prevent a recurrence of cancer or the onset of other diseases.

Detox All of the Organs from the Effects of Chemo

Chemotherapy may easily be the most toxic treatment in modern conventional medicine. During the treatment, patients experience chemo brain (a special type of brain fog), extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, weakness, complete loss of appetite, hair loss, and mood swings. The side effects do not end with the end of treatment. The American Cancer Institute warns that long-term effects from the variety of drugs used include: memory issues, poor vision, poor thyroid function, weak bones, inflamed lung tissue, infertility, gum disease, heart disease at a younger age, emotional issues, and the development of other cancers. In children, the lifelong problems may also include behavioral problems and lower IQs. Most of these (and in some cases all of these) side effects can be prevented by eliminating the toxins left behind by chemotherapy.

The main organs to detox, restore and repair are the gut, liver, adrenal glands, and thyroid, plus any organ directly affected by cancer.

Detoxifying and Repairing the Gut

Many doctors say that health starts and ends with the health of the digestive tract or gut. If the gut is not functioning correctly, the body does not get enough nutrients and it is unable to perform normal detoxification on a daily basis. In addition, the immune system is severely compromised. Most of the people who have any type of dysfunction in the body or any chronic condition suffer from poor gut health. Gut health is adversely affected by many medications; it is greatly affected by chemotherapy.

First of all, clean up the diet. Remove all the junk: sugars; gluten; refined flours; GMOs; non-organic meats and dairy; foods that contain preservatives, artificial flavors, artificial colors, MSG or trans fats; commercial oils (such as canola oil); alcohol; tobacco; and coffee.

Replace these foods with fresh, raw organic produce, more vegetables than fruits, and foods that help heal the whole digestive tract: fermented vegetables, organic kefirs, raw dairy, turmeric and ginger, coconut oil, and aloe vera.

A good colon cleanse is a must. Every case and every body is different, and if you have the time and resources, consulting a certified doctor of natural medicine is the best way to find the best option for you. However, you can make your own cleanse at home as well, with no known risks (if you are not allergic to the ingredients).

Josh Axe, a doctor of natural medicine, recommends the following simple cleanse (everything should be organic):

  • 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ginger juice
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 cup warm water

Mix all the ingredients together in warm water, and drink it in the morning on an empty stomach.

More info: Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases

Bringing the Liver Back Up to Health

If the gut is not functioning properly, our bodies cannot absorb enough nutrition, even from the best quality foods, green juices, and supplements. Healing the gut must come first. Once it is functioning well, other problems can be fixed.

The liver is arguably the hardest hit by chemotherapy. Chemo drugs are so toxic, they may even cause sudden liver failure. To avoid further damage to the liver, the following should be avoided:

  • Alcohol
  • High-sodium junk foods
  • Sugar
  • Red meat (and limit all meat products)

Instead, pack your diet with garlic, green tea, dark green leafy vegetables, cabbage, cauliflower, turmeric (with black pepper), and avocados. All of these contain lever-cleansing and liver-building compounds.

As far as detoxing goes, milk thistle is the number one herb for cleansing the liver (as well as the kidneys and gallbladder). It is also recommended for people who have gone through radiation. This herb not only supports the liver with its active ingredient silymarin, it helps prevent cancer and other diseases by increasing glutathione levels. Milk thistle is a master antioxidant. It will help improve skin health, kidney health, brain function, and cholesterol levels. Dr. Axe recommends taking 150 mg 1 to 3 times daily when using it to treat liver dysfunction, 50 to 150 mg daily when using it as a preventative.

More info: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting - Recipes Included

Rebuilding Adrenal Glands: No More Fatigue

It is common for cancer survivors to experience lifelong adrenal fatigue, which comes in cycles of complete burnout, followed by “feeling better” and increased energy only to have a stronger burnout later on. That is symptomatic of adrenal glands that are exhausted and are working in complete overdrive.

The symptoms of adrenal fatigue are:

  • Always feeling tired and overwhelmed
  • Hormonal imbalance
  • Irritability
  • Racing and troubling thoughts
  • Body aches
  • Depression
  • Trouble focusing
  • Hair loss
  • Trouble getting up in the morning

The adrenal glands are responsible for our stress response. Besides the toxic chemo drugs, most cancer patients can burn out the adrenal glands from the overwhelming stress brought on by their diagnosis.

Do everything you can to decrease your stress levels. Get plenty of sleep, eat well, and exercise. Avoid getting stuck on negative thinking and find a way to deal with emotions in a healthy way (meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga are just a few options).

