Imagine This

You bring a beautiful baby girl into this world. You count her fingers and toes. You can’t believe the wonder of this tiny, perfect human being. She trusts you to keep her warm, nourished, and safe from harm.

You and others hold down your baby or when she has grown and is a little girl. Someone uses a scalpel, a knife, a razor blade, a piece of glass, or some other sharp instrument to cut the skin off of her clitoris and remove all or part of it. Perhaps more is done. Perhaps the inner lips of her labia are removed. Perhaps the opening to the vagina is surgically altered. Perhaps the entire labia is sewn together leaving only a small opening, one that is not large enough to deliver a baby, not large enough to allow intercourse unless it is ruptured and torn.

If you live in the United States or Great Britain, you will probably go to the country from which you or your family originated – Africa, Asia, or the Middle East – to have this procedure performed because it is illegal in the United States and Britain. In Britain, you would face a 14-year prison term. In the United States? Probably 30 years, or more.

You love your daughter. Why would you do this?

You do this for social, cultural, or religious reasons. You do this because you have been raised to believe that female circumcision promotes cleanliness and reduction of libido, aiding in chastity before marriage. Your culture tells you your unaltered child is not marriageable. You do it because it was done to you or the mother of your child. You do this because it was done to all the women in your family. You do this because you believe it is the right thing to do.

The list of complications from female circumcision is long. At one end, we find infections, at the other end, sterilization or death. Altered vaginal openings may result in infant death or maternal death during childbirth. Sexuality is forever altered due to the loss of the clitoris and the damage done to other tissues. The circumcision is performed at various ages and can result in significant emotional trauma. This horrific practice continues primarily due to custom and religion.

Now Imagine This

You bring a beautiful, perfect baby boy into this world. In less than 24 hours, a nurse, doctor, or midwife comes to you with a clipboard and a form, asking you to sign permission to cut off the foreskin of your baby’s penis. Skin that nature provided to protect the glans. Skin that is filled with nerve endings that heighten sexual response. Skin that works with the penis during intercourse for normal sexual function, increasing pleasure for both the male and the female.

Why would you do this?

You do this for social, cultural, or religious reasons.

You do this because you have been told that male circumcision promotes cleanliness or prevents disease. You do this because it was done to you or the father of your child. Or you do this because you fell for the lame argument, “You don’t want him to be teased in the locker room for looking different, do you?”

History of Male Circumcision

Looking back at the history of male circumcision in the United States, we find that male circumcision has been the norm in this country for generations. We, as a culture, have been brainwashed into believing that an intact foreskin results in a lack of cleanliness that leads to disease, including cancer and HIV. But that’s not how this medical malpractice started in the United States. It began with the fear of sexuality – specifically, nocturnal emissions (wet dreams) and masturbation. Circumcision was claimed to cure or prevent both of these “horrific acts.” These claims were followed by more claims and “scientific” papers “proving” ridiculous cures through circumcision. These cures and preventions include:

• Prevents syphilis
• Cures epilepsy
• Prevents epilepsy
• Prevents spinal paralysis
• Cures bedwetting
• Prevents curvature of the spine, paralysis, and clubfoot
• Cures abdominal neuralgia
• Cures eye problems
• Prevents crossed eyes
• Cures blindness, deafness, and dumbness
• Prevents blacks from raping white women
• Cures urinary and rectal incontinence
• Prevents tuberculosis
• Prevents penile cancer
• Promotes chastity
• Prevents prostrate cancer
• Prevents venereal disease and cancer of the tongue
• Prevents cervical cancer in women
• Provides immunity to nearly all physical and mental illnesses
• Cures nervousness
• Prevents bladder cancer and cancer of the rectum
• Prevents urinary tract infections
• Prevents AIDS
• Prevents neonatal group B streptococcal disease
• Prevents HIV infection

The information above was included in an interesting slide show presented by the International Coalition for Genital Integrity. Their slides show the rise and fall of circumcision rates in the U.S. and the U.K. along a timeline in association with the misinformation pushed upon the American people through the medicalization of circumcision. (See link below).

The history of circumcision predates recorded history and is a global phenomenon. It is argued that the practice of circumcision came from cultural diffusion, that it was a practice that started with early man in Africa and was retained after humanity dispersed. The argument for this belief is simply that it was unlikely the practice started spontaneously across the globe in various cultures. However, we should bear in mind that many human behaviors started spontaneously and independently across the globe including agriculture, pottery making, tools, and weaponry.

It is also argued that foreskin (especially if it is tight) is a physiological barrier to early sexuality that aided in delaying reproduction, thereby favoring natural selection. Many cultures ritualized circumcision as a rite of passage from childhood to manhood—preparing the young man for a sexual union.

It was not only a tribal rite in many places across the globe. It was performed in ancient Egypt as shown by mummies and by hieroglyphics, it is also believed it was performed on slaves and conquered warriors as a show of dominance and humiliation.

Circumcision and Religion Today

People of the Jewish faith practice circumcision due to their belief that God commanded it of Abraham and his descendants (and those he bought) as “…a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you. …And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that should shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.” Genesis 17:714

Cleanliness and hygiene are essential to the Islamic faith. Circumcision is believed to be an important aspect of cleanliness. “Five things are part of the fitrah: shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the moustache, plucking the armpit hairs, and cutting the nails.” Although they do not believe it to be a covenant between God and mankind, they do believe circumcision is submitting to the will of God. They believe female circumcision to be mutilation; it is strictly forbidden.

The Current Pro-Circumcision Argument

In 1975 and again in 1983 and 2005, the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, “…there is no absolute medical indication for routine circumcision of the newborn.” Today they state the following on their website:

“The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that circumcision has potential medical benefits and advantages, as well as risks. Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the procedure’s benefits justify access to this procedure for families who choose it, however, existing scientific evidence is not sufficient to recommend routine circumcision. Therefore, because the procedure is not essential to a child’s current well-being, we recommend that the decision to circumcise is one best made by parents in consultation with their pediatrician, taking into account what is in the best interests of the child, including medical, religious, cultural, and ethnic traditions.”

The arguments for circumcision include:

• Fewer urinary tract infections
• Less risk of penile cancer
• Less risk of transmission of some STDs including HIV

Urinary Tract Infections

Multiple studies have consistently shown fewer urinary tract infections among circumcised infants compared to uncircumcised infants. However, it is important to note that urinary tract infections among all male infants are rare with an annual estimated rate of 0.18% in circumcised male infants verses 0.70% in uncircumcised male infants.

Penile Cancer

According to the American Cancer Society, “Risk factors for developing penis cancer include human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, not being circumcised, being age 60 or older, phimosis, poor hygiene, many sexual partners, and tobacco use.”

Penile cancer is rare. In the U.S. the current projected stats for 2015 are 1,820 new cases will be diagnosed and 310 men will die from penile cancer. It accounts for less than 1% of the cancers afflicting men; however, it accounts for up to 10% of cancers in men in some parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Penile cancer is more common among Hispanic men than non-Hispanic men.

HPV, the human papilloma virus, is believed to be responsible for about 63% of penile cancers, though the CDC states that cancer registries do not collect data on the presence or absence of HPV in cancer tissue at the time of diagnosis.

HIV and Other STDS

When reading scholarly articles about circumcision and STDs, the logic or lack thereof in some of the reports is astounding. For example, in the report, Male circumcision: assessment of health benefits and risks, it states: “There is substantial evidence that circumcision protects males from HIV infection, penile carcinoma, urinary tract infections, and ulcerative sexually transmitted diseases.”

It also says, “Eight (studies) reported a statistically significant association between presence of the foreskin and HIV infection, one reported a trend towards an association, one reported no association, and one reported an increased risk with circumcision. To our knowledge, the latter report is the only one in the literature in which, after controlling for potential confounding factors, male circumcision has been associated with an increased risk for HIV infection.”

In another study, male circumcision and common sexually transmissible diseases in a developed nation setting, its conclusion is as follows: “From the findings of this study, circumcision of men has no significant effect on the incidence of common STDs in this developed nation setting. However, these findings may not necessarily extend to other setting where hygiene is poorer and the spectrum of common STDs is different.”

Circumcision is Painful

We do everything in our power to protect infants from fear and pain, and yet we pretend circumcision is not painful. In reality, it is both painful and traumatic.

Most babies scream frantically when their foreskin is cut off. Some defecate. Some lapse into a coma. The reason some babies don’t cry when they are circumcised is that they can’t cry because they are in a state of shock.” –NOCIRC

Risks of Circumcision

It is rare that a circumcision is completely botched, but it does happen. There are cases where the outcome is the loss of the glans, the shaft of skin, or the entire penis. And there have been cases of sexual reassignment due to the loss of a penis. Babies have died. Other risks include infection, excessive bleeding, and complications from anesthesia (if it was used). We do not know but can only guess at the emotional cost an infant suffers from the initial cut and up to 10 days or more of painful healing. We do not know how this trauma affects bonding during this crucial time.

Circumcised males may suffer from scarring, skin bridges, tearing and bleeding at the circumcision scar site, curvature of the penis, or tight, painful erections.

Not only have they lost the foreskin with all of its many nerve endings, most or all of the sensitivity of the glans has been lost as well. Many circumcised males resent the fact that they are not intact and were not given the choice.

Declaration of the First International Symposium on Circumcision

We recognize the inherent right of all human beings to an intact body. Without religious or racial prejudice, we affirm this basic human right.

We recognize that the foreskin, clitoris, and labia are normal, functional parts of the human body.

Parents and/or guardians do not have the right to consent to the surgical removal or modification of their children’s normal genitalia.

Physicians and other healthcare providers have a responsibility to refuse to remove or mutilate normal parts of the body.

The only persons who may consent to medically unnecessary procedures upon themselves are individuals who have reached the age of consent (adulthood), and then only after being fully informed about the risks and benefits of the procedure.

We categorically state that circumcision has unrecognized victims.

In view of the serious physical and psychological consequences that we have witnessed in victims of circumcision, we hereby oppose the performance of a single additional unnecessary foreskin, clitoral, or labial amputation procedure.

We oppose any further studies that involve the performance of the circumcision procedure upon unconsenting minors. We support any further studies that involve identification of the effects of circumcision.

Physicians and other healthcare providers do have a responsibility to teach hygiene and the care of normal parts of the body and to explain their normal anatomical and physiological development and function throughout life.

We place the medical community on notice that it is being held accountable for misconstruing the scientific database available on human circumcision in the world today.

Physicians who practice routine circumcision are violating the first maxim of medical practice, “Primum Non Nocere” (“First, Do No Harm”), and anyone practicing genital mutilation is violating Article V of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment…”  –  Adopted by the General Assembly, March 3, 1989 Anaheim, California USA

Conclusion

The truth is simple. There was no flaw that surgery can improve upon in the design of our genitals. The foreskin protects the penis. During infancy, the foreskin is adhered to the glans, protecting it from urine, feces, and friction from diapers. In later years, its protective cover keeps the glans moist and the skin soft while protecting it from trauma and injury, whereas unprotected glans become dry, calloused and desensitized. The two other functions of the foreskin are sensory and sexual. An intact penis is four times more sensitive than a circumcised penis. Genital integrity is the right of every human being. It’s time we put an end to this barbaric practice.

Sources:

• Where We Stand – Healthy Children.org
• Female genital mutilation – NHS Choices
• Jewish Practices & Rituals: Circumcision – Brit Milah – Jewish Virtual Library
• Penile Cancer – American Cancer Society
• HPV-Associated Penile Cancer Rates by Race and Ethnicity – CDC
• Male Circumcision – CDC Fact Sheet
• Personal Hygiene : Cleanliness is Half of Faith – The Religion of Islam
• Male circumcision: assessment of health benefits and risks; Stephen Moses, Robert C Bailey, Allan R Ronald – Departments of Medical Microbiology, Community Health Sciences and Medicine, University
• of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• Male circumcision and common sexually transmissible diseases in a developed nation setting B Donovan, I Bassett, N J Bodsworth, Genitourin Med 1994;70:317-320

Much of the work we do as gardeners involves pulling weeds, and many of us can attest that this is not our favorite part. The good news is that there are many common garden weeds you can leave right where they are.

Edible weeds have been a common food source throughout history and a regular part of the American diet up until the rise of the supermarket and the shift towards large-scale agriculture. More recently, people have been re-discovering these nutrient-rich plants as part of a healthy, organic diet, and, as a result, educational opportunities abound. There is a variety of books, websites, classes and entire schools dedicated to teaching how to harvest and prepare these foods. If you read up on the subject, you will also find many wild, edible weeds offer the added benefit of medicinal properties.

Getting Started

The best way to get started is to learn how to identify your garden weeds. There are some very useful book resources out there with colored guides to positively identify the plants you are looking for and “weed” out poisonous look-alikes. Petersen Field Guide: Edible Wild Plants, by Lee Allen Peterson is a handy all-around reference that includes more than 370 edible plants, colored illustrations, photographs, and directions on preparation. If you want to get a little more in-depth on some of the more common wild edibles, Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods from Dirt to Plate by John Kallas, Ph.D. includes thorough identification and recipes. There are also many local wild food groups popping up in towns everywhere, and an internet search should turn up local organizations.

There are also many local wild food groups popping up in towns everywhere, and an Internet search should turn up local organizations, workshops, and plant walks. Social media sites like Facebook offer another resource for national and local plant identification groups. On-line communities are a great place to ask questions, post-plant pictures, and benefit from the collective knowledge of others. Once you feel comfortable with identification, you can go out and start shopping for free in your own backyard.

Dandelion

The first and most common of these weeds is the dandelion. This plant is tenacious, managing to grow everywhere from cracks in sidewalks to all over your lawn. There is a huge agrichemical industry geared towards the American homeowner and the idea that a well-kept lawn is a weed-free lawn, with the dandelion depicted as the number one enemy. People are convinced they should spend their time and money eradicating the dandelion with harmful herbicides. The truth is, dandelions are very useful and are easily managed by hand-pulling and regular harvesting. The greens that emerge in the early spring are rich in antioxidants, Beta-carotene, vitamin C, Vitamin D, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorous, sodium, and a variety of trace minerals. They are also fairly high in protein. Not only can you eat the leaves, but the cheery yellow flowers make an excellent addition to colorful salads and can be added to stir-fries. My favorite thing to make with them are dandelion fritters for a festive springtime meal. In addition, the root makes a delicious coffee-like beverage when roasted, ground and brewed.

The value of dandelions doesn’t stop there. They are used as an herbal remedy for anemia, blood disorders, promoting digestion, improving liver and kidney function, regulating diabetes, lowering blood pressure and high cholesterol, and slowing the growth of cancerous cells.

Plantain

Not to be confused with the banana-like plant of more tropical regions, this common garden weed has a similar nutritional profile to dandelions and grows in equal abundance. Often this weed can be found growing everywhere from garden beds to lawns and roadsides. The green oval-shaped leaves sprout from the center of a rosette with a stalk covered in seeds rising from the center. Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked in sautés, soups, and stews. They are often blanched before they are added to salads or frozen for later use. The shoots when young and green are excellent sautéed in olive oil, and still edible once older, but the fibers present a bit more work for eating. The seeds can be stripped off the stalk and eaten as well, although this is a somewhat tedious process.

Plantain leaves can also be mashed between your fingers and applied as a topical poultice for relief of cuts, scrapes, bruises, and especially insect bites. Plantain is naturally anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory. Dried leaves can be steeped for an herbal tea for general enjoyment and to treat liver and kidney disorders, urinary tract infections, gallstones, ulcers and bronchitis.

Chickweed

This plant gets its common name from the affinity chickens have for it, and those chickens are definitely on to something. Chickweed grows in a network of long, succulent stems with pointed leaves and tiny, white star-shaped flowers. It grows in gardens, lawns, and even in the shade under the canopy of trees. These tender greens are best harvested in May through July and if transplanted or sown by seed, it can be cultivated in a cold frame throughout the winter when fresh greens are hard to come by. It’s also a good plant to keep around in the garden because it decreases insect damage to other garden plants where it grows. The stems and leaves make an excellent salad green and sandwich fixing and they can be added to soups and stews, chopped stems and all. Chickweed is highly nutritious, providing vitamins A, B complex, C, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, sodium,

Chickweed is highly nutritious, providing vitamins A, B complex, C, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, manganese, sodium, copper, and silica. Due to the high content of saponins, it helps increase the body’s absorption of nutrients. It is so highly nutritious, in fact, that it was commonly recommended for convalescents and people recovering from illness to help build strength.

Externally, finely chopped chickweed will soothe and heal cuts, scrapes, burns, eczema, and rashes. Steeped as a tea, it has diuretic properties that promote kidney and urinary tract health. It is also considered an old wives’ remedy for obesity, due to its ability to break up and flush out excess fat cells.

Lamb’s-Quarters

This common weed is also known as “wild spinach”, and while it is quite similar, it is much easier to grow. This plant has tall stems with diamond shaped leaves that are green on top and whitish underneath, and appear dusty at a distance. Tiny green clusters of flowers grow from the top in spikes. Anywhere where soil has been disturbed, lamb’s quarters loves to fill in the spaces, which conveniently happens in our garden beds in the spring. It is best harvested before it goes to seed, as it spreads quickly through the garden. It is also important not to harvest it in areas contaminated by chemicals or synthetic fertilizers, as it readily absorbs and stores them.

Lamb’s-quarters is much higher in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B Vitamins, calcium, phosphorous, niacin, iron, and protein than spinach and most of the other domesticated greens. You can use lamb’s quarters the same way you would use spinach in any dish. Like spinach, it is high in oxalic acid, which inhibits absorption of iron and calcium. Small amounts of raw lamb’s quarters are fine to eat, in things like salads and smoothies, but larger amounts should be cooked to break down the oxalic acid. It is rumoured to taste better than spinach when steamed, so be prepared for a treat.

Medicinally, lamb’s quarters are used as a tea or simply eaten to treat stomach upset and diarrhea. A simple external poultice can also be made by crushing up the leaves to soothe swelling and burns.

Nettles

And finally, my favorite superfood, stinging nettle. If you live on acreage or near a park, you may find them nettles in patches at the edge of wooded areas or find them in the shady parts of yards, often next to buildings. You may have had unpleasant run-ins with this plant, making it difficult to imagine any warm, fuzzy feelings towards it, but learn to handle it right and you’ll have a great ally in the plant kingdom.

In the spring, if you put on your garden gloves and pinch off the top few inches of the stalk and leaves, you can steam, stir-fry, puree or brew away the troublesome spines for a culinary delight.

Nettles are so high in so many nutrients, that you can’t help but feel like a superhero after eating them. Not only are they chock-full of Vitamins A,C, E, F, K, P and B Vitamins, they are also high in zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, boron, bromine, calcium, chlorine, chlorophyll, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, iodine, chromium, silicon, sulfur, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin. Top that off with 16 free amino acids, beta carotene, antioxidants, protein and fiber, and its no wonder they are referred to as nature’s multi-vitamin!

Nettles are delicious in soups and broths. They make a vitamin rich tea, pair nicely with eggs in scrambles and quiches, and even make a lovely pesto when substituted for basil.

Medicinally, nettles are used as a spring cleansing tonic, a blood builder, a PMS treatment, and as a diuretic. Nettles have also gained notoriety as a natural remedy for allergies, asthma, hay fever, hives, and respiratory issues. Topically, the nettle’s sting has been successfully for treating arthritis and tendinitis.

The Benefits of Edible Weeds

When it comes down to it, it is much more efficient to cultivate plants that are already thriving where they’re growing. They will require less watering and overall care. If they are a spreading weed, you will just need to make sure you keep harvesting enough to keep it contained. By working with, rather than fighting some of these plants, you will also benefit from freeing up extra time and energy to devote to other areas of your garden. You can’t get much more local than food harvested right out of your back yard, and you will know it was organically grown and chemical-free. When it comes down to it, what better way to get revenge on your garden weeds than to eat them!

Recipes:

Mountain Hearth Dandelion Fritters

Ingredients:

• a few handfuls of freshly picked dandelion flower heads
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 egg slightly beaten
• cooking oil of choice for frying
• sesame oil, cider vinegar and tamari for dipping sauce

 In a bowl, mix dry ingredients, then whisk in water and egg with a fork. Heat enough oil in the bottom of a skillet to create a layer for frying. This can be to your preference, but I try to aim for 1/2 inch depth. Dip each flower head in the batter until thoroughly coated and fry until crispy. In a smaller bowl, mix sesame oil, cider vinegar and tamari to a consistency of your liking for the dipping sauce. Serve hot as a delicious spring appetizer.

Other Recipies: 

• Baked Plantain
• Chickweed Salad
• Lamb’s Quarters Soup
• Stinging Nettle Recipes

Further Reading:

• Purslane and Recipes
• Mulberries and Mulberry Recipes
• Elderberries and Recipes

Resources:

• Wild Food Adventures
• Edible Wild Food
• Wild Edible
• Nettles: a traditional medicinal plant – Nettles for Health

Nichole Rolfe (formerly Bruff) was expelled from the nursing program at Baker College in 2013 for “harassment of staff.” Rolfe readily admits that she had respectfully questioned two of her teachers during classroom discussions when each of them instructed the students to use diversion, misinformation, threats, and blatant lies to coerce their patients (not theoretical patients- current hospital patients) to comply with vaccination demands. Within two weeks of these incidences, Rolfe was expelled from the program with no warning, no recourse, and no right to appeal.

On April 5, 2015, Rolfe and her lawyer filed charges against the college.

First Instructor: Lie About Reason for Vaccinations – Give Misinformation – Deflect Fears and Concerns

The first instructor named in the complaint, Connie Smith, Assistant Director of Nursing, instructed the students to tell expectant mothers and their partners that they were not allowed access to the labor and delivery floor until they received a Tdap vaccine. The reason given for this demand was the safety and protection the vaccine would give to the newborns. The instructor was clear in her directives that the nursing students were to misrepresent facts and disregard patients’ concerns, including fears of vaccine injuries.

Rolfe questioned the deception- the reality that vaccinations would not provide protection for 4-6 weeks, therefore they would not in any way protect the hospital newborns from disease. She asked why she would be required to participate in behavior contrary to ethical and legal standards regarding informed consent. The instructor ended the discussion, stating they would pick it up at a later time.

Code of Ethics for Nurses, American Nurses Association

Respect for human dignity requires the recognition of specific patient rights, in particular, the right to self-determination. Patients have the moral and legal right to determine what will be done with and to their own person; to be given accurate, complete, and understandable information in a manner that facilitates an informed decision; and to be assisted with weighing the benefits, burdens, and available options in their treatment, including the choice of no treatment. They also have the right to accept, refuse, or terminate treatment without deceit, undue influence, duress, coercion, or prejudice, and to be given necessary support throughout the decision- making and treatment process. Such support includes the opportunity to make decisions with family and significant others and to obtain advice from expert, knowledgeable nurses and other health professionals.” – Excerpt – 1.4 The Right to Self-Determination

Instructor Two: Give Sick Children Vaccines and Threaten Medicaid Recipients

Two days after this incident, the second instructor named in the complaint, Alysia Osoff, gave instructions for the students to use any means necessary to bring pediatric patients up-to-date on their vaccines before their discharge from the hospital. She told the students to lie to the parents receiving Medicaid and to threaten them by telling them that non-compliance could result in Medicaid refusing to pay their hospital bill, making them liable for the charges.

Again, Rolfe questioned the instruction. First she questioned why sick children would be targeted for vaccination when the drug inserts (instructions) clearly warn against vaccinating sick children. Then Rolfe questioned the ethics and legality of lying to parents and threatening them to gain vaccination compliance.

Rolfe maintains that she remained calm and professional throughout this exchange while Osoff “… became completely unhinged…”

The directions given by these two instructors were in complete contradiction to the training these nursing students had received including written information in their textbooks. More importantly, the instructions violated the law, ethics, and morality. This lack of integrity mirrors the doctrine of the pro-vaccine camp with its endemic lies, manipulations, and threats.

In addition to Rolfe’s honesty and integrity, she was an “A” student, 20 weeks from graduation. Her expulsion not only ended her training at Baker College, it left her blackballed for other schools. We can only hope Nichole Rolfe is successful in her lawsuit and her goal to become a nurse practitioner/midwife and that she finds excellent employment with like-minded professionals.

Further Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Influenza Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness of the Flu Shot
• The MMR Vaccine – A Comprehensive Overview Of the Potential Dangers and Effectiveness
• How Plumbing, Not Vaccines, Eradicated Disease
• Autism and Vaccines: CDC Whistleblower Exposes Vaccine Dangers, Lies, and Cover-ups

Sources:

• Student Who Refused to Lie About Vaccines and was Kicked out of Nursing School Fights Back with Lawsuit – Health Impact News
• Legal Complaint
• Code of Ethics for Nurses – ANA American Nurses Association

If you are making a transition from conventional medicine to an all-natural, organic approach to wellness, it helps to know which items to stock up on so your medicine chest and first aid supplies are ready for action.

Many of the items you will need are likely to be found in your pantry or refrigerator. Try to keep extra on hand – especially the essentials.

Items for a Well-Stocked, All Natural Medicine Cabinet

Raw and Fresh

• Garlic
• Ginger root
• Aloe vera

Dry Stuff

• Baking soda (non aluminum, organic)
• Sea salt
• Cayenne pepper
• Eyebright tea

Bottles and Jars

• Raw, organic honey
• Organic coconut oil
• Apple cider vinegar
• Alcohol
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Argan Oil

Essential Oils

• Eucalyptus
• Tee tree oil
• Neem oil
• Cinnamon oil

Vitamins

• Vitamin C
• B-complex
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A

Other

• Epsom salts

Bandages

• Rolls of gauze
• Squares
• Butterfly bandages
• Finger gauze
• Tape
• Band-Aids

Hardware

• Eye cup
• Droppers and bottles
• Neti pot
• Hot water bottle
• Ice packs
• Tweezers
• Magnifying glass
• Scissors

Tonics and Supplements to Buy

• Total Tonic
• Spanish black radish
• Echinacea

First Aid

First aid doesn’t have to be complicated. That said, there are many alternative treatments for the same problem. Don’t hesitate to do the research to learn a variety of treatments.

Burns– Immediately cool the area by running it under cold water. Follow with ice. Cover with aloe vera, bandage if desired.

Scrapes – Wash the area with organic soap, rinse and pat dry. If you feel the need to further cleanse the area, pour on a little hydrogen peroxide. Pat dry. You can use raw honey for a dressing or 1 teaspoon coconut oil with 4-8 drops of essential oil (tee tree oil, cinnamon, etc.) or cover with argan oil.

Eyes – If you get something in your eye an eyewash can be very helpful. Make a saline solution with pure water (distilled is best) and salt. Boil the water, even if it is distilled. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of boiling water. Allow the water to cool to lukewarm before using. (Very important! Do not use hot or cold water in your eye!)

Use a sterilized eyecup or dropper. If you keep extra solution, sterilize the jar or bottle.

If you accidently splash a chemical in your eye, don’t wait; flush with tap water immediately – for 20 minutes.

Bug bites – Use apple cider vinegar, cinnamon oil, aloe vera, tea tree oil and others. Remember to use a carrier oil with essential oils. (Mix 4-8 drops of essential oil with one teaspoon of coconut or other oil.

Infections

There are four types of infection: bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitical. In order to be healthy, your body needs a strong immune system. Diet is the most important element to health. Your body requires a full array of nutrients for every system in the body. Minimizing exposure to toxins and helping the body eliminate waste and toxins is the next step. Good sleep, exercise, sunlight, and grounding are all important as well.

If you eat a truly healthy diet, you will rarely get sick. When you do, your immune system will respond quickly and efficiently. You still might want to help it along now and then.

Viral Infection – At the first sign of a viral infection, gargle with pure apple cider vinegar. The more you gargle, the better. This lessens the viral load, killing off those nasty bugs so your immune system doesn’t have to battle so many. Gargle enough (every hour!) and you will definitely experience a milder illness or you may just nip it in the bud. Total Tonic can also be a great help. To learn how to make your own, check out Natural Remedies for Colds, Flus, and Other Common Viruses for the recipe.

Fungus (Athlete’s Foot or other skin infections) – First try straight apple cider vinegar. Just pour it on or use a cotton ball to squeeze it on the effected area. Tea tree oil (4-8 drops with 1 teaspoon of coconut oil) can be applied to skin or fingernails and toenails.

When you have a fungal infection, you can bet you have an overgrowth of fungus in your gut. Check out How to Kill Candida and Balance Your Inner Ecosystem.

Parasites – No parasites are not limited to third world countries. A truly healthy diet with plenty of raw food (80% at least!) helps the body rid itself of parasites. See Common Parasites and How to Kill Them. You definitely don’t want uninvited critters feasting on your body.

Bacterial Infection – Gargle with apple cider vinegar for a sore throat, too. Yes, it burns like crazy, but afterwards, the pain is usually gone. Spanish black radish is remarkable for bacterial infections of all kinds – bronchitis, pneumonia, strep throat, tooth infection, etc. Garlic is also a time-honored cure. To strengthen the immune system for viruses and all other parasites, check out Make Your Immune System Bullet Proof.

How to Use Other Items in Your Medicine Chest

Ginger – Use ginger to settle the stomach. It’s great for nausea. Use it for migraines. Make fresh juice at the first sign of a migraine. Apple/carrot juice with ginger is awesome. It knocks migraines out before they can get going. More on Ginger.

Garlic – Garlic is one of nature’s strongest antibiotic, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, and antiviral substances. Eat it raw, but know that this practice, while great for killing viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, might make you throw up. Try chasing it with a ginger shot to keep it down. You can also use garlic topically to kill warts and eliminate skin tags. More on garlic.

Baking Soda and Salt – Make a saline solution to wash the sinuses with a neti pot at the first sign of infection or when pollen becomes a problem. For instructions, check out How to Use a Neti Pot for Sinus Infections.

Eyebright Tea – Eyebright tea knocks out pink eye and relieves eye inflammation. Be sure to thoroughly strain the tea so that no plant particles remain in the solution. Use an eye cup and rinse the eye with the solution. (Remember solutions for the eyes must be lukewarm, not hot or cold). Be sure to check out Shillington’s Eyebright Formula.

Epsom Salts – Use Epsom salts for a variety of muscle or skin issues, including muscle cramps. To learn how to properly use Epsom salts, read The Health Benefits Of Epsom Salt Baths.

As you learn more about natural remedies, it might help to keep a notebook. There is much to learn and many homemade recipes you will want to remember. As you do, your natural medicine chest will grow.

Further Reading:

• How to Optimize Curcumin Absorption – With Golden Milk Tea Recipe
• Cayenne and Capsaicin, Natures Miracle Medicine

Doctors who know how to heal people understand that disease almost always starts in the gut, and more importantly, they realize the gut has to be healthy for the body to fully heal from any disease.

Anyone suffering from an overabundance of Candida has a damaged intestinal wall that allows proteins, sugars, Candida, bacteria, and other microbes to escape the intestines and enter the bloodstream. This leads to allergies, a weakened and damaged immune system, ADHD, a myriad of autoimmune ailments and diseases, localized infections, systemic infections, and so much more.

Gluten and Candida

For many, gluten is difficult or impossible to properly digest. It takes an abundance of healthy bacteria to properly digest gluten. One of the many reasons our ancestors had less of a problem with digesting gluten than we do is that they used to use a probiotic culture that pre-digested the gluten proteins before they baked the bread. In addition, sugar consumption has been on the rise for decades, and there is a direct correlation with our increased sugar consumption and pretty much everything that’s wrong with our bodies. This increased sugar consumption feeds and increases Candida, disrupting the natural, beneficial flora in the gut.

When the gut is not healthy (flora is not balanced), gluten proteins harm the intestinal tract, causing irritation and inflammation. For those with the genetic predisposition to celiac disease, eating gluten, even with a healthy intestinal tract, causes some damage to the intestinal lining, which attracts Candida and causes other “non-beneficial” or “bad” microbes to flourish. As long as the diet for those with the predisposition remains healthy and the person does not often eat wheat, the intestinal tract can heal without any noticeable symptoms.

A protein found in Candida called HWP-1 is identical or highly homologous (nearly identical) to two gluten proteins, alpha gliadin and gamma-gliadin. These proteins are known to stimulate immune cell responses in people with celiac disease. In other words, Candida, the yeast responsible for oral thrush and vaginal infections (and so much more), contains the same protein sequence as wheat gluten, and therefore could trigger celiac disease.

Related: Gluten Intolerance, Wheat Allergies, and Celiac Disease – It’s More Complicated Than You Think

Leaky Gut Syndrome

In a healthy gut, cells that make up the lining of the intestinal wall bind tightly together. Research has discovered that trace amounts of gluten can irritate these cells and deteriorate their bonds. This bond between intestinal cells on the cell walls prevents large food particles, undigested sugars, undigested proteins, and gut microbes (parasites, bacteria, fungi) from leaking into the blood. Candida overgrowth also deteriorates the intestinal wall. Candida grows filaments or tentacles that “drill” into the gut lining and grow into the gut wall.

When the intestinal wall is inflamed, intestinal villi become damaged or destroyed. These hair-like projections that protrude from the epithelial lining of the intestinal wall are the means for our bodies to absorb nutrients and fats. With fewer villi, the gut lining becomes very hospitable to Candida and will become irritated, dry, inflamed, and much more permeable than it’s meant to be. Increased permeability in the intestinal wall allows larger compounds called luminal antigens and commensal gut flora to penetrate the intestinal tissue, contributing to more inflammation. More inflammation leads to more permeability. Eventually, the walls that line the intestinal tract become permeable to the degree that undigested food particles and gut flora enter the bloodstream.

While there are thousands of reputable published articles on intestinal permeability, there are also sites like Quackwatch and England’s National Health Service giving stern warnings against this “unproven” diagnosis. The medical establishment ignored, buried, and discredited leaky gut syndrome but leaky gut has been proven. There is actually a medical test for it, developed in the 1980s by UCLA researchers. The researchers were trying to understand the cause of Crohn’s Disease, and they found that leaky gut preceded inflammation, which suggests that a leaky gut at least plays a significant role in the development of autoimmune disorders.

Related: How To Heal Your Gut

Leaky Gut Syndrome and Autoimmune Disease

Candida is not inherently bad, but when left unchecked, when it takes over the gut and is allowed to flourish, it will damage the intestinal wall. Then Candida, along with other microbes, will migrate outside of the intestinal tract and into the body, flourishing everywhere, fed by all the sugars and damaged cells that are also entering the bloodstream. The immune system will react to the Candida (and gluten, with those two similar proteins) as it should, fighting invading pathogens that do not belong in the blood.

Large molecules that weren’t able to permeate the gut before, like bacteria, undigested proteins, undigested sugars, can now leak out of the gut. These antigens leak into the bloodstream and are labeled by the immune system as alien. Antibodies are made for these antigens, and when later exposures occur, the immune system mounts an inflammatory response, which targets tissues and organs.

Leaky gut has been found in association with asthma, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel (inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), lupus, hypothyroidism, kidney disease, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, eczema, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart failure, and celiac disease.

An autoimmune disease is defined as an irregular response of the body’s immune system against substances and tissues normally present in the body (like when the immune system appears to be attacking the body, be it a specific part like an organ, or an entire system like the lymphatic system, or the whole body).

The body’s immune system doesn’t just attack the body like many conventional health practitioners believe. If the body is filled with all kinds of gut microbes and other harmful antigens that belong in the gut (and Candida is typically the most abundant of all of them in these cases), as well as sugars that feed these microbes, and proteins that are considered foreign due to the fact that they are undigested, then the body will appear to be attacking itself when it is attaching these foreign invaders. When infectious or toxic particles penetrate intestinal walls, they trigger a cascade of events that can culminate in any number of ailments.

Candida, and other micro-organisms we consider “bad” are pathogens, or infectious agents, that cause disease or illness to the host. Flora that benefits us can become pathogenic when the gut is unbalanced. These infectious bacteria or fungi live off sugars we feed them and the decomposition of our cells. The easier it is for these symbiotic microorganisms to become pathogenic, reproduce out of control and feed off of your body.

A leaky gut allows for infection to set in anywhere in the body that is most susceptible to infection. This is why old injuries often flare up. Infection sets in wherever there is food to eat. Scar tissue and other damaged tissue provide food for opportunistic infectious microbes like Candida and many other parasites. An organ that is toxic has irritated, damaged, decaying cells within it that provide food for these microbes. The more damaged the body, the more easily infection can take root inside the body. That is, after all, their job. What gets leaked, where what gets leaked, and where in the body infection is most susceptible all play a role in defining the symptoms that define autoimmune diseases.

Gluten and Autoimmune Disease

For those with celiac disease and those who have developed immune system responses to gluten, an inflammatory response that damages the intestinal walls is created as soon as gluten enters the gut. The intestinal walls quickly become more permeable and the autoimmune damage occurs in other parts of the body. Current research shows that the production of antibodies in this response damages the central nervous system, specifically, the cerebellum, the posterior columns of the spinal cord, and the peripheral nerves.

The neurological symptoms of celiac disease can actually mimic the symptoms of multiple sclerosis to an extent that is imperceptible. The neurological conditions caused by celiac disease are known as gluten “ataxia.”

It’s been estimated that 10- 14% of those who suffer from celiac disease also suffer from hypothyroidism, but the correlation is sure to be much higher due to the fact that both hypothyroidism and celiac disease often go undiagnosed. Many doctors ignore the warning signs and don’t even understand the diseases well enough, but even still, the testing for both of these diseases leaves much to be desired.

Researchers and health practitioners are now making the connections between gluten, Candida, leaky gut syndrome, and dozens of autoimmune diseases.

Candida and Autoimmune Disease

In 1978, the concept that non-systemic yeast infections known as “systemic candidiasis,” or candidiasis that can cause a wide array of systemic symptoms and contribute to or exacerbate various disease conditions, was introduced. Symptoms associated with candidiasis include but are not limited to:

“…depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, irritability, headache, difficulty with memory and concentration, chronic diarrhea, recurrent urinary tract symptoms, decreased libido, acne, dry skin, menstrual disturbances, premenstrual tension, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thrombocytopenic purpura, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, myasthenia gravis, schizophrenia, and increased sensitivity to foods, inhalants, and drugs.”

Antibiotics, along with a diet full of refined sugars and gluten make way for Candida to take over the gut and infiltrate the entire body.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Lyme and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Lyme Disease

Candida albicans produces 180 chemical toxins that can be absorbed through the intestines into the blood, and that’s when the intestinal walls are in good health. Once the intestinal walls become more permeable, imagine what those toxins do to the immune system when Candida migrates throughout the body producing toxic substances that incite the immune system’s inflammatory response. These foreign, toxic chemicals wreck havoc on the body just like the toxic chemicals that are produced during bacterial infections and other parasitic infections, which will also be prevalent throughout the body with a leaky gut. How and where these toxins interact with the body defines a disease. Anyone who suffers from ill health is suffering from infection.

How to Heal a Leaky Gut

An overabundance of Candida leads to a leaky gut. Gluten can lead to an overabundance of Candida. Gluten can also, in other ways lead to a leaky gut. Given enough time, autoimmune disease follows.

If someone is sick, regardless of which autoimmune disease one has, or which infectious disease one has, the gut is damaged and must be repaired to achieve health. When the gut is damaged, gluten must be avoided, completely. When the gut is damaged, Candida is running rampant. Candida leads to sugar, junk food, drug, and alcohol cravings. These all need to be avoided. Even over the counter drugs like aspirin and Advil damage the digestive tract and impede gut health.

Fix the gut by creating a healthy ecosystem with lots of beneficial flora that protects the gut lining and competes with microbes that could become parasitic if left unchecked. The most beneficial gut bacteria for us (as in, the best gut bacteria for mental health, immunity, and overall well-being) just so happen to be the bacteria that thrive on raw vegetables that have gone through the earlier phases of digestion. Your inner ecosystem is based on what you feed it. If someone who eats fast food every day, all day, were to eat a salad, they would likely be sitting on the toilet with the runs. On the other hand, if someone who eats 80% raw fresh produce who avoids fast food were to eat a fast food meal, they would likely have the same outcome. This is because the gut flora you have is primarily based on the foods you consume.

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

The only way to fully heal the gut and achieve long-term optimal health is to feed the gut’s ecosystem lots of fresh vegetables. Limit fruits, avoid refined foods such as fruit juices, starches, and other sugars, and avoid (and detox from) heavy metal exposure and other toxins (like those found in vaccines; they damage the gut too).

Garlic, chlorella, spirulina, parsley, and cilantro help the body remove heavy metals. Choose organic and not grown in China, or they may be so contaminated with heavy metals they will exacerbate the problem.

The process of healing the gut can be sped up by (but not replaced by) supplementation that kills Candida and other parasites and by probiotics that are strong enough to penetrate stomach acid in order to benefit the gut. The beneficial bacteria in most probiotics and fermented foods are not strong enough to survive stomach acid.

Most ailments from autoimmune disease are lessened or eliminated very quickly when Candida is brought under control and the gut begins to heal. But, it can take many months for the gut lining to fully heal, and Candida spores can lie dormant in places that antimicrobial compounds and our immune system cannot get to. For this reason, it’s imperative to follow a strict diet and follow any sweets, even a homemade healthy fruit smoothie, with a salad or supplements for gut health.

Fungal Supplement Stack – Knock Out Yeast, Candida, Mold, Fungus

The first three should be plenty for most people, but for really prominent fungal issues or for impatient people with a bigger budget I’d recommend all of these:

• Formula SF722 – Thorne Research
• Syntol AMD – Arthur Andrew Medical
• Berberine 500mg – Thorne Research
• Candida Complex – Complementary Prescriptions
• MycoCeutics MycoPhyto Complex – EcoNugenics
• MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations
• Abzorb Vitamin & Nutrient Optimizer (500mg) HCP Formulas

Products bought from Green Lifestyle Market are gaurnteed to meet your satisfaction. If you’re not happy for any reason, even if the products have been used, you can return them for stroe credit or a refund within six months of purchase.

Conclusion

Although digestive complaints are the first and most recognized symptoms of celiac disease, a study found that 87% of those diagnosed with celiac disease claimed they had no gastrointestinal complaints. Perhaps they did not or perhaps they are so accustomed to a digestive system that does not work properly, they don’t recognize the symptoms. Patients who test positive for leaky gut syndrome may not complain of digestive issues either.

If you are suffering from an autoimmune disease, any chronic disease, frequent infections, or a weak immune system, chances are you are suffering from a leaky gut whether you experience digestive disturbances or not. So focus on the gut. Since 80% of the immune system is in the gut, this alone makes gut health a priority. Once the gut is healed, the rest of the body can heal as well. Below are the supplements that with a proper diet can balance gut flora quickly. Beare in mind, while many people will feel much better after just a few days of supplementation, the body’s intestinal wall can take months to heal, and hidden, dormant Candida that’s just waiting for some sugar can take even longer to kill. Be sure to check out the “Further Reading” section below for more information, along with specific protocols. In my experience, following the recommendations on the following supplements, while making sure to take the probiotic separately, works amazingly quickly to kill fungal infection and promote healthy gut flora throughout the body. I take the FloraMend at night and early in the morning, and then take all other supplements throughout the day with meals. Combine these supplements with this diet protocol here, Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included and you’ll likely be amazed at what happens in just a few weeks or less. Most people see significant results in just a few days.

Recommended Supplements:

(Take these all together, except FloraMend, take that separately)

• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse (kills parasites, heals the intestinal walls, sets up hospitable home for healthy flora)
• Formula SF722 (undecenoic acid, kills candida and other fungal functions, does not kill beneficial flora at same rate)
• Floramend-Prime by Thorne (a strong probiotic designed to pass through the stomach acid and into the intestinal tract)
• MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations (a parasite killer, works pretty well on Candida, but works better on many other parasites)
• Shillington’s Intestinal Detox (This is necessary only for those with seriously damaged intestines, anyone who has recently been vaccinated, or those looking to do a thorough detox)
• Coptis Chinensis / Chinese Goldthread
• Lemongrass (only for topical)

Further Reading:

• How to Detoxify from Vaccinations & Heavy Metals
• How to Detoxify Every Day Without Going Through a “Detox”
• Doc Shillington’s Total Body Cleanse
• Still Have Candida? How Mercury Fillings Cause Candida Overgrowth

Sources:

• Why You Should Avoid Gluten if You Have Candida Overgrowth – Body Ecology
• Yeast and chronic inflammation – Natural News
• Celiac Disease, Gluten Ataxia and Candidiasis – DNC News
• Candida and Gluten Allergies – McCombs’ Candida Plan
• Leaky gut and autoimmune diseases – PubMed
• New Research Shows Poorly Understood Leaky Gut Syndrome Is Real – May Be the Cause Of Several Diseases – The Daily Beast
• Counsell et al.  Coeliac disease and autoimmune thyroid disease.  Gut 1994;35: 844-846
• Collin et al. Autoimmune thyroid disorders and coeliac disease. European Journal of Endocrinology 1994;130:137-140
• Freeman H. Deliac associated autoimmune thyroid disease: A study of 16 patients with overt hypothyroidism. 1995; July/Aug: 9(5): 242-246
• Brain. 2001 May;124(Pt 5):1013-9. Sporadic cerebellar ataxia associated with gluten sensitivity.
  Burk K, Bosch S, Muller CA, Melms A, Zuhlke C, Stern M, Besenthal I, Skalej M, Ruck P, Ferber S, Klockgether T, Dichgans J
• Neurology. 2002 Apr 23;58(8):1221-6The humoral response in the pathogenesis of gluten ataxia. Hadjivassiliou M, Boscolo S, Davies-Jones GA, Grunewald RA, Not T, Sanders DS, Simpson JE, Tongiorgi E, Williamson CA, Woodroofe NM.
• J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003 Sep;74(9):1221-4
  Dietary treatment of gluten ataxia. Hadjivassiliou M, Davies-Jones GA, Sanders DS, Grunewald RA.
• Neurol Sci. 2001 Nov;22 Suppl 2:S117-22
  Neurological manifestations of gastrointestinal disorders, with particular reference to the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Ghezzi A, Zaffaroni M.
• 1998 Nov 14;352(9140):1582-5  Clinical, radiological, neurophysiological, and neuropathological characteristics of gluten ataxia.  Hadjivassiliou M, Grunewald RA, Chattopadhyay AK, Davies-Jones GA, Gibson A, Jarratt JA, Kandler RH, Lobo A, Powell T, Smith CM.
• Lancet. 1998 Nov 14;352(9140):1582-5  Clinical, radiological, neurophysiological, and neuropathological characteristics of gluten ataxia.  Hadjivassiliou M, Grunewald RA, Chattopadhyay AK, Davies-Jones GA, Gibson A, Jarratt JA, Kandler RH, Lobo A, Powell T, Smith CM.
• Nutritional Medicine – A Textbook by Alan R. Gaby, M.D.

GMO foods are very common in American and Canadian diets. Not because people choose to eat GMOs, but because they are unaware of how pervasive GMO ingredients have become in processed foods. Biotech companies have been very successful in lobbying to prevent labeling. There are no requirements to label GMO foods, despite concerted efforts by consumer groups.

Unnatural Isn’t Always Bad

As a general rule, the more natural and unadulterated a food, the better it is for you. Selective breeding is an exception to this rule. Selective breeding, or artificial selection, is the process of interbreeding plants to enhance positive qualities and eliminate or diminish negative qualities. Some cultivars are much better for our health than the original. For example, wild almonds contain amygdalin, a substance that is converted to cyanide in the body. Sweet almonds are the domesticated cultivar. Though they are less “natural,” they are better for you than their wild counterparts. Selective breeding is the good kind of unnatural.

But It Usually Is

The bad kind of unnatural is almost everything else that is being done to our food, including the majority of practices adopted by modern agriculture. Chemical fertilizers, insecticides, herbicides, concentrated animal feed operations, grain fed meats (vs grass fed), pasteurized foods, irradiated foods…the list goes on and on. Genetically modifying our foods is the latest insult to our food supply, and it is as unnatural as it gets.

One of the most common types of genetic modifications is to modify a crop so that it can withstand unlimited Roundup applications. This enables farmers to spray their whole fields with Roundup, killing the weeds while sparing their crops. Of course by this process, we end up with foods that have been soaked in herbicide. But this is not the only way that your food could be doused with Roundup.

Round Up Sprayed Just Prior to Harvest

Wheat, sugar cane, and other crops are often routinely treated with Roundup just prior to harvest. Of course some of this pesticide is making its way into our food. The Non-GMO project allows this practice. Non-GMO only means a food is not genetically modified. It could still be treated with all kinds of pesticides.

Recently, the World Health Organization released a report stating that the world’s most widely used herbicide, Monsanto’s Roundup, probably causes cancer.

What is a Genetically Engineered Food?

GMOs are made from combing genes from two or more unrelated species into one organism. The two most common types of genetic modifications are modifying crops to produce pesticides or modifying them to be immune to herbicides (making them Roundup ready). Sugar beets have been modified to be Roundup ready. Both kinds of genetic modifications have been done to corn and soy in the same seed.

What’s so bad about them?

GMOs have not undergone long-term studies. When biotech claims GMOs have been tested thousands of times, they’re referring to 90-day studies or studies done for less than two years that have been funded by the industry.

There have been several studies linking GMOs to numerous health problems. The most common problems associated with long-term GMO consumption are kidney and liver damage, faulty insulin regulation, accelerated aging, cancer, and infertility. To look at the results of these studies, please see the link below.

How to avoid GM Food

When asked, more than half of all consumers say they avoid eating GMOs. Sadly this isn’t the case at all. Consumers probably would if they were labeled. Over 90% of Americans and Canadians eat GMOs on a regular basis. If more of us knew what was genetically modified, we wouldn’t eat these foods, and Monsanto and other businesses would be forced to find another way to make money.

Buying organic is the easiest way to avoid GMOs, and when you buy organic you also avoid pesticides and other chemical additives. Non-GMO project verified is a safe bet that the food is free of GMOs, but other toxins from conventional methods of agriculture are a given if the food is not organic.

The eight most common GMO crops are corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, papaya, zucchini, and squash. Unfortunately, hundreds of other genetically modified foods are in development. It is only a matter of time before GMOs become much harder to avoid.

GMOs are almost always in processed foods. Soy, high fructose corn syrup (now also called fructose) or sugar from sugar beets are found in almost every processed food. Over 90% of soy, corn and sugar beets grown in the U.S. have been genetically modified. If you see these ingredients in your food, you can bet it has been genetically modified.

You have to Avoid GMOs to Detox from GMOs

Of course you can’t keep eating GMOs if you wish to fully detox from them. This means no restaurants (unless you eat at organic restaurants, which are very hard to find), and no processed foods, unless they are organic, or Non-GMO project verified.

Why Detox Genetically Modified Organisms?

Detoxification is defined as the removal of toxic substances from the body. This is often an emphasis of alternative medicine. The benefits of removing toxins from the body are numerous, too many to list in their entirety. Some of the better-known benefits are increased energy, improved sleep, weight loss, and lowered risk of diseases, such as colds, flu, and cancer.

How to Detoxify GMOs

In order to detox from GMOs, you’ll need to eat a diet rich in produce with lots of raw foods and sulfuric vegetables. A high fiber diet is essential. Drinking lots of clean water, and getting lots of exercise aids our bodies in detoxification. Salads and smoothies are staples of a detox diet. Detoxifying genetically modified organisms takes time, a clean diet, lots of clean water, and a healthy digestive tract with a strong and healthy ecosystem of beneficial flora. Speed up the process by eating large salads (recipe), killing candida and healing the gut, drinking lots of cranberry lemonade (recipe), and using a clean and pure nutrition formula with spirulina and chlorella (recipe).

Recommended Supplements:

• Formula SF722 (Kill fungi that inhabits unhealthy gut)
• Floramend-Prime by Thorne (Feed beneficial bacteria that GMOs killed)
• Total Nutrition Formula (Pull toxins out of the body, and multi-vitamin/mineral)
• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse (Clean and heal intestinal tract, kill bad guys)
• Shillington’s Intestinal Detox (Heal and pull toxins out of intestinal tract)
• Systemic Enzymes – (For eliminating damage which is fibrin buildup, and they eliminate foreign proteins and many chemicals – this can aid the body in eliminating toxins).

Further Reading:

• How To Detoxify and Heal From Vaccinations – For Adults and Children
• Doctors Against GMOs – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Doctors Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• Scientists Against Vaccines – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research
• GMO Facts and Arguments
• GMO Science
• How to Avoid GMOs
• The Difference Between Heirlooms, Hybrids, and GMOs

Sources:

• Bitter Almonds vs. Non Bitter – E How
• IARC Monographs Volume 112: evaluation of five organophosphate insecticides and herbicides – International Agency for Research on Cancer WHO
• WHO Report Links Weed Killer Ingredient to Cancer Risk – NBC News
• GMO Dangers – Institute for Responsible Technology

The human body is about is 70% water. Newborns are roughly 80% water, and elderly are as little as 50% water. Our muscles are about 75% water. Even our bones, which seem completely solid, are 25% water. Without food, we would eventually die, but without water, we would die a lot sooner. Depending on the amount of fat and muscle in our bodies, most of us can live several weeks without food, 5-7 weeks on average. The average person can only survive 5 days without water. Undoubtedly, water is life.

A Constant State of Dehydration is the Norm, not the Exception

Most people do not drink enough water. So of course, dehydration is very common. People normally drink water only when they are thirsty, or when their mouth is dry. Thirst and a dry mouth are signs of dehydration. If we drink water only when thirsty, we are perpetually dehydrated.

Too often, when people increase the amount of water they drink, they find they spend way too much time running to the bathroom. Naturally, they believe frequent bathroom trips are a symptom of too much water. Even though this may sound counterintuitive, this is usually not the case.

When we are not getting adequate water, our bodies go into a kind of survival mode and release aldosterone, a hormone that encourages water retention. Water is retained for vital organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Toxins and waste build up in this retained water – toxins and waste that our bodies ideally eliminate on a daily basis. When we increase our water intake, the body begins flushing out the water that has been retained in our organs and tissues, replacing it with clean water. With adequate hydration, this process will continue for a few days to a week before the frequency of urination decreases.

Signs of Dehydration

There are many other signs of dehydration including:

• Back pain
• Cramps
• Constipation
• Decreased urine output
• Dizziness
• Dry skin
• Dry, sticky mouth
• Fatigue
• Forgetfulness
• Feeling lightheaded
• Headache
• Heartburn
• Irritability
• Indigestion
• Yellow urine

Less common, but other possible signs of dehydration include:

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Depression
• High blood pressure
• Migraines

Signs of severe dehydration include:

• Confusion
• Extreme thirst
• Extremely dry mouth
• Delirium
• Fever
• Little to no urine, or very dark colored urine
• Listlessness
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid breathing
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sunken eyes
• Skin so dry and shriveled that it loses elasticity
• Unconsciousness

Doctors are Unlikely to Diagnose Mild to Moderate Dehydration

When you go to the doctor with complaints of back pain, constipation, muscle cramps, persistent headaches, or other symptoms of dehydration, doctors are more likely to prescribe medication than suggest you drink more water. There are many reasons for this. Doctors make more money when they write prescriptions, and their patients might think their money wasted if the medical advice they paid top dollar for was simply, “Drink more water.” Also, sadly, many doctors may not recognize the symptoms as dehydration.

“At medical schools more than 600 hundred teaching hours are allocated to the use of pharmaceutical products. Only a few hours are allocated to instructions on diet and food.” F. Batmanghelidj M.D.

Staying hydrated is good advice that is rarely taken seriously. Nearly all of the body’s functions run on water. Water is needed as the delivery system for oxygen, and nutrients. It is a crucial component of our nervous system and the medium by which the nervous system sends its signals. Water is also needed for our bodies to efficiently remove toxins.

When dehydrated, even when mildly dehydrated, our joints are robbed of fluids, since the body considers these areas of the body to be less vital. Cartilage is around five times slicker than ice; it is the ultimate lubrication for our joints. Nothing man-made functions as well as cartilage does. One of the best ways to keep cartilage in good condition is to stay hydrated; cartilage is 80% water. Dehydration wears down cartilage. Sadly, joint replacement surgery is a poor replacement for healthy joints. Replaced joints only last 10-15 years, and they don’t work as well as the real thing.

Back Pain is A Common Symptom of Dehydration

Do you ever suffer from back pain? If so, does your back hurt more in the morning? Many of us lose water throughout the night with nighttime bathroom runs and night sweats. If we don’t think to replace those fluids, dehydration results which inflames the kidneys, and this can cause to back pain. Whenever your back hurts, try drinking several glasses of water. The pain usually subsides. This makes sense because the fluid inside the body’s spinal discs supports 75% of the body’s weight.

“When the disks in your spine lack water, they begin to degenerate and herniate more quickly. It’s similar to driving a car on underinflated tires. The tires will either wear out faster or eventually blow out.” Don Colbert M.D.

Water is What Does All the Work

Water is the workhorse of our digestive system. Water is the primary part of all of our digestive fluids. Saliva, bile, stomach acid, pancreatic juices, and the mucus that lines our gastrointestinal tract are mostly water. Without adequate water intake, the digestive system doesn’t work as it should. The mucous layer in our stomach is actually 98% water, and this is the best protection against heartburn. The mucous layer contains bicarbonate, which effectively neutralizes stomach acid. When our bodies have adequate water this mucous layer is thick, but when we do not it is very thin. Contrary to popular belief heartburn is not caused by an antacid deficiency, but rather it is usually caused by a water deficiency. Water is the most effective heartburn medication there is, and the cheapest, too. Water doesn’t just help to prevent heartburn, water helps in all stages of digestion. We recommend that you avoid drinking lots of water with your food, because this can water down your digestive fluids. Drinking a lot of water before or an hour after eating is ideal.

A Natural Cure All

People who suffer from asthma and/or allergies typically have high histamine levels. Histamine forces the muscles in the bronchial tubes to constrict, which inhibits airflow through the lungs. Studies have shown that histamine levels drop as water intake increases. If you suffer from asthma or allergies “…water may improve your symptoms more than the latest round of inhalers or pills from pharmaceutical companies.” Don Colbert M.D.

Water is good for vascular health as well. Blood is more than 80% water. Adequate water intake can help to lower blood pressure, and it can play a part in preventing strokes and heart attacks. When we are dehydrated our blood is thicker and more prone to clotting.

Our brains, which are very sensitive to dehydration, are about 85% water. One of the easiest ways to improve brain function, especially your memory, is to increase water intake.

Water also enhances immune system function. Common medical advice is to drink lots of water when we are sick, but if we drink adequate amounts of water all the time, we are less likely to get sick in the first place. Daily intake is dependent upon weight, climate, and activity level – roughly half a gallon to a gallon a day for a person weighing 150 lbs. Drink enough water that you don’t feel thirsty.

Tap water is full of chemicals including pharmaceuticals, fluoride, chlorine, and chemical contaminants. Tap water is not the best water to drink. Bottled water can be better, but some bottled water is literally just tap water in a bottle. There are very few regulations controlling bottled water, and it’s hard to find water from a good source. Ideally, water should be from a natural source, high in minerals, very low in contaminants, and sold in a glass bottle. But the ideal is hard to find, especially at an affordable price. When ideal water isn’t available and affordable, we recommend buying distilled water. Distilled water is bereft of minerals but eating a variety of raw produce easily replaces those minerals. Spending a little more on higher quality water is an investment in your health and is certainly worthwhile.

Many people drink other fluids instead of water. Although it is true that these drinks are mostly water, the caffeine, sugar or artificial flavors and colors put a strain on your body in various ways, and this can cost your body more water than what was consumed in the drink. For those who want to drink more water, but need flavors and sweetness, here’s a recipe for cranberry lemonade that helps detoxify the body as well. If you love juicing, skip the sugar and try doing the truly healthy fresh juices like with this Golden Milk Tea Recipe.

Conclusion

If you’re not consuming enough water, you’re increasing the strain on your body, and accelerating the aging process. It is harder than most people think to drink too much water, and drinks that contain caffeine or sugar are very poor substitutes that rob the body of water (and minerals) with high acidity. There is no other substance that is as important to our health as water is. For more on detoxifying, lowering blood pressure, and getting the most from water, check out the previous cranberry lemonade link, and Hot & Cold Hydrotherapy. For the best water to detoxify with, see the first source below.

Further Reading:

• What’s the Best Water for Detoxifying and For Drinking?
• Why Water Fluoridation Continues, Despite Flying in the Face of Science
• What’s in Your Water?

Sources:

• The Healing Properties of Water – Dr. Brifa.com
• Diseases and Conditions Dehydration – Mayo Clinic
• Dehydration – Medline Plus
• Water: For Health, For Healing, For Life by F. Batmanghelidj M.D.
• Seven Pillars of Health by Don Colbert M.D.