As we age, many of us will develop skin tags. Yes, they are more prevalent in people who are overweight or obese, in those who are pre-diabetic or diabetic, and in the elderly. But the truth is, nearly half of us will have one or more by middle age. Pregnancy, steroid use, genetics, and the HPV virus also increase the incidence of skin tags.
What Are Skin Tags?
Skin tags are small flaps of skin that usually appear in places where skin rubs against skin, such as the eyelids, underarms, groin, neck, under breasts, or in skin folds.. Although they can reach up to one half an inch in width, they are usually no bigger than an apple seed. They are often attached to the body by a “stalk” of skin, smaller than the body of the tag. They may be a little darker than normal skin color or may be the same color as the skin.
Skin tags are known by many names:
acrochordon
cutaneous papilloma
cutaneous tag
fibroepithelial polyp
fibroma molluscum
fibroma pendulum
papilloma colli
soft fibroma
Templeton skin tag
Skin tags are benign skin tumors that do not pose a problem unless their appearance is disturbing or if they are in a place where friction causes discomfort or shaving is problematic. They can, however, rarely be associated with Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome and Polycystic ovary syndrome.
Conventional Treatment for Skin Tags
General treatment is removal via surgery (just cutting or clipping), freezing, or burning.
Alternative Treatment for Skin Tags
When it comes to natural treatments, all are not created equal. A number of natural treatments cause skin tags to dry up and fall off, but many of them are slow, taking weeks to months to produce results. In addition, some require application many times a day.
Natural remedies include:
Apple cider vinegar
Banana peel
Castor oil
Dandelion juice
Garlic
Lemon juice
Oil of oregano
Tea tree oil
Of the choices, castor oil seems the easiest to use, and it has the added benefit of not irritating surrounding tissues. Just wash and dry the area; apply castor oil five or more times a day.
Apple cider vinegar, dandelion juice, and lemon juice are used the same way, simply apply several times a day.
To use oil of oregano, mix with a carrier oil (like coconut oil) with a 1 to 2 ratio (2 drops of oil of oregano to 4 drops of oil).
To use tea tree oil, mix with a few drops of water.
Garlic can be applied as a sliver with a bandage or as a paste of crushed garlic, though be aware that many complain of a burning sensation and skin irritation.
A piece banana peel can be taped to the site at night, the inside of the peel against the skin.
Most of these natural remedies take weeks of diligent application before you see results.
Conclusion
According to the odds, if you have skin tags you may be pre-diabetic or have been diagnosed with type II diabetes, and you are struggling with your weight. If you are looking for a diet that will make you feel wonderful and bring your blood sugar back in line quickly and effortlessly, check out the 80% Raw Food Diet and read 8 Easy Steps to Health.
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis is a disease that begins with a genetic predisposition that is set of by one or a combination of triggers: stress, skin injury, specific medications, or infection (in particular, strep).
In December of 2014, a new study was published that concluded superantigens and toxins from Candida “…may play various roles in the exacerbation and the persistence of psoriasis.” A full 60% of the psoriasis patients tested positive for Candida versus 20% of the control group in oral tests and 15% of the psoriasis patients tested positive verses 4% of the control group in skin tests.
The more we learn about Candida, the more we find it is a common factor in many if not all autoimmune diseases.
What Is an Autoimmune Disease?
The simple definition of autoimmune disease is that the immune system became confused, stopped working correctly, and began attacking healthy body tissue. Why would this happen? Persistent, chronic infection is sometimes thought to be the cause, and chronic Candida certainly fits in this scenario. But looking at the body holistically, we know that Candida filaments actually drill into tissue as Candida wreaks havoc in the gut, spewing toxins into the system, destroying the balance of healthy to unhealthy bacteria, and ultimately deteriorating the gut itself, resulting in leaky gut syndrome.
Leaky gut syndrome allows proteins and other particles to be dispersed directly into the bloodstream, setting up the immune system for a disastrous onslaught on foreign particles it is unequipped to handle. This is believed to be part of the process that triggers celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, as gluten proteins are also released into the bloodstream.
How To Heal The Body
In order to heal the body, regardless of the disease, the body needs an abundance of nutrition, to be cleansed of toxins, and to be rid of Candida overgrowth along with other parasites. And the gut needs to be healed.
What should you eat? A truly healthy diet includes a wide variety of whole, organic foods with lots and lots of raw produce – 80% of more of the diet – more vegetables, than fruits. Seeds and nuts should be soaked before they are eaten. Omega 3 fatty acids should be added to the diet. When dealing with any autoimmune situation, gluten and dairy should be removed from the diet until the gut is healed and only eaten thereafter if completely tolerated with no sign of autoimmune symptoms.
