# Sticky  Health Information Of The Week



## INTJellectual

10 Simple Rules for a Healthy, Happy Life










10 simple rules for a healthy, happy lifeThese days it takes more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away. With hectic lifestyles and bad habits like skipping sleep, excess alcohol consumption, and sky-high stress levels, it's harder than ever for most people to stay fit and healthy, much less take extra steps to reduce your risk of diseases like cancer, stroke, and heart disease. 

That's why Tiffany Sizemore-Ruiz, D.O., author of the blog SizeMoreHeart.com, pulled together a list of 10 simple rules to stay healthy, happy, and fit… for life! 

*1. Kick the habit:* Even if you only light up occasionally, you're doing irreparable damage to your body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking kills one in five people in the United States each year, yet it's the most preventable cause of death. 

"As a doctor, this is one thing I do not ever budge on. This is hands down the worst thing you could ever do to your body," Sizemore-Ruiz says. 

*RELATED: 22 Ways to Improve Your Life in 2 Minutes or Less* 

*2. Don't fake it:* That sun-kissed glow could just be the kiss of death. People who use tanning beds are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop a deadly form of skin cancer than those who don't fake bake. If that's not reason enough to skip the sun beds, you'll also develop premature wrinkles and speed up the aging process of your skin. 

"You may think it's cute to be tan now, but let me tell you, Botox will not be able to get rid of those wrinkles, and it definitely can't get rid of skin cancer," Sizemore-Ruiz says. 

This same rule applies to time spent in the sun-be sure to always wear sunscreen to prevent overexposure. 

*3. Eat chocolate:* Surprised by this rule? Believe it or not, you can enjoy the foods you like-any and all of them, in moderation. 

"The key to any good diet is to allow yourself a treat every once in a while. If you eat ice cream every day, it doesn't taste nearly as good as if you eat it at the end of the week as a reward for an entire week of healthy eating!" 
*
4. Know your numbers:* If you don't know your HDL from your LDL, you're doing your body a disservice. "This is a tip from the American Heart Association," Sizemore-Ruiz says. "Knowing your cholesterol and blood sugar levels and having them checked regularly will help you to make more educated decisions about your diet and what your goals are." 
*
5. Exercise regularly:* The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five days a week. Are you doing enough? It doesn't mean you have to hit the gym for an intense training session, even a brisk afternoon walk has a positive impact on your physical and mental health. 

"This is moderate intensity like on the elliptical or Stairmaster, and this is also non-negotiable. It's not just about exercising to look good; this is exercising to keep your heart strong," Sizemore-Ruiz say 

*6. Get to know your DNA:* Did your maternal grandmother have ovarian cancer? Did your father have colon cancer? It pays to know your family history and how it can affect your own health and wellness. 

"I cannot express how important this is. It can totally change the screening guidelines for you," Sizemore-Ruiz says. "For instance, a screening colonoscopy is done at 50 years old, but if your father had colon cancer at 49, then you must have a screening at 39! Not just cancers, but knowing family history of things like heart disease and diabetes-and keeping a record of it-will help your physician make the right decisions for your health." 


*7. Trade your latte for tea:* Green tea is packed with antioxidants and also has weight-loss properties, so sip away, advises Sizemore- Ruiz. "I try and drink at least one cup a day, but I really aim for two. Green Tea lattes and frappes don't count... but nice try!" 

*8. Ditch the soda:* Soda is not only a diet-spoiler (hello, liquid calories!), it can also have an adverse effect on your health! 

"I advise patients to never drink regular soda. I'd prefer you not to drink the diet soda either, but if you must have the taste of soda, drink the diet kind. The amount of calories and high fructose corn syrup in regular soda is insane. The best advice is to replace that daily soda fix with some green tea instead." 

*9. Get your annual check up:* Those annual breast exams and pap smears are super important for women of all ages. 

"I had a 20-something patient die of cervical cancer because she never went for her annual OB/GYN exam. In this day and age, there is almost no reason as to why women should be dying of cervical cancer," Sizemore-Ruiz says. "Also, all women should be doing monthly breast exams (do it at the same time every month, preferably two or three days after your menstruation), as well as an annual mammogram after the age of 40." 

*RELATED: 10 Habits of Highly Happy People* 

*10. Leave the whites to the linens:* When it comes to diet, opt for colorful foods that pack a nutritious punch. You don't have to cut out carbs completely, just opt for the healthy kind. Sizemore-Ruiz suggests "avoiding white rice, white bread, and white pasta like it's the plague" and replacing all 'white' foods with their whole-wheat counterpart. 

"White foods offer almost no nutritional value, and replacing these carbs with whole grains adds vitamins and minerals to your diet." 






Source: 10 Simple Rules for a Healthy, Happy Life


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## Adrift

*Alzheimer's Disease Reversed in Mice* (Two Papers/Two Strategies): 
(They're really, really close to solving this disease.)

Alzheimer's Disease is characterized by three changes in the brain: Primer on Alzheimer's Disease

1. an amyloid plague, which consists of bits of protein fragments called beta-amyloid, found in the spaces between brain cells
2. clumps of protein inside the brain cell called "neurofibrillary tangles"; this protein is called tau. 
3. loss of neuronal connections and cell death.

*Nicotinamide Restores Cognition in Alzheimer’s Disease Transgenic Mice via a Mechanism Involving Sirtuin Inhibition and Selective Reduction of Thr231-Phosphotau* by Kim N. Green et al. (J. Neurosci, Nov 5, 2008;28(45):11500-11510.) It's available for downloading.

This group fed 9 mice with a B vitamin called nicotinamide (aka niacinamide) with water containing 200 mg niacinamide/kg water/day for 4 months. (I know why they used kg instead of liters, but they should have used liters since it's less confusing. Anyway, this works out to about 2200 mg/day for a 120 lb human assuming these mice weighed 20 grams and drank about 4 milliliters of water/day.) These are mice with alzheimer's disease. After 4 months, these mice behaved as if they didn't have alzheimer's disease. The mice that didn't have Alzheimer's disease also experienced improved short term memory.

There were 3 major differences between the mice who got the B vitamin and those who didn't.

1. The nicotinamide group saw a 2.5 times increase in di-acetyl-Tubulin, a structural protein inside the brain cell;
2. A 60% decrease in one of the tau proteins (Thr231-phosphotau) involved in the neurofibrillary tangles;
3. It doubled a protein called p25 that stimulates the synthesis of structural and synaptic proteins.

In the authors' own words: "We evaluated the efficacy of nicotinamide, a competitive inhibitor of the sirtuins
or class III NAD-dependent HDACs in 3xTg-AD mice, and found that it restored cognitive deficits associated with pathology."

So if you have that mutant apoE gene (which increases your risk 10 to 30 times), you may want to start taking about 2500 mg niacinamide/day asap.

--------------

*A Truncated peptide from p35, a CdK5 activator, prevents Alzheimer's disease phenotypes in model mice* by Shukla V. et al. (FASEB J. 2013,Jan 27(1) 174-86.)This paper isn't available for downloading unless you suscribe to the journal or pay $20.