When it comes to a healthy diet for optimal adrenal health, follow the guidelines above and enjoy plenty of cruciferous vegetables, avocados, nuts and seeds, kelp, olives, coconut, and sea salt. Add adrenal-boosting herbs and vitamins to the diet, especially vitamins C, D, and B-complex; magnesium; zinc; fish oil; holy basil; and ashwagandha.

Most importantly, be patient. It can take up to 2 years for adrenals to fully recover.

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

Restoring Healthy Thyroid Function

Thyroid and adrenal glands are most often linked when it comes to health. If one is not functioning properly, the other is likely struggling as well. The thyroid is also easily damaged by stress and toxins, and adrenal fatigue and hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) often go hand in hand.

When the thyroid is not functioning properly, you can develop hypothyroidism, when the thyroid is not producing enough hormones (often leading to fatigue and weight gain), or hyperthyroidism, when the thyroid is producing too much of the thyroid hormones (often leading to insomnia, weight loss, and muscle weakness).

Whether it is hypo or hyperthyroidism, thyroid-nourishing supplements can be used to help heal the thyroid and help regulate its function. B vitamins are the main vitamin for thyroid health. Selenium improves general thyroid function, and ashwagandha helps with stress.

More info: Hypothyroidism - Natural Remedies, Causes, and How To Heal the Thyroid

Foods that Help Prevent Cancer

Many foods from the above categories that need to be avoided and need to be added are the same for every organ. Fortunately, the lists are also similar for general cancer prevention, so you can adapt one diet that helps your whole body rebuilt itself while preventing cancer at the same time. The basic rule is to stop eating all processed foods. Your diet should consist of 80% raw, fresh, whole, organic produce. Foods that are beneficial for almost everyone (apart from people who have specific allergies or rare conditions) are:

  • Leafy dark green vegetables: kale, spinach, etc.
  • Cruciferous vegetables: cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc.
  • Berries: blueberries, goji berries, camu camu
  • Fresh herbs: turmeric, garlic, oregano, cilantro, basil
  • Raw and cultured milk products: raw milk, kefirs
  • Nuts and seeds: chia, flaxseeds, hemp, sesame seeds (soaked before eating to release enzyme inhibitors)
  • Healthy oils: coconut, flax, and extra virgin olive oil
  • Herbal teas: green matcha, dandelion, chamomile

Besides eating well, it is also crucial to take care of your physical and emotional health.

Also: How to Use Turmeric to Kill Cancer

Other Lifestyle Changes: Physical and Emotional Health

When it comes to physical health, it is not the strength of the muscles that is the concern but preventing stagnation in the body tissues. Going to the gym and lifting weights every day does not do much for overall health. A healthy body needs good circulation, flexibility, and a type of physical exercises that addresses every part of it. Yoga has repeatedly been proven to be one of the best options. Yoga poses address the whole body and are gentle enough for anyone, regardless of age or health. There is even chair yoga for people with movement restrictions. Tai Chi and Qigong are other gentle exercises that address whole body health and proper breathing.

In addition to exercising, add the following to your regular routine:

  • Dry skin brushing (aids the lymphatic system)
  • Hot/cold hydrotherapy (aids the circulatory system)
  • Epsom salts baths (cleanses and detoxifies and the body absorbs magnesium)

While taking care of physical health, it is important to remember to address emotional health as well. If the mind focuses on fear of cancer or feeling traumatized by the cancer experience, stress will prevent healing and the body’s return to its optimal state. If you decide to seek professional help, be selective in your choice of a therapist. Look for someone who will help you let go of the trauma you have endured, not dwell on it. You are not your cancer. You are not a victim. Find a therapist who can help you feel empowered and help you let go to make cancer a thing of the past. Emotional Freedom Technique is one example of a therapeutic modality that may help.

Speaking of making it your past, Dr. Richard Schulze adds a curious protocol to his healing – get rid of 1/3 of what you own. While the number is not important, here is what is: people “collect” bad memories and tokens of the past as if they were valuable. For example, many people keep mementos such as old wigs used during hair loss, photos of the hospital,  clothes worn on the day of the surgery, etc. Get rid of any item that reminds you of what you just went through. Both the body and the mind react each time you look at something that reminds you of a traumatic time.

Afterword

While chemotherapy is extremely toxic, there is no need to focus on fears of the lifelong health effects it may have. Instead, focus on healing. It is possible to bring the body back to health – or at the very least, significantly reduce the aftereffects. Find a doctor of natural medicine who is knowledgeable and has a positive outlook to help guide you, and listen to your body’s needs. Our bodies have an enormous capacity to heal. Let the mainstream doctors call it “spontaneous recovery” or “a miracle.” A body is a miraculous creation, but staying healthy is not. Follow the healthy diet, detox from toxins, and keep your mind positive. You will be surprised what positive effects this will have on your heath and your life.

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