Autoimmunity and Treatment

Posted on August 22, 2025 by marcia

What They Don’t Tell You About Autoimmune Disorders

and the dangers of conventional rheumatologic approaches to disease

AUG 07, 2025

•Treating illnesses by suppressing symptoms frequently precipitates far more severe diseases which have rippled out throughout our society.

•The primary management for most autoimmune conditions is through symptom suppressing drugs, which frequently have significant toxicity.

•In most cases, autoimmune disorders and inflammatory joint conditions have an underlying cause, such as a chronic undiagnosed stealth infection or food allergy, which when addressed significantly improve the condition.

•Many factors in life that we can control and do not require prescriptions to address (e.g., diet, stress or sleep) directly contribute to autoimmunity and, when addressed, improve it.

•This article will review some of the key steps which can be taken to improve autoimmune disorders and reduce one’s reliance upon toxic medications.

Autoimmune conditions have become one of the most common and stubborn health challenges of our time. While conventional medicine often treats them as mysterious immune system malfunctions—managed primarily with harmful steroids and other immunosuppressants —there’s increasing evidence that many of these diseases are not random. Rather, they’re signals of deeper dysfunctions in the body—many of which are tied to the modern lifestyle we’ve come to accept as normal.

Lifestyle Contributions to Autoimmunity

Many things in our lives that we have control over significantly affect our predisposition to autoimmunity:

Sleep—I have previously written about the profound importance of sleep and how many different illnesses are linked to poor sleep. In practice, we frequently find that patients with autoimmune conditions also have disrupted sleep cycles, and these improve once that is addressed (e.g., by improving sleep hygiene and avoiding blue light).
Note: the treatments for sleeping issues like insomnia are discussed further here.

Sunlight—Since the sun has no commercial lobby to advocate for it, the medical field demonizes sunlight as a cause of cancer despite a deficiency of the sun and sunlight being tied to a wide range of medical conditions (including cancers) and making individuals 60% more likely to die. A loss of sunlight exposure is also tied to many autoimmune conditions (e.g., multiple sclerosis). As such, we frequently find autoimmune patients improve from resuming healthy sunlight exposures (likewise, I suspect this partly explains why ultraviolet blood irradiation benefits so many different autoimmune conditions).
Note: appropriate sunlight exposure (e.g., going outside early in the morning and having the sunlight touch your face without being obstructed by glass) is also very helpful for reestablishing the circadian rhythm and restoring healthy sleep.

Exercise—Many of the benefits of exercise arise from the fluid circulation it creates in the body (as fluid stagnation underlies many illnesses—many of which we suffer from due to our sedentary lifestyle. This perspective in turn, is corroborated by the Chinese Medical viewpoint that blood stasis causes autoimmunity and that either treating blood stasis or zeta potential (which underlies both microclotting and lymphatic stagnation) frequently improves autoimmune conditions.Note: exercise and eliminating fluid stagnation frequently improve insomnia. Likewise, sunlight exposure is a critical driver of fluid circulation throughout the body, all of which illustrates how intertwined many of the key lifestyle factors we routinely ignore are to our health.

Diet—Food allergens such as wheat, dairy, and nightshades frequently contribute to autoimmune conditions (particularly arthritis), and many have found food elimination diets that identify the reactive allergen to improve their condition significantly. Additionally, in many cases, allergies arise from deficient stomach acid, as without sufficient stomach acid, proteins are often not fully broken down (allowing intact allergens to enter circulation) and triggers acid reflux (due to top of the stomach only closing when sufficient stomach acid is present), which then irritates the lungs.
Note: many of the issues with gluten (e.g., autoimmunity or weight gain) are not experienced in countries like Italy that use more natural forms of wheat.

Stress—is well known to predispose one to autoimmune disorders and flares (e.g., 80% of autoimmune patients report an unusually stressful situation prior to their disease onset, while stress disorders increased the risk of autoimmune disorders by 46%-129%).
Note: some patients will not respond to a rheumatologic drug, until they eliminate the stress in their lives.

The Global Loss of Vitality

If you review the early history of medicine, it is striking:

•How profoundly damaging many of the early western medical remedies were (e.g., the smallpox vaccine or mercury).

•How much healthier people were and how much more effective many natural therapies were in the past than they are now.

This second point prompted me to ask older doctors (from various medical schools) if they had observed a general decline in human vitality in the patients they saw at the start of their careers compared to the end, and all of them shared that they had. Additionally:

•They noted that beyond patients becoming much sicker and having conditions they’d never seen before, it was also much harder to treat them as each therapy they used had shifted from making a dramatic improvement to a more minuscule one, which required numerous successive treatments to bring about an improvement.

•They typically attributed this shift to a loss in human vitality. They cited a variety of correlates (e.g., the average human body temperature dropping, people becoming less able to mount fevers, infants being less able to produce a brisk cry, or increasing degrees of fluid stagnation in their patients).

Note: typically this decline in vitality proceeds in a linear fashion and then spikes at certain times (e.g., after the introduction of the smallpox vaccine, the 1986 law which granted immunity to vaccine manufacturers and led to a rapid proliferation in the vaccine schedule, and after the COVID vaccines). In each case, this increase in disease gets normalized and forgotten by the next generation of doctors (who entered practice after the last wave of sickness had become the “new normal”).

Likewise, many datasets corroborate this steady decreasing vitality in humanity over the decades (e.g., we’ve witnessed a continual increase in autoimmune disorders). Having extensively explored this topic, we believe much of it is due to modern technology (e.g., vaccines, chronic chemical exposures or heavy metal toxicity, dentistry and surgical scars, EMFs, and widespread circadian rhythm disruption). Many of these, in turn, share a common thread—creating fluid stagnation throughout the body.

Note: After thousands of years, around 1830, blood stasis suddenly came to be viewed as a primary cause of disease in Chinese Medicine, which occurred shortly after the smallpox vaccine (which caused many severe injuries resembling blood stasis), which was introduced in China in 1805.

Systemic Suppression

One of the central criticisms of Allopathic (Western) medicine by natural schools of medicine has been that anytime an external agent is used to forcefully change a process which is unfolding within the body (rather than aiding the body’s ability to resolve it) you run the risk of a minor temporary issue being exchanged for a severe chronic one—especially when this is repeatedly done throughout the course of someone’s life. In some cases, this risk is very justified (e.g., in a life-threatening emergency or with a relatively safe drug that has limited long-term complications). At the same time however, a general unwillingness to acknowledge this issue pervades Allopathic medicine.

I’ve thus never forgotten a conference in the 1970s at which one of the world’s leading homeopaths convened a panel to discuss the likely consequences of modern medicine routinely suppressing symptoms (e.g., aggressively using fever suppressing medications or preventing childhood febrile illnesses with vaccination).
Note: studies have repeatedly linked preventing measles, mumps, and chickenpox to severe cancers later in life.

At that conference, building upon the recent mass introduction of suppressive steroids, they correctly predicted that if this suppression continued to increased, in the decades to follow:

•We would see a global shift from less severe illnesses to more severe ones.

•That this suppression would cause physical illnesses to be pushed deeper into the body and be replaced with psychiatric illnesses, and in time spiritual ones (particularly when the psychiatric illnesses were also suppressed with medications)—all of which would dovetail with people being willing to do crazier and crazier things.

Now, everyone has gradually become habituated to patients “just being” sicker and sicker, and that not much can be done about it.

Suppressive Antibiotics

While steroids are one of the medications most associated with “suppressing” illness, many others are too. For example, for years, many natural medicine practitioners (e.g., homeopaths) also told me they’d frequently seen antibiotics “treat” an acute infection but turn it into a chronic one. I wasn’t sure what to make of this (as microbiome disruption could partially but not fully explain it), then I discovered something similar existed in Chinese Medicine:

The concept of Latent Heat is very old in Chinese medicine, having been mentioned for the first time in the ‘Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine’. Latent Heat occurs when an external pathogenic factor penetrates the body without causing apparent symptoms at the time; the pathogenic factor penetrates into the Interior, and ‘incubates’ there, turning into interior Heat. This Heat later emerges with acute symptoms of Heat: when it emerges, it is called Latent Heat.

Note: in modern Chinese Medicine, antibiotics and vaccines are now proposed as sources of latent heat.

Much later, when I read Cell Wall Deficient Forms: Stealth Pathogens all of this finally made sense. This book argued that when bacteria are exposed to lethal stressors, particularly cell wall destroying antibiotics, while most will die, some will instead enter a primitive survival mode and transform into misshapen cell wall deficient (CWD) “mycoplasma like” bacteria which can radically change their size or morphology (and hence look very different). While these bacteria are hard to detect (and when seen, due to no one knowing they “exist,” are often mistaken for cellular debris and ignored), with the correct techniques they can be detected. In turn, the book provides a wealth of evidence that CWD bacteria:

•Are found within many “aseptic” tissues undergoing an autoimmune attack, with specific CWD bacteria associated with many different autoimmune disorders which have no known cause.

