For Healthy & Happy Brain, Backed By Science

  For Healthy & Happy Brain, Backed By Science 

 Today, people are facing an epidemic of chronic brain problems. Around 40 million people in the United States experience anxiety-related disorder. Also around 30 million people suffer from depression. These conditions are quite complex. And the solution to most chronic conditions is to diagnose a disease or symptoms and match it with a corresponding pharmaceutical drug. Below is a list of some uncommon foods that can help develop a healthy and happy brain. 

1. Eggs 

This edible food is great when it comes to your brain. The egg yolk contains the major part of the egg nutrients. Most of the people throw out the yolk portion and only go for white portions, which is bad. The egg yolk is so full of nutrients that are good for your brain that a separate article can be written on that. The yolk is called nature’s multivitamin. Pastured eggs by chickens who stay outside in sunlight provide us essential brain food like choline. Choline has a variety of functions for healthy brain function, including the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and cell-membrane signaling, which is needed for all hormone function. Deficiency of choline can be noticed through fatigue, insomnia and memory problems. Pasture-raised eggs should be preferred as they contain 3 times more of the brain beneficial omega-3 fats than supermarket eggs. 

2. Bone Broth 

It is really important to have a healthy gut to have a healthy brain. These two things are linked with each other through nerve pathways. Your gut is called your “Second Brain”. 90% of your feel good hormone called serotonin is made and stored in your gut. The connection between your gut and brain is linked with depression, anxiety and autism. It is necessary to keep your gut healthy in order to keep your brain healthy. Bone broth is the best food that you can have to make your gut healthy. This nutrient-rich liquid is filled with collagen which acts like a healing ointment to a stressed gut. 

3. Coconut Oil 

Coconut oil has got many benefits. One of its amazing benefits is that it keep your brain healthy and sharp.

A study in the journal Neurobiology of Aging suggested that medium-chain triglycerides, like those found in coconut oil, improved cognitive function among older folks with memory problems and Alzheimer's disease.

In the said study cognitive function was immediately improved following ingestion of the medium-chain triglycerides. 

4. Sunlight 

Sunlight is the best natural resource that you can have to improve your brain powers. Sunlight gives enough vitamin D and these days a lot of people are vitamin D deficient. Now days we apply sunscreens and avoid the sun. But it is quite important to go out in the sunlight and do basking. Some people go for sun bath, which is very important for your body and brain. Moderate exposure to sun helps making your endorphins. 

All Your Medicines Be Green

May All Your Medicines Be Green

Hippocrates – the father of medicine – said, "Let your food be your medicine, and let your medicine be your food."  Medicines are a subset of foods, according to Hippocrates.  I like that.  What are medicines today?  What are foods?

Foods are natural. They come from nature.  Foods are things that live and grow. Non-foods do not live and grow in nature. When we concentrate our foods, or specific aspect of foods, they can become medicines and heal our illness.  How does this work? 

Of course Hippocrates lived in 400 BC. Medicine was in it's infancy, but he knew a thing or two. All illness is caused by a deficiency or an excess.  If you are deficient in a nutrient - taking concentrated foods may help, or cure your illness. It is the medicine that actually addresses the cause of the illness - all others are false medicines.

Note: Illness can be caused by many kinds of deficiency or excess, not just foods. You might suffer from deficiencies, or excesses of toxins, of exercise, of growth, of your immune system, etc.
When you are deficient of a nutrient, eating more of, or concentrations of the right foods will correct the imbalance.  When you have an excess you might think the only solution is to stop eating the excess - but you might also treat an excess by eating more of other foods - which displace the excess. This might be mistaken, by the inattentive, for the 'placebo effect'.
Hippocrates also knew something about toxic medicines. There were always people who treat illness with poisons.  Poisons re-establish balance not be building up the weak side - instead by breaking down the strong.  If you are suffering from pains of arthritis - a poison that desensitizes your ability to feel pain can make you feel better, even though your health is actually worse.
He knew that foods are the best medicine - and poisons are only resorted to when the natural approach fails.
Patent medicines are toxic medicines.  They are not things that grow. They do not spring whole from the planet earth.  They are things created by man, to try and 'trick' our bodies into feeling 'non-sickness'.  Patent medicines are not foods.  According to Hippocrates - they are not proper medicines. I'm with Hippocrates on this one.

Commercial interests want to dismiss natural medicines, to pretend they don't exist, or don't matter.  Many people call natural medicines 'alternative medicines', as if they were some new, strange thing.  In fact, patent medicines are the new, strange thing.  I've deliberately colored patent medicines red - because they are, by their nature toxic.  They always have side effects, because they are non-foods.

There are many illnesses, more than we know, that can ONLY be treated effectively by natural medicines.  This does not require any 'clinical studies', just common sense. Any illness that comes from a deficiency - can only  be treated by a natural medicine, a food.  Any illness that arises from a toxin in your diet will not succumb to a patent medicine.  The only solution is to stop consuming the toxin. 

Natural medicines are green medicines. Natural medicines are the original medicines, and, like the original foods, they are the healthiest. Natural medicines work by improving your healthiness - that's why I call them healthicines.  I often think of patent medicines as 'medicines. You only take them when you are driven mad by an illness that can't be understood.

If medicine was like sports, where the score is what matters, Natural Medicine would often have the winning game.  But in today's studies of medicine, no-one keeps score. Or, more accurately, we only keep score for patent medicines - and then only when they succeed.   We don't keep track of the failures.  Some governments have even passed some laws that specifically protect 'patent medicines' from lawsuits in case of failure or death.

No-one keeps track of green medicines.

If a natural medicine has a success, it is not counted.

If you have cancer, and you take patent medicine - chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery - but you die, that's normal. We expected you to die anyway.  If 30 percent of cancer patients who take patent medicines live 5 years - that's called success.  There are so few cases of patent medicine actually 'curing' cancer, that they are not simply counted.  Living 5 years after treatment is called success.  Only now are we starting to learn that the sad, long term effects of chemotherapy and radiation - last much longer than 5 years.

Ginger destroys cancer

Ginger destroys cancer more effectively than death-linked cancer drugs

 

 

Ginger, a cousin spice of super anti-cancer substance turmeric, is known for its ability to shrink tumors.

Astoundingly, it is even more effective than many cancer drugs, which have been shown to be completely ineffective and actually accelerate the death of cancer patients. Commonly consumed across the world in small doses among food and beverage products, the medicinal properties of ginger far surpass even advanced pharmaceutical inventions.

The subject of one study based out of Georgia State University, whole ginger extract was revealed to shrink prostate tumor size by a whopping 56% in mice. The anticancer properties were observed in addition to ginger’s role in reducing inflammation as well as being a rich source of life-enhancing antioxidants. But what about cancer drugs? Could this simple spice really topple the advanced pharmaceuticals that are often touted as the ‘only option’ for cancer patients by medical doctors?

It turns out that cancer drugs are not only severely ineffective at permanently shrinking tumors, but they actually make tumors larger and kill the patient more quickly. More specifically, the tumors have been found to ‘metasize’, meaning they come back bigger and more stronger than their original size. What’s more, the ‘metasizing’ was found to be very aggressive. According to scientists Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, the premium priced drugs were little more than death sentences for many patients.

“Whatever manipulations we’re doing to tumors can inadvertently do something to increase the tumor numbers to become more metastatic, which is what kills patients at the end of the day,” said study author Dr. Raghu Kalluri.
These are the very drugs considered to be the scientifically proven solution by mainstream health officials.

Meanwhile, ginger presents virtually no side effects and has been used as a food product by many cultures for countless centuries. Instead of creating super tumors, whole ginger extract was shown to exert significant growth-inhibiting and death-introductory effects in a spectrum of prostate cancer cells. Over 17 other studies have also reached similar conclusions on ginger’s anticancer benefits, with the spice being shown by peer-reviewed research to positively impact beyond 101 diseases.

Facts About Your Eyes

Amazing Facts About Your Eyes  

Eyes are considered as most expressing organ of our body. Whether we are happy or sad or crying, our eyes say it all. Therefore, It is important to take care of your eyes in order to keep them healthy. There are many amazing facts about your eyes which you might not know. So, here are a few facts about your eyes that will amaze you: 
 

1. Drinking 

The color of your eyes expresses your capability of handling your hooch. As per a study conducted in Georgia University, those who have eyes of lighter color like blue, green, grey or hazel, take their drinks better than those who have eyes of darker color. 

2. Political Orientation 

It might sound a bit surprising, but your eyes can even tell your political orientation by observing the way you gaze. People that lean to the left of the political spectrum will follow “eye cues” more readily than conservatives. So beware next time you talk to a liberal, they might trace your gaze. 

3. Flirting 

Eye contact while you flirt can take a variety of different forms which includes a momentary gaze at your partner’s mouth, an uncontrollable dilation of the pupils and can even go as far as you unconsciously mimicking the other person’s blinking pattern. 

4. Lying 

If you want to know if what the other person is saying is true or not, then look into their eyes. (If they look upwards and slightly to your left, then they are most likely telling a lie. 

5. Blink 

Most adults blink their eyes once in every 5 seconds on an average. This means 6.5 million times a year. The muscle which controls the blinking process of your eyes is the fastest in your body. 

 6. Amazing 

 Our eyes can very well distinguish between s startling array of colors and also can detect about 10 million different tones. Amazingly, how you see colors can affect different aspects of your life. Even what you eat and drink also have effects on you depending upon their color. 

7. Look After Them 

80% of the eye problems in the world are curable and avoidable. You have most precious 1 pair of eyes that help you see this beautiful world and your loved ones. So, look after them and be regular at your check-ups.

 

Turn On The 90 Seconds Of Rock And Get Rolling:

Turn On The 90 Seconds Of Rock And Get Rolling: Psychologist Offers More Tips To Make You More Productive 

  Facing troubles while coping up with the modern life? Or struggling to match up the requirements of today’s era? Try sleeping on the wrong side of your bed and listen to the tunes of your favorite rock band for 90 seconds every day at 11:30 AM. 

If you find your work repetitive and boring, then jot down with different colors of pens and different styles of writing. Making resolutions now, when days are longer and warmer, will keep you motivated towards your goal. 

Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a Psychologist and a professor in human behavior, when asked, suggested some ways out to how we can be more productive. 

The research suggested that when we try to execute many plans in one day, the quarter of us gets too exhausted that we feel too tired to enjoy the things that should be fun. 

The psychologist said that writing a list normally on a paper will make it boring and this might be demotivating. Instead doodle your plans on some colorful papers so that they appeal you and feel like working your plans. Draw the positive outcomes of your task and a happy cartoon of yourself which will make you think of the superb outcomes of your work and will keep you enthusiastic. 

Listening to rock music mid-morning is a perfect pick-me-up, he said, continuing: ‘At 11.30am, most office workers will experience a slump as it’s been a while since breakfast and lunch still feels a way off, so it’s an ideal time to use music to keep you going.’ 

Choosing different colors for writing will stimulate your senses and sleeping on the wrong side of your bed will make a required change and will get you out of your same dull routine. This will also help getting fresh perspective on a problem. 

He also added about jogging to meetings which will release endorphins in your body which makes you feel good. Eating a fruit around 3 PM to fight the “slump” and reading the childhood books to recall your creativity. 

Humans Look after years

How Will Humans Look Like In 100,000 Years 

Nickolay Lamm, a researcher did some research on how we all are going to look like in 100000 years with the help of Dr. Alan Kwan, who possesses the degree of doctorate in computational genomics from Washington University. 

They first figured it out that how humanity might reshape itself over time with advanced genetic engineering technology, taking over the role of natural selection by far. Then, he drew a series of some images of how he perceives that humans are going to look like in 20,000 years, 60,000 years and 100,000 years from now. (Note: He said that we shouldn’t read too much into the fact that the man and woman are Caucasian because those were just the best models he could find). 

Image: Today

This image shows unmodified image of a man and a woman. Nothing special. 

Image: 20,000 Years from now

This photo shows the image of a man and woman after 20,000 years where heads are a bit bigger to accommodate larger brains and yellow rings around the eye balls of the models are special lenses that work like Google Glass in a better way. 

Image: 60,000 years from now

In 60.000 years, we see that heads are even larger and eyes have grown big too. As per the speculation of Lamm, this would be because of human colonization of solar system, where people live too far away from the sun, in much less light. Also the eye lids would become much thicker to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays for those who live outside the protective ozone layer and skin pigmentation would change too. 

Image: 100,000 years from now

In 100,000 years, Lamm speculates big changes. The most noticeable change that we see is the big Japanese Manga style eyes that may feature “eye-shine enhance low-light vision and even a sideways blink from re-constituted plica semilunaris” to protect against cosmic rays. These futuristic faces are done by following golden ratio proportion where faces are perfectly symmetrical from right to left and nostrils are bigger to make inhaling easier in off planet environments. Hair have grown denser to contain heat loss from their even bigger heads. 

Nickolay Lamm and Dr. Alan Kwan stress that this is just a speculation and not prediction. Also they say that it is impossible to predict what future holds. 

But all that we can say is that it is just a speculation, one of many possible futures. The bottom line is we can all have an impact on how the future turns out, so let’s make it a good one. Future in unknown and we can make some intelligent and educated guess as to what is going to happen.

 

The Minds Limitless power

 

Are You Living by Default or by Design?

All of us come into this life with a relatively clean slate. From the moment we arrive, however, our brains begin collecting data. This data is recorded, organized and stored by the brain and becomes the foundation upon which we build our lives. What kind of a life we build is a direct reflection of our beliefs.
As children, our belief system is formed and molded by our experiences. This early programming provides our brain with a lens through which it perceives reality. Have you ever wondered how some people make success look easy while others so quickly throw in the towel? It likely has to do with their belief system. Our beliefs create our framework, and our framework sets up the filters through which we assimilate information and create our lives. This intricate structuring is all found in your subconscious mind.

You have a portal through which nearly all information enters your brain called the reticular activating system. Located in your brain stem, the RAS contributes to things like control of sleep, sex, walking, breathing, eating but perhaps most importantly, it controls consciousness. Your RAS filters incoming information and affects what you pay attention to, effectively sorting the important from the unimportant. What you pay attention to, however, is tied to your belief system, the framework of which is in your subconscious.

Here's the irony: your reticular activating system works diligently to prevent your subconscious mind from seeing anything that does not align with your internal beliefs. It becomes circular thinking in effect, as your beliefs determine your reality which reinforce your beliefs. This is great when you have a RAS that sees every circumstance, including setbacks and failures, as a positive through the lens of success. These are the folks who make success look easy. It becomes problematic, however, when there are limiting beliefs as these are the beliefs that create and recreate the very circumstances that we wish would go away!

Most of us were programed with condition-based, 5 sensory thinking that relies on external stimuli to determine reality. We rely on the physical world as our key informant. This sets up a pattern of thinking that puts our focus on our conditions or circumstances. When we think into the conditions of our lives, we reinforce this pattern and it becomes our default programming. In addition to our five senses, however, we have 5 faculties: imagination, intuition, memory, will and the power of perception. These are our higher capacities that allow us to dream and desire something different for our lives, something better. The challenge is to shift your awareness from your default programming, that focuses on conditions and limiting beliefs, to a design programming that focuses on desired results. Because, the truth is, you cannot focus on your goal if you are focused on your conditions! You must learn to manage your mind by exercising your will to make yourself think correctly.

A new kind of exercise...

Neuroscience has shown that mental training can physically change the brain with evidence that the brain can adapt or expand through repeated activity. There is a profound parallel between mental fitness and physical fitness. Just like physical exercise, engaging in and repeating certain mental activities helps the brain become more efficient. In other words, experiences, repetitive thought processes and training can lead to functional and structural reorganization of your brain. Whether you want to gain confidence, lose weight, make more money, or improve cognition, our patent-pending technology can help you achieve your goals. Through repetition and feedback, your RAS can be reprogrammed to direct concentration towards the things that will help you achieve your goals, while filtering the things that are holding you back. No more throwing in the towel! NeuroCue - coming soon to a brain near you.

10 Factss you (probably) didn’t know about death

10 Factss you (probably) didn’t know about death

1. When a person dies, hearing is the last sense to go — the first is usually sight, followed by taste, smell and touch

2. A human head remains conscious for about 15 to 20 seconds after it has been decapitated

3. 100 people choke to death on pens each year. One is more likely to be killed by a champagne cork than by a spider

4. Alexander’s funeral would have cost $600 million today. A road from Egypt to Babylon was built to carry his body

5. When inventor Thomas Edison died in 1931, his friend Henry Ford captured his last dying breath in a bottle

6. Over 2500 left-handed people are killed each year from using products made for right-handed people

7. It takes longer than ever before a body to decompose due to preservatives in the food that we eat these days

8. An eternal flame lamp at the tomb of a Buddhist priest in Nara, Japan has kept burning for 1,130 years

9. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry is the first person to have his ashes put aboard a rocket and ‘buried’ in space

10. Japanese factory worker Kenji Urada became the first know fatality caused by a robot in July, 1981, in a car plant.

Ten Reasons to dispose off your Microwave Oven

 

To the people who love using their convenient microwave i urge u to do this experiment. Maybe then you will think twice before using it again!
  

 Ten Reasons to dispose off your Microwave Oven
From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research, one can conclude this article with the following:

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term – permanent – brain damage by ‘shorting out’ electrical impulses in the brain [DE-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].

2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.

5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumours]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in UK and America .

. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

sodium bicarbonate

NIH Continuing to experiment on Premature Babies without Parental Consent

NIH Continuing to Experiment on Premature Babies without Parental Consent

by Vera Sharav
Alliance for Human Research Protection

An Unethical Transfusion Experiment Targeting Premature Babies

Underscoring the importance of the public meeting regarding a concerted effort by NIH leadership and its powerful stakeholder allies to exempt invasive medical experiments that expose patients to increased risk from federal informed consent regulatory protections, is the exposure of another NIH-funded unethical, ONGOING, CURRENTLY RECRUITING experiment.
“Transfusion of Prematures”–TOP is a randomized two-arm comparative experiment seeking 1,824 premature babies as subjects–prior such experiments reported that restricting needed blood from premature babies causes neurological impairment.
The catalyst for the public meeting convened by HHS, to be held on Wednesday, August 28, in Washington at the Hubert Humphrey Bldg. 200 Independence Ave, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, is the debate that was ignited by the unethical NIH-funded restricted oxygen experiment (SUPPORT) whose subjects were 1,316 extremely vulnerable premature babies whose supplemental oxygen level was randomly restricted within the confines of the research, without regard for their oxygen need for survival–and without a current practice control group, thereby impeding safety monitoring of the experimental interventions. (Story here.)
Babies in the experiment were exposed to increased risk of death–237 babies died. The foreseeable increased risk of death–in particular for babies whose oxygen was restricted to the low range–was concealed from the parents in order to obtain their UNIFORMED permission.
Powerful research stakeholders, led by the director of NIH, are attempting to legitimize experiments such as SUPPORT by declaring that “comparative effectiveness research” (CER) poses no risk greater than “standard of care” and should be exempt from federal informed consent requirements. Those who have a financial stake in CER are attempting to secure an escape hatch for experiments they deem to be CER from informed consent disclosure requirements. They know that if the risks were disclosed, no responsible parent would give permission to subject their baby to the risks.
Public Citizen has uncovered yet another similar ONGOING, unethical experiment using the same modus operandi as SUPPORT: vulnerable premature babies are randomized to one of two extreme modes of life-support interventions. The experiment lacks the safety of a standard of practice control group; the serious risks are concealed from parents who are deceived by false reassuring statements in consent forms.
Like SUPPORT, TOP is funded by NIH and conducted by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver…Neonatal Network. (the participating institutions are listed below). Like in SUPPORT, not only have the risks for the babies been concealed from parents, parents have been deceived by consent forms falsely stating that the restricted blood transfusion protocol poses no risk.
Public Citizen has urged Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, to immediately halt the experiment due to the serious ethical deficiencies.

1. Order an immediate halt to the TOP trial, if you have not already done so per our prior request for such action.
2. Direct OHRP to open a compliance oversight investigation into the trial.
3. Direct OHRP to develop a plan for contacting the parents of subjects already enrolled in the trial and providing them with a complete and accurate description of the risks, purpose, and nature of the research.
4. Initiate an independent investigation of the HHS system for review and oversight of HHS-funded human subjects research to understand how the system failed so miserably in both the SUPPORT study and the TOP trial. This investigation should include an assessment of all entities within NIH and other HHS agencies that played a role in the review, approval, and funding of the SUPPORT study and TOP trial. In addition, given the widespread failures across multiple IRBs that reviewed and approved the SUPPORT study and TOP trial, HHS should determine what systemwide actions are needed to prevent such failures from recurring.
5. Identify and suspend any similarly unethical research involving premature infants funded by NIH or any other HHS agency.

See: http://www.citizen.org/documents/2150.pdf
Send your comments about the need for enforcement of federal research protections before Sept. 9, 2-13. Identify Docket HHS-OPHS-2013-0004: http://www.regulations.gov/#!docketBrowser;rpp=25;po=0;D=HHS-OPHS-2013-0004
If the extremists within the NIH and the medical centers that have enormous financial stake in conducting “comparative effectiveness research” succeed in getting an escape hatch from informed consent, you or your loved one may become a human guinea pig without knowledge or consent in future unwanted medical experiments.
Institutions Conducting TOP Trial:
Brown University, Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island*§
Case Western Reserve University, Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital*§
Children’s Mercy Hospital*§
Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center*§
Duke University Health System*§
Emory University*§
Indiana University*§
Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital*§
Stanford University§
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Buffalo§
University of California, Los Angeles*§
University of Iowa*§
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill§
University of New Mexico*§
University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia*§
University of Rochester*§
University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas*
Wayne State University*§
*Institutions actively recruiting as of July 19, 2013
§Institutions with IRB- approved consent forms released by NIH in response to a Freedom of Information Act request

Wheat Madness – Is this Popular Grain Provoking Mental Illness?

A mainstay in most Western diets, wheat is normally not associated with mental illness. Yet research has shown an intolerance to compounds within the grain can cause major neurological issues, including psychotic breakdowns. Far from a benign food, wheat has been linked with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and even diseases like multiple sclerosis along with Alzheimer’s. In the spirit of physical and mental health, many are realizing wheat is not a food to be consumed lightly.

Dangerous triggers lurking

One of the main health-harming culprits is found with wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a category of lectins. Regardless if the wheat is soaked, sprouted or cooked, these compounds remain intact. Tiny and hard to digest, lectins can accumulate within the body and wreak havoc on physical and mental well-being. WGA is neurotoxic, crossing the blood brain barrier and attaching to the myelin sheath, consequentially inhibiting nerve growth – a serious consideration for those suffering from degenerative neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s. Lectins also destroy the villi in the intestinal tract, creating an inflamed, leaky gut. Since there is a strong connection between the gut and brain via the vagus nerve, intestinal ill-health strongly affects the mind, mood and behavior. The gut is also considered a ‘second brain’, pumping out its own source of feel good neurotransmitters like serotonin. If normal functioning of the intestinal tract is hindered, production of serotonin dips along with stable mental states.

As troublesome as lectins are found to be, gliadin in wheat is a worse offender for sensitive individuals. As reported by GreenMed Info, a study published in the journal Psychiatry Research makes the connection between gliadin and states of mania:

“The relationship of the antibodies to the clinical course of mania was analyzed by the use of regression models. Individuals with mania had significantly increased levels of IgG antibodies to gliadin, but not other markers of celiac disease, at baseline compared with controls in multivariate analyses … Among the individuals with mania, elevated levels at follow-up were significantly associated with re-hospitalization in the six month follow-up period.”

Likewise, a study at John Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland had similar findings:

Individuals with recent-onset psychosis and with multi-episode schizophrenia who have increased antibodies to gliadin may share some immunologic features of celiac disease, but their immune response to gliadin differs from that of celiac disease.

And let’s not forget about gluten, the poster child for celiac disease – and now increasingly, for neurological disorders. Sayer Ji of GreenMed Info believes the ramifications of gluten far surpass the celiac, autistic or schizophrenic individual:

In the same way that the celiac iceberg illustrated the illusion that intolerance to wheat is rare, it is possible, even probable, that wheat exerts pharmacological influences on everyone. What distinguishes the schizophrenic or autistic individual from the functional wheat consumer is the degree to which they are affected.

Even when not suffering from overt mental illness or gluten intolerance, it would be wise to pause and consider the unseen consequences of consuming wheat. And decide if it’s worth the possible risk to future mental and physical health.

Sunlight Prevents Cancer

Research From 100+ Countries Confirm Sunlight Prevents Cancer

For the same reason that the conventional energy industry has not harnessed the full potential of solar energy (its free!), sunlight and its indispensable byproduct in our skin: vitamin D, represents a serious threat to the medical establishment, whose questionable and aggressive promotion of vaccination and drug-based strategies in place of inexpensive, safe and effective vitamin D supplementation (or better, carefully meted out recreation and sunlight exposure) for immunity, has many questioning their motives.

Vitamin D, after all, has a vital preventive role to play in hundreds of conditions, due to the fact that 1 in every 10 genes in the human body depends on adequate quantities of this gene-regulatory hormone to function optimally.  In other words, the very genetic/epigenetic infrastructure of our health would fall apart without adequate levels.Even the risk for developing cancer, one of the most feared health conditions of our time — and the one the medical establishment has had the least success preventing and treating — is intimately connected to your vitamin D status.

Indeed, a ground breaking new meta-analysis on the sunlight-vitamin D connection, published in the journal Anticancer Research and based on data from over 100 countries, found that “a strong inverse correlations with solar UVB for 15 types of cancer,” with weaker, though still significant evidence for the protective role of sunlight in 9 other cancers.

The relevant cancers were:

“Bladder, breast, cervical, colon, endometrial, esophageal, gastric, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, rectal, renal, and vulvar cancer; and Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Weaker evidence exists for nine other types of cancer: brain, gallbladder, laryngeal, oral/pharyngeal, prostate, and thyroid cancer; leukemia; melanoma; and multiple myeloma.”

Sunlight exposure, after all, is essential for health from the moment we are born. Without it, for instance, infants are prone to developing neonatal jaundice.  The very variation in human skin color from African, melanin-saturated dark skin, to the relatively melanin de-pigmented, Caucasian lighter-skin, is a byproduct of the offspring of our last common ancestor from Africa (as determined by mitochondrial DNA) migrating towards sunlight-impoverished higher latitudes, which began approximately 60,000 years ago. In order to compensate for the lower availability of sunlight, the body rapidly adjusted, essentially requiring the removal of the natural “sunscreen” melanin from the skin, which interferes with vitamin D production.  While a life-saving adaptation, the loss of melanin likely has adverse health effects, which include losing the ability to convert sunlight into metabolic energy, increased prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (which involves de-melanization of the substantia nigra), and others effects which we will discuss in detail in a future article. For now, it is important to point out that within the span of only 60,000 years (a nanosecond in biological time), many of the skin “color” differences among the world’s human inhabitants reflect how heavily genetically-conserved was the ability of the human body to produce vitamin D.

It should also be pointed out that vitamin D is to sunlight, what ascorbic acid is to the vitamin C activity in food. In other words, sunlight likely provides a greater spectrum of therapeutic activity (when carefully meted out, preferably during solar noon) than supplemental vitamin D3, which is almost exclusively derived from UVB irradiated sheep’s lanolin.

For further research, the following link reveals 50 therapeutic effects of sunlight exposure, as culled from research housed on the National Library of Medicine.

Cherries a Superfood

Cherries a Superfood? Research Confirms this Well-Known Fruit Tackles Cancer, Insomnia, High Blood Pressure and Gout

For those of you who love cherries, this ruby sweet fruit is much more than a tasty summer treat. Shown to combat cancer, improve sleep, balance blood pressure and ease gout, you really cannot lose. Compounds found within cherries also relieve pain as well as aspirin. Possessing potent anti-inflammatory properties, these delicious gems are an excellent way to ward off disease. Rich in vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants, cherries are a powerhouse of nutrition and should be enjoyed often.

Relish the bounty of the season along with improved health

With the cherry season upon us, now is a great time for basking in all the pleasurable, health promoting benefits of the fruit. Here are a few examples of how cherries can enhance your well-being:

Cancer protection

Overflowing with beta carotene, vitamin C, boron and a class of powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, cherries offer a formidable defense against cancer. As reported by Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D., in Eating Well, “… preliminary studies suggest the anthocyanin cyanidin may prevent genetic mutations that can lead to cancer and keep cancer cells from growing out of control. While tart cherries contain some anthocyanins, sweet cherries pack nearly three times as many (two-thirds are found in the skins). The riper the better: As cherries darken, they produce more antioxidants.”

Better sleep

Cherries provide one of the few naturally occurring sources of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep/wake cycles. According to a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition,

These data suggest that consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.

Pain relief

Research at Michigan State University discovered anthocyanins in cherries relieve pain as effectively as aspirin. Lead researcher Muralee G. Nair, Ph.D., observes, “It is as good as ibuprofen and some of the nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs.” The lab results indicate consumption of 20 tart cherries can significantly reduce inflammation and discomfort.

Regulate blood pressure

Loaded with potassium, cherries are an exceptional food for easing high blood pressure. A balancing mineral, potassium helps to maintain fluid equilibrium within the body by offsetting the bloating effect of sodium. Cherries are also a good source of quercetin, an antioxidant that maintains blood vessel integrity.

Tame gout

A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that women, aged 22 to 40, who consumed approximately 45 sweet cherries after fasting had improved urinary uric acid levels and lowered C-reactive protein. Further research demonstrated anti-inflammatory characteristics of the fruit. When rats were fed 2 ounces of cherries, joint swelling was significantly reduced. Both findings indicate cherries are an exceptional food for painful gout flare-ups.

FDA Warning: Acetaminophen Linked to Fatal Skin Reactions

FDA Warning: Acetaminophen Linked to Fatal Skin Reactions

Millions of people use acetaminophen, better known by the brand name Tylenol, for treating everything from fevers and muscle aches to headaches. It’s widely available over the counter (OTC), as well as used in many prescription medications to treat pain, allergies, sleeping problems, coughs, colds and more.
Because it’s so common and easily accessible, most people believe it’s perfectly safe, but a new warning from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) serves as an important reminder that even popular OTC medicines can be dangerous, and even deadly.

FDA Warning: Acetaminophen Linked to Fatal Skin Reactions

After reviewing data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), the FDA found 107 cases of serious skin reactions linked to acetaminophen products from 1969 to 2012.
Sixty-seven of them required hospitalization while 12 lead to death. The data, coupled with several cases documented in medical literature, has led the FDA to require a warning about potential skin reactions be added to prescription acetaminophen products.
Further, the agency says they will “work with” manufacturers to get such warnings added to OTC products. The skin reactions linked to acetaminophen include:

• Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS): This reaction begins with flu-like symptoms that progress into a painful purple or red rash that blisters and causes the top layer of your skin to slough off. This can lead to serious infections, blindness, damage to internal organs, permanent skin damage and even death.
• Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TENS): TENS also typically begins with flu-like symptoms (cough, headache, aches, fever) and progresses into a blistering rash. Layers of the skin may peel away in sheets, and hair and nails may fall out. TENS is often fatal, typically as a result of infection.
• Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis (AGEP): This skin eruption causes numerous pustules to appear on the skin, often accompanied by fever. This condition typically resolves within two weeks once the acetaminophen is stopped.

Time magazine reported:

“It’s not clear why the skin conditions have not emerged as a health concern sooner, given how many people take the pain-killing medication. Health officials say it’s too soon to determine whether dose is an issue, or whether the combination of acetaminophen with other ingredients or medications causes the adverse events.
Often, such side effects only become apparent once a drug reaches market and is used by millions of patients, since manufacturers cannot anticipate every potential interaction between their product and others.”

Skin Reactions Can Occur Any Time You Take Acetaminophen and Certain Other Medications

While the main cause of SJS, TENS and AGEP is the consumption of certain medications, no one knows exactly why it occurs, or what makes certain people more at risk. What is particularly alarming is that it can occur at any time, even if you’ve taken the medication in the past without issue. The FDA reported:

“A serious skin reaction can occur at any time, even if you’ve taken acetaminophen previously without a problem. There is currently no way of predicting who might be at higher risk. If you’ve ever had a skin reaction when taking acetaminophen, don’t take the drug again…“

Furthermore, acetaminophen is not the only medication linked to these serious skin reactions. Other drugs commonly associated with SJS include:

• Anti-gout medications, such as allopurinol
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), often used to treat pain
• Penicillins, which are used to treat infections
• Anticonvulsants, which are used to treat seizures

The Second FDA Warning for Acetaminophen in Two Years

It was just two years ago when the FDA asked all markers of prescription acetaminophen products to limit the amount to 325 milligrams per capsule to reduce the risk of liver injury. They also required a Boxed Warning, the FDA’s strongest warning, to call attention to the serious risks of liver injury from this drug.
Just as many are unaware of the potential for skin reactions, many are unaware that acetaminophen is toxic to your liver, and is actually the number one cause of liver failure in the US. It’s surprisingly easy to take too much acetaminophen because it’s widely used in cold and flu and other over-the-counter medications, as well as in prescription painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet. Further, it doesn’t have to be one large overdose to cause an issue; one study found that you’re more likely to die from a “staggered overdose” (taking just a little bit too much for several days or weeks) of Tylenol than from a single large overdose.

Acetaminophen Too Risky for Minor Aches and Pains?

There are other serious health risks associated with acetaminophen use, and they’re significant enough, even without the risk of serious skin reactions or liver damage, that I do not recommend taking this drug for minor aches and pains. Some of these include:

• Blood cancer
• Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reduced lung function
• Brain damage
• Increased blood pressure
• Hearing loss

While I do not believe acetaminophen-containing drugs are appropriate for minor aches and pains, given their significant risks, they are sometimes necessary to suppress severe pain, such as while you are recovering from an injury or surgery, or while you are seeking to address the underlying cause of your pain. For those instances, make sure you are also taking N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), which is the rate-limiting nutrient for the formation of the intracellular antioxidant glutathione.
It’s thought that Tylenol causes its damage by depleting glutathione, an antioxidant that protects cells from toxins such as free radicals. If you keep your glutathione levels up, the damage from the acetaminophen may be largely preventable. This is why anyone who overdoses on Tylenol receives large doses of NAC in the emergency room. So whether you are taking Tylenol in prescription or over-the-counter form, I strongly suggest taking NAC along with it.

Top Natural Tylenol Alternatives

Tylenol and related products are familiar household items for many, but they are not the only option when you need relief from pain. For instance, the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) works very effectively for relieving headache pain. The Advanced Muscle Integration Technique (AMIT) helps treat muscle injuries and pain, while these simple exercises can work wonders for treating back pain.
No matter what your reason for taking Tylenol, type it into the search box above and you’ll likely find a natural alternative. And if chronic pain is your problem, the following options provide excellent pain relief without any of the health hazards that acetaminophen and other pain relievers carry:

• Astaxanthin: One of the most effective oil-soluble antioxidants known. It has very potent anti-inflammatory properties and in many cases works far more effectively than many NSAIDs. Higher doses are typically required and one may need 8 mg or more per day to achieve this benefit.
• K Laser: Laser therapy treatment helps reduce pain and inflammation and enhances tissue healing—both in hard and soft tissues, including muscles, ligaments, and even bones. It increases oxygenation of tissues and allows injured or damaged cells to absorb photons of light, which speeds healing.
• Ginger: This herb is a potent anti-inflammatory and offers pain relief and stomach-settling properties. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice.
• Curcumin: Curcumin is the primary therapeutic compound identified in the spice turmeric. In a study of osteoarthritis patients, those who added 200 mg of curcumin a day to their treatment plan had reduced pain and increased mobility. In fact, curcumin has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory activity, as well as demonstrating the ability in four studies to reduce Tylenol-associated adverse health effects.
  
• Boswellia: Also known as boswellin or “Indian frankincense,” this herb contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which have been prized for thousands of years. This is one of my personal favorites as I have seen it work well with many rheumatoid arthritis patients.
• Cetyl Myristoleate (CMO): This oil, found in fish and dairy butter, acts as a “joint lubricant” and an anti-inflammatory. I have used this for myself to relieve ganglion cysts and a mild annoying carpal tunnel syndrome that pops up when I type too much on non-ergonomic keyboards. I used a topical preparation for this.
• Evening Primrose, Black Currant and Borage Oils: These contain the fatty acid gamma linolenic acid (GLA), which is useful for treating arthritic pain.
• Cayenne Cream: Also called capsaicin cream, this spice comes from dried hot peppers. It alleviates pain by depleting the body’s supply of substance P, a chemical component of nerve cells that transmits pain signals to your brain.
• Therapeutic modalities such as yoga, acupuncture, meditation, hot and cold packs, and even holding hands can also result in astonishing pain relief without any drugs.