Extremely processed foods dominate U. S. grocery purchases

Over the past few years I have tried to wean my family off of processed foods. 

As a rule, anything I a box or in packaging = processed foods. 

For most of us that is like 98% of what we eat on a daily basis. 

This modern diet crisis means that our bodies are not getting even the basic nutrition needed to function properly. 

One simple thing you can do is to make sure you are giving your body the 90 Essential Minerals, Vitamins and Nutritions by taking a Youngevity Start Pak.   This is the first step.  The second step is to slowly eliminate bad societal eating habits.

“Many Americans have actually strongly held opinions and beliefs about processed foods,” said Jennifer M. Poti, Ph.D., research study assistant teacher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and leader of the research team conducting this study. 

“Some consider processed foods to be yummy, convenient and affordable options while others contend that the mix of sugar, fat, salt and flavoring in these foods promotes overeating and contributes to weight problems. But previously, we didn’t actually have the evidence had to settle this argument: No previous studies have actually analyzed whether highly processed foods collectively have an even worse nutritional profile than minimally processed foods, utilizing nutrition info and ingredient lists certain for barcoded food and drink products.”.


From 2000 to 2012, the researchers asked 157,142 homes to utilize UPC barcode scanners to record all foods and beverages they bought from grocery stores for at least 1 year. Although products without barcodes were not consisted of, Poti explains that packaged fruit and vegetables such bagged lettuce or pints of berries can be scanned. Homes took part in the research for an average of four years and jointly bought 1.2 million items. The research group then linked each item to its nutrition details, item description and active ingredient list, allowing them to rank each item’s degree of food processing.

The researchers categorized items as extremely processed if they contained multi-ingredient, industrially created mixtures. They labeled foods such as soda, cookies, chips, white bread, sweet and prepared dishes as extremely processed foods and classified fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, milk, eggs, dried beans and fresh meat as unprocessed or minimally processed. The investigators also analyzed convenience, comparing foods that prepare to consume, ready to heat or need cooking and/or prep work. Sweet and chips are examples of ready-to-eat foods, and frozen dishes are a ready-to-heat food.

“Overall, we discovered that not only are extremely processed foods a dominant, stable part of U.S. acquiring patterns, but likewise that the highly-processed foods that homes are purchasing are greater in fat, sugar, and salt, typically, compared with the less-processed foods that they purchase,” said Poti, who will certainly provide these findings at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015. “The unshifting supremacy of ultra-processed and ready-to-eat foods as major calorie contributors to U.S. diet plan and their bad nutrient profile support the have to incentivize food manufacturers to enhance the dietary quality of their products.”.

The analysis disclosed that from 2000 to 2012, the proportion of calories in extremely processed food and drink purchases by U.S. families remained steady at 61.0 to 62.5 percent. The scientists noted a substantial boost in the proportion of calories bought in ready-to-heat foods, which reached 15.2 percent in 2012. More than 80 percent of calories were purchased in ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat type in 2012, and these tended to be higher in fat, sugar and salt than food purchases that needed preparation.

The researchers continue to track purchases to see how nutrition and level of processing might change gradually. They are likewise utilizing the data to examine whether acquiring routines vary based upon race or socio-economic status.

Poti said that she likewise hopes this research can lead to a more mindful use of the term processed food. “It is very important that when we discuss processed foods, we acknowledge that lots of processed foods, such as canned vegetables or whole-grain breakfast cereals, are necessary factors to nutrition and food security,” she said. “However, it is the highly processed foods– those with a comprehensive degree of processing– that may potentially be connected to obesity.”.

The above story is based on materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Note: Materials may be modified for material and length.

Can Gluten Affect Your Brain?

Dr, Wallach on Glutens…

Article on how Gluten Affects the Brain

Can gluten sensitivity or Celiac illness, a genetically increased kind of gluten sensitivity, influence the brain, thyroid gland, and other organs besides the gastrointestinal tract?
The primary signs connected with Celiac disease are diarrhea, tummy and intestinal discomfort, gas and bloating, and tiredness. But doctors have actually recognized more than 300 other signs and symptoms that enhance on a gluten-free diet plan. This makes medical diagnosis tough in patients with persistent conditions who provide with a bewildering variety of signs influencing various organ systems.
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness states that as high as 83 percent of individuals with conditions associated Celiac disease go under diagnosed or misdiagnosed.Celiac condition is an autoimmune disorder of the digestive tract set off by gluten proteins in wheat and other grains consisting of spelt, kamut, triticale, barley, and rye. Gluten level of sensitivity and Celiac illness, along with weight problems, asthma, reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, autism, and some kinds of cancer is considered one of the “modern-day plagues.”.
Your-Brain-On-Gluten-healthylivinghowto.com_

Cutting edge research discovers that these conditions have a typical association. Some thing goes inherently wrong with our body immune system when exposed to gluten. It activates autoimmune procedures.

