THE GREATEST MEDICINE OF ALL… IS TEACHING PEOPLE HOW NOT TO
NEED IT
IF YOU DON’T MAKE TIME FOR YOUR WELLNESS - YOU WILL BE FORCED TO MAKE TIME FOR YOUR ILLNESS!
Old Home Remedy "turns off" Inflammation in Autoimmune Diseases
By Dr. Micozzi
Dr. Micozzi's Insiders' Health New research on an old home remedy may prove useful in treating common autoimmune diseases—such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis—as it "turns off" inflammatory responses.
This home remedy has been used for generations. And I often think of it when I come to Baltimore and see the illuminated Bromo Seltzer Tower far above the skyline.
I've sung the praises of this simple, natural solution many times, as it's a great solution for heartburn or acid reflux. And it's much safer than of those dangerous proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs).
That's because it works to ease heartburn and acid reflux by triggering the stomach to make more acid, which thereby prompts digestion. Low stomach acid is actually the real cause of indigestion. And that's why PPIs—which suppress stomach acid—cause more damage in the long run.
Of course, I'm talking about simple sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). And as a new study shows, we're only just beginning to learn about its many uses in the human body...
Sodium bicarbonate tames immune response
For the new study, scientists at the Medical College of Georgia conducted experiments in both animal and human trials, using this inexpensive, over-the-counter antacid.
The research focused baking soda's effect on specialized connective tissue cells (called mesothelial cells), which line the internal organs and body cavities.
Mesothelial cells have little, finger-like protrusions called microvilli. Microvilli survey and monitor the internal environment and warn your organs of potential molecular and cellular invaders, and signal when your immune system should mount a protective inflammatory response.
In fact, in patients with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis, mesothelial cells may sense threats when there aren't any. As a result, they can signal the body to attack the non-existent invader through inflammation, which can make your current condition worse or increase your risk of developing additional diseases.
Fortunately, for patients with autoimmune diseases, researchers have learned that baking soda thwarts the unnecessary inflammation triggered by these cells.
In this study, researchers gave rat and human subjects a sodium bicarbonate-water solution for two weeks.
Turns out, in both subjects, the mesothelial cells in the spleen, kidneys, and blood stopped promoting inflammation—and instead started reducing it! In fact, one dose of baking soda solution produced anti-inflammatory effects that lasted for at least four hours in humans and up to three days in lab animals.
Talk about an important breakthrough!
When I worked in Washington, D.C. in the 80s and 90s, some scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had the arrogance to conclude they already knew everything there was to know about the basic anatomy of the human body.
But clearly, we still have a lot to learn. And simple baking soda is leading to some profound discoveries about basic anatomy and physiology.
So, if you suffer from chronic inflammation or an autoimmune disease, you may want to talk to your doctor about adding a simple sodium bicarbonate solution to your daily regimen. I personally find it can be quite helpful to quickly soothe what ails you.
Ingredients:
1/2 to1 teaspoon of baking soda
8 oz glass of water (You can use still filtered water because the baking soda will turn it into a seltzer.
Instructions:
Mix baking soda into water, stirring until it's fully dissolved Then drink! Repeat this up to 6 times a day, with doses spaced at least 2 hours apart. Add a twist of lemon to enhance the taste.
(One word of caution: Baking soda contains sodium, so if
you're limiting your sodium content for health reasons, please consult with a
healthcare professional before beginning this regimen.)
Of course, inflammation lies at the root of so many common chronic diseases, not just autoimmune diseases. So, this remedy could ultimately prove useful for a whole host of ailments—including heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
Are You Eating Too Much Sugar? If You Have 1 or More of These Symptoms, Then Yes!
But how can you tell if your sugar intake is higher than it should be? Because everyone's body is different, we'll each have different reactions to sugar intake - and each of us has a different personal "maximum." Clinical nutritionist and detox specialist Autumn Bates, CCN shared a few telltale signs you can keep an eye on to decide if it's time to cut back.
