Your Organs and Tissues Need Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential trace mineral, which operates on a cellular level and accumulates in organs and tissues. It is a cofactor for hundreds of enzymes and therefore involved in more than 300 regulatory and biochemical functions such as energy production; synthesis of essential molecules (DNA, RNA and proteins); hormonal pathways and regulation of other minerals (calcium, copper, zinc, potassium) and vitamin D in the body. Magnesium is also necessary to get calcium into bone matter and plays a structural role in making strong bones and teeth with calcium and vitamin D. This is what contributes to us getting healthier. It is required for temperature regulations, transmission of nerve impulses, detoxification in the liver, and for optimal functioning of all systems in the body such as nervous, muscular, cardiovascular and excretory systems.

Besides, these myriad functions, magnesium is the vitally important mineral that works as an electrolyte and maintain electrical stability of every cell in the body especially the heart, muscles, brain and kidneys. Therefore, magnesium deficiency makes people susceptible to a wide range of clinical and subclinical symptoms:

1. Cardiovascular symptoms: arrhythmia (or abnormal heart rhythms or palpitations), high blood pressure, high serum cholesterol and triglycerides levels, and circulatory disturbances (atherosclerosis, stroke and congestive heart failure)
2. Neurological symptoms: migraine headaches, chronic fatigue syndrome, anxiety, agitation, irritability or restlessness, ADHD, sensitivity to noise, poor memory, confusion, seizures and depression.
3. Gastro-intestinal disturbances: food allergies, sensitivities, nausea and vomiting, gut disorders, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, constipation and lack of appetite.
4. Muscular symptoms: muscle soreness or weakness, muscle spasms, cramps, back pain, restless legs syndrome (RLS), fibromyalgia, cystic fibrosis, vertigo, tremors and trouble in swallowing
5. Poor bone and teeth health: calcium deficiency, osteoporosis, low vitamin D levels, frequent cavities and poor dental health
6. Kidney disease: kidney stones
7. Diabetes: pancreatitis or insulin resistance  
8. Thyroid issues: hyperthyroidism
9. Insomnia: sleep disturbances
10. Preeclampsia and eclampsia: A sharp rise in blood pressure during the third trimester of pregnancy i.e. preeclampsia. These women may develop seizures, which is then called eclampsia.

Studies suggest that women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) such as bloating, insomnia, leg swelling, weight gain and breast tenderness are often deficient in magnesium. Low levels of magnesium may also increase the risk of developing asthma, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and certain cancer. If you are suffering from more than one of the above symptoms and diseases, you are more likely to be magnesium deficient and can get healthier and benefit by adding this nutrient.  Learn how you can boost your immune system naturally. 

In fact, magnesium is used in the hospitals as a critical “medication” in emergency situations such as life-threatening arrhythmia, pre-term labor, seizures associated with eclampsia or complications from preeclampsia. Several research studies show that intravenous (IV) magnesium and magnesium inhaled through a nebulizer can treat acute attacks of asthma in adults and children.

Magnesium in Drinking Water

Though, magnesium is found abundantly on earth and in natural water sources, modern lifestyle habits may be the reason behind the prevalent magnesium deficiency. Industrial monoculture agricultural practices use massive amount of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides that are absorbed into the soil, making soil depleted and the food produce deficient in natural minerals. Drinking water from municipal supplies is also lacking in minerals that are found in healthy drinking water from natural sources. Fluoride content can hinder magnesium absorption.

Further, consumption of a highly-processed, refined diet (that contains no magnesium) with too much sugar and salt, caffeine, soda, alcohol depletes body’s magnesium stores and lead to leaky gut syndrome which making it difficult to absorb vital nutrients (vitamins and minerals) from your food.  Hectic working schedules and prolonged and intense stress can lead to complete depletion of magnesium stores, as magnesium is required for stress hormone production.

It is important to focus on maintaining a healthy diet.

Magnesium and Medications

Use of some drugs like birth control pills, antacid, antibiotics, diuretics, insulin and hypertension medicine also deplete magnesium levels. In certain conditions (such as pregnancy, recovery from surgery and illnesses, and athletic training) you become more susceptible for magnesium deficiency because of increased requirement.

To treat magnesium deficiency the first step is to strengthen the digestive system and restore gut health by eating magnesium rich foods such as seeds (flax, pumpkin, sun flower, sesame), nuts, green leafy vegetables, legumes especially beans, avocado and whole grains. Other dietary sources of magnesium are bananas, baked potatoes (with skin), okra, blackstrap molasses and cocoa powder. Try magnesium rich seaweeds (Agar), herbs and spices (coriander, celery, sage, mustard, basil, fennel, poppy and cumin seed) to flavor your regular meals. Also, dark chocolate is good source of magnesium. If you are a chocolate lover, go ahead!  

However, for some raising magnesium levels may require additional efforts. It is possible to increase magnesium levels by applying magnesium chloride also known as magnesium oil to your body, or soak in epsom salt bath for better absorption of magnesium through your skin in the blood and tissues of the body. It is possible to greatly improve magnesium deficiency symptoms like swelling, inflammation, and muscle aches and pains. Practicing relaxation techniques like meditation and yoga will further help in reducing your stress levels and the body’s demand for magnesium..

If you are considering magnesium supplementation go for more absorbable forms such as magnesium citrate, glycinate, taurate, or aspartate. Also, it will be a good idea to take a multi-vitamin-mineral formula with magnesium supplement as you need enough vitamin B6, vitamin D and selenium for proper absorption of magnesium into the cells. As a precautionary measure people suffering from kidney disease or severe heart disease should take magnesium supplementation only under a doctor’s supervision.