These guys use a 24 amino acid peptide (about half the size of insulin, so it's very easy to make) to down-regulate the CdK5 enzyme. The CdK5 enzyme sticks phosphate groups to proteins and in Alzheimer's, it's super active. It's believed that CdK5 activity is what causes cell death. This group discovered that if you inject the mice with this 24 amino acid peptide, that the mice live 2 months longer and exhibit "behavioral rescue". Unfortunately, I can't tell you guys much more since I haven't read the paper, but I have read another paper out of the same research center (but different group) called:

A 24-Residue Peptide (p5), Derived from p35, the Cdk5 Neuronal Activator, Specifically Inhibits Cdk5-p25 Hyperactivity and Tau Hyperphosphorylation by Ya-Li Zheng et al. (J. Biol. Chem. 2010, 285:34202-3421)

This sounds like a treatment, a very good treatment that shouldn't cost that much money, since any lab that makes insulin can make this as well.


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## INTJellectual

*What Your Fingernails Say About Your Health*

















Your fingernails can be a window into your health

You've heard the expression, "The eyes are the window to the soul," right? Well as it turns out, your fingernails can often be the window to your health. How so? 

Certain changes to your nails can be a sign of an underlying disease or disorder. Just to name a few: 

Yellow nail syndrome happens when nails thicken and nail growth slows. Of course, as per its name, your nails will often turn yellow. Yellow nail syndrome is often a sign of respiratory disease. If you notice that your nails are yellow but are growing normally, it could bea sign of diabetes. That's because diabetes can cause glucose to attach to collagen proteins in the nails, making them appear yellow. If your nails are yellow and you notice other symptoms of diabetes, such as increased thirst or urination, see your doc right away. 

Another symptom of a bigger problem? Spoon nails, in which nails are concave and appear scooped away from the finger. You can usually even put a drop of liquid in the "spoon." This can be related to an iron deficiency anemia, hypothyroidism or a liver disease. 

*Also see: 4 things your hair can say about your health* 

Interestingly enough, there are a few changes to your nails that can be a sign of cardiovascular problems as well. Splinter hemorrhages, or red and brown lines underneath your nails, can be a sign of a heart valve infection. They are called such because they resemble splinters in your nail, but they are actually blood. Another sign of a problem relating to your heart? Clubbing of the nails, in which the nail softens and seems to float over the nail bed instead of being firmly attached. In nail clubbing, the last part of the finger may appear large or bulging and the nail curves downward over your finger. 

Though you may not have noticed any of the above conditions in your own nails, I'm sure you've seen a white spot or two on your nails from time to time. Like me, you may have heard that is from a calcium deficiency and means you need to drink more milk. This isn't the case, though. The technical term for the white spots? Leukonychia. They are more likely related to a past injury to the nail that happened weeks prior to you noticing the spots. Sometimes they are from an allergic reaction to nail polish or a mild infection. 

Another common problem? Brittle nails, which is a common symptom of aging. If you're not old, (and heck, none of us is, right?) then brittle nails could a symptom of a relatively benign problem, such as nails that are exposed too long to soap or water, or something more serious. The trick is to notice if another change to the nails has occurred, such as a change in nail thickness or color. If you do notice a change, best to check with a dermatologist, since 10 percent of dermatological complaints are nail-related, and skin conditions, such as psoriasis, can cause changes to your nails as well. If the changes to your nails are a sign of something underlying, the dermatologist can point you in the right direction. 

Bottom line? Best to practice good nail hygiene (cut and clean regularly) and see a doc if you notice anything out of the ordinary. 




Source: What Your Fingernails Say About Your Health


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## Adrift

*The K Factor and High Blood Pressure *
(all information from this post is taken from "The High Blood Pressure Solution" by Richard D. Moore, one of the best and most important books on controlling hypertension)

In Finland, national policy changes resulted in a significant decrease in high blood pressure and a *60% decline* in death from *strokes and heart attacks*. About 10 to 15% of the decline is attributed to medications, but most of the decline is the result of lowering sodium and increasing potassium in the diet. Reference

The K Factor is defined as the ratio of Potassium (K) in the diet to Sodium (Na) in the diet or (K-Factor = mg K/mg Na). The ideal K-Factor is 4, which means you should eat 4 times as much potassium as sodium.

Dr. Moore argues that dietary habits is responsible for most of the high blood pressure problems around the world. Here is the evidence:

*Table 1: Frequency of Hypertension in Various Populations*

K Factor . . . . Percent with Hypertension . . . Population

20 . . . . . . . . . . . <1 . . . . . . . . . . .Yanomamo Indians,Brazil
4.9 . . . . . . . . . . <1 . . . . . . . . . . .!Kung people, northern Botswana
1.41 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . Vegetarians in Tel Aviv
1.04 . . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . . . . . . . Non-Vegetarians in Tel Aviv
0.39 . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . . . . . . blacks and whites in Evans County, Georgia
0.36 . . . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . . . . . . . residents of Northern Japan

As you can see, the higher the K Factor, the lower the incidence of high blood pressure. This also explains why vegetarians have lower blood pressure since vegetables and fruits contain high quantities of potassium.

Primitive hunter/gatherers ate about 8 grams of potassium daily. In the US, white males eat less than 3 grams and black males in the southeast eat only 1.5 grams of potassium daily. "Blacks are 18 times more likely to have hypertensive kidney failure than are whites."
--------------------
*Table 2. Response of Blood Pressure to Sodium and Potassium*

Initial Blood Pressure: . . . . . . . . . . . . 162/98
5 Days of Potassium Chloride . . . . . . . . 150/82
Switch to Sodium Chloride for 5 days . . . 186/118
Switch to Potassium Bromide for 3 days . 144/104
Switch to Sodium Bromide for 3 days . . . 172/116
Switch to Potassium Citrate for 3 days . . 134/78

Notice how the blood pressure increases when the patient is fed sodium and falls when the patient is fed potassium.

Reference: Addison, W. L. T. "The use of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bromide, and potassium bromide in cases of arterial hypertension which are amenable to potassium chloride" Can. Med. Assoc. J. 18:281-5 (1928).
---------------------

*THEORY* 

The theory is that hypertension is a nutrient imbalance disease. Specifically, suffererers of high blood pressure are eating too much sodium and not enough potassium. This results in an increase of sodium inside the cell (effected by the sodium/potassium pumps) and the elevated sodium causes a cascade of events starting with an elevated Calcium concentration inside the smooth muscle cells of the arteries. High calcium causes the muscle cells to contract, resulting in narrower blood vessels which translate into higher blood pressures. High calcium also results in elevated insulin levels in the blood, which similarly causes blood vessels to contract and thicken.

The evidence for this theory is:
"The sodium in the cells of the arteries of hypertensive rats is 117% that of rats with normal blood pressure."
"The calcium level inside the cells of the arteries of hypertensive rats is also elevated by 84%."
-----------------------------
*The solution* is to lower the sodium content of the diet by avoiding fast food joints, frozen dinners, and chinese food while eating more potassium rich foods (high K-factors).

Here's a brief list of some excellent high potassium foods (anything with a K-factor of greater than 4).

