Author Archives: pprincetta

Lamb

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                                                                    LAMB

It’s always nice when off-the-charts amounts of nutrients come wrapped up in delicious, satisfying foods. And patients are more likely to stick to healthful diets when they know they can eat foods they genuinely enjoy. One food that health professionals can confidently recommend to patients is lamb.

Lamb is a staple food year-round in some regions of the world, but in North America, it’s more common in spring. Cultural practices and religious rituals dating back thousands of years used the traditional sacrifice of a lamb to honor religious laws and mark the beginning of the spring season. In the modern age, many families’ Easter dinners and Passover Seders wouldn’t be complete without a centerpiece of succulent lamb.

It’s interesting that, for many individuals, vegetables and fruit usually come to mind first upon hearing the phrase “vitamins and minerals.” The surprising truth is, the meat of ruminant animals contains an array of nutrients that rivals most produce. The nutrient profile of lamb is similar to that of grass-fed beef, which is known for its generous concentration of minerals and B vitamins. Besides being a fantastic source of complete protein, lamb provides impressive amounts of the B family, and is particularly high in niacin and B12. It’s also loaded with zinc, iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus, selenium, and even contains appreciable amounts of magnesium—a mineral more closely associated with leafy green vegetables. In light of all this, lamb might be the tastiest multivitamin around!

Most lamb available in North America is grass-fed and grass-finished. The raising of lamb for meat is still a relatively small industry, so unlike beef production, it does not rely on animal feed consisting mostly of subsidized grain. Many small farmers across the continent raise lamb on pasture year-round, so you can find it at a local farmers’ market or online. Imported lamb largely comes from Australia and New Zealand, where it is also primarily grass-fed and finished.

Of course, anyone who’s ever eaten a roasted leg of lamb, dripping with fat and juices, knows there’s more to lamb than just its meat. Mutton tallow—the rendered fat of an older sheep—contains mostly saturated and monounsaturated fats, with a smaller amount of polyunsaturated. A growing body of evidence suggests that, in the context of a lower-carbohydrate diet, dietary saturated fats have little undesirable effect on blood lipids. Moreover, despite the nearly automatic association of red meat with saturated fat, the predominant fatty acid in mutton tallow is actually not saturated, but monounsaturated. In fact, it’s oleic acid, the same one that is believed to be responsible for some of olive oil’s health-promoting properties.

Mutton fat is also a good source of the parent omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). With about 4.7g ALA and 11.3g linoleic acid per cup, the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is approximately 2.4:1, making it an ideal part of any low-carb or Paleo-style diet. As if all that wasn’t enough to reduce the practice of draining every last bit of fat and sticking only to “lean meat” when it comes to lamb, lamb is also a good source of conjugated linolenic acid (CLA), but the amount depends on the animals’ feed and supplementation.

Lamb is delicious and nutritious all by itself, but the nutrient profile gets boosted even higher from some of the culinary preparations it’s commonly paired with. Herb rubs and marinades containing fresh lemon juice, rosemary, and mint are classic with lamb, as is yogurt sauce. Yogurt contains probiotics that support immune health and may also aid in digestion. Phytochemicals in rosemary have been shown to be anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic, and the antioxidants in its primary polyphenols, rosmarinic acid and carnosic acid, are more potent free radical scavengers than vitamins C and E. Mint also contains powerful antioxidants, possible anti-carcinogens, and mint has been used for centuries to aid in digestion and calm an upset stomach.

So the next time a patient says that health food is boring, point them toward herb-marinated lamb. It’s one of the most delicious “diet foods” out there!

Note: As a Sicilian American, lamb was eaten often but especially in the spring. If cooked correctly, there is nothing better. I myself prefer American Lamb over Australian and New Zealand varieties as the latter two can be too gamey for me and that is a definite no no.

There is a school of thought that claims lamb is the only land animal that does not grow tumors and that it is the easiest of all animal proteins to digest –true or not I do not know.  AND the blood smeared on the doors during passover was the blood of the lamb–

5-HTP

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Synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is the rate-limiting precursor to serotonin and melatonin, our relaxation hormones that are important for proper sleep. 5-HTP supplementation has been shown to be useful in enhancing serotonin levels in humans, which is why it is most known for its role in helping with depression.

5-HTP has shown promise with sleep disorders and insomnia, especially increasing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, thus improving slow wave sleep (SWS). In fact, some studies have also shown promise with improvement of childhood sleep terrors. Much of this makes sense, given 5-HTP’s involvement in the synthesis of melatonin, known to be one of the regulatory hormones involved in the sleep-wake cycle. Serotonin (5-HT), too, has been known for its powerful sedative effects, especially after ingesting the tryptophan in a huge Thanksgiving turkey meal (although this is most likely in large part due to overeating). According to an animal study, “The similarity of the effects of 5-HTP and tryptophan suggests that they both act as serotonin precursors.”

5-HTP is not found directly in foods, but made from individual amino acids. In order to be effective, 5-HTP must cross the intestinal lining and enter the bloodstream. In a healthy gut environment, absorption occurs easily. 5-HTP readily crosses the blood-brain-barrier, moving into targeted tissues where it is then converted into the active neurotransmitter, serotonin. Studies have found that, when taken with vitamin B6, 5-HTP facilitates the manufacture of serotonin, which increases melatonin production.

Fibromyalgia, insomnia and sleep terrors are the most common conditions studied in regards to 5-HTP supplementation and sleep. During a 90-day open trial, nearly 50 percent of the patients affected by fibromyalgia patients experienced significant improvement in quality of sleep, fatigue, anxiety and pain when taking 5-HTP. Other conditions in which fatigue is a primary concern may also benefit from a similar treatment.

Insomnia in children is quickly becoming a troubling issue, affecting nearly 20 to 30 percent of young children, and leaving a plethora of trailing health and behavioral consequences. Many young children with insomnia continue to have sleep issues later in life. Lack of adequate sleep in children is often linked to physical and learning disabilities, difficult temperaments, autism, epilepsy, and attention problems, among other things. Night terrors are a common cause for sleep issues in children between the ages of 3 to 12 years. These are episodes that usually cause screaming, but can also cause sudden awakening with persistent fear, sweating, confusion and increased heart rate. In one study, children with night terrors were given 5-HTP and compared to a similar group of children who were not given 5-HTP. The results of this study indicated 83.9 percent of the children treated with 5-HTP were episode-free after six months, thus showing a hopeful solution to this particular cause of sleep insufficiency in children. Another small case study tested the effect of 5-HTP on sleep in two children with schizophrenia. After treatment with 5-HTP, increased REM and sleep improvement was noted.

In consideration of the high impact sleep deprivation has on quality of life, behavior, mood and health, it is important that practitioners deal with foundational sleep issues when considering all health complications. 5-HTP provides a good starting place for addressing sleep issues in both children and adults and has a history of safe usage. Being a derivative of serotonin, not only will 5-HTP improve sleep quality, but it will also indirectly influence mood and behavior in a positive direction. This offers a lot of hope to patients and practitioners since mood and emotions impact the healing process and the perception of wellness. Many health conditions are rooted in sleep deprivation and 5-HTP offers a safe, easy starting point for health and wellness.

NOTE#! : In my practice I often recommend a 1mg Melatonin sub-lingual tablet (Source Naturals) not at bedtime but depending on the patient, 1-4 hours prior to bedtime but never at bedtime itself.  So if you go to bed at 10, I have them take the 1 mg Melatonin at 7, 8 & 9

I additionally recommend a 50mg 5-HTP to be taken 3 hours prior to bedtime

NOTE #2: Remember the reason why people can go to sleep initially, wake up and then cannot go back to sleep is because their blood sugar is plummeting during the night. As a result we are awoken from a sound sleep which immediately increase the Cortisol levels which in turn stabilize the blood sugar.  The down side to this is that if Cortisol increases Melatonin decreases and you cannot fall back to sleep 1,2,3.

NOTE #3: You are not awakening to pee, you are awakening because of blood sugar.  By the end of 2015 or early 2016, Alzheimers will officially be referred to as Type 3 Diabetes

NOTE #4: Another new phenomenon is children who have insomnia and whose parents are either giving them pharmaceutical medications for sleep or melatonin–both of which are abhorrently disgraceful

Tags: Sleep, melatonin, depression

Glutamine

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Glutamine – A Tool for Tissue Health

There’s a reason most cercial protein powders are loaded with the amino acid glutamine.

Glutamine is the most abundant non-essential amino acid, and is the primary fuel for enterocytes lining the small intestine. (Rather than using glucose as an energy source for themselves, enterocytes use glutamine in order to spare the glucose they transport from the intestinal lumen into the bloodstream for use by other body tissues.) Like other non-essential nutrients, glutamine becomes conditionally essential under certain circumstances. Physical trauma, illness, injury, and major surgery can increase the body’s need for glutamine above and beyond what can be synthesized internally, making supplementation beneficial for those who need extra support for tissue repair and regeneration.

The role of glutamine in providing a structural substrate for building skeletal muscle is obvious—glutamine accounts for over 50% of the unbound amino acid pool in human skeletal muscle. But glutamine is also a key factor for forming connective tissue and supporting healthy joints. The primary structural protein of connective tissue—including skin, tendons, ligaments, and joints—is collagen. Glutamine indirectly increases the biosynthesis of collagen, mostly via conversion to two of its intermediate metabolites: glutamate and pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C). The latter, P5C, is an intermediate in the synthesis of proline, with proline and a modified form, hydroxyproline, being two of the key building blocks for the collagen triple helix.
Cultured human skin fibroblasts exposed to glutamine and these intermediates showed dramatic increases in collagen biosynthesis. P5C proved to be the most effective for stimulating collagen formation in the shortest amount of time. After just 6 hours of incubation with P5C, the skin fibroblasts showed a three-fold increase in collagen synthesis, and levels were 260% of control values at 12 hours. At 6, 12, and 24 hours of incubation, glutamate induced increases in collagen synthesis to 180%, 400%, and 120% of control values. After the same time exposures, glutamine increased collagen synthesis to around 112%, 115%, and 230% of control values, respectively. All three substances stimulate increases collagen synthesis, but P5C seems to act directly, while glutamine acts through its intermediates.One of the molecular mechanisms by which glutamine may exert this influence on connective tissue health is by increasing the expression of genes involved in collagen formation. Cultured human fibroblasts incubated with glutamine showed a dose-dependent effect of glutamine on collagen synthesis, showed a dose-dependent effect of glutamine on collagen synthesis, via increased transcription of collagen-specific mRNA. The mean increases in collagen and non-collagen protein synthesis were 63% and 18%, respectively. At 0.15 mm glutamine concentration, alpha 1(I) and alpha 1(III) collagen mRNA expression were increased by 1.7-and 2.3-fold respectively. So in addition to its structural role in protein, glutamine also serves a signaling functioning at the molecular level when it comes to collagen generation.Glutamine may also play a role in the maintenance of healthy bones. Here again, glutamine’s function seems to be one of signaling. Mouse osteoblasts cultured with either glucose alone or glucose plus glutamine showed increased mineralization with the added glutamine, but not with glucose alone. By itself, glucose stimulated osteoblast proliferation, but had no significant effect on osteocalcin expression. However, when glucose was combined with glutamine, there was significant increase in osteocalcin activity and mineralization.Owing to glutamine’s roles in skeletal muscle synthesis and supporting healthy connective tissue and bone, many diverse patient groups may benefit from supplemental amounts of this nutrient. One specific population group that might do especially well with extra glutamine is athletes, who experience above-average wear and tear on their joints, and whose muscles undergo constant micro-damage and repair. Compared to placebo, supplemental collagen hydrolysate led to significant improvements in joint pain in athletes while at rest, standing, walking, lifting, and carrying objects. And with glutamine playing such a critical role in collagen synthesis, glutamine supplementation or supplementation with bone- and joint-specific blends that include this amino acid could be beneficial for recovery from intense physical activity.
NOTE: In biochemistry, the glutamate–glutamine cycle is a sequence of events by which an adequate supply of the neurotransmitter glutamate is maintained in the central nervous system.[1] Neurons are not able to perform new synthesis of the neurotransmitter glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) from glucose. Discoveries of glutamine and glutamate pools within intercellular compartments led to suggestions of the glutamate-glutamine cycle working between neurons and astrocytes. The glutamate/GABA-glutamine cycle is a metabolic pathway that describes the release of glutamate or GABA from neurons and then taken up into astrocytes (star shaped glial cells). In return, astrocytes release glutamine to be taken up into neurons for use as a precursor to the synthesis of glutamate or GABA

Whooping Cough Vaccine

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Whooping cough outbreak affected only vaccinated students

The pertussis vaccine has been controversial since its creation in 1912. The book DPT: A Shot in the Dark by Coulter & Fisher was published by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, documenting scientific evidence for DPT vaccine-induced brain and immune system dysfunction and included more than 100 new original case histories. The book would eventually be used by the Institute of Medicine as a reference for its 1991 report “Adverse Effects of Pertussis and Rubella Vaccines,” which confirmed a causal relationship between DPT vaccine and acute encephalopathy.

Non vaccinated children were pointed out as the cause of a recent whooping cough outbreak in upscale Cap Cod, Massachusetts, according to state health authorities. However CBS Boston reported that all of the children affected by the outbreak had been previously vaccinated, a circumstance that again highlights the fact that vaccines simply do not work as advertised.

At least 15 children at Falmouth High School reportedly came down with the respiratory illness, which also goes by the name pertussis, sparking a wave of panic about a corresponding increase in vaccine exemptions. But as usual, nobody affected by the outbreak was unvaccinated, and no matter how hard the media tries to spin the issue, those who were vaccinated were not protected.

Mainstream media obscures the issue of vaccinations and exemptions

Reporting for CBS Boston, I-Team correspondent Lauren Leamanczyk towed the pro-vaccine line with accusations that vaccine exemptions triggered the outbreak. Undisclosed data she apparently found reveals that vaccine exemptions have increased fourfold over the past 25 years, which public health officials say increases the risk of an outbreak.

This supposed correlation proves nothing, of course, as correlation does not imply causation. But when vaccines are involved, any deviation from the standard vaccine protocol, which is basically to take whatever the government says is good for you, becomes the automatic scapegoat when an outbreak occurs.

In her story, Leamanczyk quotes the words of Dr. Sharon Daly, Chief of Pediatrics at Cape Cod Hospital, who declares that outbreaks increase when vaccination rates decrease. The implication, naturally, is that the Falmouth outbreak was triggered by unvaccinated children.

But a few paragraphs later, Leamanczyk fesses up to the fact that all of the affected children who developed whopping cough had previously been vaccinated for it. Based on this fact alone, it is clear that whooping cough vaccines don’t work, as every child who had been vaccinated should have been protected.

Even if some of the unvaccinated children at the school acted as “carriers” for the disease, a claim often made by pro-vaccine zealots, this only further reinforces that whooping cough vaccines are a failure. If unvaccinated children don’t contract whooping cough while vaccinated children do, then there is no rational basis for continuing the vaccine program.

Philosophical exemptions are not allowed in Massachusetts

Another failure in Leamanczyks article involves the type of exemptions supposedly responsible for the outbreak. She suggests that the rise in philosophical exemptions is the culprit, but Massachusetts doesn’t even allow for philosophical exemptions: only religious and medical exemptions are permitted in the Bay State!

This might seem like a minor discrepancy, but it is the basis of Leamanczyk and the health department’s argument that exemptions are the cause of the outbreak. Perhaps she meant to say medical or religious exemptions, but this major factual error calls into question the entire premise of the article, which nonsensically blames unvaccinated children for spreading disease to vaccinated children.

Vaccines either work or they don’t. Period. Blaming unvaccinated individuals for spreading disease to vaccinated individuals makes no sense, and only further exposes the vaccine agenda for what it is: a complete myth.

Whooping cough vaccines increase disease virulence–Bacterial Drift Mutations

If anything, vaccinated individuals are actually the ones responsible for spreading disease. In the case of whooping cough, a study in the Netherlands found that whooping cough has mutated genetically and become more virulent as a result of whooping cough vaccines, which would explain why outbreaks are escalating.

Another study published in the journal Infection Control Today admits that the vaccine strategy has “not completely eradicated strains of the bacteria,” but rather led to “an increase in diversity,” meaning deadlier strains that are more virulent and perhaps more contagious.

NOTE: As I mentioned in my post on Measles, 68% of those who contracted Whooping Cough in Southern California were in fact vaccinated !!

For more information:

http://boston.cbslocal.com

http://www.nvic.org

http://www.inquisitr.com

Measles Documented Amongst the ‘Fully Immunized’

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Measles outbreak documented among the ‘fully immunized’

There was more to the recent measles outbreak than meets the eye.  For starters many years ago in my era and before, if one kid on the block got the measles, every parent took their kids to the “measles house” so their kids would also get them.  It did not seem that many kids died

Recently on HBO’s Vice a story was done on curing cancer using viruses; and the Measles Virus amongst others, was one that was showcased.  There has always been a school of thought about viruses targeting specific cancer cells and not healthy cells. It may not be the final answer but it is certainly unbelievably interesting especially because it is cancer that is up for a possible cure!

Another factor to consider is what is known in medicine as “Viral or Bacterial Drift Mutation”. This is the intuitive phenomenon of a virus or bacteria mutating into something totally different than it originally was in order to protect itself.  This is why the flu vaccine fails along with other vaccinations such as Pertussis and MMR. 68% of those contracting Pertussis in Southern California a year or so ago were vaccinated !

All I am saying is do not let fear which is synonymous with the devil take control of your mind when it comes to Measles or any other vaccination issue.  Study, study, study and come up with your decisions based on truth and not fear.

The latest Disneyland measles outbreak proves that people can go off the rails when their sacred cows are threatened. Corporate toadies from the media went ballistic over a few children, some vaccinated, who allegedly contracted measles at Disneyland because not everyone chooses to vaccinate. One hate-spewing report from a major news outlet actually insisted that parents who oppose vaccinations should be put in jail. However, rational segments of society will recall that many earlier measles outbreaks occurred among fully vaccinated groups of people, laying waste to the official myth that vaccines provide protection against disease.

In 1987, for example, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) documented a measles outbreak that occurred in Corpus Christi, Texas, in the spring of 1985. Fourteen adolescent-age students, all of whom had been vaccinated for measles, contracted the disease despite having been injected with the MMR vaccine. Researchers noted that more than 99 percent of students at the school — basically all of them — had also been vaccinated, with more than 95 percent of them showing detectable antibodies to measles.

This highly revealing study completely contradicts the official narrative being propagated today that unvaccinated individuals are responsible for disease outbreaks like the one that reportedly began at Disneyland. None of the students in Texas who contracted the measles in 1985 were unvaccinated, and virtually none of their peers were unvaccinated. Consequently, so-called “herd immunity,” which would have been activated based on what health authorities claim as indisputable immunological fact, was also shown to be an unsubstantiated myth, further vindicating the unvaccinated as a possible cause of this particular outbreak. There’s no other valid explanation for why a fully vaccinated group of children, who were surrounded by an almost fully vaccinated group of peers, contracted a disease for which they should have been immune, according to the official story. And there’s no blaming the one or two students who weren’t vaccinated for this outbreak because:

1) not a single unvaccinated student contracted the measles; and
2) herd immunity would have been activated regardless, supposedly protecting everyone.

CDC data published after 1985 reveals exceptional failure of MMR vaccine

Additionally, those who were vaccinated should have been protected by the vaccine either way — that is, if vaccines really work as claimed. They obviously don’t, which is further evidenced by data later published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

In a 1988 issue of the report, the CDC published data on measles which documented 3,655 cases of measles in 1987, the previous year. Guess how many of these cases were in vaccinated individuals? 1,903, or roughly 52 percent — more than half! So much for the effectiveness of that MMR vaccine that health authorities want you and your family to rush out and get immediately.

MMR is the same vaccine that was exposed by the CDC whistle-blower as causing autism, particularly in young African American boys. And because MMR contains attenuated (weakened) live measles virus, it can also shed from vaccinated individuals to others, which may have been behind past measles outbreaks.

There are number of possible factors here that the media is ignoring in its vicious witch hunt to demonize all those “anti-vaxxers” out there who have legitimate concerns about the safety and effectiveness of this controversial vaccine. But don’t let them bully you — it is ultimately your decision to decide what’s best for your children, even if it means foregoing what the establishment claims is the solution.

For more information:

http://www.cdc.gov

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.naturalnews.com

Epigenetics

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Do mutated genes automatically create a life of chronic disease?            Epigenetics has the answer

Genes are protein sequences in the body’s cells that are segments of DNA. They form a biological code, a map for a person’s hereditary life plan. Will you have blue eyes or brown? Your DNA, your cellular code, holds this genetic information.  But DNA isn’t everything according to emerging research in the science of Epigenetics. The synergy of mind, body and spirit is also an important factor in the creation of a person’s physical reality, and is at work creating vibrant health and wellness, or the lack of it.

If mom had breast cancer and dad had high blood pressure, is it inevitable that you’re headed for both? A layperson’s understanding of genome mapping might lead us to think so and to take drastic action, such as Angelina Jolie having a double mastectomy and her ovaries removed because she carries a gene mutation linked to breast and ovarian cancers. Of course Ms. Jolie has a right to personal choice. Hopefully the choice she made was not based on fear and a misunderstanding of gene mutation.

A woman has a 12 percent chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer and only a 1.4 percent risk of ovarian cancer in her lifetime, according to Amy Norton, reporter for medicinenet. She states that most breast cancers are not inherited, and gene mutations, primarily of the BRCA genes, account for only 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers. Only 1 in 500 women manifest breast cancer due to a BRCA gene mutation.

The body has within it processes for eliminating mutated genes. Writing for Nature Education, Suzanne Clancy, Ph.D., reports mutations in an organisms’ DNA are a part of life. Our genetic code is exposed to a variety of insults that threaten its integrity. But, a rigorous system of checks and balances is in place through the DNA repair machinery.

Should you care about your genetic make up? Yes and no. What is important is to have the knowledge that allows you to make informed choices. Two important pieces of information are:

  • Not all your genes will express themselves (become active) in your life
  • We switch genes off and on (or create gene mutations) based on the biochemical environment within the body

This means we can change and adapt in our lifetime, rather that waiting for Darwinian evolution to take place over eons. Gene mutation may be useful as a process for adapting to environmental change.

Epigenetics goes beyond Darwin’s inevitability

H. Waddington coined the word epigenetics in 1942 as a conceptual model of how genes might interact with their surroundings (environment) to produce a set of expressed physical traits and biological development. Currently, epigenetics is the study of molecular mechanisms by which our environment controls or initiates gene activity.

There is a book out titled The Genie in Your Genes written by Dawson Church, PhD. This book is grounded in research and discusses the exciting possibilities of a medical model that links soul to body and mind. Church uses insights from the science of epigenetics and applies these to healing. He cites hundreds of scientific studies that demonstrate how beliefs and emotions can trigger the expression of DNA strands.

He has created the idea of epigenetic medicine to describe techniques which will heal at the cellular level. His book also discusses the science behind energy psychology and energy medicine.

Epigenetic science examines the factors and patterns that influence whether our genes are turned on or off, are active or dormant. Signals come from inside the cell, from neighboring cells or from the outside world.

Signals also come from lifestyle factors like diet, stress and prenatal nutrition. While we are made up of a unique, unchangeable genetic code, it is epigenetic factors such as these that can radically change what our genes do.

Less than 2 percent of our genetic makeup cannot be modified. Research shows we have more control over our health than we realize. For better or worse, lifestyle can cause changes in gene expression. Factors such as stress, behavior, hormonal status, mental and spiritual outlook, and toxic load can activate chemical switches to turn genes on or off, regulating gene expression. Our genetic codes may predispose us to certain chronic disease but this is not fate or destiny.

Epigenetic changes can be passed down for many generations. The lifestyle choices we make affect our present well being, and the well being of our children, and grandchildren. Genes that have mutated can be brought back to normal, and defective epigenetic coding, created by environmental stresses, may be reprogrammed, reestablishing a healthy pattern and function.

Dr. Frank Lipman, expert in integrative medicine, has developed the concept of sustainable wellness utilizing a customized blend of Western medicine, acupuncture, nutritional counseling, vitamins and herbs, relaxation techniques, physical therapy and bodywork.

Church’s book tells us that when we take control of our consciousness and thoughts, we can influence our genetic expression. He discusses techniques and strategies that may be able to bypass years of harmful drugs, and invasive surgeries to affect genetic engineering in our own bodies. We can create immediate relief from long-standing anxieties and neuroses, as well as achieve ‘miraculous’ healing of chronic health conditions– especially autoimmune diseases.

The research is in. We are shaping our brains and genetic expression, at least in part, by the nature of our thoughts. We can improve emotional and physical health as well as chronic health issues. Epigenetic science offers us hope, knowledge and insight into the how to use the healing power of mind, body, and spirit.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-frank-lipman/epigenetics-research_b_862022.html
http://genieinyourgenes.com
http://dawsonchurch.com/vitae/
http://niih.org
http://www.eftuniverse.com

Magnesium

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After oxygen, water, bicarbonate and iodine, magnesium may be the most important element needed by our bodies.  It is vital for heart health, bone health, mental function and overall body maintenance – yet 80% or more of us are deficient in this vital mineral.

Magnesium is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium, and it regulates all three of them. This vital mineral plays an important role in over 1300 different biochemical reactions.  Contrary to popular misconceptions, it is magnesium that is actually most important in building strong bones and preventing bone loss. Recent research has revealed that lack of magnesium may put your heart and your overall health at significant risk.  This research also found that a deficiency may be linked to cognitive dysfunction and mental decline.

Called the The Forgotten Mineral and the 5-Cent Miracle Tablet by medical researchers, magnesium is a muscle relaxant, and low magnesium intake is associated with muscle spasms, tremors and convulsions. It protects against heart disease and heart attacks, high blood pressure and stroke, type II diabetes and much, much more.

Many researchers have reported that adequate amounts of this mineral in the population at large would greatly diminish the incidence of kidney stones (1 in 11 Americans), calcified mitral heart valve (1 in 12 Americans), premenstrual tension, constipation, miscarriages, stillbirths, strokes, diabetes, thyroid failure, asthma, chronic eyelid twitch (blepharospasm), brittle bones, chronic migraines, muscle spasms and anxiety reactions.

An increasing number of medical scientists also believe that additional magnesium and other minerals missing from today’s diet may prevent cognitive disorders such as ADD, ADHD and bipolar, and help prevent Alzheimer’s and mental decline as we age. Sufficient intake by the American population would likely reduce health care costs by billions of dollars.

In addition to the problems listed above, deficiency of the master mineral has been associated with:

  • Insomnia and other sleep disorders
  • Fatigue and low energy
  • Body-tension
  • Headaches
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • High blood pressure
  • Other heart disorders
  • PMS
  • Backaches
  • Constipation
  • Kidney stones
  • Osteoporosis
  • Accelerated aging
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and irritability

Our depleted soils, processed foods and fast food diet lifestyles have led to a steady increase in mineral deficiencies. Nowhere is this more true than with magnesium.  The U.S. minimum RDA is about 320 mg per day for women and more than 400 mg per day for men, while optimum daily amounts are closer to 500 to 700 mg per day. Yet studies show that after over a century of steadily decreasing intake, today more than 8 out of 10 people do not take enough daily magnesium for even the minimum daily amounts recommended.

In 1900, magnesium consumption was 475-500 mg per day.  By 1990  consumption had dropped to 175-225 mg per day, and it has continued to drop since then.

Following is a list of some of richest sources of the master mineral, including standard serving sizes and calories:

  • Pumpkin and squash seed kernels, roasted – 1 oz contains 151 mg of magnesium /148 calories
  • Brazil nuts – 1 oz contains 107 mg of magnesium /186 calories
  • Bran ready-to-eat cereal (100%), – 1 oz contains 103 mg of magnesium/74 calories
  • Halibut, cooked – 3 oz contains 151 mg of magnesium /148 calories
  • Quinoa, dry – 1/4 cup contains 89 mg of magnesium /159 calories
  • Spinach, canned – 1/2 cup contains 81 mg of magnesium / 5 calories
  • Almonds – 1 oz contains 78 mg of magnesium / 164 calories
  • Spinach, cooked from fresh – 1/2 cup contains 78 mg of magnesium / 20 calories
  • Buckwheat flour – 1/4 cup contains 75 mg of magnesium /101 calories
  • Pine nuts, dried – 1 oz contains 71 mg of magnesium /191 calories
  • Mixed nuts, oil roasted w peanuts –1 oz contains 67 mg of magnesium /175 calories
  • White beans, canned – 1/2 cup contains 67 mg of magnesium /154 calories
  • Pollock, walleye, cooked – 3 oz contains 62 mg of magnesium /96 calories
  • Black beans, cooked – 1/2 cup contains 60 mg of magnesium /114 calories
  • Bulgar, dry – 1/4 cup contains 57 mg of magnesium /120 calories
  • Oat bran, raw – 1/4 cup contains 55 mg of magnesium /58 calories

The list of dietary magnesium sources shows that although it might be possible for a person to obtain optimum, or at least minimum, amounts of magnesium from the diet, doing so on a daily basis would take very careful planning.  When processed food is part of the diet, it becomes even more unlikely for the general public to consume enough magnesium through dietary sources alone on a daily basis.

Only supplementation is likely to make up for such a widespread magnesium deficiency for most people. Since the same problems with soil depletion and diet cause deficiencies in many other vital minerals, it would be a good idea to supplement magnesium and to also supplement with a wide range of other minerals. The very best mineral supplements are those derived from whole food and plant sources because they are more readily absorbed than mined rock minerals.  Taking a tablespoon of molasses daily is an excellent choice for supplementing magnesium as well as many other minerals.

If you want to take a pill instead, it is believed that the best forms of supplemental magnesium are the ones chelated to an amino acid (magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate) or a Krebs cycle intermediate (magnesium malate, magnesium citrate, magnesium fumarate).  The only side effect of too much magnesium is loose stool. Reducing the dosage or dividing daily doses into smaller amounts resolves the problem.

Blood tests for magnesium are notoriously inaccurate since only about 1 percent of the total body magnesium pool exists outside of living cells. Thus, blood serum levels are inaccurate and your doctor can’t easily tell by a blood test if your magnesium levels are low.

For optimum health, magnesium and calcium intake needs to be at about a 1 to 2 ratio. So, if you supplement with 500 mg of magnesium, you should supplement with 1000 mg of calcium (or less if you get plenty of dietary calcium and little dietary magnesium).

Celtic Sea Salt

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Celtic Sea Salt®
Shattering the Myths About One of Nature’s Most Necessary Nutrients
David Brownstein, MD

There are many myths about salt. This article will address those myths and show you the benefits that unrefined sea salt can have on your health.
Myth 1: There is no difference between unrefined sea salt and refined table salt.
Myth 2: Salt = hypertension.
Myth 3: A low-salt diet is healthy

All of the above statements are false. The use of unrefined sea salt has proven to be a tremendous benefit for my patients and I have found it nearly impossible for someone to achieve their optimal health if they are salt-deficient.

Myth 1: There is no difference between unrefined sea salt and refined table salt.

Salt in its natural form is referred to as unrefined salt. Unrefined salt has not been altered by man. Therefore, it contains many different minerals and elements that are useful for the body. For example, unrefined salt, Celtic Sea Salt®, contains over 80 minerals and elements as contrasted with refined table salt, which only contains two major items—sodium and chloride.

Refined Salt

Most commercial refined salt has been harvested mechanically from various salt mines. Prior to mechanical evaporation, the brine is often treated with chemicals to remove minerals. These minerals are referred to as “impurities” and are sold to industry. The chemicals used to remove the “impurities” can include sulfuric acid or chlorine. All food-grade salt (i.e., refined salt) available in the U.S. must comply with the National Academy of Science’s Food Chemicals Codex Sodium, Chloride Monograph (1996). Up to 2 percent of refined salt may contain anti-caking, free flowing, or conditioning agents, which can be toxic to the body. These agents include sodium ferrocyanide, ammonium citrate, and aluminum silicate. Refined salt has iodide added to it (0.01 percent) to help prevent goiter. However, as I discuss in my book, Iodine, Why You Need It, Why You Can’t Live Without It, iodized salt does prevent goiter, but it does not provide enough iodine for optimal thyroid functioning as well as for the body’s iodine needs. The final purity of refined salt is between 99.7-99.95 percent “pure.” The “pure” refers to sodium and chloride content. The “impurities,” including healthy minerals and elements, have been removed from refined salt. The table above shows the major content of refined salt versus unrefined salt.

Unrefined salt contains all of the minerals and trace minerals necessary for optimal functioning of our bodies. The table on page 3 shows the actual contents of the major elements in unrefined Celtic Sea Salt. As can be seen from the tables, there is a tremendous difference between refined and unrefined salt. Refined salt is a toxic item that is devoid of minerals. It is a lifeless product that needs to be avoided. Unrefined salt, in its natural form, with its full complement of minerals should be the salt-of-choice.

 Myth 2: Salt = Hypertension

I was taught in medical school that the use of salt would cause hypertension. I accepted this idea unquestionably. Practicing conventional medicine, I would instruct my patients to severely limit the salt use in their diet. For those with cardiovascular problems, my instructions were simple: no salt.

What was the result of these very low-salt diets? Rarely did I see a change in cardiovascular parameters, including blood pressure. Furthermore, patients had a hard time staying on a low-salt diet because food tasted so poor on it.

When I began to research what the literature actually said about the salt = hypertension hypothesis, I was astounded. There was little data to support the dogma that salt = hypertension for the vast majority of people. Furthermore, none of the studies looked at the use of unrefined salt, which contained over 80 essential minerals that are essential to maintaining a normal blood pressure.

Let us take a closer look at the literature. The first report of the link between salt and hypertension was reported in 1904. Ambard and Beujard reported that salt deprivation was associated with lowered blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Over the next 50 years, various animal models were examined to support the hypothesis of salt causing high blood pressure. In almost all of these studies huge amounts of refined salt were given to the animals to induce a hypertensive effect. The use of large amounts of a lifeless product devoid of minerals such as refined salt should have made the results of these studies suspect.

However, the elimination of the large amounts of refined salt on these overdosed rodents resulted in dramatic lowering of blood pressure. Medical researchers and conventional institutions seized on these results and erroneously extrapolated the results to the human population. Since then the dogma of salt = hypertension has been accepted as gospel. In 1979, the Surgeon General issued a report, based in part on the above studies, that claimed that salt was the cause of high blood pressure and a low-salt diet was necessary to combat this.

The INTERSALT Trial was the most popular single study that provided the “smoking gun” proving that salt = hypertension. The study looked at over 10,000 subjects from 52 centers in 39 countries. The authors looked at the relationship between electrolyte excretion (sodium in the urine) and blood pressure. This study showed a mild decrease in blood pressure (3-6mm Hg systolic and 0-3mm Hg diastolic) when there was a dramatic decrease in salt excretion.

The “smoking gun” found in this study was reported from 4 population centers that had significantly lowered salt in their diets and also had a significantly lowered blood pressure. These four populations were all from non-acculturated populations: Yanomamo and Xingu tribes in Brazil, and tribes in Kenya and Papua, New Guinea. These four population centers all were from areas of the world where the population had very low body weight, did not drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes in any appreciable amounts. The authors reported that blood pressure in these non-acculturated areas did not increase with age as it does in Western countries. However, living a primitive life in the jungle does not portend to a long life span. In fact, in the Yanomamo culture, rarely does anyone live beyond 50 years of age.

Numerous trials trying to look for a link between low sodium diets and lowered blood pressure have been published. Two authors looked at the results of 57 trials of people with normal blood pressure. A low-sodium diet resulted in a reduction of systolic blood pressure of 1.27mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure by 0.54mmHg as compared to a high sodium diet. These numbers are nothing to set national policy with. Many other studies have found similar findings: very modest blood pressure reduction when salt intake is lowered.

Every ten years, the U.S. government does an analysis of thousands of its citizens looking at various markers of health. One such marker has been the mineral intake and the sodium excretion. This study is known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Over the last 30 years, NHANES has found a correlation between inadequate levels of minerals (particularly potassium and calcium) and the presence of hypertension. Furthermore, higher dietary sodium levels were not associated with hypertension. There is enough evidence to discount the

myth that salt = hypertension. Good salt, unrefined sea salt, does not cause hypertension. In fact, its use can actually help prevent and treat hypertension.

Myth 3: A Low-Salt Diet is Healthy

What happens when the salt levels are lowered? If a low-salt diet was healthier you would expect lowered cardiovascular deaths and a longer life span.

Eleven blood pressure trials, which included follow-up from six months to seven years were reviewed. Researchers found that there was no difference in deaths and cardiovascular events between the low-salt groups and the high–salt groups.

NHANES data has shown that compared with a high-salt diet, a low-salt diet has been associated with a greater than 400 percent increase in risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) in men.

How do you explain the higher risk of myocardial infarction? Low-salt diets have been shown to elevate fasting insulin levels. Insulin resistance is a widespread problem and is associated with dramatic increases in diabetes and cardiovascular disease. LDL cholesterol has also been shown to elevate in individuals consuming a low-salt diet. Elevated LDL cholesterol has been associated with the onset of cardiovascular disease.

A low-salt diet has never been proven to be a health benefit for the vast majority of people. As explained above, there are many studies showing the fallacies and dangers of a low-salt diet. My clinical experience has shown little benefit of a low-salt diet in improving any condition.

What about Unrefined Salt?

If salt does not cause hypertension and if a low-salt diet is not healthy, what type of salt should we eat and do we need salt?

As stated previously, unrefined salt contains over 80 minerals that are essential to life. It is this combination of sodium, chloride and minerals that make unrefined salt a healthy product for our bodies. As shown in NHANES, low mineral levels are associated with elevated blood pressures. Unrefined salt provides these minerals (plus other important trace minerals) that help improve all bodily systems including the immune system, glandular system and the nervous system.

Salt is the second major constituent in the body next to water. We need adequate amounts of salt for our adrenal glands to function normally. The adrenal glands are exquisitely sensitive to the sodium and mineral levels of the body. Adrenal dysfunction is occurring at epidemic rates presently. I have found it nearly impossible to rectify adrenal malfunction when there is a salt deficiency or mineral deficiency in the body. The only way to rectify this problem is with the use of unrefined salt.

Celtic Sea Salt® (the author has no financial interest in Celtic Sea Salt®) provides the body with a host of well absorbed minerals in the perfect balance to help improve adrenal problems as well as immune system and other disorders.

At the initial visit of every patient I do a blood analysis and a hair analysis looking at electrolyte and mineral levels in the body. Low electrolytes and low mineral levels are very common and are associated with a host of disorders including those mentioned above. The only way to provide the body with the basic raw materials it needs to overcome these disorders as well as perform at its optimal functioning is with supplying the body with an adequate amount of unrefined salt. If someone is not ingesting unrefined salt, they will be salt deficient.

I recommend starting out at 1/2tsp of unrefined salt per day (in the form of Celtic Sea Salt®) and ensuring an adequate water intake. The physiological responses are astounding. The immune system works better, energy levels improve and brain function dramatically improves. There are many more positive effects as detailed in Salt: Your Way To Health. If you have kidney disease, you must consult with your doctor before adding salt to your regimen.

References

1. From Grain and Salt Society.

2. Ambard, L. Casues de L’hypertensin annerielle. Arech. Gen. De Med. 1904:1:520-33.

3. U.S. Dept. of HEW. Healthy People: Surgeon General’s report on health promotion and disease prevention. 1979.

4. Samler, P. British Med. J. 1996 May 18;312(7041).

5. Elijovich, F. The argument against. J. Cllin. Hypert. 2004:6(6):335-339.

6. Jurgens, et al. Effects of low sodium diet versus high sodium diet on blood pressure, rennin, aldosterone, catecholamines, cholesterols and triglyceride. The Chochrane Database of Systemic Review. 2004. Issue 1.

7. NHANES I, III and IV. CDC.

8. Hooper, L., et al. Advice to reduce dietary salt for prevention of cardiovascular disease. The Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews. 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.:CD003556. DOI: 10.1002/1461858.CD003656.pub. 2

9. Alderman, M. Low urinary sodium is associated with greater risk of myocardial infarction among treated hypertensive men. Hypertension. 1995 Jun;25(6):1144-52.

10. Am. J. of Hypertension. 1991;4:410-415

11. Am. J. of Hypertension. 1991;4:410-415

Menstrual Cramps

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 Menstrual Cramps 

 Ever think that menstrual cramps are just a fact of life?  That every woman has them?  And even if they don’t, that you are just one of the unlucky ones?   I call BS!  Cramps are actually a symptom of an underlying problem.  They can be cured.  The only thing that is required for that is to look at the underlying causes.  Once those are taken care of, the cramps almost always go away, or at least are eased considerably.

An important side note before getting started is that the same problems that cause cramping are the ones that cause a heavy menstrual flow.  Managing to cure one almost definitely cures the other (presuming that what is being handled is primary dysmenorrhea, not a form of  secondary dysmenorrhea caused by an underlying physiological abnormality).  This would be helpful for a lot of women.  Heavy blood flow reduces iron levels and can make women weak, woozy, and anemic.   What’s worse, a heavy period is arguably the biggest pain in the ass on the planet.

There are three respects in which a natural, paleo approach can ease the pain of and even cure menstrual cramps.  They are curing micronutrient deficiencies, cooling inflammation, and restoring hormonal balance.

Micronutrient deficiencies, cramping, and a Paleo diet

Micronutrient deficiencies are a problem for menstrual cramping because micronutrients are key components in the contraction and relaxation of muscle tissue.  Electrolytes in particular, which would be potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium, all have well known muscle-relaxing effects.  In fact, deficiencies in any of these nutrients is the primary cause of muscle cramping elsewhere in the body.   Magnesium especially.   With adequate intake of each of these nutrients, as well as the whole slew of micronutrients and vitamins that are enriched on a paleo diet, the intense pain of abdominal muscle cramping can be eased.

A paleo diet maximizes micronutrient intake by the simple fact of keeping a woman’s diet within the range of whole foods.   This helps first by eliminating sources of empty calories.  Empty calories include all desserts, breads, baked goods, sodas, and wheat products.  They contain almost nothing of nutritional value, except for perhaps some B vitamins and a bit of these micronutrients, but all of these nutrients can be obtained from animal and other plant products in much higher quantities.

Moreover, empty calories, particularly wheat-based calories, have downright negative effects on nutrient absorption.  Wheat foods contain proteins called lectins, which bind with micronutrients strongly enough that they prevent normal digestive chemicals from being able to absorb the micronutrients themselves.   For this reason, empty calorie foods such as bread can actually make an individual’s micronutrients pass right through her.  When a woman replaces these empty, or even micronutrient-stealing calories with vegetables and animal products, she naturally increases her intake of just about every vitamin and mineral.  Foods that are particularly rich in magnesium include nuts, cruciferous vegetables, and halibut.  Foods rich in calcium include sardines, dairy products, cruciferous vegetables, and meats.  Foods richest in potassium are bananas, avocadoes, tomatoes, cruciferous greens, and salmon.    Organic vegetables have higher proportions of nutrients than inorganic ones.

Vitamin E has been shown by itself to reduce the pain of menstrual crampingGood sources of vitamin E are cruciferous vegetables such as spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, and chard, almonds, peppers, asparagus, tomatoes, and carrots.  Vitamin E is also available in high amounts in meat products.  Most importantly for paleo dieters, vitamin E is four times as concentrated in grass fed meats than feed lot meat.

Inflammation, cramping, and a paleo diet

A paleo diet is inherently anti-inflammatory.  Inflammatory agents include gluten, other wheat proteins, sugar, particularly fructose, and omega-6 PUFAs which are found in almost all vegetable oils.   A paleo diet is absent of these.  As a matter of fact, calling a paleo diet an “anti-inflammatory” diet is spot on.  The whole point of adopting a paleo diet is to reduce the inflammation that comes from eating toxins.  Yet the benefit of a paleo diet is not just in toxin removal; it is also in the addition of helpful molecules.  Paleo diets active include anti-inflammatory foods such as grass-fed ruminants, seafood, and vitamin- and anti-oxidant- rich plant products.

Reducing inflammation reduces the body’s hyper-reactivity to uterine physiology.   With a calmed immune system, a woman’s body will not leap into inflammatory hyper-drive.

The most important molecule to focus on in a discussion of muscle contractions and menstruation is prostaglandin.  Prostaglandin is an inflammatory eicosanoid, and it’s responsible for the contraction of muscles around the uterus at the time of menstruation.

The precursor to prostaglandin is arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid.   Arachidonic acid has positive effects in the body, since the inflammatory process is necessary for homeostasis and maintaining optimal health, but when consumed in excess, it provides ample material for the body to mount inflammatory processes.  Arachidonic acid is found naturally in animal products, particularly meat and egg yolks.  This has caused many conventional nutritionists to demonize meat and egg yolks.  Yet AA is also derived from the consumption of linoleic acid, another fatty acid, and linoleic acid is found in great amounts in soy, corn, and vegetable oils.   A natural level of consumption of AA is optimal, and should be ingested in the natural, animal forms.   With this kind of diet, the ratio of omega 6 fats to omega 3 fats is ~ 3:1 or 2:1, which is considered by most researchers today to be the optimal ratio.   When vegetable oils are regularly consumed, the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fats can spike to average American levels, ~ 20:1.  That incites the painful, inflammatory response.  No questions about it.

Hormone balance, estrogen dominance, stress, and a paleo diet

The final and most important piece of the puzzle is hormone balance.  When hormones get out of balance, which is really easy for women today, many things can go wrong.  A woman’s reproductive system is not to be messed with.

What goes wrong with menstrual cramping is that the uterine lining becomes too thick.  With a larger lining, more tissue exists to produce prostaglandin.  Moreover, more tissue needs to be shed, so more and more material needs to be squeezed through a smaller space (women with narrow cervixes are more prone to menstrual cramping).   This also, as I hinted at above, means that the exorcised material will be heavier, and the period will last longer.

Estrogen is responsible for the thickening uterus.  Therefore, estrogen dominance is the primary problem that most women with menstrual cramps suffer from.  Estrogen causes their reproductive organs to go into productive hyper-drive, and their abdominal muscles suffer the results.  If estrogen can be brought back down, a woman’s menstrual problems often cease.

Estrogen dominance is caused primarily by two factors: it is caused 1) by the consumption of phytoestrogens, and 2) it is caused by stress.

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring plant chemicals that resemble, but are not identical to, a woman’s natural estrogen.  What this means is that phytoestrogens enter a woman’s body through her diet and act as estrogen in her body.  In some ways this phenomenon enhances normal estrogen functioning, and in other ways it inhibits the activity and signalling of true estrogen, since it confuses the body’s normal accounting mechanisms.  With both phytoestrogens and true estrogens in the blood, the reproductive organs and hypothalamic receptors do not know how much estrogen to produce.  Sometimes the pituitary will detect the phytoestrogens in the blood and go ahead and decrease it’s production of estrogen, such that a relative balance between estrogen-like chemicals and the rest of a female’s hormones is maintained in the bloodstream, yet other times the pituitary does not detect the phytoestrogens, and it goes on pumping out as much estrogen as it had previously.  In this case, way too much estrogen is floating around in a woman’s bloodstream, and it’s causing all sort of reproductive havoc.  This results in menstrual cramping.  It is also a factor in PMS, PMDD, mood disorders, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and breast cancer.

Foods that contain phytoestrogens are legumes, nuts, and seeds.  These should be avoided by all women.   The worst of all of them, however, is soy, and is should be avoided at all costs by all women.  Sometimes soy and other phytoestrogens are recommended to women during menopause to mitigate their symptoms, and this does sometimes help with hot flashes and the like.  However, almost always soy leads to decreased ovulation, irregular menstruation, and impaired fertility.   Phytoestrogens may resemble estrogen, but they are not estrogen, and that confusion has plagued the medical establishment and struggling women alike for decades.

A paleo diet eschews soy, legumes, and goes light on nuts and seeds.  For this reason, it is helpful in restoring hormonal imbalance.  A paleo diet also eliminates the toxins I mentioned above which contribute to systemic inflammation, which in turn can incite estrogen production, so in this way it helps restores balance.  And finally, a paleo diet emphasizes natural, grass-fed animal consumption against feed-lot consumption, which minimizes the amount of foreign hormones and foreign hormone disruptors that are often injected into or fed to feed-lot livestock.

A paleo diet also emphasizes organic vegetables, or at the very least washing and peeling vegetables.  Conventionally-grown vegetables are often coated in fertilizers and such that contain potent endocrine disruptors.  It is important, especially during a person’s developmental years, to be as removed from these toxins as possible.

A second cause of estrogen dominance is stress.  Physiological stress from consumption of modern toxins as well as emotional stress from modern living results in a decrease in progesterone production and an increase in estrogen production.  The term “estrogen dominance” was first coined by Dr. Lee , and what it means is that estrogen is higher than the other hormones in the body.  In his book, he talks mostly about how much faster progesterone production falls off in menopause than estrogen production does (by 120 times!).   Estrogen levels may rise in response to stress, but it’s also important to note that estrogen dominance can also mean that estrogen levels stay the same while progesterone and testosterone levels fall.   The only way to insure that progesterone secretion does not stop is to have the healthiest possible functioning HPA axis.  This means reducing stress, both of the emotional kind and the physiological kind.

This being the case, a paleo diet is the optimal course of action.  It markedly reduces all kinds of stress: it eliminates toxins, for example, but it also restores blood sugar balance by eliminating sugar from the diet, which improves mood, and it optimizes dopamine, serotonin, and GABA functioning, all of which are necessary for being in a good mood and having a healthy HPA axis, too.

A caveat: the female response to stress is complicated, and it does not always result in estrogen dominance.  It can, for example, result instead in adrenal fatigue, or in stress-induced hypothalamic amenorrhea.   In both of these cases, hormonal disruption does not lead to estrogen dominance.  Yet in women with menstrual cramps, it is almost certain that this is the case, since excess estrogen is what causes uterine excess.

As a final note on hormone balance, being overweight contributes to estrogen dominance.    Almost all human cells carry an enzyme called aromatase.  What aromatase does is convert testosterone into estrogen.   This means that if aromatase activity has increased in a woman, her estrogen levels will spike, but her progesterone levels will remain the same.   The reason this happens in overweight women is because aromatase is highly active in fat cells.  Worse than that, however, is the fact that aromatase activity begets more aromatase activity, such that being overweight can create a vicious cycle of fat gain and estrogen production.  Many overweight women exist in a state of constant aromatization and estrogen production.  One way to mitigate this problem is to stop consuming aromatase-exciting foods such as soy, and to instead eat foods such as cruciferous vegetables which activate enzymes in the liver responsible for clearing excess estrogen out of a woman’s body.   Another way to mitigate this problem is with natural, non-restrictive weight loss.  A paleo diet provides just such a template.

Exercise

One final way to restore hormonal balance and alleviate menstrual pain is with exercise.  Exercise boosts serotonin levels, and serotonin helps with the pain response.  Moreover, moderate exercise improves mood and mental clarity, improves glucose sensitivity, and better prepares the body to handle other stressors that come its way.

All that said…

hormone balance takes time.   Sometimes results can be seen immediately, but sometimes the body needs months to heal and to readjust the sensitivity of its hormone receptors.  For this reason, all of these steps help with menstrual pain, but patience and stress-reduction are possibly the most crucial steps of all.

What’s Your Passion

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What’s Your Passion ?

All most all of us go through life with hidden talents and gifts that we never truly nurture and pursue because we are too concerned about what others think if we follow our dreams. Of course, that’s no way to live! Our heart tells us that, but our brain tells us to be more logical, realistic, and grown-up!

Uncovering your passion is an important part of self-discovery. You will be a happier, more balanced individual when you identify, develop, and delight in your passion. Your whole life will transform before your eyes!

You can find your passion in a few easy steps:

  1. Set an intent to find your passion. Once you focus on your pursuit of passion, your mind and soul will become attuned to your pursuit and lead you to discover what brings you joy, happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction.
  1. Imagine what you would do if you didn’t have to worry about money? If whether you got paid didn’t matter?  You could truly lose yourself in a process.  Hours could slip by and you would barely notice time passing.  You would absolutely adore what you are doing!
  1. Learn to harness the power of your mind. There is a well-known technique you can use if you are afraid to pursue your dreams or experience doubt about following your bliss. You can also use this tool to stay on a productive, positive, and healthy path. What is this handy tool? It’s embracing your passion through affirmations!

Affirmations can help you work through your self doubts and lead you to a more passionate life.  Affirmations allow you to retrain your brain, rewire thought processes, and help you replace limiting beliefs with new, empowered beliefs. They are statements that will activate your brain to focus on and attain the goals and desires you set for yourself.

These expressions often are descriptive of the feelings or behaviors you would like to possess in any given situation. They may remind you about your value or the importance of your desires. Affirmations are handy in moments when you might be having some negative self-talk, or when you are second-guessing your desire to pursue your passion.

In those moments of doubt, you may want to use an affirmation like, “I am enough, worthy, and deserving of following my passion. I am strengthened by doing the things I love to do. I am now living my purpose. My passion guides me in all that I do.” You’ll want to believe this even if it’s a challenge in the beginning. Look for evidence, past and present, that demonstrates your life experience supporting these statements. You are reaffirming the statement and making it your personal truth every time you say it out loud.

There are affirmations that will enable you to overcome guilt that you may feel when you indulge in your passion. We all have a right to pursue our passions, there is nothing wrong with living your dream. You deserve to spend time on yourself, to realize your desires, and experience life with enthusiasm and joy. When you are happy, your life begins to reflect the positive momentum.

When you are having one of those days where you feel guilty for enjoying your favorite hobby or past-time you can say:

  • I am actively involved in my hobbies with joy and enthusiasm
  • It gives me energy and strength
  • It renews my spirit
  • I live in a limitless world
  • I am growing, expanding, and evolving
  • Everything I do, I choose to do
  • I am worthy
  • I value myself
  • I make wise use of my time and energy

Repeat the affirmations with feeling and understanding. Don’t just say the words, experience the feelings that go with the words, and think of them as energy for your soul.

When you use affirmations, you are giving your mind permission to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. Affirmations not only help you discover your passion, but also enable you to live a more passionate life. This positive dialogue will become second nature in time as it edges out negative emotions such as doubt and fear.  Being passionate is an avenue of expressing love for your self. Embrace your passion and remember that living your dream is good for your mind, body, and soul. When you are happy, content, fulfilled, and satisfied everyone around you will marvel at your self confidence! And you will wonder what took so long to discover life’s magic! People that embrace and pursue their passions are said to be some of the most content, peaceful, and joyous people on the planet.

NOTE: When I wrote the 12 Volitions 30 years ago there were actually 34 Volitions not 12. I was so young at the time, I didn’t even truly believe you can change the way you think.      I felt at that time and still do that 12 is all that can be handled. Plus the number 12 is synonymous with the 12 Apostles and the 12 Signs of the Zodiac–So there it is