Reversing Erectile Dysfunction Naturally

Let’s face it, for most of your life your penis has had a mind of its own. How many times has it chosen the most inopportune moment to stand at attention? And now that you are older, it has become obstinate. Once again it is uncooperative, but now it refuses to rise to the occasion.

Sexual response is complicated. It is dependent on a combination of physical and emotional factors that either work together or work against your desires. If you find yourself having difficulty obtaining and maintaining an erection, the first thing you need to do is get your mind straight. If you let your fears get in the way, you’ll set up a trigger that will shoot you down–literally.

You’re not 18 anymore. Face it. It’s a fact. Your manhood is not at risk. Neither is your relationship. If you rely on one part of your anatomy to please your partner, you have bigger problems to solve. Know that you can please your partner with or without an erection. Once you put this problem into perspective and not let it get in the way of intimacy, half the battle is won.

So what are the physical causes of erectile dysfunction? There are many, but most of them come down to blood flow. If you are doing anything to your body to inhibit blood flow and healthy circulation, you need to stop. The first question is whether or not you smoke.

Over time, smoking constricts blood vessels. Blood flow is essential to erections. If you smoke, drink excessively, or take drugs, you need to decide which is more important to you. It’s that simple. It doesn’t matter if these are habits you’ve indulged in all your life. You knew they were bad for you, and they have taken their toll on your vascular health.

If your vessels are clogged with cholesterol and plaque, your prostrate is swollen, you are obese, you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or you are popping a dozen prescribed pills, it is not too late to turn it all around and regain your health.

Step One – a Healthy Diet

A truly healthy diet is the foundation to eliminate any disease or dysfunction. The basis of a truly healthy diet is produce. A full 80% of your diet should consist of fresh, raw, organic produce–more vegetables than fruit. Stop eating processed foods. Don’t eat anything with artificial flavors, colorings, or preservatives. No MSG, no high fructose corn syrup, GMOs, trans fats, or chemicals you can’t identify. If you eat real food–not food from a box or can–this is pretty easy. You need to eat a wide variety of nutrient dense foods, healthy omega 3 fats, and protein. If you eat meat, eat organic meat. Conventional meat is filled with hormones and antibiotics, plus the animals were probably raised on GMO feed. While you’re at it, eliminate sugar and caffeine.

This diet will eliminate nearly every disease, including type II diabetes. Your blood sugar will level out and your organs, immune system, and circulatory system will receive the nutrients they need to revitalize and heal. See link below for more information on a healthy diet.

Dietary additions that can help your circulation and vessel health:

  • Garlic – Fresh garlic is good for you in every way.
  • Turmeric- The curcumin in turmeric has many benefits and helps with circulation.
  • Cayenne – This pepper is the best for the circulatory system.
  • Goldenseal – Orangeroot (another name for goldenseal) helps detoxify the blood.
  • Omega 3s – Oily fish, flax seed oil, fish oil, or blended oils with Omega 3s create better circulation and less inflammation.

Step Two – Detox and Eliminate Candida

If you’ve been eating the typical American diet and taking antibiotics, you gut is totally out of balance and your body is filled with toxins. Cleanse your body so it can focus on healing. To learn how to detox and kill Candida, see the further reading section below.

Step Three – Balance Your Hormones and Take Supplements To Help Your Body Heal

Supplements Proven to Help Erectile Dysfunction

  • Panax ginseng, called “herbal viagra.” 600-100 mg 3 x a day
  • Rhodiola rosea, take 150-200 mg a day
  • DHEA is an natural hormone produced by the adrenals–helps to make testosterone
  • L-arginine is an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels
  • B vitamin complex for healthy nerves and blood vessels
  • Take Magnesium with calcium or soak in epsom salts for 40 minutes)
  • Maca Root restores sexual health without raising hormone levels
  • Saw palmetto berry treats enlarged prostate symptoms, like pain and irritation, and stimulates male hormones, libido, and fertility
  • Damiana leaf contains aphrodisiac properties and improves the sex drive
  • Yohimbe bark has been used to treat erectile dysfunction
  • Siberian ginseng root revitalizes the adrenals, where hormones are produced
  • Garlic promotes a healthy circulatory system
  • Brazilian ginseng root and American ginseng increase energy and enhance endurance
  • Sarsaparilla root gives the body an elevated dose of testosterone
  • Ginger root increases circulation in the body
  • Korean ginseng and Chinese ginseng warm the body and help deal with stress
  • Kola nut kills prostate cancer cells

Shillington’s Male Energy Formula Recipe:

This is an amazing formula for balancing men’s hormones. You can make it here or purchase Shillington’s Male Energy Formula on Green Lifestyle Market.

  • 2 parts American White Ginseng
  • 2 parts Korean Ginseng
  • 2 parts Chinese Ginseng
  • 3 parts Yohimbe Bark
  • 3 parts Damiana Turneria Aphrodisiaca
  • 3 parts Siberian Ginseng
  • 2 parts Sarsaparilla Root
  • 1 part Saw Palmetto Berry
  • 1 part Oat Seed (Green Immature)
  • 1 part Kola Nut
  • 1 part Ginger Root

Parts are by volume. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

Combine this formula with Shillington’s Prostate Formula for prostate health, sexual performance, hair regrowth, more energy, healthy adrenals, better workouts and muscle growth and recovery, and many other male-related hormonal issues.

Unfortunately, we don’t have Shillington’s Prostate Formula recipe.

Step Four – Exercise

No, we can’t leave out exercise. You need to get your circulatory and your lymphatic systems moving, and there is no better way than exercise. You can walk, do yoga, or go to a gym. Just get moving. It would also help to do hot and cold hydrotherapy right on the crotch (see further reading).

The most important element to regaining sexual function is to know that there are many steps you can take to regain your health. In the meantime, as you are working towards your goal of a healthy revitalized body, you can still enjoy intimacy. Old dogs do learn new tricks, you know. Play and have fun. Just letting go of performance fear can do wonders.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:
Sources:


Thyroid Disease Epidemic – How is Yours Doing?