1. Apple Juice ---- 180
2. Orange Juice ---250
3. White Wine ----- 64
4. Oatmeal ------- 140
5. Rice, white ---- 19
6. Apricots ------- 300
7. Avocados ------ 150
8. Blueberries ----- 120
9. Oranges ------- 260
10. Ground Beef --- 4.5
11. Chicken, Baked - 6.4
12. Steak, sirloin - - 4.6
13. Almonds - - - - 190
14. Pecans - - - - - 600
15. Tofu (raw) - - - 16.7
16. Walnuts, English 225
17. Beans, lima - - - 420
18. Potato, baked - 130
19. Catfish - - - - - 5.5
20. Honey - - - - - - 10


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## INTJellectual

5 Things You Didn't Know About High Heels









Under some circumstances, they can actually be a good thing!There are hundreds of thousands of nerves in your foot and 28 bones (that's 13.5 percent of all the bones in your body). They hold you up from morning 'til night and take the repetitive stress of 10,000 steps each day. And how do we repay them? By shoving them into uncomfortable shoes that exacerbate the stress they're already under. More than 90 percent of women who wear heels suffer from pain, soreness and fatigue*. No kidding.
*MORE:* The Women Who Wears (And Sleeps In!) A Corset Every Day 

"High heels don't promote proper foot posture," says Phillip Vasyli, a podiatrist and founder of Vionic, a brand of biomechanically correct kicks with built-in orthotics. When you wear heels, your arch becomes higher, and yet the profile of the shoe itself is a flat ramp that doesn't follow your foot's curvature. That's why Vasyli is designing the first-ever foot-friendly line of fashion heels, due to hit stores in 2014.
He clued us into some surprising facts every stiletto-loving woman should know:
*Small heels are good for you.* Most people over-pronate, which means their arches and ankles collapse inward on each step. Going up on your toes-like when you slip into a pair of heels-turns your ankles slightly outward, counteracting the collapse. A stable 1- to 2-inch heel is ideal for this. A low heel also takes the strain off tight calf muscles, relieving pain and decreasing your odds of developing plantar faciitis.
*MORE:* What Natural and Organic Beauty Product Labels Really Mean
*You don't need more shock absorption.* Pronation is your foot's natural way to absorb the shock of hitting the ground. The foot essentially unlocks itself, softening to absorb the blow, then rolls outward, becoming rigid again to support your weight as you lift your other foot and begin to propel forward. People who over-pronate remain in the unstable, unlocked position even when all of their weight is on one foot. For them, shock-absorbing cushioning just adds to the instability.
*Every inch of heel height can put another 25 percent of your body weight onto your forefoot.* That means, if you're rocking 4-inch heels, you're effectively walking on your tippy toes all day. Even a small ankle strap dramatically reduces the pressure on your piggies.
*MORE:* Wear Heels to Spend Less Money
*That burning sensation under the ball of your foot is actual heat.* When your feet slip forward in high heels, you naturally claw your toes to try to stay in place. This pushes the head of your second metatarsal (the base of your second toe) into the sole of your shoe. The pressure and friction create a literal increase in temperature, according to studies. And a callous comes next.
*Running in heels may lead to knee arthritis.* Attention hustlers, movers and/or shakers: AnOctober 2013 study in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology found that jogging-say, running to catch a train-in 2 ¾-inch heels increases lateral movement of the knees (toward and away from each other), which could contribute to arthritis.
_- by Amanda Schupak_





Source: 5 Things You Didn't Know About High Heels


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## Vivid Melody

*97% of Terminal Cancer Patients Previously Had This Dental Procedure…*

by DR MERCOLA


Do you have a chronic degenerative disease? If so, have you been told, “It’s all in your head?”
Well, that might not be that far from the truth… the root cause of your illness may be _in your mouth_.
There is a common dental procedure that nearly every dentist will tell you is completely safe, despite the fact that scientists have been warning of its dangers for more than 100 years.
Every day in the United States alone, 41,000 of these dental procedures are performed on patients who believe they are safely and permanently fixing their problem.
What is this dental procedure?

The root canal.

More than 25 million root canals are performed every year in this country.

Root-canaled teeth are essentially “dead” teeth that can become silent incubators for highly toxic anaerobic bacteria that can, under certain conditions, make their way into your bloodstream to cause a number of serious medical conditions—many not appearing until decades later.

Most of these toxic teeth feel and look fine for many years, which make their role in systemic disease even harder to trace back.

Sadly, the vast majority of dentists are oblivious to the serious potential health risks they are exposing their patients to, risks that persist for the rest of their patients’ lives. The American Dental Association claims root canals have been proven safe, but they have NO published data or actual research to substantiate this claim.

Fortunately, I had some early mentors like Dr. Tom Stone and Dr. Douglas Cook, who educated me on this issue nearly 20 years ago. Were it not for a brilliant pioneering dentist who, more than a century ago, made the connection between root-canaled teeth and disease, this underlying cause of disease may have remained hidden to this day. The dentist’s name was Weston Price—regarded by many as the greatest dentist of all time.
​*Weston A. Price: World’s Greatest Dentist*

Most dentists would be doing an enormous service to public health if they familiarized themselves with the work of Dr. Weston Pricei. Unfortunately, his work continues to be discounted and suppressed by medical and dental professionals alike.

Dr. Price was a dentist and researcher who traveled the world to study the teeth, bones, and diets of native populations living without the “benefit” of modern food. Around the year 1900, Price had been treating persistent root canal infections and became suspicious that root-canaled teeth always remained infected, in spite of treatments. Then one day, he recommended to a woman, wheelchair bound for six years, to have her root canal tooth extracted, even though it appeared to be fine.

She agreed, so he extracted her tooth and then implanted it under the skin of a rabbit. The rabbit amazingly developed the same crippling arthritis as the woman and died from the infection 10 days later. But the woman, now free of the toxic tooth, immediately recovered from her arthritis and could now walk without even the assistance of a cane.

_Price discovered that it’s mechanically impossible to sterilize a root-canaled (e.g. root-filled) tooth._
He then went on to show that many chronic degenerative diseases originate from root-filled teeth—the most frequent being heart and circulatory diseases. He actually found 16 different causative bacterial agents for these conditions. But there were also strong correlations between root-filled teeth and diseases of the joints, brain and nervous system. Dr. Price went on to write two groundbreaking books in 1922 detailing his research into the link between dental pathology and chronic illness. Unfortunately, his work was deliberately buried for 70 years, until finally one endodontist named George Meinig recognized the importance of Price’s work and sought to expose the truth.
​*Dr. Meinig Advances the Work of Dr. Price*

Dr. Meinig, a native of Chicago, was a captain in the U.S. Army during World War II before moving to Hollywood to become a dentist for the stars. He eventually became one of the founding members of the American Association of Endodontists (root canal specialists).

In the 1990s, he spent 18 months immersed in Dr. Price’s research. In June of 1993, Dr. Meinig published the book _Root Canal Cover-Up_, which continues to be the most comprehensive reference on this topic today. You can order your copy directly from the Price-Pottenger Foundationii.
​*What Dentists Don’t Know About the Anatomy of Your Teeth*

Your teeth are made of the hardest substances in your body.

