How to Cure Migraines For Good

A surprising 10% of the worldwide population suffers from migraine headaches. Although we know people have been suffering from migraines since the beginning of recorded history, we still aren’t sure what causes them.

The original belief that migraines are caused by a vascular condition (caused by arteries and veins) was challenged by a later theory of a neuroinflammatory process (inflammation of nervous tissue), and is now thought to be a neurogenic disorder (caused by or controlled by the nervous system).

Not all migraines are the same and not all migraines respond to the same medications, which might lead one to think that all these causes may be valid.

Generally, (but not always) migraine headaches affect one side of the head. Generally (but not always) they are associated with throbbing pain. If left untreated, they last for hours up to days.

There are four recognized stages for a migraine episode, though not all sufferers go through all four stages. These stages are as follows:

  • Prodrom — A day or two before the onset of a headache, symptoms include food cravings (often women crave chocolate), depression or irritability, stiff muscles–particularly the neck, uncontrollable yawning, hyperactivity, etc.
  • Aura — (experienced by 20% of migraine sufferers) an hour or two before the onset of a headache, sensory disturbances occur. The most common are visual with flashes of light, jagged lights in peripheral vision, blind spots, even loss of vision. Numbness and tingling in arms and legs, including weakness and speech problems. The aura lasts 20-60 minutes.
  • Attack — Usual duration is 4-72 hours. Symptoms during an attack often include nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, sensitivity to sound, light, smells, lightheadedness (possible fainting) and pain on one or both sides of the head.
  • Postdrome — This phase lasts up to a few days. Fatigue and cognitive disturbances that interfere with work and interactions with others. It is described as “brain fog.”

Natural Treatment for Migraines

There is s strong belief in the natural health community of one disease, one cause. In other words, the body, if cleansed of toxins and given proper nutrition, will heal itself. All disease begins at a cellular level. There is also a consensus that health starts in the gut. Four things are known about migraines: they involve vessels, inflammation (nerves and vessels), low levels of serotonin, and may be caused by heavy metal toxicity.

Boost serotonin

One of the symptoms common to migraine sufferers is a drop in serotonin or low levels of serotonin before a migraine. The beneficial bacteria in the gut produces 80% of the body’s serotonin, therefore it stands to reason that gut health and high serotonin levels may reduce or eliminate migraines. In order to achieve this, one must cleanse the gut of bad bacteria and Candida and repopulate the gut with beneficial bacteria. The diet must be rich in both prebiotic and probiotic foods. (See link below regarding how to kill Candida.) A healthy, healing diet is organic and consists of 80% fresh, raw, organic produce–more vegetables than fruits. Eat a large variety of real foods. Include omega 3 fats each day. Do not eat known trigger foods. Avoid dairy and gluten (in order to heal your gut and due to the fact that they are probably trigger foods or allergens). Do not eat any artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Do not eat MSG, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, or GMOs. This is fairly easy to do if you stick to real foods, not processed foods, and eat organic.

Related: Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections

Reduce inflammation

Inflammation is another causal factor. To reduce or eliminate inflammation, eliminate all foods that cause an allergic response. Include omega 3 oil in your diet on a daily basis (fish oil, flaxseed oil, krill oil, etc. ) Or consider Johanna Budwig’s recipe for inflammation. (See below.)

Vitamins and minerals to supplement

B-vitamins are essential for vascular health and for nerves and nervous tissue. Always take a B-complex vitamin rather than just taking one B vitamin for any length of time. Omega 3 oils help the body assimilate B vitamins. Vitamin C and vitamin D also aid in vascular health long with calcium, magnesium, and selenium.

Heavy metal toxicity

Heavy metal chelation may go a long way towards ending your battle with migraines. For many people, removal of mercury fillings has ended their susceptibility to migraines. (To learn more about mercury, see the link below).

Stress

Stress is a factor for migraines, as it is for all disease. It is important to learn how to release stress, as chronic stress does affect our biochemistry. Examine your lifestyle and decide if there are changes you want to make. If you want to make a serious impact on your stress level, learn to breathe (seriously–see link below), exercise, and meditate.

Dr. Shillington’s Nerve Sedative Formula Recipe (or click to purchase)

  • 2 – parts Valerian Root
  • 2 – parts Lobelia Seed Pods
  • 2 – parts Passion Flower
  • 1 – part Hops Flowers
  • 1 – part Black Cohosh
  • 1 – part Blue Cohosh
  • 1 – part Skullcap
  • 1 – part Wild Yam

Dr. Shillington’s Brain Tonic Recipe (or click to purchase)

  • 15 – parts Gingko Leaf
  • 1 – part Gotu Kola Herb
  • 1 – part Calamus Root
  • 1 – part Rosemary Flowers
  • 1 – part Cayenne Pepper
  • Optional:- 1 part Kola Nut

Parts are by volume. Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol (100 proof vodka) and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

Shillington’s Formulas aren’t going to stop most migraines in their tracks, but they will rebuild and heal the body.

The Real Reason You Have Migraines

The most likely causes of a migraine are gut imbalance and drug use. Smoking anything can eventually lead to migraines. Lots of different pharmaceuticals cause migraines. Toxins cause migraines. A toxic gut ecology leads to chronic issues including migraines. And most people who use pharmaceuticals and/or smoke have a toxic gut-ecology.

Fixing the gut means eliminating the excess Candid and other fungi.