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Until recently, doctors and scientists assumed that Alzheimer’s disease was a death sentence.  No known cause.  No known cure.  Dale Bredesen, MD and other creative physicians have changed that model with a multifactorial treatment protocol that essentially removes toxins from the brain and supplies the brain with the necessary ingredients to do its job successfully.  Dr. Bredesen has been able to do the impossible: reverse Alzheimer’s.  And there is hope for all mental illnesses.

Brain Health Statistics

• 50% of Americans will experience some mental illness in their lifetime
• 20% of Americans will experience some mental illness this year
• 5.7 million Americans and 50 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s disease
• 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety
• 34% of Americans have anxiety and/or depression
• Depression is the leading cause of disability among people ages 15-44
• Suicide takes 42,000 American lives annually, with another 250,000 surviving suicide attempts
• Insomnia affects 70 million Americans each year, with women and older people at greater risk

Tips to Improve Memory and Concentration

The human brain is needy yet resilient.  Take away the toxins.  Provide the right nutrients and watch your brain function at Olympic levels.  Among the lifestyle factors that can heal the brain include:

Hormone Replacement

As we age, our hormone production declines.  When exposed to toxins our hormone production declines.  Deficiency of any hormone can lead to mental decline or depression.  DHEA, melatonin, testosterone, estrogen, pregnenolone, and more are among the hormones that can be replaced externally.  Work with your doctor trained in this area of expertise.

Toxin Removal

Americans are exposed to ridiculous levels of pollutants in our air, food, water, and through electro-magnetic fields.  Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, aluminum, cadmium, and arsenic can affect mental performance.  Volatile organic chemicals, such as found in agriculture and industry can interfere with healthy brain function.  Eat organic when possible.  Make sure that you have a daily bowel movement to keep toxins moving out of your system.  Drink plenty of purified water from a purifier attached to your kitchen tap.  Use a far infrared sauna to help sweat the toxins out of your body.

Stress Reduction

The mind is built to withstand brief moments of stress.  The lion attacks and you “fight or flight.”  Yet, modern humans are exposed to endless sessions of stress.  Financial hardships, problems with the kids, marital issues, problems at work, tough commute, gut wrenching stories on TV news.  All combine to put the adrenals stuck on “emergency” mode.  Continuous flow of adrenaline will cause atrophy of the brain.

Solutions include forgiveness, altruism, meditation, journaling, and means of calming down through nature.  To get more mileage out of your brain, give it a rest.

Restorative Sleep & Rest

Most Americans stagger around in a perpetual state of sleep deprivation.  Researchers have found that anything less than 8 hours of deep restorative sleep ages the body and brain.  Sleep deprived people exhibit elevated levels of inflammation, which is the beginning of most degenerative diseases.  If needed, use melatonin, tryptophan, kava, ashwaganda, and other non-addictive natural remedies to enhance your sleep.  A memory foam topper on your mattress may be the ticket to slumberland paradise.  Your mission is to wake up feeling rested.

Exercise Daily For Improved Focus

Humans are built for activity.  A Stanford professor wrote an article entitled “Are Dis-eases from Dis-use of the Body?”  Indeed, the list of health benefits from exercise boggles the imagination and sends shivers of envy through the drug industry.  Get 30 minutes of some form of exercise daily.  In doing so, you feed your brain and invigorate the body.

Incline Board to Help Nourish the Brain

The brain is at the top of our body and above the heart, which creates a gravity problem for feeding the brain adequate blood and oxygen.  One way to address this design issue is with a slant board.  Lay down on a board that is at a 45 degree angle with your head at the bottom and feet in a bar at the top of the board.  A Total Gym does this and much more.  This process nourishes the brain and strengthens the tiny blood vessels in the brain that will dictate whether you forget your own phone number or can stay mentally alert well into your retirement years.

WARNING.  If you are older or infirmed, then you need your doctor’s permission to use a slant board.  Otherwise tiny fragile capillaries in the brain could burst.

Insulin Resistance

Humans eat too much, too often, and the wrong foods.  The “too much” is easily seen in the 2/3 of Americans who are overweight.  The “wrong foods” shows up as a host of degenerative diseases: heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, renal failure, etc.  The “too often” shows up as insulin resistance.  The constant pounding of blood glucose and insulin at the cell membranes causes the cells to become resistant to insulin, which leads to diabetes (type 2), heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and a grocery list of ailments.

Intermittent Fasting

Humans are built to fast.  Our ancestors experienced frequent and lengthy fasts through the insecurity of our food supply.  Our bodies adapted to this fasting process and become healthier and younger in fasting.

Narrow your feeding window to 8 hours per day, such as only eat between 8 am and 4 pm.  Take one day each week and water fast.  Consume only water or tea.  You will be dazzled at the immediate and long-term benefits of intermittent fasting, including brain preservation.  Americans are literally “cooking” our brains through glycation, which is eating overcooked food while maintaining chronically elevated blood glucose.

Try these foods to fight bad breath

Dance Often

Nearly all human festivals include dancing.  Researchers have found that weekly ballroom dancing reduces the risk for Alzheimer’s by 73%.  Dancing is both exercise and a coordination of the two hemispheres of the brain to stimulate the brain into producing more synapses.  “Use it or lose it” applies to many functions in the body, including the brain.

Mental Stimulation

Researchers performed autopsies on nuns in retirement.  What was surprising is the frequency of blatant signs of Alzheimer’s disease in the brain, yet many of these nuns were asymptomatic…no indication of disease on the outside.  These nuns kept their brains active with puzzles, word games, and reading.  “Use it or lose it” is an axiom that should take many of us away from the TV and toward something that builds brain power.