In the middle of each tooth is the pulp chamber, a soft living inner structure that houses blood vessels and nerves. Surrounding the pulp chamber is the dentin, which is made of living cells that secrete a hard mineral substance. The outermost and hardest layer of your tooth is the white enamel, which encases the dentin.

The roots of each tooth descend into your jawbone and are held in place by the periodontal ligament. In dental school, dentists are taught that each tooth has one to four major canals. However, there are accessory canals that are never mentioned. _Literally miles of them!_

Just as your body has large blood vessels that branch down into very small capillaries, each of your teeth has a maze of very tiny tubules that, if stretched out, would extend for three miles. Weston Price identified as many as 75 separate accessory canals in a single central incisor (front tooth). For a more detailed explanation, refer to an article by Hal Huggins, DDS, MS, on the Weston A. Price Foundation website.iii (These images are borrowed from the Huggins article.)

Microscopic organisms regularly move in and around these tubules, like gophers in underground tunnels.

When a dentist performs a root canal, he or she hollows out the tooth, then fills the hollow chamber with a substance (called guttapercha), which cuts off the tooth from its blood supply, so fluid can no longer circulate through the tooth. But the maze of tiny tubules remains. And bacteria, cut off from their food supply, hide out in these tunnels where they are remarkably safe from antibiotics and your own body’s immune defenses.
​*The Root Cause of Much Disease*

Under the stresses of oxygen and nutrient deprivation, these formerly friendly organisms morph into stronger, more virulent anaerobes that produce a variety of potent toxins. What were once ordinary, friendly oral bacteria mutate into highly toxic pathogens lurking in the tubules of the dead tooth, just awaiting an opportunity to spread.

No amount of sterilization has been found effective in reaching these tubules—and just about every single root-canaled tooth has been found colonized by these bacteria, especially around the apex and in the periodontal ligament. Oftentimes, the infection extends down into the jawbone where it creates cavitations—areas of necrotic tissue in the jawbone itself.

Cavitations are areas of unhealed bone, often accompanied by pockets of infected tissue and gangrene. Sometimes they form after a tooth extraction (such as a wisdom tooth extraction), but they can also follow a root canal. According to Weston Price Foundation, in the records of 5,000 surgical cavitation cleanings, only two were found healed.

And all of this occurs with few, if any, accompanying symptoms. So you may have an abscessed dead tooth and not know it. This focal infection in the immediate area of the root-canaled tooth is bad enough, but the damage doesn’t stop there.
​*Root Canals Can Lead to Heart, Kidney, Bone, and Brain Disease*

As long as your immune system remains strong, any bacteria that stray away from the infected tooth are captured and destroyed. But once your immune system is weakened by something like an accident or illness or other trauma, your immune system may be unable to keep the infection in check.

These bacteria can migrate out into surrounding tissues by hitching a ride into your blood stream, where they are transported to new locations to set up camp. The new location can be any organ or gland or tissue.

Dr. Price was able to transfer diseases harbored by humans to rabbits, by implanting fragments of root-canaled teeth, as mentioned above. He found that root canal fragments from a person who had suffered a heart attack, when implanted into a rabbit, would cause a heart attack in the rabbit within a few weeks.

He discovered he could transfer heart disease to the rabbit 100 percent of the time! Other diseases were more than 80 percent transferable by this method. Nearly every chronic degenerative disease has been linked with root canals, including:
-Heart disease
-Kidney disease
-Arthritis, joint, and rheumatic diseases
-Neurological diseases (including ALS and MS)
-Autoimmune diseases (Lupus and more)​There may also be a cancer connection. Dr. Robert Jones, a researcher of therelationship between root canals and breast cancer, found an extremely high correlation between root canals and breast cancer.iv He claims to have found the following correlations in a five-year study of 300 breast cancer cases:

-93 percent of women with breast cancer had root canals
-7 percent had other oral pathology
-Tumors, in the majority of cases, occurred on the same side of the body as the root canal(s) or other oral pathology​Dr. Jones claims that toxins from the bacteria in an infected tooth or jawbone are able to inhibit the proteins that suppress tumor development. A German physician reported similar findings. Dr. Josef Issels reported that, in his 40 years of treating “terminal” cancer patients, 97 percent of his cancer patients had root canals. If these physicians are correct, the cure for cancer may be as simple as having a tooth pulled, then rebuilding your immune system.
​*Good Bugs Gone Bad*

How are these mutant oral bacteria connected with heart disease or arthritis? The ADA and the AAE claim it’s a “myth” that the bacteria found in and around root-canaled teeth can cause diseasev. But they base that on the misguided assumption that the bacteria in these diseased teeth are the SAME as normal bacteria in your mouth—and that’s clearly not the case.

Today, bacteria can be identified using DNA analysis, whether they’re dead or alive, from their telltale DNA signatures.

In a continuation of Dr. Price’s work, the Toxic Element Research Foundation (TERF) used DNA analysis to examine root-canaled teeth, and they found bacterial contamination in _100 percent of the samples tested. _They identified 42 different species of anaerobic bacteria in 43 root canal samples. In cavitations, 67 different bacteria were identified among the 85 samples tested, with individual samples housing between 19 to 53 types of bacteria each. The bacteria they found included the following types:

_-Capnocytophagaochracea_
_-Fusobacteriumnucleatum_
_-Gemellamorbillorum_
_-Leptotrichiabuccalis_
_-Porphyromonasgingivalis_​Are these just benign, ordinary mouth bugs? Absolutely not. Four can affect your heart, three can affect your nerves, two can affect your kidneys, two can affect your brain, and one can infect your sinus cavities… so they are anything BUT friendly! (If you want see just how unfriendly they can be, I invite you to investigate the footnotes.)

Approximately 400 percent more bacteria were found in the blood _surrounding_ the root canal tooth than were found in the tooth itself, suggesting the tooth is the incubatorand the periodontal ligament is the food supply. The bone surrounding root-canaled teeth was found even HIGHER in bacterial count… not surprising, since bone is virtual buffet of bacterial nutrients.
​*Since When is Leaving A Dead Body Part IN Your Body a Good Idea?*

There is no other medical procedure that involves allowing a dead body part to remain in your body. When your appendix dies, it’s removed. If you get frostbite or gangrene on a finger or toe, it is amputated. If a baby dies in utero, the body typically initiates a miscarriage.

Your immune system doesn’t care for dead substances, and just the presence of dead tissue can cause your system to launch an attack, which is another reason to avoid root canals—they leave behind a dead tooth.

Infection, plus the autoimmune rejection reaction, causes more bacteria to collect around the dead tissue. In the case of a root canal, bacteria are given the opportunity to flush into your blood stream every time you bite down.
​*Why Dentists Cling to the Belief Root Canals are Safe*

The ADA rejects Dr. Price’s evidence, claiming root canals are safe, yet they offer no published data or actual research to substantiate their claim. American Heart Association recommends a dose of antibiotics before many routine dental procedures to prevent infective endocarditis (IE) if you have certain heart conditions that predispose you to this type of infection.

So, on the one hand, the ADA acknowledges oral bacteria can make their way _from your mouth to your heart and cause a life-threatening infection_.