According to individual variations in our genetic coding, various organ systems are influenced in different ways in various individuals. That’s why eliminating gluten from the diet can result in substantial enhancement in such a wide range of health conditions.

Among the most puzzling of all conditions related to Celiac illness are ones that affect the nerves.

The Gluten-Brain Connection.

Current research study confirms that neurological and psychiatric symptoms can be connected with Celiac condition. The clinical field is littered with released cases explaining seizures, hallucinations, psychotic episodes, peripheral neuropathy, and migraine headache that enhanced and in many cases, disappeared when clients ate a gluten-free diet.

A short article in the European Neurological Journal found that about 10 percent of individuals with Celiac condition experience some type of neurological signs. A smaller sized percentage of clients deal with debilitating neurological problems, and some even fall under madness.

In a healthy population, about 3 percent of people have anti-gliadin antibodies, the immune marker related to gluten sensitivity that triggers Celiac illness. Nevertheless amongst those with neurological conditions, the portion is greater. In a 2011 research study at John Hopkins University, researchers discovered that 25 percent of schizophrenic patients had the anti-gliadin antibody.

Exactly what’s going on? It appears that what scientists describe as the “gut-brain” axis â the immunological link in between the digestive system and the main nervous system â is mediated by our microbiome.
We’re beginning to comprehend that the huge communities of germs and other microbes that inhabit the human gut play an essential role in health. Our microbiome easily becomes unbalanced by overly aseptic modern-day living and overuse of antibiotics. This imbalance may be the root cause of significant diseases, numerous of them connected with gluten.

Wheat includes gluten. But it’s gliadin, a course of proteins that make up gluten, which is the trigger that activates the immunological mechanisms associated with Celiac illness. The immune system reacts, and symptoms flare including digestion system intolerance to wheat. Though some people have only the intestinal symptoms, others experience crippling neurological disease.

The immune system is thoroughly gotten in touch with the nerves. A causal sequence triggered by gluten takes place along the circuitry of the nerves all the method to the brain.

The Mind-Bending Power of Microbes.

Medical researchers have discovered a brand-new field of autoimmune disorders of the brain, cross-linked to the brand-new field of microbiome genetics.

Precisely how microbes in the gut interact with the brain continues to be a secret. However, our understanding of the value of microorganisms is moving. Mounting research and convincing scientific evidence support the notion that our digestive tract microorganisms exert a powerful influence on our immune and nerves. Not just do they shape our immune system, however they can influence how we believe and feel.

Behavior, discovering, memory, mood and emotion, hunger, and sleep are only some of the methods the intestine influences the brain and central nerves.

None of this comes as a surprise to modern scientists since more than 10,000 different types of germs, viruses, and fungi occupy our bodies forming a balanced ecosystem called the microbiome. For the a lot of part, they are not just beneficial however likewise necessary to our health and survival. What we’re finding out is how imbalances in the makeup of our personal microbiome cause illness, and Celiac illness is the testing room for a brand-new understanding of our relationship with the micro biome.

Dietary Sins of the Mother.

Scientists know that microbial colonization begins at birth. What colonizes you very first is from your mother’s vaginal canal and the areola, the ring around her nipples. Your first food is mom’s milk, the perfect medium for probiotic bacteria to flourish on, but your mother’s milk also consists of personalized bacteria unique to each mom. That’s not all. New research shows that even the womb, when believed to be germ-free, is occupied with microbes. You are your mom’s bugs.

A worldwide group of researcher found that any thing that happens to the mother throughout pregnancy could have a negative impact on her microbiome, which could effect fetal brain development. I would include that any thing that happens to the mom, like antibiotic use and consuming refined carbs, especially wheat, impacts her pregnancy.

Christopher Lowry, associate professor in neuroscience at the University of Colorado in Boulder, looks into the communication between a mother’s digestive tract and how an infant’s brain develops. He found that levels of Lactobacillus, the most common of human lactic acid-producing probiotics influences brain chemistry.

Could it be that our mothers and grandmothers, the generation of Americans who ate improved foods consisting of great deals of wheat products passed along gliadin intolerance to an entire generation?

Sarkis Mazmanian, teacher of microbiology at Caltech, research studies immunological imbalances; methods our body immune system struggles to keep us devoid of illness. His research study team has shown that particular digestive tract germs direct development of the immune system. Dr. Mazmanian recommends that our health is not completely based on genes, but consists of important communications with microorganisms and their biological by-products â the essential user interface in between the microbiome and the human genome.

Gluten-Free Forever.