Plant Based Diet

You are what you eat.  Our diet plays a powerful role in maintaining a healthy brain.  Eat a plant-based diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, seaweed, mushrooms, and medicinal herbs.  A diet that feeds the 37 trillion cells in your body optimal supplies of each essential nutrient is the diet that will preserve your brain.

Supplements to Boost Memory

There are many specific nutrients that are commonly deficient in the American diet.  There is another list of nutrients that are not commonly found in anyone’s diet and hence merit inclusion as nutrition supplements for optimal brain functioning.

Magnesium, lithium, B-12, B-6, lecithin, choline, iodine, iron, copper, green tea, DHA and EPA (from fish oil), vinpocetine, ginkgo, phosphatidylserine, DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), blueberry, ashwaganda, ginseng, acetyl-L-carnitine, and more are all individual nutrients that have demonstrated the ability to enhance mental performance.

Vitamins to Help the Immune System

Improve Memory and Concentration with Simple Lifestyle Habits

Each of the above topics could be expanded into a book chapter.  I have spared you the work.  Essentially, the health of your brain and your risk for “old timers disease” is in your hands.  Your lifestyle drives your health and risk for diseases.  As the Framingham study poignantly expressed: “Our way of life is related to our way of death.” Incorporate these lifestyle habits to improve and maintain your brain health.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/4-ways-to-improve-focus-and-memory

Excerpted from 12 Keys to a Healthier Cancer Patient

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And drugs are often the best therapeutic choice, especially for pain management.  88% of Americans suffer from a metabolic disease, including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune, liver or kidney disease, etc.  For many metabolic diseases, lifestyle medicine, including the once banned “alternative therapies” become the most rational and effective therapies.

Fortunately, mass appeal and common sense has allowed the survival of these “alternative therapies”, more appropriately labeled: integrative, rational, holistic, lifestyle, complementary, functional.

Today we generally consider alternative medicine as a practice that has evolved with indigenous people and later accepted by others, largely as a result of emigration. We consider methods utilized in the western world and developed over the past couple hundred years as western medicine.

What is Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is also referred to as “integrative” or “complementary” medicine and are often used to describe medical practices used in the western world that are an alternative to western-based medical methods.

Alternative medicine therapies are based on the all-inclusive approach, covering the mind, body and emotional well-being of the individual. A number of healing techniques are incorporated into this type of medicine. Doctors are now more aware and more willing to advise patients of the benefits of alternative therapies and are now recommending therapies such as nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathy, energy healing and others.

According to a study in the International Journal of Health Sciences, complimentary medicine refers to therapies that complement traditional western (allopathic) medicine and alternative medicine refers to approaches taken in place of traditional medicine. Integrative medicine refers to combining complementary treatments with convention care. The basic philosophy of complementary and alternative medicine include holistic are, which focuses on treatment a human being as a whole person.

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine

We have an extensive network of protective factors that circulate throughout our bodies to kill any bacteria, virus, yeast or cancer cells and fall under the umbrella of alternative therapies.  Think of these 20 trillion immune cells as both your Department of Defense and your waste disposal company. Cells in your body are duplicating all day every day at a blinding pace.  This process of growth is fraught with peril.  When cells are not copied exactly as they should be, then an emergency call goes out to the immune system to find and destroy this abnormal saboteur cell.  This process occurs frequently in most people throughout their lives.

Nearly half, or 42% of Americans can expect to develop cancer in their lifetime, yet most experts agree that everyone gets cancer about 6 times per lifetime.  Same with infections.  We are constantly bombarded with pathogens from our air, food, and water; yet it is the surveillance of an alert and capable immune system that defends most of us from cancer, infections, and premature aging.

What are Some Examples of Alternative Medicine?

Nutrition

There are many reasons why nutrition should be considered front line therapy:

1) Basic Nutrition

You are what you eat. Your body is composed of nutrients consumed over your lifetime. Your body is built from, repaired by, regulated by, and fueled by the nutrients in your diet. There are basic macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate, fat, fiber, water) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) that are taught in all approved nutrition courses around the world. But there is more to nutrition than this basic need.

2) Beyond Nutritional Deficiencies

While 10 mg/day of vitamin C will prevent scurvy in most adults, 90 mg/day will lower the risk for various cancers by 50%, and 1000 mg/day will help to reduce bleeding and bruising in older adults. Beyond deficiencies demonstrates that many nutrients take on meta-nutrient functions when provided at beyond survival dosages. Bruce Ames, PhD at the University of California Berkeley has shown that long term low intake of various nutrients creates fragile DNA, which eventually leads to cancer and/or premature aging. There is a huge difference between surviving and thriving financially, emotionally, physically, and nutritionally.

3) Quasi Nutrients

There are conditionally essential nutrients found throughout our food supply that are not considered essential for survival but have been shown to be incredibly useful at preventing or reversing common ailments. Coenzyme Q, lipoic acid, EPA and DHA from fish oil, sulforaphane and DIM from broccoli,

Bioflavonoids and carotenoids in abundance from fresh fruits and vegetables, ellagic acid in dark berries, lycopenes in tomatoes. And on it goes. In order to survive long enough to have two children and keep your DNA in the gene pool, you can eat almost anything that keeps you alive. If you want to thrive beyond those 20 years, then you need to be more cautious about your nutrient intake.

4) Herbal Nutrition

Herbal remedies are considered gentle on the system, effective to a large extent and without the potentially damaging side effects caused by prescriptions. For example, herbs such as sarsaparilla are used to detoxify the blood and cleanse it. Herbs such as yarrow maybe used as an anti-inflammatory for muscle and joint pain. Natural ingredients such as turmeric are used to treat the symptoms of autoimmune disorders and is widely accepted in helping getting healthier after cancer treatment.