But at the same time, the industry vehemently denies any possibility that these same bacteria—toxic strains KNOWN to be pathogenic to humans—can hide out in your dead root-canaled tooth to be released into your blood stream every time you chew, where they can damage your health in a multitude of ways.

Is this really that large of a leap? Could there be another reason so many dentists, as well as the ADA and the AAE, refuse to admit root canals are dangerous? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Root canals are the most profitable procedure in dentistry.

​*What You Need to Know to AVOID a Root Canal*

I strongly recommend never getting a root canal. Risking your health to preserve a tooth simply doesn’t make sense. Unfortunately, there are many people who’ve already have one. If you have, you should seriously consider having the tooth removed, even if it looks and feels fine. Remember, as soon as your immune system is compromised, your risk of of developing a serious medical problem increases—and assaults on your immune system are far too frequent in today’s world.

If you have a tooth removed, there are a few options available to you.
1)Partial denture: This is a removable denture, often just called a “partial.” It’s the simplest and least expensive option.
2)Bridge: This is a more permanent fixture resembling a real tooth but is a bit more involved and expensive to build.
3)Implant: This is a permanent artificial tooth, typically titanium, implanted in your gums and jaw. There are some problems with these due to reactions to the metals used. Zirconium is a newer implant material that shows promise for fewer complications.​But just pulling the tooth and inserting some sort of artificial replacement isn’t enough.

Dentists are taught to remove the tooth but leave your periodontal ligament. But as you now know, this ligament can serve as a breeding ground for deadly bacteria. Most experts who’ve studied this recommend removing the ligament, along with one millimeter of the bony socket, in order to drastically reduce your risk of developing an infection from the bacterially infected tissues left behind.
​

I strongly recommend consulting a biological dentist because they are uniquely trained to do these extractions properly and safely, as well as being adept at removing mercury fillings, if necessary. Their approach to dental care is far more holistic and considers the impact on your entire body—not JUST your mouth.

If you need to find a biological dentist in your area, I recommend visiting toxicteeth.org, a resource sponsored by Consumers for Dental Choice. This organization, championed by Charlie Brown, is a highly reputable organization that has fought to protect and educate consumers so that they can make better-informed decisions about their dental care. The organization also heads up the Campaign for Mercury-Free Dentistry.

Source: 97% of Terminal Cancer Patients Previously Had This Dental Procedure… | REALfarmacy.com | Healthy News and Information


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## Vivid Melody

Scientists: Garlic Fights Common Illness Better than Antibiotics
7th May 2012
By Anthony Gucciardi
Contributing Writer for Wake Up World
Scientists at Washington State University are now confirming once again what natural health experts have known for years — garlic fights one of the most common food-borne illnesses much more effectively than antibiotics. Garlic has built a strong reputation in fighting infections, a benefit that is but one of many.Campylobacter bacterium, the name for the common bacteria that often results in intestinal illness, affects around 2.4 million Americans per year and is often treated with illness-linked antibiotics, but maybe not anymore.
According to the researchers, the information ‘opens the door’ to the many benefits of garlic when it comes to preventing and fighting infections. This means treating certain food items, cleaning, and use as a healing food substance. Once again, however, these mainstream scientists are simply re-discovering what many cultures have known (and have been utilizing) for centuries! It’s no secret that garlic is really a nutritional powerhouse, a superfood that can boost overall immunity and combat diseases — even superviruses that have the medical community in a frenzy.Even Greek athletes used garlic to boost their physical performance in the arena due to the deep knowledge of the food’s empowering properties. Leading expert Dr. David Kraus explains:“People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,” said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. “Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.”​Garlic even has a role in the prevention of cancer — the disease that is currently ravaging the population. In fact, it is a role that is quite notorious among cultures who have been using garlic in their dishes for countless years. Scientists believe that the role of garlic in cancer prevention quite possibly has to do with the way that garlic boosts the production of something known as hydrogen sulfide. It is this very substance that also protects the heart. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that directly injecting hydrogen sulfide into mice almost _completely stopped damage to heart muscles_ as a result of heart attack.The benefits of garlic are many, and the mainstream scientific community is just catching on to how important of a role garlic plays in the diet.

Source: Scientists: Garlic Fights Common Illness Better than Antibiotics | Wake Up World


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## Vivid Melody

Health Benefits of Lemon Water + Recipe
_Photographer: Linda Wagner_
​I love me a glass of piping hot lemon water with ginger and stevia. Besides being absolutely delicious, it has a whole BOAT LOAD of health benefits.
Here are 10 health benefits of lemon water that you may not have known! (via LifeMojo).
*For more stories about Health and Wellness, see our full list here.*


*Good for stomach*Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice,symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.
*Excellent for Skin Care*Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.
*Aids in Dental Care*Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.
*Cures Throat Infections*Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.
*Good for Weight Loss*One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.
*Controls High Blood Pressure*Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.
*Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders*
Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma.
*Good for treating Rheumatism*Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism andÂ arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.
*Reduces Fever*Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.
*Acts as a blood purifier*The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.
_Photographer: Linda Wagner_
​Lemon is not the only power player in this recipe. Ginger is known to have some pretty remarkable health generating qualities like the ones listed below via Health Diaries


*Colon Cancer Prevention*A study at the University of Minnesota found that ginger may slow the growth of colorectal cancer cells.
*Morning Sickness*A review of several studies has concluded that ginger is just as effective as vitamin B6 in the treatment of morning sickness.
*Motion Sickness Remedy*Ginger has been shown to be an effective remedy for the nausea associated with motion sickness.
*Reduces Pain and Inflammation*One study showed that ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and is a powerful natural painkiller.
*Heartburn Relief*Ginger has long been used as a natural heartburn remedy. It is most often taken in the form of tea for this purpose.
*Cold and Flu Prevention and Treatment*Ginger has long been used as a natural treatment for colds and the flu. Many people also find ginger to be helpful in the case of stomach flus or food poisoning, which is not surprising given the positive effects ginger has upon the digestive tract.
*Migraine Relief*Research has shown that ginger may provide migraine relief due to its ability to stop prostaglandins from causing pain and inflammation in blood vessels.
*Menstrual Cramp Relief*In Chinese medicine, ginger tea with brown sugar is used in the treatment of menstrual cramps.
*Prevention of Diabetic Nephropathy*A study done on diabetic rats found that those rats given ginger had a reduced incidence of diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage) - via Health Diaries
_Photographer: Linda Wagner_
​So try a nice hot glass of Lemon water with Ginger and Stevia, it’s delicious and good for you in so many ways!!
You’ll need:


1/2 inch knob of ginger sliced thinly or grated
lemon
Stevia to taste
Simply pour boiling water over the ginger, let steep for about 5mins then add lemon juice and stevia to taste.

Source: Health Benefits of Lemon Water + Recipe « Chef Marcus Samuelsson
​


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## Vivid Melody

Fast Food As Addictive As Heroin, Study ConfirmsPosted on Mar 30th 2010 12:00PM by Amber Greviskes

Scientist have previously proven links between drug addiction and fast-food addiction, but now there is a growing body of research that is finding out how junk food is hard wiring our brains for cravings. 

The latest study, published March 28 in "Nature Neuroscience," likened the affects of high-fat, high-calorie fast food to those of cocaine or heroin, in animals at least. 

The researchers showed that the pleasure-center in rats brains were overstimulated from the fast food similar to an addict's cocaine binge. Eventually, the pleasure centers became so overloaded that rats needed more and more food to feel normal, according to Paul H. Kenny, an associate professor of molecular therapeutics at the Scripps Research Institute. 

Throughout the study, Kenny and his co-author studied three groups of lab rats for 40 days. The first group ate healthy food. The second ate a limited amount of junk food. The third group, however, was allowed to gorge on high-fat, high-calorie foods and becameobese. 

The startling side effect? The brains of the obese rats changed. 
"The body adapts remarkably well to change -- and that's the problem," Kenny said in a press release. "When the animal overstimulates its brain pleasure centers with highly palatable food, the systems adapt by decreasing their activity. However, now the animal requires constant stimulation from palatable food to avoid entering a persistent state of negative reward".
During the study, the rats lost complete control over the ability to regulate whether they were hungry, often eating despite electric shocks. When the obese rats were put on a healthy diet, they refused to eat, starving themselves for two weeks.

In another study, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City showed that feeding rats a diet high in saturated fat, calories and sugar -- which is the typical make-up for a fast-food menu item -- lowered the rats ability to respond to leptin, a hormone that helps regulate eating behavior by controlling how full one feels. As rats grew fatter, the amount of leptin in their bodies increased signaling that they were dangerously close to starvation. They continued to overeat and gain weight. 

Those who yo-yo diet face similar problems that those going through withdrawal do, Boston University researchers proved last year. According to Pietro Cottone, an assistant professor in the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders at BU, dieters seek out foods to avoid the negative feelings that they experience if they are deprived of their favorite comfort foods. 

"These findings confirm what we and many others have suspected," Kenny said, "that over-consumption of highly pleasurable food triggers addiction-like neuroadaptive responses in brain reward circuitries, driving the development of compulsive eating. Common mechanisms may therefore underlie obesity and drug addiction." 

Source: Fast Food As Addictive As Heroin, Study Confirms - That's Fit


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## All in Twilight

INTJellectual said:


> *5 Things You Didn't Know About High Heels*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Under some circumstances, they can actually be a good thing!There are hundreds of thousands of nerves in your foot and 28 bones (that's 13.5 percent of all the bones in your body). They hold you up from morning 'til night and take the repetitive stress of 10,000 steps each day. And how do we repay them? By shoving them into uncomfortable shoes that exacerbate the stress they're already under. More than 90 percent of women who wear heels suffer from pain, soreness and fatigue*. No kidding.
> *MORE:* The Women Who Wears (And Sleeps In!) A Corset Every Day
> 
> "High heels don't promote proper foot posture," says Phillip Vasyli, a podiatrist and founder of Vionic, a brand of biomechanically correct kicks with built-in orthotics. When you wear heels, your arch becomes higher, and yet the profile of the shoe itself is a flat ramp that doesn't follow your foot's curvature. That's why Vasyli is designing the first-ever foot-friendly line of fashion heels, due to hit stores in 2014.
> He clued us into some surprising facts every stiletto-loving woman should know:
> *Small heels are good for you.* Most people over-pronate, which means their arches and ankles collapse inward on each step. Going up on your toes-like when you slip into a pair of heels-turns your ankles slightly outward, counteracting the collapse. A stable 1- to 2-inch heel is ideal for this. A low heel also takes the strain off tight calf muscles, relieving pain and decreasing your odds of developing plantar faciitis.
> *MORE:* What Natural and Organic Beauty Product Labels Really Mean
> *You don't need more shock absorption.* Pronation is your foot's natural way to absorb the shock of hitting the ground. The foot essentially unlocks itself, softening to absorb the blow, then rolls outward, becoming rigid again to support your weight as you lift your other foot and begin to propel forward. People who over-pronate remain in the unstable, unlocked position even when all of their weight is on one foot. For them, shock-absorbing cushioning just adds to the instability.
> *Every inch of heel height can put another 25 percent of your body weight onto your forefoot.* That means, if you're rocking 4-inch heels, you're effectively walking on your tippy toes all day. Even a small ankle strap dramatically reduces the pressure on your piggies.
> *MORE:* Wear Heels to Spend Less Money
> *That burning sensation under the ball of your foot is actual heat.* When your feet slip forward in high heels, you naturally claw your toes to try to stay in place. This pushes the head of your second metatarsal (the base of your second toe) into the sole of your shoe. The pressure and friction create a literal increase in temperature, according to studies. And a callous comes next.
> *Running in heels may lead to knee arthritis.* Attention hustlers, movers and/or shakers: AnOctober 2013 study in the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology found that jogging-say, running to catch a train-in 2 ¾-inch heels increases lateral movement of the knees (toward and away from each other), which could contribute to arthritis.
> _- by Amanda Schupak_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: 5 Things You Didn't Know About High Heels


I love this thread already. Very good idea!

My gf is a former feet model (I hate feet but hers are kinda cute) and/but loves to wear high heels. From Loubs to Choo (so high quality) and do you think that there could be a relationship between her wearing lots of heals and her neck pain? Her neck hurts a lot during the bigger part of the day.

Please jump in if you know the possible answer to this question.


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## Vivid Melody

High Heels Can Be a Pain in the NeckAPRIL 29, 2008










My pal Fab has been seriously weighing the pros and cons of shoes replacing handbags as the ultimate fashion accessory. Makes sense to me because so many of the heels out this season are intricate and high. I mean really high.
High heels can create the illusion of longer legs, but they can also create all kinds of pains in lower legs. But it seems they have negative health consequences from the tip of the toe to the top of the head, or rather that neck. It works like this:
The spine is balanced at either end by the pelvis and the skull. If one end is out of alignment, the other will compensate (for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction — sorry to get so Newtonian when talking about stilettos, I just couldn't resist). To see the chain of events, just read more.
It works like this:


High heels put the pelvis in a tipped forward position.
The head position compensates for this misalignment, most often by moving to a forward head position with the chin jutting forward.
A forward head puts a lot of strain on the muscles that both support the vertebrae in the neck and connect the spine to the skull.
When these muscles are chronically tight they can cause serious neck pain, as well as headaches.
If you love your heels but have some unexplained neck pain, I wholeheartedly suggest switching up your heel height. Alternate high heels with flats and even some more supportive shoes. Hopefully, this can help ease your fashionable pain in the neck.

Source: High Heels Can Be a Pain in the Neck


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## INTJellectual

All in Twilight said:


> I love this thread already. Very good idea!
> 
> My gf is a former feet model (I hate feet but hers are kinda cute) and/but loves to wear high heels. From Loubs to Choo (so high quality) and do you think that there could be a relationship between her wearing lots of heals and her neck pain? Her neck hurts a lot during the bigger part of the day.
> 
> Please jump in if you know the possible answer to this question.


Yes, there's a correlation.
@Vivid Melody has just pointed that out in the above article.


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## Vivid Melody

The great olive oil fraud - Why your extra virgin olive oil may not be virgin at allWednesday, July 18, 2012 by: JB Bardot


(NaturalNews) You thought you were making an informed health choice by using extra-virgin olive oil in place of cheaper, low-quality cooking oils, right? You probably never thought that a tiny, expensive bottle of EVOO might be cut with crap or doctored with chlorophyll to make it taste like olive oil -- when in fact it was soybean or another health-compromising, cheap oil. According to Tom Mueller, the fearless author of _Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil, 70 percent of the extra virgin olive oil sold worldwide is watered down with other oils and enhancers making them far from virgins and more like sidewalk hookers on the corner of 10th and Main -- not exactly good for your health or your pocketbook.

Mueller exposes the billion dollar industry, showing how EVOO is compromised world-wide. During volunteer testing by suppliers to authenticate what they thought were pure extra virgin olive oils, every brand submitted in Australia during 2012 failed the tests and none gained certification for being pure. Authentication tests at UC Davis in 2011 uncovered similar results.

How to recognize genuine extra virgin olive oilIt's difficult to tell by taste if the brand of olive oil you buy is truly extra virgin. Even the experts get stumped during taste tests. There are two ways that give a hint whether you have the real thing or a fake. Neither is absolutely fool proof; however, they will rule out the hardcore fakes.

Extra virgin olive oil solidifies when it's cold. When the bottle is placed in the refrigerator, it should become cloudy and thicken or even solidify. As it warms on the counter, it becomes liquid again. Any oil that doesn't thicken in the fridge is not pure EVOO -- simple as that.

Additionally, the real McCoy is flammable and should be able to keep a wick from an oil lamp burning. If your oil doesn't, it is not pure EVOO.

Buying genuine extra virgin olive oilThe best place to buy the real thing is from local producers whom you know. Of course, not everyone lives in Italy or near an olive orchard. The next best way to find genuine, extra virgin olive oil from companies or online is to look for those whose products have been tested and certified as pure and organic. (SHOPPING LIST | Food Renegade Pure EVOO is not cheap, but then neither is fake EVOO; so you may not notice much of a difference in price, just in taste and health effects.

Alternatives to using olive oilAs delicious and healthful as extra virgin olive oil is, some people do not like the taste; and of course, it's not meant for cooking at high temperatures. There are other delicious and healthy unrefined fats and oils available that make great alternates for health-conscious individuals.

*Coconut Oil -- The best virgin or expeller pressed coconut oil is made without the use of high heat during processing. It's a highly nutritious food packing a wide range of health benefits. Virgin coconut oil can be heated for cooking or consumed straight out of the jar on a spoon.

Red Palm Oil -- Red palm oil is made from the palm fruit rather than the palm kernel, and in its unrefined state, it is high in vitamin E, tocopherols, tocotrienols and beta-carotene. It has no trans-fats and is stable when heated during cooking. It contains oleic acid, the main fatty acid found in olive oil and is monounsaturated.

Other healthful oils and fats· Sesame Seed Oil
· Nut oils
· Avocado oil
· Flax seed oil
· Fermented cod liver oil
· Ghee


Source: *_The great olive oil fraud - Why your extra virgin olive oil may not be virgin at all


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## Vivid Melody

6 House Plants That Improve Air Quality According to NASAPosted by Casie Terry

In addition to the dangerous chemicals used to make carpets, couches, paint and dry wall, our homes can be filled with chemicals from everyday household items and products. Things like pressed wood, facial tissue, paper towels, plastic and rubber, to name a few, frequently contain traces of chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.
NASA once partnered with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) to investigate which household plants best act as natural air purifiers and found 15 common plants that effectively improve air quality. Based on ease-of-care, attainability, appearance and effectiveness, here are our top six air purifying plants.









1. Bamboo Palm: According to NASA, it removes formaldahyde and is also said to act as a natural humidifier.
2. Snake Plant: Found by NASA to absorb nitrogen oxides and formaldahyde.
3. Areca Palm: One of the best air purifying plants for general air cleanliness.
4. Spider Plant: Great indoor plant for removing carbon monoxide and other toxins or impurities. Spider plants are one of three plants NASA deems best at removing formaldahyde from the air.
5. Peace Lily: Peace lilies could be called the “clean-all.” They’re often placed in bathrooms or laundry rooms because they’re known for removing mold spores. Also known to remove formaldahyde and trichloroethylene.
6. Gerbera Daisy: Not only do these gorgeous flowers remove benzene from the air, they’re known to improve sleep by absorbing carbon dioxide and giving off more oxygen over night.

Source: 6 House Plants That Improve Air Quality According to NASA | Live in the Now | Natural Health News | Natural Health Resources


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## Siggy

Here is a website that has a database of farms. You can type in your state and find out what your local farms are producing. 

there is also general info on grass fed meats ect

Eat Wild


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## INTJellectual

Beware if alcohol gives you red cheeks







Turning red-faced after consuming alcohol is a sign of Asian Flush Syndrome. (Thinkstock photo)​Getting a red face after downing a couple of alcoholic beverages is not a sign of strong qi (energy flow) or good blood circulation, but rather, it is an indication that your body is not metabolising alcohol efficiently. This phenomenon called Asian Flush Syndrome is common among Asians of Chinese, Japanese and Korean descent.
“If you are Asian and drink alcohol frequently, you may have a higher risk of getting stomach or oesophageal cancer or peptic ulcers due to a genetic inability to efficiently process acetaldehyde, a toxic by-product of alcohol metabolism,” says Dr Victor Lee Tswen Wen, Consultant Surgeon,Department of Hepatobiliary & Transplant Surgery, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), a member of the SingHealth group.
How well the body metabolises or breaks down alcohol is dependent on two enzymes:


_alcohol dehydrogenase_ which converts alcohol into acetaldehyde and
_acetaldehyde dehydrogenase_ (ALDH2) which breaks down acetaldehyde into harmless substances.
Because 80 per cent Asians have an overactive alcohol dehydrogenase, they tend to break down alcohol into acetaldehyde faster – up to 100 times faster. As alcohol is broken down faster, there may be little to no alcohol “buzz”.
Making things worse, most Asians have an inactive variant of the liver enzyme ALDH2, which means that acetaldehyde takes much longer to clear from their blood.
*Asian flush syndrome and your risk of cancer*
The build-up of acetaldehyde is what causes blood vessels to dilate and the face to turn red – the so-called “Asian flush syndrome”. The problem goes beyond aesthetics: Acetaldehyde is more toxic than alcohol and a known cancer-causing agent.
“Acetaldehyde can trigger inflammation in the upper gastrointestinal tract, cause DNA damage and increase your risk for gastrointestinal diseases, namely oesophageal and stomach cancers as well as peptic ulcers,” says Dr Lee.
If you have Asian flush syndrome and drink two beers a day, your risk of oesophageal cancer is up to 10 times higher than that of a person who has normal ALDH2.
*Signs of the Asian flush syndrome*


Facial blushing
Rapid heartbeat
Nausea
Headaches
*Tips to cope with Asian flush syndrome*
*1. Don’t drink, or drink moderately*
If you must drink, drink moderately. Men should limit themselves to two standard alcoholic drinks per day and women should stick to a maximum of one alcoholic drink per day. One standard alcoholic drink: 1 can of beer (355 ml/5% alcohol) or 1 glass of wine (about 150 ml/12.5% alcohol).
*2. Avoid binge drinking*
Binge drinking overloads the body’s ability to metabolise alcohol. If you suffer from the Asian flush syndrome, wait till the redness subsides before taking another drink to avoid acetaldehyde overload. Besides, the liver can only metabolise about one ounce (30 ml) of alcohol per hour (equivalent to less than 1 can of beer or 1 glass of wine).
*3. Choose drinks with less alcohol content*
Read the bottle labels. Choose red or white wines with 12.5% or less alcohol per volume (APV). Beers, wine coolers, table wine and sparkling wine have lower APV than spirits.