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

The first three should be plenty for most people, but for impatient people with really prominent fungal issues and bigger budgets could use all of these:

Conclusion

Whether migraines are rare or frequent, the pain can be overwhelming. No one should ever have to suffer through a migraine. To fully address the actions you can take to eliminate migraines from your life, follow all of the steps above. Here’s a recap:

  • Detox
  • Eat a healthy, healing diet with lots of raw produce
  • Boost serotonin – reduce candida and balance gut flora
  • Reduce inflammation – daily dose of omega 3’s
  • Supplement – vitamins C,D, and B-complex; calcium, magnesium and selenium
  • Heavy metal chelation – and get mercury fillings removed
  • Keep ginger on hand (and essential oils if they help)
  • Reduce stress – learn to breathe, exercise, meditate
  • Rebuild the nervous system and optimize the brain with shillington’s formulas

If you need help with a migraine right now, check out Natural Remedies For Migraines That Work Fast.

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Natural Remedies for Colds, Flus, and Other Common Viruses

When you’re about to get a cold there are warning signs. Food tastes different, sense of smell is strong and certain odors bother you that did not before, and  your breath becomes stale. Most people ignore these signs. At the very first sign, that first cough with a tickle in the throat, or whatever it is that alerts you to an impending viral attack, you can help your body’s defenses.

Gargle

Gargle now. Use organic, raw, apple cider vinegar and gargle every fifteen minutes for the next two hours. After that, gargle whenever you think of it.

Every time you gargle at the onset of a viral infection, you are cutting the viral load at the point those little suckers are trying to mass produce. You are actively killing them off their armies each time you gargle. Even if the cold or flu takes hold, you will have a milder case if it if you gargle a lot in the beginning.

Get Warm

Heat can help your body fight infection. That’s why we run fevers, which you can simulate yourself. A hot bath, a sauna, a steaming shower can knock out a nasty infection quickly. And you can also add some essential oils like eucalyptus or peppermint to help clear out lungs and sinuses.

Fluids

No, I am not talking about sodas or juice, with one or two exceptions. Make cranberry lemonade sweetened with stevia, hot or cold. Or cranberry lemonade sweetened with stevia with or without added cayenne. Drink lots of it made with pure water

You do not want to drink sodas or juice right now. (Hopefully you never drink another soda in your life, but we can talk about that later.) Viruses, bacteria, and fungi all thrive on sugar. Don’t feed them.

Also, know that conventional sugar (like what you find in sodas) actually repress your immune system.

Garlic

Eat garlic, lots of raw garlic. Chop it up, slice it, press it, or dice it. To benefit more from garlic, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes after cutting and before eating. Eat at least 2 cloves daily; 6 would be better; 10 would be better still. You get the idea.

Echinacea

Echinacea will make your tongue feel fuzzy. If it doesn’t, it’s not echinacea or it’s very weak and not of any use. Few things work as well as high quality echinacea to strengthen the immune system quickly and effortlessly. Take it often, but only take it for three weeks and then stop for a week (less it loses its effectiveness).

Zinc

Zinc may work for you. It is thought to hinder the cold virus’s ability to multiply. But be careful with zinc. Too much can be toxic.

Vitamins

Vitamin D supports your immune system while C, A, and E help the body fight viruses. Lots of vitamin C can be helpful, but if you do take a lot, titrate down. Don’t suddenly stop taking it. Your virus might bounce back.

Doc Shillington’s Total Tonic Recipe (or click here to purchase)

Here’s a recipe that you can do at home. Always have it on hand to knock out infections, and it’s also great for heavy metal chelation and almost everything else that ails you.

  • 1 handful of garlic cloves
  • 1 handful of chopped onions
  • 1 handful of chopped ginger
  • 1 handful of chopped horseradish
  • 1/2 handful of chopped habanero peppers
  • Raw apple cider vinegar

Throw in a blender and cover with an inch or two of organic raw apple cider vinegar. All ingredients should be organic, but don’t let that stop you from making this great formula (as long as the garlic is not from China). You can use the mash right away or wait two weeks and allow it to turn into a tincture.

The Better Big Bang Recipe

I worked at a health food restaurant (sort of) that had a menu item called “The Big Bang.” It’s lemon juice, apple juice, and ginger juice mixed together and heated. I believe I improved upon their recipe:

  • 2 parts lemon juice
  • 2 parts apple cider vinegar
  • 1 part ginger juice (or per your taste)
  • 1 part turmeric juice (or per your taste)

You can heat it up or drink it cool. Drinking it hot is very nice, and perfect for a soothing a sore throat, opening the sinuses, and clearing out mucus. On the other hand, if you don’t heat it up you get more health benefits from the tonic.

Update

Now I sip on Mother Earth Organic Root Cider whenever I feel anything in my throat or sinuses that could indicate a cold coming on. It’s the best thing we’ve put on the market to date, and that’s saying a lot! If you find yourself getting sick regularly, or dealing with chronic sinus issues, you’ll love this. It tastes horrible, but you’ll stuff love it. Try it. Take a dose every day, and if you feel any potential infection coming on, sip on it throughout the day. As always with GLM, if you don’t love the results, get your money back.

Conclusion

The bottom line is, if you eat right, and have been eating right for some time, cold and flus shouldn’t even affect you. If you think this isn’t true, you’re not eating right. No single herb or natural remedy compares to a diet with a low toxic load and daily salads with 14 different vegetables, turmeric, garlic, etc. See the first source below for my own salad recipe. If your immune system is susceptible to infection, or you just like to the idea of having a crazy powerful immune system, be sure to check out Bullet Proof Your Immune System.