Scientists have proven beyond argument that medicinal spices could become front line therapies in the near future. Use these spices often liberally. For more details on the efficacy of these spices, see HEALING SPICES by Bharat B. Aggarwal, PhD.

5) Intermittent Fasting

There is abundant data showing the mental and physical benefits of intermittent fasting. For 2 million years of adaptation, humans faced chronic food scarcity. These cave dwellers were physically fit enough to catch and kill an animal or the human died. They consumed abundant plant food with naturally occurring pesticides that eventually became protective against aging and cancer. We now eat too much and too often. We are obese and unfit, and avoid any food that does not taste like ice cream or soda. And that lifestyle is killing advanced civilizations by the millions.

Intermittent fasting has been shown to lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and increase lifespan. Intermittent fasting gives the digestive tract a break, allowing for regeneration of cells. IF offers a wealth of benefits with zero cost.

Mind-body Harmony

Many ancient cultures assumed that the mind exerts powerful influences on bodily functions and vice versa. Attempts to reassert proper harmony between these bodily systems led to the development of mind-body medicine, an array of approaches that incorporate spiritual, meditative, and relaxation techniques.

Meditation

Alternative systems of medicine often utilize multiple approaches. For example, traditional Chinese medicine incorporates acupuncture, herbal medicines, special diets, and meditative exercises such as tai chi. An eight week study conducted by Harvard researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) determined that meditation literally rebuilds the brains grey matter in just eight weeks. It’s the very first study to document that meditation produces changes over time in the brain’s grey matter. (1)

Creative Visualization

Picture your body the way you want it to be. Crowd out the disease with visions of health. Focus on that image for at least 30 minutes daily. Feel the feelings of being healthy, alive, alert, vibrant, and eager to address each new day. Since your mind is working all the time anyway, you might as well direct your mind toward thoughts of peace and healing as opposed to “awefulizing” about today and tomorrow.

Body-Based Approaches

Chiropractic

This includes methods such as massage which have long been recognized in certain cultures. In the 19th century, additional formal manipulative disciplines emerged in the United States: this includes chiropractic and osteopathic medicine which are widely accepted in the alternative medicine world. Both these approaches attempt to relieve structural forces on vertebrae and spinal nerve roots. This relief can help release stresses that are possibly evoking a panoply of illnesses beyond mere musculoskeletal pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used in Asian cultures for centuries as they believed that good health depends on the balance and flow of energy throughout the body. The ancient Greeks believed that health requires a balance of vital humors. Acupuncture, replaces vital energy flow by placing needles at critical body points.

Results from a number of studies suggest that acupuncture may help ease types of pain that are often chronic such as low-back pain, neck pain, and osteoarthritis/knee pain. It also may help reduce the frequency of tension headaches and prevent migraine headaches. (3)

Reiki

The Reiki is an energy healing approach that originated in Japan and Tibet. Reiki involves the use of energy—either biofield- or bioelectromagnetic-based interventions. Reiki aims to realign and strengthen healthful energies through the intervention of energies radiating from the hands of a master healer. The practitioner does not use their own energy but serves as a channel and directs the energy towards the receiver. Reiki can bring overall balance to the body.

Light Energy

Some therapists use light therapy to heal. There are over 50,000 peer reviewed articles on the therapeutic application of laser therapy, as encapsulated in the academically affiliated textbook by Harvard professor Michael Hamblin in PHOTOBIOMODULATION. Since sunlight is the beginning of life on earth
via photosynthesis, it seems obvious that there is healing potential in selective use of the light spectrum. Babies born with jaundice are exposed to a particular light therapy that induces oxidation of the bilirubin, thus curing the jaundice.

Homeopathy

Allopathic medicine is based on concentration of active ingredients. Homeopathy takes the exact opposite approach, the more you dilute the substance, the more potent it becomes. These two sciences cannot peacefully co-exist, until you bring in the science of energy medicine. Homeopathic preparations have nothing more than the “fingerprint” of the original atom or molecule, which is why they work. Energy medicine with no toxicity.

Lifestyle Factors for Improved Wellness

Lifestyle factors effecting health vary in strength and direction.  For instance, a small plane flying at 100 miles per hour north into a head wind at 120 mph has a ground speed of -20 mph.  Progress is seriously impaired by the opposing force of the wind.

All lifestyle factors are vectors which either move you toward illness or wellness.  Consider the person who is smoking (-80 mph), eats a low fat diet (+60 mph), takes vitamin supplements (+40 mph), has a stressful attitude (-100 mph), and eats a high sugar diet (-80).  The overwhelming direction for this person is toward illness, even though he or she is doing some things right.  Health is a sum total of vectors.  For optimal health, take a look at alternative medicine and get all lifestyle factors heading in a favorable direction.

Why Broccoli Sprouts Can Fight Cancer

Alternative Medicine to Fight Disease

Disease and illnesses arise when the body’s immune system revolts against body tissues or results in changes to an organ’s regular functions, causing a range of terrible symptoms and in extreme cases resulting in death. Over 80 autoimmune illnesses have been found that commonly affect the blood cells, blood vessels, thyroid, pancreas, joints, muscles, connective tissues and skin. Many illnesses exhibit similar symptoms such as inflammation, sleep disorders, digestion problems, headaches, depression, fatigue, joint and muscle pain and fevers.

While there are not many known cures for various diseases, natural remedies have proven to be effective in helping to soothe and in some cases restore the natural balance of an over-active immune system. Natural anti-inflammatories can work to repair and restore a body’s self-healing mechanism.

Why Alternative Medicine is Better?

