Systemic Enzymes

The human body uses enzymes to carry out virtually every metabolic function.  While supplemental enzymes play an important role in optimizing digestion, taking enzymes outside of meal times has a powerful effect on the body’s immune response.  Using a wide array of different enzymes can provide a full-body anti-inflammatory effect that benefits several different systems in the body.

Enzymes are biocatalysts that are used to carry out and speed up the process of chemical reactions in the body.  We have around 3000 unique enzymes in our bodies that are involved in over 7000 enzymatic reactions.  We also consume enzymes when we eat raw, sprouted, and fermented fruits and vegetables.  Supplementing with an array of plant and proteolytic enzymes has been shown to have powerful health benefits.systemic enzyme

Anti-Inflammatory Activity

When the body is injured or under chronic stress the immune system initiates a protein chain called Circulating Immune Complex (CIC) that causes pain, redness, and swelling in a particular region.  This is a beneficial process and early on is a necessary part of healing.  However, inflammation is self-perpetuating and creates further insult and irritation to the region.  Unless there is modulation of the CIC response, the inflammation can dominate and overwhelm the region of the body creating painful and degenerative conditions.

Non-Steriodal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAID’s) work by blocking CIC activity in the body.  This affects all CIC’s, including those used to maintain the lining of the stomach, intestine, liver, and kidneys.  This is why long-term NSAID usage causes liver and kidney toxicity, stomach ulcers, and leaky gut syndrome.  Every year 20,000 Americans die from the over the counter use of these drugs and another 100,000 end up in the hospital with liver and kidney damage and intestinal bleeding from NSAID usage.

Systemic enzymes work to modulate or coordinate the activity of CIC’s and have no major adverse reactions.  They work as a lock and key mechanism and have an affinity for proinflammatory cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and C Reactive Protein (CRP).

Immune System Modulations

Systemic enzymes help to destroy foreign proteins which include viruses, bacteria, yeasts, and other parasites.  They also help to destroy abnormal cells such as cancer cells.  They will also destroy excessive antibodies that the body is producing such as in cases of auto-immune diseases.

Anti-Fibrolytic Activity

Fibrosis is scar tissue that the body produces in the repair process of cuts and wounds on the outer and inner surfaces of our body.  When we have optimal enzyme stores, the enzymes are used to clean up fibrolytic tissue in the body.  However, when our enzyme stores are being depleted due to chronic stress and inflammatory activity, the fibrolytic tissue builds up.  When the body has an abundance of fibrolytic tissue build up, we end up with things like fibrocystic breast disease, uterine fibroids, endometrosis, and arteriol sclerosis.

Systemic Enzymes vitalzymx-360cSystemic enzymes eat fibrolytic tissue and prevent the fibrosis of our organs and tissues.  They have a remarkable ability to not only prevent all of the above conditions but also to eat up old scar tissue.  This includes surgical wounds, pulmonary fibrosis, kidney fibrosis, and even old keloid plaques.

Blood Cleansing Activity

Chronically inflamed individuals often times end up with very thick blood that is loaded with fibrin that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.  Doctors often prescribe asprin and in more extreme cases powerful pharmaceuticals like Coumadin, Heparin, and Plavix.  These have very dangerous side effects.

Systemic enzymes are able to clear up excess thickening agents such as fibrin from the blood stream and naturally thin the blood.  They also break down dead material including dead blood cells, pathogens, toxic debris, and immune agents that have been left in circulation.  This helps cleanse and detoxify the bloodstream and enhances circulation and cellular oxygenation.

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The Health Benefits of Liposomal Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most widely recognized and used anti-oxidants in the world.   This anti-oxidant plays a critical role in helping the immune system, joints, and arteries heal and function properly.  Liposomal vitamin C is a technological breakthrough in nutrient assimilation and offers incredible health benefits.