Is your hair thinning or falling out? When you look in the mirror, does it seem that the outer edges of your eyebrows have disappeared? Have you gained or lost weight without changing your diet? Are you tired all the time? You may be one of the millions of Americans with undiagnosed thyroid disease.

Thyroid disease has become epidemic in the United States with numbers of confirmed cases at more than 12 million and estimates of undiagnosed cases doubling that number. Radiation exposure from Fukushima, perchlorate contamination of municipal and well water (trace amounts of this chemical used to make rocket fuel damage the thyroid), damage to the thyroid due to prescription drug use, and the explosion of auto-immune disease, which is a high risk factor for thyroid disease all suggest thyroid disease is on the rise.

Often, thyroid disease is misdiagnosed, especially in the elderly, as clear symptoms of the disease are passed off as aging, while doctors neglect to administer diagnostic tests.

So how do you know your thyroid may not be functioning properly? Who is at risk? And what are the symptoms?

Risk Factors for Thyroid Disease

Risk Factors include: race (Caucasian), gender (female), age (over 60), family history (family history of auto-immune disease or thyroid disease), an existing auto-immune disease (including Celiac disease), iodine deficiency or taking medications with high levels of iodine, heavy caffeine use, radiation exposure, smoking tobacco, pregnancy, or within six months of giving birth.

Thyroid Diseases and Thyroid Dysfunction

The two primary malfunctions of the thyroid gland are overproduction of hormones (hyperthyroidism) or underproduction of hormones (hypothyroidism). Graves’ disease is an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the thyroid tissue in such a way it causes hyperthyroidism, whereas, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease that causes hypothyroidism. These two diseases are responsible for the vast majority of hyper and hypothyroidism.

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism

Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism include: weight loss, nervousness, moodiness, weakness, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, shaky hands, shortness of breath, excessive sweating, hair loss, and red, itchy skin.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism include, weight gain or difficulty losing weight, fatigue, thinning hair, thinning eyebrows or loss of outer edges of eyebrows, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, impaired memory, adult onset ADHD, slow healing, feet or hands that get cold easily, insomnia, poor sleep habits, poor sleep quality, daily sleepy spells, menstrual irregularities, anxiety, nightmares, dry skin, and yellow skin (due to difficulty converting beta carotene to vitamin A. Muscle and joint pain (which can be severe and may be misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia) may also be experienced.

Six percent of the American population suffer from one of these two conditions; 78.7% suffer from hypothyroidism, while 21.3% suffer from hyperthyroidism.

Other diseases and conditions of the thyroid include: thyroiditis, an overall inflammation and swelling of the thyroid gland caused by a viral infection or an autoimmune disease; goiter, a singular non cancerous swelling that can be associated with Hashimoto’s or an iron deficiency; thyroid nodule, a small, abnormal, non-cancerous mass or lump that may secrete excess hormones causing hyperthyroidism; thyroid storm, a rare form of extremely high hyperthyroidism that causes extreme illness, and thyroid cancer.

Structure and Purpose of the Thyroid Gland

The thyroid gland is a part of the endocrine system, a network of glands that make and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. The thyroid, which is located in the front of the neck, above the clavicle, directly below the Adam’s apple, is a butterfly shaped organ with tissue that traverses the windpipe and lobes that rest on either side.

Generally we only think of the thyroid gland in relation to metabolism: an underactive thyroid causes weight gain and an overactive thyroid causes weight loss. However, hormones from the thyroid gland regulate the growth and activity of many of the body’s systems and activities including: the synthesis and breakdown of proteins, the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, growth and development, heart rate, body temperature, vitamin metabolism, calcium levels in the blood, bone growth and density, and the individual cells’ ability to take in nutrition and oxygen and dispose of waste.

Hormones of the Thyroid and Connection to Other Hormones

The pituitary gland releases the hormone TSH to stimulate the thyroid gland to produce thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). T3 is used throughout the body affecting nearly every psychological process. T3 is 20 times more potent than T4. However, most of our T4 is converted into T3 by the body’s organs, if the body has the correct nutrients to convert it.

Calcitonin is also produced by the thyroid gland. This hormone’s function is to maintain the proper homeostasis of calcium in the bloodstream, reducing calcium levels when they become too high. It prevents calcium loss in the bones at times such as pregnancy and lactation.

How to Prevent and Treat Thyroid Disease Naturally

Both iodine and selenium are necessary for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. Without iodine, the thyroid cannot produce T3 and T4. Without selenium, the body cannot convert T4 into T3. However, too much iodine or selenium can do more damage than good. You may consider testing your levels and working with your health care professional if you decide to supplement with iodine or selenium unless you take a thyroid supplement that is properly balanced. (see below)

Foods That Benefit

The thyroid gland must have iodine to produce T3 and T4. Good food sources include the following:

  • Shellfish—shrimp, scallops
  • Seafood—cod, sardines, salmon, tuna
  • Yogurt and milk
  • Eggs

Selenium is essential to the process of the body breaking down T4 into T3. Many sources of selenium are the same as iodine:

  • Seafood—cod, sardines, salmon, tuna (tuna is the highest)
  • Shellfish—shrimp, scallops

But also:

  • Poultry—turkey and chicken
  • Meat—Lamb and beef
  • Brazil Nuts (2-3 a day) …and many other foods

Foods to Avoid

If you have hypothyroidism, medical professionals warn against eating raw cruciferous vegetables or suggest you radically limiting their intake. Foods in question with hypothyroidism include: broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, spinach, turnips, soy, peanuts, linseed, pine nuts, millet, cassava, mustard greens, asparagus, and sweet potatoes. They also recommend we avoid alcohol and tobacco, and while we agree with that, we don’t necessarily agree with the cruciferous vegetable recommendation. We believe that a varied diet of fresh, raw vegetables can fix almost anything, including any adverse reaction to the foods themselves. Though, obviously you have to use common sense; if you smoke, drink lots of coffee, or rarely get enough sleep then a large kale smoothie and a kale salad every day isn’t the smartest choice.

