The Silver Bullets for Healing Adrenal Fatigue

It has been over three years since I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, and I am happy to report that although I am not fully healed, I am back to work and doing much better than I was three years ago!

People often want to know the secret to healing adrenals, but what they are looking for is a way to speed up recovery, a silver bullet.

I wish I could say that time was not a factor in healing. However, by following the advice on this website, you can advance your healing. I believe that all of the information contained here is important, and all of it should be followed. However, if I were to list what I believed to be the most essential components of healing for adrenal fatigue, the following things come to mind:

1) Diet. This is the most difficult aspect of healing. Those of us with adrenal fatigue feel as though our lives have been taken from us. Food is one of the few comforts we have left. However, if your digestive system is reacting to some of the foods that you are eating, or if you aren’t getting enough nutrition, your body won’t have the resources needed to heal. I don’t know of a cookie-cutter diet for all people with adrenal fatigue. I do believe that testing for food sensitivities and eliminating grains are wise choices. I fought my doctor on cutting grains for years. When I finally gave in and eliminated grains, I noticed that my skin cleared up and my sinuses and ears cleared.

2) Vitamin C. I can’t stress enough how important Vitamin C is for adrenal fatigue. Your adrenals need Vitamin C to function, and your body uses more Vitamin C while under stress. I can’t logically see how anyone with adrenal fatigue can recover without taking it, and for adrenal fatigue sufferers, we usually need large quantities of it. I noticed an improvement in my health when I upped my dosage to 6,000mg daily.

3) Licorice. I began drinking a licorice tea each morning. Licorice strengthens the adrenals. The benefit of taking licorice in a liquid form is that if you GI track isn’t functioning optimally, there is nothing to hinder absorption in a liquid form. After starting the licorice tea, I started feeling stronger.

4) Rest. Getting 8 hours of sleep each night is important. So is getting naps. I still take a daily nap unless it is impossible because of work.

5) Play. Having fun reduces stress, brings the body from a state of tension to a state of calm, and enhances healing. I met a new group of friends with similar interests, and as it turned out, 2013 was probably the most fun year of my life, even though I still had adrenal fatigue! All the enjoyment and laughter helped my body get stronger.

6) Spiritual Life. I wouldn’t be able to handle the stress that is exacerbated by this condition without regular prayer and a relationship with my Creator.

If you only did those six things, you would be doing your adrenals a great amount of good!

 

How Lemons Improve Health

Making dietary changes plays a significant role in improving health.  Lemons are a good choice to add to your diet because of their numerous health benefits.

How Lemons Help the Digestive System

In my previous blog post, I explained that most people have acidic digestive systems, and acidity can cause problems such as inflammation, toxicity, and decreased nutrient absorption. Lemons are highly alkalizing. Although lemons are acidic, when they are broken down, they deposit alkaline mineral salt compounds. When you drink lemon water before eating something that is acid-forming, such as protein, it can help your body maintain a more alkaline pH level.

Lemons not only alkalinize the gastro-intestinal tract, but also the urinary tract. This prevents build-up of the bad bacteria. In addition, they act as a diuretic so toxins can be eliminated at a faster rate.

The composition of lemons is similar to the hydrochloric acid of digestive juices. Therefore, they aid with digestion by stimulating the release of gastric juices and flushing out waste more efficiently when taken regularly. This helps prevent constipation. Lemons also relive indigestion, heartburn, and bloating.

Other Benefits of Lemons

Here are some other benefits of lemons:

• They reduce phlegm throughout the body.
• They stimulate the production of bile, which is helpful for detoxification. They also control excess bile flow.
• They are high in potassium. Low levels of potassium are associated with depression, anxiety, brain fog, and forgetfulness. Potassium also assists with steady heart rhythms, maintains brain and nerve functioning, and controls blood pressure.
• They are high in vitamin C, which supports the immune system, fights off colds, maintains healthy bones, and neutralizes free radicals.
• They freshen breath by killing off bad bacteria in the mouth.
• Lemon water can be gargled to soothe sore throat.

How to Take Lemons

The best way to get your daily dose of lemon is to squeeze at least half of a lemon into half a glass of warm water. Using a lemon squeezer will allow you to get the maximum amount of juice with minimal effort. Take the lemon water without sugar or artificial sweetener. If you must add something, then try either raw honey or stevia. Drink the warm lemon water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. For best results, wait one hour before eating.

 

http://www.naturalnews.com/033383_lemon_juice_digestion.html

http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/lemon%20water.htm

Is Your Body Too Acidic?