Recommended Products:
Further Reading:
Sources:


Increase your IQ with the Right Foods, Herbs, Vitamins, and Exercises for Your Brain

Not too long ago, the general consensus about our IQ was that our intelligence can’t be improved. Though this issue is still debated occasionally, today most of us know that learning a new language and becoming an avid reader have both been proven to increase one’s score on any intelligence aptitude test. The idea that people cannot get smarter is ridiculous, but so are a lot of other conventional medical beliefs still held today.

Contents

If you can take IQ tests over and over again, study them, get help figuring them out, and learn how to do them quickly and well, your score will improve. Some would argue that this is not really increasing intelligence, but it is. Experiences that challenge the brain’s cognitive abilities raise intelligence–real intelligence. IQ tests, while certainly not a great indicator of how well someone will do in life, are a pretty decent indicator of memory, problem solving skills, and other cognitive functions. Obviously, an abundance of these skills is helpful.

A better idea than taking IQ tests over and over again is to do some other brain teasers, learn a language, and learn to constantly exercise your brain. Live life like it’s all about learning, because it is!

Combine these mental push-ups with the right diet, a fitness program, and a few brain boosting herbal supplements, and your focus will be sharp while your cognitive ability will improve significantly.

The more you practice using your brain in various, challenging ways, the better you will get at using it. The better you take care of your brain’s health, the more efficiently and easily it will work, and the longer it will work as well.

How Brain is Connected to Your Gut

Your brain is very connected to your gut. We have a symbiotic relationship with every microbe living inside us, and the highest concentration of microbes is in our gut. In addition, parasitical influences, like candida running rampant throughout our body causing us to crave junk food, can be traced back to intestinal health.

Speaking of candida, this fungus has been identified as a possible cause and a definite contributor to depression. Getting your intestinal health up to par is the most important first step in increasing your intelligence. Healthy gut = healthy body = healthy brain.

Good bacterial health is necessary for balanced hormones. Gut bacteria produce 90% to 95% of our serotonin, the key neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood. We need bacteria to assimilate B vitamins, which are essential to the function of the nervous system and the brain. Without enough B vitamins, we can’t concentrate well.

Gluten also leads to an overabundance of Candida and a host of other problems in the gut and the whole body which directly affect the brain’s ability to function.

Brain Boosting Herbs

If you’re looking for a quick boost to finish a term paper, there are lots of herbs and other things you can do right away. If you’re looking to increase your cognitive abilities over a period of time, and enjoy life with a clear head and all the focus you need, then the first step for most people is to kill the candida and balance the gut, so don’t skip that section above!

Bacopa

Bacopa is used to treat ADHD, anxiety, brain disorders, poor memory, and tension. Bacopa has been shown to stimulate brain function and improve cognition skills and memory. It also increases serotonin, a brain chemical known to help sooth and relax the mind.

Ginseng

Ginseng is a well-known stimulant that can reduce stress, increase focus and memory, and raise metabolism and energy levels.

Sage

Sage has been shown to improve memory. Sage is being investigated as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.

Gota kola

Gota kola renews nerve functions, fights premature aging, aids circulation, and improves memory and intelligence.

Rosemary

Rosemary stimulates the pituitary gland, which produces the HGH (human growth hormone) needed to regulate weight and look younger. It also improves memory, along with a host of other benefits.

Rhodiola Rosea

Rhodiola Rosea has been shown to increase energy levels, reduce fatigue, and improve cognitive ability (specifically: associative thinking, short-term memory, calculation, concentration, and speed of audiovisual perception)

Ashwagandha

This herb is to Ayurvedic medicine as ginseng is to Chinese medicine. People use ashwagandha for improving cognitive ability and it treats many other health problems from infertility to inflammation.

Vitamins, Minerals, Fats, and Other Nutrition Our Brains Need

A deficiency in any one of the following nutrients can lead to brain health issues. Even less than optimal levels can impair cognitive function.

Fats

Numerous studies have proven that eating a balanced diet with healthy fats, and/or a fatty acid supplement with omega 3s, are imperative for all brain functions. It’s no wonder, since the brain is about 60% fat (if you exclude water, which makes up about 70%). DHA is a fatty acid chain that is one of the major building blocks of the brain, critical for optimal brain health and function. Of the many fatty acids that benefit the brain and offer noticeable cognitive improvement, DHA is the most significant. Balanced healthy fats are also needed to properly assimilate B vitamins.

B Vitamins

B vitamins are the vitamins of the nervous system and they are needed for the numerous functions critical to every cell in the body. B vitamins are essential for hormone production, stress management, and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. B vitamin deficiencies are not uncommon, and lead to many physical and mental illnesses. Anyone suffering from an inability to concentrate, PMS or other hormonal issues, insomnia, depression, or virtually any other mental health issues should reach first for B complex.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is more than an anti-oxidant and necessary vitamin for fighting infections and viruses, it is necessary to synthesize the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. It also helps the body flush heavy metals such as iron and copper from the brain.

Vitamin D

Normal brain development and function is dependent on vitamin D. Deficiencies have been proven to impair cognitive abilities.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is essential to maintain the integrity of cell membranes. Among other symptoms, a deficiency in this vitamin manifests in neurological symptoms including injury to sensory nerves and impaired coordination and balance.

Calcium

The brain requires calcium for secretion of neurotransmitters. The body maintains a specific level of calcium in the blood at all times, pulling calcium from the bones, if the level in the blood drops too low. So deficiencies generally affect bone health, not the brain.

Iodine

The thyroid requires iodine to produce its hormones, which are used in the myelination of the central nervous system. It is also critical in the development of the brain, therefore deficiencies during pregnancy can result in various neurodevelopmental deficits from mild cognitive deficits to mental retardation.

Iron

Iron is essential for proper development of the brain cells that produce myelin and for the synthesis of neurotransmitters. An iron deficiency during fetal development can cause permanent learning and memory deficits; childhood deficiency also causes cognitive impairment.

Magnesium

Magnesium is essential for metabolic reactions required for brain function. Deficiency results in neurological and muscular symptoms.

Selenium

Selenium is required for antioxidant enzymes in the brain and other tissues.

Zinc

Zinc plays a role in neurotransmission as well as catalytic, structural, and regulatory roles. Deficiencies can cause congenital malformations, deficits in learning, and other deficits including attention and learning.

Choline

Choline is another essential nutrient needed for myelination of nerves, neurotransmitter synthesis, and cell membranes and other structures of the brain and nervous system. Deficiency is related to cognitive defects.

Antioxidants

Your brain uses a lot of oxygen, and therefore, it is highly susceptible to free radical damage. This is why antioxidants are critical brain boosters. They protect brain cells by neutralizing free radical damage and preventing premature brain cell aging. Anthocyanins, the antioxidants that are found in berries, have been found to be particularly beneficial to the brain.

Food that’s Good For Our Brains

When you talk about food for the brain, cold-water fish top the list due to their fat content. Fish like salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, and cod contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and essential amino acids in proteins that build healthy brain cell membranes and improve cognitive function.

Other great foods for the brain (especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan) include:

  • Avocados, pumpkin seeds, various nuts, and other oils containing healthy fats along with vitamin E
  • Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables provide antioxidants and brain defending carotenoids
  • Berries give the brain vitamin C, create healthy connections between brain cells, and protect brain cells against free radicals with antioxidants.
  • Turmeric’s active ingredient, curcumin, detoxifies the brain.
  • Cayenne can wake you up like nothing else, rushing blood to the brain. Cayenne is a great supplement to take with other remedies.
  • Ginger protects the brain and has some of the same effects as cayenne, as far as waking up the senses and increasing blood flow.
  • Pretty much all produce nourishes the body and therefore the mind.

Essential Oils for Cognitive Function

Many essential oils are great for temporarily boosting cognitive function, and there are some combinations that work particularly well. Three drops of rosemary with two drops of lemon is a simple recipe to boost memory. Four drops of cypress with one drop of rosemary is another recipe for brain power. So many essential oils offer powerful and beneficial effects with the brain. In particular, rosemary is proven to increase memory by up to 75%. Peppermint, lavender, cedarwood, and sage are other essential oils particularly notable for proven abilities to increase brain function, but the list doesn’t end there. If you happen to have any essential oil around, give it a sniff and see what happens. Better quality oils produce better results.

Use It or Lose it

Our brain works much like the rest of the body in that it is a “use it or lose it” organ. If you don’t use your brain enough, your cognitive abilities suffer. People who really think more than the average person, like scientists and professors, are less likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases of the brain.

Studies show that learning a new language increases intelligence measurably. It’s not just languages though. Learning anything complicated that takes lots of time and practice, that uses the brain in many different ways, will have a noticeable effect on intelligence. If speaking another language isn’t in the cards, learning to play a musical instrument, mathematics, or learning computer languages can offer the same benefits. Learning how to develop websites, for instance, is an excellent way to exercise the brain. I personally had an IQ increase of 6 points after spending a few years learning HTML, PHP, CSS. There are also countless apps and websites with daily brain-teasers and exercises. Most of us know that reading increases our intelligence, but processing a variety of information has a greater effect than just reading fiction or a single other genre. All reading, whether it be fiction, magazine articles, blog posts, or historical, has benefit and can work our brains in different ways.

Exercise itself is huge for brain health! Being physically fit has been show to help with concentration. Exercise regulates proper hormone production, and exercise is the best way to take a break from an arduous brain task.

Be sure to keep taking those free IQ assessment tests when you can, too. What better way to raise your IQ than to practice taking various different IQ tests? There are also lots of toys and games like the classic Rubik Cube. If you really want to turn your noggin into the mind of a brainiac, playing with brain teasers, puzzle toys, crossword puzzles and the like should be a hobby. Collect them and use them on a regular basis.

Breathe Right

Take deep, slow breaths. Breathe so that your abdomen expands with each breath and your ribcage compresses with each exhale. Read How to Breathe for more.

Drink Plenty of Water

Most people are chronically dehydrated. Coffee and sodas are only making it worse. Our brain is made up of 75% water. Sometimes when concentration seems impossible and the day feels like it’s spiraling out of control, chugging a few cups of water can change perception and get things back on track. .

Maximum Brain Function Regimen

Obviously, I eat well, typically consuming lots of produce with beneficial fats, enzymes, antioxidants, and all the other nutrients my body needs. But sometimes I need a boost. If I am tired, having trouble focusing, can’t figure something out, or am in need of some brain help for any reason, I have a protocol I use.

I juice equal parts turmeric, lemon, and ginger. I make about ½ of a cup total, spike it with as much cayenne as I can handle, and take the shot. I follow that up with a B vitamin complex, Shillington’s Brain Tonic, and then Shillington’s Blood Detox. If there’s any chance I have some candida going on (which always impacts my focus) I take about 15 SF722 and 5 FloraMend as well.

And then I make my salad for the day.

If you’ve got a routine you love that gets your mind just right, whether it’s for increasing focus and cognition or elevating your mood, please share with us in the comments below.

Shillington’s Brain Tonic Recipe (or click here to purchase)

This is such an amazing formula, not just for overall long-term brain health, but also to give the brain a boost when it needs it the most.

(Mix the following by volume, and make a standard tincture (click here for instructions) using 100 proof vodka as your menstrum.)

  • 15 – parts Gingko Leaf
  • 1 – part Gotu Kola Herb
  • 1 – part Calamus Root
  • 1 – part Rosemary Flowers
  • 1 – part Cayenne Pepper
  • Optional:- 1 part Kola Nut

A ‘part’ is a measurement by volume.  Blend all ingredients together and make into a tincture using a 50 – 50 Blend of Alcohol and distilled water. For more, see How to Make a Tincture.

A Dropperful is considered to be about 1/2 way up the dropper from a two ounce bottle.

Be sure to shake well before each use.

Conclusion

The most important and significant thing you can do to increase your concentration and other cognitive abilities right away without making any lifestyle changes is to breathe right, take a B vitamin complex, a dropperful of brain tonic (or other herbal combination for brain function), drink water, and do a few squats. For long term, taking something like Shillington’s Brain Tonic, and the right diet makes for a more intelligent, and aware person who isn’t just trying to make it through the day.

If your mind is sluggish, detox. If you smoke anything, stop. It all impairs brain function. So do pharmaceuticals and alcohol. As stated, a healthy body = a healthy mind. An unhealthy body, i.e., a body full of drugs and other toxins, with limited nutrition and little ability to absorb it, makes for a brainwashed sheep who simply tries to make it through the day without getting slaughtered.

Recommended Supplements:
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Natural Cure for Sinus Infections

There’s nothing quite like a sinus infection. You get to experience non-stop pressure and pain. Your face hurts. Your head hurts. Possibly, your teeth hurt as well. Left untreated, the infection can involve the bones of the face and in rare cases, can actually spread to the brain.

Our sinuses are open spaces or pockets above and beside the nose that are lined with mucous membranes. Each time we breathe in through the nose, mucous acts as the first defense against pathogens and foreign substances we inhale. Small particles are trapped by mucous, which is continuously swept towards the throat by cilia, tiny hair like structures. Mucous is swallowed and stomach acid neutralizes most of the pathogens that reach it.

Sinuses become infected when they cannot drain properly. When sinus tissues swell, mucous becomes trapped and the sinus fills, causing pressure and pain and creating a perfect environment for an infection to breed.

Sinus infections can be viral, bacterial, fungal or a combination; they can be acute or chronic.

How To Avoid Sinus Infections

If you suffer from recurrent sinus infections or chronic sinus infections, Candida is likely to be a part of the problem. At the very least, you immune system needs help. A truly healthy diet will help heal the infection and rebuild your immune system.

Diet

Eat real food, not processed food. Your diet should consist of 80% raw, fresh, organic produce, more vegetables than fruit. Be sure to include healthy fats. Omega 3 essential fatty acids are an important addition to your diet, and they reduce inflammation. (Reduction of inflammation, and swelling that accompanies it, allows the sinuses to drain. Avoid all artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives as well as MSG, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, and GMOs. And here’s what may be the hardest part: stop eating sugar. Sugar feeds Candida as well as viruses and bacteria. In addition, each time you eat sugar, it takes your immune system a good three days to recover.

Avoid all allergens. Many people who aren’t aware that they are allergic to dairy, find that eliminating it from their diet stops a cycle of chronic sinus, respiratory, and ear infections. (To learn more about a healthy diet, see the links below. )

Detox

To heal your immune system, you need to cleanse your body. A good cleanse will help kill off Candida, parasites, and pathogens. You need to rebuild the balance of your gut so the healthy bacteria keeps Candida and bad bacteria and the toxins they exude in check. If your sinuses are the only thing your immune system has to deal with, it will do a much better job of healing any current or future infection. (To learn more about how to detox, see the link below.)

How To Treat Sinus Infections

Sinus Irrigation

Flushing the sinuses with saline solution can aid in reduction of swelling and remove excess mucous along with debris and pathogens. A neti pot (click to purchase here) can aid you in sinus irrigation. To make a saline solution, use 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to 16 ounces (2 cups) of warm water.

Be sure that you use the following:

  • Distilled water or boiled water.
  • Real salt. Make sure it is fine and has no additives (no iodine or flavorings).
  • Baking soda.

Doc Shillington’s Herbal Snuff Recipe (or click to purchase)

If you are suffering from an acute sinus infection or a chronic sinus condition, Doc Shillington’s Herbal Snuff can get those healing herbs right into the spot where they will do the most good.

This recipe is by parts, whether teaspoons or tablespoons or more…

  • 7 parts Goldenseal Root Powder
  • 7 parts Bayberry Bark Powder
  • 1 part Cayenne Pepper Powder (Habanero Cayenne is best)
  • 1 part Garlic Powder

Grind as finely as possible and mix well.

To use, snort a very small amount, about half the size of a match head. Use several times per day until all symptoms have disappeared. Be forewarned – this will burn, but it works.

Update!

Now I sip on Mother Earth Organic Root Cider whenever I feel anything in my throat or sinuses that could indicate a cold coming on. It’s the best thing we’ve put on the market to date, and that’s saying a lot! If you find yourself getting sick regularly, or dealing with chronic sinus issues, you’ll love this. It tastes horrible, but you’ll stuff love it. Try it. Take a dose every day, and if you feel any potential infection coming on, sip on it throughout the day. As always with GLM, if you don’t love the results, get your money back.

Recommended Supplements:

Further Reading:

Sources:



Detox vs. Fasting – Which One You should do?

It’s often argued that a detoxification regimen is pointless because the body is always detoxifying. While this is true, there is also a process of “medicinal removal of toxic substances” which is the definition commonly used by naturopaths, and other alternative health care advocates. So, for the purposes of getting past this inane sticking point, let’s redefine detoxifying, and “detox” to mean a method to expel waste from the body at a significantly greater rate than what the body will remove without such aid.

Personally, I think that sounds pretty good. If you’ve got a better definition, I’d love to read it in the comments.

There is a huge difference between detoxification and fasting, and yet the words tend to be used interchangeably. To detox is to facilitate the removal of toxins from the body whereas fasting is a severe restriction of calories. A fast may be a water fast where no nutrients are consumed, but the typically fast is to eliminate all solid foods while drinking a lot of fluids, including juices, to flush out the body. The Master Cleanse lemonade diet is a well-known example. The Master Cleanse does help to detoxify the body, so it is both a detox and a fast.

People often wonder if a beet juice fast, or a watermelon fast, or some other kind of fast is right for them.

Benefits of Fasting to Detoxify

  • Whether it be a viral, bacterial, fungal, or a parasitic infection, not eating is the easiest way to ensure you do not feed the infection.
  • Fasting quickly resets the taste buds, which can make it easier to enjoy healthy foods when the fast is over.
  • Not eating for a while can reset the appetite, allow someone to come off of the fast with more restraint from overeating.
  • Fasting can break or adjust psychological barriers with weight loss and food.
  • Fasting can kick start a weight loss diet by shedding pounds quickly.
  • For people with a severely compromised digestive system, juicing only, or exclusively consuming fruits that are very easy to digest, is often the best way to quickly facilitate healing.
  • When taking certain tinctures and other herbal formulas, fasting can ensure that no foods or herbs are eaten that could reduce the effects of the formula.
  • It is difficult for a toxic body to detoxify without supplemental support, even with a very healthy diet. Fasting can overcome this, especially when lots of fluids are consumed, flushing the body.

It’s easier to restore one’s health by eliminating all foods, and then slowly adding produce and then other foods into the diet as health improves, learning along the way which foods should be avoided and why, as opposed to simply learning what foods to avoid.

Fasting is great. It’s got most of the benefits of detoxifying, with additional benefits as well. Fasting, when done right, is powerful. Personally, I recommend fasting regularly, but only for short periods of time.

Once the intestinal tract is capable of properly digesting food, if the person’s health isn’t too poor, introducing the right foods into the diet can aid in the detoxification process.

Benefits to Detoxifying Without Fasting

I highly recommend eating while detoxifying. When made right, salads have amazing medicinal benefits. Try one with as many different vegetables as possible, from dandelion leaves to collard greens, and add a bunch of fresh garlic, lemon, and apple cider vinegar. Salads are the easiest way, in my experience, to digest a lot of raw garlic at once. Even if you don’t care for salads, after a fast, this sort of vegetable medley can be very appetizing. Check out 80% Raw Food Diet for more on that.

  • It’s possible to sustain a detoxification regimen longer when eating, which is imperative for ridding the body of many serious health afflictions.
  • Many foods are actually well known to aid the body in detoxification. Great examples are cilantro, garlic, turmeric, and cabbage.
  • Vegetable, spice, and herb health benefits often have accumulative effects when eaten together.
  • It’s easier to get a lot of nutrition and a lot of garlic into the body.
  • When the intestines are healthy, nutrition is better absorbed as food.
  • Enzymes, found in fresh food, also help the body detoxify and rebuild.

It’s true that the body is always expelling waste. To oversimplify things, a sick body, and a body that is getting sick, expels toxins slower than it accumulates them. A healthy body, or a body getting well, eliminates toxins at the same rate or more quickly than the body accumulates them. The right foods help to detoxify the body. Getting enough nutrition allows the body to detoxify on its own. A healthy person who has practiced eating a truly healthy diet that focuses on fresh produce and eliminates toxic food almost always eliminates more toxins than accumulated. These are the people who do detoxify every day, all day. Some assistance via supplementation, every now and then, can increase the body’s ability to detoxify from environmental toxin accumulation.

Regardless, Get Nutrition

Restricted calorie programs don’t have to restrict vitamins and minerals and other important nutrients. We recommend a good multivitamin/mineral formula regardless of whichever detox protocol you choose. Even when we eat very well, it can be hard in this day and age to get enough nutrition from our food. Especially while fasting, a nutrition powder can significantly affect the results in a positive way.

Make sure any detox you do addresses candida. If you’re looking for an inexpensive, and easy detox, click here, and see Make Your Own Nutrition Formula for a recipe, or check it out to see some of the best ingredients to look for when shopping for yours.

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Casting a Light on Ear and Body Candling

Candling (or coning) has been used as an aid for health for thousands of years, throughout the world. Candling is sometimes considered an old wives’ remedy, but how many of these gentler methods are we rediscovering today?

Simple in themselves, the candles are hollow tubes or cones of differing lengths, made from cotton or linen impregnated with wax and various herbs, such as chamomile, lavender, eucalyptus or sage.  (Preferably, all ingredients are organic.)

What is Candling?

The candle or cone is placed just over the entrance to the ear canal and the top is lit. As it burns, it sends a gentle warmth spiralling down, which massages the ear drum and stimulates the immune system. We know that a properly functioning immune system is vital for perfect health and when this is built up in children from infancy, they have a wonderful gift to carry them through life. For adults, it is equally important to have a well-functioning immune system to enable us to avoid any bugs floating around, or if we don’t quite manage that, to get rid of them in record time.

The acupuncture points in the ear are also treated by the candles and six of the main meridians (energy lines according to Chinese medicine) in the human body, including those concerned with allergies, either start or terminate at a point between the nose and the ear. The candle is therefore sending energy right through the body by means of its meridians.

Practical Uses of Candling

So what are their practical applications? I have been using them and training people in their use for more than 25 years, so I have picked up a lot of information in that time, far too much to put into an article.  However, here are a few examples:

Children adore them, and they naturally react far faster than adults. A regular patient brought her four year-old daughter who fell so deeply asleep that her mother had to shake her gently to wake her up.  Candling did the trick, though; her sinuses unblocked and she was able to enjoy the flight to her homeland half a world away a few days later.

People with allergies find great relief, although the candles won’t remove the allergy.  One of my patients has been coming every month for several years, and after the very first treatment, was able to breathe more easily and snore less loudly at night and on my treatment table! It was this patient who sent me a friend suffering with sleep apnoea, telling her that it was worth a try.  She had been using an oxygen mask at night, which kept her awake and during the day she was exhausted.  After a couple of treatments she was able to discard the mask and now she comes in for treatment about every six weeks.

Another patient, who had a slight stroke four years earlier, told me that after the very first treatment, she felt more balanced than she had since her stroke and that there was “more light”. One of the functions of the candles is to balance the two hemispheres of the brain, so that was a confirmation, if any was needed, of their efficacy.

A reader of an early edition of my book told me how candles had helped and comforted her mother in the final weeks before dying of cancer. Without a treatment before bedtime, she felt as if she were suffocating; candling was the only way she could sleep in comfort.

A woman who suffered from two or three migraines a month, who was taking codeine regularly, came for three treatments over a short period and felt an attack coming on as we finished the third session. She returned a year later and told me she had suffered only one migraine during the entire year. She had completely forgotten that migraines had been her initial reason for consulting me.

A former student of mine reported on the case of a patient suffering from depression, insomnia, and constipation. As she started candling, the patient’s intestines began to rumble and at the end of the treatment, the therapist burnt a candle on the belly. The patient rushed to the lavatory and was able to reduce the load in his gut.  He stopped using sleeping tablets after the first treatment and, with his doctor’s help, was able to reduce his reliance on anti-depressants.

Body Candling

A candle on the belly? Yes, candles can be used anywhere on the body and this is something many people do not necessarily know. Of course treating the ears and stimulating the immune system are going to have a generalized effect anyway, but sometimes a more targeted approach has been found to work faster. For constipation and/or hemorrhoids, a candle burnt on the sacrum or directly on the belly can work wonders.  The great thing is that the patient doesn’t need to undress – just put a paper tissue on the spot and hold the candle upright over it.  For painful periods as well as painful glands in the breast, candling has been shown to offer rapid relief. How I wish I’d known that when I was younger!

There are always other things I have advised my patients to do to enhance their candling, such as drinking more water or less tea and coffee, avoiding dairy products if they suffer from blocked sinuses,  and managing stress. These are all things many of us know, but our lives are such that we can’t always follow them. Like most other things, candling maintenance sessions are advisable every six weeks or so depending on the problem, the person, and his/her schedule.

Even after 25 years I am still discovering conditions for which the candles are ideal.



Flu Shot Facts Everyone Should Know

There is a consistent misnomer among the mainstream consensus that vaccines are healthy. If flu shots are effective, one could argue that the end result is healthy, but there is nothing healthy about the vaccine itself. In 2014, the ingredients include thimerosal (mercury), aluminum salts, sugars, gelatin, egg protein, formaldehyde, and neomycin. Nobody in their right mind can argue that allowing these toxins into the body is actually “healthy.” The idea is that the damage the vaccine may do is outweighed by the illness it prevents.

The question remains, is it worth the risk, however minor or major the risks may be? To answer this question, we need to answer the question of whether the flu shot reduces the number of flu cases each year. The CDC says yes, but most people don’t know that the CDC admits they cannot verify their claims.

If you’re on the fence about flu shots (or know somebody who is), the following is undisputed, inarguable information that can all be easily verified, information that everyone should be aware of to in regards to flu shot dangers and efficacy.

The CDC has no idea how many people contract influenza or die from it each year

The CDC states that they receive reports on confirmed influenza cases in children but not adults. Their website lists the number of annual flu-related deaths for children. The average since 2003 is 113 deaths per year. Yet they claim 25-35,000 Americans die from influenza each year. They base their numbers on cases of pneumonia, respiratory, and circulatory related deaths without laboratory confirmation that influenza was a cause. Many of these cases are the elderly who suffer from chronic diseases. The CDC claims their deaths are due to flu-related illnesses or that the flu weakened their condition, yet there is no confirmation that the patient suffered from influenza.