•Once the environment is “safe” can transform back into their normal form and cause a sudden recurrence of an infection—suggesting chronic infections are due to antibiotics creating a dormant CWD population rather than continual reinfection.

Note: many popular alternative schools of medicine (e.g., those of Rife, Naessens, and Enderlein) came from microscopes which could directly observe these pleomorphic bacteria continually shifting into new morphologies, and that diseases states (e.g., cancer) correlated to specific morphologies, while other morphologies resulted in a symbiotic state of health. Since the morphologies adopted correlated with the internal state of the body, this gave rise to the belief that treatments should aim to create “healthy terrains” within the body, which would give rise to non-pathogenic forms of the bacteria rather than antibiotics that provoked pathogen transformation.

Addressing Autoimmune Diseases

When autoimmune disorders are treated in conventional practice, we feel five errors repeatedly occur:

1. Frequently, autoimmune disorders have a cause (e.g., a chronic infection) that goes unrecognized, resulting in powerful immune-suppressing drugs being used instead, while the underlying issue progresses.

2. In many cases, lifestyle factors significantly exacerbate autoimmune conditions. If these factors were focused on, the symptoms of the autoimmune condition would significantly reduce, and the amount of medication required to manage the condition in tandem would as well.

3. Those lifestyle factors (e.g., diet) can also prevent conventional treatments from working. Because of that, in many cases where a medication that “should work” but does not, focusing on the unaddressed lifestyle factors for a patient is often what’s needed for a remission. Unfortunately, in those instances, rather than the doctor taking a step back and asking, “What am I missing here,” the reflex often is to simply give more immune-suppressing medications. In short, if a patient has been on multiple potent rheumatologic drugs, something important was most likely missed.

4. As many of the safer autoimmune drugs with the best risk to benefit ratio are relatively new, most doctors in practice are not aware they exist (e.g., that side-effect free alternatives to methotrexate exist) or that they can be used to treat many challenging issues in rheumatology (e.g., corticosteroid pills suppressing endogenous steroid production or large rheumatoid nodules). As such, drugs that should not be used for extended periods (e.g., steroids and NSAIDs) are instead frequently the mainstay of treatment.
Note: in some cases (e.g., for a dangerous and rapidly progressing autoimmune disease or in instances where it is not feasible for a patient to implement a natural treatment plan), immune-suppressing medications, even with their side effects, are necessary.

5. Many highly effective non-standard treatments for autoimmune conditions remain fairly unknown despite extensive scientific evidence demonstrating their efficacy (e.g., ultraviolet blood irradiation or DMSO). Likewise, since there are so many natural therapies for autoimmune conditions, it’s often so difficult to sort out which work that they all get cast under the same umbrella and ignored.
Note: many of those therapies are both anti-inflammatory and highly effective at treating mycoplasma bacteria.

Because of these issues, the management of autoimmune conditions remains less than satisfactory for many patients—which is particularly unfortunate given that these conditions are becoming increasingly common (e.g., extensive evidence ties increasing vaccination to autoimmunity).

Conclusion

Since our medical system focuses on treating isolated symptoms with patentable pharmaceuticals rather than attempting to identify the root cause of a permanent illness, patients suffer, particularly those with chronic disorders. In this regard, autoimmune diseases are particularly unfortunate as they force patients to choose between having a debilitating and sometimes fatal illness or a lifetime of fairly toxic immune-suppressing drugs (e.g., steroids have a wide range of severe side effects, particularly when used systemically for a prolonged period).

But here’s the hopeful part: when we start looking at the body as a whole system and work to restore its natural balance—whether through better sleep, movement, diet, or managing stress—people often feel dramatically better. Healing isn’t always fast or easy, but it’s absolutely possible when we stop chasing symptoms and start supporting the body’s own wisdom. Likewise, while very little focus is given in mainstream medicine for producing safe treatments for autoimmunity or arthritis, many natural treatments have been developed (such as DMSO) which no longer force patients to accept a lifetime of toxic therapies to survive and be free of pain.

Author’s note: This is an abridged version of a longer article which goes into more detail on the safest natural and conventional treatments for autoimmune disorders and musculoskeletal disorders like arthritis, the dangers of steroids and the ways to safely utilize or withdraw from steroids. That article can be read here.

from: https://www.midwesterndoctor.com/p/what-they-dont-tell-you-about-autoimmune?publication_id=748806&post_id=170415402&isFreemail=true&r=19iztd&triedRedirect=true&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Movie Time

Posted on August 17, 2020 by marcia

WATCH: Hippocratic Hypocrisy – A Tale of Two Snakes

August 14, 2020

Dr. Andrew Kaufman and Steven S. Busters, Guests
Waking Times

Hippocratic Hypocrisy: A collaborative film by Spacebusters and Dr. Andrew Kaufman about how authentic medicine was hijacked by the power elite and turned into a deadly, sickness for profit industry.

Video Player

56:40

Written by : Dr. Andrew Kaufman and Steven S. Busters
Produced by: Spacebusters
Technical advisor: Rosco S. Busters

Also available at SpaceBusters on YouTube and at Dr. Kaufman’s website.

TRANSCRIPT:

This tale of two snakes is the story of how medicine in the United States, and eventually the world, was subverted into a commerce business enterprise with the central goal of creating and maintaining illness throughout the population for profit.

Go to the link below for the full transcript:

https://www.wakingtimes.com/2020/08/14/watch-hippocratic-hypocrisy-a-tale-of-two-snakes/

The Mind & Gut

Posted on May 25, 2020 by marcia

Evidence for the Gut-Brain Connection

By Nikki Harper

Staff Writer for Wake Up World

It has been known for several decades that gut health appears to have an effect on mental health and brain health – the so-called gut-brain axis. For example, autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease have been linked with mood disorders, anxiety and depression. However, the precise mechanism by which the gut-brain axis functions has been largely unknown – but now, new research is starting to shed light on this matter.

According to research published in Nature and carried out by Weill Cornell Medicine, depleted microbiota in the gut can cause altered gene expression in microglia, which are immune cells found in the brain [1]. This effectively interferes with the connections of brain synapses which should occur during a learning process.

The breakthrough was made during a study of mice. Researchers found that mice treated with antibiotics, which depletes the levels of gut microbiota, showed impaired ability in fear extinction, ie they were slower to learn that a threat was no longer present than mice with normal levels of gut microbiota. When researchers sequenced the RNA in the mice microglia, the altered gene expression was discovered.

The same study also examined mice which had been bred to be ‘germ-free’ (ie without gut microbiota). These mice were found to have altered concentrations of metabolites which have been associated with schizophrenia and autism. Researchers were able to mitigate this by restoring gut microbiota in these mice, but only if they did so immediately following birth – an interesting finding, given that the types of psychiatric and mental health disorders associated with autoimmune disease in humans are often those which are also linked to problems with early brain development.

This research is the first time that a potential mechanism for the gut-brain axis has been scientifically described. The gut-brain axis impacts every single human being, every day of their lives,” said Dr David Artis, director of the Jill Roberts Institute for Research in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. We are beginning to understand more about how the gut influences diseases as diverse as autism, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Our study provides a new piece of understanding of how the mechanisms operate.”

The findings of this study open up potential new avenues for treatment of some autoimmune and psychiatric disorders. With a clearer picture of how diet, infection, and lifestyle influence brain health and subsequent susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders, we could potentially gain unique insight into how to treat or prevent debilitating, physically and emotionally painful conditions which are becoming increasingly common. The study authors are hopeful. “”We don’t know yet, but down the road, there is a potential for identifying promising targets that might be used as treatments for humans in the future,” said Dr Conor Liston, an associate professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. “Brain chemistry essentially determines how we feel and respond to our environment, and evidence is building that chemicals derived from gut microbes play a major role,” adds Dr Frank Schroeder, a professor in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department at Cornell Ithaca [2].

Article sources:

from: https://wakeup-world.com/2020/02/14/evidence-for-the-gut-brain-connection/

Superfoods – Some You May not Have Thought of

Posted on August 3, 2018 by marcia

Check out the link at the bottom of the article for a more comprehensive list of excellent Edibles:

From quinoa and kangaroo to watercress and eggs: Ten budget superfoods that WON’T break the bank

Taste have revealed the top 100 affordable superfoods for 2017
List includes eggs and quinoa, watercress and apples
The list also includes more unusual things such as kangaroo and black beans

By SOPHIE HASLETT FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

From avocados to blueberries, wheatgrass and goji berries, the world is obsessed with superfoods – no matter what they cost us.

But now, Australian publication, Taste, has revealed the top 100 affordable superfoods for 2017.

From eggs to quinoa, watercress and black beans, FEMAIL introduces ten which are packed with goodness, but which also give extra bang for their (not that pricey) buck.

Because not every superfood has to come with a super expensive price tag.

Quinoa is popular with health nuts because it’s one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat, and it also contains twice as much fibre as other grains.

Next up is watercress, which is packed full of disease-fighting antioxidants.

Eating watercress raw is the best way to gain its benefits, while buying it in the summer is also the best plan because it’s in season at that time.

Top of the Taste list is quinoa – the ancient and often difficult-to-pronounce grain that is packed full of essential amino acids (stock image)

Eggs remain a budget but nutrition-packed superfood (stock image)

Third and fourth on the budget superfood list are apples and chia.

While the tiny seeds might be more expensive than some other foods on the list, chia seeds pack a huge nutritional punch, thanks to their omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid content.

They are also filled with fibre and protein.

Inside the top ten are foods you might expect to be included in a health food list – such as green tea and eggs – but also things that are somewhat more unusual, like kangaroo and black beans.

More unusual additions to the list are kangaroo and black beans (stock image, pictured)

Rounding out the ten most affordable are kiwi fruits and lentils.

Lentils are consistently rated as a brilliant food to eat because they contain plant protein and dietary fibre, as well as folate and magnesium.

For the full list of foods, you can visit taste.com.au. The website is also sharing recipe ideas and shopping lists online.

from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4322630/The-10-budget-superfoods-WON-T-break-bank.html

On Declining IQs

Posted on June 12, 2018 by marcia

Researchers find IQ scores dropping since the 1970s

June 12, 2018 by Bob Yirka, Medical Xpres

A pair of researchers with the Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research in Norway has found that IQ test scores have been slowly dropping over the past several decades. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Bernt Bratsberg and Ole Rogeberg describe their study and the results they found. They also offer some possible explanations for their findings.

Prior studies have shown that people grew smarter over the first part of last century, as measured by the intelligence quotient—a trend that was dubbed the Flynn effect. Various theories have been proposed to explain this apparent brightening of the human mind, such as better nutrition, health care, education, etc, all factors that might help people grow into smarter adults than they would have otherwise. But, now, according to the researchers in Norway, that trend has ended. Instead of getting smarter, humans have started getting dumber.

The study by the team consisted of analyzing IQ test results from young men entering Norway’s national service (compulsory military duty) during the years 1970 to 2009. In all, 730,000 test results were accounted for. In studying the data, the researchers found that scores declined by an average of seven points per generation, a clear reversal of test results going back approximately 70 years.

But it was not all bad news. The researchers also found some differences between family groups, suggesting that some of the decline might be due to environmental factors. But they also suggest that lifestyle changes could account for some of the decline, as well, such as changes in the education system and children reading less and playing video games more. Sadly, other researchers have found similar results. A British team recently found IQ score results falling by 2.5 to 4.3 points every decade since approximately the end of the second world war. And this past December, another group from the U.S. found that children who grew up eating a lot of fish tended to have higher IQs—and they slept better, too, which is another factor involved in adult intelligence levels. Notably, children in many countries in the modern era eat very little fish.

More information: Bernt Bratsberg et al. Flynn effect and its reversal are both environmentally caused, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2018). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1718793115

Abstract
Population intelligence quotients increased throughout the 20th century—a phenomenon known as the Flynn effect—although recent years have seen a slowdown or reversal of this trend in several countries. To distinguish between the large set of proposed explanations, we categorize hypothesized causal factors by whether they accommodate the existence of within-family Flynn effects. Using administrative register data and cognitive ability scores from military conscription data covering three decades of Norwegian birth cohorts (1962–1991), we show that the observed Flynn effect, its turning point, and subsequent decline can all be fully recovered from within-family variation. The analysis controls for all factors shared by siblings and finds no evidence for prominent causal hypotheses of the decline implicating genes and environmental factors that vary between, but not within, families.

Consider the Avocado…

Posted on July 12, 2016 by marcia

20 Reasons Why You Need To Eat Entire Avocado Every Day

bodymindsoulspirit | July 12, 2016 |

20 Reasons Why You Need To Eat Entire Avocado Every Day

via HealthyLiving24,

There’s no denying that avocados are the favorite fruits, not only with the Americans but with people from everywhere. Intriguingly, it tastes so great that you may be of the notion that it doesn’t offer too many health benefits. The fact is that this fat-filled fruit is loaded with nutrients and provides so many health benefits.

Besides, those who consume avocados have great health as a general rule. They have lower Body Mass Index and better nutrient intake and compared to those who don’t take it. This has been found in many studies. There are so many health benefits of taking this highly versatile fruit. Here you will find 20 of these benefits.

Helping with Weight Loss

Consuming avocados can help with weight loss. As per a study (published –Nutrition Journal), taking just 1/2 avocado with your lunch can be helpful for those who are overweight. It can make you feel satiated for longer.

The study’s participants said that they had 40% lesser desire for eating for over 3 hours and 28% lesser desire for eating over 5 hours after their meal.

Rich in Healthy Fats

Avocados have high amounts of fats. All these fats are good fats, having monounsaturated fats. These fats help in reducing risk of heart attack or stroke and bad cholesterol levels in your blood.

Reducing Cholesterol Levels

According to stats, 1 in 3 American adults suffer from high cholesterol problems. This doubles the risk of heart disease. The good news is that you have so many natural methods for lowering cholesterol levels.

According to studies, taking avocados regularly is a great way to lower cholesterol levels. The fruit offers the following benefits:

Lowering total cholesterol levels
Lowering blood triglycerides
Increasing HDL (good) cholesterol
Lowering LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol)

Controlling Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association, the power of potassium in reducing sodium effects on the body means that a diet containing natural sources of potassium can help in blood pressure control.

Avocados are rich in potassium. A fruit has 28% of the recommended daily dosage of potassium. But because avocados have high fats, you should minimize your fat intake in other foods for balancing the fat levels.

Improved Nutrients Absorption

We can be taking as much nutrients, vitamin and minerals we can take. But it is most important that these nutrients are absorbed. There nutrients which are fat-soluble. This means they need fat for being assimilated by our body. The best examples include:

Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin D
Some antioxidants

When you add 1/2 avocado to salad containing carrots, lettuce and spinach, you are absorbing 8.3 times the antioxidants alpha-carotene, 13.6 times beta-carotene and 4.3 times lutein.

Nutrient-Rich

Avocados contain high amounts of nutrients. Interestingly, there are more than 20 minerals and vitamins in each serving.

1 avocado gives you the following percentage of your Recommended Daily Values (RDV):

Vitamin K – 53%
Folate – 41%
Vitamin C – 33%
Pantothenic Acid – 28%
Potassium – 28%
Vitamin B6 – 26%
Vitamin E – 21%
Copper – 19%

Preventing Diabetes

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, diabetes is going to affect almost 40 percent people in the U.S. at one point in our lives. You must make sure to have your blood sugar levels balanced for minimizing this risk.

But avocados can help in the regulation of your blood sugar levels. According to astudy, the participants were given 1/2 avocado with their lunch and then their insulin and blood glucose levels were measured at certain intervals.

They had avocados in their food, which raised their carb and calorie content, but they didn’t show any increase in their blood sugar levels as compared to those who took normal lunch without avocado.

Fighting Inflammation with Avocados

There is a belief that chronic inflammation in your body causes most of the modern diseases like allergies, Alzheimer’s, asthma, heart disease, and cancer.

The oleic acid in avocado may also help in fighting inflammation. This is the monounsaturated fat found in olive oil that gives it most of its healthful properties. There are many studies that have connected oleic acid and reduction in inflammation.

Avocados for Getting Pain Relief

Avocado extract can help in reducing arthritis symptoms in your bones (osteoarthritis). Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is considered to even give soothing effect to other forms of inflammatory-based pains and aches.

Avocado is Essential for Expecting Moms

According to What to Expect, avocado is among the most crucial foods for pregnant women. The fruit has potassium, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin C.

Vitamin B6 is beneficial for the baby’s tissue and growth of brain. It also helps in easingmorning sickness.

Folate is required for healthy fetus development during the early pregnancy stage.

Improving Eye Health with Avocados

Macular degeneration is amongst the biggest causes behind blindness among Americans. Zeaxanthin and lutein are two ingredients that have been found to be greatly effectivefighting this condition. The foods having high levels of phytonutrients are rich in offering both zeaxanthin and lutein for our body.

According to research, avocado is considered the best source of lutein in over 20 fruits which we take regularly. Avocado also contains high levels of zeaxanthin.

Avocado For Stronger Bones

Avocados have high levels of vitamin K, folate, copper and various other bone-healthy nutrients. When you take avocados regularly, they can also help in the building and retaining of stronger bones. Make sure to take it with a wide range of other fruits and veggies for great results.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

According to some studies avocado can help in fighting cancer.

According to a study, avocado extract may be helpful in stopping or inhibiting prostate cancer cell growth. According to another study, it may be helpful in reducing chemotherapy side effects. Because the studies are restricted, you must take avocado mostly for all its other health benefits.

Improving Digestion

A balanced diet will always have fiber as an essential component. It helps in keeping the digestive system working smoothly. So you should take more avocados – because a single fruit has 13g (that’s 54% of our daily recommended fiber dosage).

Avocado Improves Your Mood

The high levels of vitamins and minerals in avocado, particularly folate and potassium, may help in cheering you up.

According to some studies, there is some connection between depression and potassium. According to a review, many scientific studies on the connection between potassium, sodium and magnesium in depressed patients, it was found that the patients suffered from low potassium levels.

As per a 1993 study, similar kind of conclusion was reached. In this study, the depressed patients showed low levels of potassium compared to healthier subjects. Since the 60s, scientists have come to the conclusion that folate is essential of avoiding low mood and symptoms of depression.

from: http://www.bodymindsoulspirit.com/20-reasons-why-you-need-to-eat-entire-avocado-every-day/

Dealing with Inflammation

Posted on June 5, 2016 by marcia

Which Foods Should You Cut to Fight Inflammation?

Nobody ever really looks into solutions and therapies for inflammation until it comes time to deal with it. If you’ve ever suffered from inflammation or the number of diseases that stem from it, such as arthritis and other chronic diseases, you’ve probably asked what solutions there are to help relieve the pain.

What you should be asking is how you can prevent inflammation in the first place.

Inflammation is a natural product of the body to repair tissue injury, chronic inflammation is when that process gets out of hand and can’t stop. This overreaction is brought on by certain foods that you consume every day, but luckily they are easily removable!

So what foods should you avoid?

Here is a list of the 3 major chronic inflammation causes:

1. Anything That can Trigger an Allergy

If you have any sort of allergy, you know that it sets your body off in the wrong way. But who knew this could also affect your body’s inflammation processes in the wrong way? It’s important to make sure that you are not eating anything that your body can’t handle, even if it is only a mild reaction.

Common allergens like eggs, dairy products and vegetables are the hardest to avoid since they can be found in some foods that you wouldn’t expect. Make sure you check the ingredients of the food you eat for any form of what you’re allergic to! You might be surprised that something you love actually contains that pesky allergen!

2. Fried Foods

You probably already know that deep fried foods are bad for you for other reasons, but they actually do their part in promoting inflammation as well.

It’s in the oil. Most oils used in fried foods are already stripped of their natural nutrients, and whatever might be left over is destroyed in the heat needed to fry the food. What is left is a kind of toxin that overloads the elimination system of the body and causes the inflammation process to go crazy.

3. Processed Foods and Drinks

Just like the oil in fried foods, most things that are processed before being sold in supermarkets end up losing the majority of their nutrients. Pastries, processed soups, fizzy drinks, all of these and more have been altered so that they do more bad to our bodies than good.

Cutting these foods out of your diet will help your inflammation system do only what is necessary to repair your tissue and nothing else. No overtime, no chronic inflammation, no arthritis.

And don’t you worry, there are other solutions as well!

If you already find yourself with chronic inflammation there are many natural foods that contain anti-inflammatory properties that are readily available at the supermarket such as:

-Coconut oil: the nutrients in coconut oil are not destroyed when cooked, and are easily digested.

-Fish: contains natural anti-inflammatory properties and is known to encourage the production of pain relieving hormones in the body.

-Ginger: Contains significant anti-inflammatory properties in the root.

-Cayenne peppers: contains capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory agent.

from: http://www.realfarmacy.com/inflammation-foods/

You re What You Eat & Where You Eat

Posted on March 10, 2016 by marcia

How to Raise Your Consciousness & Vibration Through Diet

by Elle –

Bridget Nielsen

The growing question for many people in this time of awakening is, “what is a high vibrational diet?” I have been asking myself since I was a little girl. I was the child who asked for bitter tea, a sprout avocado pita and strawberries for dessert. WHY? One good reason is because my dad put it on my plate, but there was more to it than that! From a very early age, I knew that there was a direct connection between my state and what I ate. In this blog I am going to explore how diet ties into your vibration, and how you can make simple changes (15 easy steps at the bottom) that can really assist you in these crazy awesome transformational times.

A high vibrational diet consists of foods that are ALIVE and that positively benefit the person, as well as the planet as a whole. High vibration means having more light, and thus less density. Plants exemplify this by photosynthesizing light into energy.

In my experience I haven’t found the perfect, “highest vibrational diet” to follow. The idea of following is falling away. At this stage of the human game, it has become necessary to more fully rely on your own intuition in combination with experts and science you resonate with. We are meant to become self-empowered and know what is our own highest good. We are each soooo unique and in such different circumstances, that there is no one right diet. What I can say is there IS a very specific vibration and global reverberation to each food you eat.

Humanity is Lightening Up

In desiring to become more enlightened, you will naturally find yourself lightening up. Humanity is awakening to its connection to Source and its ability to turn infinite accessible light into physical energy.

Monks and Chi Gong masters generate chi from their own internal Light Source, and can even generate enough energetic heat to sweat in the freezing cold. Breatharians “eat” light, like plants, by taking in the sun’s energy and breathing prana. When people become consciousness that bodies are densified light, then they will act as their own free energy devices. In the meantime, you can prepare your body and mind for these new levels of energy conversion and generation with nourishing, high vibrational foods.

Expansion requires humanity to more fully embrace its connection to nature and simultaneously open to higher frequencies that extraterrestrials utilize. Humans are upgrading physically as well as energetically, to a higher density, enabling rekindled ET connections. Present humans are more sensitive and light than the humans of the past, thus requiring less dense and more living, natural foods.

Food is Very Personal

Food is a sticky subject. People are very identified with what they eat. In times of stress people often use food for emotional comfort. This approach is understandable based on the challenges of everyday life. There are more balanced, long-term ways of creating natural states of harmony through cleansing and dietary choice.

“Many people are not aware of how large of an effect their diet has on their state of being. Your physiological health is literally the platform for your consciousness. The Nero-transmitters and hormones responsible for your moods and state of being are directly correspondent to your nutritional intake, as well as the level of toxins that are present in your system. You are what you eat and if you’re eating dead chemical filled junk, you will feel like dead chemical filled junk…” -Patrick Haize, from Transformation Reversing Old Habits

One of the most important keys to raising your vibration through diet are the thoughts you create around it. Thoughts are vibration. Be kind to yourself and be aware of judgements you hold against yourself and other people’s dietary choices. Whether you can circumstantially make these changes or not, sending love and gratitude to your food, and all that it took to get to your plate makes a big difference. Be present while you eat, chew, breath and feel appreciative for this energetic exchange.

Detox Before Listening To Your Body

You may have heard people say, “Listen to your body, it will tell you what to eat.” This is only part of the equation. You also need to detox so you can clearly listen to what your body’s natural communication.

Presently, everyone on the planet, unless you have done the following protocols, has a myriad of toxins in their body including: parasites, pesticides, heavy metals (from chemtrails & aluminum products), (minor) radiation, xeno/phytoestrogens (from plastics), GMOs, parabens, fluoride, putrefying undigested foods, and calcium phosphate… just to name a few.

Many of these things, from emotional imbalances caused by phytoestrogens to parasites throughout the body, even have the ability to dictate your thoughts. Parasites are one of the few things on Earth that kill their own environment and we have them crawling in us. With all of these toxins in your systems, how can you can hear the call of our natural self?

The most important thing you can do to transition to a higher vibrational diet is to DETOX and CLEANSE the system so you can hear what your body and the world really needs. There are many ways to do this. Here are some great resources: Ken Rohla’s detox videos & products, Dr. Shultz cleansing programs , The Zapper, Bashar’s simple detox recommendation.

Many of the nutrients and nourishing things you intake do not satiate the body’s needs because they are unable to be absorbed with toxins in the way. I recommend trying various cleanses and detoxification protocols to assist with this. After taking those steps, notice what your body craves, and how much more satisfied it feels with less.

Measured Vibrations of Food

Frenchman André Simoneton, an expert on electromagnetism, created an experiment in the 1930’s and 40’s measuring the electromagnetic waves of particular foods. He found that for a human to be at good health they must maintain a vibration of 6500 angstrom. Source of this information: www.healthcenternutrition.webs.com

Foods that he rated in his “first category”, with the highest vibration were, between 6,500 and 10,000 angstrom, included: fresh fruits, vegetables, olive, sweet almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, soy (since been modified), peanuts, hazelnuts and whole grains (whole grains have since been chemically hybridized, read more below).

In the second category, with radiations 6,500 to 3,000 angstroms, are the vegetables cooked in boiling water, milk, fridge butter, eggs not freshly laid, honey, cooked fish, peanut oil, sugar cane and wine.

The third category, with very weak radiations below 3,000 angstroms, is comprised of cooked meats, sausages, coffee, (black) tea, (regular) chocolate, jams, processed cheeses and white bread.

The fourth category, exhibits practically no energy and includes margarine, conserves, alcoholic spirits, refined white sugar and bleached flour.

Using Simoneton’s method, consuming foods below 6,500 angstroms would hinder, and deteriorate our natural vibration and health.

Incorporating Raw Food

Nature gifted us foods that are naturally full of life. When you cook food and change its state by adding heat, you change its vibration, nutrient content and vitality.

There is a prevailing belief that you need to cook your food to kill harmful bacteria, but in doing this you also kill the life force of fruits and vegetables, as well as the nutrient content by about 1/3 or more. This is mainly done for preservation purposes and shelf-life. In the past we preserved foods by fermentation (the first ketchups) and other natural methods such as salting, cooling and drying foods, which maintained the life force as well as preserving it. Chemical additives used for preservation also toxifies foods.

I’ve found that everything my tastebuds dream of can be made raw from lasagna to pizza, brownies, berry jams and grain-free bread… it’s all possible. Often times we associate raw diets with eating only cold foods, fruits, vegetables and salads. Transitioning to a highly raw diet takes time and doing it correctly is an art form. You can read what I have learned about it here and also take advice from the experts below.

Vegetable soups and other dishes can be warmed up to 105-115 degrees and still maintain their vibrational integrity. When preparing legumes, root vegetables, and starches, soaking and higher temperatures are often needed to extract their medicinal benefits. According to Simoneton, the vibration of the foods we just named go up when properly“cooked” (click here to read more about how to properly prepare these items).

There are many longstanding pioneers in the raw food movement who I have come to trust two of which are Gabriel Cousens and David Wolfe. One of the most amazing examples of a raw food pioneer is 110 year old Fernando, the oldest man in America.

Quality of Food

The vibration of food is derived from the energy it was created with. The vitality of a wild herb found in a remote forest, is going to have a very different energy than a non-organic herb grown in a factory on the side of the freeway, just outside of metropolitan area.

In the picture on the left, you can see the kirlian photography, which depicts the energy and aura radiating from two different mushrooms. You can see that the organically grown mushroom, on the left, has more light and vibrancy than one the commercially grown mushroom on the right.

The more natural and higher quality foods we can buy, the higher the vibration will be. Growing your own food would be the best way to receive the most vitality from your food. When you grow your own food you have the ability to: Use spring water (upping nutrient content & reducing chemicals), feed plants with natural organic nutrient dense supplements, raise the vibration with ormus, grow with the cycles of the season & moon, utilize zeolites take out heavy metals and toxins, and connect the food with your DNA (popularized by the Anastasia books, explaining many processes like activating the seed with your saliva) and send them your own loving intention. For more on amping up your garden, I highly suggest information by Ken Rhola from Fresh & Alive.

When gathering food to eat just do your best. Some of the things you can implement if growing your own food is not available are: Shop at local farmer’s markets, join a crop sharing group, shop at local co-ops, buy organic non-GMO foods at the store, and biodynamically grown foods. The nutrient content (and likely the vibration) goes down by 1/3 from transporting the food from farm to store, so shopping locally would increase the vitality of your food. If money is a challenge and even if it is not, look for local fruit trees or edible treasures you can wild harvest. Often times the highest vibrational foods are freely given by nature all around you. Set up trade and barter with your local farmers by sharing your gifts and services. Everything is possible when you are open and willing to receiving the solution.

Repercussions of Food

Everything and everyone is interconnected. Each action you take shifts your macrocosmic experience.

If the impact of the food being produced is negatively impacting the planet, then there’s a high likelihood that the food will have a lower energetic vibration. If a food has a high vibration, then it would by definition have been produced in a way that is in harmony with all the lifeforms touched in its production cycle.

I recommend reading Patrick Haize’s article, The Global Impact of Our Diets & Everyday Everyday Lifestyle Solutions for more on this subject. It parallels the theme of this blog and goes in depth on the global impact of diet, and has a rich library of educational resources and solutions.

“… Animal agriculture is arguably the most environmentally damaging industry in the world. Animal Agriculture takes up 45% of the entire world’s land-space and is alone responsible for 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, 80-90% of US water consumption, and 91% of Amazon destruction. It is also the leading cause of species extinction, ocean dead zones, water pollution and habitat destruction in the world, and this is only a small fraction of the statistics.” -Patrick Haize, The Global Impact of Our Diets & Everyday Everyday Lifestyle Solutions

No matter what society has become accustomed to eating, we are at a point where we must change what we eat and wean ourselves from foods that are irreversibly destroying the very planet that sustains us. If you eat an animal rather than a plant you’re getting your energy secondhand which is much less efficient. We will need to cut back and cut out certain animal products to bring the Earth back into balance, due to the disastrous effects of commercial farming, agriculture and fishing. If you were going to consume animal products, get them from sources that do not use hormones and antibiotics and treat the animals well.

It may be challenging acknowledge and to really feel the true impact of what it means to eat what you eat. It is scary to take responsibility for destruction on Earth, but a HUGE part of shifting your vibration is becoming fully conscious of your actions and choosing differently. It is time to be courageous, adaptable and open to positive change within yourself to effect the whole in a beautiful way.

Locational and Cultural Dietary Influence

The location of where you live has a vibration. Whether it is a city or a natural place, the pace and frequency will determine the diet of its inhabitants. The climate and products available are another determining factor of a locational cultural diet. Scientists are now discovering in teleportation, that location is a variable of the object. This means that location changes our human vibrational signature. Since location is a variable of your vibrational person, the place you live has a huge impact on who you are and what you eat.
What are the cultural food beliefs of your location? People are subconsciously, and sometimes very obviously influenced by those around us. Often times people’s choices are heavily influenced by an overruling collective momentum. To shift your dietary choices, it is important to step out of collective programs, and the locations that house them and choose what you prefer from your own natural intuition. This can can be done by taking time camping in nature to reset your system or visiting Earth power points that hold a more neutral collective energetic field. Everything is possible everywhere, but certain lifestyle and vibrational choices can be made easier in certain locations.

My Personal Observations: I was raised on a vegetarian diet in Utah (born in 1987) which was quite challenging. My diet was the complete opposite of everyone I knew and I felt others relentless judgements of my choices. Our family created a energetic bubble to make this dietary choice a reality because of the lack of cultural support. When I headed off to California for college, I immediately felt a new “cultural pressure,” as well as what the environmental offering, to eat fish. Because the Southern California culture is so physically healthy, I felt supported by having fresh juices, organic restaurants all around and a healthy lifestyle as the social standard. When I went abroad to Europe, the culture of those places left almost no room for me to be vegetarian (at the time). If I wanted to participate with others I knew I had to adapt so I began eating meat for a short time. As I moved from place to place, I could feel the programed dietary imprint of each place and culture. When I landed in midwestern US cities, I craved chocolate milk and heavy foods. When I was in away from people in nature, all I wanted to eat were light raw foods. I found it very interesting how the culture, location and climate made such a big impact on me. I want to reiterate that every type of lifestyle and diet is possible anywhere once you become aware of any unconscious patterns and choose to act on what you prefer.

Incorporating Dietary & Lifestyle Solutions

Everyone has the ability to choose, in every moment, who they are and how they want to live. As many of you know, fad and drastic diets shifts do not have long-term fortitude. One of my favorite things to do is incorporate dietary solutions before letting go old patterns.

The most important thing in shifting to a higher vibrational diet is to be kind to yourself. Self-love and appreciation will allow any shame or self-sabotage to dissolve which will empower you to take baby steps in a new direction. A question you can ask yourself each day is, “how can I nourish and better take care of my mind-body-soul today?”

Many of the “not so good for us” dietary decisions we make are due to jobs, relationships or lifestyles that are not in alignment with our natural selves, thus leading to “emotionally eating” to come back to equilibrium. This is okay! Let yourself become aware of the choices that lead to these actions, and see what beliefs you can change to enable you to lead a more healthy and holistic life.

Healthy foods make a big difference to our energy states, but there other things you can incorporate that will assist your vibration such as conscious breathing, movement, dancing, time in nature, meditation and a million other activities you can do that will renew the mind-body-soul at a very deep level, thus leading to healthier dietary choices.

15 Simple Transitionary Dietary Solutions I Can Do Today!

As you look at this list, just choose 1 or 2 items to incorporate over the next few weeks. Then come back, and add in something else next month. Baby steps. It is good for the body, mind and soul to transition at a natural pace.

Determination and Willingness to be Different: The most important key to transition to a high vibrational diet is to change your beliefs. An open, willing and determined mental and emotional shift is required to make a longstanding difference. A commitment to yourself as well, as a plan to “stay on track” such this list here, to incorporate solutions and adapt to a new way of being. It can be challenging being around friends and family who may make comments or start challenging dietary discussions. This comes with the territory of stepping out and being who you truly choose to be.
Go Organic, biodynamic, wild, and local: Do the best you can to incorporate non-GMO and organic foods in your diet, as I shared above. This will make a huge difference!!
Spring Water: Tap water and many corporate water bottling companies have toxic chemicals such as fluoride, heavy metals, chlorine, BPA and other toxins. It is also stagnant and does not hold the life-force of energized natural water sources our ancestors used to drink from. Spring water has been contained underground in aquifers for thousands of years, not exposing it to the pollution and contamination on the Earth’s surface. Many people are switching to reverse osmosis or kengan water which draws minerals from the body. In most areas throughout the world, there is accessible spring water to start drinking. I suggest buying a few 5-6 gallon BPA free or glass water jugs, and making it a ritual to collect fresh spring water every few weeks. To find a spring in your area click here. If for some reason you can’t get spring water close to you, you can order Moutain Valley Spring Water, which ships throughout the US or add minerals, and structure, reverse osmosis water.
Cleanse & Detox: I already said this above, but I want to reiterate it again. Cleansing will help your body optimally function and clear the way for you to absorb all of the nutrients you are taking in.
Mineralize: Often times when you are hungry or tired, it is your body seeking minerals. Many foods lack the essential fulvic acids (rich minerals) that were once naturally in the soil. By eating super mineral rich foods and supplementing fulvic acid, we give the body what it really wants that our fruits and vegetables have lower amounts of. Mineralized foods that are easy to incorporate: Sea salt (celtic is my favorite), sea vegetables (full of iodine and mineral rich) such as nori, kelp, irish moss and dulse, fulvic acid supplement, organic lemon water, organic non-gmo organic miso (Miso Masters or South River Miso) and other cultured foods such as kimchi and sauerkraut.
Sugar: Many of us know by now that refined sugar is really bad for us. We hear the stories of how native’s teeth would decay and have problems, only when introduced to sugar by Westerners. So what are our options? For me, I have a sweet tooth and there are plenty of ways to taste the sweet nectar of life without deteriorating your body. The brain needs “good” sugars to properly function. In our culture we get wayyy to much and part of the craving is due to parasites, not necessarily our body’s needs. After I did a parasite cleanse, my fruit and sugar intake naturally fell to about 1/3 of what I was consuming before. Good (low- glycemic) sugars include: raw honey (ammmazing for health and vibration), lucuma powder, raw coconut palm sugar, stevia, agave, real maple syrup, yacon, goji berries (to use in recipes) and dates.
Have Guts – In your gut there is good bacteria that helps breakdown foods and assimilate nutrients, and “bad” bacteria and parasites that cause inflammation and even live off of the foods you intake. Cultivating strong gut flora is very important to overall health. By taking probiotic supplementation and eating fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, coconut and yogurt kefirs you can begin building strong gut flora. Here is a good simple resource to get started and my friend Jennifer Lotus is very adept on the subject and hosts online courses on rebuilding the gut if you are interested.
Go Green! Most people’s bodies are acidic from stress and toxic diets. When the body’s PH is not in natural balance, sickness, weight gain, depression and low energy can occur. By incorporating more high PH foods, such as green vegetables and fruits, the body can come back to equilibrium with renewed vitality. In some cases people take this too far and become too alkaline, but for the most part, transitioning to an alkaline diet is going to have very beneficial results.
Get Soaked: Soaking raw nuts, raw seeds, legumes and ancient grains breaks down enzyme inhibitors allowing smooth digestion and nutrient assimilation. The standard soak time for all of the above is about 5-8 hours or overnight.
Plant-based Proteins: A helpful consideration, especially to the planet, is cutting down on animal forms of protein and switching to plant-based sources. Ahhhhh, the biggest question I have heard all my life, “Where do you get your protein?” I will now ask you a question, “Where does a cow, chicken and elephant get its protein?” The animals get all the protein they need from a plant-based diet. Protein is in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds. Broccoli is 50% protein! Cooking changes the molecular structure of animal proteins often rendering it unusable by the body. In most cases over half of the bioavailable protein in cooked meat is lost and even more in pasteurized dairy. My favorite forms of vegan protein are bee pollen (rich in vitamins & minerals and has 14.4g per 1/4 C), pea protein (super bio-available and 10.6g per 1/4 C & more from the protein powder), spirulina, flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, black beans, macadamia nuts just to name a few. Click here for a full list that I’ve put together & click here for a website with awesome vegetarian recipes!
Good Fats: Incorporate good fats into your diet, cold-pressed organic oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil, hemp oil and avacados! Doing this will increase brain function and make the skin subtle. Many of the fats in packaged foods and at restaurants, even in organic products, are rancid which clogs the gallbladder. Be aware of your choices and feel free to do occasional gallbladder cleanses to clear out built up rancid fats.
Grains: Around the 1960’s the dawn of radiologically induced mutations where successive generations of chemically hybridized wheat cultivars shifted glutenin and gliadin from healthy protein to toxins, created wheat created allergies and sensitivities. Ancient grains (pre-modified) such as likeemmer, spelt and einkorn (Click here to order awesome sourdough Einkorn bread from my friend) are more easily digestible and don’t cause body inflammation. You can also choose from a variety of “grass seeds” or non-grain options if that works better with your system, such as: quinoa, buckwheat, hemp based products (granola, etc), coconut flour, almond flour, mesquite flour, wild rices. Remember to introduce soaking (#8) and fermentation (#6) to your baking and making, for better digestion and assimilation of these foods.
Incorporate Raw: As I already shared above, fresh food have a high vibration, living enzymes and nutritional content is higher when it is left raw. Many foods, when cooked, become toxic which create antibodies in the removal of these toxin, rather than using the body’s natural digestive enzymes. A more raw, plant-based diet will bring back our body’s natural digestive enzymes, but you may need to supplement digestive enzymes as you transition your diet. In my explorations, almost everything you can dream of can be made raw like jelly, cakes, brownies, pizzas, lasagna… When I first started, I thought raw meant living on apples and salad! Nope, there are so many possibilities. Let this be a chance to curiously explore how you can keep your fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts alive! When you do need to warm or steam vegetables in the fall and winter season, tune into them and don’t over-cook. Many legumes, starches, and root vegetables need to be “cooked” to make their medicines bioavailable. Even when preparing these, a roaring boil means they’re taking their last scream of life before they die ? Click here to read the blog I wrote with recipe ideas and how to medicinally “cook” these items.
Coffee & Stimulants: Intaking these substances gives you a false sense of energy and actually fatigues the adrenals which depletes the kidneys. Long-term, this leads to premature aging due to draining your essential life-force (known as “Jing” in Chinese Medicine). There are many coffee alternatives on the market now that have the tasty satisfaction without the crash: Teeccino or Chaga Tea to name a few. If you can’t give up your coffee, at least lower your intake, or add in herbal kidney/adrenal balancers – Jing supplements. Coffee is acidic which lowers the body’s energy levels, but by incorporating a higher alkaline diet and gentle cleansing, you can regain your essential energy and may no longer need the pick me up. Here’s my friend’s tonic latte recipe.
Take time for Yourself: Above all!! Take time to rest, get proper sleep, relax, do what you love and LAUGH. This is the best thing for your body-mind and soul.

from: http://www.zengardner.com/raise-consciousness-vibration-diet/

Healthy Eating as Pathology

Posted on January 9, 2016 by marcia

Experts Claim Passion for Eating Healthy Has Become a Mental Disorder

Anna Hunt, Staff Writer
Waking Times

When you finally realize that mainstream food companies are basically selling us food full of chemicals and devout of nutrients, you may, like many others, start to become a little fanatic about reading ingredients lists, seeking out GMO-free products, supplementing with superfoods, and actually paying attention to what goes into your body.

Well, guess what? Now, you suddenly may have a mental disorder, at least according to scientists at the University of Northern Colorado who conducted a case study about the obsession of eating healthy. This new eating disorder is called orthorexia nervosa (ON) and is said to be driven by a fear of being unhealthy and disgust for low-quality food.

“Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is a term introduced to describe a condition characterized by a pathologic obsession for bio-logically pure and healthy nutrition.” ~Ryan M. Moroze, MD. et al [1]

The psychologists conducting the study argue that healthy eating can become dangerous if one becomes fixated on the types of ingredients in food, how the food is cooked, and what materials are used to prepare it. Those “suffering” from orthorexia may take extra time to prepare their food and carefully consider what they are willing to eat.

In this day and age, 90% of grocery store shelves, at least in the United States, are filled with processed foods, most of which are scientifically engineered to create physical and psychological dependency. Mega-portion processed meals have lead to spiking rates of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity. Shouldn’t conscientious effort to prepare and eat healthy foods be called sensible and smart instead of potentially dangerous?

Let’s agree that obsessive behavior is never really healthy, regardless of the situation. So what’s really the danger? Thomas Dunn, associate professor of psychology at the University of Northern Colorado and co-author of a recent paper believes the following:

“Such draconian diets can lack essential nutrients, and they make the vitamins and minerals a person does get from meals of exclusively, say, leafy greens, impossible for the body to absorb. This can lead to fragile bones, hormonal shifts, and cardiac problems, along with psychological distress and entrenched, delusional thinking.” [2]

We have been so meticulously programmed by food marketers that mainstream processed foods are “natural” “healthy” and “nutritious”, yet the statistics speak for themselves: the typical mainstream diet is making us unhealthy. Regardless of the substantial rise in obesity and numerous diseases, even people that follow the mantra of “healthy diet and exercise” are finding it increasingly difficult to be healthy because food bought in stores is just not what is used to be.

In the face of declining public health, doctors pump us full of pills that don’t really address the issue. Food corporations only care about profits, and their marketers lie to help them get those profits. Who else is left to help us find a path toward optimum health but ourselves?

How can you judge if you or someone you love is suffering from orthorexia? Similarly to most other mental illness assessment, a quick review of a checklist of potential traits will do. According to Dunn, if you identify with two or more of the following traits, you might need to see a counselor:

1. You consume a nutritionally unbalanced diet because of concerns about “food purity.”

2. You’re preoccupied about how eating impure or unhealthy foods will affect your physical or emotional health.

3. You rigidly avoid any food you deem to be “unhealthy,” such as those containing fat, preservatives, additives or animal products.

4. You spend three or more hours per day reading about, acquiring or preparing certain kinds of food you believe to be “pure.”

5. You feel guilty if you eat foods you believe to be “impure.”

6. You’re intolerant of other’s food beliefs.

7. You spend an excessive proportion of your income on “pure” foods. [4]

Considering this list, I’m a certified health nut!

If psychologists are so eager to create new mental illness, why not create a fancy label for the people participating in hot-dog eating contests, contributing to the daily consumption of 1.9 billion servings of Coca-cola products, or opting for the quad-stacked Big Mac and supersize fries.

“Orthorexia has not yet found its way into the latest edition of the psychiatric bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), yet is commonly being lumped in with other eating disorders. Stepping back and looking at the ones pushing this label on us shows highly questionable motives. Psychiatry as a whole is deeply in bed with a pharmaceutical industry that makes the drugs to “treat” every one of these “disorders.” It is often these companies that are wielding influence behind the scenes to invent more mental health categories with their toxic products as the answer.” ~ Jefferey Jaxen [5]

Sources:

[1] http://www.psychosomaticsjournal.com/article/S0033-3182(14)00050-4/abstract

[2] http://www.popsci.com/striving-perfect-diet-making-us-sick

[3] http://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/07/health/orthorexia/

[4] http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Weekend/story?id=3191903&page=1

[5] http://naturalsociety.com/officials-declare-eating-healthy-mental-disorder/

from: http://www.wakingtimes.com/2016/01/08/experts-claim-passion-for-eating-healthy-has-become-a-mental-disorder/

Doctors Speak Out on GMO’s

Posted on August 8, 2015 by marcia

Doctors Against GMOs – Hear From Those Who Have Done the Research

August 2, 2015 by Joel Edwards

The evidence is mounting – GMOs are a danger to health. Long-term studies have revealed organ damage, cancer, and reproductive damage in second and third generation animal studies. There are doctors who are willing to publicly take a stand against genetic engineering. Here are a few of them.

Dr. Mehmet Oz

Dr. Mehmet Oz is a renowned heart surgeon and the host of the popular television show, The Dr. OZ Show.

Whether you support genetically engineered crops or not, the freedom to make an informed choice should belong to consumers. The bill in Congress this month proposing to block states from independently requiring labeling offers a coup to pro-GMO groups.

As a scientist, I am not that concerned about GMOs themselves, but I am worried about why they were created. Highly toxic herbicides would kill crops unless they were genetically modified, but with the genetic upgrade, these plants can be doused with much higher doses, with potential complications to the environment. The WHO believes that glyphosate is “probably a human carcinogen.” Perhaps we are all showing “disdain for science and evidence-based medicine,” but I would argue that unleashing these products creates a real-time experiment on the human species. Sure, we will eventually know if these pesticides are a problem, but at the expense of the pain and suffering and disease in real people. I owe my kids more. And so do you.

Dr. John H. Boyles

Board certified in the American Environmental Medicine and the American board of Otolaryngology, Dr. Boyles currently practices medicine in Centerville Ohio at the Dayton Ear Nose & Throat Surgeons, Inc.

This exchange of DNA between the species is totally against nature. We simply don’t know what it will produce. We don’t know if it is safe, and it has not yet been proven to be safe.

We do not fully understand how gene spicing works within a single species. We certainly can’t predict how it will work when attempting to combine more than one species.

Yes, the means by which to prove safety was developed around the year 2000. No companies performing the gene splicing will use the procedures, because if their product were to be proven unsafe, then they cannot sell that product.

Patients at Dayton Ear, Nose, & Throat Surgeons, Inc. were tested for allergies with organic and genetically modified varieties of foods. Some of the patients tested reacted both to the organic soy and the altered soy. Other patients reacted to the GMO soy, but had no reaction to organic soy. Another group tested positively to the organic, but had no allergic reaction to the GMO soy. And some patients had no allergic reaction to either the GMO soy or the organic soy.

It has come to our attention that by altering genes, scientists are creating a separate allergy to foods that did not exist in patients before. By changing or altering the structure of the plant, GMOs can cause separate reactions from the same food.

You owe it to yourself and your family to make healthier food choices. Any allergic person can benefit from a diet with increased organic foods. Control what you can, and steer clear of GMO foods.

Dr. Emily Lindner

Dr. Emily Lindner is an internist with a dual practice of Internal Medicine and Complementary/Integrative Medicine. She is certified in Functional and Nutritional Medicine.

I tell my patients to avoid genetically modified foods because in my experience, with those foods there is more allergies and asthma. … And what emanates from that is everything. Lots of arthritis problems, autoimmune diseases, anxiety… neurological problems; anything that comes from an inspired immune system response.

When I change people from a GMO diet to a GMO-free diet I see results instantaneously in people who have foggy thinking and people who have gut symptoms like bloating, gas, irritation. In terms of allergies, it might take two to five days. In terms of depression, it starts to lift almost instantaneously. It takes from a day, to certainly within two weeks.

Dr. Robin Bernhoft

Dr. Robin Bernhoft is a surgeon who retrained in environmental medicine after suffering from an environmental illness caused by the toxic skin scrubs used before surgery. He has since regained his health.

“…all physicians should prescribe non-genetically modified food for all patients, and that we should educate all of our patients on the potential health dangers, and known health dangers of GMO food.”

Dr. Mercola

Dr. Mercola is an osteopathic physician and an entrepreneur. He is known for being a strong proponent of alternative medicine.

Monsanto and other biotech companies claim genetically modified (GM) crops have no impact on the environment and are perfectly safe to eat.

Federal departments in charge of food safety in the US and Canada have not conducted tests to affirm this alleged “safety,” but rather have taken the industry-conducted research at face value, allowing millions of acres of GM crops to overtake farmland.

These foods, largely in the form of GM corn and soy (although there are other GM crops, too, like sugar beets, papaya and crookneck squash), can now be found in the majority of processed foods in the US.

In other words, if you eat processed foods, you’re already eating them… and these crops are already being freely planted in the environment. But what if it turns out that Monsanto was wrong, and the GM crops aren’t actually safe?

Monsanto is the world leader in GM crops, and their Web site would have you believe that they are the answer to world hunger. Thanks to their heavy PR campaign, if you’ve been primarily a reader of the mainstream press, you’ve probably been misled into thinking GM crops are, in fact, the greatest thing since sliced bread, that they provide better yields of equal or better quality food, pest and weed resistance, reduced reliance on pesticides, and more… But thankfully, the truth is unfolding and the tide is finally beginning to turn.

Dr. Russell Blaylock

Dr. Blaylock is a board certified neurosurgeon. He practiced medicine for 25 years before pursuing his nutritional studies and research full time. He now owns a nutritional practice, and is a health practitioner, lecturer, and author. He is known for confronting controversial issues in medicine and backing up his arguments with impeccable research. He warns that most of the studies on GMOs are terminated within or at ninety days and test animals are destroyed – with good reason. The following comments are in response to a long-term GMO study published in the journal, “Food and Chemical Toxicology.”

Virtually all of these studies use rats and are terminated at 90 days.This study clearly shows that most of the harmful effects of GMO foods occur after 90 days.

In this study, animals were fed the GMO corn for two years in concentrations commensurate to what people would eat. What they found is beyond shocking.

The animals fed GMO food died two to three times more often than the animals eating a normal diet. Male rats demonstrated liver damage 2.5 to 5.5 times more often than control rats.

Of extreme concern was the finding that the females developed massive breast tumors at a high rate in the GMO-fed animals.

Even more frightening is that almost half of all babies are now being fed soy-based formula. This is not the only study to find problems with GMO foods, but it is the most damning.

In my estimation, all GMO foods should be removed from stores, and GMO crops should be destroyed. The implications of this disaster is almost beyond belief and GMO crops are being heavily promoted all over the world by the IMF, Council on Foreign Relations, and other international organizations.

Dr. Richard Lacey M.D., Ph.D

Dr. Lacey is an expert in food safety issues who served for four years on a U.K. government advisory panel on food as it relates to human and animal health. In 1989-1990, he warned against the practice of feeding cattle rendered meat from sheep and other animals, predicting the “mad cow” epidemic before it occurred. He has written five books on food safety, including one published by Cambridge University Press in 1994 containing a detailed discussion of genetically engineered food. He does not believe GMOs are safe and clearly reminds us that their safety has never been established.

It is my considered judgment that employing the process of recombinant DNA technology (genetic engineering) in producing new plant varieties entails a set of risks to the health of the consumer that are not ordinarily presented by traditional breeding techniques. It is also my considered judgment that food products derived from such genetically engineered organisms are not generally recognized as safe on the basis of scientific procedures within the community of experts qualified to assess their safety.

Recombinant DNA technology is an inherently risky method for producing new foods. Its risks are in large part due to the complexity and interdependency of the parts of a living system, including its DNA. Wedging foreign genetic material in an essentially random manner into an organism’s genome necessarily causes some degree of disruption, and the disruption could be multi-faceted. Further, whether singular or multi-faceted, the disruptive influence could well result in the presence of unexpected toxins or allergens or in the degradation of nutritional value. Further, because of the complexity and interactivity of living systems — and because of the extent to which our understanding of them is still quite deficient — it is impossible to predict what specific problems could result in the case of any particular genetically engineered organism.

…To the best of my judgment, neither genetically engineered foods as a general class nor any genetically engineered food in particular is generally recognized as safe among those experts qualified by training and experience to evaluate their safety…

…In my opinion, the number of scientists who are not convinced about the safety of genetically engineered foods is substantial enough to prevent the existence of a general recognition of safety. Second, there is insufficient evidence to support a belief that genetically engineered foods are safe. I am not aware of any study in the peer-reviewed scientific literature that establishes the safety of even one specific genetically engineered food let alone the safety of these foods as a general class. Few properly designed toxicological feeding studies have even been attempted, and I know of none that was satisfactorily completed. Those who claim that genetically engineered foods are as safe as naturally produced ones are clearly not basing their claims on scientific procedures that demonstrate safety to a reasonable degree of certainty. Rather, they are primarily basing their claims on a set of assumptions that, besides being empirically unsubstantiated, are in several respects at odds with the bulk of the evidence.

The main assumptions are: (a) that producing food through recombinant DNA technology in itself entails no greater risks than producing it through sexual reproduction between members of the same species and (b) that the same safeguards commonly employed by breeders using conventional techniques will suffice for genetically engineered foods.

As far as I can ascertain, the current policy of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is primarily based on these two assumptions. Therefore, although it claims to be “science-based,” this claim has no solid basis in fact. The only way to base the claims about the safety of genetically engineered food in science is to establish each one to be safe through standard scientific procedures, not through assumptions that reflect more wishful thinking than hard fact.

American Academy of Environmental Medicine

This is an official statement from the American Academy of Environmental Medicine.

Genetically Modified Foods

According to the World Health Organization, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are “organisms in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in such a way that does not occur naturally.” This technology is also referred to as “genetic engineering”, “biotechnology” or “recombinant DNA technology” and consists of randomly inserting genetic fragments of DNA from one organism to another, usually from a different species. For example, an artificial combination of genes that includes a gene to produce the pesticide Cry1Ab protein (commonly known as Bt toxin), originally found in Bacillus thuringiensis, is inserted in to the DNA of corn randomly. Both the location of the transferred gene sequence in the corn DNA and the consequences of the insertion differ with each insertion. The plant cells that have taken up the inserted gene are then grown in a lab using tissue culture and/or nutrient medium that allows them to develop into plants that are used to grow GM food crops.

Natural breeding processes have been safely utilized for the past several thousand years. In contrast, “GE crop technology abrogates natural reproductive processes, selection occurs at the single cell level, the procedure is highly mutagenic and routinely breeches genera barriers, and the technique has only been used commercially for 10 years.”

Despite these differences, safety assessment of GM foods has been based on the idea of “substantial equivalence” such that “if a new food is found to be substantially equivalent in composition and nutritional characteristics to an existing food, it can be regarded as safe as the conventional food.” However, several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signaling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system.

There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation as defined by Hill’s Criteria in the areas of strength of association, consistency, specificity, biological gradient, and biological plausibility.The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.

…Also, because of the mounting data, it is biologically plausible for Genetically Modified Foods to cause adverse health effects in humans.

In spite of this risk, the biotechnology industry claims that GM foods can feed the world through production of higher crop yields. However, a recent report by the Union of Concerned Scientists reviewed 12 academic studies and indicates otherwise: “The several thousand field trials over the last 20 years for genes aimed at increasing operational or intrinsic yield (of crops) indicate a significant undertaking. Yet none of these field trials have resulted in increased yield in commercialized major food/feed crops, with the exception of Bt corn.” However, it was further stated that this increase is largely due to traditional breeding improvements.

Therefore, because GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health and are without benefit, the AAEM believes that it is imperative to adopt the precautionary principle, which is one of the main regulatory tools of the European Union environmental and health policy and serves as a foundation for several international agreements.

…With the precautionary principle in mind, because GM foods have not been properly tested for human consumption, and because there is ample evidence of probable harm, the AAEM asks:

Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.
Physicians to consider the possible role of GM foods in the disease processes of the patients they treat and to document any changes in patient health when changing from GM food to non-GM food.
Our members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on human health.
For a moratorium on GM food, implementation of immediate long term independent safety testing, and labeling of GM foods, which is necessary for the health and safety of consumers.

(This statement was reviewed and approved by the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine on May 8, 2009.)

Conclusion

In America, there is a fascination and an appreciation of most new technologies. Before GMOs were widely adopted more medical professionals and scientists marveled at the technological advancements making genetic engineering possible; this awe and wonder was widespread long before the downsides of GMOs became well known. It turns out they are worse than almost anyone thought.

Now that GMOs have been widely adopted in the American diet, more and more doctors are discovering that GMOs are devastating to our health. It is becoming more common for doctors to advise their patients to avoid GMOs. Recently, members of Sermo, an online community of physicians, were surveyed as to whether or not they support GMO labeling. The majority, 68% of them are in favor of requiring food manufacturers to label products containing GMOs.

For years, there has been a tired argument that if you’re against GMOs then you’re against science, but just because we have the technology to do something, it doesn’t necessarily follow that we should. The majority of new technologies are abandoned due to flaws that become painfully apparent after they have become widespread. At present we are feeling that pain.

Be sure to check out Doctors Against Vaccines and Understanding and Detoxifying from GMOs.

from: http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/doctors-against-gmos-hear-from-those-who-have-done-the-research/