A healthy digestive system requires the right pH level. The pH level indicates how acidic or alkaline something is, with 1 being highly acidic, 7 neutral, and 14 highly alkaline. The digestive system has to work harder if the pH level is off. A digestive system that is too acidic may be the source of unexplained health complaints.

Why an Acidic Digestive System Is Problematic

Different parts of our digestive system require different pH levels. The stomach requires an acidic environment with a pH level ranging from 1-4. The small intestine requires an alkaline environment, with a pH ranging from 7 to 9.  The colon has a pH range of 5.5 to 7.

When the digestive system is too acidic, proteins and carbohydrates are not digested well, which can lead to fermentation, putrefaction, toxicity, inflammation, and weight gain. Too much acidity also decreases nutrient absorption.

The right pH level is especially important in the colon. When the environment in the colon is too acidic, oxygen gets used up and the environment becomes anaerobic (without oxygen). When this happens, the colon slows digestion and creates acidity, toxicity, and fat gain. An anaerobic environment is also ideal for the growth of the bad bacteria. The bad bacteria thrive in an environment where there is no oxygen, and the good bacteria thrive in an environment where oxygen is present.

In addition, cancer does not thrive in an alkaline environment. As our diets have become more acidic, incidences of colon cancer and ulcers have risen.

The body can become too alkaline, but when we eat alkaline-forming foods, the body is equipped to raise acid levels as needed. However, most people’s bodies are too acidic, and the body isn’t equipped to lower acid levels.

You can easily confirm whether or not your digestive system is too acidic by purchasing pH strips. These pH strips are inexpensive and require either saliva or urine. The paper will change color immediately and you can easily compare the color to the enclosed chart to determine your pH level. It is best to test your pH for an entire week.

Correcting the Problem

What we eat strongly influences the digestive system’s pH level. The typical American diet is a recipe for an acidic digestive system. The most offending foods are grains, sugars, and milk. Other acid-forming foods include corn, beans, and meats.

Protein requires large amounts of alkaline minerals for digestion. This is especially true of red meat. The digestive system will first look for minerals that are present in the digestive tract. If it doesn’t find any alkaline nourishment there, it draws on calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium minerals stored in our bones. Over time, this will affect overall health, and can lead to osteoporosis. Eating a diet that is rich in nutrients keeps the body from having to draw on minerals stored in bones.

It is impossible to completely restrict acid-forming foods. In addition, consuming antacids throws off the pH balance, as well as the digestive system’s ability to correct it. This could result in malnutrition and weight gain. Instead, ensure that plenty of alkaline-forming foods are consumed at each meal. However, some foods that we think of as acidic actually make our digestive systems alkaline. That is why I say alkaline-forming. Citrus fruits are acidic, but when they are consumed, they break down and deposit alkaline mineral salt compounds. In short, they are alkalizing. The best alkaline-forming foods to eat are raw, dark leafy green vegetables, lemons, limes, sweet potatoes, onions, and leeks.

For a more comprehensive list of acid-forming and alkaline-forming foods, click here http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/acidalkalinefoodchart.aspx

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/01/06/what-you-need-to-understand-about-your-digestive-system-to-improve-your-health.aspx

http://www.womentowomen.com/digestionandgihealth/phbalance.aspx

Laughter Can Improve Your Health

It’s obvious that laughter has a positive impact on us emotionally. We simply feel good after we laugh. However, research confirms that laughter also has numerous physical benefits that can improve health.      

As early as the 13^th century, surgeons used humor to distract patients from pain. In more recent years, researchers have conducted studies to learn the impact of laughter on health. These studies revealed that laughter produces numerous health benefits, including reduction of pain, decrease in stress-related hormones, and a strengthened immune system.

Humor is different than laughter. Humor is the stimulus that evokes laughter. Humor in itself has emotional and physiological benefits. Laugher, however, produces even greater benefits.  

Laughter and Hormones

A healthy endocrine system consists of a having properly balanced hormones. Hormonal levels that are too high or too low can lead to insomnia, weight gain, anxiety, depression, and other symptoms. Laughter can be of great help here.

Laughter can raise DHEA, a steroid hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. DHEA production declines with age, but DHEA is important in slowing the aging process, enhancing exercise performance, and strengthening mental skills. The body also converts DHEA into testosterone and estrogen.