Of course, a healthy diet has no room for processed foods or their chemicals. No BHA, BHT, or MSG. No artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives of any kind. No GMOs. No high fructose corn syrup. No wheat. Limit caffeine, and eliminate processed sugar. Yes, that’s right- no sugar. Sugar is the sworn enemy of the immune system and it feeds Candida as well. If you want it to heal, get rid of the sugar.
Cinnamon – Ceylon Vs Cassia, Health Benefits, and Other Interesting Facts
Cinnamon comes from the bark of evergreen trees of the genus cinnamomum. When cinnamon is harvested, the bark is stripped and sun dried. As it dries, cinnamon curls into a well-known shape, called quills. If not ground, it is then sold as whole cinnamon or cinnamon sticks.
Cinnamon was once one of the most highly sought after commodities on the planet. This spice has been in use for thousands of years as a medicine, as an embalming agent, as a means of preserving food, and as a flavoring enhancing spice. The earliest reports of cinnamon date back to ancient Egypt in 2000 B.C. The Egyptians used both cinnamon and the related spice, cassia, as embalming agents. Cinnamon was also used in the Old Testament as an ingredient in anointing oil.
Tales of Cinnamon’s Origin
Europeans were aware that cinnamon was shipped from the Red Sea through the trading ports of Egypt, but where exactly it came from was a mystery. In an effort to maintain their trade monopoly, Arab traders wove elaborate stories about the origins of cinnamon. These stories further helped to justify cinnamon’s scarcity and exorbitant prices.
Sier de Joinville believed the fanciful stories he was given of cinnamon’s origin. Joinville told his king in 1248 that cinnamon was pulled up in nets at the source of the Nile, all the way out at the edge of the world.
An Arab, Herodotus, came to believe that the mythical cinnamologus birds gathered cinnamon sticks from a distant unknown land. The cinnamologus birds made their nests so high in the mountains that no one could climb them. According to this myth, the method of collection was to leave large chunks of ox meat below these nests and wait for the birds to collect them. When the birds gathered the meat into the nest, the increased weight would cause them to collapse, enabling people to gather the cinnamon sticks at the base of the mountain.
Another wild cinnamon origin story claimed that cinnamon was harvested within deep canyons, relentlessly guarded by monstrous snakes.
The 1st century Roman philosopher, Pliny the Elder, reasoned that cinnamon hails from Ethiopia. Cinnamon, he reasoned, was carried on rafts bereft of oars or sails and propelled by “man alone and his courage.”
Wars and Exploration for Cinnamon
Exploration of the new world was primarily motivated by a desire to expand the spice trade. At the time of Columbus’ expedition, cinnamon was at the height of its demand. Expanding the spice trade was one of the primary reasons for Columbus’ expedition. Columbus sent back what he thought was cinnamon from the New World. It was not cinnamon, however. Cinnamon country had yet to be found.
European efforts to find the source of cinnamon fell short until 1518 when the Portuguese located cinnamon at Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka). With ruthless precision, the Portuguese conquered the island kingdom of Kotto and enslaved the population in order to monopolize the cinnamon trade.
The Portuguese maintained control of the region for a century, until the occupied people allied with the Dutch in 1638 to wrestle control of the region away from the Portuguese. Their combined efforts were successful, and they eliminated Portuguese control of the region. The Dutch made the island kingdom beholden to them for their military aide. The island people traded one European oppressor for another. The Dutch held the cinnamon monopoly for the next 150 years.
The British later conquered Ceylon in 1784. However cinnamon had begun to be cultivated in other parts of the world, and by the year 1800 it was no longer the rare precious commodity it once was.
Cinnamon Varieties
There are hundreds of types of Cinnamon, but there are only four varieties used for commercial purposes. The cinnamon known as “true cinnamon” is Ceylon cinnamon. This is the only variety that many other countries refer to as cinnamon. Other varieties are known as cassia.
Other cinnamon varieties, which are much more common in North America, are easier to produce and less expensive than Ceylon cinnamon. Cassia (Chinese) cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon, and Korintje are typically all lumped in together and referred to as cassia cinnamon, though they are each distinctively different. Each of these three closely related spices are much stronger and more pungent than Ceylon cinnamon.
In North America, when cinnamon is used as an ingredient or sold on the shelves as simply “cinnamon”, it is typically Korintje or cassia (Tung Hing).
Sri Lanka (90%), India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean
China
Indonesia
Vietnam
Taste
Mild, sweet
Spicy, bitter
Spicy, pungent
Spicy, slightly sweet
Color
Light to medium reddish brown
Dark reddish brown
Dark reddish brown
Dark reddish brown
Aroma
sweet, complex
Intense, pungent
Intense, spicy, pungent
Spicy
Price
Expensive
Cheap
Cheap
Medium
Coumarin
0.017 g/kg
0.31 g/kg
2.15 g/kg
6.97 g/kg
Ceylon Cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon is grown in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Brazil, India, and the Caribbean. This variety is more popular in much of Europe, Latin America, Mexico, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Indian curries and desert recipes of the lighter variety that call for cinnamon are typically referring to Ceylon cinnamon. Ceylon is the sweetest and mildest tasting and the lightest in color. It’s also three to four times more expensive than the other varieties.
