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Jimi's Daily Health Articles

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Costs of Inactivity Set In Quickly

By Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen, MDs

National Football League quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Trevor Siemian, and Drew Brees have all been sidelined this year by illness or injuries — mononucleosis, ankle and elbow injuries, and torn thumb ligaments, respectively.

You can bet their teams hope they'll bounce back soon. But a study out of the U.K.'s Newcastle University might make you wonder.

Researchers tracked a group of healthy men and women around age 32 who habitually walked 10,000 steps a day. They then asked them to be completely sedentary for 14 days.

It turns out that just a short amount of downtime measurably decreased the participants' cardiovascular function, insulin sensitivity, and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Special: Leading Cardiologist: ‘If Your Olive Oil Label Says This, Throw It Out Now’

The shift to being sedentary also increased body fat, waist circumference, and liver fat.

Luckily, the study subjects were able to reclaim their previous fitness level by working out again for two weeks.

But what happens when sedentary behavior drags on for longer than that? What if cold weather stops you from getting regular exercise or you're sidelined after surgery or from illness?

Well, the health toll becomes even greater — and the rebound that much harder.

If you've been benched for a while, here are some things you can do to get yourself back in the game:

• Start an indoor routine with workout videos or a stationary bike. Join a gym or find local exercise classes.

• After a surgery, injury, or prolonged illness, get a prescription for physical therapy, and follow it conscientiously.

• Buy good walking shoes and start a walking routine.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
An organic diet rapidly reduces pesticide exposure

Katherine Martinko
feistyredhair
February 26, 2019
organic_tomatoes.jpeg.860x0_q70_crop-scale.jpg

Public Domain Unsplash


When four American families switched to all-organic diets for a week, the results were dramatic.

A new study has found that switching to an organic diet drastically reduces pesticides in the human body within six days. The peer-reviewed study, published in Environmental Research, looked at a broader range of pesticides, not just organophosphates, which are the most commonly studied. It attempts to fill the knowledge gap regarding the effects of pyrethroids and neonicotinoids, the use of which is increasing worldwide.

Four mixed-race families participated in the study, located in different parts of the U.S. – Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, and Minneapolis. Family members provided urine samples prior to the trial, then switched to an all-organic diet. Within six days, new urine samples revealed a significant drop in the amount of residual pesticides in their bodies.


The biggest decrease was in organophosphates, a class of nerve agent pesticides. From the executive summary: "The metabolites for malathion (MDA) and chlorpyrifos (TCPy) decreased 95 and 61 percent respectively." These pesticides are known neurotoxins and have been linked to autism, attention disorders, learning disabilities, and reduced IQ. They are so harmful that scientists have called for a full ban.


The next most significant drop (83 percent) was in neonicotinoids. These are commonly found in baby foods, associated with endocrine disruption, and linked to widespread pollinator and insect losses.

Pyrethroid pesticides decreased by half. These pesticides are associated with endocrine disruption, adverse neurodevelopment, immunological and reproductive effects, increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, and damage to sperm DNA.

Lastly, levels of 2,4-D dropped by 37 percent. 2,4-D is one of two ingredients in the notorious defoliant Agent Orange, and is a commonly used pesticide in the U.S.



PesticideLevels.JPG
© Friends of the Earth (used with permission)


It was an exciting discovery to make. We know that eating organic food improves health, but to see it have such a dramatic and rapid effect on health is encouraging. Study co-author Kendra Klein said in a press release that organic clearly works and everyone should have access to it:

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"Farmers and farmworkers growing our nation’s food and the rural communities they live in have a right not to be exposed to chemicals linked to cancer, autism and infertility. And the way we grow food should protect, not harm, our environment. We urgently need our elected leaders to support our farmers in making healthy organic food available for all."

As the video below states, "Pesticides are poisons. And they're designed to be poisons." This is not what we want coating the fruits and vegetables we feed our families, nor is it safe for the farm workers who grow those crops and neighboring communities.

In light of the findings, Friends of the Earth (which was involved in the study) is calling on people to take action and ask Congress to support sustainable organic agriculture. We know it's possible; organic farmers prove daily that abundant food can be grown and harvested without the help of dangerous chemicals, but the influence of the pesticide companies must be broken first. Sign the petition here.