One in 3 Americans dabbles in a gluten-free diet plan. If you go to an organic food cafe or grocery store, you’ll find lots of gluten-free alternatives. Even nutritional supplements are now identified as gluten-free. It seems that almost each is staying clear of gluten.

Researchers approximate that about 1 percent of people have celiac disease, however at least 18 million Americans have some kind of gluten sensitivity. Signs of Celiac illness are now understood to manifest beyond the gut, consisting of in the brain.

With so much anti-gluten information easily offered on the Internet, it’s simple to blame gluten since lots of Celiac condition clients with neurological signs improve on a gluten-free diet plan. But, not all of them do. Exactly what’s going on?

Smart medical professionals understand that contrary to popular opinion, it’s not entirely the fault of gluten. A minimum of part of the issue stems from the enhancing percentage of gluten discovered in contemporary wheat strains compared to ancestral wheat ones. Likewise, not all wheat genomes, even in modern stress, are the very same. The kind of wheat utilized in bread and pastry contains more of the D genome, the type associated with Celiac disease, than the A or B genomes. The amount of gluten we eat likewise makes a distinction. Individuals eat more bread and pastries consisting of the D genome than a century back.
Is gluten-free permanently the response for everyone? Or is pertaining to terms with the germs within a better instructions?

I don’t know the ultimate option, but I’ve discovered ways to assist my patients conquer the complex chronic diseases related to gluten level of sensitivity. As a clinician I approach gluten-related disorders in three methods.

First, if you presume that you have actually gluten sensitivity, go gluten-free. If you feel better, avoid gluten for at least six months.
Second, get checked for DQ genes. Everybody has two copies of a DQ gene: one from their mom and one from their papa. Though there many subtypes of DQ genes, only two are connected with Celiac disease: HLA-DQ2 and HLA-DQ8. For those with these DQ gene markers, you’ll have to eat a gluten-free diet permanently.

Third, support your microbiome by recolonizing your digestive tract with an abundance of health-supporting germs. Probiotic supplements help, however are inadequate. Fermented foods likewise help. Eating less meat assists. Preventing sugar frequently minimizes signs. Consuming more high fiber fresh veggies is vital. That’s why I warn my clients from overdoing green juices due to the fact that the probiotic supporting fiber is strained out of the juice.

Vitamins Contain GMOs & Other Hazardous Chemicals?

kidsvitamins

The # 1 Kid’s Vitamin Brand in the United States includes ingredients that most moms and dads would never ever deliberately expose their kids to, so why aren’t more selecting healthier options?

Kids vitamins are expected to be healthy, right? Well then, exactly what’s happening with Flintstones Vitamins, which proudly asserts to be “Pediatricians’ # 1 Choice”? Produced by the international pharmaceutical corporation Bayer, this extremely effective brand features a shocking list of unhealthy ingredients, consisting of:

Aspartame
Cupric Oxide
Coal tar food additive representatives (FD&C Blue # 2, Red # 40, Yellow # 6).
Zinc Oxide.
Sorbitol.
Ferrous Fumarate.
Hydrogenated Oil (Soybean).
GMO Corn starch.

On Bayer Health Science’s Flintstones item page created for health care specialists they lead into the product description with the following tidbit of details:.

82 % of kids aren’t consuming all of their veggies1. Without sufficient vegetables, kids may not be getting all the nutrients they require.

References: 1. Lorson BA, Melgar-Quinonez HR, Taylor CA. Correlates of vegetables and fruit intakes in US youngsters. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009; 109(3):474 -478.

 Implication?

The implication? That Flintstones vitamins somehow fill this dietary void. But let’s look a little closer at a few of these most likely healthy components …

ASPARTAME

Aspartame is a synthetic combination of the amino acids aspartic acid and l-phenylalanine, and is known to convert into highly toxic methanol and formaldehyde in the body. Aspartame has actually been linked to over 40 adverse health impacts in the biomedical literature, and has actually been shown to exhibit both neurotoxicity and carcinogenicity [1] What business does a chemical like this have performing in a kids’s vitamin, especially when non-toxic, non-synthetic non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia already exist?

CUPRIC OXIDE

Next, let’s look closer at Cupric Oxide, 2mg of which is consisted of in each serving of Flinstone’s Complete chewable vitamins as a most likely ‘dietary’ source of ‘copper,’ providing “100 % of the Daily Value (Ages 4+), according to Flintstones Vitamins Web website’s Nutritional Info. [2]
However what is Cupric Oxide? A nutrient or a chemical?