For those with severe thyroid disorders, occasionally (depending on the thyroid disorder and the person’s diet), cruciferous vegetables can be debilitating if not cooked first. It doesn’t take much heat to remove the _____.

Supplements, Herbs, and Alternative Therapies

B-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, a good multivitamin with minerals, vitamin C, and probiotics will all benefit your condition. For hyperthyroidism, you will need good anti-oxidant support.

For hypothyroidism: L-tyrosine (500 mg two to three times daily. Never take this without your doctor’s approval if you are taking conventional hormone medication or if you have mania or high blood pressure).

For hyperthyroidism: L-carnitine decreases thyroid activity. (May thin the blood.)

The following herbs may help with hypothyroidism: Coleus (Coleus forskohlii),  Guggul (Commiphora mukul), and Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus). Do your research on these herbs if you are taking any prescription medications or have any other medical issues. Avoid these herbs if you have hyperthyroidism.

The following herbs may help with hyperthyroidism:  caffeine free green tea (Camellia sinensis) standardized extract and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis).

Homeopathy, acupuncture, massage, and hydrotherapy may also be of benefit.

Regardless of the treatment you choose, your foundation of health will always be a diet filled with densely nutritious foods; 80% raw, organic, produce. Avoid all processed foods, artificial flavorings and colorings, MSG, GMOs and trans-fats, sugar, and caffeine. Drink plenty of clean water each day. Exercise and get plenty of sleep. Give your body the foundation that will allow it to heal. Check out Understand Hypothyroidism – Prevention and Natural Remedies for more on thyroid health.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:

Sources:



Natural Remedies for Warts

When I was a little girl, I played with toads. I loved them. I have clear memories of playing outside, barefoot, holding, petting… and yes, kissing frogs. I also clearly remember several times when they peed on my feet.

Scientists debunk the belief that toads or frogs give you warts, but I have to say I was the only child in the family enamored with the critters and I am the one who ended up with a bunch of warts on the top of my toes—right where they peed on me.

I don’t remember what medication was used to rid me of the warts, but I do remember needles poked into my skin, the pain, and the goopy burning medication. I also remember my father’s frustration when the first treatment did not work and had to be repeated.

Fast forward to my teen years and I had three warts on my hands, two on fingers, one on my palm. After trying several over-the-counter cures, I had them surgically removed, leaving deep, deep craters in the skin. They grew right back.

By the time I was twenty, the wart problem worsened. Plantar warts invaded the bottom of my feet. These were large patches of warts that spread from the balls of my feet to my toes. The edges of the skin were peeling and it hurt every time I took a step.

An acquaintance of mine suggested I try vitamin E to get rid of the warts. I didn’t believe it would make any difference at all, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. I patiently waited while she poked holes in vitamin E capsules, then I spread the liquid on my feet and those old warts on my hand. Imagine my surprise when they all disappeared after that one application. It’s been forty years, and they never came back.

Years later a new wart appeared on another finger. One application of vitamin E took care of it as well. But when my brother told me he had a wart on his thumb, and I suggested he try vitamin E, it didn’t work for him. I don’t know if this was due to personal chemistry or if it was due to the fact that there are more than 100 strains of the wart virus. Perhaps the large number of different strains explains the reason why there are so many natural cures. What works for one person may not work for others. More likely, it was the quality of the vitamin capsule.

If the substance is a liquid you want to stay in contact with the wart or a messy mixture, use a cotton ball and then bandage the area to secure. Directions vary from leaving the treatment on around the clock, to treating only at night, to applying several times a day. Use your best judgment based on your reaction to the substance.

  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin A
  • Witch hazel
  • Essential Oils: tea tree, clove, lavender, Frankincense
  • Lemon juice
  • Aloe vera
  • Crushed vitamin C tablets
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Milkweed (the liquid inside of the stem)
  • Crushed basil leaves
  • Banana (scrapings from the inside of the peel)
  • Dandelion milk (the liquid inside of the stem)
  • Pineapple juice
  • Papaya
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Castor oil
  • Carrot and olive oil paste
  • Baking powder and castor oil paste
  • Baking soda mixed with vinegar
  • Urine (yep, an old cure)
  • One final treatment to consider, especially with children, is faith. My friend Helen told me her father rubbed a coin on her warts and told her they would disappear. It worked. Stories abound on the internet of children being told any number of cures that worked, such as coloring the warts. Belief in the cure caused the result. Children are highly suggestible. It’s worth a try.

Some of these cures may be painful. The enzymes in pineapple and papaya may irritate surrounding skin. I have read testimonials about apple cider vinegar working painlessly within 5 days, but I have also read about painful burns to surrounding tissue. Personally, if I had to choose any of the above methods, I’d start with the vitamins. Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin D, as well as vitamin E, have long been known to fight viral infections. I also believe the efficacy of any vitamin treatment may be dependent on the quality of the supplement itself. The following vitamins are all of the highest quality.

If these did not work, I’d move on to a natural cure in a bottle. Though I’m all for natural remedies from items in the pantry, I don’t like the mess and the fuss, especially when I am told the treatment requires an application once a day, or several times a day, for weeks. I was lucky. Vitamin E, for me, was a onetime application.

We offer vitamin E and a couple of other formulas that knock out warts pretty quickly. Combine a few of the remedies (including the garlic, but be careful) and most warts can disappear within a week. Remember that a wart is a virus, which is a sign that our body is in a condition that makes it a decent host for an infectious organism.  A wart is a good indicator that it’s time to get the diet on track and take better care of one’s health. We recommend a detox and more produce, see further reading for more on that.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:


Herbs and a Protocol that Eliminates Parasites from the Body

Parasites are more common than most people realize. There are many different kinds. Internally, there’s a pretty good chance that you and a third of the people you know have them. If we consider the possibility that there are many common parasites that we are as of yet unaware of, most of us could be suffering from them. If you want to take it a step further and consider candida a parasite (most don’t group them together, but candida does fit the description), then it could be argued that most people in the world suffer from adverse health effects due to parasites.