Much of our physiology is based on the movement of electrons from one compound to another.  Unstable molecules that are missing an electron are called free radicals and they are catabolic to the body.  These free radicals are formed in a cycle called oxidative stress that creates damage and instability in cells, tissues, and organs in the body.  Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that acts to donate an electron to neutralize free radicals and restore peace and harmony to the body.

The Health Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C plays an important role in the health and function of the immune cells.  White blood cells depend upon vitamin C in order to survive and withstand the attack of pathogens and free radicals.  Vitamin C also plays an important role as an antihistamine and reduces inflammatory conditions associated with colds, fevers, flu’s, and allergies.

Vitamin C also plays an important role in the production of collagen which is the major constituent in ligaments, bones, discs, tendons, and skin.  High dose vitamin C has been shown to improve the healing process of burns, cuts, wounds, sprains/strains, and broken bones.  It is also extremely important for the health of the eyes and many experts believe that as little as 1,000 mg of liposomal vitamin C daily may stop cataracts all together.

Vitamin C and Cancer

Environmental toxins damage cells and intracellular organelles leading to altered cellular metabolism and genetic mutations.  Vitamin C has powerful antioxidant properties that protect against the oxidative stress against the cell.   High doses of vitamin C are even more important when large cancerous growths already exist within the body.  Oral vitamin C does not directly attack cancer, but it helps to keep the immune system strong and empowers it to destroy the cancer.

IV dosage of vitamin C acts as a pro-oxidant that forms hydrogen peroxide and acts as a chemotherapy type of agent that destroys cancer cell formation.  Liposomal vitamin C acts to prevent the oxidative stress that alters intracellular organelles and genetic mutations.  It also acts to prevent the chronic inflammation that allows mutant cells to develop into fast growing cancerous tumors.  This should never be used alone as a cancer therapy but as an adjunct in conjunction with a full-fledged natural or traditional medical protocol.

Vitamin C and Heart Disease

Vitamin C helps to protect the arterial walls throughout the body.  The blood vessels that are most important and under the most stress are the coronary arteries that feed the heart muscle.  Vitamin C helps reduce infections and other forms of oxidative stress that affect these blood vessels.  It also prevents the oxidation of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Vitamin C also improves lung function and overall oxygenation within the body.  Asthmatics tend to have a higher need for vitamin C and doses of 2000 mg per day lessen the body’s production of histamine and lung associated inflammation.

Vitamin C also improves blood sugar stability which is particularly important for individuals with heart disease and diabetes.  When blood sugar is elevated and not properly monitored in the body, the sugar molecules bind to proteins in the body and form advanced glycolytic end products (AGE’s).  These AGE’s create rampant amounts of tissue damaging oxidative stress in the body.  Dosages of 1,000-3,000 mg per day drives down AGE formation and improves circulation and tissue oxygenation.

Best Delivery System for Vitamin C

Much of our biological chemistry is based around water and fat solubility.  Just as water and oil do not mix, there are challenges involved with bringing a water soluble nutrient into a fat soluble matrix such as the cell membranes.  This incompatibility leads to lower rates of nutrient uptake and utilization within the cell.

Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin and it doesn’t interact particularly efficiently with the cell membrane wall, which is made up of fatty acids.  Estimates are that oral vitamin C intake has a 20% absorption rate into the bloodstream with the other 80% accumulating in the colon.  Oral vitamin C intake is also associated with unpleasant digestive complaints such as cramping and diarrhea because it draws water into the colon.

What are Liposomes

Liposomes are tiny “nano-size” fat soluble vehicles for carrying nutrients to the body’s cells.   Dr Alec Banham, a hematologist at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, UK, discovered the liposomal technology.  “Lipo” is Greek for fat while “soma” means body.  These are a double layer of fatty materials which is similar to the phospholipid bilayer of the cell membranes in the body.

Liposomal vitamin C is packaged like a bodily cell so it passes through the digestive barrier and delivers the nutrient directly to the bloodstream.  This has a much higher absorption rate with over 90% of the cells being bathed in vitamin C.  This is even vastly superior to IV vitamin C ,which is an expensive but effective procedure that is done quite often in hospitals and alternative health clinics.