Source: Beware if alcohol gives you red cheeks

______________________________________________________________________________________

OMG, I knew I have this syndrome! And I can't tolerate to drink more than 4 glasses of beer. That's why I don't drink anymore.


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## Vivid Melody

Monday, January 7, 2013What's Missing From Folic Acid Awareness Week

As I got on Facebook yesterday and scrolled down my newsfeed, something caught my attention. Somebody posted that Folic Acid Awareness Week is January 6-12 this year. They posted some information from the National Counsel on Folic Acid. I went onto the NCFA website and started reading some things, and the site talked about supplementing folic acid, and eating folic acid fortified foods (like cereal, pasta, bread, etc.) to get enough folic acid and prevent neural tube defects. It seems like a great website, and a great cause. And I mean, it sort of is, don't get me wrong - the research clearly shows that supplementing folic acid has reduced neutral tube defects by a significant percentage... but at the same time, I took the recommended 800mcg of folic acid my entire adult life religiously, every. single. night. I ate TONS of "fortified" cereal, bread, and pasta from the time I was a small child, into adulthood (and unfortunately, I'm sure it's part of what helped me pack on the pounds I'm fighting to lose now). I should have had plenty of folic acid in my system, and that would mean that I should never have had a child with a neural tube defect...right? Except I have a gene mutation, a compound, heterozygous MTHFR (aka, Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase) gene mutation to be exact. I could take hours to try to explain all that I've learned about what this means in regards to your health, pregnancies, etc., but I will try to keep it simple and to the point - this post is about MTHFR and folic acid.

In a nutshell, this gene mutation affects the way our body absorbs and uses B vitamins. "Folic acid" is the syntheticversion of the vitamin folate (B9). Folate is required by our bodies to make and create cells. It helps make DNA, RNA, amino acids, and even red blood cells. It is vitally important in pregnancy to help ensure proper and adequate growth of the baby, and a deficiency of this vitamin can lead to birth defects, including neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly (which is what Eden had). Unless there is a compelling reason that has caused a person to do otherwise, most people take synthetic folic acid, either in tablet form, or through their fortified foods. It's what is normalized in our society through the media and medical community. 

But our cells and bodies can not use folic acid. Folic acid must be converted into what's called methylfolate, through a 4-step process called methylation. This process requires a specific enzyme created by the MTHFR gene, and when these genes are mutated, you end up with a defective enzyme that can not convert folic acid into methylfolate. This may not seem like too big of a deal, because not many people have had or know someone who has had a child with a neural tube defect. At first glance, one might think this mutation is rare, but unfortunately, it isn't rare. It's actually a very common mutation - more common than you might think. Although people are not regularly tested for this (and I wholeheartedly believe they should be), a MTHFR gene mutation is found in over 50% of the population! That means over half the people taking folic acid are not receiving the full benefits of it! While a MTHFR gene mutation is not a guarantee that you are going to have a child with a NTD, it is very likely it is affecting your life in some way. A MTHFR gene mutation can cause a large number of diseases and symptoms because the B vitamins pathways are not functioning properly. Just a few of these symptoms include miscarriages, Placental Abruption, blood clots, stroke, asthma, Down Syndrome, midline defects (tongue ties, lip ties, belly button hernias, etc.), and the list goes on.

So if folic acid is as good as useless for so many people, how can we prevent things like neural tube defects? Unfortunately, it is very common for doctors to recommend mega-doses of synthetic folic acid to those who've had a NTD or who have known MTHFR gene mutations, but scientific evidence is showing there are consequences of taking high doses of this synthetic vitamin. Folic acid may not be the right choice for anyone. There are many studies that have come out in recent years linking synthetic folic acid intake to breast cancer, prostate cancer, asthma, and much more, but it's important to understand that naturally occurring folate does not increase the risk for these things. 

Fortunately, there are a couple ways to get the folate that our bodies can use. The best (and more obvious) way to get enough folate is by eating foods naturally rich in folate. These are not the fortified foods that have added folic acid, but instead foods like dark leafy greens (like spinach, collard greens, turnip greens), broccoli, asparagus, lentils and other beans, seeds and nuts, liver, etc. A quick google search will give you lists upon lists of foods naturally high in folate (please note that the term "folic acid" is so normalized, that it's often used interchangeably with folate, but a good rule of thumb is if it is a whole food containing folate, then it's naturally sourced, but if it's a processed food, it is synthetic folic acid). 

The second way you can get folate is by taking a methylfolate supplement. These supplements are already the converted bio-available form our body can use, and so they bypass the entire methylation process. I'm not a doctor, and I can not give medical advice, however 800mcg is the commonly recommended dosage of methylfolate for women of childbearing age, and 1000mcg is the commonly used dosage of methyl-B12. Methyl-B12 is the bio-available form of the B12 vitamin (as opposed to the synthetic form, cyanocobalamin). The methyl-B12 is important because it aids in the absorption of the methylfolate. Obviously diet is the best way to get any vitamin, but if supplementation is necessary, these are the best forms of these B vitamins that our bodies can use, with the least amount of risk. It's best to talk to an informed doctor and have your B vitamin levels tested to get a customized plan for supplementation.

Although Folic Acid Awareness Week is directed at a valid concern for women who are trying to conceive or pregnant, raising awareness about real, food-sourced, and active forms of folate and the related genetic conditions should be an integral part of this week. We should be taught that for those with healthy folate levels and no genetic concerns, continuing to get vitamins from fresh, whole foods is smart. For those with low levels and/or those who have genetic concerns, it's important to research the bio-available forms of nutritional supplements (such as the methylfolate and methyl-B12). These active forms bypass the methylation process, and a person, especially those with a MTHFR mutation, can benefit greatly from taking these supplements instead of folic acid.


I will leave you with some resources that I've found helpful in my research, so if you choose, you can start down your own path of discovery. 

Dr. Ben's MTHFR.net site*: Read this First! | MTHFR.Net
Methyl-Life*: http://www.methyl-life.com/ 
MTHFR Support*: MTHFRSupport.com | Raising Awareness One Doctor At A Time
More on Folic Acid: The Guggie Daily: Is Folic Acid the Only and the Best Choice? 

*Be sure to go to the "Resources" page on each of these websites, because they lead to even more helpful resources - otherwise I'd be listing links all day.




Source: The Life of Eden Marie: What's Missing From Folic Acid Awareness Week


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## synod

Thank you for posting such a useful, impressive.your thread is so beautiful. you have give me great news


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## Red Panda

I think the Americans would want to read this


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## Exia

An apple a day has shown some likelihood of keeping your primary care physician at his office.


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