Because I come in contact with raw meat regularly (I feed my dog raw meat, vegetables, and some supplements), I do a parasite cleanse every other month. I also eat well most of the time. I eat lots of salads with lots of vegetables and garlic, which parasites don’t much care for.

We use the word herb loosely here, it should really read “Foods, herbs, other things you can eat to kill parasites.” But that’s not a very good title.

Herbs that Parasites Hate

Garlic

Garlic is anti-bad-stuff. Viruses, fungi, bacteria, parasites, cancer, and vampires all hate garlic. It’s an absolutely amazing herb and the best in the business at killing bad stuff. It even chelates heavy metals (removes them from the body). Garlic is also a very powerful deterrent for blood sucking parasites like mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

Black Walnut-Nuts & Hull

The nuts and green hulls of black walnut (Juglans nigra) are loved by herbalists for their ability to cleanse the blood and the intestines. Black walnut hull is used to cure fungal infections. The juice from the green hulls are used to kill parasites. Only green hulls should be used.

Wormwood

Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) is a perennial herb with tiny yellow-green flowers. Leaves and flowers are used to treat stomach problems and wormwood is a powerful remedy for intestinal worms. Wormwood should be avoided by women who or nursing. Wormwood has strong antimicrobial properties and is used for other infections as well.

Cloves

Clove essential oil is used to dissolve eggs found in the intestines that have been left behind by worms. It’s believed to be the only herb that actually does destroy almost all parasite eggs. When used in conjunction with black walnut and wormwood, the trio break the parasite’s lifecycles. Clove is also antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Clove oil has powerful broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Thyme

Thyme is one of the best herbs for stimulating the thymus, a major gland of the immune system. Thyme helps stimulate the body’s natural defenses and works very well with echinacea to boost the ability of our immune system. Oil of thyme can eliminate growth of many parasites, and it kills them in the intestinal tract.

Oil of Oregano

Oil of oregano is infused with extremely high levels of free-radical-crushing antioxidants, and it is antiparasitic, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal. It is a powerful, indiscriminate killer that can reset the microbial environment in the intestines. Many studies show the effectiveness of oil of oregano with everything from parasitical infections to cancer.

Chinese Goldthread

Goldthread (Coptis chinensis) has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat all types of infections, including bacterial, parasitic, yeast, and protozoan. It contains a substance called berberine, which is responsible for the broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties.

Diatomaceous Earth

Food grade diatomaceous earth absorbs methyl mercury, E. coli, endotoxins, viruses, organophosphate pesticide residues, and drug residues. Its positive effects include killing intestinal parasites, balancing the intestinal flora, killing viruses, and absorbing toxins. It’s great for intestinal cleanses. The only side effect known is its ability to irritate the lungs if inhaled; it is a very fine powder.

Capsaicin /Cayenne

Cayenne by itself is not going to kill parasites well enough to be on this list, but it has other properties making cayenne worthy of mentioning here. It deters parasites from setting up home (or biting, burrowing), and capsaicin has tons of other beneficial properties, plus, it makes other herbal treatments much more powerful.

Goldenseal

Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) is a natural remedy for many internal parasites. It’s also a good ingredient to look for in mouthwash and eyewash formulas and recipes. It’s also a topical treatment of eczema and psoriasis. Goldenseal is not only antiparasitic; it’s also antibacterial, and antiviral. It’s also great for detoxifying the blood. It is a good supplement to have in any detox regimen.

Echinacea

Echinacea supports the body’s immune system. Clinical trials determined that there was a 70% reduction in the winter incidences of infections when Echinacea was taken routinely throughout the winter. Echinacea increases white blood cell count. Use Echinacea for anything involving the immune system. Echinacea is also helpful with acute infections including urinary and intestinal tract infections.

Oregon Grape Root

The active chemical found in Oregon grape root is berberine. Herbalists sometimes substitute Oregon grape root for goldenseal or the Chinese herb coptis. The herb is used for constipation, bloating, intestinal issues, psoriasis, and other skin diseases. It kills parasites, bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Berberine

Berberine is a major immune-enhancing alkaloid found in many plants, including goldenseal, Coptis chinensis, Oregon grape, barberry, Indian barberry, and turmeric. Berberine provides broad-spectrum immune support, promotes healthy respiratory mucus membranes, maintains healthy immune response, and it also helps maintain the body’s normal intestinal flora.

Reishi

Reishi mushrooms grow wild on decaying logs and tree stumps in the coastal provinces of China. Reishi mushrooms are anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. They lower blood pressure, glucose levels and LDL-cholesterol. They treat hepatitis B, glomerulosclerosis, cancer, and ulcers, and are antifungal and antiparasitic.

Systemic Enzymes

Systemic enzymes take apart foreign proteins, so it kills viruses, bacteria, yeasts, parasites, and any other pathogen.

Yellow Dock Root

Yellow Dock Root is a powerful blood purifier and a lymphatic cleanser. It improves colon and liver function and it’s used to treat many skin ailments, intestinal parasites, inflammation, and more.

Pumpkin Seed

Pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil are rich in fatty acids, zinc, copper, sterols, anti-inflammatory agents, and amino acids. Pumpkin seeds are used to treat worms, especially tapeworms. It’s not the fastest parasite killer; the recommendation is to eat raw pumpkin seeds every day for several weeks.

Pomegranate Seed

Pomegranate has been touted as a superfood with many health benefits and for years it has also been used to treat infections from the most common parasites found in humans: roundworms, pinworms and tapeworms.

Precautions with Herbal Remedies

Not every herb or herbal remedy should be taken with another one. Use caution when working with herbal remedies. Do your research. Though the good news is that any side effects are less likely to bother you than anything on the warning label of every single pharmaceutical. Do plenty of research and/or ask a knowledgeable herbal practitioner before taking any of the above while pregnant or nursing.

A healthy diet should be followed whenever attempting to restore health, but especially when taking broad-spectrum antimicrobial supplements. You will kill off some of your beneficial flora, and it is vital to feed the body healthy foods in order to rebuild a healthy ecosystem.

As I mentioned, I detoxify from parasites once a year. Here’s how I do it:

Michael’s Parasite Detoxification Regimen

I normally eat lots of salad with many different vegetables, as well as lots of raw garlic, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, spices, and herbs. I take my salads very seriously. For more on that, check out Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included. I also generally drink lots of cranberry stevia lemonade, and with a parasite cleanse it’s a good time to step up your fluid intake. That article has the recipe for cranberry lemonade as well. It’s great for the liver, the kidneys, the lymph’s, etc. Also, see Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This.

Whenever I do a parasite cleanse, or any detox, I always clean up my gut and eliminate excess candida, too. Check out How To Heal Your Gut for more on that.

Antiparasite Supplement Stack – Heal the Gut & Kill Pathogens

This list below is in order from what I think is most important to the least important. The first four supplements should be plenty for most people, and I usually do the first seve for my detox protocal. There is a little bit of overlap, Abzorb and Syntol AMD are both probiotics and Microdefense has Berberine and it has Wormwood which the intestinal detox also has. Taking the recommended dosages shouldn’t be a problem even with the overlap. You could take all of them within the same protocol, or just pick and choose based on your needs.

If you believe you have (or know you have) a parasite infection, diet is critical. No refined foods, no sugar, no artificial crap, no junk food! Junk feeds them. Don’t skimp on the diet! No amount of supplementation will make up for a poor diet.

Related Reading:
Sources:



Common Parasites and How to Kill Them

Parasite. Now there’s a word that conjures up an uncomfortable images. But we Americans tend to frame those images in faraway landscapes- mostly the tropics. We don’t like to think that parasites can get to us right here in the U.S. of A. But they do.

Contents:

Types of Parasites

The three basic types of parasites are:

  • Protozoa–single celled organisms that live inside the body
  • Helminths— multi-celled organisms that live inside the body (worms–flatworms, ringworms, roundworms, tapeworms)
  • Ectoparasites–parasites that live off of or in our skin (mosquitoes, bedbugs, ticks, fleas, mites, lice, botflies, etc.)

Common Protozoa Parasites

Protozoa, the single cell parasites, are responsible for malaria, sleeping sickness and a variety of other illnesses found in other countries. Those most familiar to Americans are giardia (which tends to sweep through daycare centers) and toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis, a disease usually transmitted through cat feces. (Some estimates state 30% of the worldwide population is infected with this parasite).

Giardia intestinali, also called giaradia, is a protozoa that can be spread very easily, especially among young children in a school or daycare setting. Cysts are shed through feces that can live on surfaces for weeks and in cold water for months. Infections are spread through fecal contact, through infected food, water, and soil, and via oral/anal sex. Groundwater, lakes, rivers, and streams can become contaminated through agricultural runoff. Water contamination can include municipal water, pools, water parks, and well water.

Symptoms include diarrhea, gas, stomach cramps, fatigue, and nausea. Infections may resolve without treatment after 4-6 weeks or an infected person may become asymptomatic and continue to be a carrier, infecting others through poor hygiene. Severe infections result in destruction of the villi in the small intestine, the tiny hair-like structures needed for nutrient absorption.

Toxoplasma gondii is a common parasite believed to infect up to one third of the global population. It may cause no symptoms in a healthy adult, but in infants and those with weakened immune systems, such as HIV/AiDS patients, it may develop into toxoplasmosis, a serious and sometimes fatal disease.

Infection is spread through contaminated dirt and water, fruits and vegetables, undercooked meat, organ transplant, blood transfusions, and cat feces.

Once ingested, this parasite enters the bloodstream. A healthy immune systems prevents further infection, but dormant cysts remain in skeletal and heart muscle as well as in the brain and eyes. But if a pregnant women becomes infected, the parasite crosses the placenta and can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or health problems for the infant including blindness and encephalitis. Encephalitis can also occur in persons with a weakened immune system. A strong immune system is the best defense against this parasite along with good hygienic practices, especially in regards to dealing with cat feces.

Common Helminth Parasites

Helmiths, the worms, infect our bodies internally. Though many of these organisms are generally found in tropical areas, many infect Americans as well. Generally, we think of these critters living in our intestines, but not all take up residence there. Some do; they merely eat our food. Some attach themselves to the intestine wall and suck blood. Others burrow through the wall of the intestine and travel to the lungs or the liver. One burrows in the stomach lining. Another in the blood and lymph. Or the parasite may go straight through the skin into the bloodstream.

Roundworms

Anisakis is a roundworm found in fish and eels. Although this parasite cannot survive more than a few weeks in the human body, it can cause stomach pain and nausea during that time. To avoid this parasite, gut fish immediately after catching, freeze at -40 F for a few days or cook well.

Ascaris lumbricoides, the giant roundword, is estimated to infect 25% of the world’s population, though more in the tropics than other countries. Infection is passed from one human to another through food, water, or dirty hands that have become contaminated with feces from an infected person. Eggs hatch into larvae that penetrate the intestinal wall to enter the bloodstream. They stop in the lungs (pulmonary arteries) for a few weeks then break through the alveoli (the small spaces in the lungs) and travel up to the throat to be swallowed again. Good sanitation and hand washing help prevent this infection.

Enterobius vermicularis, commonly known as the pinworm, is the most prevalent worm infection in the United States. Infection causes anal itching. These worms live inside the intestines, eating our food, and generally travel outside of the body when the person is sleeping to lay eggs in the skin around the anus.

Pinworms are highly contagious. Generally the whole family should be treated at once, and if small children are in the household the school or daycare should be notified since chances are others are infected. Good sanitation and clean bedding are essential to eliminate the problem.