The Correct Liposomes

Liposomal size plays an important role in its ability to hold the greatest volume of vitamin C.  The correct size should be between 100 to 400 nanometers in size.  They should be quality tested at a FDA regulated facility to ensure safety and quality.

The best carrier for liposomal vitamin C is phosphatidyl choline (PC) which helps to hold the liposomes together.  Ideal ranges should be between 250-500 mg of PC per dose in a liposomal vitamin C formula.  This PC should be derived from a non-GMO sunflower lecithin rather than a soy based lecithin.

Case Study Shows Powerful Effects of Liposomal Vitamin C

New Zealand dairy farmer Alan Smith had a miraculous recovery from a coma induced by leukemia and severe double lung pneumonia.  Doctors were ready to pull the plug on him when the family begged them to try high dose IV vitamin C.  Alan began showing positive results after the doctors administered 50-100 grams of IV vitamin C.

Unfortunately, the doctors at the hospital who were relatively uneducated on vitamin C were concerned about any possible complications with the high dose IV vitamin C.  They dropped the dosage to 2g of vitamin C and Alan began to struggle for survival again.  His family began giving him 6 grams of oral liposomal vitamin C and within weeks he was significantly better and was discharged from the hospital.

IV Vitamin C versus Liposomal Vitamin C

Some experts in the field of vitamin C such as Dr Thomas Levy, are saying that 6 grams of liposomal vitamin C is equivalent to 50 grams of intravenous vitamin C.  Intravenous vitamin C elevates blood levels of vitamin C significantly higher, however, without the liposomal membrane this water soluble vitamin C is unable to efficiently penetrate the cell membrane.

Oral vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to reduce oxidative stress in the body.  Intravenous vitamin C is a pro-oxidant drug that helps produce hydrogen peroxide which targets cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed.  So it does have great benefits in advanced cancer patients.

The cell membrane blocks much of the vitamin C that is in the bloodstream from getting into the cell.  The liposomal membrane is able to fuse with the same material and configuration that resides on cell walls.  This results in a lower minimal necessary dosage and saves a tremendous amount of money and stress to the consumer.

Intravenous vitamin C treatments cost between $125 – $160 a session.  Typical sessions last around two hours.  A daily dosage of 6g of Liposomal vitamin C costs less than $5 per day and takes no time at all.  It does not require a doctor or needles and is very easy and user friendly as we are all familiar with swallowing a pill.

Liposomal Protocols

For an individual with no major symptoms or diagnosis that wants good general health

1-2 grams is optimal               Take 1,000 mg   1-2 x daily

Extreme Athlete or Individual with Major Health Challenges:

4-6 grams is optimal              Take 2,000 mg  2-3x daily

Extreme Disease – Late Stage Infection, Cancer, Heart Disease, etc.

8-12 grams is optimal             Take 4,000 mg  2-3 x daily

With liposomal vitamin C, I like to be aggressive so I would take the upper dosage and if you notice any complications (such as high or low blood pressure, dizziness, nausea, cramping, diarrhea, etc.) try cutting down to the lower dosage and observe for any changes.

Contraindications

One of the contraindications for vitamin C usage is a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.  This is an inherited condition where the individual doesn’t have the G6PD enzyme.  G6PD helps the body to function normally and very high dose vitamin C infusions or very high dose liposomal vitamin D has a possibility of causing hemolytic anemia.

Micro Liposomal COther contraindications would include allergens to the liposomal compounds such as sunflower lecithin as discussed here.  Individuals who are pregnant, young children, and anyone taking blood-thinning medications should use smaller dosages.  It is always advisable to discuss vitamin C therapy with your doctor before beginning although most doctors have very little experience with this.