The flu is not usually the flu

Whenever we spike a fever along with muscle aches and pains we (and doctors as well) decide we have the flu. But we probably don’t. We may have a virus of some kind, or we may have a bacterial infection (which could also be from food we ate) or a fungal infection (like candida, which can infect the body just like a virus or a bacteria and show all of the same symptoms). Even if it is a virus, there are more than 200 viruses that cause flu-like symptoms.

Pneumonia has more than 30 different causes, influenza being but one of them.

The National Center for Health Statistics states, “Cause-of-death statistics are based solely on the underlying cause of death [internationally defined] as ‘the disease or injury which initiated the train of events leading directly to death,'” Since the flu is rarely an “underlying cause of death,” the CDC created the term, “influenza-associated death.”

The CDC does not want to know how many people actually die from the flu. Or, they do know, and don’t want anyone else to know. When you put the pieces of the puzzle together, that much is clear. If they wanted to know how many people died from the flu, as in, how many people die from flu symptoms with laboratory confirmed influenza virus every year, it would be relatively easy to find out. We have those statistics for other diseases, but not for the flu.

The CDC does reveal the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of flu inoculations

In children, the effectiveness of the flu vaccine is reported to be a mere 66%. It doesn’t seem possible to derive a factual number for adults since the CDC states that tests for influenza are not reported. When laboratory tests are done to confirm influenza, they often show that influenza was not present. Perhaps this is why the CDC does not collect this information.

They guess which influenza shot to give you every year

The viral strain used to manufacture the vaccine is based on the best guess of which flu strain will spread during the next flu season. Add to this best guess scenario the fact the viruses mutate. Even if the correct strain was chosen, a mutation may render the vaccine useless. It’s interesting to note that while, as mentioned, the CDC does track the annual confirmed influenza deaths of children, but the CDC does not track what influenza virus kills them. We cannot find any record of how often the vaccine companies manufacture for the correct strain, or how often any particular strain of influenza is more or less likely to kill us.

For all we know, they could be giving people the wrong flu vaccine more often than not.

Flu vaccines contain aluminum salts & formaldehyde

The use of aluminum salts on the skin has been linked to breast cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and many other diseases. Aluminum, in any of it’s forms, is known to be extremely toxic to humans. Of course, injecting or snorting aluminum, as opposed to drinking from aluminum cans and absorbing it from skin products, is very different. We would argue that this difference poses a far greater risk to health, but vaccine advocates disagree.

Flu vaccines are not vegan friendly

Sugars (sugar often comes from non-vegan sources), egg protein, and gelatin (derived from collagen obtained from various animal by-products) are in the 2014 rounds of flu shots. The flu vaccine is prepared from the fluids of chick embryos inoculated with an influenza virus.

Yes! Influenza shots still contain mercury

If you choose to take a vaccine, look for the ingredient thermisol. Thermisol is in multi-dose vials of flu vaccine, which are most of the flu vaccines.

Autism is not the most common vaccine injury being settled in vaccine court

Guillain-Barré Syndrome is an auto-immune reaction to viruses and vaccines. The immune system attacks the nervous system. Symptoms range from tingling and weakness in the limbs to life-threatening paralysis.

There has been a lot of news about the links between vaccines and autism, but settlements for Guillain- Barré Syndrome exceed autism and other child development cases in vaccine court. The number of settlements also far exceed the numbers of cases cited by the CDC and other pro-vaccine sources.

The CDC has no idea how many people contract influenza or die from it each year

The CDC states that they receive reports on confirmed influenza cases in children but not adults. Their website lists the number of annual flu-related deaths for children. The average since 2003 is 113 deaths per year. Yet they claim 25-35,000 Americans die from influenza each year. They base their numbers on cases of pneumonia, respiratory, and circulatory related deaths without laboratory confirmation that influenza was a cause. Many of these cases are the elderly who suffer from chronic diseases. The CDC claims their deaths are due to flu-related illnesses or that the flu weakened their condition, yet there is no confirmation that the patient suffered from influenza.

The flu is not usually the flu

Whenever we spike a fever along with muscle aches and pains we (and doctors as well) decide we have the flu. But we probably don’t. We many have a virus of some kind, or we may have a bacterial infection (which could also be from food we ate) or a fungal infection (like candida, which can infect the body just like a virus or a bacteria and show all of the same symptoms). Even if it is a virus, there are more than 200 viruses that cause flu-like symptoms.

Pneumonia has more than 30 different causes, influenza being but one of them.

The National Center for Health Statistics states, “Cause-of-death statistics are based solely on the underlying cause of death [internationally defined] as ‘the disease or injury which initiated the train of events leading directly to death,'” Since the flu is rarely an “underlying cause of death,” the CDC created the term, “influenza-associated death.”

The CDC does not want to know how many people actually die from the flu. Or, they do know, and don’t want anyone else to know. When you put the pieces of the puzzle together, that much is clear. If they wanted to know how many people died from the flu, as in, how many people die from flu symptoms with laboratory confirmed influenza virus every year, it would be relatively easy to find out. We have those statistics for other diseases, but not for the flu.

Conclusion

The flu is completely preventable. The irony is that the flu shot makes a healthy person more likely to get the flu and a person with a compromised immune system is much more likely to be damaged by toxic vaccine ingredients than a healthy person. The more often the flu shot is received, the more likely an injury will occur, and the weaker the immune system will be in the long run. If you’re looking for more information on vaccinations, be sure to check the first source. Also check out How to Detoxify from Vaccinations, and Bullet Proof Your Immune System.

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