Ceylon has less coumarin than the other varieties, and is often recommended above others by the alternative health community and many conventional doctors as well, since coumarin can cause liver damage in high dosages (more on that below).
Cassia Cinnamon (Chinese Cinnamon)
It can get a little confusing here since all three non-Ceylon varieties are often referred to as cassia cinnamon, while the Chinese Cinnamon is often referred to as cassia cinnamon. In other words, Cassia cinnamon may refer to Chinese cinnamon or it may refer to one of the other non-Ceylon cinnamons: Saigon cinnamon or Korintjr cinnamon.
Today, Tung Hing, the Chinese cinnamon is mostly grown in China, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam. This variety is spicy, bitter and very intense.
Saigon Cinnamon
Known as Vietnamese cinnamon or Vietnamese cassia, Saigon cinnamon’s scientific name is Cinnamomum Loureiroi. It comes from an evergreen tree indigenous to Southeast Asia. Saigon cinnamon is closely related to Chinese cinnamon. Saigon cinnamon has around 1-5% essential oil content and 25% cinnamaldehyde in the essential oil, which is the highest of all the cinnamon species.
Saigon cinnamon’s bark is similar to that of Tung Hing, but with a more pronounced and complex aroma. In Vietnamese cuisine, Saigon cinnamon bark is an important ingredient in many dishes including pho, the well-known noodle soup.
Saigon cinnamon has a volatile oil content of around 7%, which gives it a very bold and robust flavor that is ideal for cooking and for use in sauces.
Korintje Cinnamon
Fragrant Korintje cinnamon is as intense and spicy as Chinese cinnamon, but it is also a bit smoother. Korintje cinnamon from Indonesia accounts for most of the cinnamon imported into the U.S. Although lacking the depth of Chinese cinnamon, the flavor is smoother. Korintje cinnamon is a common choice for commercial bakeries in North America because of its good flavor and lower cost.
Coumarin in Cinnamon and Liver Damage
Ceylon cinnamon benefits are marketed as superior to the less expensive Cassia spices primarily due to Ceylon cinnamon’s ultra low levels of a chemical called coumarin, a blood thinner that is toxic to the liver and prevalent in much higher levels in the three cassia spices. It’s not anything most people need to worry about; the risk for any damage with normal or even much higher than normal consumption of cassia cinnamon is negligible.
For flavoring food, go with any and all varieties and discover what works best for each food. As a medicinal supplement though, if you want to take regular, relatively large doses, it may make sense to stick with Ceylon cinnamon for this purpose.
It should also be known that any cinnamon in very large doses will make one sick. Check out the cinnamon challenge; the objective is to film oneself swallowing a spoonful of ground cinnamon in under 60 seconds without drinking anything:
We don’t recommend trying it. The cinnamon challenge is a little risky. If you are taking cinnamon as a supplement in capsule form, it’s typically a good idea to take it with food, and don’t overdo it.
Health Benefits of Cinnamon
While there are definitely color, taste, and texture variations between Ceylon, Cassia, Korintje, and Saigon cinnamon, the differences in respect to health benefits are minor.
Nutrients – One teaspoon of Cinnamon Powder has up to 16% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance for Manganese, 5% for fiber 3% for iron, and 3% for calcium.
Cinnamon, Blood, and Inflammation Reduction
Cinnamon helps reduce unwanted blood platelet clotting, which can result in inadequate blood flow, and is a common symptom of various diseases and overall poor health. Cinnamon inhibits the release of arachidonic acid (an inflammatory fatty acid) and reduces its formation. Cinnamon also removes blood impurities and helps to improve blood circulation due to the presence of a blood-thinning compound.
Cinnamon Is a Powerful Antimicrobial Spice
Cinnamon is antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic.
Cinnamon can be used as a food preservative. Just a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to approximately 3 ounces of carrot broth inhibited the growth of the food-borne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days in the refrigerator. When the broth was refrigerated without the addition of cinnamon oil, the bacteria flourished.
Multiple studies have shown cinnamon’s effectiveness with a multitude of viruses including but not limited to HIV, herpes, and the adenovirus. Cinnamon even shows promise with cancer.
Cancer Preventer
Studies have shown that cinnamon and cinnamon oil shows promise with treating tumors, gastric cancers, melanomas, leukemia, colon cancer, and lymphoma cancer.