Those with iron overload should understand that vitamin C increases the absorption of iron into the body, especially in the heart where it can cause problems.  Ferritin levels should ideally be less than 80 and transferrin saturation should be less than 40%.  If you are above those levels, donating blood would be a great idea.  Also, wait 2-3 hours after taking the liposomal vitamin C before eating red meat or anything else that is high in iron if iron levels are high.

Proper Protocol

A PET scan usually is a guidepost. If the PET is positive, the tumor usually responds to the vitamin C. If the PET is negative, but there is an active tumor present, vitamin C is less effective in most cases. Vitamin C therapy works best in the early stages of cancer when used in conjunction with chemotherapy or radiation. It is not intended as a stand-alone treatment or as a last effort treatment for patients in the late stages of cancer,

However, when considering the multitude of benefits associated with oral liposomal vitamin C supplementation and the costs associated with getting a PET scan, one may choose to just opt with the vitamin C supplementation.  At the very worst, it may not have much influence on the particular tumor but will enhance all other bodily systems.  The net effect will be well worth the time and financial investment in taking the liposomal vitamin C.

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The Brain Boosting Benefits of Gingko Biloba

Ginko is considered the memory herb for its powerful brain boosting benefits.

The Ginkgo Biloba trees , one of the oldest trees in the world, are native to China but are now cultivated in plantations around the world for their remarkable health benefits.   These trees reach up to 40 meters in height and have characteristic greenish-yellow fan-shaped leaves.  These trees have remarkable adaptive and stress enduring qualities and have been noted to live over 1000 years of age.

Gingko Has Profound Adaptive Abilities

It is reported that the only trees that survived the Hiroshima nuclear blast were ginkgo trees.  This is an example of the profound strength and endurance these trees have against even the harshest of environmental stressors.  These same qualities of strength and endurance are passed on to the leaves and the extracts and then into the people who are consuming these botanicals.

The most powerful components of Ginkgo leaves are the flavonoid glycosides myricetin and quercetin.  They also contain terpenoid anti-oxidants ginkgolides and bilobalides.  Flavonoids are plant-based anti-oxidants that protect the cardiovascular system, neurons, and retina.  Terpenoids enhance blood flow by dilating the blood vessels and reducing platelet aggregation.

Gingko Improves Neurotransmitter Function

These molecules are shown to be non-discriminative monoamine oxidase inhibitors that maintain optimal levels of major neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in regions of the brain.  This is a similar mechanism as common pharmaceuticals that are used to treat depression and bipolar disorders.

These anti-oxidant flavonoids are also highly neuroprotective from the dangers of oxidative stress.  Prolonged oxidative stress in particular regions of the brain is the leading factor in the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s Disease.  This anti-oxidant protection also boosts memory, mood, and creative thinking.

Gingko is The Memory Herb

Several different studies have showed that ginkgo can improve memory and attention span in healthy individuals with peak performance coming about 2 hours after ingestion.  Ginkgo also improves vision and overall eye health as it prevents against macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts.

The ginkgolides are potent antagonists against platelet activating factors and are very useful in protecting against thrombus, endotoxic shock, intermittent claudication and myocardial ischemia.  Ginko has been shown to improve blood flow into all regions of the body which is particularly useful for sexual dysfunction in women and erectile dysfunction in men.

Gingko Is Approved By The World Health Organization

The World Health Organization has reported that gingko can benefit individuals suffering from cerebrovascular insufficiency which may be experienced as poor concentration, memory problems, and headaches.  They also endorse its use for peripheral arterial occlusive diseases which include claudication or painful walking, Raynaud’s disease, and diabetes.  It has also shown to benefit individuals with vertigo and dizziness.

Optimal dosage of ginkgo appears to be between 120-600 mg per day.  Very high doses may cause side effects such as nausea, dizziness, headaches, rapid heartbeat, and allergic reactions.   Be sure to always get organic gingko from the highest quality sources.

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The Health Benefits of Colostrum

Colostrum is the thin fluid produced by breast feeding mothers of the mammalian species.  It is produced in abundance during the very first few milkings. With each milking less is produced.  Colostrum introduces immunoglobins from the mother to the infant and turns on the child’s immune system.  Colostrum has incredible immune balancing benefits.

