Roundup Resistance is a Growing Problem and Syngenta Offers a Problematic Solution
Tolerance to things is built up over time, although some tolerances develop more quickly than others. The development of Roundup resistance in weeds is a quick one, in large part due to the popularity and frequent usage of the chemical. From the release of Roundup in 1974, it took 15 years for the first documented case of Roundup-resistant weeds to appear. The response to that resistance didn’t actually address the problem. The introduction of genetically modified, Roundup resistant crops allowed farmers to increase the amount of the herbicide sprayed, therefore increasing the opportunities for naturally resistant weeds to thrive and pass on their wayward genes. The growth of Roundup-resistant weeds is upon us, and Big Agriculture needs an answer.
Paraquat – A Potential Answer
Paraquat is a controversial product. While one of the most popular herbicides in the world, it has been banned in the European Union due to its toxicity. Paraquat is so toxic to mammals that it’s often said, “just one sip will kill you.” It has been used to commit suicide in many third world countries due to its easy availability and low price. Despite the fact that it has been banned in the European Union, the herbicide is still manufactured there. The E.U. is not the only country that has reservations regarding paraquat, as China is also in the process of phasing out paraquat for agricultural use. Countries like the U.S. and Australia are still using the herbicide, as it’s a fast-acting product that kills a wide range of weeds.
The Herbicide Always Knocks Twice
If one is good, two must be better…or something like that. One of the suggested uses of paraquat is to use it as a clean up herbicide after glyphosate. This is known as the “double knock” system, and it’s commonly used in Australia. Many scientists and insiders have predicted that this system has the potential to double the amount of time before herbicide resistant weeds appear again. While this system might be ideal from the manufacturer’s standpoint (twice as many products bought), the health and environmental concerns are more worrying.
Everyone Agrees That Paraquat is Toxic
The E.P.A. has classified paraquat as category I, the highest level of toxicity. So we know it’s toxic. That itself is not up for debate. What is in debate is whether or not paraquat causes Parkinson’s. And by debate, that is to say Syngenta is not willing to publicly accept the role of paraquat in increasing the rates of Parkinson’s and the company has subsequently funded studies refuting that link.
But Seriously, Everyone Knows
Syngenta continues to defend paraquat in the face of 20 years of studies presenting increasing links between the herbicide and Parkinson’s. As the number of glyphosate-resistant weeds continues to increase, the agricultural market is looking for the next option in herbicides. With nature as it is, who knows how long before that herbicide will cease to work and the next chemical in line will step up?
One of the advantages of paraquat is the fact that it is partially inactivated once it hits the ground. But what about the part that isn’t? Imagine the rings of a mature oak tree. At what point will we be able to tell the age of our soil by the layers of herbicides and pesticides built up throughout?
No Makeup & Blemish Free? Healthy Gut, Healthy Skin – Here’s How
Fora movie star, 1080 was bad enough; now there’s 4k resolution! Pores on the face can steal the show under high def scrutiny. The typical solution is more makeup. Not just any makeup, high definition, movie star makeup, which is even worse for the skin than the conventional kind. It’s a vicious cycle in which many a movie or television star find themselves, while others have radiant, beautiful, blemish free skin.
Why do some stars look young and vibrant well past the age when most of us are blotchy and achy all over, even when they are caught off guard and makeup free by the paparazzi? It may seem like they know a Hollywood secret, but they don’t. There isn’t one. There’s no pill or insider trick. It’s health. Pure and simple. Health that is mainly due to diet. What you see is an actor who consistently makes the right choices, every single day.
Poor skin health is a symptom of an unhealthy microbiome. The health of the skin, eyes, and mouth are very good indicators for gut health. Anyone who wants healthy skin will have to eat a healthy diet.
Our microbiome breaks down and assimilates food, assimilates nutrients, and helps produce hormones, all while crowding out potential pathogens and keeping Candida numbers in check. The body’s gut flora primarily consists of bacteria and fungi. A healthy gut contains a ratio of about 1000 bacteria to 1 Candida yeast cell. In this ratio, Candida albicans is just a part of our beneficial gut flora. It’s no coincidence that the most beneficial gut bacteria survive and thrive on the most beneficial foods we can eat. Healthy gut flora live off of raw, organic vegetables and other healthy whole foods. Nasty, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and other microbes live in a gut full of fast food and prescription drugs. The more fresh, raw, organic produce we consume, the healthier the gut flora will be. Candida is very opportunistic, and it will proliferate in a host who consumes a poor diet or otherwise disrupts their gut flora.
An abundance of Candida will seriously damage the intestinal walls causing an overly permeable or “leaky” gut. Most people in modern societies like ours are living with this right now. When Candida is left unchecked, it opens the door for other pathogens. More accurately, it makes holes in the gut for pathogens to invade the bloodstream. When someone has poor skin health, it is a safe bet that Candida is proliferating.
Our modern lifestyle disrupts our microbiome system:
Antibiotics in our food, water, drugs, soaps, and other bodycare products
Refined foods that feed the pathogens (healthy food feeds the good guys)
Vaccines, drugs (not just antibiotics, but anything toxic), heavy metals, and other toxins that kill beneficial flora
Pesticides, herbicides, and other toxins that kill our bacteria
Other toxic “foods” that disrupt our gut flora (like foods that contain heavy metals, artificial sweeteners, GMOs, etc.)
Here’s the thing that the medical community is not getting: anything that is toxic to the body will disrupt the body’s natural flora. Then Candida proliferates, and the body falls apart shortly thereafter. For better health, fix the body’s ecosystem. It will take time. Fortunately, it takes less time to get well than it does to get sick.
Natural Skin Health Via Gut Healing Protocol
Still not convinced? Try the following protocol for two weeks. Before starting, take pictures for a before and after comparison. The difference will be notable. We’re not just talking skin health. Allergies and most other ailments will dissipate, too. Fix the gut and eventually, the whole body follows.
Drink Lots of Cranberry Lemonade
Drink between a half a gallon and a gallon of cranberry lemonade each day to flush the liver and kidneys of toxins and help rejuvenate the endocrine system, which will help keep the blood clean and reduce “die-off symptoms” commonly associated with killing Candida.
Cranberry Lemonade Recipe
Glass gallon jar
Safe, clean, spring water or distilled water
1 cup of unsweetened, organic cranberry juice, not from concentrate
Fill the jar to about 85% capacity with spring water (or distilled water). Squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into the water. Add cranberry juice. Add stevia to taste and then add cayenne to taste. The amount of cayenne used is up to you, but the more the better.
If you don’t have access to a good source for spring water, use other clean drinking water that does not contain fluoride. If you don’t have access to organic lemons, use conventional. Fresh is almost always best. If there are no fresh lemons, use organic bottled lemon juice. If you can’t get cranberry juice that is not from concentrate, get the reconstituted kind (just don’t get any kind of cranberry juice that has any other ingredients like sweeteners or other juices). If you can’t stand cayenne, don’t use it. No glass jar? Use plastic.
Eat Right
Produce detoxifies. Fresh, whole, organic, raw vegetables, herbs, and fruits pull toxins from the body and repopulates healthy, beneficial gut bacteria as it give the body the nutrients it needs including enzymes and other phytonutrients that are almost non-existent in most modern diets.
Try to eat a huge salad every day with lots of greens, plenty of other colors, garlic, cilantro, ginger, and more. Check out this salad recipe.