Don't underestimate the power of your consumer choices, either. Buy organic food for your family whenever possible. Sign up for a CSA share to make it more affordable, or ask for seconds at the farmer's market. Buy frozen organic produce if it's cheaper, and consult the EWG's Dirty Dozen list that ranks popular produce from most contaminated to cleanest.





 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Fiber...that dreaded word that scares most men and children away from the dinner table. We know it is an important nutrient in the diet, but why?

5 Benefits of Fiber Your Probably Didn't Know About...

1. Fiber feeds your gut bacteria. Your gut bacteria need a fuel source. Fiber is that fuel source. In turn, your gut bacteria can convert fiber into a fuel source that helps feed your colon cells so that they can regenerate. In essence, fiber allows your colon cells to produce the energy they need to repair and maintain themselves (1).

2. Fiber helps control appetite and over eating. It does this by slowing down stomach emptying and transit time of food through the gut. Aside from contributing to appetite reduction, fiber helps stimulate receptors in your intestine to release a chemical called CCK (cholecystokinin). CCK helps promote fullness and satiety, thus helping to reduce overeating and cravings (2).

3. Fiber, Heart Disease, and Diabetes: By slowing down the rate at which glucose is absorbed from your food, fiber consumption helps lower average insulin and glucose levels. This can help support healthy blood sugar levels by preventing sugar spikes and drops. Fiber consumption also has a lowering effect on triglycerides (blood fat). Stable levels of insulin, glucose, and triglycerides help reduce the risk of a number of diseases including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Research has also shown that fiber can have a blood pressure lowering effect. (3,4,5)

4. Fiber supports intestinal, liver, and gallbladder health by simulating bile production. Bile is also a very important compound for aiding the absorption of fat and fat soluble vitamins. Bile also serves as a toxin binder in the intestines (6 ,7).

5. Fiber has a cleansing property that helps eliminate waste and toxins from the bowel. Some of the toxins studied include heavy metals and PCB's (8,9). Fiber also helps to prevent bowel constipation while regulating water balance.



There is no doubt that food bases sources of fiber are ideal, but if you are following my diet protocols from No Grain No Pain or a grain free diet, fiber from grain based foods is out. That means you should probably take a long hard look at your food intake. Vegetables, nuts, and fruits are richest in both soluble and non soluble fibers. Remember to shoot for a minimum of 30-35 grams of daily fiber.


References:

  1. Nutrients. 2017 Dec; 9(12): 1348.
  2. International Journal of Obesity (1998) 22, 906-909
  3. Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan;105(1):90-100.
  4. Obes Rev. 2012 Nov;13(11):1034-47
  5. Consult Pharm. 2012 Jul;27(7):513-6.
  6. Food Funct. 2010 Nov;1(2):149-55.
  7. Curr Med Chem. 2011;18(26):4029-52.
  8. Phytother Res. 2006 Oct;20(10):859-64.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Chronic Napping Could be
an Early Alzheimer's Indicator


Suffer a poor night's sleep and you may find yourself nodding off during the day -- you might even feel the urge to take an afternoon nap.

But if daytime napping becomes excessive, especially in the absence of night-time sleep problems, please don’t believe the myth that it’s just part of the aging process.

The fact is, the need for an afternoon nap might indicate cognitive decline or – even worse – that you’ll suffer from Alzheimer's years down the road.

If you talk with family members of those suffering from dementia, they might tell you that bouts of frequent napping preceded some of the earliest episodes of memory loss in their loved ones.

This isn’t surprising to Alzheimer’s researchers. Many research groups studying Alzheimer's note that even before the initial signs of memory loss, there are neuropsychiatric symptoms often related to the sleep-wake cycle.

Brain Cells Annihilated in Wakefulness Areas

One of the groups studying these phenomena is the Grinberg Lab based at the University of California, San Francisco. Their latest study was published in Alzheimer's and Dementia in August.

They looked at the loss of brain cells and the build-up of Alzheimer’s-linked proteins in three brain regions that promote wakefulness among 13 people who died with Alzheimer’s and seven who died dementia-free.

In the Alzheimer’s group, the scientists discovered a significant build-up of tau-- an overlooked Alzheimer’s causing protein-- in each of the brain wakefulness regions compared to the seven people who were free of dementia. These areas of the brain overcome by tau also lost as many as three-quarters of their neurons, or brain cells.

Lead author Joseph (Jun) Oh commented:

"It’s remarkable because it’s not just a single brain nucleus that’s degenerating, but the whole wakefulness-promoting network.