Colostrum contains a rich array of nutrients including growth factors, lipidic and glucidic factors, oligosaccharides, antimicrobials, cytokines and nucleosides.  This substance introduces the newborn to more than 95 different compounds that balance and stabilize the immune system.  It also brings in eight growth factors that promote normal cell growth, DNA synthesis, fat utilization, and increased mental acuity.

Bovine colostrum has an identical structure to the natural colostrum produced by humans.  Research has attributed many health benefits to bovine colostrum.  These benefits include improved gut stability and nutrient absorption.  Colostrum also provides immunological balance, increases energy, and reduces inflammation and illness.

Colostrum and Gut Health

The gut is responsible for nutrient absorption, detoxification, and immunological balance.  Researchers believe the microbial balance in the gut plays a role in roughly 70% of our immunological control.  The major player here is a special immunoglobin protein called secretory IgA (sIgA).

Individuals with chronic gut problems, IBS, Candida, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and austism typically have low SIgA.  This is a sign of chronic stress in the body that has drained the immune system and the adrenals. Chronic infections, environmental toxins, and poor lifestyle could all be the major causes behind this.

Colostrum is the most prolific substance for boosting sIgA levels in the gut. It provides a balancing effect on the immune system by reducing inflammatory cytokines and reducing pathogenic species in the gut. Colostrum also helps provide raw materials to help repair a damaged gut lining.  The intestinal membrane replaces cells every three days and colostrum supplementation can help heal intestinal problems such as leaky gut syndrome and other permeability issues.

Colostrum and The Immune System

Colostrum provides over one hundred times the amount of immunoglobins as regular milk. Colostrum is also rich in transfer factors that educate and modulate the immune system and successfully teach it to recognize specific antigens. These transfer factors also help coordinate the immune system to be able to recognize the difference between normal tissue and pathological microbes or abnormal tissue growth. These important transfer factors include hydrogen peroxide and IgG immunoglobins.

The transfer factors from colostrum are able to boost natural killer cell (NK) activity and calm a hyperactive immune system through activating T suppressor cells. This improves the intelligence of the immune system and allows it to function with greater efficiency.  These transfer factors also act as a catalytic memory agent for the immune system to alert naïve immune cells of an impending danger.

These colostrum based IgG immunoglobins can literally save someone’s life who is suffering from acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS).  In this condition, the individual is not able to effectively produce sufficient IgG on its own to combat pathogenic microbes like cryptosporidium parvum.  According to the Health Science Institute’s Underground Cures, “colostrum is able to ameliorate or completely eliminate the clinical symptoms of those suffering from cryptosporidiosis.”

Getting Clean Sources of Colostrum

The best form of colostrum is from raw, grass-fed milk cows. You can get this from a local farmer or order it online from several different sources. It is important to get colostrum in a minimally processed organic form that is free of chemicals and high heat pasteurization. Be sure to get it in powdered or capsule form for best quality.

Colostrum is important to take on an empty stomach in water so it gets into the digestive system with minimal interruption of saliva and stomach acids.  There are no major side effects of colostrum supplementation, but some individuals have experienced major pathogenic die-off symptoms when using large dosages. A good starter dosage would be 250 mg .  See how you tolerate that.  You can easily work your way up with 250 mg increments till you get to 1-2 grams daily.   Experiment with different dosages until you find the right spot for you.

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Beat Seasonal Allergies Naturally

Seasonal allergies, often called hay fever, are symptoms that occur during specific times of the year.  Symptoms usually occurs at times when outdoor molds release their spores or when plants release tiny pollen particles into the air to fertilize other plants.  Allergies are an indication of a malcoordinated immune system.  Natural strategies cn be used to beat seasonal allergies once and for all.

In the mid-Atlantic states, tree pollination occurs between February and May, grass pollination occurs in May through June, and weeds pollinate from August through October.  Mold spores usually increase between mid-summer and fall.  Stronger symptoms during one of these periods helps to identify the particular allergy.

Malcoordinated Immunity

Allergies occur when the immune system is uncoordinated.  This can occur from some major bodily stressor that interferes with the natural maturity and function of the immune system.  Due to environmental challenges early in life, many individuals never develop a normal immune response and are prone to allergic reactions throughout their life.  Others encounter some sort of an immune insult during the course of their life that throws their immune system out of control

The most common immune insults include physical trauma that damages the upper cervical spine.  This form of trauma could include a slip or fall, a car accident, bad sleeping habits, or poor posture.  This leads to an upper cervical (neck) subluxation that puts pressure on the brain stem.  Upper cervical subluxations lead to badly coordinated immunity and allergic reactions in many individuals.

Family Strategies to Reduce Risk of Allergies

There are some great strategies a family could take to ensure that children will not develop allergies.  Before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and during lactation moms should optimize their vitamin D3 levels to 60-100 ng/ml.  They should also boost their microbial friends by eating raw fruits and vegetables and fermented foods and by taking probiotic supplements.  They should stabilize their omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acid ratios by eating grass-fed meats and wild-caught fish and purified fish oil supplements.  SAnd, of course, they should completely avoid processed foods and foods cooked with inferior vegetable oils.

The newborn baby should be exclusively breast fed for at least the first 6 months and ideally the first 12-18 months.  Mother’s milk provides valuable immunoglobins early in life that play an enormous role in supporting the infant’s immune system as it matures.  Mother’s milk is also a rich source of medium chain saturated fats such as lauric acid that help feed and strengthen immune cells.  Mother’s milk provides IgA and probiotics which inoculate the baby’s gut and give it a defense against dangerous intestinal microbes that can cause damage to the gut lining.

Vaccinated Children and Allergies

Vaccinated children are much more susceptible to allergies.  In fact, a 2010 study found that 40% of vaccinated children reported to have at least one allergy, whereas less than 10% of children who were not vaccinated reported an allergy.  The same study showed that almost 11% of vaccinated children have seasonal allergies whereas only 2.5% of non-vaccinated children have this condition.

Beating allergies includes an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle.  This is done by rebuilding the intestinal wall with probiotics and fermented foods.  De-inflaming the body also involves avoiding inflammatory foods and consuming whole foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids and anti-oxidants.  Finally, optimizing vitamin D levels and drinking ample amounts of purified water is very important.

Chiropractic Care for Optimal Immunity:

Chiropractic care to remove upper cervical subluxations and restore proper structural and neurological function to the spine and nervous system is especially critical.  This includes very specific adjustment applied to release pressure on the brain stem region and specific exercises to maintain this correction and improve postural abnormalities.

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Beat Pancreatitis Naturally

Pancreatitis is a severely painful chronic inflammatory disorder of the pancreas.  It happens when the pancreatic enzymes become activated within the pancreas and begin digesting the cellular wall.  You can beat pancreatitis with natural healing strategies.

The most common signs and symptoms of pancreatitis include severe, burning pain in the upper abdomen that often radiates into the back with nausea and vomiting that worsens with eating.  During an acute attack , the individual goes into a state of dehydration; blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rate spike.  Chronic pancreatitis will often lead to low energy, nutritional deficiencies, diabetes, and pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatitis and Gall Stones

Pancreatitis is most often associated with excessive alcohol intake and gallstone formation.  When gallstones get large they obstruct the pancreatic duct from effectively emptying their enzymes into the small intestine.  Pancreatitis is characterized by lab results through blood amylase or lipase levels that will be four to six times higher than normal variations.