Antioxidant
Cinnamon a powerful antioxidant. In a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, cinnamon wound up as the clear winner, even outranking “superfoods” like garlic and oregano. In another study, cinnamon, anise, ginger, licorice, mint, nutmeg, vanilla, and artificial preservatives were looked at to see which compounds prevented oxidation most effectively. Mint came in first; cinnamon came in second.
Blood Sugar, Diabetes, and Cinnamon
Cinnamon stabilizes blood sugar levels, which can help with weight loss, and can also prevent, and even help reverse, diabetes and hypoglycemia. Cinnamon actually slows the rate at which the stomach empties after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating. Cinnamon also stimulates insulin receptors and inhibits an enzyme that inactivates insulin receptors while it enhances muscle cells’ insulin-signaling pathways, which increases the body’s ability to properly utilize glucose.
One study found Cassia cinnamon was almost twice as effective as the same amount of Ceylon cinnamon for controlling blood sugar. On the other hand, if you are concerned about coumarin consumption, you could double your Ceylon cinnamon dosage and not even come close to the high Coumarin levels found in Cassia Cinnamon. The general consensus is that approximately 1/2 of a teaspoon a day of cinnamon is effective for normalizing blood sugar.
Lowering LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides
Studies have found that regular consumption of cinnamon is associated with a statistically significant decrease in levels of LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and an increase in HDL cholesterol (known as the good cholesterol).
A controlled study was done with 60 people with type 2 diabetes. One group received cinnamon daily while the other group was giving a placebo. Forty days later, all of the cinnamon group showed reduced blood sugar levels down by 18-29%; reduced triglycerides, down by 23-30%; reduced LDL cholesterol, down by 7-27%; and reduced total cholesterol, down by 12-26%. The placebo group saw no significant changes.
Cinnamon and the Brain
Folklore says the smell of cinnamon can cure the winter blues. No studies support this except for an interesting study that found the scent of cinnamon reduced driver irritability.
Cinnamon boosts the activity of the brain and removes nervous tension and memory loss. Researchers have proven that cinnamon improves cognitive abilities such as attention span, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor response. Just the aroma or just the taste of cinnamon, can stimulate cognitive function.
Cinnamon consumption may delay the effects of, slow the effects of, and even reverse some of the effects of Alzheimer’s. In addition, some parents are using cinnamon to treat their children with ADHD.
Ways to Use Cinnamon
There are various essential oils extracted from various parts of the tree (not just the bark), and various species (as mentioned above) to choose from.
Cinnamon Stick Tea
5 cups water in a metal pot or glass kettle
Add one cinnamon stick (3 inch length)
Cinnamon sticks should be boiled slowly. Set the heat setting to as low as possible to sustain a low, slow boil and cook 15 to 25 minutes.
Let it steep/rest for 15 minutes.
You may reheat before serving. It yields just over a cup.
Enhanced Golden Milk Tea Recipe
This is a new twist on an ancient way of experiencing the benefits of turmeric. Ideally, use all fresh, unadulterated herbs whenever available.
1 cup of warm Coconut Milk
1 tablespoon of freshly grated turmeric with skin
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger with skin
1 pinch of black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Mix it all up and drink. I you prefer to drink it warm, only heat the coconut milk; be careful not to cook the other ingredients. Add the other ingredients when the coconut milk is cool enough to drink to preserve enzymes and other fragile micronutrients.
Household Disinfectant and Odor Neutralizer
Cinnamon has been proven to be good at killing bacteria including, e-coli and salmonella. Cinnamon oil kills bacteria that create odors as well.
Mix 10 drops of cinnamon essential oil in 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and use to disinfect counter tops, sinks, cabinets, doorknobs, toys etc.
Place three drops of cinnamon essential oil mixed with water on a diffuser to neutralize odors in a large room within minutes.
Tooth and Gum Health
Antibacterial properties of cinnamon remove harmful bacteria without damaging teeth or gums. Try using cinnamon with homemade mouthwash and toothpaste recipes. Also, try oil pulling with coconut oil and a few drops of cinnamon oil. See Homemade DIY Oral Health.
Insect Repellant
Cinnamon essential oil can be used for head lice treatment and to repel (or kill) ants, bed bugs, dust mites, roaches, and mosquitoes.
Skin Infections Like Athlete’s Foot
Try cinnamon oil on any topical skin infection, including athlete’s foot. It’s antimicrobial properties make quick work out of fungus.
Digestion
Cinnamon is very effective for treating indigestion, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea and flatulence. Cinnamon eliminates excess gas from the stomach and intestines, removes acidity, kills pathogens and acts as a diuretic to stop diarrhea. It relieves irritable bowel syndrome, reduces morning sickness, and is often referred to as a digestive tonic.