"Crucially this means that the brain has no way to compensate because all of these functionally related cell types are being destroyed at the same time."

Even more interesting, this loss of cells is ONLY found in people with Alzheimer’s.

Applies to Alzheimer's Only

In a second part of the study, the researchers analyzed post-mortem brain samples of seven people who suffered with two rare forms of brain disease called progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal disease. A build-up of tau is also common to both conditions.

Researchers thought they’d find the same results, a build-up of tau equals a dramatic loss of brain cells in the wakefulness promoting areas of the brain, but guess what? They didn’t.

Compared to the Alzheimer's tissues they’d previously studied which had a similar build-up of tau, wakefulness-promoting neurons were spared in these two rare memory disorders. Why? Researchers don’t yet know.

Dr. Oh reported that in comparison to other forms of degenerative brain disorders, "It seems that the wakefulness-promoting network is particularly vulnerable in Alzheimer’s disease. Understanding why this is the case is something we need to follow up in future research."

I couldn’t agree more. These remarkable findings provide a never seen before biological explanation for Alzheimer's dementia specifically. For unknown reasons, Alzheimer’s disease uses tau to attack brain regions that keep us awake during the day. As a result, chronic sleepiness could serve as an important new early warning indicator of Alzheimer’s disease.

But that’s not all. This research reveals another important new discovery about tau and Alzheimer’s disease…

We've Been Looking at the Wrong Protein

For years now, Alzheimer’s researchers pointed to amyloid protein build-up in the brain as the reason for memory loss in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. But these new findings reveal that at least within wakefulness-promoting areas of the brain, it’s tau, not amyloid protein, that’s the main cause of memory loss.

Associate professor of neurology, lab head, and senior author of the study Lea Grinberg, MD, PhD is clear when she says:

"Our work shows definitive evidence that the brain areas promoting wakefulness degenerate due to accumulation of tau – not amyloid protein – from the very earliest stages of the disease.”

Linked to Visual and Speech Problems, Too

In another study, researchers went beyond Alzheimer’s disease. This time, they examined the brains of individuals with other types of neurological impairments. For example, the folks in this study didn’t suffer from memory loss but from loss of language and vision capability.

The results were remarkable: Post-mortem examination of the brains of individuals with language difficulties showed more tau in brain areas related to language while those with visual impairments had more tau in areas of the brain related to vision. In all cases the memory centers were less affected by tau.

The take-away from this breakthrough research is twofold: If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic daytime sleepiness, watch closely for memory lapses or signs of cognitive decline.

Also, make it a priority to prevent build-up of memory-harming proteins. For example, limit your intake of processed foods such as cheese, meat and refined grains or sugars— called “white foods” — shown to fuel memory-harming brain proteins such as tau.

Instead, enjoy a diet high in fresh fruits, leafy green vegetables, extra virgin olive oils and coconut oils. I also recommend supplementing with a good omega-3 in lieu of eating salmon or other cold-water fish that may be contaminated with environmental toxins.

Meanwhile, I’ll keep my eye on this developing area of research into Alzheimer’s disease and report back with new findings.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Today's Health Thought:

“Regaining health is more difficult an objective then becoming ill. Becoming ill is a random act of ignorance and regaining health is an intentional effort in frustration.”
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Have you ever wondered where all the money donated to “cancer charities” and “research institutions” really goes to?

There’s been more than 100+ billion dollars invested in finding a “cure for cancer”, but they haven’t found it yet...

And they may never find it.

Why?

Because cancer is BIG business and it generates a ton of money that feeds our entire economy.

But there are people who have taken their lives into their own hands and are healing cancer naturally every single day.

I’ve seen medical cannabis heal cancer first-hand with my father-in-law Stan and help hundreds of other patients over the past 8 years.

And there are so many other natural, safe, non-toxic remedies for cancer as well, many of which can be used alongside cannabis treatment.

So today, I want to share an inspirational movie with you about a young mother’s global quest to find a cure...

It’s called Hope For Breast Cancer and you can reserve your seat to watch it FR-EE right here
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.



This documentary features the story of Angela Lima, a young wife and mom, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2017.

Throughout her travels, Angela discovered never-before-seen treatments and an all new approach to beating cancer that you absolutely need to see.

It will leave you inspired and likely a little emotional when you hear everything she went through.

And whether you or a loved one has cancer, want to prevent cancer, or if you’ve ever worried about getting cancer...

Angela’s story will give you all the tools you need to create your own personalized journey with confidence and clarity.

>> Go here to watch Hope For Breast Cancer FR-EE



I’ll see you there,
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Today's Health Thought:

The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.

had to add this one too

The best way to reduce the cost of medical care is to reduce the illness.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
One Article Two Posts

I got a great email the other day with a good idea for a Sunday with Sisson.

(BTW, folks, share your questions and ideas you'd like me to take up in these Sunday chats. I'm all ears.)

Hi Mark, Would you be willing to do a bit on this new documentary on Netflix called Game Changers? In short – Arnold Schwarzenegger, some MMA fighters, several bodybuilders (including one that carried the heaviest weight ever in the Guinness Book of World Records), and half the Tennessee Titans are claiming that plant-based only diet is the reason for their success. Some things that stand out to me that I would like to question are:
-Soy doesn’t produce estrogen but produces phytoestrogen, which looks similar to estrogen but actually binds to other estrogens, lowering your actual estrogen uptake.
-Vitamin B12 isn’t received from meat, it’s actually received from bacteria present in the soil and really everybody should get there vitamin B12 from supplementation rather than their food. Is there any way you could debunk this and/or discuss the research behind this in the claims? -Mike
Thanks for the question, Mike. The thing about documentaries is they can be extremely persuasive. Rather than blog posts written in a day or two, or Twitter responses that take a minute to write, documentary makers spend years crafting their content, editing their footage, and making the very best argument they can. Plus, it's full of real-life humans with expressive faces and strong reputations (Arnold) telling you what they want you to believe, often with a powerful soundtrack swelling in the background and guiding your emotional response.

You sit in front of it and feast on the audiovisual mastery. There's no time to make a rebuttal. It's totally convincing. It's designed to be.

Let's just get right into those two arguments.

Last week, I talked about the silliness of the penis ring study from The Game Changers. These other things are almost as silly.

First, the soy phytoestrogen being different from estrogen argument...

Sure, phytoestrogen isn't exactly the same as estrogen. There are differences.

But when the rubber hits the road, when you look at men who eat the most soy, they have the lowest sperm count.

When you give soy protein isolate to healthy men every day for weeks, their testosterone declines.

I'm no enemy of fermented soy. Natto, for instance, is a great source of vitamin K2. But the idea that soy protein can replace or even measure up to animal protein is nonsense. It's better than nothing, if you insist on avoiding animal protein (although pea is probably better), but it's not the same, let alone superior.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Part Two

Second, the B12 argument...

This is just embarrassing. I'm actually flummoxed. What is the argument, exactly?

That the meat we eat is contaminated with soil-based bacteria, and that's the only reason it contains B12?

Then why isn't dirty produce a good source of B12? Why isn't the argument that we should just clean our fingernails with our teeth (don't tell me—there's some vegan author out there making that argument, isn't there?)?

Then why are shellfish a good source of B12? Hell, why are they some of the best sources? There's not a lot of soil contamination in oysters and clams.

Okay, let's give them that argument—that meat isn't an intrinsic source of B12, that it only comes from soil contamination on said meat. Who cares? Aren't we still getting vitamin B12 from the meat if we eat it?

I really don't follow.

The important part is that meat-eaters have better B12 statuses than non-meat-eaters.

Oh, and the idea that Arnold got where he was with a plant-based diet is the height of silliness.

Here he is tucking into a huge steak:

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Here he is cooking an enormous pile of meat on a tank:

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Anyone else watched the documentary? What were the silliest parts? What were the best arguments?

Let me know in the comment section of Weekly Link Love.

Thanks to Mike for the question and to everybody reading today. Enjoy your Sunday.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
Nutrition author Michael Pollan once wrote, "Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food."

As you likely know, one of the smartest steps to take in this direction is to dramatically reduce the amount of packaged foods you eat.

In today's brief spotlight on research, events, and more that can help you look and feel your best, avoid and overcome disease, and live long doing it, you'll see one key reason why...


#1) The Hidden System That Really is Changing Medicine For Good...

Dr. David Casarett, MD, MA, is a world-renowned Professor of Medicine and Chief of Palliative Care at Duke University.

In his own words, "In trying to find a way to help my patients, I discovered an emerging field of research revolving around the healing potential of a long ignored system."

This is a recently discovered system within us all that may well be THE health breakthrough of the 21st century...