Laughter also lowers several hormones that are related to stress. These include epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, and norepinephrine, which increases the rate of contractions in the heart. Laughter can also lower cortisol levels when they are too high. High cortisol levels are the result of stress, and long-term stress and high cortisol levels can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Laughter and the Circulatory System

 Laughter can improve the circulatory system by producing physiological results similar to those achieved through moderate exercise. Intense laughter will initially cause the heart and respiratory rates to rise, which will cause increased oxygen consumption. Following these changes, the muscles will relax and the respiratory rate will decrease. The heart rate will also decrease and blood pressure will drop.

Laughter and the Immune System

Laughter boosts the immune systems by increasing natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity. NK cells are white blood cells that can destroy cancerous and virally-infected cells without harming normal cells. A low level of NK cell activity is correlated with cancer.

Laughter and Tension                                         

Laughter eases tension by relaxing muscles throughout the body. In particular, it releases tension in the muscles of the face, neck, shoulder and abdomen, which are come areas of built-up tension. Uncontrolled laugher creates a convulsive reaction which loosens muscular tension and mobilizes breathing.

More Benefits of Laughter    

There are many more health benefits of laughter. Here are some of the more notable ones:

• It improves mental function, leaving you more alert, improving memory and creativity. 
• It stabilizes blood sugar.
• It reduces inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation can lead to serious health conditions.
• It gives the heart, lungs, diaphragm, and the abdominal muscles a light workout.  
• It eases digestion and soothes stomach aches.
• It relieves pain.
• It stimulates the hypothalamus to releases dopamine.  Dopamine influences the brain’s reward and pleasure centers.
• It stimulates the release of endorphins, which are capable of relieving pain and producing feelings of euphoria.

Find Something to Laugh about every Day

When I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue, part of my treatment was to find something to laugh about each day. Interestingly, the period of time when I laughed the most was the same period of time when I experienced the greatest improvement in my symptoms.

Of course, there are serious things in life that aren’t funny. I am not suggesting that we laugh away our problems. What I am suggesting is that if we learn to find more humor in life, then the resulting laughter can make our problems more manageable and can counteract the harmful impact on health that often accompanies stress.

 

http://www.cancercenter.com/treatments/laughter-therapy/

http://www.britannica.com/blogs/2008/07/funny-science-why-do-we-laugh-and-can-it-really-help-healing/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-frank-lipman/laughter-health_b_1380643.html

Dream Recall and Vitamin Deficiency

If you have trouble recalling your dreams, you may be deficient in vitamin B6. Also called pyridoxine, this vitamin’s importance goes beyond dream recall.

Vitamin B6 supports adrenal function. It helps produce serotonin, which regulates mood, sleep, and memory. It also produces dopamine, which helps control the brains reward and pleasure centers. It aids with depression, nerve injuries, and PMS.

Besides the inability to recall dreams, signs of deficiency include nerve damage of the hands and feet, cracked lips, confusion, depression, and insomnia.

B6 is a water-soluble vitamin. That means that it is not stored in your body; whatever your body doesn’t use for the day is flushed out of your system. The good news is that it is difficult to overdose on a water-soluble vitamin. However, this also means that you must take it daily.

The recommended dosage is 50mg-100mg daily. If you can’t remember your dreams after taking 100mg daily, then you may need a special form of B6 called Pyridoxyl 5 Phosphate (P5P). P5P is the natural form of B6. Since B vitamins compete with each other for absorption, it is best to take it as a B-complex supplement (containing all of the B vitamins).  Food sources include brewer’s yeast, bananas, legumes, carrots, spinach, potatoes, milk, cheese, eggs, fish, and sunflower seeds.

Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome

Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome (WTS) is a concept that may be of interest to those with symptoms of hypothyroidism. This concept was developed in 1988 by Dr. Denis Wilson (not to be confused with Dr. James L. Wilson, the guru for adrenal fatigue). The hallmark feature of Wilson’s Syndrome is low body temperature. Dr. Wilson believes that the body needs to be at a temperature of 98.6 degrees F to be operating optimally. Those with Wilson’s Syndrome, however, have a chronically low body temperature, usually around 97 degrees. Just as the body can’t function optimally with a fever, it also can’t operate optimally when too cold. When the body is too cold, the result is symptoms that mimic hypothyroidism. The goal is to get the body temperature up to 98.6 degrees and when this happens, symptoms are supposed to disappear.

What Causes Wilson’s Syndrome?

Wilson’s Syndrome develops in response to stress. Stress may come from a wide variety of sources. The most obvious ones include childbirth, divorce, or death of a loved one. Less obvious sources include chronic pressures at work or relationship troubles. While the body is under stress, metabolism slows in order to conserve energy. Once the stressful event has passed, metabolism should return to normal, but sometimes it doesn’t. This produces symptoms of hypothyroidism. Thyroid tests will be normal, but the body will respond to thyroid treatment.