Menstruation
Cinnamon has been shown to provide relief from menstrual discomfort and cramping.
Breastfeeding
Regular consumption of cinnamon after childbirth delays menstruation, especially when combined with breastfeeding. Many believe that cinnamon promotes healthier breast milk as well.
Massage
Cinnamon is also an anti-inflammatory substance that combined with carrier oil for massage, and when consumed, can help soothe and remove stiffness in muscles and joints.
Wound Healing
Cinnamon oil acts as a coagulant to stop excess bleeding and kills infectious pathogens, facilitating the healing process.
Conclusion
The cinnamon in your pantry is most likely many years old, stale, and of little potency. Stale cinnamon has reduced flavor and health benefits. It may be time to go cinnamon shopping. Be sure to check out garlic, turmeric, ginger, and more below.
Theme sponsored by: Adderall website where you can buy Adderall online buyadderall.com and learn about how Adderall and how phentermine works. You can learn about how to buy phentermine online from USA and how phentermine works. Also find out how Modafinil works when you are planning on buying Modafinil online
If you’ve ever taken a look at the ingredients of a typical shampoo bottle, you’ve probably felt deep confusion, and even a bit of alarm.
Last year, I did something I’ve strangely never done before – I read the ingredients listed on my bottle of Pantene Pro-V shampoo and realized I understood only one ingredient: water. The rest was a mumbo jumbo of hard-to-pronounce chemicals that I spent my apres-shower hour googling.
Turns out several of these ingredients are skin irritants (sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate) and a few that are much more dangerous. The worst offender, methylisothiazolinone, was found in recent animal studies to be toxic to brain cells, even for brief exposures at low concentrations. And I was using this stuff every day!
Well, no more. I was determined to end my chemical shampoo slavery and find better, all-natural options for my hair, scalp, and body.
Here’s what I found during my journey into shampoo alternatives, in no particular order. If you’re also planning a break-up with shampoo, you’ll want to give this a read.
Baking Soda, aka Bicarbonate of Soda
Baking soda was the first shampoo alternative I tried, mainly because there was a big tub of it already lying around in the kitchen, waiting for a purpose.
To use it, you’ll want to dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda in a cup of water, slowly pour it over your hair, give yourself a little head massage to work the mixture through your strands and then wash it all out.
How does baking soda stack up? Honestly, it’ll leave your hair feeling squeaky clean but also a little dry, brittle and rough. This effect mostly has to do with the fact that baking soda is highly alkaline with a pH of 9.0 while wet hair is naturally a little more acidic with a pH of around 4.5 to 5.5. Since alkalines tend to open hair cuticles (while acids close them), the very alkaline baking soda opens up your cuticles and allows the hair to absorb too much water, resulting in raised and jagged cuticles that make your hair feel rough and brittle.
Overall, baking soda may be too harsh for most people since normal hair needs a shampoo (alternative) with a pH between 4.5 and 6.7. For those with oily hair, however, a more alkaline solution works great in balancing things out so if you’ve got oily locks – baking soda might be great shampoo alternative for you. Just make sure you don’t use it too often!
Apple Cider Vinegar
The above baking soda is very alkaline, and when used alone, it can leave your hair feeling dry and brittle. Add in acidic apple cider vinegar, however, and you’ve got a much better pH-balanced shampoo and rinse combo!
To use apple cider vinegar, mix it in a ratio of 2 tbsp of vinegar to 1 cup of water. After you’ve “shampoo-ed” with your baking soda mixture, apply your apple cider vinegar solution on the length of your hair. There’s no need to apply it near your roots. Wash out.
And don’t worry about smelling vinegar-y all day – the smell goes away as soon as your hair’s dry.
Castille Soap
Much like baking soda, Castille soap is very alkaline and will leave your hair looking brittle and dry if you use it alone. Also like baking soda, Castille soap is ridiculously good at multi-tasking. You can use the stuff as a shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, and dishwashing soap. So if you’re looking to condense a lot of your soapy needs down to one product, Castille soap just might be your answer. Just make sure you use it with a balancing acidic rinse like apple cider vinegar and again, don’t use it too often!
Clay
Both Bentonite and Rhassoul are healing, detoxing clays that are used for everything from tightening pores to removing toxins from the body. But did you know they also make great shampoos?
Clays make the perfect shampoo alternative since they’re chock full of nourishing minerals, provide deep cleansing, and leave your hair both clean and conditioned. They’re also pH-balanced – a mixture of 1 tablespoon of Rhassoul clay and 8 ounces of water has a pH of around 6, which is pretty close to your hair’s natural pH.
To use, mix clay with water until you get a consistency resembling an egg yolk. Wet your hair and then wring it out. Slowly pour the mud mixture over your head and work it through to the tips. Give yourself a little mud shampoo pack for around 5 minutes and wash everything out.
If you want, feel free to add an apple cider vinegar rinse afterward!
Coconut Milk and Aloe Vera Gel
This coconut milk and aloe vera gel shampoo alternative is also pH-balanced and is perfect for those of us with dry, damaged hair. Coconut milk is very soothing for dry, itchy scalps and the saturated fats in it help repair damaged hair.
The only downside to this shampoo alternative is that it goes bad. Fast. The best solution to make it last is to make a big batch and then freeze most of it into “shampoo cubes.”
To make this shampoo alternative, you’ll need a can of coconut milk and around 2 cups of pure aloe vera gel. Simply whisk the two ingredients together until they’re fully mixed and then pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze them. You can take a cube out the night before you plan to use it and leave it in a bowl in the fridge to thaw. If you don’t use the whole cube (you probably won’t), put the leftovers in the fridge.
The thing about swearing off shampoo is that it opens you up to a whole world of natural shampoo alternatives you might never have thought to try. And once your hair adjusts to the fact that it’s free of shampoo for good – you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that it doesn’t need store-bought shampoo to stay clean, hydrated, and gorgeous. Plus, you’ll get a kick out of telling strangers who compliment your hair that you actually haven’t shampooed for months!
Arthritis – How To Relieve the Pain and Heal Naturally
Arthritis is painful inflammation of one or more joints in the body. There are more than 100 types of arthritis, though the best-known types are osteoarthritis (which breaks down cartilage), rheumatoid arthritis (which is an autoimmune disorder affecting the lining of the joints), and gout (caused by deposits of urate crystals in the joints).
Any form of arthritis can both emotionally taxing and physically limiting due to pain and stiffness. Over time, damage to the joints can be extensive.
As with any disease, the first essential step is to change your diet. Every cell in the body requires two things: nutrition and detoxification. The proper diet achieves both; it gives the body dense nutrition and aids the body in daily detoxification.
What to eat:
Eat a wide variety of nutrient dense, organic whole foods, not processed foods.
Eat lots of produce – more vegetables than fruits; 80% of your food should be fresh, raw, organic produce!
Eat raw garlic, cilantro, and turmeric regularly to help detoxify
Add nutrition powder to your daily diet
What not to eat:
Artificial flavorings, colors, or preservatives
MSG
GMOs
High fructose corn syrup
Sugar (in its many forms)
Gluten
Stop all dairy for two weeks then challenge yourself with it (eat a lot of it). See what happens. If you feel ill, see dark circles under your eyes, or experience diarrhea, stop eating dairy.
Doc Shillington recommends the following vitamins and supplements for anyone suffering from arthritis:
See the first link below for the rest of Doc Shillington’s protocol.
When we are ill, especially with anything autoimmune, it is very likely that we are suffering from leaky gut syndrome and Candida. It is vital to stop eating gluten and to get Candida under control so the gut can heal. The goal is to heal your gut followed by every other cell in your body.
Again, this is primarily accomplished by diet and aided by supplements. If you suffer from vaginal yeast infections, itchy skin, raw skin, athlete’s foot, nail fungus etc. these are definite signs that Candida is a problem. [See the second link below.
How to relieve the pain of arthritis
Step one is filling the body with dense nutrients. Step two is getting those nutrients into each and every cell of the body while cleansing each cell of waste and toxins. To accomplish this both blood and lymph need to work in harmony to bathe each cell.
Hot and cold hydrotherapy
Hot and cold hydrotherapy not only relieves pain, it aids the body in healing. It is simple and easy to do but it takes some fortitude. Alternate hot and cold water on the afflicted area for 20 minutes. Start with hot water for a minimum of two minutes then switch to cold for two minutes, back and forth. End with cold.
Hot water drives the blood to the surface of the skin. Cold water drives it deep into tissues. This agitation of the blood helps to cleanse the tissues, much like the agitation of a washing machine. See Hot and Cold Hydrotherapy.
Exercise
Exercise is important. You need to move. The afflicted joints need to move. Exercise is also necessary to move your lymph. Lymph aids the blood in removing toxins and waste from the cells and their surrounding fluids.
Massage
A good masseuse can also help with both pain and healing. Massage aids with circulation of both blood and lymph.
Epsom Salts Bath
If done correctly, Epsom salts baths can be very beneficial. The first thing is to use enough salts. The second issue is to soak for 40 minutes. The first 20 minutes draws out toxins. During the second 20 minutes, you soak up magnesium and sulfates.
The amount to use is determined by weight to a standard size bath:
All disease begins and ends on a cellular level. Nutrition, circulation, and detoxification are the core elements to end the pain and damage caused by arthritis. The first step to eliminating almost any disease is here: How To Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem. Many other ailments, including arthritis in the elbows, wrists, knees, hips and shoulders are caused by, and/or exacerbated by thyroid problems as well. Check out Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies.
The tonsils are part of our immune system, the visible part of our lymphatic system. They provide the first line of defense for pathogens swallowed or inhaled. Specialized cells in the surface of the tonsils capture pathogens allowing B cells and T cells to attack.
Tonsil tissue is similar to other lymphatic tissue, what we call lymph nodes found under the arms and near the groin. The purpose of tonsils is clear and immediate – they are a vigorous element of our immunological defense. So why do we perform 200,000 to 250,000 tonsillectomies a year in The United States?
Your child has frequent bouts of strep throat? Yank those tonsils! Your child’s tonsils are big? Put that kid under general anesthesia, and cut them out! Once again conventional medicine treats a symptom not a cause. If your child’s tonsils are enlarged or your child presents with frequent strep infections, the question is not whether or not to rip out the tonsils, the question is what is causing the infection?
Back in the days when my family and I still embraced conventional medicine, I believe the first time I questioned a doctor’s recommendation when he wanted to remove my eldest son’s overly large tonsils. Rather than comply, I put my son on an allergy elimination diet and discovered that he reacted to dairy products. Removing dairy from his diet solved the tonsil problem along with his frequent bronchitis and ear infections.
Years later I faced off with another doctor who insisted on a tonsillectomy for my youngest son after his third case of strep throat that year. I called a friend, my former pediatrician who lived in another state, hoping for her support. She suggested a strep test for my other child, saying he was probably carrying colonized strep with no symptoms and repeatedly re-infecting his brother. She was right. After treatment there was no more strep and no need to remove a vital part of my son’s immune system.
Rachel faced the same decision. Her research told her that her son’s most likely outcome after a tonsillectomy was one fewer sore throat or throat infection a year. She didn’t think such a small improvement warranted the risk of surgery. She took her son to a naturopath. Vitamin D (which is essential for proper immune system function) and vitamin C resolved the problem.
In the 1950s when the United States was still dealing with epidemic outbreaks of polio, researchers discovered that children who had had their tonsils removed were three times more likely to contract bulbar polio (infecting the bulbar portion of the brain stem), than children who retained their tonsils.
Aside from our medical approach that bases solutions on symptoms rather than causation, ignorance of another kind has driven the lucrative practice of removing tonsils – doctors didn’t really understand their function.
In 2012, researchers discovered the tonsil “…is a ‘factory’ for immune cells” – specifically, for T-cells. T-cells are vital for fighting viruses and cancers caused by viruses (like lymphoma or sarcoma) and T-cells play a role in auto-immune diseases.
Excellent nutrition feeds the immune system and will help anyone avoid the pain of tonsils overwhelmed with infection.Check out Bullet Proof Your Immune System, and be sure to balance your gut flora. A strong immune system is impossible with an excess of Candida. The strength of our immune system starts in the gut. And don’t forget, sinus infections are the number one cause of sore throats, so check out How To Use a Neti Pot For Sinus Infections.
The Power of Pau d’Arco – Herbal Remedies and More
What if you could treat and prevent a wide range of illness just by drinking tea or by swallowing a few drops of a powerful herbal extract? It turns out that you can, and this natural medicine has been in use for centuries.
Pau d’arco is said to treat numerous conditions including, cancer, Candida overgrowth, constipation, fibromyalgia, diabetes, lupus, bacterial infections, viral infections, and various parasites. Pau d’arco strengthens the body’s immune system, detoxifies the liver, treats various ailments, contains many antioxidants, and is said to promote overall health.
What is Pau d’Arco?
Pau d’arco is a large canopy tree indigenous to tropical regions of South America, from the Bignoniaceae family, the Tabebuia genus, and the impetiginosa species. These flowering trees are often chosen in tropical landscaping for their beauty and durability. They can grow up to 30 meters tall and 3 meters wide. Pau d’arco trees only grow in tropical regions, so they can only be grown in the U.S. in Hawaii and southern Florida.
Pau d’arco has definitely been used for centuries, and its use may go back further. It may predate the Inca. Throughout South America, tribes living thousands of miles apart have used the tree bark for the same medicinal purposes. The Tupi and Guarani tribes refer to the tree as tajy which means to have vigor and strength.
The name pau d’ arco is Portuguese, and it was the Portuguese name for the herb that has come to use in common parlance. Pau translates to wood and arco translates to bow – one of the common uses for the wood.
History of Pau d’Arco Use by the Western World
The Portuguese learned that the bark was useful in treating tropical diseases, including the problematic schistosmiasis caused by flatworms. After this, the incorporation and use of pau d’arco within traditional herbal medicine spread to Europe and later North America. Widespread knowledge of pau d’arco was not seen until the late nineteenth century when scientists isolated one of the active ingredients, lapachol, and identified its chemical structure. Lapachol was first synthesized in the 1920s.
More than seventy-five years after lapachol was first identified within pau d’arco, the herb once again caught the attention of scientists working to identify its medicinal properties. In the 1960s, a Brazilian physician’s research revealed pau d’arco was useful as an anti-inflammatory and for pain relief, which then led to further research.
There are many names commonly used to refer to this tree including ipe, roxo, lapacho, tahuari, taheebo, trumpet tree, ipe-contra saran, tabebuia ipe, and tajy.
Natural Remedies with Pau d’Arco
Pau d’arco has been used as a traditional medicine for more than 1,500 years. Multiple studies have proven it accelerates wound healing.
Pau d’arco is used in many forms including:
Tincture
Liquid
Tablets, softgels, capsules
Powder
Herb
Ointment
Tea
Pau d’arco is said to cleanse the blood and body and stimulate the immune system and the production of red blood cells. It contains the following properties:
Analgesic
Antioxidant
Antiparasitic
Antimicrobial
Antiviral
Anti-inflammatory
Antibacterial
Antifungal
Astringent
Laxative
The leaves and bark have been used by traditional folk healers of the Caribbean to treat wounds, snakebites, backaches, and toothaches. It has also been used traditionally by indigenous people to treat malaria, respiratory problems, colds, flu, fever, Lupus, infectious diseases, prostate inflammation, boils, ulcers, STDs, poor circulation, anemia, arthritis, rheumatism, and cancer.
In Western medicine, pau d’arco has been used as an herbal remedy for the following:
Liver disease
Hodgkin’s disease
Osteomyelitis
Parkinson’s disease
Herpes I and II
Diabetes
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Inflammation
Pain
Asthma
Influenza
Poliovirus
Vesticular stomatitis virus
Skin inflammations
Psoriasis
Hemorrhoids
Vaginal fungal infections
Eczema
Athlete’s foot
Pernicious anemia
Fungal infections of the nails and skin
Warts
Hepatitis
Combining Echinacea and pau d’arco in a tea is useful for combating tuberculosis. Some herbalists recommend pau d’arco to strengthen immunity, especially in cases of HIV /AIDS or cancer.
Pau d’Arco and Cancer
Like many natural remedies, especially those with claims to heal cancer, information found is contradictory. There are reports of widespread use to heal cancer with miraculous shrinkage and elimination of tumors and reports of curing leukemia countered with warnings that claim the dosage needed to cure cancer would be toxic and may cause internal bleeding.
The National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has declared its side effects are too dangerous (in the high doses it says are necessary to combat cancer). Meanwhile, it is used in South America by doctors with great results. Argentina dispenses it freely to all patients with leukemia or cancer and Brazil sells it in herb stores and regular pharmacies.
Pau d’Arco Research Issues
One problem with most of the scientific research on this herb is the focus on the isolated compound, lapachol, typically a synthesized version. Pau d’arco contains other helpful compounds such as quinoids, benzenoids, flavonoids, and beta-lapachone. The side effects of the isolated lapachol are more intense than the side effects of the whole pau d’arco herb.
Pau d’Arco Warnings
There are strong warnings against using pau d’arco when pregnant or lactating and not giving it to children. These warnings are not generally explained, but large quantities are known to cause digestive upset and bleeding. Be wary of prescription drug interaction, especially with blood thinners. Others warn that too high a dose could weaken immunity. There are also warnings that not all supplements claiming to be pau d’arco contain the correct herb. Obviously, if using pau d’arco to treat a serious disease, consulting a knowledgeable and experienced naturopath will help you determine the correct dosage and schedule and help you source a reputable brand.
Pau d’arco, the “Divine Tree,” is now threatened. Hopefully humanity will recognize it for the gift that it is and protect and cultivate it for future generations.
Pau d’Arco Recipe For Vaginal Yeast Infections
DIY Rosemary Gladstar’s Anti-Yeast Douche
1 quart water
1/2 oz anti-yeast tea herb mix from the following herbs:
1 part black walnut hull powder
1 part chaparral powder
1 part echinacea root powder
1 part goldenseal root powder (organically cultivated)
1 part marshmallow root
1 part pau d’Arco powder
2 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 drop tea tree oil
Boil water then remove from heat, stir in the herbs and let steep for 1 hour then strain. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let cool to warm. Pour herbal liquid into douche bag and use it to gently douche the vaginal area. Be sure to check out
Theme sponsored by: Adderall website where you can buy Adderall online buyadderall.com and learn about how Adderall and how phentermine works. You can learn about how to buy phentermine online from USA and how phentermine works. Also find out how Modafinil works when you are planning on buying Modafinil online
