Natural Health Remedies
For Your Body and Mind

Margie Garrison
"The Arthritis Lady"
The information contained on this site is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only.  The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.  Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.


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"Amazing Secrets To Fantastic Health"
Alternative Health Newsletter
Diet Linked to Fibromyalgia?

With the controversy over Fibromyalgia, it can be hard to find a doctor who will diagnose you correctly, much less prescribe treatment options that will work for you.

But thanks to secondary diagnostic options like the Internet and networks of educated and caring friends, treating your Fibromyalgia can be easier.

One method of treating Fibromyalgia that many sufferers agree helps is changing your diet.

While there is no ironclad recipe of foods to include and foods to avoid, you can use these tips as a starting point to easing your Fibromyalgia symptoms.

The key here is remembering what works for some, doesn't work for all. It will take some time and some experimentation to figure out the right diet modifications for your Fibromyalgia.

  • Try to balance your diet. While there is no consensus as to the best diet for treating Fibromyalgia, the first goal of any sufferer is to get the body in as optimum condition as possible. Cut down on fatty foods and try to eat more veggies and fruit. Drink more water to help flush everything through your system. Cut down drastically on junk food. It will be much easier to make any further changes in your eating habits once you've started eating right to begin with.

  • Take in more protein and less carbs. Even if you don't suffer from Fibromyalgia, this is sound advice. Lean proteins, like skinless chicken, lean beef and fish, are an excellent and healthy way to fuel your body. They help keep energy levels high and can even help with hypoglycemia. The carbs, on the other hand, help the body to make insulin, which in small doses is good, but if your body makes too much, it can lead to your system storing fat. This isn't healthy for anyone and can be even unhealthier for those suffering from Fibromyalgia.

  • Avoid caffeine and anything that has caffeine in it. This may be close to impossible when you consider the popularity of coffee and soft drinks today, but caffeine is a diuretic and can exacerbate IBS symptoms that are common with Fibromyalgia. This means no caffeinated pop and also no chocolate or coffee. If you simply can't live without these things, try to limit them the best you can or opt for caffeine-free varieties.

  • Try to eliminate alcohol consumption. Not only can the combination of many common prescription medications and alcohol be very bad for you, even alcohol on its own can make symptoms worse. Alcohol can aggravate the stomach and digestive tract and cause increased bowel problems.

  • Finally, try to reduce or eliminate refined white sugar from your diet. Again, this falls under the category of sound medical advice to anyone, but for Fibromyalgia sufferers, it's an especially good idea. Not only can sugar disrupt sleep patters if too much is eaten, it can harm your immune system and tests have shown that Fibromyalgia patients report fewer symptoms and less severe symptoms when they decreased their sugar intake.

Treating your Fibromyalgia can be a chore, especially when some doctors won't even admit it exists. But there are significant steps you can take at home to decrease your Fibromyalgia symptoms by changing what you eat for the better. While everyone may get different results, these tips will hopefully have you on your way to a healthier tomorrow.

For more information on all aspects of Fibromyalgia please visit Eliminate Fibromyalgia.

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Deodorant - Top 7 Ingredients To Avoid
Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. - Ingredient Safety Expert

The first thing you must do whenever you buy deodorant or any product that goes on your skin or in your body is to read the ingredients. They’re usually in very tiny print on the back of the label. If you have trouble reading small print, carry a magnifying glass around with you so you can read before you buy. This is critical because what you put on your skin can be absorbed directly into your bloodstream. And harmful ingredients in your blood can have potentially deadly effects on your body.

Here are 7 ingredients to avoid when choosing your deodorant:

Aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly or any aluminum compounds. Aluminum is absorbed through the skin and accumulates in the body. It has been suggested that there is an association between aluminum and Alzheimer’s disease.

Parabens (methyl, ethyl, propyl, benzyl and butyl), are all derived from toluene, a toxic petrochemical derivative. Toluene is toxic if swallowed or inhaled. It is also harmful in contact with the skin. There is some evidence that repeated exposure to toluene may cause reproductive harm. Since 2000, 13 research studies have shown that various types of parabens act like estrogen in animals and in tissue culture. Estrogen is known to drive the growth of cancerous cells.
Triclosan is a skin irritant and may cause contact dermatitis. It may kill healthy bacteria as well as harmful bacteria. It may contain carcinogenic contaminants. It is stored in body fat and is classified as a pesticide by the FDA.

Talc is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer if it contains asbestiform fibers. The quantity of asbestiform fibers in cosmetic grade talc is unregulated. If talc is listed on the label, there is no way of knowing whether or not it contains asbestiform fibers.

Propylene glycol absorbs quickly through the skin and is a penetration enhancer. It may cause delayed allergic reactions. NIOSH says propylene glycol is a neurotoxin and may cause kidney or liver damage. The EPA says it’s not fully investigated for carcinogenic potential.

Silica is a skin irritant. It may be contaminated with crystalline quartz, which is a carcinogen.

Steareth-n (n may be any number like say 100), may be vegetable derived but is reacted with ethylene oxide (ethoxylated), a known human carcinogen.

Instead choose deodorants with ingredients like vegetable glycerin, natural preservatives like bioflavanoids and lichen, herbs or herbal extracts, de-ionized water or distilled water, green tea, aloe vera, baking soda and essential oils.

A word of caution: Plant extracts listed on labels can already contain parabens and propylene glycol. These do not have to be listed on the label. Very few herbs supplied to manufacturers are free of parabens or other synthetic preservatives unless they are extracted in vegetable glycerine. To make sure that the products you buy are healthy and free of these harmful chemicals, call the deodorant manufacturer and ask them for detailed information.

To receive 5 more important ingredients to avoid in your deodorant and learn about a truly healthy, chemical-free deodorant, click here.

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10 Steps to "Happiness"
Margie Garrison

Studies show that people who keep gratitude journals experience greater happiness.

  1. Take a pass at perfection.  Striving for out of reach goals, can backfire if you blame yourself when you fall short of that goal.  Manage your expectations. Don't expect to be happy all the time, this has the downside of your expecting to feel that way all the time, so that when good things happen, it seems normal, but when bad things happen, it can seem catastrophic.

  1. Find your balance.  Happiness is a sense of well-being or satisfaction with your life. Be happy with the smaller things in life. 

  1. Don't try to buy happiness.  In a study in "Social Indicators Research they found that those who avidly pursued possessions were less satisfied with their friendships, families, jobs, even their health than those who were less materialistic.  As my wonderful grandmother Mary Pew said every morning of her life.  "I will be happy with what I have while getting more of what I want."

  1. Making a change in your circumstances and in your activities have great results.  Explore a new interest and you will be lead to other activities over time.  And new friends.

  1. Whatever activity energizes you and makes you feel like your days are flying by or even losing a sense of time can give you a sense of happiness.

  1. Be grateful for what you have.  Also be grateful for what you do not have.

  1. Share your love.  Always say I love you to your friends and family.  Use it in your letters and phone calls and notes.  When was the last time you said "I love you" to some one dear to you?  Do it again and again.  One of my dearest memories of my late husband, Warren, He said to me at least a dozen times a day, "I love you".  It made me feel cherished and loved. 

  1. By helping others you gain more than you give.  Even small gestures.  Put time and energy in making others feel good about themselves.  It cuts down stress in our own lives. 

  1. Be more forgiving of others faults.  This alone will reduce stress by 25%. 

  1. First thing in the morning ask yourself what you can do today to make the world a better place to live in and then before going to sleep at night ask yourself, "did I do all I could to make the world a better place today.   Not just the "World" but your own world.

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Eat for a Killer Immunity

It takes more than an apple a day to keep viruses at bay. You can improve your body's resistance by getting your seven servings of fruits and veggies and 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, at the very least. While an all-around diet is the key to stronger immunity, these particular immune system-boosting foods and ingredients can keep you in fighting condition.

Go here for the complete news story.

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Statins: A Literal No-Brainer
Study:  Statins Don’t Decrease Alzheimer’s Risk, Increase Cognitive Decline
From, Frank Mangano - Health Advocate

According to a recent study, statins don't halt Alzheimer's Disease.

If you’re a frequent consumer of news, it may feel like you’re living in a parallel universe at times.  What’s reported on what network is often avoided or given a totally different spin on another network.

And when it comes to health news, there’s no better example of this than statins.  Here, you’ll find information on statins and how their side effects outweigh their perceived benefits.  But watch or read news on statins from some major media outlet, and you’re likely to find information on all the benefits of taking statins.  That not only will they lower blood pressure levels, but they’ll also cut the risk of stroke, even prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Some of the smartest people on earth are doing their best to uncover the riddle that is Alzheimer’s disease.  A recent string of studies suggests its onset may be due to elevated cholesterol levels in the blood.  Though there are other ways of lowering cholesterol levels, this has led the pill-popping public (the scientific community included) to suggest that statin use may be an Alzheimer’s preventer.  But a recent study testing this theory reveals a significant flaw in that argument.  The flaw?  Statins don’t decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s: not one iota.

Approximately 26,500 men and women participated in the study, all of whom were between the ages of 40 and 80 and “at risk” for developing Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia.  The majority of those followed took Zocor for a period of five years; the rest took a lesser-known statin for just over three years.  The health statuses of the participants were attended to regularly throughout the study.

Despite the significant amount of precautions taken to assure that the medications taken weren’t given short-shrift, the findings revealed no difference among statins in prevention of Alzheimer’s.  In short, people who received the statins got Alzheimer’s just as frequently as those who received placebos got Alzheimer’s.  This review is published in the most recent  issue of The Cochrane Library.

That may have been enough for the average medical professor to denounce statin use with regard to staving off Alzheimer’s.  But like the aging athlete who doesn’t know when to hang them up, a professor well-versed in statin safety had this to say about what impact statins have to the brain overall:

“There are a number of case reports and case series where cognition is clearly and reproducibly (emphasis added) adversely affected by statins.”

No one can deny that statins work for some people in lowering cholesterol, but the side effects are far too costly.  And when one considers that taking statins to prevent Alzheimer’s may actually impair overall cognition, that, in and of itself, testifies to just how deep those side effects go.

The Fox News’ and MSNBC’s will continue to grind their political news through their own individual mills made of spin, but here’s one thing that can’t be spun:  Statins don’t prevent Alzheimer’s; to the contrary, they impair cognition.

In the immortal words of Walter Cronkite, “That’s the way it is.”

Source:
Science Daily

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Natural Health Experts

Meet the experts and read eye-opening articles that will help you become and stay healthy.

Acid Reflux

Acupuncture

Alternative Medicine

Arthritis

Back Pain

Blood Pressure

Cancer

Dance & Movement Therapist

Feng Shui

Fitness

Heart Health

Headache

Holistic Health

Ingredient Safety

Nutrition

Self-Esteem

Resilience

Weight Loss

More To Come!!!

Study:  One in Three Women Treated for Breast Cancer Unnecessarily
From, Frank Mangano - Health Advocate

According to a recent report, breast cancer misdiagnosis affects one in three women.
In about three months, you’re going to hear a lot about breast cancer.  That’s because breast cancer awareness month is held every October, where women and men encourage their moms, sisters, and wives to get screened.

While screenings have without question saved the lives of millions of women, these screenings haven’t been an entirely positive practice.  That’s because according to a recent report, almost one in three women that are diagnosed for breast cancer are actually misdiagnosed.  More specifically, they’re being treated when no treatment is necessary!

Naturally, this results in unnecessary health care costs on an already overwrought health care system, but more importantly, irreversible damage done to a woman’s physical health and emotional psyche.

The whole point of a breast cancer screening is for a mammogram to discover a polyp in a woman’s breast before it grows too large so that effective treatment can be employed and mortality rates from breast cancer can drop.  

But when researchers from the Nordic Cochrane Center in Denmark investigated this, they found that increases in screenings did nothing to drop the number of advanced breast cancer cases (again, the whole point behind increasing the number of screenings).  The only thing it identified was more breast cancer cases – thousands more – and that many of these cases were of women who had polyps so small and insignificant that they’d never advance to a point where they’d become cancerous.

Similar cases have been documented among men with prostate cancer, where men were treated with the whole nine yards that comes with conventional cancer treatment (radiation, chemotherapy, etc.).  In fact according to a Netherlands study that uncovered this, two out of every five men diagnosed with prostate cancer were treated unnecessarily.

The Denmark study was 14 years in length and analyzed breast cancer trends among several European nations.  It looked at women diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 50 and 69.  It’s published in the British Medical Journal.

It’s sad to have to admit this, but this really doesn’t come as much of a surprise when you look at the breast cancer numbers over the years.  Think about it:  When there’s an increase in the number of breast cancer screenings, there ought to be a drop in the number of breast cancer deaths and advanced diagnoses.

But breast cancer has remained on top of the heap in prevalence among women – second only to non-melanoma skin cancer – and is the leading cancer-related death among Hispanic women.  And since 2005 (the latest year with statistics like these available), it is the seventh leading cause of death among women, with just a few hundred more dying from unintentional injuries like traffic accidents (41,116).

My reporting this should not be construed as a call not to get screened.  Screening remains important and has certainly saved more lives than it’s harmed.

Nevertheless, it is a call to be cautious when undergoing screening and be willing to get a second opinion if you are in fact diagnosed with breast cancer.  Going the conventional treatment route is extremely invasive and costly (which is why if at all possible you should pursue non-chemotherapy based treatments), and an extremely emotional one at that.

Imagine the emotional turmoil of believing you may be dying, only to find out later – after all the side effects that come with chemotherapy – that you were treated unnecessarily.  Sadly, for 33 percent of those diagnosed with breast cancer, this experience is not uncommon.

Sources:
msnbc.msn.com
cdc.gov

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Remove Warts - 12 Easy Ways
From, Homemade Medicine

Warts can be very resistant to treatment, however, and take one to two months of conscientious therapy to resolve. Genital warts require immediate treatment, as they can be a precursor to cervical cancer.

Warts vary in size from about two to ten millimeters (approximately one-sixteenth to three-eighths inch), usually have clear borders, and are generally firm and flesh-colored. Contrary to popular belief, they do not have "roots" or "seeds!' However, capillaries (tiny blood vessels) can appear as tiny black dots within the wart. Warts can be flat, cauliflower-like, or needle-shaped. They most frequently appear as hard, flesh-colored, round common warts on the fingers, hands, and knees. A variant that occurs on the soles of the feet are called plantar warts. These are usually painful. Flat warts, flesh-colored and flat-topped, most frequently appear on the face, wrists, and backs of the hands. Filiform warts are long and slender and develop on the eyelids, armpits, and necks of overweight, middle-aged people. Digitate warts have finger-like projections and are dark-colored. Genital warts are pink and cauliflower-shaped.

12 Natural Ways to Remove Warts

  1. Alfalfa tea can be helpful. Steep 1 tablespoon of the seed or 2 ounces of the dried leaf in 1 quart of boiling water. Drink a cup three times a day.

  1. Thuja, also known as arbor vitae, can be made into a lotion or ointment and applied directly to the wart on a daily basis.

  1. The inner side of a fresh banana skin can be placed against the wart and held in place with a tight dressing. Replace with a new piece of banana skin every day until the wart dissolves.

  1. Basil contains many antiviral compounds. Apply some fresh crushed basil leaves to the wart, and cover with a bandage. Repeat this daily for one week.

  1. Bloodroot ointment, which contains skin-irritating compounds and protein-dissolving enzymes, may be applied to the wart several times a day iv The juice of buttercup flowers and leaves can be applied directly to the warts several times a day.

  1. Celandine is thought to contain a chemical that inhibits the replication of the wart virus, as well as skin irritants and enzymes that destroy the wart proteins. Squeeze the latex from the fresh stems of celandine plants and apply the gel directly to the wart once or twice a day until the wart has resolved. Or, if the fresh plant is not available, you can apply a strong tea made from the herb to the wart twice a day.

  1. The sap from the stem or root of the dandelion is corrosive, and can be used to destroy the wart if it is applied locally every day.

  1. Garlic oil, fresh grated garlic, and crushed garlic are very toxic to warts. Apply any of these forms of garlic directly to the warts and cover with a tight dressing, taking care not to get any of the garlic on the surrounding normal skin. Do this twice a day until the warts have disappeared.

  1. Pineapple is rich in proteolytic enzymes that can destroy warts. Cut a square of pineapple peel and tape the inner side to plantar warts overnight. Remove the peel and soak your foot in hot water in the morning. Filedown any peeling skin. Repeat this treatment nightly as necessary.

  1. If you live near a willow tree, tape a piece of the moistened inner bark from the willow tree to the wart. Change it daily. Willow contains a large amount of salicylic acid, a chemical traditionally used to treat warts.

  1. The following topical regimen using vitamin A can be used until the wart dissolves: In the morning, crush a vitamin-A capsule in enough water to make a paste and apply the paste to each wart. Cover with a bandage. In the afternoon, put a drop of castor oil on each wart, and in the evening apply a drop of lemon juice to each wart. Repeat this daily. This is especially helpful for plantar warts.

  1. Vitamin E, used topically, is a slower treatment, often taking several months. You can apply the oil from a 400-international-unit capsule to the warts three times a day and cover with an adhesive bandage. Better yet, combine the vitamin-E oil with the vitamin-A paste described above.

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Releasing Emotional Toxins

Stress is a very powerful emotion.  It can make a healthy person sick, a happy person depressed; basically, if you let it, it will take the life and soul right out of you. 

I can across another video on the internet a couple of months back with Deepak Chopra speaking about Releasing Emotional Toxins.

Not being able to find what he said anywhere in print, I sat down at my computer and played, re-played, and re-played the video for over 30 minutes so that I could write it down to be able to share it with.

Releasing Emotional Toxins
By Deepak Chopra, MD

There are at least 7 steps to Releasing Emotional Toxins

1.  "The first step is take responsibility for your emotions.  So, if you think someone else is causing your Emotional Toxicity, then you have to wait for them to change which mean you could be waiting the rest of your life."

2.  "The second thing is to witness the emotions in your body.  Think of an experience you had, an interaction with some body that was uncomfortable.  The more you feel the sensation the more you get in touch with the emotion."

3.  "The third thing is to define it.  Is it anger, is it fear?"

4.  "The fourth thing is express it.  Write down what happens."

5.  "After you have expressed it then share it with a loved one."

6.  "Then do a ritual to release it. Burn it, throw it to the wind."

7.  "Then once you've released it then do something to bring that to a closure.  Go out and celebrate."

"That's how you release Toxic Emotions."

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Drinking Steaming Hot Tea Triggers Increased Throat Cancer Risk

For Perfect Pipes, Avoid Piping Hot Tea

To really rest and relax, what’s more soothing than a nice, piping hot cup of tea?  I drink tea every day, and I can tell you it’s one of my favorite beverages not only for its good taste and smell, but it because it relaxes me.

And these days, I can get all the relaxation I can get.

But according to a new study, just how piping hot a cup of tea is can do just the opposite for one’s vocal pipes – in short, the intensity of its hotness increases the risk of throat cancer.

According to Iranian researchers who published their study in the British Medical Journal, there appears to be a significant link between hot tea, consumers of hot tea, and throat cancer.

For instance, among the nearly 900 men and women they followed – a third of whom had some form of esophageal cancer already – there was an eight-fold increase in cancer among those who drank their tea when the temperature of their tea was 158 degrees Fahrenheit, as opposed to others who drank their tea when it was much cooler, around 149 degrees Fahrenheit.

There was also a link with regards to how long the participants waited before wetting their black tea-loving whistles (the participants drank an average of one liter of black tea per day).  For example, similar to that guy everyone knows who wants to sink his teeth into a pizza that’s cheese is still simmering, many participants preferred to drink their tea straight from their stove top to tea cup (less than two minutes after tea was done cooking).  Their lack of patience was rewarded with a risk of cancer five times higher than those who waited four or five minutes before imbibing.

The research was performed by doctors from Tehran University of Medical Sciences, and was published in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers can’t be sure what the link is between excessive heat and cancer.  Whatever it is, it jibes with past research regarding the link between consuming food heated to an excessive degree and cancer (burned or scorched meat, for instance).  Unlike the tea, though, they know what causes that risk (it’s the chemicals that are produced – chemicals called heterocyclic amines – which form on the meat due to the excessive heat caused by overcooking).

This study focused solely on tea and what effect excessively hot tea had on the throat, yet I’m thinking that ALL hot beverages have just as destructive an effect on the lining of the throat, if for no other reason than tea is one of the more nutritious beverages one can drink (the natural ones, anyway), yet still poses a health risk when overheated.

Anyway, food, er, drink for thought:  Keep those pipes as perfect as can be and blow on your tea before tossing (or sipping) back your next brew.

Sources:
MSNBC
Discovery Health

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An Arthritis Drug Warning
Margie Garrison

Before I overcame my arthritis naturally, without drugs, I spent 43 years dreading every day.  Taking untold amounts of drugs and then fearing the dangerous side effects they would cause.

Please do your due diligence and research each and every drug you are taking or about to take.

The following is an ad, which I read in a health magazine for HUMIRA and I want to share it with you.

*************

Shows a beautiful young woman, smiling…

"You're doing all you can about your rheumatoid arthritis" 

BUT IS YOUR TREATMENT?

Important safety information about HUMRA.  It is approved for reducing the signs and symptoms, slowing the progression of joint damage, and improving physical function in adult patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded well to other RA medicines.

Called DMARDs (disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) such as methotrexate, Humra can be used alone or with methotrexate or other DMARDs.

Do not start taking Humira if you have any type of infection.

An infection can be in one part of your body, such as an open sore, or it can be an illness such as the flu. 

Tell your doctor if you've had any infection in the past that keeps coming back, or have any problems that increase the risk of infections.    BEFORE YOU TAKE HUMIRA, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis  (TB)

Tell your doctor if you've ever had TB or been near someone that TB.  If signs of TB (a dry cough that does not go away, weight loss, fever, night sweats, or any other infections appear after taking Humira.  Tell your doctor immediately.

Tell your doctor if you feel any numbness or tingling or if you have ever had a disease that affects your nervous system such as multiple sclerosis. 

Also tell your doctor if you have been treated for heart failure.  Once you start taking Humira, tell your doctor right away or seek emergency care immediately if you have an allergic reaction (a bad rash, swollen face or trouble breathing).

Also tell your doctor right away if you have signs of a serious blood disorder (persistent fever, bruising, bleeding or paleness)

There have also been rare cases of serious and sometimes fatal infections.  Lymphoma, rare cases of nervous system disorders and serious blood disorders have occurred in patients taking the TNF blockers, including HUMIRA.

There have also been rare cases of serious and sometimes fatal injections, Lymphoma, rare cases of nervous system disorders and serious blood disorders have occurred in patients taking TNF blockers, including HUMIRA.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are taking or considering.

The combination of HUMIRA and Kineret (anakinra) is not recommended.

Check with your doctor before you receive any vaccines.  Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, or plan to be pregnant.

The most common side effects of HUMIRA are injection site reactions, upper respiratory and sinus infections, headaches, rash and injection site pain.

*************
ALL of the above warnings were in tiny letters on a purple background which was very difficult to read.

This is what they had at the top of the ad in black letters on white background.
*************

"Many treatments may help stop the pain of RA, but not slow the progressive joint damage it causes.  That's why more and more hematologists are prescribing HUMIRA It's strong enough to slow the progression of moderate to sever RA and can be injected at home, usually every other week.

See if your treatment is doing enough.  Request your free Personal RA Profile

Your profile will show you the severity of your condition, and its impact on your life, compared to other RA patients.  You will also receive information on current treatment options and tips on talking with your doctor.

Call 1-800-351-8709 or go to www.HUMIRA.com

*************
My Personal comment: 

Do you seriously think you should ever try a drug like this? 

Please do your due diligence and research each and every drug you are taking or about to take.

Ask yourself… Is this for me?  Would I be better off to make my immune system stronger or should I take all the chances spelled out above.

It is your body and you are the one who will benefit or pay the price of having other health issues when using drugs.

Doctors tell us to keep doing your exercises, continue dieting to keep our weight down and take our medications.

What else is a doctor going to say?  The pressure to use more and more drugs is overwhelming.  It is not their fault!  It is ours!! 

We go to them for a magic bullet and expect them to heal us...  Is this fair to the doctors?  Of course not!

There are alternative methods to treat arthritis without the use of drugs and the dangerous side effects.

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Medical Madness
Margie Garrison

Some medical procedures to be cautious of.

Angioplasty is an operation to widen clogged arteries.  American doctors perform over 250,000 of them yearly.

The problem is that more than 100,000 of those people did not need them.

A study of 74,000 men found a definite link between vasectomy and prostate cancer, and a suspected link to testicular cancer.

Study of 123,000 reveals that adding vitamins and minerals slashes heart disease 26%.

Vitamin and minerals the way out for hyperactive children.  Not drugs.

Ritalin, the drug of choice for hyperactive children has these side effects. As my grandson found out, even psychosis.  Even the manufactures admitted there have been cases of stunted growth.  My grandson for one.

The cholesterol Myth.  There is no study that proves a link between cholesterol and heart disease.

Heart attacks increased after Oleo (Margarine) replaced butter.  Every country that changed to oleo also had more heart attacks.

There is no evidence that using ultrasound is of value to the woman or the baby.

The fact is that ultra-sound affects cells in laboratory experiments.  After exposure to ultra-sound, all the cells became "frenetic and distorted" and entangled with one another.

A Canadian study of 72 children with speech problems showed most had been exposed to ultrasound in the womb.  A similar group of children with normal speech had not.

Cat scans use dyes that have caused fatalities in some.

MRI have not had long term testing for side effects.  It is known that the British National Radiological Protection Board has sounded a warning about the heating effect of the magnetic field and its ability to influence magnetic matter inside the body or damage tissue.

You must not have one if you have metal in your body such as a pacemaker, an artificial joint or shrapnel from a war wound.

Several patients have died because they had a MRI and had a pacemaker in them.

I was about to be put through one when the attendant said, nonchalantly, do you have any metal in you?

Well the doctor that ordered the MRI knew I had an artificial hip, and 4 pieces of metal in my back, and yet he sent me down for an MRI.

I was not told of the side effects or asked any questions about anything before being put in the machine.

Luckily the girl did "nonchalantly ask".

I will not have a pap smear and have not since my early 30's.  The whole idea behind them is faulty.  They say, precancerous cells on the cervix lead to cancer, when the truth is that cervical abnormalities are common and do not
lead to cancer, according to the British Medical Journal.

Even the lab technicians know that two different labs can come up with two different readings of the same smear.

I am not trying to scare you. I take that back.  I am trying to scare you into taking your health into your hands, learn everything you can about your health and how to make your body healthy so you don't become sick.

As Linus Pauling stated, "Every ailment, every disease, and every sickness can be traced to a mineral and vitamin deficiency.



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How to Beat Arthritis Without Resorting to Drugs or Surgery
Margie Garrison

If you suffer from arthritis, you undoubtedly have been to a doctor who has prescribed any number of medications, and/or have taken over-the-counter anti-inflammatories (like Aleve) to get rid of your pain.

You also most likely have experienced limited relief as a result of these medications.

You're also probably concerned about the possible side effects of arthritis drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter (such side effects include cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal distress and ulcers).

But that's the least of your problems if your arthritis is severe.  In this case, your doctor may have suggested surgery.  Perhaps a joint replacement, hip replacement, or knee surgery.

Ouch!

Obviously, you would prefer to avoid such drastic measures - otherwise you wouldn't be searching for alternatives to surgery and drugs you are taking to alleviate the misery of arthritis pain.

The Symptoms of Arthritis

Besides the obvious warning signs of arthritis - including stiff, hard-to-move joints - there are several others you must know about.

They include:
  • Chronic Fatigue - you always feel tired regardless of how much sleep you get
  • Your hands and feet are always cold due to poor circulation
  • You have Low levels of hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying power of the blood)
  • You have high blood sedimentation rate (sedimentation rate is a common blood test that is used to detect and monitor inflammation in the body)

The latter two symptoms can only be verified by your doctor, so if your achy joints are accompanied by chronic fatigue, that's a warning signal for you to get an official diagnosis (if you haven't already done so).

When you see your doctor, make sure you tell him or her that you're knowledgeable about arthritis and you're willing to take an active roll in your treatment.  This is because you want your doctor to know, you know that just taking drugs isn't going to get to the root of your arthritis.

Actually, there is no one thing you can do to get rid of arthritis.  But there are several holistic strategies, when applied synergistically that do wonders for eliminating arthritis from your life.

Essentially, there are five things you need to address in order to get permanent relief from arthritis.

They are:
  • Detoxification
  • A Proper Diet
  • Exercise
  • Relaxation
  • Vitamin/ Mineral Supplementation

What is Arthritis?

The word arthritis comes from the Greek word "arthron," which means joint inflammatory disease.  However, it is not only joints that are affected, but connective tissue throughout your body. 

In some cases, muscles and the soft tissues of certain organs can also be stricken.

Like many diseases, arthritis is a catchall name that is given to a host of other ailments.   All have common symptoms of aches and pains in the joints and connective tissue throughout the body.

While how arthritis inflammation starts is poorly understood, there are several causes that are generally accepted.
They include:
  • Injury
  • Infection
  • Autoimmune diseases (the body produces antibodies against itself)
  • Calcium deficiency
  • Vitamin D deficiency

Inflammation itself causes further joint and tissue damage, making normal movement difficult. The symptoms and some of the signs of arthritis can be classified under one of the most five common kinds.

The most common form is called degenerative, or osteoarthritis.  The cause of the disease is associated with malabsorbtion of calcium and vitamin D.

Although it is more common in older people, young people - even children -are not immune to it.

The most serious forms of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and a disease closely related to rheumatoid arthritis, but affecting the organs, systemic lupus erythematosus.

These two forms of arthritis can be debilitating.  Conventional treatments consist of damaging drugs like cortisone and others that put you in risk of serious side effect.

Another form of arthritis is gout, which is a purely nutritional disease.  It affects genetically predisposed individuals who produce excessive amounts of uric acid.  Crystals of the sodium salt of this uric acid deposit themselves in the joints and tissue in the kidneys.

The simplest way to prevent gout attacks is to limit foods that contain purine, such as:
  • Sardines
  • Bouillon
  • Meat extracts
  • Organ meats
  • Anchovies
  • Asparagus
  • Spinach
  • Artichokes
  • Peas
  • Beans
  • Alcohol

Another type of arthritis is ankylosing spondylitis. While rare, it affects men more than women.  Symptoms not only include muscle stiffness, but joints of the spine.

When all of the joints of the spine are affected, a humpback might result. Typical treatments include aspirin and cortisone.

According to John R.J. Sorneson, in "The Journal of International Academy of Metabology, Volume 1, No. 2, page 7, (published in 1978), ankylosing spondylitis and other arthritis diseases have been cured by a special chelate copper preparation.

This and other forms of arthritis also respond quite well to nutritional therapy. But before you change your diet, you should clean out your system.

To Beat Arthritis, Start by Detoxifying Your Body

There are a few simple lifestyle changes you can make that will help you get over arthritis without resorting to drugs or surgery. 

Perhaps the most important is diet.

But before you change your diet, you should rid your body of accumulated toxins.  The best way to do this is a complete fast under medical supervision. This fast can last up to 10 days.
If you're unable to undertake a complete fast, you don't have the time or money to do so under medical supervision, you can do a modified version of a fast for 5 to 10 days. Do NOT ATTEMPT A COMPLETE FAST ON YOU OWN!

There are many versions of this detoxification strategy.  Basically, they involve taking a mixture of pure spring water, lemon juice and honey or maple syrup.

To learn more, do a search on "honey lemon water detoxification," or (much better) get Margie Garrison's groundbreaking book on getting rid of arthritis naturally, entitled "I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too."

It's important to note that you'll most likely have intermittent periods of feeling great that are followed by intermittent periods of feeling lousy when you go through a detoxification program.

Keep in mind that this is part of the detoxification process and is quite normal.

The Following Week After the Fast, or Juice Fast

The week following the fast or juice fast, eat only fresh fruits and vegetables. Most of this should be raw, but lightly steamed vegetables are okay (try to eat 3/4 of your fruits and vegetables raw).  You should also add some vitamins (more on that shortly). 

The following week, add small amounts of lean protein, like fish, poultry, eggs, and nuts.
Stay away from beef until you have a chance to see whether beef brings back an onset of your arthritis.  For many people, beef causes arthritis.

Other proteins can also cause arthritis.  For example, pasteurized dairy products are often responsible.
What you have to do is test different proteins to see.  Keep a food diary and record how you feel after a meal.  Pay close attention and notice any adverse symptoms.

Another common food to beware of is flour.  This means many types of bread will be off limits. Again, you'll have to play detective to find out.

In short, you want to subsist on a diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and eat these raw or steamed (raw is best).  You'll also want complement this diet with clean protein sources that won't cause your arthritis to flare up.

For more information about diet, refer to the book, I Cured My Arthritis You Can Too.

To illustrate the power a proper diet plays in getting rid of arthritis, consider this experiment done at the University of California at Berkeley, conducted by Dr. Francis Pottinger.

Dr. Pottinger fed one group of cats cooked meat and cooked milk.  The result? The cats developed arthritis and died. The more the meat and milk were cooked, the quicker they developed arthritis. 

Another control group of cats was fed raw food only.  The result?  None of them developed arthritis.
Then this group was fed cooked meat and milk.  The result - they developed arthritis. 

What to Do if You Cheat on Your Diet and Cause a Flare-up of Arthritis

If you're like most people, you'll catch yourself cheating from time to time and suffer for it.  Or, you may suffer some aches and pains even though you follow your diet and take your supplements.

If this happens, don't despair. In the latter case, most likely you're still detoxifying and the pains you feel are part of the cleansing process. 

In the former case, all you have to do is return to your proper diet and your symptoms will subside relatively quickly.
Also - especially if you're a social person - you will find little support for your diet amongst your friends.  You can expect them to chide you and try to convince you to eat something you shouldn't, especially at first.  If you give in, you will suffer pain.

Remember, it will be your pain, not theirs.  Also be mindful that it's your body, not theirs.  You're responsible for your health and the way you feel, not them.

Besides, if they're true friends, they'll stay true friends regardless of what you eat.

The Kinds of Foods to Avoid

So, just what is it that you shouldn't eat? Essentially, anything that contains sugar, or can easily be converted to sugar, should be avoided.  This includes candy, cake, pastries and anything with white flour.

Generally, it will be best to avoid processed food.  Make everything from scratch, as you'll get a lot more vitamins and minerals this way.

However, if you do eat processed food, make sure it doesn't contain corn syrup, fructose and other sugars that will sabotage your health - and quite likely cause a flare-up of arthritis symptoms.

For example, have you ever looked at the ingredients of a typical bar of chocolate? Here's a partial list of one brand (which shall remain nameless) that's commonly available at supermarkets:
  • Chocolate
  • White Sugar
  • Corn Syrup
  • Milk Powder
  • Condensed Milk
  • Cream Powder
  • Invert Sugar
  • Pectin
  • Cocoa Butter
  • Dextrose
  • Cocoa
  • Corn Starch
  • Dried Egg Whites
  • Salt
  • Benzoate of Soda
  • Lecithin
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Citrate
  • Invertase
  • Convetit
  • Bicarbonate of Soda
  • Vanilla
  • Gelatin
  • Emulsified Hydrogenated Shortening
  • Frozen Egg Whites
  • Commercial Imitation Vanilla Extract

This commercial imitation vanilla extract was created out of the following ingredients:
  • Vanilla Coumarine
  • Glycerin
  • White Sugar Alcohol
  • Water
  • Carmel to Color

Sounds tasty, huh?

If you start looking at cans of prepared food, you'll discover that the list of ingredients is so long they can barely be listed on the can (that's why the print is so tiny).  You'll also notice that the fonts are practically microscopic and often printed in a color that is very hard to read (it's hard to believe that this isn't done on purpose so you don't bother reading through it).

Many of these weird ingredients are designed to increase the shelf life of the product.  While they may make the food last longer and cost less than fresh food, these preservatives have an adverse effect on your health that is cumulative.

The bottom line to consider:  If the food you buy is perishable (fresh) and has a short shelf life, eating it will help you live longer and be healthier.

If, on the other hand, the food has long shelf life due to additives and preservatives, it will cause you to have a shorter, less healthy - and often disease-ridden - life.

In other words, if it can spoil, eat it. If it can't spoil, don't eat it.

Exercise to Keep Arthritis Away

While diet and vitamin supplementation are important to curing yourself of arthritis, they alone will not do the job.  You need to move around on a regular basis.

If you're like most Americans, you probably don't get enough exercise.  Chances are you're overweight as well.  I guarantee that if you eat a sensible diet and exercise, you'll not only be well on your way to getting your arthritis under control, you'll also lose weight, plus you'll look and feel better.

Exercise works by increasing the amount of oxygen circulating throughout your body.  It does this by increasing circulation. 

There are lots of ways to get exercise without joining an expensive health club or gym.
You can:
  • Jog
  • Jump on a Trampoline
  • Ride a Bike
  • Go Hiking
  • Lift Weights
  • Swimming
  • Walking

This is obviously only a partial list. Its potential length is only limited by your imagination.
Bottom line:  It is critical that you start a regular exercise program if you're to get permanent relief from arthritis.

And now, another word of warning:

Just as a good diet alone will not get rid of your arthritis, neither will exercise alone.   Your diet must be primarily comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats.

You must avoid fast and processed foods at all costs.  You must also avoid toxic substances.
These include:
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Sweets
  • Soda

To Get Rid of Arthritis, You Must Reprogram Your Inner Self and Learn to Relax
It's important to pay attention how you react to things.

When things go wrong, how do you react?  Do you get mad and swear, or seethe under your breath?  Or do you roll with the event with a sense of calm?

Whenever you react negatively to an event, you reinforce the idea that things should be different than they actually are. This sets up a pattern of expectancy, which is based on preconceived notions that may not be in line with reality.

Worse, it wears you out physiologically and physiologically.  It drains you energy and weakens your immune system.  This in turn makes you susceptible to a variety of health problems, including arthritis.

So, if you're honest with yourself and realize you have not been taking events realistically, you'll be aware of the need to do so.

Fortunately, there are some very simple (but not necessarily easy) things you can do to reprogram your inner self.
 
They include:
  • Learning how to relax your body
  • Finding quiet time daily, with no interruptions and do not let stressful thoughts interfere
  • Taking short vacations, drives in the country, etc.
  • Talking to people who will listen (to let off steam - this has been shown to reduce health problems and lower blood pressure)
  • Getting involved in a hobby or sport to release stress
  • Stretching often
  • Taking hot baths
  • Not letting minor irritations bother you

Vitamins

To achieve the most from your daily vitamin supplement, it needs to be a balance of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

I prefer a liquid supplement because of the fact that classically designed tablets and pills, are poorly absorbed and poorly used by the body due to their formulation design.

Many of these tablets are not effectively used by the body - containing raw material components that are poor in quality, non-usable fillers, "binders" that inhibit nutrient absorption and the common use of outer waxy coatings that inhibit digestion.

Beware of the liquid supplement also.  Most liquid supplements contain artificial ingredients and harsh preservatives that diminish their effectiveness. And, many liquid products are also pasteurized or irradiated to prevent bacterial growth. Those processes actually negatively impact the potency and benefits of the product.

The liquid supplement I use and recommend is delivered to you exactly the way nature intended... fresh with natural ingredients, with no processes that diminish the benefits and potency of nutrients.

Plus:
  • Pharmaceutical and food grade ingredients
  • Certified ORAC® rated anti-oxidant capacity
  • USP purification standards
  • Natural fruit & vegetable phytonutrients, including EGCG from Green Tea
  • Trade protected mineral/nutrient ionization & bioactivation
  • Human Matrix™ nutrient ratios that replicate natural ratios found within the human body
  • Blending techniques to safeguard molecular structures
  • Safety & efficacy trials; ongoing Clinical Evaluations
  • No irradiation, pasteurization, MSG, parabens, or artificial dyes, sweeteners or flavors
  • Vegetarian friendly

For complete information about this liquid supplement:

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You may want to consider meeting with and Orthomolecular doctor to help you tailor a vitamin regimen based on your unique physiological needs.  You can find one by looking up "Orthomolecular doctors" in the phone book or on the Internet.

Orthomolecular is a term that comes from ortho, which is Greek for "correct" or "right," and "molecule," which is the simplest structure that displays the characteristics of a compound. So it literally means the "right molecule."

Two-time Nobel Prize winner, and molecular biologist, Linus Pauling, Ph.D., coined the term "Orthomolecular" in his 1968 article "Orthomolecular Psychiatry" in the journal "Science."

Orthomolecular medicine describes the practice of preventing and treating disease by providing the body with optimal amounts of substances which are natural to the body.

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Tylenol Trouble - Acetaminophen Overuse Leads to Liver Failure

For a pounding headache, millions upon millions of Americans turn to pills like Excedrin, the pill that bills itself as “the headache medicine.”  And for millions of Americans, pills like these do the trick—24 billion doses of acetaminophen medicines sold last year alone is a testament to that fact.

And even though pills like these will continue to be sold by the billions for years on end for headache relief, our livers will suffer as a consequence if bought and consumed as prevalently as they are now.

Did you know that the most common cause of liver failure is the overuse of acetaminophen-based medicines like Tylenol?  That’s right.  It’s not due to excessive alcohol consumption, malnutrition, or diseases like Hepatitis B.  Nope.  Liver failure’s most frequently caused by people popping too many Tylenol.

So it was a long time coming when an FDA panel recommended this week that pharmaceutical companies lower the recommended dosages of acetaminophen found on bottles of Tylenol and the like.  This panel is different from the FDA, so the FDA isn’t recommending lowering the dosage.  Just why the FDA isn’t recommending lowering the dosage is anyone’s guess.

Something else that’s anyone’s guess is whether pharmaceutical companies will take the panel’s advisement into action.  You’d think they would, especially considering that thousands are hospitalized every year because of overuse of over-the-counter medicines like these and that hundreds of people have been given liver transplants due to acetaminophen overuse.

Despite these worrisome warning signs, they appear loath to make any adjustments, as the maker of Tylenol issued a statement recently saying, in part, that “…the safety and efficacy of acetaminophen has been established in over 150 clinical studies” and that it’s the “pain medicine that doctors recommend most.”

That’s all well and good, but what they don’t seem to realize is that acetaminophen is a lot like high fructose corn syrup – it’s everywhere!  So when people are taking one medication that contains acetaminophen for a cold, and then start taking Tylenol for a headache, all that acetaminophen has to go somewhere.  And where does it go?  The liver, where the overconsumption of it can’t be metabolized properly, ultimately leading to the failure of one of our most vital organs.

Some may consider this bad news.  “What will we do for our headaches?” some might wonder.  Well, naturally, there are “natural” solutions to headaches.   And while the alternatives aren’t as plentiful or as prevalent as acetaminophen is in over-the-counter medicines, there’s more than one to choose from.

Some of the most common natural herbs and spices include skullcap, which is really great for stress-related headaches.  Another is curcumin, the herb found in the curry spice turmeric.  The properties of curcumin help to shield the brain’s pain receptors.  One other is capsaicin.  Capsaicin is neither an herb nor a spice, but rather a compound that gives chili peppers their spice.  Capsaicin is good for other pain problems, too, like the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Acetaminophen has been used entirely too much for entirely too long.  Sadly, it took liver failure to bring it to everyone’s attention.  Perhaps now people will do what they should have been doing a long time ago and turn to natural treatments for headache relief.

Sources:
voices.washingtonpost.com
examiner.com
basilandspice.com
altnature.com

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Your Deodorant – Is There Danger Lurking Within?
Dr. Christine H. Farlow, D.C. - Ingredient Safety Expert

You just got out of the shower and reached for your favorite deodorant. You like it because it smells nice and it keeps your underarms dry and odor free. You've used it for a long time. But did you ever read the ingredients on the label and wonder about the safety of the almost unpronounceable chemicals listed in the too tiny to read print?

If not, you're like most people. You don't expect to find products on store shelves that contain harmful ingredients. But beware. The ingredients in many deodorant products could endanger your health.

Certainly, you've heard in the news recently about the possible association with deodorants and breast cancer. Maybe you've even heard about the possibility that aluminum in deodorants may contribute to Alzheimer's disease. And you may or may not know about ingredients which act like estrogen and can upset your hormonal balance.

Perhaps you've heard all these things and just shrugged them off. After all how could companies sell these products if they're not safe? The manufacturers certainly must test the ingredients and the products before they put them on the market, right? Well, not exactly! The law does not require manufacturers to test their products for safety. In fact, except for colors and a few banned ingredients, manufacturers can use any raw material they want as an ingredient in your deodorant. Most of the ingredients used in deodorant and other personal care products have not been fully tested. Many have never been tested at all.

The industry, in an attempt to make it look like it's acting in the interest of consumer safety, formed the Cosmetic Ingredient Review in 1976 to evaluate the safety of ingredients used in cosmetics and personal care products.  However, in the 29 years up to June 2005, they performed safety assessments on only about 10% of the ingredients allowed in cosmetic and personal care products, including deodorants, and never evaluated one third of the 50 most commonly used ingredients. 

But, you might add, the FDA wouldn't allow companies to sell unsafe products to the public, right? Well, in theory! While the FDA urges manufacturers to conduct the tests necessary to substantiate the safety of their products, the law does not require manufacturers to test their products for safety. The FDA doesn't approve deodorants and antiperspirants or any other cosmetic or skin care products before they reach the marketplace. The FDA can only have a product removed from the market if they can prove it harmful in a court of law.

So, what does this mean for you? Does it mean you should stop using deodorant? What can you do to protect yourself? Well, you have several options. You can discover the secret to reading ingredient labels and ascertaining ingredient safety, making yourself a master of choosing products without harmful ingredients. You can ask someone who knows to recommend a safe deodorant or antiperspirant. Or you can get adventuresome and learn how to make your own.

Now, it really isn't necessary to go to the time and trouble of making your own, unless of course you want to. You can find healthy deodorant products in stores or online if you know how to read labels and determine ingredient safety.

Once an almost impossible task for the average person, but no more. Now you can easily master the art of label reading and interpretation with the book, Dying To Look Good. It gives you the keys to deciphering the safety of the ingredients on the label of your deodorant and other personal care products as well as providing names of healthy products and where you can buy them.

To discover which ingredients to watch out for in your deodorant and to find out my top recommendation for a healthy deodorant, read Deodorant - Top 7 Ingredients to Avoid

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Boosting and Fueling Your Metabolism
By Michelle May, M.D.

The word metabolism is thrown around a lot these days. Some people complain, "I have a slow metabolism" and buy products that claim to "boost your metabolism". But how do you increase your metabolism, and what is it exactly? How do diets affect your metabolism? 

In a nutshell, metabolism simply refers to the amount of fuel or energy that your body burns each day. While images of treadmills and aerobics classes may come to mind, you're using energy right now just reading this article.

The largest part of your metabolism, called basal metabolism, is the amount of fuel your body burns to support your basic bodily functions. These vital functions include your heartbeat, breathing, brain function and numerous other important, but invisible, activities going on inside of you at all times. Even eating, digesting and processing food contribute to your metabolism.

In fact, every little cell in your body is like a tiny engine that burns fuel continuously in the process of doing its job. These tiny engines never shut off while you are alive. Even when you're sleeping or sitting still, your body's cells are still actively working. It's just like a car; when the engine is running, it's burning fuel-even if it's just sitting in the driveway.

Move More to Increase Your Metabolism
Your activity level is another significant part of your fuel needs. On top of your basal metabolism, your body's workload increases with any type of activity, from brushing your teeth and taking a shower, to walking around your home, school or office.

This extra work increases the number of calories the cells burn, because the "labor" of the cells has increased. For instance, your lung cells must work to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide, but they work harder when you're walking at a brisk pace than when you're sitting in a chair.

Increase Muscle Mass to Boost Your Metabolism
Another piece to this metabolic puzzle is your body composition. Your body is composed of water, adipose tissue (better known as fat) and lean tissue, which is everything else (muscle, bone, hair, and other tissues).

Your muscle mass is an important part of your lean tissue. In fact a majority of your body's machinery is composed of muscle, including many of your internal organs. The tiny engines of muscle cells are "metabolically active" because they require energy to perform their work. Muscles help you breathe, digest food, move your body, lift and carry objects and even stand upright.

Not only do muscle cells require more energy to do their work, but it also takes energy to build and maintain them. Whenever you do a little more than your body is accustomed to, your body will build more muscle to accommodate the new workload. Building this new muscle tissue requires more fuel. It's like a factory; as the number of workers increases, the productivity or output goes up.

Diets Affect on Metabolism
There is another significant part of metabolism-food. To your body, food is the fuel that keeps this process running smoothly. Your cells must have an energy supply in order to perform their required tasks. Without an adequate amount of fuel, your cells cannot function properly, resulting in unfavorable consequences.

Think about your car again. If it runs out of gasoline, it will putter and stop. However, in order to stay alive, your body's cells cannot all just shut off. When your cells are low on fuel from food, your body will turn to its "reserve tanks" to utilize other energy sources. Initially, it will use up carbohydrate that has been stored as glycogen in your muscles and liver. When that is gone, it will begin to break down certain tissues to use for its energy supply, specifically, fat and muscle.

In a state of ongoing fuel shortage or semi-starvation, your body must pick and choose which cells to continue supporting and which ones to "drop." A priority list is developed, and needless to say, the cells that provide vital activities take top priority. Remember, muscle cells require a lot of energy, so those that aren't being used regularly will be given the pink slip!

When your food supply remains low, your cells must also become more efficient. That is, they attempt to perform their jobs without burning as many calories; they adapt to the lower energy intake by expending less energy. If this happened in your car, you'd be thrilled, but when it happens in your body you will burn 20-36% fewer calories per day by becoming more fuel-efficient.

This is all the result of your body's primitive, complex survival mechanisms that try to keep you alive during limited periods of starvation. In days long ago when food was not as plentiful or easy to obtain, people worked quite strenuously hunting and gathering their food. Perhaps they chased wild game or walked miles to find edible berries and roots. When they were able to eat freely, their bodies used the fuel as needed for activities and stored any extra fuel as fat for later use. When food supplies were scarce during cold winters or summer droughts, their bodies could draw on the stored fat for fuel.

If a famine persisted, their bodies would sense the lack of sufficient fuel and conserve energy by eliminating non-essential functions and slowing down the essential ones. Fat stores and muscle tissue would be broken down for energy to meet their bodies' caloric demands. When the famine was over and they could eat whenever they were hungry, their bodies would rebuild lost fuel stores. Their muscle mass would also be rebuilt as their tasks of hunting and gathering of food were supported by adequate nourishment.

Your body still has this primitive survival mechanism but most modern "famines" self-imposed. Under strict dieting conditions, the same old survival mechanisms still exist. Initially you will lose water and some of the stored fuel. Eventually survival mechanisms kick in and your metabolism decreases to conserve energy and some of your muscle mass may be lost. This is simply the way your body adapts to being under-fueled.  

On the other hand, to optimally support your metabolism you can choose to take three important steps: live an active lifestyle, engage in a reasonable exercise program to maintain and build muscle, and eat an appropriate amount of food to fuel your cells. With a greater appreciation for the processes that affect your metabolism, you can take these critical steps to boost and fuel your metabolism so it will work for you.

Michelle May, M.D. is a recovered yoyo dieter and the award-winning author of "Am I Hungry?"


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What is Inflammation and How Does It Cause Pain?

Inflammation is a response from your immune system in response to an irritant.

For example, if you sprain your ankle, your immune system creates a protein called a Circulating Immune Complex (CIC for short).

The CIC travels down to the injured ankle and causes pain and swelling.

The pain you feel is to inform you of the injury or damage. And the swelling is protective as it prevents you from moving it and causing more irritation.

This is also your body's way of running to the problem with fresh blood, antibodies and vital cells in order to begin healing and repairing the damage.

Then what normally happens is our bodies produce proteolytic enzymes which counteract the inflammation, and things return to normal. That's why a sprained ankle as a young child heals within a few weeks at most, but can take six weeks or more for an adult of say 45.

The problem is, after around age 25, our production of these enzymes drops off almost completely so there is nothing to tell the body to stop the inflammation. These enzymes are also responsible for cleaning the blood, fighting off viral and bacterial infections and breaking down excess fibrin (scar tissue).

You can learn more about proteolytic enzymes and how they work here

In addition to the decrease in production of proteolytic enzymes, there are also numerous other things that contribute to the build up of inflammation in our bodies.

Here is just a short list of factors that contribute to inflammation:

  • Un-addressed pain and injuries
  • Toxins and chemicals in our air, water and food
  • Poor nutritional habits
  • Bacterial or viral infections
  • Allergies
  • Prescription medications
  • Auto-immune diseases
  • Negative mental and emotional stress

Over time, inflammation continues to increase in our bodies causing damage to all of the tissues and organs, often without us even knowing it's happening.

If inflammation is not controlled and the body continually fights this battle, symptoms of chronic inflammation can show itself as arthritis, colitis, chronic fatigue, sinusitis, cataracts, chronic pain, hair loss heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and dozens of other ailments and conditions.

Inflammation is what slowly kills us.

More and more research is coming out now that proves this. For example, here's a quote from a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine: "there is convincing evidence that inflammation is strongly linked to heart attacks and stroke."

And in another study published in The Annals of Neurology, the researchers concluded, "inflammation is linked to Alzheimer's and other dementing diseases." And a recent Harvard study found that "half of all heart attacks are caused by inflammation".

We know that reducing inflammation is critical to eliminating pain and preventing disease and illness, but how do you do it safely and naturally?

Here are just some of the things you can do:

  • Make dietary changes
  • Learn how to eliminate negative emotional stress
  • Minimize the amount of junk that enters your body - and not just food but toxins and other chemicals
  • Replace lost proteolytic enzymes with supplementation
  • Remember, the key is to keep in inflammation under control because it does far more than just cause swelling and pain.

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The Every Other Day Diet™
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Lower Cholesterol Naturally and Eliminate Harmful Prescription Drugs.
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Cure Your Restless Leg Syndrome Naturally, Anywhere Anytime With A 100% Success Rate--guaranteed.

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