The Salad Base
Spinach
Arugula (I prefer baby arugula, mature arugula tastes funky)
Collard greens (they’re very bitter; use sparingly)
Lettuce (mix it up, try an organic spring mix)
Kale
Beet greens (the tops of beets)
Red cabbage (thinly shred like a slaw or a little thicker, depending on the texture you prefer)
Rainbow chard
Shredded, Grated, or Spiralized
Carrots
Zucchini
Beetroot
Daikon (or other radish)
Chopped or Diced
Leeks
Red onions
Red and yellow bell peppers
Cucumbers
Cilantro
Asparagus (try cooking it in a balsamic vinegar first)
It’s not an exact recipe, and it doesn’t have to be. Mix it up. Try new things. My salads generally have about 15 ingredients. Make them big; make them diverse. Just imagine you’re in nature, not modern society, and all you have to eat is nothing but a wide variety of the best, whole, fresh, healthy vegetables and herbs. This is what a big salad a day can do for you. It’s life changing.
I throw in chickpeas or a three-bean salad combination. If you’re not vegan, try a sheep feta cheese with this salad and throw on some eggs. It’s good with meat, too, like chicken or steak.
Don’t ruin it with a crappy salad dressing! All this salad needs is a little balsamic vinegar (apple cider is better, but I don’t like the taste as much in my salads), or some fresh lemon juice. It doesn’t take much.
What Else to Eat and What Not to Eat
Eat whole foods; avoid refined foods. Brown rice is good; white rice is out. Avoid wheat; artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners; trans fats; and MSG. Avoid carbonated beverages. Avoid GMOs. Limit fruits, and besides stevia, avoid or limit anything else that’s sweet.
Our modern diet almost always includes too much refined sugar. We don’t have access to agave nectar, brown rice syrup, fruit juices, and other sweeteners in nature. It’s just too much sugar. You may be thinking honey is a good alternative, but this is only true when the gut is healed, the body is relatively free of infection, and the immune system functions properly. Otherwise, even with its antimicrobial properties, honey can feed infection as it goes through the digestion process.
Supplements
Candida evolves to be resistant to much of what we do to try to kill it. This is much more of an issue with conventional treatments than it is with supplements, but it’s still a possibility. A multifaceted approach is the best way to eliminate Candida quickly. They won’t have time to adapt. Lots of protocols recommend multiple supplements that essentially have the same active ingredients, leading the buyer to believe they are taking a multifaceted approach when they are not. This is one of the many reasons typical Candida protocols are not very effective, though poor diet is the number one reason for any natural protocol not working effectively. For those on a tight budget or only wanting to add one or two supplements to their routine, I listed the following supplement links in order from the most to the least important in regards to killing Candida and balancing the gut.
Formula SF722 is one of the most effective products (perhaps the best) for killing any kind of fungal infection. It’s been shown in labs that Candida cannot adapt to undecenoic acid (the active ingredient in SF722) like it can with almost every other way we try to kill it.
Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse will kill parasites, Candida, and other bad guys while it heals the gut, improves regularity, and removes nasty biofilm (little-known fact: there’s good biofilm, and there’s bad biofilm), all while setting up a hospitable environment for beneficial flora.
Undecyn has many different active components formulated specially to kill pathogens in the gut, urinary tract, and vaginal area, but it kills bad guys everywhere.
FloraMend is a probiotic that passes through the stomach acid and releases in the intestinal tract.
Olive Leaf Extract supports the immune system and promotes a healthy intestinal environment and provides natural protection and a healthy environment for cells, without suppressing immune system function or harming beneficial microflora.
Shillington’s Intestinal Detox is important for anyone who may have heavy metals in their system, and this formula heals the whole digestive tract. It’s not as necessary for more people, but if you experience digestive upset or heavy metal toxicity the intestinal detox is perfect for these issues.
MicroDefense – Pure Encapsulations is effective against all common parasites. With the Intestinal Cleanse and the Undecyn, this is overkill for most people, but if you’re very concerned with parasites, it’s the formula designed for that.
Allium Oil, made with organic olive oil, garlic, and vitamin E, encourages healthy, smooth sebum production and release and fights infection. (See this article for more on sebum.)
The SF722, Undecyn, the MicroDefense, and to a lesser extent the Intestinal Cleanse, will damage beneficial bacteria, so there are two options to get the most out of your supplements. One method is to take the FloraMend probiotic (and olive leaf) at bedtime and upon take the other microbe-killing supplements during the day with meals. Another option is to wait a week or two for symptoms to subside and then stop taking the SF722 and Undecyn and start taking the probiotic, but for those who are particularly ill, healing may take a little longer with this approach. Taking beneficial bacteria and the supplements that help support it at night makes for better B vitamin production, mineral uptake, and hormonal balance. Note that one of the great things about the olive leaf extract and the Intestinal Detox supplements is that while they do kill pathogens, neither formula will kill the good bacteria.
There are certain vitamins and minerals that have been proven to curb Candida growth, and of course, Candida depletes many of these nutrients. The right diet should suffice, but most people will do well with a nutrition formula, a mineral formula, fats and vitamin D, and a B vitamin complex. This is especially true for anyone who does not have access to high quality, nutrient dense food on a regular basis. Biotin, otherwise known as B7, helps prohibit Candida from converting to its hyphal filamentous growth structure, which is the form where tentacles drill through the gut. But there are at least a dozen other minerals and vitamins that we know are just as significant to gut balance, hence the holistic approach.
Maintenance for Clear Skin
After the gut is healthy and the body is healthy, continue to eat well, avoid processed foods, take the aforementioned supplements (nutrition formula, a mineral formula, fats and vitamin D, and a B vitamin complex), and continue to stay away from processed foods, wheat, alcohol, and vaccines. Or, stay away from them for a month and then go eat some bread and get your flu shot, watch the zits pop up. Your choice.
For those who are willing to spend considerable money to look younger than should be possible:
Mother Earth Organic Root Cider is lemons, turmeric root, ginger root, horseradish root, garlic, beets, white onion, habanero peppers, and serrano peppers in raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar. Take a few sips a day. Life changing…
You can take systemic enzymes with collagen, but don’t take them at the same time. Take systemic enzymes on an empty stomach. If you take them with food, enzymes will help digest the food, which is great, but also take them on an empty stomach.
Use essential oils in place of perfumes, and make your own deodorant and sunscreen. Avoid all skin care products with chemicals, which is to say, avoid all conventional skin care, and read the “natural” labels diligently. Or, don’t use that stuff and just make everything yourself.
Conclusion
Candida is a hot topic of debate within both the naturopathic community and conventional medicine, with views ranging from Candida being the root of everything that’s wrong with the body to it being a very rare issue that is completely overblown. The reality is that a Candida infection in the gut is a process that happens when one is not well, and when left unchecked (it doesn’t take long) Candida will allow other pathogens to infiltrate the body through the gut. Candida is the key to many other diseases due to how it burrows into the intestinal walls. Once someone is chronically ill, it may or may not be Candida causing their problems, but you can bet Candida has played a big role.
Illness is never due to just one type of pathogen. If you feel ill, whether it be from a chronic illness or just a cold, it’s a little-known fact that there’s often more than just one virus, bacteria, or other pathogen affecting you.
Holistic, Natural Remedies for Hyperhidrosis (Excessive Sweating)
Hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating, is a medical condition that affects an estimated 3% of the population. Night sweats, sweaty hands and feet, dripping sweat from the face or excessive underarm sweating may not sound like such a big deal if you have never experienced it, but drenched clothing is embarrassing as is sweat dripping off your nose and chin when the person next to you is totally comfortable.
Aside from the social ramifications and embarrassment, excessive sweating can be very disruptive. Night sweats can be so severe you wake up with a drenched pillow and sheets, your hair or pajamas soaked through. Hands can sweat so much that simple tasks are difficult. Imagine trying to do paperwork, type on a keyboard, shake hands, dress your child, or turn a doorknob.
According to conventional medicine, the cause may be an underlying medical condition or it may be caused by a mild dysfunction of the nervous system. If doctors cannot find an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, menopause, Parkinson’s disease, medications, certain cancers, hyperthyroidism, etc., they really don’t know the cause. As usual, not knowing the cause does not get in the way of the medical profession treating the symptoms.
Current conventional treatments include the following:
Antiperspirants: Many useover the counter antiperspirants. Others use prescription grade aluminum chloride solution on the hands, feet, underarms, and hairline. It is believed that they work by absorption of the active ingredients and plugging up the sweat glands. The body recognizes the sweat glands are plugged and stops producing sweat. Despite many claims made over the past decades to the contrary, The National Cancer institute denies any link between aluminum and cancer (specifically breast cancer), and the Alzheimer’s Association denies any link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s.
Iontophoresis: Used for the hands and feet, this is a process where hands or feet are immersed in a tub of water. A low dose of electricity is passed through the water. The patient feels a tingling sensation. Patients initially receive 2-3 treatments per week. Subsequent treatments are needed once a week to once a month. If this treatment works, patients may choose to purchase the device to treat themselves at home.
Botox: Botulinum toxin injections are said to inhibit sweating. Shots are effective for 4-5 months.
Pharmaceuticals: Oral medications must be taken with care as they inhibit sweating so well patients can overheat.
Surgery: Surgical procedures include severing nerves to affected areas as well as removing sweat glands.
Obviously, we can’t recommend any of these treatments.
Causes of Hyperhidrosis
If no cause of excessive sweating can be identified, primary hyperhidrosis is diagnosed. The current belief for the cause of primary hyperhidrosis is that a particular type of sweat gland, the eccrine glands, are overstimulated by the nervous system. There does appear to be an inherited or genetic predisposition, therefore a mutated gene may be indicated.
Secondary hyperhidrosis is diagnosed when a cause or trigger for the excessive sweating is identified. Triggers or causes include:
Candida Abundance
Obesity
Pregnancy
Hyperthyroidism
Menopause
Anxiety
Hypoglycemia
Certain prescriptions like anti-depression medication
Certain illegal drugs
Withdrawals from drugs or alcohol
Certain infections (like TB, HIV)
Parkinson’s disease
Blood or bone marrow disorders such as Hodgkin’s lymphoma
Smoking (marijuana, tababccoo, smoking anything)
Gout
Diabetes
Tumor
Mercury poisoning
Lymphatic Infection
Endocrine Infection
The truth is, there is always a cause. Doctors, especially Western conventional doctors, are just not good at finding causes for ailments. From a holistic perspective, there are a couple of direct causes of excessive chronic sweating. Oftentimes the body is running hot due poor liver and kidney health, which makes the blood sluggish causing poor circulation. There is a host of hormonal imbalances that can cause it. Like with every disease, sickness, or ailment, there are always many causes, but it all comes down to cellular malfunction due to toxicity and a lack of nutrition.
Picture a car engine that’s struggling to produce enough power, getting hotter and hotter as it tries. If one were to get the body to stop sweating without addressing the cause, like removing the car’s radiator, this could be dangerous. And excessive sweating can also be the body’s last-ditch effort to rid itself of enough toxins to keep functioning. Another reason for excessive sweating can be an endocrine system flaw, causing the body to sweat when it does not actually need to. On the other hand, this indicates a very toxic body, and arguably, is just another case of the body being overwhelmed and needing to detoxify through sweat glands.
In my experience, if the sweating is significant and common, it’s always an endocrine system issue. While this article goes into some tips and tricks to reduce accessive sweating and detoxify the body, Holistic Guide to Healing the Endocrine System and Balancing Our Hormones may be a better fit, especially if there are symptoms for other illness. But if you really want to get to the heart of the matter, first start with healing the gut. Everything else is secondary.
In other words, anyone who suffers from hyperhidrosis is dealing with a toxic, overwhelmed body that needs healing.
Alternative Treatments Begin with Diet and Detox
Seeking an herb or a natural supplement to “get rid of the problem” mimics the conventional path. To heal the body, it is important to treat the whole body through a combination of nutrition and detoxification and allow the body to heal itself. Hyperhidrosis indicates a body with much wrong. As Raymond Francis states, “One cell, one disease,” and this wisdom proves to be true. In every case of disease, something is wrong at a cellular level.
We begin with nutrition. A plant-based, whole food, organic diet delivers the most bioavailable nutrition. The healthiest diet consists of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce, more vegetables than fruits, healthy fats, and plenty of clean water. If meat is eaten, it is important that it be organic. This means preparing your own food. Do not trust businesses to do it!
Last, but not least, it is vital to stop polluting the body. Soap, deodorant, shampoo, hair colorings, lotions, powder, make-up – everything you place on your body is absorbed. If you put chemicals on your body, chemicals will seep into your body.
Whatever you inhale enters your body. Smoking, chemically scented perfumes and air fresheners (included scented candles), off-gassing from chemically treated furniture, carpets, paints, glues, etc. Do not pollute your environment. Purchase supplies, building materials, and furniture wisely with indoor pollution in mind. You should be sleeping 8 hours a night. Is your bed filled with chemicals? Or have you purchased an organic mattress?
Back to the food you put in your body. Avoid all fake food! Eliminate all artificial flavors, coloring, and preservatives. No MSG. GMOs, or trans fats. Limit or eliminate alcohol and caffeine. If you have any kind chronic condition, there is a good chance your gut is sick and overrun with Candida.
If all of these dietary restrictions sounds like too much to consider, just simplify it. Eat real food! If it comes in a box, a can, or a bottle, trade it in for something that comes right off the vine or the tree. Real food heals the body.
More specifically, your diet should consist of huge, diverse salads with fresh herbs, cranberry lemonade, and fruits and nuts in moderation. Try some quinoa stir fry’s, rice and beans, and other whole food options for dinner. Check out Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Included.
Skin
As mentioned, everything you place on your body is absorbed. Consider this when picking out clothes. Unnatural fabrics play havoc on our endocrine system and our lymphatic system. You can’t rid the body of toxins well with a layer of toxins on the skin. Natural, breathable fibers are a must.
This also includes bedding and mattresses. Breathable, all natural fibers with no toxic off-gassing may be just the trick to getting a dry nights sleep. There is a huge toxic load we contend with when we sleep on conventional mattresses, or with conventional bedding and clothes.
Fitness
Sweat may be just what an excessive sweater needs to quit excessively sweating. For anyone dealing with hyperhidrosis, a serious fitness regimen is in order. Squats, yoga, and running are awesome exercises to stimulate organ and system functionality to facilitate detoxification.
Supplemental Alternative Treatments for Hyperhidrosis
Once the need for proper nutrition and detoxification has been addressed, supplementation to speed the process can be considered.
Vitamins & Minerals
B vitamins should be considered first and foremost. Hyperhidrosis indicates severe hormonal imbalances. Anyone with hormonal imbalances has a problematic endocrine system and poor gut health, which makes B vitamin production and assimilation difficult.
Vitamin D is a potent modulator of the endocrine system. After diet and exercise, improving vitamin D and vitamin B levels often eliminates hyperhidrosis. But with a very toxic body, there is more work to be done.
Herbs for Hyperhidrosis
Witch hazel is a powerful astringent that can be applied in liquid form to the skin. Traditionally, witch hazel was used to for insect bites, irritated skin, and bruises. Some are reporting witch hazel can help eliminate excessive sweating as well.
Burdock helps to jump-start the endocrine system and the lymphatic system, and some claim that burdock actually helps the body to redirect sweating fluids through lymph nodes, kidneys, and bowels.