That's because it is changing how we fight cancer, Alzheimer's, arthritis, chronic pain, depression and more.

And now, Dr. Casarett is unveling a major series to teach you the essentials you need to know called "Hidden Within"...

Do not miss the short powerful trailer on this life-changing and potentially life-saving series right here

If you are interested, you'll see it is FREE to sign up.

(And don't miss what you'll discover in each episode beneath the trailer video, and who is featured in this series that starts Nov 7... including Nick Polizzi, Pedram Shojai, Dr. Fred Pescatore, and others!)


#2) 14 Common Emulsifiers to Watch Out For (including the two "worst offenders," and why)

Emulsifiers are substances added widely to packaged foods to prevent separation of the ingredients.

They basically make ingredients that don't naturally "want" to stay together -- like vinegar and oil in salad dressings -- stay together nonetheless.

The problem is, various chemical emulsifiers have been linked in studies to a range of health issues.

They can escalate inflammation and may lead to colitis, metabolic syndrome, and impaired blood glucose control.

And a study earlier this year showed they may negatively impact your gut microbiome, and even escalate anxiety.

Now, the challenge is that there are many types of chemical emulsifiers.

WIth that noted, in studies I've seen these are two emulsifiers that seem to be among the "worst offenders":

  • Polysorbate-80 (P80)
  • Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)
And these are some other top emulsifiers to watch packaged ingredients labels for and be cautious of:

  • Calcium stearoyl-2-lactylate (CSL)
  • PolyGlycerol Ester (PGE)
  • Sorbitan Ester (SOE)
  • PG Ester (PGME)
  • Sugar Ester (SE)
  • Monoglyceride (MG)
  • Acetylated Monoglyceride (AMG)
  • Lactylated Monoglyceride (LMG)
  • Lecithin
  • Carrageenan
  • Polyglycerols
  • Xanthan gum (and other“gums”)
Obviously, it can be difficult to remember these.

And again, emulsifiers are just one class of different additives in foods to beware of.

I've covered before, for example, that nitrates/nitrites... trans fats... Potassium Bromate... Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)... and Propyl Gallate are also some additives you want to be especially cautious of.

Bottom line is that this is all yet another reason why the smartest approach is just to cut the use of packaged foods as much as possible and go for whole, natural, organic foods instead!


Okay, then, on that note I'm heading off with my wife and kids today to a pumpkin farm where we can also wander acres of their fields and pick the season's last organic vegetables in these parts before the first frost soon sets in. Should be fun! :)

Head here now to find out more about Dr. Casarett's truly important new series, if you haven't already... and enjoy your day!
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
The Truth Behind Curing Cancer
with Carrot Juice and Crystals

Detoxing is quickly becoming a way of life in our modern world, as common as taking vitamins and putting on sunblock. The internet is full of every kind of regimen under the sun, from spicy drinks to “miracle” diets to mysterious elixirs that don’t reveal their full list of ingredients.

Some of these are witches’ potions, some are legitimate, some are fads. Let’s talk about how to spot the difference.

How to dig through the avalanche
of “search engine detoxes”


Search for detoxes on the internet and you’re likely to find activities such as fasting, drinking only juices, eating only specific foods, cleansing and recharging with crystals and gemstones, using dietary supplements or herbs, using enemas or laxatives, limiting exposure to certain environmental elements, or using a sauna.

The point of all these activities is to remove toxins from your body. Occasionally they’ll promise additional benefits, including weight loss or general health improvement.

While the wonders of cyberspace bring us more detox ideas than we probably need, detoxing is not a new thing by any stretch. Both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine systems have practiced the art of detoxification for centuries.

But if you look at it from a traditional perspective, detoxing is about resting, cleansing, and nourishing the body from the inside out – it’s not a quick fix you can buy on Amazon.

Traditional detoxing involves cleansing the blood by removing impurities via the liver, where toxins are processed for elimination. Your body also eliminates toxins through the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin.

When these systems are compromised, impurities don’t get pushed out of your body and your immune system or overall health may suffer. If this happens, you may experience symptoms such as bloating, skin irritations, unexplained fatigue, puffy eyes, allergies, elimination problems, or even mental confusion.

When and how to detox the smarter way

Many naturopathic doctors recommend everyone detox at least once a year (excepting nursing mothers, children, and patients with chronic diseases). Instead of seeking out exotic herbs or diets, a good way to start is to curb the amount of toxins you take in daily. Stop adding to the pileup inside your body. This means eliminating alcohol and cigarettes, refined sugars, and saturated fats.

You should also limit your use of chemically based household cleaners, cosmetics, and personal health care products like shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste. Instead, use natural alternatives.

Another key thing to limit during a detox is stress. Why? Because even though you’re not absorbing toxins from a crabby boss or that pile of unpaid bills, stress hormones create large levels of toxins in your system. Effective ways to relieve stress include yoga, meditation, and Qigong, which is a Chinese system of physical exercises and breathing control related to tai chi.

And of course, regular cardio exercise coupled with a good nights’ sleep will help tremendously to curb both short-term and long-term stress.

Smart foods to include in any detox

Lifestyle practices aside, here are the foods and vitamins worth eating if you’re trying to detox your body.

  • Fiber. Eat plenty of brown rice and organic fruits and vegetables. Broccoli, spirulina, chlorella, seaweed, beets, radishes, artichokes, and cabbage are particularly high in fiber and detoxing capacity.
  • Eat organic food to the extent you can. If you simply stop adding to the pesticides, herbicides, hormones, antibiotics and other food additives in your body, it will gradually eliminate what’s already accumulated. It’s not fast – this is a lifetime detox plan, not a quick fix.
  • Avoid animal-based products and increase your intake of plant-based foods. For protein, incorporate beans and tofu into as many meals as possible.
  • Have a daily cup of green tea, or herbal teas that include dandelion root, burdock, and milk thistle, all of which help cleanse and protect the liver.
  • Take vitamin C supplements or get a daily dose of oranges, grapefruit, or lemons.
  • Drink water throughout the day in place of sugary beverages. Aim for at least the standard of eight cups a day.
What to be wary of

As the idea of detoxing increases in popularity, more and more companies are trying to cash in on the craze. Some are legitimate and offer quality products, some don’t. Here’s what to be aware of if you explore different detox systems:

  • Some of the juices used in cleanses and detoxes have not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria, which can lead to serious illness.
  • Certain mega-doses of otherwise excellent sources of nutrition can harm you. For instance, consuming too much of a juice high in oxalate can increase your risk of kidney problems. Spinach and beets are high in oxalate, and too much of either, over too short a time, can be a problem.
  • If you have diabetes or if you’re borderline diabetic, I recommend you run any detox program by your health care provider; intense eating and drinking plans can produce sudden changes your body may have trouble coping with.
  • Gentle colon cleanses can be helpful, and if you suffer from chronic constipation, they’re necessary. Senna is a gentle, effective herbal laxative, so look for a cleanse that contains senna or sennosides. Begin with a small dose and increase it until it does the job. Colon cleanses should be taken with caution if you have a history of gastrointestinal disease, kidney disease, or heart disease.

    It’s also worth considering a professional colonic cleanse if there’s a practitioner near you.
  • Detox programs that include laxatives can cause severe diarrhea and electrolyte imbalances or dehydration.
  • Consuming only water or tea without food for several consecutive days could lead to a dangerously low electrolyte imbalance.
  • Any type of detox that calls for fasting can lead to headaches, fainting, weakness, or dehydration. Some of these (not dehydration!) may indicate you’re successfully getting rid of poisons. Fasting can be beneficial. But you need to be knowledgeable about the right way to do it; best to do it under the guidance of a skilled practitioner.
The turtle’s approach to detoxing

I’m often asked if there’s one, specific detox diet to follow for treating or preventing cancer, and the answer is no.

However, if you follow the detox practices that help eliminate toxins and reintroduce good nutrition to your body, you’ll be doing one of the best things possible to curb or help treat cancer, which is to strengthen your immune system.

The tried and true way to detox your body is the natural way: through good old-fashioned sweat and exercise. Longtime readers know I also strongly recommend infrared saunas. They are powerful detoxers with proven health benefits supported by published studies.

And whatever approach you take, detoxing is not an overnight fix. It can help you substantially and have long-term positive health effects, but anything that tells you you’ll be “toxin-free in 24 hours” or even in three days is baloney. The best detox program is long-term good habits.

Think of it like weight-loss: the most effective programs help you make steady, daily progress over a long stretch of time. The same is true for detoxification of the body. Just like the tortoise and hare, slow and steady wins the race.

Oh yeah, and if you were wondering about the crystals: I don’t recommend them.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
This Nutrient is Absolutely Essential to Brain
Health – And Most People are Deficient


Frequent readers of this site know that throughout the years I’ve shared piles of evidence linking a healthy, nutrient-rich diet with optimal brain function.

But I recently discovered there’s one nutrient that we all seem to be lacking and this deficiency inflicts terrible damage to our brains…

This is not an instance of a “nice-to-have” nutrient that gives your brain a little extra boost.

This is something you need to live and thrive.

According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data,1 90 percent of Americans aren’t getting enough of an essential brain-protecting nutrient called choline.

A must for brain health, the Institute of Medicine recommends 550 mg of choline per day. You have to get most of that from animal sources; plants simply don’t contain much.

Eggs are one of the richest sources. One large egg boasts about 147 mg of choline. So it’s not surprising many of us are deficient. Even three eggs a day does not provide you enough choline. And, of course, these days many people don’t eat eggs at all.

In fact, the widespread advice to go vegan may be a problem when it comes to this vitamin, as well as some other animal-sourced nutrients such as B12. Plant-based diets aren’t doing us any favors when it comes to our choline quotas, though certain legumes and veggies, such as broccoli, can help.

Emma Derbyshire, BSc, PhD, author of one such study2 says our bodies don’t produce enough choline on their own. She states that “choline can be likened to omega-3 fatty acids in that it is an ‘essential’ nutrient that needs to be obtained from dietary or supplemental sources, as the body doesn’t produce enough to meet human requirements.”

Scientists know that sufficient choline intake is critical in decreasing the risk of a variety of health problems. However, the most exciting choline research focuses on conditions that affect the brain, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Your Brain Almost Certainly
Needs More Choline…


Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine3 found choline is closely linked to better cognitive function. In the 2011 study, scientists discovered that folks who get enough choline in their diets perform better in memory tasks.

What’s more, participants with choline-rich diets were less likely to show brain changes associated with dementia.

Is this finally the magic bullet for the tragic Alzheimer’s epidemic? Not quite. But it’s worth unpacking the promising research…

First the research team dug into data from the long-running Framingham Heart Study. In the study, nearly 1,400 people ages 36 to 83 answered dietary questionnaires between 1991 and 1995. Fast forward to 1998 through 2001, and these same people took memory and cognitive ability tests, as well as MRI brain scans.

Generally speaking, men and women in the top quarter of choline intake performed better in memory tests than those in the bottom 25 percent.

And researchers found something else interesting about these findings…

It appears that people with lower choline intakes were more apt to be on a pathway toward cognitive decline than their peers with higher choline intakes.

The scientists were also intrigued by the participants’ MRI scans. Those with higher choline intake at the beginning of the study later displayed less “white matter hyperintensity” in their MRIs. Why is this important? Scientists believe areas of the brain that experience hyperintensity may be suffering from vascular-- or blood vessel-- disease.This can signal a heightened risk of stroke, and dementia.

Benefits the Next Generation, Too

In a 2019 study,4 Arizona State University scientists focused on mice bred to display Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. Results showed that when these mice were given high choline in their diet, their offspring showed improvements in spatial memory, compared with those receiving a normal choline regimen in the womb.

The interesting part of these findings is that the beneficial effects of choline supplementation seem to be transgenerational. This means that it’s not only protecting mice receiving choline supplementation during gestation, but also subsequent offspring.

I can give you many more reasons why this brain-protecting nutrient is garnering scientists’ attention.

One is the fact that choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.5 This important neurotransmitter maintains neurons in specific neural networks of the brain that are important for memory.

Another of choline’s attributes is that it reduces homocysteine. This amino acid is believed to contribute to the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease: neurodegeneration and amyloid plaque formation.

And finally, there is evidence4 that choline supplementation reduces the activation of microglia – the cells tasked with clearing away debris in the brain. These cellular housekeepers are essential for brain health, but they can get out of control, causing inflammation, as they typically do with Alzheimer’s. Scientists conclude that choline supplementation may offer protection against dementia.

I believe choline is a safe and potentially brain-protecting supplement and I look forward to future research.
 

Jimi

Diamond Contributor
Member For 5 Years
You are inside of me, within my very breath,

within each bird, each mighty mountain.

Your sweet touch reaches everything and I am well protected.

Thank you for this beautiful day before me.

May joy, love, peace and compassion be part of my life

and all those around me on this day.

I am healing and I am healed.
 
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