Mood Swings
If you haven't been feeling like the nicest or happiest
version of yourself, your diet could be to blame. "A high-sugar diet can
cause you to have severe mood swings," said Bates. This is "due to
the rise and fall in blood glucose levels - think 'hangry'." We've been
there! "This happens because sugar is absorbed much more quickly into your
body than fat or protein, so this results in a surge of energy and a very
sudden drop. That drop can cause you to feel moody, angry, anxious, annoyed,
and really hungry." Limiting your intake of sweets could potentially
balance out your mood and lead to more positive feelings overall.
Acne
Is sugar giving your skin a little #TBT to your middle
school years? You thought you outgrew acne, but your diet had other plans for
you? "[Ingesting] high levels of sugar has been linked to hormone
imbalances," said Bates. "These imbalances can appear in a variety of
ways, but one of the most common forms is acne." Plan of action: keep your
skin routine the same, but just start reducing your sugar intake. Take some
before and after photos to see if the diet overhaul is making a difference, and
go from there.
Headaches
Ouch. Are you catching yourself reaching for NSAIDs and
calling out of work with a migraine more than once a month? "Having a
sudden spike, then drop in blood glucose levels (which happens with a high
sugar diet) can trigger hypoglycemia," said Bates. "Common symptoms
of hypoglycemia can include headaches or migraines. If you experience headaches
often, you may be eating excessive amounts of sugar."
Inability to Lose Weight
If you're exercising constantly and eating pretty healthy
but still not losing weight, it's time to reassess your diet's sugar levels.
"Having a constant stream of sugar given to your body makes it impossible
for your body to utilize it's own fat stores," she said. Want to burn fat?
Time to ditch the sweets. "It's much easier for your body to use sugar as
a source of energy when it's available, so a high sugar diet will make it
extremely difficult to tap into energy stored as fat."
Hormone Imbalances
For women especially, a sugary diet could be linked with
different hormonal issues - according to Bates, this is specifically true for
women with PCOS, or polycysitc ovarian syndrome. "PCOS has become an
epidemic with women in their 20s and 30s," she said. "The two main
factors that have been traced back to PCOS are stress and excessive sugar
intake." Fun fact: stress can also cause all of the aforementioned
symptoms that sugar can . . . so eating sugar is almost like eating stress.
"PCOS has been linked to insulin resistance, which can be caused by excessive sugar in the diet," said Bates. Keep in mind that even if your PCOS is not caused by sugar, you can potentially control the symptoms by reducing your intake. "One of the ways that I've seen PCOS controlled and sometimes reversed with my clients is by cutting out any additional sugar, reducing fruit intake, and limiting grain intake, especially refined grains - which ultimately get broken down into simple sugars in your body," said Bates.
C-Diff and Antibiotics
Right now, the main treatment for the persistent bacterial infection known as C. diff oddly consists of taking the kind of drug that often causes the condition in the first place: an antibiotic.
It's sort of like fighting fire with fire.
Often, however, that method gets out of control, and another inferno starts.
But what if there were a way to prevent this horrific condition, one dubbed "deadly diarrhea" by the CDC? A cure for the current epidemic -- something that could, in essence, stop it in its tracks before it ever takes hold -- would surely be a dream come true for patients.
Well, it looks like such a thing does exist!
A new study from an international group of researchers has confirmed that something now readily available can not only prevent this life-threatening, contagious condition... but also put the brakes on the many other GI side effects of antibiotics.
Best of all, it's not a drug, and you won't need to see your doctor to get your hands on it.
Actually, you can pick up this "ounce of prevention" almost anywhere!
As I'm sure you know, antibiotics don't just kill the "bad" bugs. They can disrupt your entire digestive tract by also "doing in" the beneficial bacteria that help to keep you healthy.
That's when C. diff can take over, as around half-a-million people in the U.S. unfortunately find out every year.
And while it's much more dangerous for seniors (80 percent of those who die from this infection are 65 and older), it's also striking kids -- even infants -- with a vengeance.
This infection -- one that can be almost impossible to fully eradicate -- hits with acute abdominal pain and watery, bloody diarrhea that can happen up to 30 times a day.
Obviously, doing anything possible to keep this bug from "biting" is vital
And in a just-published study in JAMA, researchers from Canada, Australia, and the U.S. reveal that you can lower your risk of developing C. diff by simply taking probiotics along with antibiotics.
Plus that, those probiotics can beat back typical antibiotic side effects such as short-term diarrhea and cramping!
And this was no small study, either. The researchers analyzed 39 clinical trials conducted from 1988 to 2012 -- totaling close to 10,000 patients -- to reach that conclusion.
So, if the solution is so simple (in fact, about as simple a solution as you can get), why has C. diff become so common?
A big part of the problem has to do with the fact that doctors often neglect to tell patients on antibiotics how very important it is to also take a probiotic.
And not just after completing a course of these drugs, either -- by then, it could be too late.
Why this isn't a standard part of their routine when prescribing antibiotics is a mystery to me!
HSI panel member Dr. Allan Spreen has long recommended that anyone not already taking a good probiotic should "absolutely" start one at the beginning of every antibiotic course, noting that C. diff is "preventable with probiotic use."
Dr. Spreen says to continue with probiotics for a minimum of a full week after stopping the drug. However, he added, there's no reason not to continue using "varying strains" of this beneficial bacteria "continuously."
As eAlert readers know, taking care of your good gut bacteria is one of the most important steps you can take toward staying healthy from head to toe. When you're shopping for one, be sure to look for a high-quality probiotic with around 20 billion "colony-forming units," or CFUs.
And as a rule of thumb, you should wait two hours after a dose of antibiotics before taking your probiotic to keep as much of that beneficial bacteria alive and thriving as possible.
But C. diff has reached epidemic proportions for other good reasons, too -- not just antibiotic use without probiotics.
Another is the acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors. It's no secret that PPIs such as Nexium, Prilosec, and Prevacid are linked to an increased risk of developing a C. diff infection.
A recent study by the Mayo Clinic concludes that folks taking PPI meds are a whopping 50 percent more likely to be hit with this life-threatening ailment.
Certainly, if you're not taking one of these PPI drugs now, don't start up on one! And if you are, slowly wean yourself off of it, and use other methods of acid control -- such as limiting acidic foods and beverages (like coffee!), not eating too late at night, and using a "wedge" to keep your head elevated when sleeping. Probiotics also can help reduce excess acid.
And, as I shared with you last winter, a hidden food additive called "trehalose" actually "feeds" C. diff bacteria, making it more potent and deadly!
Unfortunately, trehalose is going to be hard to avoid, as it can hide in foods, particularly those that list "natural flavors" among their ingredients. That's why eating as few processed foods as possible is especially important.
4 Sugar Alternatives That Won't Poison You
This article is copyrighted by GreenMedInfo LLC, 2022
You may think that staying slim and eating healthfully means
NO sweets, but guess what? There are natural and delicious sweeteners that
won't wreck your diet, and even have therapeutic 'side benefits'
No arena of health and wellness is more debatable than what we should be eating. Looking back through time, the foods that constitute a healthy diet have changed so dramatically, you can literally mark the passage of time by the coming and going of dietary fads.
- Weight-loss clubs and diet pill popping in the 1970s
- Cabbage soup and liquid diets in the '80s
- The Zone and blood-type diets (along with lawsuits related to diet pills!) in the '90s
- In the aughts, Atkins and gluten-free
- In the 2010's, it's Paleo, raw, and local
Despite this obsessive focus on what to eat, Americans are fatter and in many ways, unhealthier than ever before. In 2016, two-thirds of the adult population were considered overweight or obese, according to a U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services study. This health epidemic spans ethnic and cultural boundaries and is affecting more adults and children every year.
One factor that is contributing to America's growing problem with weight is our obsession with sugar. You probably don't need to see the results of a clinical study to believe that the more sugary calories you consume, the greater your risks of obesity. What you may not know, is that what passes for sugar these days is actually a hyper-sweetened extract of one of the cheapest, most heavily-sprayed, GMO-pervasive crops on the planet.
Why Sugar Isn't Sugar Anymore
Despite a marked decrease in consumption of refined cane and beet sugars over the last generation, we are taking in more dietary sugar overall, thanks to the prevalence of corn-based sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup, in nearly everything on grocery store shelves.
Switching to corn-based sweeteners is a case of jumping from the funnel cake grease into the fire! Corn syrup has become the go-to sweetening agent for processed foods due to its low cost and high concentration (at least 1.5 times that of cane sugar). Thanks to government subsidies, corn is alluringly cheap for food and beverage companies that need a steady supply of sweetness.
Corn is also a top GMO crop with at least 92% of the nation's corn supply being genetically modified to withstand large doses of herbicides. Setting aside the shocking effects of GMO consumption, this intense concentration of simple sugar is wreaking havoc on the collective metabolism. Studies abound correlating intake of high-fructose sweeteners to increased risks of obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, fatty liver disease, diabetes, and more.
What About Zero-Calorie Sweeteners?
Aspartame, Equal, sucralose, Splenda, saccharin: they go by many names but do any of them sound truly sweet? Not when you read the over 100 scientific abstracts Greenmedinfo has collected on the perils of artificial sweeteners. Chemical fascimiles of sugar, these unnatural compounds can be far worse than the real thing.
Linked to increased risks of kidney disease, metabolic dysfunction, diabetes, and obesity, these calorie-free sugar substitutes trick consumers into thinking that previously unhealthy foods can get "a sugar-free pass." But fake sugars are far from harmless. Studies show consuming synthetic sweeteners generates excessive cravings for the sweet taste, leading to weight gain and other negative effects linked to excessive sugar consumption.
While it might be tempting to think that these sugar imposters can help you bypass the weight and still eat the treats, if you value your health, steer clear of these dietary destroyers!
Nature Has the Solutions
Wondering what options this leaves you when only something sweet will do? Fortunately, nature has got you covered. Here are four solutions for satisfying your sweet tooth that won't rot your teeth, create blood sugar imbalance, or cause weight gain. In fact, these natural wonders pack some amazing health benefits!
Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol derived from xylose - a crystalline sugar found in birch bark. Sweet like sugar but with only 40% of the calories, xylitol is fast becoming the preferred sweetener of health-conscious consumers.
Low-carb dieters will find xylitol appealing, with less than a quarter of the carbohydrates found in cane sugar. It also stands apart from synthetic sweeteners thanks to its natural origins. Besides birch trees, xylitol is found in the cellular structure of fruits like raspberries, and in vegetables like the corn-cob. Even our bodies produce xylitol (between 5-15 grams per day) during normal metabolic processes.
With a glycemic rating of 13, xylitol is metabolized around eight times slower than regular sugar, making it a safer choice for diabetics. Unlike sugar, which provokes the release of insulin in response to its consumption, xylitol is metabolized independently of insulin in the gut. It metabolizes slower and steadier than sugar, making it a much safer sweetener for hypoglycemics and the sugar-sensitive.
And there's good news for sufferers of cavities or Candida: Xylitol actually discourages the bacterial growth that feeds these conditions. The bacteria that cause candida, dental caries, and even Streptococcus mutans, thrive in acid-based environments, with sugar as their food of choice. Xylitol is non-fermentable, creating an alkaline reaction in the body that bacteria find inhospitable. Xylitol consumption has been shown to dramatically decrease cavities and ear and throat infections, among other infectious organisms.
The dental health community are one of the biggest supporters of Xylitol. Studies have shown that plaque build-up and dental caries can be reduced by 80% with the introduction of moderate amounts of xylitol (up to half an ounce per day). Research also indicates that consuming xylitol may increase bone strength and bone density. Using a toothpaste with Xylitol is a great way to get the cavity preventing benefits.
*Important Notes: Xylitol can have a laxative effect, so start slowly. It is best to obtain Xylitol from a manufacturer who uses birch rather than corn. Finally, Xylitol is extremely toxic to dogs, so please keep it away from Fido! Xylitol is sometimes made from corn, which includes GMO corn. Look for the higher quality, non-GMO certified, and best of all: the birch tree derived form.
Stevia
300 times sweeter than sugar and without caloric content, the Stevia plant has been used by native people to sweeten food and drink for centuries. Stevia's popularity as a modern sugar substitute grew in the 1990's, and new research confirms what tribal cultures knew: this plant provides a safe, affordable and tasty alternative to expensive and potentially dangerous sweeteners.
The study, published in August 2017, calls Stevia "a suitable calorie-free sweetener," with both "pharmacological and therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and anticancer." Researchers further heralded Stevia's positive effects on those metabolic conditions aggravated by excess sugar consumption, namely obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
Stevia reduces blood sugar, reduces blood pressure, combats infections, and reduces risks of diabetes. One study even found that consuming stevia was as effective as a popular oral antidiabetic drug, but with fewer side effects.
If you haven't tried Stevia in a while, you will be pleasantly surprised by new formulations. What began as a strong-tasting plant extract only available in health food stores, is now widely available in crystallized-sugar form, as a finely distilled concentrate, and in formulations that approximate the less-sweet taste of cane sugar, but without the negative effects!
Raw Honey
Identified as containing more than 181 health-promoting substances, honey converts the vital, healing energy of plants into a medium that is perfect for human consumption. Rich in phytonutrients (nutrients absorbed from plants), raw honey is renowned worldwide for having powerful anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.
Raw, unfiltered honey is very different from the pasteurized product you find on most grocery store shelves. Nearly all commercially-produced honey is heated to kill potentially harmful bacteria, reduce crystallization, and improve product flow. Unfortunately, this process also kills the vital, living enzymes and good bacteria which make raw honey one of the world's oldest-known superfoods.
The bacteria in raw honey serves as a prebiotic: a substance containing helpful microorganisms that aid in the process of digestion. When consumed raw, honey's natural enzymes aid in the breakdown and assimilation of the many nutrients it contains.
Raw honey is also rich in powerful antioxidants called phenolic compounds, known to play an important role in cancer prevention. These compounds found in honey have also shown promise in reducing arterial blockages and lowering overall risks associated with cardiovascular disease.
Perhaps most profound of all is that raw honey contains probiotic strains that are so ancient that one form of Lactobacillus present with certain varieties is believed to be of a lineage 80 million years old.
Molasses
Blackstrap molasses, known to sugar-refiners as "final
molasses," refers to the thick, brown syrup that is the end result of
boiling sugar cane during the production of table sugar. What sets molasses
apart from cane sugar, besides the obvious appearance, is its high nutritional
value. Unlike its nutritionally bankrupt cousin, a 3.5 oz serving of blackstrap
molasses contains more than a quarter of your daily supply of vital minerals
such as iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, and B vitamins. Molasses delivers
this nutritional punch with much less sugar, thanks to being at the end of the
line of the crystalline-sugar extraction process.
Molasses has long been a popular folk remedy, treating everything from menstrual cramps to constipation. An old wives' tale credits an elixir of molasses and milk with having the power to maintain endless youth and beauty. There may be some truth to this, thanks to molasses' high antioxidant content. Polyphenols, the plant compounds that imbue antioxidant properties, are abundant in molasses, and have been recognized for having anti-cancer properties in clinical studies.
A 2011 study showed that adding molasses to a high-fat diet
had the effect of reducing body weight and body fat percentages, thanks to decreased
calorie absorption. Researchers concluded that "supplementing food with
molasses extract might be a way to address the escalating rates of overweight
and obesity."
Rich in copper, iron, and calcium, molasses can play a vital role in maintaining healthy blood and bones. This makes molasses a great alternative to non-nutritive sweeteners for pregnant or nursing women, or women who are trying to become pregnant. It also makes a great dietary supplement for women at risk of developing osteoporosis.
These four, healthful alternatives to sugar prove that craving a taste of sweetness doesn't have to cause cavities, promote weight gain, or lead to blood sugar imbalances. On the contrary, when we look to nature, we find natural foods which actually sweeten our health, as well as our palates.
Until next time, stay healthy and happy
JD Roma
The information on this blog is provided for educational
purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and
medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you
have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a
Naturopath).
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