How is it Diagnosed?

Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome cannot be diagnosed with a blood test. Instead, when symptoms of WTS are observed, other related conditions are ruled out. Then, you may try the WTS protocol to see if your body responds positively.

The main symptoms of WTS are low body temperature and normal thyroid blood tests. Here is where things get tricky. Low body temperature is also an indicator of hypothyroidism, and one can have hypothyroidism and also have normal blood tests. Please refer to the section on hypothyroidism for more information on this.

Other conditions that cause similar symptoms are liver disease, anemia, leukemia, and diabetes. Blood tests should be run to check for these conditions first. You should also be checked for a heart condition and for Addison’s Disease. These conditions may be worsened by starting Wilson’s Syndrome treatment.

Once other conditions are ruled out, some further information is required. To see if your body temperature is truly low, your temperature should be taken by mouth with a basal thermometer three times a day, starting three hours after waking. This process should be repeated for several days. For each day, add the three temperatures together and then divide by three to get the average. If your temperature consistently averages below 98.6, then Wilson’s Syndrome may be suspected.

Treatment

WTS protocol involves taking sustained-release T3 every 12 hours, to the minute. Some people report negative side effects if they take their dose late by as little as 5 minutes. Treatment also involves checking your pulse and your temperature daily. The starting dose of T3 is 7.5mcg, and this is increased by 7.5 mcg daily until the temperature reaches 98.6. However, there are two exceptions to this. The maximum dosage of T3 is 75 mcg of T3, twice daily. This amount of T3 should never be exceeded, even if the body temperature doesn’t reach 98.6 degrees. Furthermore, you should not increase your dose if your resting heart rate is over 100 beats per minute, or if you have palpitations.

If your body temperature reaches 98.6 degrees, you can stop increasing your dose, but keep taking your temperature. Your temperature will likely go down again. When this happens, you can cycle up your dose until the temperature is back up to 98.6. When your temperature remains at 98.6 for three weeks, your temperature is considered “captured.” Once the temperature is captured, you can stay on that dose for a period of time as decided by your doctor. After this period of time passes, you will wean down off of your T3. However, you will want to decrease your dose slowly to prevent your temperature from dropping, so that means decreasing your dose by 7.5mcg every 2-8 days, depending on how your body responds. You will eventually wean off the T3 completely for about 2 days and then begin the process again. However, chances are that your temperature will be captured at a lower dose the second time around.

Temperature doesn’t always go up on the first round, but it usually does on the second. The process is repeated for about 6 months. The process of cycling up and down on T3 for about six months is supposed to reset your metabolism so your body temperature remains at 98.6 degrees.

Does this Work?

I tried the WTS protocol two years ago. I learned the procedure my doctor, not from Dr. Wilson’s website. Now I realize that I did not follow the protocol correctly. Therefore, I am not sure if my experience is the best indicator of whether this treatment is effective. However, it could serve as an example of how important it is to follow the procedure extremely carefully.

The first mistake I made was that I never took my temperature. I simply cycled up on my T3 by 7.5 mcg a day until I reached the maximum dose of 75mcg, and then I cycled down. My symptoms were horrendous. I had major heart palpitations that sometimes woke me up at night. These continued for a year after stopping treatment. I had never had palpitations before beginning the protocol. I was also so fatigued that I couldn’t think straight. Once I had to cancel a doctor’s appointment because I didn’t think it was safe for me to drive. This was the first time in 19 years of battling fatigue that I felt this way. I stopped treatment at the direction of my doctor in the middle of my second cycle.

It is difficult for me to recommend a treatment that I had such a negative response to, although my poor experience could have been the result of not doing it correctly. If you decide to try this, make sure that you fully understand the protocol. I have included links at the bottom of this article. It would be interesting to hear from others who have tried this treatment and to learn what their experience was.

http://www.wilsonssyndrome.com/

Click to access PatientOrientationSheet.pdf

The Benefits of Coconut Oil

If you want to lose weight and improve your health, try consuming coconut oil. I usually swallow a heaping spoonful each morning. It has a slightly sweat, creamy taste.

No, I haven’t lost my mind. While it’s true that coconut oil is a saturated fat, a lot of misinformation has been spread about saturated fats and unsaturated fats.