Ancylostoma duodenale (ancylostomiasis) is the hookworm. The hookworm enters the body through skin (usually the feet) and is common among barefoot fieldworkers. Hookworms travel through tissue until they reach blood or lymph, then they travel to the lungs where they are coughed up and swallowed. They take up residence in the gut and suck blood. Sometimes larvae migrate to muscle tissue and lie dormant. Pregnancy “awakens” the larvae then travel to the mammary glands and infections are passed through mother’s milk to babies. Good sanitation helps prevent this infection.

Flukes

Fasciola hepatica, also known as the liver fluke, is prevalent where cattle and sheep are raised. Infection is caused by drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated water vegetation (such as watercress), or eating raw or undercooked liver from a contaminated animal. This parasite travels through the intestinal wall into the body cavity before finding its way the liver where it eats liver tissue. Eventually the mature worms block the bile duct causing liver inflammation.

Tapeworms

Diphyllobothrium Latum, the fish tapeworm, is ingested through raw fish. Infection is usually asymptomatic, but symptoms may include stomach pain, weight loss, diarrhea, or constipation, bowel obstruction, vomiting, fatigue, inflammation of the bile duct or gall bladder. This parasite is also associated with B12 deficiency, as it absorbs most of the body’s B12 intake and can cause pernicious anemia.

Hymenolepis nana, the dwarf tapeworm, is the most common human tapeworm; it is found worldwide in temperate climates. Eggs are ingested through dirty hands, food or water containing eggs. Food and water can be contaminated with eggs through infected rodent droppings, and infection can also pass to humans if they accidently ingest infected insects, (beetles or fleas.) Eggs develop into adult tapeworms in the intestines. Tapeworms eat a human’s food and cause inflammation of the intestines. Other symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, changes in appetite and weight loss, vomiting, weakness, headache, muscle spasms, seizures and more. Prevention includes washing all fruits and vegetables, washing hands, and avoiding putting fingers in the mouth and nose.

The cattle tapeworm, the pork tapeworm, and the fish tapeworm are not common in the U.S., but be aware that undercooked meat could cause infection.

Common Ectoparasites

We are all, of course, familiar with ectoparasites. Mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, lice, bedbugs, and scabies bite us and suck our blood. Lice and mites (such as scabies) move in and make themselves at home on our bodies. Lice live in our hair. Mites, such as scabies, live in tunnels burrowed in our skin.

Bedbugs

Bedbugs are certainly making a comeback. In the last few years, news of infestations in hotels and homes have become commonplace, but recently there was news of an infestation in a movie theatre. The best treatment for bedbugs is high heat or extreme cold. Starvation doesn’t work. They can live for years without feeding and are difficult to kill. In many cases, carpets, furniture, and fabrics all need to be replaced. Prevention is the key with these bugs; be careful with traveling and used furniture.

Scabies

These are mites that live in and on the skin. The females burrow tunnels just under the skin, laying their eggs along the way. The result is a rash with intense itching. Once a scabies infection is fully underway, the typical parasite supplement and diet protocol is standard, but the immune system must be rebuilt. Unlike internal parasites, you can treat scabies topically with undecenoic acid, clove oil, neem oil, oil of oregano, peppermint oil, lavender, cayenne, garlic, and any antiparasitic oil. This works well, but these tenacious parasites will bounce right back no matter what you do topically in someone who has a weak thyroid, gluten reactions, serious Candida, or anything else that will cause a compromised immune system. These mites can live up to three days without contact with a host and the dryer kills them too.

Mosquitoes

There are many essential oils to choose from to repel mosquitos. A healthy diet with lots of raw garlic tends to do the trick, too.

How to Prevent Parasite Infections Naturally

For any protozoa and helminth parasites such as ringworms, malaria, and giardia, the most important thing you can do is stay healthy and keep your immune system as close to bulletproof as possible. With a diet full of tons of fresh, raw, organic, nutrient dense produce, lots of garlic, and next to no refined, processed crap food, the body makes a poor host for parasites. Simple, processed foods like white sugar feeds them well. Parasites also like to feed off of damaged and decaying cells. Their mere presence, in large enough numbers, will cause cells to malfunction and die. Keep your cells healthy and your body full of food that doesn’t feed the bad microorganisms.

If you eat meat, only eat meat from a farm that treats the animals well. Factory farming promotes pathogens.

Good plumbing and other obvious sanitization make a huge difference in a population’s ability to defend against parasitic infections. Areas that have poor conditions where their drinking and cooking water comes in contact with their wastewater contaminated with fecal matter have the highest incidences of parasitic infection.

On the other hand, anyone in any country, no matter how developed their environment, no matter how clean they strive to be, is likely to have internal parasites at some point in their lives. Keeping the immune system strong so as not to succumb to the parasites is paramount. If they are going to try and make a home inside of us, a healthy body will not give them what they need to multiply and flourish. If your diet is decent, detox once or twice a year. Even better, always be detoxifying by eating right (see the two articles below) and keep your body healthy so you’re not easy prey, and be very cautious with uncooked meat (sushi is a common way to get a parasite).

Related: Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included
Related: Stop Eating Like That and Start Eating Like This – Your Guide to Homeostasis Through Diet

How to Kill Parasites Naturally

Parasites hate gentian root, ginger, blackberries, raw cabbage, coconut oil, aloe, pineapple, pumpkin seeds, and papaya. Be sure to have some or all of these in your diet.

The most powerful antiparasitic herbal ingredients I know of are wormwood, berberine, oil of oregano, clove, and black walnut, and they can be taken together. MicroDefense has most of these in one capsule. I recommend getting black walnut and oil of oregano separately, along with extra berberine which has too many health benefits to list here. Also, consider diatomaceous earth.

Natural Remedies for Protozoa and Helminth Parasites

Doc Shillington’s blood detox and MicroDefense by Pure Encapsulations are two of the most potent combinations to kill parasites. For a bad infection, adjusting the diet, cleaning the colon, and fixing the entire immune system may be required (and should be done regardless). In most cases, a parasitical infection, or even just the suspicion of one, signifies it’s time to detox and fix the body.

Natural Remedies for Ectoparasites

Keeping the body healthy is paramount for external parasitic defense as well. Follow the same advice from the section above for protozoa and helminth parasites. The difference is you also have a ton of essential oils at your arsenal with ectoparasites (tea tree is my favorite, see recommended supplements). If you or anyone in your family is suffering from a parasitic infestation, replacing the furniture may be in order. All of the potentially contaminated laundry should be done to kill these bugs, and the dryer should run for extra time. Clean the home with essential oils like peppermint, clove, lavender, etc. and vacuum as many times a day as possible (bags should be tossed immediately, or the vacuum put somewhere so the bugs don’t simply climb back out to re-infest).

The Most Important Thing You Can Do To Eliminate Parasites

Heal the gut! If parasites are making a home in your body your gut is not healthy. If you suffer from any chronic disease you almost certainly have gut issues along with an abundance of Candida. Candida makes it easy for almost anything to pass from the gut into the bloodstream. An unhealthy gut is an open door for other infections. Killing parasites repeatedly won’t do much good in the long run with an unhealthy gut. See How To Heal Your Gut for more on that.

A healthy immune system fights parasitic infections. And a truly healthy diet aids the immune system in two ways: the body receives the nutrients it needs to fight a parasitic infection, to repair cells, and build new tissue and it provides the fiber from a diet consisting of 80% raw, organic, produce to help eliminate parasites in the small intestine and colon. Anytime someone suffers from a parasitic infection, it’s a good time for a full body detox and a long look at adopting a healthier diet.

Parasite Killing Supplement Stack:

Recommended Reading:
Sources:
  • Saadatnia, Geita; Golkar, Majid. A Review on Human Toxoplasmosis. Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases. Nov2012, Vol. 44 Issue 11, p805-814. 10p. DOI: 10.3109/00365548.2012.693197.
  • Parasites in Humans
  • CDC
  • Mayo Clinic


Natural Remedies for Kidney Stones, Prevention, and What Really Causes Them

More than 12% of men and about 7% of women will have to deal with kidney stones at some point in their lives. Once you have suffered through them, statistics say you’re more likely to have them again.

Kidney stones aren’t always a problem; they typically pass through urination, without causing symptoms. On the other hand, when stones grow to sufficient size, they can impede the urinary tract and can cause incredible pain, perhaps the worst humans experience.

Anyone who has ever suffered from a kidney stone, whether they needed surgery, or passed it, knows that statistics say they’ve got an 80% chance of recurrence. Kidney stones have a tendency to open people’s minds to natural medicine.

What Causes Kidney Stones

Most individuals with kidney stones have a chemical abnormality that contributes to the tendency to form the stones. Regardless, in almost every case, people who get kidney stones don’t drink enough water; they often drink lots of coffee and soda instead.

Conventional doctors will tell us that common causes include too much calcium, too many vitamin supplements, too much animal protein, and genetics.

Genetics can lead to a predisposition to kidney stones, but learned behavior (diet) within the family is much more likely to be reason the stones run in families. Certain drugs, cheap and ineffective supplements, soda, factory farmed meat, factory farmed dairy, table salt, tap water, and an acidic diet can all lead to the formation of kidney stones.

For the most part, the high calcium theory has been thoroughly debunked, and only the most out of touch doctors will still offer it, (though there are plenty of them). It has been proven that limiting calcium doesn’t eliminate the problem; it has the opposite effect – making it worse.

An acidic, conventional, modern diet leads to problems like kidney stones.

A diet of fresh, unrefined, whole foods prevents kidney stones.

Different Types of Kidney Stones

Typically, a kidney stone is formed by a super-saturation of minerals and acid salts in urine that crystallize into a stone. This type of kidney stone is typically caused by highly acidic or highly alkaline urine, or by not drinking enough fluids (or drinking the wrong kind of fluids).

Other types of stones include: Struvite stones (typically found in women as a result of urinary tract infections), uric acid stones (a byproduct of poor protein metabolism due to factory farmed animal product consumption) , and cystine stones which are rare (a result of a hereditary disorder that causes the kidneys to excrete large quantities of specific amino acids).

How to Prevent Kidney Stones

Magnesium citrate, a complex B vitamin with extra vitamin B6, lots of stevia sweetened lemonade along with a healthy diet will not allow kidney stones of significant size to form.

Harvard researchers found that 180 mg of magnesium and 10 mg of B6 taken daily can actually prevent 92.3% of kidney stones. Other studies show huge reductions with magnesium alone at 500mg a day.

Diet is crucial.

Fresh, raw, organic produce is the foundation of a healthy diet. Avoid refined foods including table salt and sugars and flours. Drink lots of water. Spring water from a clean source has numerous health benefits, and distilled water is very pure and good for you if you consume enough produce. Drink lemonade sweetened with stevia each day. Lemons also reduce the likelihood of kidney stones.

If you drink coffee, switch to tea. Studies show that black and green tea reduce the chances of developing kidney stones. Don’t eat conventional factory farmed animal products.

Avoid poor quality, unhealthy supplements. Especially avoid poor quality protein powders, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, and various mineral supplements.

Other foods that prevent and help eliminate kidney stones include raw apple cider vinegar, dandelion root, olive oil, kidney beans, and watermelon.

Natural Remedies for kidney stones

Drink a half a gallon of cranberry, stevia lemonade per 100 pounds of body weight every day. See sources below for the recipe. Be careful with cranberry juice long-term. Short-term, it’s fine for helping pass a stone and for treating a urinary infection. Cranberry juice contains polyphenolic compounds that dissolve kidney stones and flush them out of the body through the urine. But long-term use has been shown in some studies to possibly cause stone formation, probably due to its high oxalic acid.

Drinking half a gallon of water or lemonade (see above) each day for every 100 pounds of weight is crucial to passing and dissolving existing kidney stones.

Also drink a cup of apple cider vinegar and eat a tablespoon of unrefined blackstrap molasses each day daily, to balance the body’s pH.

If you’re shopping for a tincture or a tea (or would like to make your own) look for the following herbs that have been shown time and time again to help remove kidney stones painlessly and quickly:

  • Nettle leaf helps maintain the flow of water through the kidneys and bladder and helps keep crystals from forming into stones.
  • Hydrangea root behaves as a powerful diuretic and also an antilithic herb, which ejects and prevents kidney stones
  • Gravel root provides defense against kidney stones and increases the flow of urine. Gravel root also plays a role in maintaining an alkaline body by expelling excess uric acid, a cause of kidney stones
  • Marshmallow root eliminates toxins and soothes cell membranes in the urinary system, making it easier to release kidney stones
  • Horsetail herb helps regulate the calcium stored in the body and soothes urinary tract inflammation
  • Uva ursi leaves increase renal circulation and limits the acid content in urine
  • Corn silk reduces the risk of recurring kidney stones and helps treat bladder infections
  • Goldenrod flowers fight urinary tract infection and help flush out kidney stones

We recommend Shillington’s Kidney Stone Dissolve Formula, and his Kidney Bladder Formula. You can make your own, and here are the recipes:

A part is a part by volume and not by weight unless otherwise specified.

Kidney/Bladder Formula – Recipe

  • 2 – Parts Juniper Berry (Mono Sperma is best)
  • 1 – Part Corn Silk
  • 1 – Part Uva Ursi Leaf
  • 1 – Part Horsetail Herb
  • 1 – Part Pipsissewa Leaf
  • 1 – Part Burdock Herb
  • 1 – Part Goldenrod Flowers
  • 1 – Part Gravel Root
  • 1 – Part Hydrangea Root

Check out How To Make a Tincture for the rest of the instructions for the tinctures, and checkout the product links below for recommended dosage information for all recipes.

Kidney/Bladder Tea – Recipe

  • 2 – Parts Juniper Berries (Mono Sperma is best)
  • 1 – Part Uva Ursi Leaf
  • 1 – Part Dandelion Leaf
  • 1 – Part Corn Silk
  • 1 – Part Parsley Leaf
  • 1 – Part Horsetail Herb
  • 1 – Part Goldenrod Flowers
  • 1 – Part Orange Peel (or Lemon Peel)
  • 1 – Part Peppermint Leaf
  • 1 – Part Hydrangea Root
  • 1 – Part Gravel Root

Kidney Stone Dissolve Formula – Recipe

  • 1 – Part Hydrangea root
  • 1 – Part Gravel root
  • 1 – Part Marshmallow root

Kidney Stone Dissolve Tea – Recipe

  • 1 – Part Hydrangea root
  • 1 – Part Gravel root
  • 1 – Part Marshmallow root

Read Inexpensive, Easy Detox – The One Gallon Challenge for a recipe for cranberry stevia lemonade.

Check out Shillington’s Body Balance to balance your PH. Take Total Nutrition Formula instead of cheap, problematic multis.

Of course prevention is preferable. This is one battle you never want to fight. If you recognize yourself as a person who doesn’t drink enough water, as one who drinks a lot of coffee and sodas, or you have a highly acidic diet, now is the time to change your habits.

If you have ever suffered from kidney stones in the past or are suffering from them now, combine both the prevention instructions and the remedy to end the current attack and prevent future occurrences.

Recommended Supplements:
Further Reading:

Sources:



Shiitake Mushrooms Can Help Prevent Cervical Cancer, Study Finds

(NaturalNews – Michael Ravensthorpe) For centuries, shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) have been utilized as a medicine in their native East Asia. Traditional Chinese medicine, for instance, would commonly prescribe shiitake for people suffering from upper respiratory disease, poor blood circulation and fatigue. In Japan, shiitake were beloved for their anti-aging properties. And Europeans, who have rigorously studied shiitake under the microscope since they first arrived on the continent, appreciate their impressive cholesterol lowering and weight loss properties.

However, an American study published in the Cancer Prevention Research journal has also found that a compound present in shiitake mushrooms can suppress the rate of cervical cancer growth, making them a viable alternative for aggressive and unnatural allopathic cancer treatments.

AHCC vs. HPV

According to the study authors, shiitake mushrooms contain an alpha-glucan called active hexose correlated compound (AHCC), which is a mixture of amino acids, polysaccharides and minerals. This compound, which appears to be unique to shiitake, is well known for its anti-tumor benefits. With this information in mind, the researchers sought to determine whether AHCC could also eradicate human papillomavirus (HPV), an extremely common sexually-transmitted infection which, if left untreated, can cause women to develop cervical cancer.

For the study, the researchers treated two cervical cancer cells (SiHa [HPV 16/18 positive] and C-33A [HPV negative]) in vitro with a 0.42 mg/mL dose of AHCC, then incubated them for 72 hours. Two additional trials followed: one in which the same AHCC dose was repeated once every 24 hours for one week, and another in which mice suffering from HPV were fed a 50 mg/kg dose of AHCC daily for the same period.

The results showed that AHCC suppressed HPV in all three trials. In the first trial, the AHCC suppressed HPV expression during the first 24 hours, but the HPV came back with a vengeance during the next 24 hours. Fortunately, continuous in vitro exposure — such as that experienced in the other two trials — resulted in sustained HPV suppression. Specifically, sustained AHCC treatment resulted in an overall 15.9 percent decrease in HPV activity compared to the control groups.

“[T]hese data suggest daily dosing of AHCC will eradicate HPV 16/18 infections and may have a role in the prevention of HPV-related cervical cancer,” concluded Dr. Judith Smith, lead researcher, and scientist at the University of Texas. “Furthermore, there is a potential for the addition of AHCC to primary treatment regimens for cervical cancer, which may potentially improve response rates and prevent recurrence.”

Dr. Smith’s findings were presented at the Society of Gynecological Oncology’s 45th Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer in Tampa, Florida in March 2014.

Sources for this article include: