Natural Health Remedies

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5 Tips to Avoid Plateaus and Metabolic Slowdown

By Tom Venuto

QUESTION: Tom, Is it possible to not lose body fat because you're eating too little?

-Linda

ANSWER: Yes and no. This gets a little complicated so let me explain both sides.

Part one of my answer: I say NO, because if you are in a calorie deficit you WILL lose weight.

Most people have heard anecdotes of the dieter who claims to be eating 800 calories a day or some starvation diet level of intake that is clearly in a deficit and yet is not losing fat. Like the mythical unicorn, such an animal does not exist.

Every time you take a person like that and put them in a hospital research center or metabolic ward where their food can be counted, weighed, measured and almost literally "spoon fed" to them, a calorie deficit always produces weight loss.

There are no exceptions, except possibly in rare diseases or mutations. Even then metabolic or hormonal defects or diseases merely lead to energy imbalance via increases in appetite, decreases in energy expenditure or changes in energy partitioning. So at the end of the day it's STILL calories in versus calories out.

In other words, NO - it's NOT your thyroid (unless you've got a confirmed diagnosis as such...and then guess what... it's STILL calories in vs calories out, you're just not burning as many as someone should at your height and weight).

One famous study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine years ago proved this point rather dramatically. After studying obese people - selected specifically because they swore they were eating less than 1200 calories but could not lose weight - Steven Lichtman and his colleages at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital in New York came to the following conclusion:

"The failure of some obese subjects to lose weight while eating a diet they report as low in calories is due to an energy intake substantially higher than reported and an overestimation of physical activity, not to an abnormality in thermogenesis."

That's right - the so-called "diet-resistant" subjects were eating more than they thought and moving less than they thought. This was probably the single best study ever published that debunks the "I'm in a calorie deficit but I can't lose weight" myth:

Part two of my answer : YES, because:

1) Energy intake increases.

Eating too little causes major increases in appetite. With hunger raging out of control, you lose your deficit by overeating. This happens in many ways, such as giving in to cravings, binge eating, eating more on weekends or simply being inconsistent, so some days you're on your prescribed 1600 calories a day or whatever is your target amount, but on others you're taking in 2200, 2500, 3000 etc and you don't realize it or remember it. The overeating days wipe out the deficit days.

2) Metabolism decreases due to smaller body mass.

Any time at all when you're losing weight, your metabolism is slowly decreasing due to your reduced body mass. The smaller and lighter you get, especially if there's a large drop in skeletal muscle mass, the fewer calories you need. So your calorie deficit slowly shrinks over time as your diet progresses. As a result, your progress slows down even though you haven't changed how much you eat.

With starvation, you always lose weight, but eventually you lose so much weight/body mass that you can reach energy balance at the same caloric intake you used to lose weight on. You might translate that as "I went into starvation mode" which wouldn't be incorrect, but it would be more accurate to say that your calorie needs decreased.

3) Metabolism decreases due to adaptive thermogenesis.

Eating too little also causes a starvation response (adaptive thermogenesis) where metabolic rate can decrease above and beyond what can be accounted for from the change in body mass (#2 above). This is "starvation response" in the truest sense. It does exist and it is well documented. However, the latest research says that the vast majority of the decrease in metabolism comes from reduced body mass. The adaptive component of the reduced metabolic rate is fairly small, perhaps 10% (ie, 220 calories for an average female with a 2200 TDEE). The result is when you don't eat enough, your actual weight loss is less than predicted on paper, but weight loss doesn't stop completely.

There is a BIG myth about starvation mode (adaptive thermogenesis) that implies that if you don't eat enough, your metabolism will slow down so much that you stop losing weight. That can't happen, it only appears that way because weight loss stops for other reasons. What happens is the math equation changes!

Energy balance is dynamic, so your weight loss slows down and eventually stops over time if you fail to adjust your calories and activity levels in real time each week.

I teach a system for how to adjust calories and activity weekly using a feedback loop method in my Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle program (more info from www.BurnTheFat.com)

So what can be done to stop this metabolic slowdown caused by low calorie dieting and the dreaded fat loss plateau that follows? I recommend the following 5 tips:

1) Lose the pounds slowly.

Slow and steady wins in long term fat loss and maintenance every time. Rapid weight loss correlates strongly with weight relapse and loss of lean body mass. Aim for one to two pounds per week, or no more than 1% of total body weight (ie, 3 lbs per week if you weigh 300 lbs).

2) Use a higher energy flux program.

If you are physically capable of exercise, then use weight training AND cardio to increase your calorie expenditure, so you can still have a calorie deficit, but at a higher food intake (also known as a "high energy flux" program, or as we like to say in Burn The Fat, "eat more, burn more.")

3) Use a conservative calorie deficit.

You must have a calorie deficit to lose fat, but your best bet is to keep the deficit small. This helps you avoid triggering the starvation response, which includes the increased appetite and potential to binge that comes along with starvation diets. I recommend a 20% deficit below your maintenance calories (TDEE), a 30% deficit at most for those with high body fat.

4) Refeed.

Increase your calories (re-feed) for a full day periodically (once a week or so if you are heavy, twice a week if you are already lean), to restimulate metabolism. On the higher calorie day, take your calories to maintenance or even 10, 15, 20% above maintenance and add the extra calories in the form of carbs (carb cycling). The leaner you get, and the longer you've been on reduced calories, the more important the re-feeds will be. (You can learn more about this method in chapter 12 of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle at www.BurnTheFat.com)

5) Take periodic diet breaks.

Take 1 week off your calorie restricted diet approximately every 12 weeks or so. During this period, take your calories back up to maintenance, but continue to eat healthy, "clean" foods. Alternately, go into a muscle building phase if increasing lean mass is one of your goals. This will bring metabolism and regulatory hormones back up to normal and keep lean body mass stable.

There is much confusion about how your metabolism, hormones and appetite mechanisms are affected when you're dieting, so this was really one of the most important questions anyone could have asked.

If this didn't REALLY click - then you may want to save this and read it again because misunderstanding this stuff leads more people to remain frustrated and stuck at plateaus than anything else I can think of.

If you'd like to learn exactly how you should be eating to lose 2 lbs of fat per week, then visit http://www.burnthefat.com.

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto,

Author of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle

http://www.BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com

How to Be Immune to Swine Flu -- Without the Vaccine

From, Think-Outside-the-Book Publishing, LLC

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The swine flu has been declared a "national emergency" by President Barack Obama ... swine flu cases have skyrocketed to the point that the CDC has stopped counting ... deaths from swine flu have reached alarming numbers ... swine flu will most likely infect 30-50% of the U.S. population and up to 90,000 Americans could die from it.

These chilling news headlines have dominated the media in recent weeks. To add to the public hysteria, swine flu vaccines are presently in extremely short supply, and this has caused families and individuals to worry about how to protect themselves from becoming the next casualty of swine flu.

2 Out of 3 Americans Plan to Refuse the Vaccine

Some reports state that the so-called swine flu pandemic is nothing more than a fabricated ruse to "push" the vaccine upon the unsuspecting public in order to enrich the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the vaccine.

Other reports warn that the fast-tracked vaccine, which lacks sufficient testing for efficacy and safety, has the potential to cause cancer, as well as a host of other serious diseases far worse than swine flu -- and even lead to death.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that according to the most recent poll, 62% of Americans are going to refuse the vaccine. This might very well be due to the growing suspicion that the swine flu vaccine might be more dangerous than the swine flu itself.

Whichever reports you believe, the fact remains that the swine flu does pose a serious threat to your health -- one that you can't afford to ignore.

Can You Really Make Your Body Immune to the Swine Flu Virus?

Madison Cavanaugh, author of The One-Minute Cure: The Secret to Healing Virtually All Diseases insists that the fear is incorrectly placed on the swine influenza virus itself. "Microbes, germs, harmful bacteria and viruses, such as the swine influenza virus, do not cause disease in and of themselves," Cavanaugh states. "They do seek their natural habitat -- such as an oxygen-deficient body -- rather than being the cause of the disease. It's no different from the way mosquitoes seek out stagnant water, but do not cause the pool to become stagnant."

Cavanaugh's assertion is consistent with the findings of Dr. Rudolf Virchow (1821 - 1902), also called the "Father of Patholo-Pathology."

It is also supported by Louis Pasteur, the notable 19th century French chemist and microbiologist best known for his remarkable breakthroughs in the causes and prevention of disease, who recanted his germ theory of disease at his deathbed, stating, "The microbe is nothing. The terrain is everything."

The terrain of which he spoke refers to an oxygenated environment in the human body, which makes for a strong immune system. A weakened or suppressed state of the immune system only occurs when the human body lacks oxygen, thereby allowing viruses, such as the swine influenza virus, to breed.

The Swine Flu Virus Cannot Exist in an Oxygenated Body

It therefore stands to reason that the swine influenza virus does not cause disease, but rather seeks out an environment where it can thrive best -- and that is in oxygen-deprived bodies. "A sufficiently oxygenated body is uninhabitable by disease," Cavanaugh states, and viruses can neither survive nor thrive in it. Therefore, the best defense against microbes, germs, harmful bacteria and viruses, such as the swine flu virus, is to keep the body oxygenated.

Cavanaugh's book, The One-Minute Cure, discusses the therapeutic use of the only natural substance which stimulates the movement of oxygen atoms from the bloodstream to the cells to a dramatically greater degree than is usually reached by other means. This action creates an oxygenated environment that enables the body to cure itself of virtually all diseases ranging from influenza to cancer, AIDS, heart disease, asthma, diabetes and arthritis.

The natural oxygenating substance which is the core subject of the book has a long history of therapeutic use dating back 170 years ago when it was used to reverse a wide variety of illnesses -- from minor ones like colds and flu to serious ones like cholera and malaria. It has even been used to help stop the Spanish Flu of 1918.

Over the past 70 years, this safe, inexpensive and powerful healing modality has been administered by an estimated 15,000 European doctors, naturopaths and homeopaths to successfully treat practically every known disease in more than 10 million patients. The natural remedy can be self-administered at home in less than a minute, and costs only 1-1/2 cents a day to use. For more information, Watch-This-8-Minute-Video

Disclaimer: The entire contents of this article is based upon the research and opinions of the author, unless otherwise noted. The information in this article is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of the author. You are encouraged to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The information in this e-mail is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Ten Teas From Plants Around You And Their Benefits

All teas unless specified are brewed with 1 teaspoon dry material or 2 teaspoons fresh material to 1 cup of water. Always steep. This means pouring hot water over material and letting set for 5 - 15 minutes. Always dry leaves and roots out of the sun, in dark airy places. Then store in airtight containers.

Persimmon Tea: The leaves when dried and crushed make a fine strong tea. Can be used all year round. Rich in vitamin C. Used as a healthful tonic.

Sassafras Tea: Boil fresh roots after washing, until water turns reddish brown. Can be sliced and dried for later use. Claimed by some to be a blood thinner, a blood purifier, to help bronchitis, a stimulating spring tonic. Mostly it is used for pure enjoyment.

Birch Tea (Wintergreen): Black, yellow and white birch. Dried leaves can be used year round. A large handful of fresh leaves steeped in hot water was drunk 1 to 2 cups a day for rheumatism and headaches. Said to reduce pain of passing kidney stones, and a fever reducer. Cold it was used as a mouthwash.

Blackberry/Raspberry Tea: The dried mature leaves of these brambles make a good tea. Used to help control diarrhea, as a blood purifier and tonic. Use all year round.

Blueberry Tea: The dried mature leaves are steeped until cool and drunk 1 to 2 cups per day as a blood purifier and tonic. Also used to help inflamed kidneys and increase the flow of urine. Somewhat bitter. Use all year round.

Alfalfa Tea: The dried and powdered leaves and flower heads make a very nutritious tea, but it is somewhat bland. It is suggested mixing them with normal teas to stretch them and add nutrition. Its vitamin content was the reason it was used. Used all year round.

Wild Strawberry Tea: Use dried leaves normally. Pour several cups boiling water over a handful of fresh leaves in the evening. Cover and let steep overnight. Strain water and reheat in the morning. Believed to help with a multitude of things, from stomach troubles, eczema, diarrhea, etc. According to experts, it is much more healthful than purchased coffee or teas. Use all year round.

Wild Rose-Hip Tea: A handful of these steeped for 10 minutes, then strained, make a healthful tea. Can be used dried or fresh in season. Instead of boiling, place a handful in cool water overnight, then stain and reheat in the morning. Use all year round. Strong Vitamin C content. Helps with Colds and the flu. Also for sore throat.

Sweet Goldenrod Tea (Anise): Can use dried or fresh leaves or flowers. Makes a very flavorful tea. Pure enjoyment only!! Used all year round.

Soldier's Herb Tea: This common yard weed with green leaves and two seedie spikes was used by the colonials and Indians alike. One teaspoon of seeds per cup of boiling water steeped for 1/2 hour was used for dropsy and jaundice. A tea from fresh leaves (chopped fine), one heaping teaspoon per cup of boiling water steeped for 1/2 hour. For dried powdered leaves, use one level teaspoon and reduce time to 15 minutes. Drunk 4 to 5 times a day until relief was obtained. Used for gout, to help clean out nasal passages and to slow menstruation. Also used to expel worms. A tea cooled made from rainwater was used as an eyewash.

8 Foods You Should Eat - and Why

by Sherry Brescia

As we all learned in elementary school science class, all living things need nourishment to survive.

Probiotics are no different.

These trillions of beneficial little bacteria that live in your intestines need food in order to thrive too.

Food for PRObiotic bacteria is called PREbiotics.

And the more you feed the probiotics in your gut, the better they will survive and ward off dangerous pathogens that you ingest, and the healthier your immune system will be.

Now I've got some great news for you.

Many prebiotics come from positively delicious foods and drinks. Here are some examples:

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables--unpeeled

Antioxidant compounds called phenols are found just under the skins of fruits and vegetables, and probiotics LOVE to eat phenols.

Plus fruits and vegetables also contain lots of soluble fiber which helps you in two ways.

First, your beneficial bacteria feed off the fiber. Then they produce short-chain fatty acids as wastes. These short-chain fatty acids slow the growth of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli.

2. Trail mix

A blend of nuts and seeds is the perfect prebiotic. The nuts and seeds are great sources of fiber, protein and dietary phenols.

Just make sure to stay away from mixes that have candies or yogurt-covered nuts, as they add a bunch of refined sugar (which ends up being food for the BAD bacteria in your gut).

3. Dark berry juices

Juices that contain good levels of dietary phenols include those made from blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, pomegranates, cherries, and purple grapes.

Just be sure you're buying real juice--not a "juice drink" which can contain little or no real juice. Glance at the label if you're not sure. If the first and second ingredients are sugar and water, forget it.

The only exception is cranberry juice cocktail. Pure cranberry juice is quite tart, and the added water and sugar make it tasty without compromising the quality of the phenols from the cranberry juice.

4. Herbs and spices

Practically every herb and spice contains dietary phenols (and they're alkaline--another big PLUS for your body), so spice things up all you want!

The herb with the highest phenol count is oregano, so if you like pizza, you're in luck.

Fresh herbs and spices have more dietary phenols than dried, but both are good food for your beneficial bacteria.

5. Oats

Oats are loaded with beta-glucan, which is a soluble fiber and an excellent prebiotic.

But all oats are not created equal. Stay away from instant oatmeal packets because they're typically loaded with refined sugar. You don't want to turn your meal for your good bacteria into a feast for the bad.

6. Legumes

Legumes include beans, lentils and peanuts. They're loaded with soluble fiber (as well as protein and

minerals).

The dietary phenol count of beans is one of the highest per weight of any food in existence.

So go ahead and make some split pea soup, a batch of hummus or a pot of chili and feed your friendly microbes.

7. Red wine

Good news for you cabernet, shiraz or merlot lovers! Moderate consumption of red wine (1-2 glasses per day) not only helps reduce risk of cardiovascualr disease, but red wine also has one of the highest phenol contents of any food or drink.

That's because red wine is made not only with the pulp of the grapes, but also the skin and seeds. White wine uses only the pulp, so it's not beneficial like red.

And the ultimate:

8. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate and cocoa powder are excellent sources of probiotic-nourishing dietary phenols. (Skip the milk chocolate because its processing decreases the phenol content.)

The higher the cocoa content, the higher the phenols.

Now, this is not an endorsement for doubling up on your chocolate intake if you already get plenty... but an occasional treat of a nice piece of dark chocolate will make your tongue AND your beneficial bacteria sing.

About the Author

Sherry Brescia is the author of Great Taste No Pain and host of the radio show "Let's Talk Health with Sherry Brescia" on iamhealthyradio.com.

She has over 20 years experience in the medical research field, and cured herself from IBS in 1992 by changing her diet and eating the way she now teaches in her Great Taste No Pain system.

Sherry has made it her life's mission to help others with digestive challenges by educating them about the role of diet in overall health and the importance of an alkaline pH.

Gearing Up for Flu Season

by Dr. Tara Barker

Well, flu season is coming upon us quickly, and most people would love to skip getting sick this year. The biggest question is… How? Here are the easiest ways to keep yourself and loved ones free of the nastiest of colds this (and every) year.

First of all, the flu is a virus. A viral infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. A virus can only overwhelm your defenses and multiply in your body if your body’s defenses are not adequate to begin with. If you are strong, vital, and have a health immune system, your body will most likely be able to stave off most colds, flus, and bacteria. The problem comes when you are stressed, eating poorly, not taking a good multivitamin, or have been recently sick. The traditional holiday season, with its stress, gift buying, wrapping, travel, visiting, and overeating, is a perfect occasion for you to fall ill with the flu. Here is what you can do.

Take a quality multivitamin. If you are not eating in the most stellar fashion, chances are you are low on many nutrients. This is just a fact in today’s world. A good, quality supplement will provide you with the immune enhancing and flu fighting nutrients like zinc, vitamin A, selenium, vitamin C, and the B vitamins. Keeping your defenses up and your body healthy is the first line of defense.

Do your best not to become stressed. Stress threatens your immunity immensely. It’s just not worth it to become stressed and sick. Try to remember what your goal is in the highest regard. Instead of thinking, “Oh no! I’ll be late!" think “My goal is to arrive and do my best. I will take control and responsibility over what I can and do my best." If you show up authentically and remain true to your ideals while not getting bogged down in the stress of every event in the moment, you can truly do your immune system (and psyche) a service.

Eat well as often as you can. Now, we all know that fudge, pies, yams with marshmallow, and loads of rolls and butter may show up on our plates. They just tend to do that. But as often as you can, eat your veggies. Lots of veggies of all varieties. Eat whole fruit. If you eat grains, eat mostly whole grains instead of flour products. Don’t overdo dairy products as they are mucus producing and hard to digest for some people. Drink lots of water throughout the day and go easy on the coffee, black tea, and try to avoid sodas altogether. Even diet sodas cause an immune lowering effect for hours after you consume. Sugar inhibits your immune system for hours after you eat it (or drink it) and is an invitation to all sorts of viral and bacterial nasties. So unless you are serious about inviting them in to stay, don’t open that door too often.

Exercise daily. Even if you just go for a walk for 20 minutes, get in exercise every day. Your body needs it. It is good for the soul. Make it fun by going with a friend or your partner and talking. Or go alone and enjoy your thoughts. Go at sunset or sunrise for an enhanced experience.

Wash your hands. Most people get the flu by shaking hands, touching a doorknob, or picking up a phone in which the virus has been on and then touching their eyes, nose, hair, or mouth. The virus typically enters by the mucous membranes of the nose or mouth, but could enter through any mucous membrane of the body. During flu season, be sure to remain conscious of touching your mouth, nose, or eyes, especially if you recently touched an object that others may have touched. Wash your hands if in doubt.

If you do get the flu, see your naturopath immediately for a quicker resolution. Homeopathic remedies, herbs, hydrotherapy, and other treatments often help your body to more quickly eliminate the virus than over the counter products or doing nothing. Some remedies, if begun when you notice the first symptoms, can even prevent the flu from a full attack. You could also take home treatments that your family could take in order to prevent them from contracting the virus.

Have you Fed your Good Bugs Today?

by Marjorie Geiser, RD

Most consumers have heard of probiotics and know that they are foods containing live, beneficial bacteria. Foods such as yogurt, buttermilk, miso or kefir are the most recognized foods providing ‘good’ bacteria for the gut.

But are you aware of the health benefits of prebiotics? In a nutshell, prebiotics are the food to help the probiotics grow and multiply. They are the food for your ‘good bugs’.

A quick review of probiotics will help in understanding prebiotics. The advantage of beneficial living organisms in food, particularly lactic acid bacteria, has been known for centuries. In fact, the Roman historian, Plinius, in 76 BC, recommended fermented milk for treating gastroenteritis. In the early 1900’s, a Russian zoologist, Elie Metchnikoff, wrote about the health benefits of “friendly bacteria" and hypothesized that consumption of fermented milk products were responsible for the long, healthy lives that Bulgarian peasants enjoyed.

Probiotics means “pro-life". The digestive tract is home to over 400 species of microorganisms. Some are ‘good bugs’ and are ‘bad bugs’ or unhealthy bacteria. Probiotics are the ‘good bugs’. Two of the most common strains are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. It is believed that if a positive balance of good bacteria is maintained, the bad bacteria are less able to cause disease and irritation.

Here are some health benefits to taking probiotics:

inhibits growth of ‘bad bugs’, or bacteria that cause disease
synthesizes vitamins, primarily B vitamins
increase availability of nutrients
decrease lactose intolerance
decrease symptoms of GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease)
decrease prevalence of allergies
boosts the immune response

As mentioned earlier, prebiotics are food for probiotics. Consequently, the more you can feed and care for your ‘good bugs’, the healthier you can be!

The Japanese have known the benefits of prebiotics for years. In fact, a commercially prepared prebiotic (“Neosugar") is currently used in over 500 Japanese food products, from infant formulas to health products. The two most common prebiotics are inulin and oligofructose. As a supplement, it will be listed as either inulin or FOS (fructooligosaccharides). Inulin or oligofructose are present in over 36,000 plant foods as plant storage carbohydrates. Excellent food sources are chicory and Jerusalem artichokes. In fact, most commercially prepared inulin comes from chicory, or else synthesized from sucrose. Other food sources include wheat, barley, rye, onions, garlic and leeks.

Because flatulence, bloating and abdominal cramps can be an undesirable consequence of taking prebiotics (and even probiotics), it is recommended that anyone considering taking these in supplement form contact a healthcare professional familiar with such products for individualized recommendations. Those who could benefit from taking probiotic and prebiotic supplements include:

People taking antibiotics which kill off the ‘good bugs’ in the intestinal tract.
People who suffer from diarrhea, constipation, gastrointestinal distress, and/or irritable bowel syndrome.
Women who suffer from chronic yeast and/or Candida infections.

Probiotic supplements are available as freeze-dried, powdered, capsules, wafers and liquids. Doses of Acidophilus and Bifidobacteria are expressed in billions of live organisms and a typical dose, unless otherwise recommended, is between 3 billion to 5 billion live organisms. Because probiotics are living organisms and are fragile, they should always be refrigerated. Products found on a shelf, therefore, are not going to contain live organisms and not be as effective. The product label should guarantee a certain number of live organisms by the expiration date of the product. There should always be an expiration date.

Prebiotics can be found either with a probiotic product or separately, because FOS and inulin are food for the probiotics. If purchased separately, they can be taken together. Some people, because of the high number of ‘bad bugs’ in their gastrointestinal tract, cannot handle the two products taken together in the beginning. This is where an experienced healthcare professional can be beneficial. The suggested intake of FOS is 2-3 grams per day. Products containing vitamin C, whey protein, or cysteine may improve the effectiveness of probiotics.

This information is not intended to substitute for medical advice or care that you would receive from your healthcare professional, so always check with your provider. If you are taking medications, or have health issues, make sure you start these products under the care of a professional. Some people will notice no harmful effects and these products are generally very safe, but individual sensitivity can alter the effects of such products.

If something as simple as providing and feeding your ‘good bugs’ in the intestinal tract can improve subtle or severe health issues, it’s certainly time to start feeding our ‘good bugs’ today!

10 Tips When Dealing with Doctors

Remember that doctors are very busy. Due to the high cost of their insurance they have to see more people daily in order to maintain any sort of business.

So here are some helpful hints to help them so they may help you better.

Cut your hold time when calling them. Avoid Mondays. Everyone who felt ill on the weekend is calling them. Call mid morning or midafternoon.

When dealing with a child who is sick, keep a log of the symptoms and how long and when painful and little things. Right it down. It seems most kids act perfectly normal at the doctors.

If you have a really stubborn problem as if your case can be presented at the monthly grand rounds at a nearby teaching hospital. You do not have to attend. They then can brainstorm your symptoms.

Learn "doctor speak" for pain. Use words like pulsating, shooting, throbbing, squeezing, burning, crushing, pressing, piercing, dull, or sharp. Doctors don't always ask specific questions about what you are feeling, but description, precise language can help them figure out what's going on.

Reduce lab errors (they make plenty). Be sure the technician asks your name and after testing, labels your blood sample in your presence. Insist on this. More than 160,000 mistakes happen every year in the US along because blood samples and biopsies are improperly identified. My best friend had test made to see if she had cancer. They said yes, told her to rap up her affairs, etc. She did. Closed her nutritionist office where she taught doctors nutrition. Became depressed, after about 3 months they called her in. They told her they had made a mistake and it was some one else's results they had. She was devastated again. It took her years to rebuild her life.

Before having a blood test drink 16 ounces of water an hour beforehand. And bundle up in a sweat shirt or sweater. Raising body temperature and staying hydrated enlarges vessels, making them easier to find a vein.

When asking the office to have your doctor call you back about something, give them a detailed report of what you want. If you say it is private they might not even give it to the doctor.

Hum away congestion. Hum for 30 seconds and drink a glass of water.

Some Emergency Treatment place gives out magnetic folders for the refrigerator door. This notifies the EMTs to check the Fridge first. Or go to http://folife.org for more information. You should list the drugs you take and family health history. If you have to make a 3x5 card and attach to the refrigerator.

When the doctor is writing the script for your prescription ask him to put what it is for on the script. That way it will go on the bottle. Sometimes the pharmacists have been known to confuse Celexa (for depression) with Celebrex (arthritis). This also aids someone in time of emergency.

Again, I am saying take your health in your hands. Do not depend on others to do the proper thing at the proper time. I also recommend to never be admitted to the hospital without some one else checking in with you and monitoring your stay.

Arthritis creams merely mask symptoms and offer no long-term relief, study shows

by Mike Adams

New research published in the British Medical Journal is showing that arthritis creams used topically offer only temporary relief that fades within 2 weeks. This is the conclusion from a trial involving nearly 2000 patients, and it indicates that arthritis creams are basically useless. All they do is mask symptoms.

This finding shouldn't be surprising. Much of what goes on in modern medicine involves the masking of symptoms. Even when it comes to statin drugs and lowering cholesterol, the drugs are merely masking the symptom of a measurable high-cholesterol number without actually enhancing the core cardiovascular health and level of fitness of the patient.

It turns out these arthritis creams operate in much the same way. They simply make a patient's pain go away for one to two weeks, and then the effect wears off and the patient is right back where they started. This is also similar to the way over-the-counter painkillers operate. These are painkillers such as Tylenol or ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs.

In my opinion, any time patients are encouraged to consume painkillers or apply topical creams that mask symptoms of pain, they are doing themselves more harm than good. They're merely masking an important signal that is broadcasting an important message. Arthritis is yet another disease that is simply caused by lifestyle choices. Arthritis can be almost completely prevented, and even reversed, by altering dietary practices, engaging in regular physical exercise, and pursuing a regimen of nutritional supplementation that includes superfoods like chlorella, spirulina, broccoli sprouts, and healthy oils. But when pain symptoms are masked by creams, patients have little incentive to correct the core, underlying lifestyle choices that caused the arthritis in the first place.

The problem here is that when arthritis patients visit their doctors and describe their pain, many doctors simply prescribe these topical arthritis creams that do nothing other than mask the symptoms. And as a result, these patients feel as if they need to make no lifestyle changes whatsoever. So they use these topical creams as a crutch to help them get by from one day to the next. This is a downward spiral of health, and in the end, the patient will be far worse off than if they had listened to their pain and made the necessary lifestyle changes in the first place.

If your body hurts, your body is talking to you. It's an important message. Pain should be a motivator to make changes in your life, not a motivator to run out and buy the latest topical cream or prescription drug in order to mask the pain. Yet that's where so many consumers are, and they're actually encouraged to do this by far too many physicians and practitioners of western medicine.

Much of western medicine is really nothing more than symptom management. In fact, there is not a single prescription drug today that actually addresses the root cause of chronic disease. Every single disease drug out there works by attempting to mask symptoms or override the natural chemistry of the human body in order to achieve a measurable result.

All of this doesn't mean that painkillers don't have their proper place. If a person is suffering from an acute injury, such as a work accident, and automobile accident, or some other trauma, then obviously painkillers have their proper place. But once that person has healed, painkillers should not continue to be used. Certainly, painkillers should not be something that people come to depend on for day-to-day living. Doing so creates an unhealthy relationship between the pharmaceuticals and the patient that ends up only harming the patient's health in the long run.

So, what should you do about this if you have arthritis? Stop depending on topical painkillers to ease your arthritis pain, and instead, look to where you can enhance your lifestyle in order to alleviate arthritis for the long term. To do so, you must engage in regular physical exercise that moves your body's joints. Tai Chi is probably one of the best forms of exercise for this, and yoga and pilates are also outstanding. It's important to move the joints where you actually have arthritis. But simply moving those joints isn't enough -- you also need to avoid the foods that promote arthritis while supplementing your diet with nutritional supplements that can help your body alleviate arthritis.

And don't believe the medical myth that your joints and cartilage just "wear out" like the parts of an automobile. This is a widespread myth that simply has no basis in scientific fact. The human body has the ability to maintain, repair and even rebuild most of its tissues if given the proper nutrition and environment. In fact, the human body gets healthier with use, whereas an automobile begins to degrade the more you use it. Sitting on your couch and doing nothing is probably the worst thing you can do for arthritis.

Here's The real Culprit of High Blood Pressure and How To Lower It Naturally

By, Frank Mangano

According to recent estimates, high blood pressure affects one in three U.S. adults. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. What's even more frightening about this condition is that most people don't even know they have it, as there are no symptoms. This is why high blood pressure is often called the "silent killer." Having your blood pressure checked on a regular basis is really the only way to tell if you have high blood pressure.

High blood pressure or hypertension occurs when there is a high pressure or tension of blood flow in the arteries. The arteries transport blood from a pumping heart to the rest of the body. Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is called "pre-hypertension", and blood pressure of 140/90 or above is considered high blood pressure. The top number is called systolic blood pressure. This number represents the pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts and pumps blood into them. The bottom number is called diastolic pressure, which represents the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes following the contraction.

An elevation of either systolic or diastolic blood pressure increases the risk of developing heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis), eye damage, and stroke (brain damage).

Many people seem to think that salt or sodium is the primary cause of high blood pressure but truth be told, this has only been shown to be relevant in "salt sensitive" people which is equal to about 10% of the population being affected by the condition.

So what is causing the elevation in the other 90%? Well, mineral deficiencies elevate blood pressure more than anything else. So logically, the first step one should take in an attempt to lower or regulate blood pressure is to prevent deficiencies. The most effective way to do so is by supplementing.

Studies have shown both magnesium and calcium to lower high blood pressure. I recommend taking a combination of 500 mg of calcium and 250 mg of magnesium twice daily.

Since the middle ages, hawthorn berries have been used to support the heart and normalize cardiovascular functions. Taking 250 mg of hawthorn three times daily is another great alternative for lowering high blood pressure because it is rich in bioflavonoids, which relax and dilate the arteries. These compounds contain powerful antioxidants, which help increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. The result is that when it comes to circulating the blood, the heart has less work. This in-turn reduces blood pressure and stress to the heart muscle. The bioflavonoid substances also improve blood flow to other areas of the body and strengthen the walls of blood vessels.

Components in hawthorn have also been shown to lower cholesterol, and the amount of plaque in arteries.

I also recommend taking 2-3 grams of vitamin c daily. Vitamin C aids the body in the production of a basic component of connective tissues called collagen. Collagen is a key structural component in gums, bones and most importantly blood vessel walls. Aside from that, Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, which helps rid the body of free radicals.

As always, a proper diet and cardiovascular exercise doesn’t hurt either.

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