Vegetable Oils and Heart Disease

For the last 60 years, the health care industry has been convincing the public that saturated fats are bad for the heart, while lauding vegetable oils as heart-healthy. During this same time, there has been a dramatic rise in heart disease. In fact, heart disease is the number one killer in America. This was not true before Americans began to massively consume vegetable oil.

In contrast, Pacific Islanders, who regularly consume saturated fats in the form of coconut oil, have almost no incidents of heart disease.

Coconut oil may actually be one of the most beneficial products you can take for your health. It helps fight hypothyroidism and chronic fatigue syndrome. It also helps lower cholesterol. Surprised? Read on!

A Lesson from the Past

Back in the 1940s, cattle ranchers decided to fatten their livestock by using coconut oil. Their plan backfired. Instead of becoming fat, the cows became lean and active. In contrast, when they began to feed the cows corn and soybeans, they got their desired results. The cows gained weight, and corn and soy have been used as cattle feed ever since.

Scientists would soon find that unsaturated fats suppress metabolism. This can cause hypothyroidism. Unsaturated fats also damage mitochondria through oxidation and enzyme suppression. This is an important point for those who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome, because people with chronic fatigue syndrome tend to have damaged mitochondria.

Saturated verses Unsaturated Fats

Let’s take a closer look at vegetable oils. Vegetable oils are extracted from plants and seeds, and they include corn, cottonseed, peanut, sunflower, olive, and safflower oil. Most vegetable oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). PUFAs are fragile, unstable, and prone to oxidation. They are highly processed when manufactured. It isn’t easy to make oil out of a seed. If you squeeze an olive, oil comes out, but what comes out of a sunflower seed if you squeeze it?  Nothing. In order to process PUFAs, high heat, extreme pressure, and chemicals are used. The finished product often contains residual chemicals.

PUFAs produce free radicals and can increase inflammation in the body. They can also disrupt metabolism because they interfere with the activity of the thyroid. Often, the results are slow metabolism and weight gain.

Even after you stop consuming PUFAs, they remain stored in bodily tissues and are released during times of stress or fasting. They bind with cells and interfere with chemical reactions in the body. They destroy the mitochondria in the cells, and they impair communication between cells. They create the perfect conditions for hormonal disruption and disease.

The only safe vegetable oil is olive oil, but olive oil is easily damaged by heat and is not suitable for cooking.

The truth is that you need some saturated fat. Saturated fat reduces levels of lipoprotein, a risk factor for heart disease. It is also necessary for calcium absorption. The brain is made up of saturated fats and cholesterol, and depriving the brain of saturated fats impairs repair and function. Saturated fats also improve the immune system by strengthening white blood cells.

Omega-3s verses Omega-6s

Vegetable oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Our cells contain only a small amount of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. They are mostly composed of saturated and monosaturated fat. Consuming large amounts of omega-6 creates an imbalance in our bodies.

Omega-6 oils increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. They also increase inflammation, a major cause of disease.

Olive oil is about 10% omega-6. It is fine in moderation but it’s not the best oil.

What Makes Coconut Oil Special

Coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFAs). Most vegetable oils are made of long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). LCFAs are difficult to break down because they require special enzymes for digestion. This puts more strain on the liver, pancreas, and the digestive system. LCFAs are also stored in the body as fat, and they can be deposited into the arteries as cholesterol.

In contrast, MCFAs are easily digested, putting less strain on the digestive system. They are sent directly to the liver where they are converted into energy instead of stored as fat. The liver and gall bladder do not need to digest MCFAs. This results in instant energy, increased metabolic rate, more heat production, and increased circulation. If you have had your gallbladder removed or if you have impaired fat digestion, you can benefit from how easily this oil is digested.

Coconut oil is one of the few dietary sources of MCFAs. Palm kernel oil is another source, and milk fats are another source; but milk fats a have lower amount of MCFAs.

Lauric Acid

Something else that makes coconut oil great is the presence of lauric acid. Lauric acid is converted into monolaurin in the body, a compound that kills viruses, bacteria, funguses, and other microorganisms. Monolaurin disrupts their lipid membranes and destroys them. It is an effective treatment for Candida. It also fights Influenza, Hepatitis C, and HIV. Monolaurin can only be produced in the body from lauric acid. The only other source of lauric acid is breast milk. Incidentally, infants who are breast-fed have fewer incidents of infections than those who are not breast-fed.

More Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

The health benefits of coconut oil are numerous. One benefit is that it improves metabolism, and this in turn increases the activity of the thyroid. This is great news for hypothyroidism sufferers! Boosting your metabolic rate also accelerates the healing process, increases energy levels, improves immune function, and helps with weight loss.