What if meditation could reverse mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and insomnia without medication? What if intermittent fasting could reverse most cases of type 2 diabetes and obesity? What if a couple thousand dollars invested in lifestyle reprogramming could prevent the need for patients institutionalized with stroke or heart disease? What if improved nutrition could prevent and reverse many common ailments? What if a healthy lifestyle could prevent and reverse most degenerative diseases. These are not hypothetical dreams for the future. These are therapies awaiting you right now. They work. They have little or no side effects. They are dramatically cheaper than drugs and surgeries. Let the future of health care begin.

(as excerpted from 12 Keys to a Healthier Cancer Patient)

https://www.nih.gov/

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According to Charles Mueller, clinical assistant professor of nutrition at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, “Cocoa beans are not unlike red peppers, green peppers and broccoli and stuff like that. They are full of phytochemicals that are good for you.”

Dark chocolate can help in lowering your Body Mass Index (a measure of obesity) through the following mechanisms:

Reduce Sugar Spikes With Dark Chocolate

Cacao rich, dark chocolate is more like a whole food, which supplies carbohydrate, protein, fiber and heart-healthy fat to your body. The nutritional composition (fats, fiber, and protein) and antioxidants content of cacao has an influence on your body’s metabolism. So, when you eat dark chocolate it reduces digestion and absorption of fats and carbohydrates, and in turn lowers chances of sugar spikes inside your body. As a result you experience a feeling of fullness for longer period of time and lesser food cravings for unhealthy (sweet, salty or fatty) snack foods between meals.  

Foods to improve eye health

Food contains known essential vitamins, minerals, and “sub-nutrients” along with some very intriguing conditionally essential nutrients (like lycopenes and ellagic acid) that can bring us beyond surviving a life of chronic illness into thriving with optimal health and vitality.

Dark Chocolate Helps Controls Appetite

Ghrelin is a hormone produced inside your body to increase your appetite. Even the smell of dark chocolate can cause a reduction in ghrelin.

Some studies suggest cacao has monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO) and coumarin that work as appetite suppressants. Dark chocolate also contains saturated fat but those are not bad for you. In fact, you need healthy fats when you are trying to lose weight, as these keep you full for longer and help in controlling your appetite.

Better Regulation of Blood Glucose

When blood sugar rises inside your body, pancreas secretes insulin to escort extra blood glucose into the fat cells. However, repeated release of insulin due to consumption of high carbohydrate and sugary diet can cause insulin resistance in your cells. Insulin-resistance make people lose the ability to feel full, as these nutrition deprived cells keep on sending signals to get more food.

Additionally, high insulin levels in the blood also turn off the fat-burning mechanisms of your body, which also leads to weight gain. Various nutrients found in cacao significantly increase the insulin sensitivity of your cells. So, when you eat dark chocolate it reduces serum insulin levels and helps in better regulation of your blood glucose levels.

Dark Chocolate May Reduce Emotional Overeating

On psychological level when people feel stressed their body triggers release of cortisol. This hormone causes their body to secrete more insulin, which leads to overeating and a tendency to increase abdominal fat. Cacao has antioxidants polyphenols and other chemicals (phenylethylamine (PEA), anandamide and theobromine) that boost your mood naturally by stimulating your brain to release natural pain and stress relieving chemicals. This feeling of euphoria promotes an overall sense of well-being and alleviates depression.

It’s heartening to know that a moderate amount of dark chocolate can be very healthy for you!

Consistent consumption of moderate amount of dark chocolate also found helpful in reducing excretion of cortisol. So, when you eat dark chocolate you feel more peaceful and contended, which in turn reduce your chances to seek and eat unhealthy (sweet, salty or fatty) comfort foods.

A study in the Journal of Proteome Research looked at the effects of eating 1.4 ounces (40 grams) of dark chocolate every day for two weeks on blood and urine measures of stress in 30 healthy adults. The results showed that eating dark chocolate daily reduced stress hormone levels in those who had high anxiety levels.

Dark Chocolate Stimulates the Mind and Body

Studies show that dark chocolate also have a stimulating effect on your body that makes you more likely to move and burn more calories in the process.

Lower Body Mass Index (BMI)

Research has also shown that people who regularly consume dark chocolate tend to be slimmer. In one study when a Pennsylvania State University researcher looked at the diet, calorie intake and body mass index (BMI) of healthy adult women and men of all ages, people who ate dark chocolate a few times per week were, on average, had lower BMI than those who ate it occasionally. This study suggests that chocolate contains antioxidant compounds especially catechins that have metabolism-boosting benefits. So, when you eat dark chocolate these compounds help you improve your lean muscle mass and favor weight loss rather than fat synthesis.

In another study researchers have found a group of compounds called oligomeric procyanidins (PCs) in dark chocolate that is most effective for preventing weight gain and obesity. In this study mice, who were fed oligomeric PCs had the lowest fat mass, lowest body weight and were least likely to develop impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, despite eating a high-fat diet.

Nutrient Deficiency or Disease?

Other Reasons Why Dark Chocolate Should be in Your Diet

Dark chocolate is a good addition to your healthy diet plan to lose weight.  “Eat dark chocolate, not white chocolate,” says researcher Mee Young Hong, PhD, associate professor at San Diego State University. She compared dark and white chocolate, looking at health effects, such as improving cholesterol. Dark chocolate was the clear winner, she says.

Exposure to pollution, unhealthy foods and stress release free radical activity inside your body which can cause serious damage in the form of premature aging and chronic degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Cocoa in dark chocolate has one of the highest levels of polyphenols that exhibit excellent antioxidant capacity to cease this free radical damage.

These antioxidants in dark chocolate help reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by reducing inflammation and plaque formation in the arteries, improving circulation and blood flow to the heart and lowering of blood pressure. Antioxidants in dark chocolate also helps in promoting healthy heart and brain function, slowing down the effects of aging on your skin, improving your vision and may aid in cancer prevention.

So, don’t feel guilty when you indulge in your cravings for this delicious treat. However, moderation is the key to improving and maintain health and receiving the maximum health benefit from dark chocolate. Stick to dark chocolate that contains at least 70 percent cacao and consume it in moderation (an ounce) three days a week and beware of the sugar.

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Attitude, Meditation, Community ….

Stress, loneliness, hate, revenge, fear, and a sense of being overwhelmed generate a mind filled with depression and anxiety.  “You cannot be grateful and unhappy at the same time.”  Start each day with a sense of appreciation for what you do have, not focusing on what you don’t have.  Spend at least 15 minutes daily in meditation.  Still the mind.  Focus on a word or phrase that brings you peace.  Forgive others.  Let the Universe take care of their punishment.  Give away your time and money to those in need.  Altruistic people and volunteers live longer and healthier lives.  Maintain social connections.  Stay involved with your community, friends, and family.

Foods to Fight Bad Breath

What Affects Cognitive Function?

Nutrition

You are what you eat.  The mind is a blatant scoreboard for your nutrient intake.  A deficiency of nearly any nutrient can eventually lead to mental problems.  For example, studies show that up to 20% of dementia in the elderly is strictly due to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and/or folate.  Lithium and magnesium are key minerals in protecting and nourishing the brain.  Fish oil feeds the brain with critical fatty acids for mental health.  A Harvard psychiatrist authored a book on fish oil in mental health as being front line therapy for depression, anxiety, and dementia.

Obesity

Obesity increases the risk for depression and Alzheimer’s while intermittent fasting lowers the risk for cognitive decline.  Developed nations eat too much, too often and the wrong foods.  While the average person consumes 152 pounds of sugar each year, that sugar ends up “cooking” the brain through advanced glycation end products.

Medications

Alcohol abuse is directly linked to depression and Alzheimer’s.  Modest consumption of red wine, green tea, coffee, and dark chocolate can protect and enhance brain functions.  Many prescription drugs (such as statins for cholesterol, hypertensive meds, anti-anxiety, Parkinson’s drugs, anti-seizure, sleeping aids, anti-depressants) can cause memory loss.

Toxins

The modern world has dumped a plethora of toxins into our air, food, and water.  Add in the giant experiment of massive amounts of electro-magnetic “smog” from wifi, radio, microwave, cell phones and towers and you have the making of disturbing the brain’s ability to function.  Toxic metals; such as lead, mercury, aluminum, and arsenic; can drastically alter the brain’s ability to function.

How to Improve Cognitive Function

Nutrition Supplements Can Enhance Cognitive Performance

There are numerous supplements, from essential vitamins and minerals to obscure precursors of brain chemicals, that can enhance cognitive performance.  Acetyl L carnitine, L glutamine, L pyroglutamic acid, DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol), ashwaganda, blueberry, ginkgo, ginseng, vinpocetine, lithium, phosphatidylserine are among the leaders in this enticing field of nootropics.  The risk to benefit to cost ratio is highly in favor of experimenting with these inexpensive supplements.

Exercise and Activity for Improved Brain Function

Activity not only supports the body but also the mind.  Active people have enhanced circulation to the brain which protects the brain from oxygen deficiency.  Schedule 30 minutes daily of some form of exercise: swimming, walking, dancing, biking, cardio, etc.  Ballroom dancing has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimer’s by 73%.  There is no downside here.

Deep Sleep Restores Brain Function

Deep restorative sleep is rare in the developed world.  Too many people get too little sleep, stay up too late, and awake exhausted.  Sleep is crucial to rebuild the brain at night.

Use it or lose it

There are about 100 billion nerve cells in the human brain, each cell connected (synapse) to a thousand other cells, making roughly 100 trillion junctions that may be responsible for memory.  Then there are the glial cells that do not conduct electricity, but are the maintenance crew in the brain and charged with eliminating unused neuron junctions.  An army of brilliant neuroscientists have spent the last half century analyzing the weaknesses and potential of the human brain.  Exotic research shows that you must “use it or lose it”.  The glial cells roam around the brain and take out unused junctions.  Hence, the need to keep the brain active through work, play, dance, reading, games, travel, and more.

Vitamins to Help the Immune System

Cognitive Function Can Be Restored

For decades, scientists and physicians told us that the human brain begins to lose cells and mental capacity around age 40.  That Alzheimer’s disease is irreversible.  We now have evidence to the contrary on both of these axioms.  The plasticity of the human brain is remarkable.  We can continue to have substantial mental abilities well into our senior years.  Alzheimer’s disease is reversible.  Respect your brain.  You need it.  Treat it with the support ideas listed above and you will have a razor sharp mind instead of cognitive decline.

The post How to Improve Cognitive Function appeared first on ImmunoPower Nutrition.

Medicinal use of apple cider vinegar can be traced back to Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, who used it to treat wounds. In the 10th century, Sung Tse, the founder of forensic medicine, recommended use of apple cider vinegar, also known as ACV, together with sulfur to protect from infection when conducting autopsies. In recent times, popularity of ACV has been on the rise. [1]

Origins of Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is made by fermenting apples for several weeks or months. The sugar in apples is first fermented to alcohol and later to acetic acid, the main active ingredient in apple cider vinegar. During the second phase of fermentation, acetic acid bacteria, also known as acetobacter and some beneficial yeast grow in numbers and accumulate to form a non-toxic layer of slime on the surface of the vinegar. This layer of slime is called mother due to its richness in nutrients and health benefits.

In ACV, we find the concentrated essence of the best of apples coupled with limitless by-products of bacterial fermentation, including acetic acid. Vinegar was probably first discovered over 10,000 years ago, when our ancient ancestors found that some foods  ferment into alcohol, with the next fermentation step creating vinegar. Vinegar was first mentioned for its medicinal value in Babylonia around 7000 years ago.

Vinegar holds a rich place in history and is mentioned often throughout the Bible. It has been said that God is always trying to make vinegar and it’s the winemaker’s job to interrupt the process at wine.

How Acidic is Apple Cider Vinegar

The word acid is derived from acetum (Latin, “vinegar”). Bases were substances that were usually soapy to the touch and that could react with acids in water to form neutral salts. Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, one is a common base or alkaline agent in your kitchen. Vinegar or lemon juice is a common acid used in the kitchen.

Easy herbal medicines to improve your health

pH (potential hydrogen atoms) ranges from one to 14. One is a very strong acid. 14 is a very strong base. Water is neutral at pH 7. Human blood is slightly acidic at 7.41. Vinegar is a strongly acidic solution with a pH of around two, which is why Cleopatra was able to dissolve a pearl in glass of vinegar. I have not tried this experiment.

What Can Apple Cider Vinegar Do

Several studies in animals and humans have found that acetic acid and apple cider vinegar may promote fat burning and weight loss, decrease blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and improve cholesterol levels externally for all kinds of cosmetic and disinfectant purposes, and can be used in so many jobs around the house that it merits the name: “panacea”.

What is in Apple Cider Vinegar

A substance known as ‘the mother’ (or vinegar mother) forms during the vinegar-making process. The vinegar mother is made up of proteins, enzymes and ‘good’ bacteria – all things good for you. It may look like strands or cobwebs in the vinegar or it may be like a gelatinous blob. This gives ACV its cloudy-brown appearance. ‘The mother’ can be used to kick-start further batches of ACV because it triggers the fermentation process. ‘The mother’ is recognized as being the primary substance that’s responsible for the health benefits of apple cider vinegar.

Apple cider vinegar is filled with many nutritional elements. While not high in vitamins or minerals good quality products contain additional amino acids and antioxidants.

• Pectin
• Vitamins B1, B2, B6
• Biotin
• Folic Acid
• Niacin
• Panthonthenic acid
• Vitamin C
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Polyphenol
• Amino Acids

How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Work?

The very important but confusing aspect of eating an acidic food, like vinegar or lemon juice, is that it creates an alkaline environment in the body. What happens is the acid gets to the small intestines, where the pancreas detects acid in the gut, then releases a bicarbonate buffer into the bloodstream. The bloodstream of a healthy adult has a pH which is mildly alkaline, about 7.41.

Benefits of “Post Biotics”

Take milk as the “prebiotic”. Add lactobacillus as the “probiotic”. The the resulting fermented milk is yogurt, which is rich in metabolic byproducts of fermentation, aka “post biotics”. Same thing happens with cabbage to sauerkraut. Same thing happens when we eat plant fiber, aka resistant starches, and feed our friendly bacteria in the gut, who then produce a bewildering array of useful/essential post biotics, such as butyrate and hydrogen.

Unpasteurized vinegar not only contains these post biotics in abundance, but a rich assortment of probiotics, primarily concentrated in the “mother”. All of which is good for the gut, digestion, the microbiome, blood glucose, and metabolic pH. Remember “death begins in the gut”. Keep your gut healthy as a frontline defense against diseases and premature aging.

Gut Microbiome For Better Health

Science backed benefits of apple cider vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is becoming increasing popular as a home remedy and a one-stop medicinal aid. There are many reasons to include it in your daily routine and research shows ACV has many healthful properties.

Known for its ability to control blood sugar

One of the most studied benefits of ACV is its ability to regulate blood sugars for both diabetics and those without diabetes. Some researchers believe that high blood sugar levels are a major cause of aging and chronic disease. A recent study showed vinegar consumption to have a glucose-lowering effect in patients with glucose abnormalities. A mixture of vinegar and olive oil is a common salad dressing used in the Mediterranean diet. The main constituent of vinegar is acetic acid, which gives vinegar its characteristic taste and smell. The consumption of vinegar with meals was used as a folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes before any pharmacologic glucose-lowering therapy [1, 2] Additionally, vinegar ingestion at bedtime has been shown to decrease fasting glucose levels in humans with type 2 diabetes. Apple cider vinegar helps to stabilize blood sugar levels. It also reduces the glycemic index of food. It has been suggested that ACV works similarly to metformin, a drug used by diabetics to control blood sugar level. But because apple cider vinegar is more of a food than a drug, it doesn’t pose the side effects posed by drugs like metformin. [4]According to this study [5], taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar at bedtime can reduce fasting glucose levels by 4-6 percent.

This study [6] found that eating breakfast containing vinegar can decrease blood glucose levels by up to 55 percent.

May reduce blood pressure

A study in 2001 found that the acetic acid itself, the main component of vinegar, significantly reduced both blood pressure and renin activity compared to controls given no acetic acid or vinegar. The same study reported a significant reduction in systolic blood pressure (approximately 20 mm Hg) in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats fed a standard laboratory diet mixed with either vinegar or an acetic acid solution as compared with SHR rats fed the same diet mixed with deionized water.

Anti-tumor activity

One of the less known benefits of apple cider vinegar is its potential in fighting cancer. According to a number of studies, consumption of apple cider vinegar could help in the prevention and treatment for cancer.

This study [2] found that acetic acid, the main ingredient in apple cider vinegar, kills stomach cancer cells. While the study involved the application of acetic acid to stomach cancer cells in test tubes, the study seriously suggests that apple cider vinegar has potential as a treatment for some types of stomach cancers.

Additionally, there are other studies that suggest that consumption of vinegar could offer some level of prevention from esophageal cancer [3]

At 40 days post-inoculation, vinegar-fed mice in both experimental groups had significantly smaller tumor volumes when compared with their control counterparts. Vinegars are also a dietary source of polyphenols, compounds synthesized by plants to defend against oxidative stress. Ingestion of polyphenols in humans enhances in vivo antioxidant protection and reduces cancer risk.

It is worth to note that cancerous cells produce lactic acid as they grow. It is also worth noting that the ideal blood pH ranges between 7.35 – 7.45. Deviation from this pH range can negatively impact many functions in the body. In general, the body has mechanisms to tightly control blood pH. Actually, some acid foods, like lemon juice and vinegar, have an “alkaline tide” from their potassium content that helps to stabilize blood pH.

Kills harmful bacteria

Vinegar can help kill pathogens, including bacteria. Vinegar is a food preservative and can inhibit E. coli in foods. ACV has a history of use as a disinfectant.

Supports the immune function

Apple cider vinegar has powerful detoxifying properties including liver detoxification and toning the lymphatic system. Additionally, ACV is rich in antioxidants which help reduce free radicals in the body and ultimately reduce oxidative stress. Detoxification and reduction in free radicals help to improve homeostatic balance. [7, 8]

Studies have also shown that ACV is antimicrobial. This means that ACV can be a healthier alternative to chemical medications. And because it is a food product, it can help keep away various microbes and therefore minimize infections. For instance, ACV can kill mycobacterium tuberculosis which is otherwise resistant to most disinfectants. [9]

ACV can therefore support the immune function by preventing various infections. This is especially helpful in people with compromised immunity.

Helps to reduce weight

Regular consumption of apple cider vinegar can help in losing excess weight. ACV is believed to work by regulating appetite and satiety. [10]

According to a number of studies [11, 12, 13] ACV interferes with the working of some enzymes involved in synthesis of carbohydrates and thereby controls blood glucose levels. ACV also helps the liver to better deal with lipogenesis and synthesis of fatty acids. This leads to healthier cholesterol levels. ACV also helps in detoxification which improves liver functions. All these play a part in supporting weight loss and overall health.

Regulates the body’s pH

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over research studied tested the efficacy of the organic apple cider vinegar on alleviation of the heartburn symptom related to Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Can prevent heart disease

Studies show that apple cider vinegar can help improve cardiovascular health in a number of ways. Regular consumption of ACV helps to lower cholesterol levels in blood. This leads to a lower incidence of high blood pressure and ultimately heart disease. [14, 15, 16]

Most of the available studies have been conducted on laboratory animals. However, there are human studies that have shown that ACV can control blood sugar levels and therefore help manage diabetes. Diabetes complications can lead to high blood pressure and ultimately, heart disease. Another human study conducted on women subjects found that, eating salads containing vinegar led to a significant reduction in the risk of developing heart disease. [17]

Preserves food

Apple cider vinegar has been used successfully to preserve foods for ages. This method of food preservation is making a serious comeback. And while distilled vinegar is used in conventional home pickling, use of apple cider vinegar has been growing steadily especially with health conscious individuals. The only downside is that ACV can discolor fruits and veggies. [18]

Besides preserving food, the antimicrobial properties of ACV also come in handy when it is used to wash fruits and vegetables. Even the FDA has confirmed that vinegar, besides lemon juice, are readily available, effective household sanitizers. [19]

Reduce pain for insect bite, stinging nettle, poison ivy, jelly fish

Immediate vinegar application at the site of jellyfish stings is practiced at various coastal locations around the world because vinegar deactivates the nematocysts.

Other apple cider vinegar  benefits

While there aren’t reliable scientific studies proving it, according to folklore apple cider vinegar has many more health benefits. From various reports, ACV can help treat heartburn, dandruff, warts, relieve sore throat and cough, and soothe sunburn.

Side Effects of Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV mixed with water, juice, or another liquid is safe to drink, and it’s fine to use it on food. However, with a pH between 2.4 and 3.3, vinegar is acidic enough to erode tooth enamel, inflame the esophagus and stomach, and trigger nausea and acid reflux.

It may also interfere with some medicines, including diabetes medicines and diuretics (fluid tablets). Always check with your doctor before starting any new supplements, especially if you take regular medicines.

Should I Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Vinegar is one of the most versatile, tasty, and health additions to any kitchen. Because of its acid content, vinegar is able to tenderize, meats, add tartness to flavors, curdle milk, and preserve foods· from bacterial infection. Regular consumption and use is good, but don’t expect it to cure all ailments. Always consult with your health professional.

Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe

You can buy apple cider vinegar, but it’s also easy to make from scratch. It costs next to nothing since apple scraps are typically discarded when using apple in other recipes.

Ingredients

• Apple peelings or cores
• Sugar (1 tablespoon per one cup of water
• Filtered/Non-Chlorinated Water
• Glass jar (a quart is a great place to start, but you can definitely make larger quantities, too, in which case, use a half gallon jar.)

Directions

1. Submerge apple scraps in water and mix in a little sugar.
2. Cover jar with paper towel or coffee filter.
3. Allows to sit for 2-3 weeks.
4. After 2-3 weeks, strain. Remove apples.
5. Allow vinegar to sit at room temperature for 1 month.
6. When fermenting is complete, store vinegar in airtight container at room temperature.
7. Can keep for 6 months. May deteriorate if left longer at 6-12 months.

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