When the pancreas is hyperstimulated (alcohol or excessive eating) or when the bile-pancreatic duct is obstructed (gall stones), increased pancreatic duct pressure activates the enzyme trypsin.  When intracellular protective mechanisms to prevent trypsinogen and trypsin activation are overwhelmed, it leads to activation within the pancreas with auto-digestion of the pancreatic gland and resulting inflammation.  This can result in severe pain common to acute pancreatitis and chronic symptoms associated with chronic pancreatitis.

Steps to Prevent Pancreatitis

The best action steps to prevent pancreatitis flare-ups are to follow an anti-inflammatory nutrition plan that is free of sugars, grains, high fruit consumption, and processed foods of any kind.  Meals should focus on good fat sources, anti-oxidants, clean proteins, fiber, and fermented foods.

Be sure to avoid all common food allergens, alcohol, and caffeine as these can trigger further problems.  If you have pancreatitis or gallstones, or are at risk of getting these, be sure to make coconut oil your primary fatty acid.  The small and medium chain fatty acids in coconut oil are easy to metabolize and do not depend on high amounts of pancreatic enzymes or bile.  Use other good fats in moderation to reduce stress on the gall bladder and pancreas.

Load up On SuperFoods

Eat good fat sources such as coconut, avocados, raw chocolate, extra-virgin olive oil, and sprouted seeds.  Loads of phytonutrient rich vegetables, lemons & limes and organic herbs should be used.  This includes red onions, which are rich in anthocyanins and quercetin and dark leafy greens such as kale, collards, and spinach which are loaded with lutein, zeaxanthin, and chlorophyll.

Clean proteins include organic poultry, 100% grass-fed beef and wild caught fish.  Great sources of fiber including sprouted chia, flax, hemp, and pumpkin seeds.  The best fermented foods include sauerkraut, apple cider vinegar, kombucha, coconut kefir, fermented herbal botanicals, and fermented raw dairy from 100% grass-fed cows.

A lifestyle build around superfoods and intermittent water fasting for periods of 16-24 hours daily is especially helpful.  Intermittent fasting allows the digestive system to rest and heal.  During the fast, drink as much clean water, green drinks, herbal teas, and herbal anti-oxidant extracts as possible.  No calorie rich foods or high sugar fruits should be used during this period.

Steps to Alleviate Acute Pancreatitis

If you are suffering with acute pancreatitis then you will want to do a water fast with anti-oxidant extracts.  No solid food should be consumed during this period and absolutely no high sugar, protein, or fatty foods as these all require specific pancreatic enzymes to digest.

The best herbal extracts for pancreatic function include turmeric, milk thistle, holy basil, ginger and dandelion.  These herbs are best taken in a fermented form with organic acids, enzymes and probiotics for optimal absorption.  Drinking lemon water and organic herbal teas is also highly recommended to soothe the pancreatic duct.

One could also juice lemon, ginger, dandelion, cucumber, celery, and kale to make a powerful anti-inflammatory green drink.  This should help soothe the pancreatic duct and allow for healthy secretion of pancreatic enzymes.   The individual should rest and can do coffee enemas to help move out toxins and relax the pancreas and gall bladder.

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The Extraordinary Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is a common Asian drink that has picked up popularity throughout North America.  Many are choosing green tea as a healthy alternative to coffee and other warm drinks.  Research has shown that green tea is rich in polyphenol anti-oxidants that have extraordinary health benefits.

Green, black, and oolong tea are all part of the same species called Camellia sinensis.  Local growing conditions create variability and a multitude of distinctive leaves.  The processing of the leaves plays the biggest role in the creation of the three types of teas.  The length of time they are processed dictates the color, taste, and nutrient content of the different varieties of tea.

Green Tea is Highest in Anti-Oxidants

Green tea is the least processed of the three and contains the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity) of the three teas.  Green tea is rich in the polyphenol anti-oxidant catechin called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).  This anti-oxidant is thought by most to be responsible for the health benefits linked to green tea consumption.

ECGC is considered to be one hundred times more potent than vitamin C and twenty-four times stronger than vitamin E.  The powerful ability to scavenge free radicals makes green tea one of the best anti-aging herbs.  ECGC is one of a handful of unique anti-oxidants that has shown an ability to influence mutant DNA formations to reverse chronic disease states.

Green Tea Lowers Mortality Risk

A September 2006 study in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that drinking green tea lowers the risk of mortality from all causes including cardiovascular disease.  This was an eleven year study following 40,530 adults ranging in age from 40-79 in the northeastern region of Japan.  Eighty percent of this population drinks green tea and over half consume at least three cups per day.

Those who drank five or more cups a day had a significantly lower risk of death from all causes than those who drank less than one cup of green tea daily.  Men had a 12% lower risk of mortality, 22% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, and 42% lower risk of dying from stroke.  Women had a 23% lower mortality rate and 31% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and 62% lower risk of dying from stroke.

Green Tea and Cancer

A metanalysis of thirteen studies that was published in Carcinogenesis July 2006 demonstrated that women who drink green tea have a 22% lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who do not drink green tea.

A study published in December 2004 in Cancer Research discussed how ECGC in green tea was able to decrease insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) while increasing levels of IGF binding protein-3, which binds IGF-1.  This reduces the risk of breast, colon, prostate and lung cancer.  It also inhibits key cancer survival proteins and reduces the expression of compounds associated with cancer metastasis.

A study published in Cancer Research in March 2005 showed that ECGC inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), which cancer cells need in order to grow.  In fact, DHFR is a common target of many expensive and toxic cancer drugs such as methotrexate.  ECGC does not bind as strongly and is not as powerful as methotrexate , but it does not have the negative effects on normal cells found with methotrexate use.

Green Tea Boosts Immunity and Prevents the Flu

A November 2005 issue of Antiviral Research demonstrated how EGCG inhibits the flu virus from replicating in a cell culture.  Scientists found that it blocks the hemagglutinin enzyme in the virus which inhibits its ability to infect other cells.  It also suppresses viral RNA synthesis by altering key properties of the viral cell membrane.

ECGC has been shown to suppress the pathogenic viruses such as Epstein Barr, herpes simplex, HIV-1 and the influenza virus.  Green tea contains high levels of L-theanine which has been shown to activate human gamma-delta T lymphocytes to proliferate and make interferone gamma If-G.  If-G is a potent antimicrobial cytokine that is the first line of defense in the blood stream against infection.

Green tea also contains small amounts of alkylamines which are also present in pathogenic organisms.  When we drink green tea, the alkylamines present act as relatively weak antigens that don’t fully activate the immune system but get it in a ready state.  This primes the immune system against bacterial and viral invaders.

Green Tea as a Th2 Immune System Stimulator

Some natural health practitioners have labeled green tea as a Th2 stimulating agent.  Although this hasn’t yet been proven through research, there are various case studies indicating that green tea may have this effect.  This herb would be particularly effective for individuals with a Th1 dominance as it will help balance out the immune system.

It is advisable for individuals with Th2 dominant conditions to do a supplement challenge where they intentionally see how their body responds to green tea or another Th2 stimulating compound before they begin indiscriminately using it .  If it is shown through a cytokine blood test or through an herbal or supplemental challenge that the individual has a Th2 dominance, then it is best to avoid green tea.

Green Tea Caffeine Content and ContraIndications

Green tea contains caffeine, but it is less than half of that found in coffee.  The amount of caffeine found in green tea  varies depending upon the amount of tea used, the brand, and the quality.  The first infusion of green tea leaves is the highest quality and has the most amount of caffeine.

It is extremely important to get organic green tea since the conventional tea may be highly sprayed with toxic pesticides and herbicides.  Many coffee shops and big companies carry green tea that is commercially produced and contains an abundance of environmental toxins.  This is not healthy and should be avoided.

Pregnant women and newborns shouldn’t drink large amounts of green tea as its ability to bind to DHFR may increase the risk of folate deficiencies in the newborn and increase the risk of spina bifida or other neural tube disorders.

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