Coconut oil gets converted into instant energy, like carbohydrates. Unlike carbohydrates, however, it causes no insulin spike. Therefore, it protects against Diabetes.

The following is a short list of some additional health benefits of coconut oil:

• Eases acid reflux
• Kills parasites
• Strengthens the liver
• Reduces muscles and join inflammation
• Destroys the flu virus
• Protects against osteoporosis by aiding in the absorption of calcium and magnesium
• Lowers cholesterol
• Lowers the risk of heart disease and diabetes

Dosage

When you switch to coconut oil, make sure to get virgin coconut oil. Regular coconut oil is often refined, and the refining process strips away many of its benefits. In fact, it can be so refined that it becomes a trans-fat.

Adults should consume 3.5 tablespoons daily. This dosage has the same amount of lauric acid that a nursing infant would receive in one day from breastfeeding. Beginners should start with a lower dose, and then slowly build up to the recommended dose. Those who are accustomed to a low-fat diet may experience diarrhea if they take too much too soon.

For further reading, check out the following links:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil

Your Illness is Not in Your Head, It’s in Your Gut

The American dream seems to have evolved into eating whatever you want, whenever you want, at whatever quantity you want. Unfortunately, many Americans remain unaware of the fact that the most common and readily available foods are placing their health in jeopardy. In fact, many chronic conditions are now believed to originate in the gut. Maintaining a healthy gastrointestinal system is crucial for achieving optimal health.

Bacteria: The Good and the Bad

Three-quarters of your immune system resides in your GI tract. This is where good intestinal bacteria, often called probiotics, are present. A healthy person has trillions of probiotics in their large intestines, primarily in the form of acidophilus and bifidobacterium. Probiotics help the organs carry out immune function, such as influencing the thymus to produce T-cells. Without these probiotics, your body becomes vulnerable to food borne illness, deficiency in vitamins and nutrients may occur, and your immune system becomes weakened.

Many people are deficient in probiotics due to stress, diets high in sugar and processed foods, environmental toxins, alcohol consumption, and frequent use of antibiotics. When we deplete our beneficial bacteria, the unhealthy bacteria takes over.

When the bad bacteria takes over the gut, a condition called “Candida” develops. Candida is a yeast infection in your gut. The immune system attacks the yeast, and the toxins within the yeast are released. This can lead to extreme fatigue, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and other autoimmune conditions.

But Candida is only one problem that can occur in the gut.

When the Lining of the Gut Becomes Weakened

The majority of the body’s lymph and immune system cells reside within the mucous lining of the intestines. Inflammation affects this mucous lining, leading to poor nutrient and mineral absorption, and disruption of pH balance. A weakened intestinal wall can disrupt the normal transportation of foods from the gut into the body and can trigger autoimmune reactions. This condition is often referred to as Leaky Gut Syndrome. It means that the intestinal wall has become permeable and this is thought to be the cause of many acute and chronic diseases.

How does this happen? One of the ways this happens is through the depletion of probiotics in our bodies and the development of Candida. Other sources of intestinal permeability include intestinal parasites, food allergies, prescription drugs, alcohol abuse, stress, inadequate pancreatic enzymes, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, chemical exposure, heavy metal exposure, and chemotherapy.

Most people who have GI problems know that something isn’t right with their health. However, they may be unaware that the problem actually originates in the gut. The following is a list of conditions that can result from poor gut health: irritable bowel syndrome, allergic rhinitis, chronic infections, hypothyroidism, hormonal imbalance, heart disease, high or low blood pressure, fibromyalgia, lupus, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression and autism, and much more. If you have a chronic health condition, you may have a digestion problem.

Emotional Health and the Gut

Another interesting fact about the gut is that this is also where your body manufactures brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters. These include Noradrenaline, Serotonin, Acetyl-Choline, Dopamine and Gaba. These regulate sleep, and influence how we think and feel. Serotonin regulates mood, and 90-95% of it lies in the gut. Lack of Serotonin can increase anxiety, depression, and alter sleep patterns.

Over the next few weeks, I will be talking specifically about what you can do to improve your gut health, which in turn will improve your overall health. While you need to be prepared to make some sacrifices, you may find some of the suggestions pleasantly surprising. In the meantime, I have included some helpful links for further reading.

http://www.naturalnews.com/033066_Candida_diagnosis.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leo-galland-md/do-you-have-leaky-gut-syn_b_688951.html

http://gapsdiet.com/INTRODUCTION_DIET.html

Juice Your Way to Health

In my previous post, I briefly mentioned juicing as a healthy way to get vitamin C. Today, I want to talk more about the benefits of juicing. Juicing is a healthy choice for everyone, but especially for those who have chronic fatigue and other health conditions.

What Exactly is Juicing and What are the Benefits?

Juicing is not to be confused with blending. Blending is what happens when you toss fruit or vegetable pieces into a blender and then process the fiber and the juice together. This is what happens when you make a smoothie. Juicing involves placing the entire fruit or vegetable into a juicer. The fiber is removed from the juice and the end result is liquid.

Although we need fiber in our diets, juicing is by far superior to blending. There are several reasons for this:

1. Many people have impaired digestive systems due to food allergies, stress, decline in digestive enzymes, or an imbalance in intestinal flora. In fact, many people are unaware that their impaired digestive systems are keeping them from absorbing significant amounts of nutrients from their food. This is where juicing is a great benefit. When your food is turned into a liquid form, there is nothing to inhibit digestion. Your body is thus able to absorb all of the nutrients that are in the juice.
2. When you drink your vegetables, your digestive system does not have to produce digestive enzymes to break down the food because they are present in the juice. This is helpful for those who are lacking the necessary digestive enzymes.
3. Juicing releases antioxidant benefits and detoxifies your body. Toxins, preservatives, and chemicals are flushed out.
4. There are vital nutrients locked inside the indigestible fiber of vegetables. Juicing unlocks those nutrients, providing a concentrated form of nutrition.
5. Most of us are not getting the 6-8 recommended servings of vegetables each day. However, juicing allows you to consume several servings of vegetables in one glass of juice.
6. Cooking destroys many of the nutrients available in vegetables, so it is best to consume them raw. Juicing is one way to consume raw vegetables.

Impaired digestion can cause irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome and other health conditions. Those with poor health should seriously consider juicing.

How to Begin

You will need a juicer, not a blender. Beginners are encouraged to purchase a medium priced juicer before they decide if this is a habit they are going to keep up.

Please keep in mind that juicing is not a meal replacement. Juice does not offer proteins or fats that are needed by the body. However, regular glasses of juice throughout the day will make you feel more satisfied and less inclined to eat because your body is getting the nutrients it needs.

Juicing should involve mainly vegetables, not fruit. Most fruits are high in fructose, and high amounts of fructose can lead to hormonal imbalance and fatigue. The exceptions are lemons and limes, which have low amounts of fructose.

When you juice, you don’t want to drink pesticides. It is best to buy organic produce. However, not everyone can afford organic produce. The following is a list of vegetables that are the worst offenders in terms of pesticides, with the worst offenders listed first. Make sure you buy these organic. Other vegetables can be non-organic if cost is an issue.

1. Celery
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Collard Greens
5. Lettuce
6. Carrots
7. Cucumber (unless you peel the skin)

Juice needs to be consumed within 15-20 minutes of juicing since it is sensitive to oxidation. You can store it if you are careful. Here is a helpful link that will teach you how to store your juice (hint, a pitcher won’t work!): http://girlonraw.com/2011/05/how-to-save-your-juice-juicing-and-storing-fresh-made-juice/

It is also important to know that when you juice, your body may go through a period of detoxification. Symptoms of detox include fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches. This can last from a few days to a few weeks. This is common so don’t give up as it will pass once your body finishes detoxifying itself. You may want to limit your physical activity and rest often during this time.  If the detox symptoms are too strong, cut back on your juice until your body tolerates it better.

Tips

Some of the healthiest vegetables are bitter, such as kale. A great way of removing the bitter taste is to use lemons and limes. They sweeten up the juice but have low fructose. You can also use an apple, but lemons and limes have the lowest amount of fructose.

The best way to drink your fresh juice is on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes prior to eating.

Clean your juicer right after use to prevent mold growth. A good juicer should take 5 minutes to clean. If it takes longer, it will probably take the joy out of juicing for you.

Remember that juice doesn’t have fiber. You still need to eat raw vegetables in order to get fiber.

Time to Adjust

For those who are used to a diet rich in sugar and processed food, the idea of drinking vegetables may not sound too appealing. However, once you make healthy changes to your diet, your cravings will change as well. I used to eat Peanut Butter Cups for lunch, and now they taste like chemicals to me! I love my juice and I don’t need to sweeten it with anything but lemon. So give yourself time, and think of all the great nutrients you are finally giving your body!