According to the European Union’s Dangerous Substance Directive, among the main EU laws worrying chemical safety, Cupric Oxide is noted as a Hazardous element, categorized as both “Harmful (XN)” and “Dangerous for the environment” (N). Consider that it has industrial applications as a pigment in ceramics, and as a chemical in the production of rayon fabric and dry cell batteries. In may be technically right to call it a mineral, but should it be noted as a nutrient in a children’s vitamin? We think not.

top-pharma-brand-of-childrens-vitamins-contains-aspartame-gmos-other-hazardous-chemicals2.

COAL TAR ARTIFICIAL COLORING AGENTS

A popular adverse effects of utilizing artificial dyes is attention-deficit hyperactivity condition. For direct access to study abstracts on this topic view our Food Coloring research page. There is likewise indication that the neurotoxicity of synthetic food coloring representatives enhance when combined with aspartame, [3] making the combination of components in Flintstones even more concerning.

ZINC OXIDE

Each serving of Flinstones Complete Chewable vitamins contain 12 mg of zinc oxide, which the maker claims provides 75 % of the Daily Value to kids 2 & 3 years of age. Widely made use of as a sun security factor (SPF) in sun blocks, The EU’s Dangerous Substance Directive categorizes it as an environmental Hazard, “Dangerous for the environment (N).” How it can be unsafe to the environment, but not for humans consuming it, leaves me. A single thing is for sure, if one is to ingest additional zinc, or market it for use by children, it makes much more sense using a kind that is naturally bound (i.e. ‘chelated’) to an amino acid like glycine, as it will be more bioavailable and less harmful.

SORBITOL

Sorbitol is a synthetic sugar alternative which is categorized as a sugar alcohol. It can be said that it has no location in the human diet plan, much less in a youngster’s. The ingestion of higher amounts have been connected to gastrointestinal disruptions from abdominal discomfort to more severe conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. [4]

FERROUS FUMARATE

The one clear warning on the Flinstone’s Web website concerns this chemical. While it is impossible to pass away from consuming iron from food, e.g. spinach, ferrous fumarate is an industrial mineral and not found in nature as food. In fact, ferrous fumarate is so poisonous that unintentional overdose of products including this form is “a leading cause of fatal poisoning in kids under 6.” The maker further alerts:.

Keep this item out of reach of youngsters. In case of unintended overdose, call a physician or toxin control center immediately.

HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL

Discovering hydrogenated oil in anything marketed to kids is absolutely unacceptable. These semi-synthetic fatty acids include into our tissues and have been connected to over a dozen negative health impacts, from coronary artery illness to cancer, violent habits to fatty liver disease. [5]

GMO CORN STARCH

While it can be said that the quantity of GMO corn starch in this item is minimal, even unimportant, we disagree. It is necessary to hold accountable brand names that refuse to label their items honestly, particularly when they include ingredients that have been produced through genetic engineering. The ‘vitamin C’ listed as ascorbic acid in Flintstones is most likely likewise produced from GMO corn. Let’s keep in mind that Bayer’s Ag-biotech department, Bayer CropScience, poured $381,600 of cashinto beating the proposal 37 GMO labeling costs in California. Moms and dads have a right to secure their youngsters against the widely known dangers of genetically customized foods and the agrichemicals that contaminate them, do not they? GMO corn starch is GMO, plain and easy. We ‘d value it if Bayer would identify their “vitamins” appropriately.

In summary, Bayer’s Flintstone’s vitamin brand is far from a natural item, and the customer should be aware of the unintentional, negative health effects that might happen as a result of using it.

References

1] GreenMedInfo.com, Adverse Health Effects of Aspartame

[2] FlinstonesVitamins.com, FLINSTONES Complete Chewable, Nutritional Info Overview

[3] Karen Lau, W Graham McLean, Dominic P Williams, C Vyvyan Howard. Synergistic interactions between commonly used food additives in a developmental neurotoxicity test. Toxicol Sci. 2006 Mar;90(1):178-87. Epub 2005 Dec 13. PMID: 16352620

[4] GreenMedInfo.com, Sorbitol’s Adverse Health Effects

[5] GreenMedInfo.com, Health Effects of Hydrogenated Oil

Credits: Written by Sayer Ji of www.greenmedinfo.com, guest

Essential Oils And Your Immune System

If you do some research into the Royal English Archives, you’ll discover an interesting little bit. It’s a recipe for “thieves’ oils.” So the story goes: In the 17th century, when all Europe was in the thrust of the Black Plague, a small band of marauding burglars appeared immune to the disease. They would get in the homes of Black Plague victims and have no fear of touching the bodies as they searched for fashion jewelry and money. The King demanded to know their secret.

Their trick had to do with the oils they rubbed on their bodies. Since their household was from a long lineage of apothecaries, they had understanding about ways to utilize oils medicinally and prophylactically versus condition. The King got the precise solution they were making use of against Black Plague and this protected his whole family from the plague.

Today we consider essential oils as simple enjoyable additions to a relaxing massage. However in olden days, some cultures valued oils much more than gold because their powerful recovery buildings were understood.

Essential oils have the exact same function in the plant as blood has to the human. When you cut yourself, blood comes out of the cut. The blood cleans the injury and kills germs so that regrowth of the tissue can start. Likewise, when you cut a plant, resin, or the oil of the plant, is released.

Blood is a transporter. It carries nutrients to the cells. Oxygen is the constituent of blood that provides the blood through the cell walls. When oxygen is taken out of the blood, the cells mutate and emit a harmful gas. This, then, develops a host condition that will certainly reproduce illness. So, too, with plants. Oils act as the defense system in plants.

These oils oxygenate the plant and support nutrients, vital aspects and chemical constituents to every cell in the plant. They contain each of the plant’s healing nutrients including trace minerals, vitamins, hormones, amino acid precursors and other components. They give the plant the ability to damage infections, fend off infestations, initiate and maintain development and repair work structural damage. The essential oil of the plant is literally the life force of the plant.

When essential oils are applied to human skin, they lug the same recovery force as they do to the plant. Because they themselves carry such a high concentration of oxygen, they likewise produce in the human system the greatest level of oxygenating molecules of any compound on Earth. Because the oils are so extremely concentrated, they are at least 50 times more therapeutically powerful than the plant itself or herbs made from the plant.

Essential oils detoxify the body. Oxygen pushes unwanted chemicals out of the cell. Typical cell function and balance is established just when there suffices oxygen.

The absorbability of essential oils into the human system is unsurpassed. If you are deficient in oxygen, your cell membranes will certainly begin to thicken. When this takes place, oxygen is not able to obtain its nutrients through this thick wall. You may have been eating all the dietary food on the planet, but if the blood can not get the nutrients into the cell, you may have well-nourished blood however you won’t have well-nourished cells. Essential oils are soluble with the lipids in the cell membrane and hence go through the cellular wall.

In addition, essential oils have the capability to alter the electrical frequency of the body. Our bodies are electrical. So is everything around us, including our tv, our lights and our microwave. The distinction between us and our electrical devices is that we have a harmonic, meaningful frequency whereas home appliances operate at incoherent, chaotic frequencies. Our appliances have the ability to fracture the frequency at which we run.

We understand that the body awake averages a frequency of 62-72 Hz. Illness sets in when the frequency drops. The frequency of the body drops when the body comes into contact with elements that have lower frequencies: processed food, canned or otherwise denatured food, drugs as well as synthetic vitamins.

Research study has actually shown that simply holding a cup of coffee in your hand can drop your frequency (most likely through the scent which, as we will certainly see, has a more effective result on us than any of us would envision).

The electrical frequency of essential oils ranges in between 52 and 320 Hz. They have the highest frequency of any substance understood to guy. Due to the fact that they are living compounds, their frequency is harmonic with the human frequency.

When essential oils enter contact with our bodies, the frequency of our bodies ends up being raised to a degree so that we end up being unwelcoming hosts to pathogenic organisms.

Essential oils can be applied directly to the skin. Within 21 minutes of being positioned anywhere on the body, essential oil will penetrate every cell within the body. We rub our bodies with oils as certain medicines.

Simply breathing in the fragrance of essential oils is a powerful therapist. The recovery starts in the brain. There are 800 million nerve endings in the nose that spot odors. The nerve from the olfactory bulb extends back toward the mid-brain then on to the pituitary and pineal glands and finally to the amygdala.

You can daily choose fresh ylang ylang flowers, eucalyptus, orange, mint, lemongrass or lemon leaves and whatever natural herbs meet your health requires at the minute. We squash these plants in our hands and just breathe in. We are taking in the scent of the essential oil as it exudes from the plant, just as blood oozes from our skin when we are cut.

Essential oils can likewise be diffused in the air. Research study has actually revealed that oils can eliminate most air-born microbes. A French research study colonized 210 various microbes; within 30 minutes of misting the air with a mix of oils, just 4 colonies remained alive. You can mist your air with the fragrance of an essential oil by merely placing a couple of drops of oil– 10 to 15– in a regular plant water mister diluted with some water.

Enough research study has actually been done that we now have a lot of information on what conditions are influenced by which essential oils.

Possible therapeutic buildings of essential oils:
Rose and lavender work well to deal with sleeping disorders. Rub the oil up and down the spine prior to bedtime.

Peppermint may alleviate nausea, throwing up, fever and soothes indigestion.
Ylang ylang may reduce hypertension and high blood pressure. Bergamot is believed to work for insect bites, cold sores, sore throat and thrush.

Clove is among 3 essential oils where no germs, virus or fungis can live. It is utilized frequently in European hospitals.

Bitter fennel, dill and coriander have actually all been revealed to aid in blood sugar regulation.

We likewise think that the therapeutic effect of food supplements and natural herbs is greatly improved when essential oils are part of the formula.

When herbs and food supplements are prepared for sale, they are dehydrated. This dehydration launches 90 percent of the essential oil of the plant. Without the oil, the majority of the life force of the plant has been vaporized out.

We feel that this is one reason why herbs made use of today are less reliable than when our ancestors used to just go to the fields and pick what they needed. When the essential oil is reestablished into the supplement, you are guaranteed that the nutrients will certainly reach the cellular level in your body.

Introduction to Essential Oil Science

How to Make Lavender Lemonade

sparkling-lavender-lemonadeFlavoring your lemonade with lavender is a great way to utilize the amazing medicinal properties of lavender. Lavender is a wonderful aromatic herb that calms the senses.

Pure lavender oil is an incredible essential oil to use for your own health and wellness. It’s among the gentlest of essential oils, but also one of the most powerful, making it a favorite of households for the healing properties and uses of lavender essential oil. Lavender oil has a chemically complex structure with over 150 active constituents, which explains its effectiveness at helping with a lot of health ailments. Lavender oil possesses amazing anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, antidepressant, antiseptic, antibacterial, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, analgesic, detoxifier, hypotensive, and sedative properties.

Florida researchers have found that lavender oil benefits include reducing anxiety and lowering pulse rates in nursing students taking stressful tests. And in hospital settings, lavender aromatherapy has been demonstrated to decrease pre-surgery distress and to be more relaxing than massage or merely resting.(1)

Lavender essential oil has other properties as well. It has been shown to reduce depression, improve insomnia and ease labor pains. And anecdotal evidence suggests that lavender oil benefits those with headaches, hangovers, sinus congestion and pain relief.

“Much prior research on lavender has focused on the administration of lavender via an olfactory route. The anxiolytic activity of lavender olfaction has been demonstrated in several small and medium-sized clinical trials.46-53 The efficacy of aromatherapy of lavender is thought to be due to the psychological effects of the fragrance combined with physiological effects of volatile oils in the limbic system.54 These calming effects of lavender oil and single constituents may be the origin of the traditional use of lavender. Lavender oil olfaction has been shown to decrease anxiety, as measured by the Hamilton rating scale,51 and can increase mood scores.

The following are selected examples of clinical trials on lavender aromatherapy:

Dunn and colleagues demonstrated anxiolytic activity of lavender oil aromatherapy in patients in intensive care units. Subjects received at least 1 session of aromatherapy with 1% lavender essential oil. Significant anxiolytic effects were noted in the 1st treatment, though 2nd and 3rd treatments did not appear to be as effective.47
Alaoui-Ismaili and colleagues found that the aroma of lavender is considered by subjects to be very pleasant and is correlated with changes in the autonomic nervous system.56

Tysoe and colleagues conducted a study of lavender oil in burner use on staff mood and stress in a hospital setting. A significant number of respondents (85%) believed that lavender aroma improved the work environment following the use of the lavender oil burners.57

Diego and colleagues demonstrated that people receiving lavender oil (10%) olfaction for 3 minutes felt significantly more relaxed and had decreased anxiety scores, improved mood and increased scores of alpha power on EEG (an indicator of alertness), and increased speed of mathematical calculations.58

Lewith and colleagues investigated the effects of lavender aromatherapy on depressed mood and anxiety in female patients being treated with chronic hemodialysis.59 The effects of aromatherapy were measured using the Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD) and the Hamilton rating scale for anxiety (HAMA). Lavender aroma significantly decreased the mean scores of HAMA, suggesting an effective, noninvasive means for the treatment of anxiety in hemodialysis patients.
Lavender aromatherapy, with or without massage, may also reduce the perception of pain and the need for conventional analgesics in adults and children, though more rigorously controlled trials are needed.60″ (2)

DIY Lavender Lemonade with Lavender Essential Oil

Ingredients

1 cup raw honey
12 cups pure water
1 drop lavender essential oil (where to find)
6 lemons, peeled and juiced
Lavender sprigs for garnish

Directions

Mix all ingredients together and chill. Add more water or raw honey if needed.

Other ways you can use Lavender Oil for Anxiety and Headaches

Mix 5 to 6 drops of Lavender essential oil to your bath water if you have dry skin.
Diffuse 10 to 12 drops of Lavender into the air during your workday for natural stress relief.

Add 2 drops of Lavender per ounce of your favorite lightly scented, unrefined organic oil (like almond oil or olive oil) for a body oil with all the benefits of lavender for improving your skin, relaxing your mind, warding off insects or helping you sleep.

Lots of science behind this one folks:

References

1. Wittchen HU, Hoyer J. Generalized anxiety disorder: nature and course. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62 Suppl 11:15-19; discussion 20-21.
2. Ohayon MM, Shapiro CM, Kennedy SH. Differentiating DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders in the general population: comorbidity and treatment consequences. Can J Psychiatry 2000;45:166-172.
3. Lawrence AE, Brown TA. Differentiating generalized anxiety disorder from anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. J Nerv Ment Dis. 2009;197:879-886.
4. Bandelow B, Zohar J, Hollander E, et al. World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress disorders-first revision. World J Biol Psychiatry. 2008;9:248-312.
5. Longo LP, Johnson B. Addiction: Part I. Benzodiazepines—side effects, abuse risk and alternatives. Am Fam Physician. 2000;61:2121-2128.
6. Preskorn SH . Comparison of the tolerability of bupropion, fluoxetine, imipramine, nefazodone, paroxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine. J Clin Psychiatry. 5;56 (Suppl 6):12-21.
7. Trindade E, Menon D, Topfer LA, Coloma C. Adverse effects associated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants: a meta-analysis. CMAJ. 1998;159:1245-1252.
8. Andrews G, Carter GL. What people say about their general practitioners’ treatment of anxiety and depression. Med J Aust. 2001;175 (Suppl):S48-S51.
9. Piscopo G. Kava kava: Gift of the islands. Alt Med Rev. 1997;2:355-381 [review].
10. Lehmann EE, Kinzler J, Friedmann J. Efficacy of a special kava extract (Piper methysticum) in patients with states of anxiety, tension and excitedness of non-mental origin. A double-blind placebo-controlled study of four weeks treatment. Phytomedicine 1996;3:113-119.
11. Volz HP, Kieser M. Kava-kava extract WS 1490 versus placebo in anxiety disorders. A randomized placebo-controlled 25-week outpatient trial. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1997;30:1-5.
12. Warnecke G. Psychosomatic dysfunctions in the female climacteric. Clinical effectiveness and tolerance of kava extract WS 1490. Fortschr Med. 1991;119-122 [in German].
13. De Leo V, la Marca A, Morgante G, et al. Evaluation of combining kava extract with hormone replacement therapy in the treatment of postmenopausal anxiety. Maturitas. 2001;39:185-188.
14. Harrer G, Sommer H. Treatment of mild/moderate depressions with Hypericum. Phytomedicine. 1994;1:3-8.
15. Ernst E. St. John’s wort, an antidepressant? A systemic, criteria-based review. Phytomedicine. 1995;2:67-71.
16. Kasper S, Anghelescu IG, Szegedi A, et al. Superior efficacy of St John’s wort extract WS 5570 compared to placebo in patients with major depression: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial [ISRCTN77277298]. BMC Med. 2006;4:14.
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21. Woelk H. Comparison of St. John’s wort and imipramine for treating depression: Randomized controlled trial. BMJ. 2000;321:536-569.
22. Wheatley D. LI 160, an extract of St. John’s wort versus amitriptyline in mildly to moderately depressed outpatients—controlled six week clinical trial. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1997;30(suppl):77-80.
23. Volz HP, Laux P. Potential treatment for subthreshold and mild depression: a comparison of St. John’s wort extracts and fluoxetine. Compr Psychiatry. 2000;41(2 Suppl 1):133-137 [review].
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Low Blood Sugar Blues? What to do

When I was younger I struggled with chronic dropping blood glucose for many years without understanding that was my problem. My head would spin, I ‘d get that black-out sensation when standing up too quickly, and I felt a bit clammy and a bit queasy.

I still get this way every now and then if I make a mistake in my diet. That brings us to the apparent question: What causes the uneasy signs related to dropping blood sugar? And exactly what can we do to stay clear of these signs?

How the body deals with sugar

There are 2 main categories of sugar in the diet plan: one is intrinsic in real, whole foods, and the other is added sugars, including table sugar and a range of sugars by various names that are added to processed foods. An example of the former is fructose in an apple, and an example of the latter is fructose in a packet of white sugar or so-called sugar-in-the-raw.

When we eat sugar our body can utilize it for energy and shop the unused sugar. But in order to do this, the pancreas excretes a hormone called insulin whose task it is to get rid of sugar that is distributing in the blood and deposit it in different cells, including skeletal muscles and fat tissue. Low blood sugar (or when chronic, called hypoglycemia) is when sugar levels drop too low to give your body energy. Your brain feels it and rewards you with a feeling that someone is ending up the lights.

Feeling the sugar blues? (this may be a precursor to diabetes)

Blood-Sugar-levels

Right here are some signs and symptoms of low blood glucose:

Weakness
Feeling tired
Shaking
Sweating
Headache
Hunger
Feeling anxious or anxious
Feeling irritable
Problem thinking plainly
Double or blurred vision
Feeling uneasy
Quick or pounding heart beat
Blackouts or near blackouts, seeing stars
If you’ve had hypoglycemia throughout the night, you may get up tired or with a headache. And you may have nightmares. Or you may sweat so much throughout the night that your pajamas or sheets are damp when you get up.1.

Webmd.com notes, “You can deal with a sudden episode of low blood sugar level by eating or drinking something with sugar in it. Some examples of “quick-sugar foods” are fruit juice, soda, milk, raisins, and tough candy.” However is this excellent guidance or is it tossing fuel on the fire? Possibly in a medical emergency situation this might be a fast fix, but it’s actually not good health advice generally. It’s much better to alter your diet plan to avoid blood sugar imbalances in the first place. The medical viewpoint that it’s okay to have a cookie to even out your blood sugar level can ultimately turn you into a diabetic.

Reversing the trend.

While the medical neighborhood might blame low blood sugar level on avoiding meals, not eating soon enough after your previous meal, not consuming sufficient treats or exercising at an unusual time,2 if you are on a great diet plan, none of these ought to cause the low blood sugar blues.

When you eat the ideal foods, unless you are suffering from disease such as diabetes, you can stay clear of the ill effects of dropping blood glucose. The very best diet plan is one that does not contain added sugars, limits fruits and is extremely low in carbs.

It’s a high-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet that makes the difference

There are also lots of other health advantages to consuming in this manner also.

The internet’s opened natural health master, Joseph Mercola, DO, states, “Overconsumption of carbs is the primary driving aspect for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Sadly, the traditional medical wisdom has unwisely been extolling the virtues of consuming massive quantities of carbohydrates for many years, even placing them as the ‘foundation’ of the extremely flawed food guide pyramid.”2 Eating carbohydrates, except at a minimum and only as carbs exist in genuine, entire foods, is a practice that has to be eliminated in order to have a great diet plan. This will care for the majority of dropping blood sugar, high blood sugar level and hypoglycemic problems.

Nutrition for blood sugar.

Increase intake of protein.

Limit carbs and sugar intake

Use supplements to regulate proper blood sugar levels.

Sources.

1. Webmd.com.

2. Mercola, DO, Joseph, The Diet Doctor Everybody Loves– Gary Taubes, mercola.com, Sep 20, 2012.

3. Taubes, Gary, Is Sugar Toxic?, New York Times, Ap 13, 2012.

4. University of Maryland Medical Center.

The 4 Foods to Completely Avoid

We know at a minimum we need to supplement our modern diets with the 90 Essentials (Healthy Start Pak )

However this doe not give us license to eat a bunch of junk!

What has been referred to as the “modern” diet is truly health-defying. It’s making people sick every day and leading to major diseases such as heart disease, cancer, kidney failure, liver illnesses, skin eruptions, headaches and more. Certainly there are a lot of nonfoods that people should avoid, but these are the top four:

1. Non-organic Foods. If you are not eating organic or biodynamic food, then you are not only receiving a sickening dose of pesticides, but you are also ingesting chemicals that mix with other chemicals and create chemical reactions that are cumulative (they interact and build up within your body).

2. Artificial Ingredients. No matter how you look at it, your body DOES NOT regard any artificial ingredient as helpful or “friendly,” so it works to eliminate it as soon as you eat it. If it can not eliminate artificial ingredients, your body stores them and these, in turn, create disease like cancer. There are tens of thousands of artificial ingredients, and here are a few common ones: MSG, dyes, synthetic vitamins, flavorings, aspartame, etc.

3. Bad Fats. Fats are not bad, but “bad” fats are very bad, causing heart disease, clogged arteries, skin problems, hormone imbalances and a lot more. Instead of remembering all the bad fats, like canola oil, it would be more helpful to just know about the good ones: organic olive oil, organic coconut butter, organic butter, fish oils and flax seed oil.

4. Sugar. Sugar is poison when it’s in its isolated form found in table sugar, cake, cookies, ice cream, pie, candy, breath mints, sports nutrition bars and drinks. Few people realize as well that all fruit juice is merely sugar water. Sugar is perhaps the biggest contributor to disease and can be linked to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disease, metabolic disease, cavities, cancer, skin eruptions, immune system suppression, diabetes, obesity, hormone imbalances, hair loss, etc

. If you can avoid the above “foods,” then you will substantially eliminate your chances of suffering from a major illness. Instead of taking chemicals, make sure you are getting all 90 Essential Vitamins and Nutrients by taking a Healthy Start Pak at a minimum!