Astragalus, from northeast China, has many health benefits, and one of those benefits is balancing and reducing sweat response. Excessive sweating is often thought to be the result of an unhealthy spleen. Astragalus can help heal and detoxify the spleen.
Sage is typically considered one of the best herbs to treat hyperhidrosis. Sage is an adaptogen, which calms the nervous system and helps the body deal with emotional and physical stress. Sage contains lots of thiamine and magnesium. These minerals soothe the sweat glands and calm the nervous system. Sage also contains rosmarinic acid which is known to inhibit sweat.
Schisandra grows in China and in the United States. The tiny red berries from the tree have many beneficial medicinal properties. The berries are also an adaptogen, which helps the body to cope with stress and reduce excess sweating.
Though not really an herb, asparagus has been used traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat excessive sweating. Asparagus contains the chemical, asparagine, that decreases sweat production. We recommend eating them cooked and raw; try putting them in your salad.
Candida
If you suffer from hyperhidrosis, it’s a very safe bet that you have toxic got biology and suffer from an abundance of Candida and are dealing with a host of other symptoms and ailments. Your endocrine system is overwhelmed and your lymphatic system is toxified. You won’t get over any of this without fixing the gut, which means killing excess Candida and developing a healthy gut ecosystem.
Fungal Supplement Stack – Knock Out Yeast, Candida, Mold, Fungus
The first three should be plenty for most people, but for a very sick gut, or for impatient people with a bigger budget, I’d recommend all of these:
Chronic illness tells us the body is heavily burdened and radical changes need to take place to achieve homeostasis. When hyperhidrosis is present, it is a good indication that the body is in serious trouble. Health starts in the gut. If you suffer from regular excessive sweating, your body is way over-taxed and it’s time for an overhaul. While the aforementioned supplements can help alleviate discomfort without side effects, anything short of a holistic approach will result in new ailments. Be sure to ccheck outHow To Heal Your Gut.
Food Emulsifiers Linked to Gastrointestinal Disease
When you eat something from a box, can, or jar, chances are you’ve eaten an emulsifier. Emulsifiers like xanthan gum, any and all lecithins, and carrageenan extend the shelf life of products and improve their texture. Unfortunately, a recent study published in Cancer Research says they also promote intestinal inflammation, foster the growth of harmful bacteria, and increase the risk of tumors and colon cancer.
The Studies
This was not the first study on the emulsifiers and their impact on health. A previous study found that a group of healthy mice fed a diet including 1% of a commonly used emulsifier were unable to properly control their blood sugar levels, ate more, and gained more weight. An examination of the mice’s gut tissue revealed signs of low-level inflammation. In the same study, a group of mice predisposed to intestinal disease fed the same amount of emulsifiers saw an increase in the symptoms of conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colitis. The emulsifiers increased the amount of harmful bacteria living deep in the protective mucous in the gut, increasing the potential for irritated and inflamed intestinal tissue.
The results of the previous study dovetail nicely into the most recent emulsifier study. In the previous study, the emulsifiers caused inflammation and increased the mice’s risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The study released in November 2016 found that the regular consumption of emulsifiers disrupted the balance of the gut and increased the growth of colorectal tumors and rates of colon cancer. This makes sense as cancer thrives in an inflamed environment where damaged cells provide food for it.
For both of these studies, the mice consumed emulsifiers in amounts proportional to the amount found in processed foods. Federal food regulations limit the amount of a particular emulsifier to 1 or 2 percent. The regulators don’t, however, place any kind of limit on the number of emulsifiers that can be present in any given food. The mice in these studies were only exposed to two emulsifiers, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose. A basic, gluten-free loaf of white sandwich bread from Udi’s (probably the most well-known and easily accessible gluten-free brand of bread) has four added emulsifiers, xanthan gum, guar gum, sodium alginate, and locust bean gum. If one percent of two different emulsifiers can disrupt the intestinal microbiome in a significant way, what does one percent of four different emulsifiers do? Now imagine the filling between the bread also contains an emulsifier or two. That amount of emulsifying food additives causes serious gastrointestinal health issues in mice. Do we know what it’s doing to humans?
But We Aren’t Mice
The biggest issue with a study like this is the fact that we aren’t mice, and our diet requirements are different. A study like this on humans could be more difficult, in part due to the proliferation of these compounds. It’s also worth mentioning that only two emulsifying agents were used in this study, polysorbate 80 and carboxymethylcellulose. Both of these emulsifiers are more processed than “natural” emulsifiers like lecithins and gums, and comparing the results found in this study with a study focusing on different emulsifiers might provide more answers.
So why does it matter? It’s only a study on lab mice that doesn’t actually prove anything, right? This study doesn’t change anything, but not for the reason you may think. Emulsifiers and most importantly, the processed food where you find them, are not good for you. This isn’t a matter of “if only we knew more.” Do the details make a difference when the universally acknowledged healthy lifestyle is the lifestyle that preaches whole foods and avoids the processed?
We live in the real world though and unless you’re homesteading in a big way, a box, can, bag, or jar will eventually make its way into your kitchen. You cannot escape the emulsifiers. Carrageenan, gums, and lecithins are some of the more easily identified emulsifiers, but until writing this article, I had no idea what polysorbate 80 actually did. Reading the label is imperative. If it reads more like a science kit than a recipe, your gastrointestinal system will not thank you.
We’ve all heard of the lymphatic system, but few understand how it works or why and how a properly working lymphatic system is vital to the body. The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that transport lymph throughout the body. Its responsibilities include cleaning the cellular environment, returning proteins and excess tissue fluids to the blood, providing a pathway for the absorption of fats into the bloodstream, and the production and transportation of antibodies (white blood cells called lymphocytes) throughout the body to fight infection.
Our blood contains red blood cells that deliver oxygen around the body, white blood cells that fight infections, platelets that help you stop bleeding if you get a cut, and plasma.
Plasma is the liquid portion of blood. It’s a yellowish liquid in blood that suspends the red blood cells and carries nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Plasma contains water, salt, enzymes, immunoglobulins (antibodies), hormones, clotting factors, and plasma proteins.
Interstitial fluid, also known as tissue fluid, was plasma before it entered tissue. Interstitial fluid is a solution that bathes and surrounds the tissue cells.
Tissue fluid and blood are not the same, and not all of the contents of blood pass into tissue. Red blood cells, platelets, and some of the plasma proteins do not pass through capillaries. The resulting mixture that does get through is, in essence, blood plasma minus its clotting agents and some of its proteins.
Lymph was interstitial fluid before it became lymph.
Lymphatic Anatomy
The lymphatic system is made up of lymph capillaries, vessels, and nodes, the spleen, thymus, tonsils, Peyer’s Patches, and lymphocytes (white blood cells). Red bone marrow is also a part of the lymphatic system. We have hundreds of lymph nodes. Lymph nodes can be found all around the lungs and heart, in the gut, in the armpits and groin, and pretty much all over the body.
Blood pressure causes plasma liquid to leak into tissues, and this pressure causes excess fluid in those tissues to move into the lymph capillaries. As this fluid leaves the cells, it takes cellular waste products and used proteins with it. The lymphatic capillaries pick up approximately 20% of the fluid that was delivered to the interstitial space. The venous system picks up about 80% of the fluid in the interstitial space. The unique structure of the lymphatic capillaries permits interstitial fluid to flow into them but not out.
Blood pressure, temperature, activity of muscle and joints, diaphragmatic breathing, and pulsation of adjacent arteries all cause lymph to move up to the subclavian veins at the base of the neck. Valves and pressure keep lymph moving in the right direction. Along the way, the fluid is interrupted by lymph nodes that filter dust, cancer cells, pathogens, and other unwanted matter. Lymph nodes also produce lymphocytes (white blood cells). The spleen, tonsils, and red bone marrow help produce lymphocytes as well.
The spleen, which is about the size of our fist, is the largest lymphatic organ. It is similar in structure to a lymph node, but it filters blood, not lymph. The spleen contains two main types of tissue, white pulp and red pulp. White pulp is lymphatic tissue containing white blood cells – B and T cells. T cells attack pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses) while B cells make antibodies that fight infections. Red pulp tissue removes old and damaged red blood cells and stores platelets. It also produces red blood cells in unborn babies and when certain diseases are present.
The thymus is both a lymphatic organ and an endocrine gland. The thymus plays a major role in immune system development, starting before birth. Unlike other organs, the thymus reaches its functional peak, and largest size, during childhood. After puberty the thymus reduces in size, replaced by fat.
Tonsils are a familiar lymphatic cluster. Their position, hanging from the mouth and pharynx, allows them to be the first line of defense against inhaled and swallowed foreign bodies and toxins.
The final goal of the lymphatic system is to recirculate lymph back into the plasma of the bloodstream. There are two specialized lymphatic structures at the end of the lymphatic system, called the lymph trunks and ducts. Lymph ducts empty lymph into one of the subclavian veins. There are two lymph ducts, the right lymphatic duct and the thoracic duct. The right drains lymph from the right upper limb, the right side of thorax, and the right halves of head and neck. The thoracic duct drains lymph into the circulatory system between the left subclavian and the left internal jugular veins.
Lymphatic trunks are large lymph vessels that made up of the convergence of many efferent lymph vessels. There are five sets of lymph trunks.
Jugular lymph trunks located in the neck
Subclavian lymph trunks located beneath the clavicle
Bronchomediastinal lymph trunks located in the chest
Lumbar lymph trunks drain lymph fluid from the legs, pelvic region, and kidneys
Intestinal lymph trunk receives chyle (lymph mixed with fats) from the intestines, and receives lymph from the stomach, pancreas, spleen, and the liver.
Lymphatic trunks drain lymph fluid into the lymph ducts, the final part of the lymphatic system.
For more on lymphatic system anatomy and function:
The Gastrointestinal Lymphatic System
After filtration by the lymph nodes, efferent lymphatic vessels take lymph to the end of the lymphatic system to recirculate lymph back into the plasma of the bloodstream. The intestinal lymphatic system serves vital functions in the regulation of tissue fluid homeostasis (keeping tissue properly hydrated), immune surveillance, and transportation of fats and other nutrients into plasma.
When the gut’s not healthy, the body is not healthy. A sluggish and toxic gut will slow the lymph’s ability to provide clean, infection-free blood, and fats will not as easily be absorbed and assimilated, causing weight gain and poor cellular health that can lead to an array of problems from diabetes to cancer.
Diseases and Disorders of the Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system removes infections and other toxins from the blood. A sick body is a toxic and infected (or soon to be infected) body. Arguably, most every chronic disease and every infection is indicative of an overwhelmed lymphatic system. When the system is overwhelmed, the body is overwhelmed. With any chronic illness, getting well includes improving lymphatic function.
Edema, or Oedema – Swelling that results when tissues cannot drain fluid into the lymphatic system quickly enough – see image above.
Lymphedema – Caused by a blockage in the lymphatic system, part of the immune and circulatory systems. Lymphedema is most commonly caused by lymph node removal or damage due to cancer treatment.
Elephantiasis – Medically known as lymphatic filariasis, a condition characterized by enlargement of an area of the body, typically the limbs. It looks like a severe case of edema, and it is.
Glandular fever – A type of viral infection that mostly affects young adults. Symptoms include tender lymph nodes.
Hodgkin’s disease – A type of cancer of the lymphatic system.
Tonsillitis – Infection of the tonsils in the throat.
Lymphadenopathy – Occurs when the lymph nodes swell due to infections. Viral infections like measles, rubella, glandular fever, and HIV may also cause lymphadenopathy of the lymph nodes.
Lymphadenitis – Inflammation of the lymph nodes usually caused due to infections.
Filariasis – An infection of the lymphatic channels by a worm or parasite.
Splenomegaly – Swelling of the spleen due to a viral infection like infectious mononucleosis.
All lymphatic disorders equate to a slow moving, less efficient lymphatic system. This immediately leads to toxic blood and tissue with cancerous and otherwise sickly cells that should have been filtered out.
Symptoms of a Sluggish Lymphatic System
Humans have twice as much lymph fluid in the body as blood. Unlike the circulatory system, the lymphatic system does not have a pump. In order to move, lymph relies on blood pressure and the relaxation and the contraction of the muscles and joints. Your lymphatic system can easily become stagnant, especially when it becomes overwhelmed with toxic debris. The combination of a toxic lifestyle and lethargy is a recipe for chronic disease.
All things in nature have a natural progression. When this progression is inhibited, health deteriorates. Think of a river. A healthy river runs clean and clear compared to stagnant water. Imagine them clogged and the resulting backup. Picture an engine and car oil, and you can equate our lymphatic system to an oil filter. Imagine how sluggish and constrictive the engine would be if the oil wasn’t constantly filtered. Sluggish lymph fluid is a breeding ground for infection.
Stagnant lymph interferes with every system of the body. Because lymph cleanses nearly every cell in the body, symptoms of chronic lymph blockage are diverse. While most people prefer to identify one specific cause of a disease, there are rarely fewer than three and can often be hundreds. The point is, if the body is unhealthy, the lymph is unhealthy, too. If the body is sick, the lymph is sick, too.
Symptoms of lymphatic congestion include:
Rings get tight on fingers
Skin is puffy, showing edema
Soreness, stiffness, achiness in the mornings
Arthritis
Lethargic, drained, sluggishness
Bloating, water retention
Itchy skin
Bad skin (dryness, acne, premature aging, etc.)
Breast swelling or soreness with hormonal cycles
Brain fog
Cold hands and feet
Chronic headaches and/or migraines
Cellulite
Cancer
Diabetes
Chronic inflammation
Every one of these health concerns can be linked to other diseases as well, but any disease leads to a taxed lymphatic system, and a healthy lymphatic system is necessary to eliminate any disease.
How to Restore the Lymphatic System to Optimum Health
Doctors in Europe and in the Far East recognize the importance of lymphatic function and how it supports detoxification and every other system in the body, including the immune, digestive, and nervous systems. Natural practitioners know that poor lymph health underlies most health conditions from poor skin to cancer. By contrast, conventional practitioners in America don’t even consider the lymphatic system until a lymph deficiency shows up such as a swollen lymph node, cancer developing in a lymph gland, or obvious signs of lymph blockage. And of course, when something does go seriously wrong with the lymphatic system, western conventional doctors typically say the ailment is incurable. This is not true.
Be Careful What You Put On Your Skin
When the lymphatic system becomes sluggish it will “off-gas” through the skin. When unnatural fibers (like nylon or polyester) are worn and when chemical creams and soaps are applied to the skin, toxin release through the skin is inhibited. Much of the toxic load that should have been eliminated is re-absorbed along with some of the new toxins from the chemically laden clothes and skin products. This creates a backlog of needed detoxification.
A tight fitting bra and underwire bras will impede normal lymphatic flow. Make sure bras fit properly, and avoid underwires. Go braless whenever possible.
Wear natural fibers, and don’t put toxic chemicals on your skin. Almost every skin care product in the skincare isles is toxic. Most “all natural” moisturizer creams, and soaps are also toxic. With few exceptions (like essential oils), when it comes to skin care products, if you can’t eat it, don’t put on your skin. This also includes sunblock, deodorant, and laundry detergents.
Speaking of deodorants, they need to be all natural. Conventional deodorants, especially antiperspirants, inhibit lymph detoxification. On a side note, it’s no wonder, understanding how the body works, that antiperspirants do in fact lead to breast cancer. We need to sweat, and that sweat leads to an ecosystem of flora on the skin that can promote good health or bad health. Check out How To Make Your Own Natural Deodorant at Home.
Your body is a collection of organs that ideally work in harmony with one other. The lymphatic system keeps organs healthy, but an unhealthy organ, or many unhealthy organs, will overload the lymphatic system. Most people with a slow lymphatic system have a leaky gut. In fact, most people with any health problems have a gut that is overly permeable, allowing undigested particles, and toxins to enter the blood and lymph. See Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections for more on gut health.
The first step for almost anyone experiencing health problems should be to balance gut flora. If your body is toxic, your gut is toxic, and the microbes in there are not going to be your friends. As previously mentioned, the intestinal trunk receives the lymph from the stomach,intestine, pancreas, spleen, and liver. None of these organs will be well if the digestive system is in turmoil.
The diet for a healthy lymphatic system and a healthy human body includes far more fresh, raw vegetables than anything else. This how a healthy diet should look with the most often consumed foods listed first:
Raw, fresh vegetables and herbs
Raw fresh fruit
Cooked vegetables
Nuts, seeds, and legumes (all properly soaked, sprouted, etc.)
Brown rice, amaranth, quinoa, millet, oats
Meat
Obviously, meat is optional. Most of us do not get enough water. Clean water is imperative for lymphatic health, too.
Fungal Supplement Stack – Knock Out Yeast, Candida, Mold, Fungus
If you have a sluggish lymphatic system you’ve got Candida. In fact, that’s probably one of the main causes. 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:
While there are supplements that help, a healthy body will not be achieved without the right diet. The right diet is the foundation of an effective detox. Check out Detox Cheap and Easy Without Fasting – Recipes Includedfor a recipe for salads and for a cranberry lemonade that will radically improve the body’s elimination of toxins. Salads, when made right, provide a plethora of synergistic nutrition that rebuilds the body while pulling out toxins (for instance, many vegetables and herbs chelate heavy metals). The cranberry lemonade, made with unsweetened cranberry juice and stevia, will help flush and detoxify the liver and kidneys, allowing the lymph to move much more freely.
Avoid all refined, processed foods. Cook and prepare all food at home. Do not eat out until all symptoms are gone and health is restored. At home, eat salads, cranberry lemonade, and fresh fruit. Make stir-frys for dinner.
Avoid vaccines, at least until the lymphatic system is running smoothly. Regardless of your vaccine stance, vaccines are toxic and they slow lymph.
The same is true for GMOs. GMOs harm healthy gut flora, and they need to be avoided. For more on vaccines and GMOs, check out People Against…
Foods That Support the Lymphatic System
Water, while not a food, is vital to life. A lack of water inhibits lymph from flowing smoothly.
Cranberries emulsify fat, which helps break down excess fat so the lymphatic vessels can carry it away. Cranberry also helps the kidneys, which helps with overall hydration. Avoid cranberry juice that has any added ingredients, and try to get some fresh, whole cranberries to juice whenever possible.
Leafy greens are cleansing. Chlorophyll, the green nutrient that captures sunlight, has powerful cleansing properties and beneficial effects on the blood and thus on lymph fluid as well. Look for dark greens like kale, spinach, wheat grass, barley grass, turnip greens, dandelion leaves, broccoli, and mustard greens.
Garlic boosts immune function, chelates heavy metals and some other toxins, and kills harmful microbes. Anything that boosts immune function will take a load off of the lymphatic system.
Ginger reduces inflammation, and like garlic, ginger is also antimicrobial.
Turmeric is related to ginger. It also helps reduce inflammation, thins the blood, improves circulation, and is a well known and very effective cancer fighter.
Fresh produce has many different benefits for the lymphatic system and the whole body, but enzymes are critical to good health. More enzymes in the diet means more enzymes are available to the body to break down food and fibrin, which allows for easier flow of blood and lymph.
Lymphatic Supplemental Support
Systemic enzymes help to restore lymphatic transport capacity and break down undesired excess proteins that contribute to swelling and inflammation. Systemic enzymes also remove debris throughout the body that slow down circulation.
Oregano oil supports digestion and the immune system. Oregano oil is absorbed directly into the lymphatic system from the digestive tract. The powerful antioxidants and antimicrobial properties can help clear up the intestinal lymph capillaries. Oregano oil also contains terpenes that dissolve fatty sludge in the lymph system and in the gall bladder.
Burdock is a powerful multi-system detoxifier that supports the liver, kidneys, digestion, and the lymphatic and endocrine systems. According to the University of Michigan Health System, burdock a blood and lymph purifier.
Wild indigo stimulates the glandular and lymphatic systems. This herb is an antimicrobial immune system modulator and lymphagogue that helps regulate immune and inflammatory responses.
Licorice root is one of the most broad-spectrum natural detoxifying agents known to herbalists. It has been said to gently rid the body of over 1,000 known toxins.
Goldenseal and astragalus are excellent lymphatic system and blood cleansers that also boost the immune system.
Echinacea alleviates congestion and swelling in the body, and it boosts the immune system. Echinacea will ward off bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Echinacea helps strengthen certain kinds of cells in the lymph nodes called macrophages, which are responsible for getting the toxins out of the lymph.
Aloe vera is a natural cleansing food that encourages, supports, and increases lymphatic circulation.
Prickly ash bark is a traditional Native American remedy that boosts lymphatic function, stimulates digestion, and promotes joint health.
Red clover, cleavers, manjistha, bupleurum, rehmannia, and stillingia root are popular herbs for lymph stimulation and detoxification.
Other Ways to Stimulate the Lymphatic System
Get upside down. Bounce and jostle. Just move!
Inversion Table
An inversion table is a padded table that allows one to invert upside down while strapped in by the feet. This decompresses joints and stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory system.
Lymphatic Massage
We all love a good massage, and a massage will help with the lymphatic system. But, a lymphatic massage specifically targets the flow of lymph in the body. With rhythmic circular movements at just the right pressure to stimulate the lymph, this kind of massage can encourage lymph movement. Lymphatic massage, when done correctly, has been proven to push up to 78% of stagnant lymph back into circulation, which mobilizes toxins for clearance, lessening the burden on the body.
Dry Brushing
Dry skin brushing is a technique commonly utilized in Ayurveda for assisting in lymphatic flow. The procedure uses a dry brush with coarse bristles to brush the skin gently towards the heart. This stimulates the sweat glands, opens up skin pores, and helps remove dead skin cells as it stimulates the movement of lymph and blood in underlying organs and tissues.
Exercise
Rebounding is the practice of jumping on a trampoline for ten to thirty minutes. This stimulates the circulation of blood and lymph throughout the body. Numerous studies have proven its efficacy, and some believe there are many other benefits as well.
Other bouncing exercises like jumping rope, jumping jacks, and dance stimulate like rebounding. A hard surface makes for a better bounce to the system, but a trampoline is better for those who need to start with exercises that are more gentle.
Squats massage and stimulate internal organs and bodily systems. Humans were meant to squat and run regularly. Our body works better when we do.
Yoga increases the flow of the lymph. Inverted positions, stretching and contracting the core, and other positions involving stretching are all very beneficial to the lymphatic system.
Running and jogging get the lymph moving. Sweating and breathing heavily also improve lymph condition. Be sure to breathe properly!
How To Eliminate Chronic Illness and Heal Lymph
Here are three articles I put together on diet. This is indicative of how my family eats every single day.
We start off with cranberry lemonade and a huge salad every morning. For lunch, we sometimes do a smoothie or we snack on some nuts and/or fruit or we just finish our massive 11-cup salads. For dinner, we always cook from scratch, which takes preperation and time, but it gets easier. Rice and beans, quinoa, lentils, millet, oatmeal, and amaranth are common staples for our cooked meals. We add lots of raw vegetables and herbs to our dinners as well, for instance, the rice and beans go great with chopped tomatoes and avocado, diced onions and garlic, and shredded turmeric and ginger. Eat raw herbs and cooked herbs together for maximum health benefits.
This is truly a lifestyle, not a diet, and it’s one we live every day. You may not need to go to this extreme to rid your body of disease, but I find that most who are dealing with chronic illness need to take it this far, at least for a few months.
The salads are the most important part of this protocol. More than supplements, more than anything save getting enough water, the salads are imperative. Eat lots of it. Make sure they are diverse with at least 15 different vegetables and herbs. If you could see what packing your gut with salad does to your ecosystem under a microscope, you’d understand why I’m so passionate about them. There is nothing more beneficially life-changing than developing a salad habit when the salads are big and diverse and homemade. They do more than any supplement or any other food to clean the intestinal walls of filth and develop a beneficial gut ecosystem.
The cranberry lemonade helps keep the kidneys and liver working optimally. These organs typically get sluggish quickly when lots of Candida are killed. If salads are #1, this cranberry lemonade is #2, and supplements are a distant #3.
For those with very serious gut issues, legumes and grains will be a no-no for the first few weeks at least, but when enough salad has been consumed, the gut should be able to reap many benefits from cooked foods like the dinner meals aforementioned.
Sweet fruit should be severely limited, and for the very ill, avoided until the gut is working better. Grapefruit, cranberry, avocado, lime, and lemon do not fall under this category.
Juicing with fruits is not much better than refined sugar, so don’t make the common mistake of thinking a fresh-juice fast is going to get you well.
Now that diet is covered, here’s the supplement part:
SF722 – 5 capsules three times a day, once on an empty stomach, the other two times with or without food. SF722 kills yeast, and if you have a slow lymphatic system you have Candida!
Abzorb – take two capsules with harder to digest meals, and also take two on an empty stomach twice a day, like early morning and late night. When taken on an empty stomach the Abzorb acts as a systemic enzyme and a probitoic. When taken with food it helps digest food. Both are great.
For anyone on a tight budget I recommend putting the money to food, and if affordable, add Abzorb and SF722. That’s enough with the right diet to eliminate fungal overgrowth in almost everyone. There are some who work or live in environments that constitute more environmental stressors on the body, and therefore need a lot more help. There are also many living in areas of the country where the healthy food selection at the local grocery store is sparse. I recommend more supplements and growing your own food in such a case. And I recommend growing your own food for a hundred other reasons as well.
If you’re someone who needs more supplementation or, like me, you just tend to prefer overkill, here’s a step-by-step protocol that includes all of the previously recommended supplements, and a bit more to address Candida die off and healthy defecation.
Each day has two supplement routines that are repeated. Each supplement routine has an objective.
Clean and Gut Populate with Good Guys:
If your lymphatic system is toxic so is your gut. In fact, that’s where the toxins are most likely coming from.
Also, take absorb with any food that is difficult to digest.
Protocol
6am – Clean and Populate With Good Guys
Start with Abzorb and a big glass of cranberry lemonade and the
9am – Antimicrobials, Kill the Bad Guys
Salad time! The MycoPhyto Complex company recommends to take on an empty stomach, but I like it with salads and smoothies too.
12pm – Antimicrobials, Kill the Bad Guys
Homemade Smoothie Time! If you’re extremely ill you may need to wait on the smoothies and just double up on the salads for the first week, but I’ve found that many people who were suffering from a plethora of ailments and having trouble recovering responded very well to pineapple smoothies. Pineapple smoothies (made with fresh pineapple), like the ones I have recipes for in the above link, pack a massive amount of enzymes and can help break down a lot of junk in the gut, while delivering large amounts of nutrition. But, smoothies have plenty of sugar, so it’s a good time to repeat the supplements from 9am.
Use pineapple, coconut water, water, cranberry juice, or if you can withstand some sugar try granny smith apple juice, but don’t use sweet fruit juices for smoothies.
3pm -Week 1 – Antimicrobials, Kill the Bad Guys
3pm -Week 2 – Populate With Good Guys
6pm – Antimicrobials, Kill the Bad Guys
Dinner time! Everything from scratch, nothing pre-made in any way, all whole food ingredients.
9pm – Populate With Good Guys
Finish of the night with probiotic support and leave them alone for the night to do their thing.
Three More Supplements to Consider – Die-0ff, Heavy metal Detox, & Bowel Movements
If Candida die-off is a concern be sure to drink plenty of cranberry lemonade and I also recommend adding Total Nutrition Formula and the Intestinal Detox. Here’s a recipe to make your own Total Nutrition. This way you’ll get bentonite clay, charcoal, chlorella, spirulina, and more, which are all great for mitigating the die-off effects of a Candida detox, and they also chelate heavy metals.
You can take the Total Nutrition Formula with the smoothie or sprinkle it on the salad (or choke it down with water), and take the Intestinal Detox anytime throughout the day as directed.
If you’re not defecating easily and at least twice daily, I also highly recommend the Intestinal Cleanse. It kills parasites and moves the bowels better than anything else on the market that I know of, by far. I recommend taking it with the antimicrobials.
Conclusion
To help clear out a sluggish lymphatic system, get more exercise, get a good massage, eat more produce and drink lots of cranberry lemonade. For chronic illness, a holistic approach that involves fitness, diet, and supplementation is in order.
Sometimes people seem to be doing everything else right, but their bodies won’t get healthy until they start moving. For a clogged lymphatic system, exercise may be critical to get things moving freely. For most other health issues, exercise is more of an option, one with benefits but not totally necessary. If you find your lymph system to be sluggish, you need exercise. Squats, yoga, and running help detoxify the body and get lymph flowing better. Running is particularly good for the lymphatic system. We were built to run, and don’t let any doctor tell you differently. Check out Running Without Knee Pain. Both sprinting and jogging have a host of positive benefits to lymph.
The following recommended products, if used as instructed with a proper diet, will clear the lymphatic system, strengthen the immune system, and help alleviate almost all other health issues, given enough time. The supplements are listed in order of most likely to be most important. While the time varies from person to person, most feel a huge sense of rejuvenation within 3 to 10 days on this protocol.
Recently, a new article about hospital charges has been making the rounds on social media. A family received their bill for the birth of their child. Included in the itemized statement was a $39.35 fee for the mother to hold her baby immediately after his birth with skin-to-skin contact.
The official explanation that is given for charging a mother to hold her child is the need for an extra person to stand beside her to ensure the baby is not dropped (think C-Section cases, drugged up moms, etc.) While this may initially sound reasonable, when the high of finally meeting your little one wears off, that forty dollar charge can take on a different persona.
Skin-to-skin contact is incredibly beneficial for both the mother and baby. It helps baby regulate temperature, increases the odds for a healthy breastfeeding relationship, and reduces postpartum depression. It’s a simple act that could set up a successful mother and baby relationship, but not all hospitals are willing to offer it, even with a charge. That forty dollars is now a symbol of a standard of care that places money and legal liability before patient needs.
So often we are unable to choose whether or not to go to the hospital. Hospitals provide a necessary and important service. For trauma care, there is no better place to be. But is this the case for childbirth?
Yes, hospital deliveries may be the best choice for a woman with a high-risk pregnancy, but home births are a viable option for women who are considered low-risk. Since statistics show the same or better outcomes for home births, what are the benefits from choosing a home birth? What is the downside?
The Upside
When women give birth at home with a trained midwife, they are less likely to experience birth interventions like episiotomies and fetal electronic monitoring. Mothers are less likely to suffer from postpartum hemorrhages, severe perineal tears, and infections. Comparison studies between planned home births and hospital births in countries like Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Netherlands (the industrialized country with the highest percentage of recorded home births) have found that home births compare positively to the hospital outcomes. Fewer births result in C-sections, and the mother’s health is often better.
A home birth also gives the mother more control and comfort in her surroundings. Being in your home where you are able to play the music you want, enjoy food and water at leisure, and chose whatever position is most comfortable and makes the most sense to you during birth can have an enormous impact psychologically and hormonally. Stress hormones can stop or impede a labor. In the hospital that opens the door to increasing amounts of obstetric intervention. Pain and stress that could be gently eased with a hot bath at home can be interpreted as a need for pitocin and increased fetal monitoring, which in turn increases the chances of complications.
Know Your Risks
Yes, home birth can be amazing, but it isn’t all sunshine and roses. Anyone interested in or considering a home birth needs to do their research.
Look at the risks frequently associated with home births and plan scenarios for how you would handle them. Frank discussions with your midwife are a necessity. There is the possibility that things will go wrong, and knowing the fastest route to the hospital can make a big difference in your birth outcome.
But Then That’s Me
I’ve always heard my mother say her her hips were too small, messed up, or weird whenever we talked about her birth experience. She even claims her doctors agreed. I even remember her making a comment (looking back, a wildly inappropriate one) about how my youngest sister had good hips for having kids, but I had inherited hers.
When I told her I was looking into homebirth, she seemed all for it. But then she started making comments about how she wished she could have given birth naturally but her babies were too big. After one discussion with a nurse friend who spends her time “praying for all the dead babies”, my mother spent the rest of my pregnancy frantically trying to talk me out of having a home birth. All I heard from her was a litany of ways my home birth was going to go wrong and how irresponsible my decision was when all that mattered was a healthy baby. Though I’m sure most women experience doubts and fears about home birth, my doubts and fears had taken physical form.
Here’s the kicker. After two healthy home births, I have to admit she was right about one thing – I had inherited her hips. Both of my labors were long and included painful back labor in spite of positioning exercises and various other attempts to avoid it. I had to contort into weird positions to coax the little ones out of the tunnel. I’m left to conclude that it’s just me and my weird ass pelvis. If I were an obstetrician in the hospital, I’d C-section someone like me if only for taking so damn long and refusing to let anyone touch me.
But that’s the problem with the way we currently treat birth in a modern medical setting. We’re no longer doing everything in our power to ensure the best possible emotional and physical outcome for baby and mother. We’re seeing a beautiful moment that has the potential to leave a woman feeling better about her bond with her baby, an act that can help combat post-partum depression, and reducing it to another extra charge on the hospital bill.
I keep thinking back on my children’s births, imagining how badly things could have gone in the hospital, and how glad I am that I chose to give birth at home. My children are perfect. I’m here, happy, healthy and above all empowered. I never participated in a standard of care that would have labeled me as flawed. Unlike my mother, I will not spend the rest of my life apologizing to my kids for my weird hips. As far as I’m concerned, they worked just fine.
Endangered Pollinators and the Endangered Species Act
This September, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced their proposal to add the rusty patched bumble bee to the endangered species list. It would have been the first bee to be placed on the list. One week later, seven species of yellow–faced bees, native to Hawaii, jumped the line and were awarded the dubious honor.
The Endangered Species Act
Congress passed the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 1973. Its purpose is to conserve the ecosystems of endangered and threatened species and to provide conservation programs to protect and restore them.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (overseeing land and freshwater plants and animals) and the National Marines Fisheries Service (overseeing marine wildlife and anadromous fish) administer the ESA.
Five factors are considered when a species is being evaluated:
Damage to, or destruction of, a species’ habitat
Overutilization of the species for commercial, recreational, scientific, or educational purposes
Disease or predation (killed by predators)
Inadequacy of existing protection
Other natural or manmade factors that affect the continued existence of the species
When wildlife is listed as endangered it is illegal to “…harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct.” This includes “…significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering.” – ESA Basics
The goal is to restore a species to the point it no longer requires protection. Recovery plans are written and implemented by the Fish and Wildlife Service with input and assistance from stakeholders including species experts; academia; other Federal, State, and local agencies; Tribes; and nongovernmental organizations.
Who Are the Stakeholders for Bees?
An argument could be made that every human on Earth is a stakeholder in the preservation and restoration of bees. According to the USDA, about 35% of the world’s food crops depends on pollinators for reproduction, and bees are considered our most important pollinators. We need them.
Generally, we think of commercial honeybees when we think of crop pollination. But bees are not our only pollinator. Wasps, birds, beetles, bats, butterflies, moths, ants, and other animals and insects contribute to pollination as well. Honeybees are only responsible for about 14% of crop pollination. Native bees and other insects are responsible for the majority of the work. These wild bees are being eradicated by pesticides, mono cropping, and habitat destruction.
When it comes to protecting the habitat of wild bees, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be battling with stakeholders who will come to the table to support their own interests. Pesticide companies and seed companies (companies that sell seeds coated with neonicotinoid pesticides) will do their best to protect their own interests as will commercial growers who will fight to continue mono cropping practices that are known to be destructive to both the soil and our pollinators. But these are not the only concerns for honey bees. In addition to herbicides, pesticides, mono cropping (which leads to nutritional deficiencies), and habitat destruction, honey bees face the following:
23 different known viruses
Parasitic mites
Fungal infections
Bacterial pathogens
Predators (small hive beetles)
Chemical exposure (chemicals designed to assist beekeepers have been found to harm the hive)
What Does the Future Hold?
We live in a world with an ever-growing population and a fragile food supply. Climate change and drought are currently affecting crops, and no one knows how this will play out in the years to come. It is said that fewer than 20 crops provide 90% of the world’s food supply, and of that 90% more than half is comprised of 3 crops – maize, rice, and wheat.
We scramble to maintain genetic variety and diversity among these crops to prevent a catastrophic collapse due to blight or a parasitic infection. (Remember Ireland’s potato famine?)
We want to believe new technologies will save the world from starvation. GMOs, new fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, new mono crop farming methods, and factory farming practices to raise livestock are touted as the new way – a means to feed the world. But common sense and careful scrutiny show us these practices will only lead to a bleak and unsustainable future.
Herbicides and pesticides are destroying the soil. Animals raised in inhumane, filthy conditions breed disease. Herbicides and pesticides are one of the causes of leaky gut syndrome, which leads to a host of illnesses including a wide array of autoimmune diseases. GMOs and pesticides are also implicated as a causal factor in autism.
We’ve known that chemicals kill our pollinators for some time. We don’t know a lot about the effects of GMOs on pollinators because they were never appropriately tested. Current studies are being conducted on non-bee insect pollinators. Results are showing the non-bee insects are not as dependent on a natural habitat or semi-natural habitat as bees.
While it is encouraging to know bees are not our only pollinators, we can only hope these non-bee pollinators do not give us an excuse to continue destructive practices that are adding to the demise of bees and other pollinators.
We turn a blind eye to corporate greed that is creating a serious health crisis and using human beings to test their genetically altered creations and glyphosate soaked grains. Those of us who protest are being ignored and labeled as anti-science. Wouldn’t it be amazing if saving the bees leads to saving us as well?