Skip the OJ and Increase Your Vitamin C

Vitamin C may be the most important vitamin for optimal health. It has 46 different beneficial effects, including fighting infections, turning off cancer cells, slowing vascular damage, detoxifying the body and much more. However, most people are not getting adequate levels of Vitamin C. Part of the reason may be due to the fact that Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin, which means you can’t store it in your body. Therefore, your body needs Vitamin C every day. If you are suffering from a condition such as adrenal fatigue, the need for Vitamin C is even greater.

Many holistic doctors believe that the recommended dosage of 90 mg for Vitamin C is too low. One side effect of Vitamin C deficiency is scurvy. Interestingly, hard arteries, premature aging, bleeding gums, joint pain and poor immune system could be signs of subclinical scurvy. If that’s the case, then many of these conditions can be prevented or cured by simply getting adequate amounts of Vitamin C.

How much Vitamin C is needed varies from person to person, mostly because different people are in different states of health. One way to determine how much you need is by performing the bowel tolerance test. Simply increase your Vitamin C by 1000mg each day until you experience loose stools. At this point, you have exceeded your maximum Vitamin C absorption level. Decrease your intake by 1000mg a day until you have no more loose stools. It is also best to spread out your dosage of Vitamin C throughout the day as it is used quickly by the body. As you recover from illness, your need for Vitamin C will decrease.

Vitamin C in a Carton?

So where is the best place to get Vitamin C? Food sources are always better than supplements because the body recognizes the difference between natural and unnatural nutrients, and it responds best to natural nutrients. You can take supplements, but it’s best to take them in addition to a food source, not as a substitute.

You most likely envisioned a glass of orange juice as a delicious, easy solution. This is no doubt due to the clever marketing campaign of the orange juice industry. Oranges do have a decent amount of Vitamin C, but you won’t be doing your body any favors by loading up on store-bought orange juice.

Once fruit is juiced, it begins to oxidize. This oxidization process causes the juice to loose vital enzymes and nutrients. In fact, those who juice at home know that you need to drink your juice within 20-30 minutes of juicing. Packaged juice has been sitting around longer.

Furthermore, store-bought orange juice is usually pasteurized. Pasteurization involves heating the juice to a high temperature to kill any bacteria, mold or micro-organisms that may be in the juice. Pasteurization also kills the raw vitamins, minerals and enzymes, leaving an insignificant amount behind. Have you ever wondered why you often see ascorbic acid in the list of ingredients on a carton of orange juice? The manufactures are putting in the Vitamin C that was lot during pasteurization.

It is also worth noting that ascorbic acid is the synthetic version
of L-ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C. So by drinking store-bought orange juice, you are simply taking a synthetic supplement with sugar water.

Finally, oranges are one of the most heavily pesticide sprayed crops. Juice makers will often make juice out the entire orange, including the skin. That means you are consuming a host of pesticides with every glass.

The Best Sources

If you are going to drink orange juice, you will need to juice in order to get the natural form of Vitamin C that your body craves. To avoid pesticides, either buy organic or peel the skin off. Keep in mind, however, that it takes a lot of fruit to make juice. Fruit has fructose, a natural sugar. Natural sugar is still sugar, and it should be consumed in moderation. You will need 4-5 oranges to make a glass of juice, depending on the size. That amounts to a lot of sugar! You would be better off using one orange and mixing it with vegetables.

If you are not sold on the concept of juicing, then try  opting for raw fruits and vegetables. In this case, eating an orange is a good way to get Vitamin C. However, there are fruits and vegetables that are actually higher in Vitamin C than oranges. Here is a list (remember, cooking will kill some of the Vitamin C, so it’s best to consume these raw):

Yellow bell peppers- 341mg each

Red bell peppers- 209mg each

Kiwi- 164mg per cup, 84 mg each

Green bell peppers- 132mg each

Guavas- 126mg each

Strawberries- 98mg per cup sliced, 11mg in single strawberry

Oranges- 98mg per cup

Papaya- 87 mg per cup, cubed, 188 mg in a medium size papaya

Broccoli- 81mg per cup chopped

Kale- 80mg per cup chopped

Cauliflower- 46mg per cup

Clementines or tangerines- 36mg each

Garden Cress- 35mg per cup chopped

Mustard greens- 29mg per cup chopped

A daily salad with Kale and a variety of bell peppers would make an easy, delicious solution. Kale takes some getting used to, so you might want to begin by mixing it with Romaine lettuce.

Choosing to eat raw foods that are high in Vitamin C is an excellent choice for improving health and energy. May you enjoy rediscovering great food sources that are missing from your current diet!

 

Sources for this article include: