Today's Natural Cure: Natural Food

This article excerpt is from  liveinthenow.com

How Some Foods Can Change Your Genetic Destiny

Have you ever wondered how and why certain people seem to appear either younger or much older than their actual chronological age? Certainly genetic inheritance has some impact on aging, development of chronic conditions and longevity, but an abundance of new research is demonstrating through the science of epigenetics that how our genes are expressed to protect us from illness and an early demise is fully within our control. Lifestyle, exposure to environmental hazards and to an even greater degree, the quality, composition and type of foods we consume play a large role in determining how we age as well as how and when we will die.

Healthy Natural Food Diet Alters DNA Methylation to Promote Health and Extend Lifespan

A nutritional research team from Newcastle University in the UK have reported the results of a study in the journal Aging Cell that explains how molecular changes to our genes, known as epigenetic marks, are driven mainly by aging but are also affected by what we eat. Scientists have been revealing the cellular impact that molecular compounds such as curcumin, resveratrol andomega-3 fats have on genetic expression and human metabolism over the past decade. These natural chemical structures are shown to have a dramatic impact on disease prevention by altering genetic markers through epigenetics.

Researchers examined the cell linings from a group of colonoscopy volunteers to determine the impact of diet on polyp formation, a biomarker of aging and future colon cancer occurrence. The volunteers were free of cancer or inflammatory bowel disease and continued to eat their regular diet. The scientists looked for epigenetic changes, identified as DNA methylation markers, which do not alter the genetic code but affect whether the genes are turned on or off. Epigenetic markers are a strong predictor of precancerous growth and future incidence of the disease.

Consume a Natural Food Diet, Void of Processed and Fried Foods to Prevent Chronic Illnesses

The study team found that men tended to have a higher frequency of these epigenetic changesthan women, which is consistent with men being at a greater risk of bowel cancer. Participants with higher vitamin D status tended to show lower levels of methylation, and a similar effect was observed for the mineral selenium. The finding was consistent with the known links between highervitamin D and selenium levels and reduced bowel cancer risk.

Conversely, extraordinarily high levels of the B-vitamin folate was associated with increased levels of epigenetic changes linked with bowel cancer in those genetically susceptible. Further, the study found relationships between body size (height, weight and waist circumference) and epigenetic changes. The information provided by this work helps to validate a wealth of prior studies that explain how diet and the environment alter genetic markers to promote or damage health. Maintaining a normal body weight and consuming a natural diet, void of processed and fried foods promotes epigenetic changes that keep us healthy and extend lifespan.

Sources:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/acel.12030/abstract
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/253744.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121206122232.htm

Today's Natural Cure: Coconut Oil

This article excerpt is from  liveinthenow.com

7 Amazing Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

The natural health community has embraced the use of coconut oil for many health conditions with much enthusiasm and excitement — and with good reason. While early research forced many to shy away fromcoconut oil, epidemiological studies reveal that, despite coconut oil’s saturated fat content,  populations who regularly use coconut and coconut oil in their diets experience considerable value of this substance in promoting wellness due to it’s unique chemical structures.

Why Coconut Oil Is Unique

While most of the fats contained in meat, dairy products and vegetables are classified as long-chain fatty acids, coconut oil is one of the few dietary sources of medium-chain fatty acids, specifically, lauric acid. This is an important distinction because the body responds to and metabolizes the different sized fatty acids in different ways. In fact, one study found that the consumption of lauric acid increased HDL cholesterol and resulted in an overall improved lipid profile.

Coconut oil also contains a unique fat called monolaurin. Jon Kabara, Ph.D., the scientist whose laboratory first discovered it, states it is one of the most exceptional fats found in nature.

The Case for Using Coconut Oil to Improve Health

Coconut oil is widely used in the Asian Pacific area, and many in this community enjoy excellent health and longevity. Also, research on people who live in tropical areas whose diet is high in this oil show that they have lower rates of heart disease and cancer, as well as digestive maladies and prostate disorders.

Bruce Fife, a certified nutritionist, naturopathic doctor and author of The Coconut Oil Miracle, asserts that this oil is one of the most amazing foods in the world. He has used it successfully in his practice to eradicate a host of maladies including psoriasis, dandruff and precancerous skinlesions, along with infections, chronic fatigue and hemorrhoids.

Furthermore, coconut oil has been used in IV solutions for feeding critically ill patients for several decades. It’s even a major ingredient in most baby food, as it contains many of the same nutrients present in human breast milk. All of these facts, together with findings from hundreds of studies published in medial journals, attest to the reality that this oil has some truly special properties! Here’s a summary of seven health benefits connected with the use and consumption of coconut oil.

7 Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

1. Infection Fighter – Coconut oil contains lauric acid that is transformed within the body to monolaurin, a substance that is very toxic to viruses, funguses and bacteria.

2. Hair and Skin Health – The molecular structure of the fatty acids of coconut oil are small, enabling them to penetrate the hair shaft. It is also a rich skin conditioner because the medium-chain triglycerides penetrate deeply.

3. Weight Loss – The medium-chain fatty acids present in the oil boost metabolism more quickly than long-chain fatty acids, as they are easier to digest and convert into energy.

4. Diabetes – Many people consume sugary foods and beverages to get a quick burst of energy, but this habit can lead to diabetes. Substituting coconut oil, a quick energy producer, for sugar in the diet can help prevent or delay the onset of this disease.

5. Hypothyroidism – Coconut oil’s fast energy release associated with an increase in body temperature can stimulate the thyroid gland, causing it to become more active and produce more thyroid hormone.

6. Bone Health – Studies show coconut oil aids in the absorption of calcium and magnesium, which strengthens bones and deters osteoporosis.

7. Alzheimer’s disease – Dr. Mary Newport found that coconut oil has medium-chain triglycerides, a substance used in a drug trial in which her husband was ineligible to participate. She administered a tablespoon of coconut oil to her husband two times a day for six weeks, which resulted in his near total recovery.

Today's Natural Cure: Sweating

This article excerpt is from  greenmedinfo.com

Research Confirms Sweating Detoxifies Dangerous Metals, Petrochemicals

New research is revealing something remarkable about why the body sweats. Beyond its obvious role in regulating body temperature, sweating has been found to facilitate the elimination of accumulated heavy metals and petrochemicals, indicating that if we want to be healthy we should put regular effort into doing more sweating. 

Sweating has long been known as a source of bodily, if not also spiritual "cleansing." But until recently, very little 'scientific' confirmation existed proving that using heat and/or exercise to facilitate perspiration-induced detoxification actually works the way that many natural health advocates claim.

With the Rise of Biomedicine and its so-called 'evidence-based' model of determining what is true and thereby legal to practice, this conspicuous lack of clinical proof has resulted in a veritable inquisition against those who claim that bodily detoxification through sweating is anything more than a form of 'quackery.'

Sweating Confirmed As A Detoxifier of Metals

Enter the findings of a groundbreaking 2011 study published in the Archives of Environmental and Contamination Toxicology, which explored the effects of bioaccumulated toxic elements within the human body and their method of excretion:

"Toxic elements were found to differing degrees in each of blood, urine, and sweat. Serum levels for most metals and metalloids were comparable with those found in other studies in the scientific literature. Many toxic elements appeared to be preferentially excreted through sweat. Presumably stored in tissues, some toxic elements readily identified in the perspiration of some participants were not found in their serum. Induced sweating appears to be a potential method for elimination of many toxic elements from the human body."[1]

The researchers also made the important observation that, "Biomonitoring for toxic elements through blood and/or urine testing may underestimate the total body burden of such toxicants. Sweat analysis should be considered as an additional method for monitoring bioaccumulation of toxic elements in humans."

These are truly novel findings insofar as sweating, at least from the perspective of evolutionary biology, is considered to exist primarily for thermoregulation (sweat cools the surface of the skin and reduces body temperature, functioning as a wholebody cooling system). While the sweat glands have a well-known secondary role for the excretion of water and electrolytes, this function is not generally understood to be a form 'detoxification.'

Also, this study underscores just how common it is for conventional medical practice to overlook the relevance of environmental factors in health (e.g. exposures to metals, petrochemicals, toxins), as many of these 'vectors' of exposure/poisoning are not properly measurable via blood or urine tests; that is, when they even care to look. This blind spot, of course, feeds the delusion that one can suppress bodily symptoms associated with environmental exposures with additional patented chemicals, in the downward spiral that is drug-based medicine. The obvious alternative method -identify and remove the poisons - isn't even on the table, unless the practitioner happens to be aware of natural, integrative or functional medical principles and has the courage to go against the FDA-approved and liability-shielding grain to employ them.

Why Blood and Urine Analysis May Fail To Reveal The Problem

These preliminary research findings were further confirmed in a 2012 meta-analysis published in theJournal of Public and Environmental Health. The study titled, "Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review," was performed by researchers from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ontario, Canada, and was based on a review of 24 studies on toxicant levels in the sweat.[2]

Today's Natural Cure: Avoid Harmful Lifestyle Activities

This article is from  naturalhealth365.com

5 lifestyle activities that cripple our immune system

(NaturalHealth365) There are many common things people do in our society that cripple the immune system and make us more susceptible to illness. People often act as though they are a poor victim of a vicious assault by a pathogen when they get sick. What they don’t often realize is that their lifestyle provided the proper environment for the pathogen to do what it was created to do.

The job of any pathogen is to “break down decaying matter.” Our job must be to “not be decaying matter,” by keeping our bodies functioning and adapting at their peak potential.

The top 5 ways our society promotes disease

1. Sugar: Consuming sugar feeds parasites within our body and depletes our system of critical immune boosting nutrients such as vitamin C, glutathione, zinc, etc. Sugar also feeds the development of abnormal tissue and cancerous growth. When sugar and starch is metabolized in our body it breaks down into a simple molecule called glucose that is used for energy production.

In the 1970’s, Dr. John Ely discovered the Glucose-Ascorbate-Antagonism (GAA) theory. Glucose and vitamin C (ascorbate) have a very similar chemical makeup. This theory proposes that elevated glucose levels compete and effectively restrict vitamin C from entering cells. Both glucose and vitamin C depend upon the pancreatic hormone insulin and its signaling effects in order to get into cells.

There is an important receptor called the Glut-1 receptor that activates in response to insulin to allow both glucose and vitamin C to enter the cell. However, glucose has a greater affinity for the insulin receptor. This means that the greater the content of circulating blood sugar the less vitamin C will enter the cell.

White blood cells have more insulin pumps than any other type of cell and may contain 20 times the amount of vitamin C as other cells. They also need 50 times more vitamin C inside the cell than in the blood plasma in order to handle the oxidative stress that occurs when they encounter a pathogenic substance.

When white blood cells encounter pathogenic bacteria and viruses they must ingest or phagocytize these organisms in order to neutralize them. The phagocytic index measures how effective a particular white blood cell is at destroying viruses, bacteria and cancer cells. Elevated blood sugar impairs this phagocytic index.

In fact, a blood sugar of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%.

2. Sleep deprivation: Quality sleep is one of the most fundamental nutrients that every person needs in order to perform at their optimal. Sleep deprivation creates a heightened stress response within the body that disrupts normal healing and tissue rejuvenation processes. When the body has a heightened stress response it lowers immune coordination and increases inflammatory processes.

3. Drinking tap water: Municipal water is extraordinarily toxic to the body and destroys the immune system. This water is loaded with environmental toxins such as chlorine, DBP’s, arsenic, heavy metals and fluoride. Proper water filtration is essential to remove these chemical agents.

High quality reverse osmosis systems are one of the very few water systems available to effectively remove fluoride. Add back a pinch of pink salt (1/4 teaspoon per gallon) to replace any lost minerals from the reverse osmosis process. Teach your children not to use municipal water fountains but instead to carry bottled water in either glass or stainless steel bottles.

4. Staying indoors: We spend as much as 90% of our lives indoors nowadays and researchers are investigating our exposure to indoor pollutants as contributing causes to rising incidence of chronic illness in our society. According to the EPA, our indoor environment is two to five times more toxic than our outdoor environment, and in some cases, the air measurements indoors have been found to be 100 times more polluted.

By spending so much time indoors we are also missing out on the protective factors inherent in nature. When outside we are exposed to low levels of natural pathogens and our immune system is able to gently adapt to these. Being outside also offers the benefit of fresh air, sunlight and vitamin D3 and if you take off your shoes the electrons from the ground.

5. Chronic dehydration: All life began in water; even the developing fetus is surrounded by water. A water rationing system takes effect immediately in response to any form of dehydration. A neurotransmitter named Histamine becomes active and redistributes water throughout the body. Some areas of the body are obviously more important than others. The order of circulatory priority (an inborn triage system) is the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys, and glands. Of least importance are the muscles, bones and skin.

Histamine’s responsibility is to ensure that these vital organs have enough water to function properly during times of dehydration. If the dehydration issues become chronic, then water must be taken from major regions within the body. Additionally, chronic dehydration can cause histamine to become excessively active leading to symptoms that are often mistaken for other disorders.

The most common symptoms associated with dehydration and elevated histamine include allergies, asthma, dyspepsia, colitis, constipation, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches and chronic pain.

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About the author: Dr. David Jockers owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Ga. He is a Maximized Living doctor. His expertise is in weight loss, customized nutrition & exercise, & structural corrective chiropractic care. For more information – visit: DrJockers.com. Dr. Jockers is also available for long distance phone consultations to help you beat disease and reach your health goals.

References:
http://www.naturalnews.com/033082_sleep_deprivation_stress.html#ixzz2Z24gOamX
http://www.naturalnews.com/034185_glucose_vitamin_C.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/037205_water_toxins_arsenic.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/028725_asthma_allergies.html
http://www.draxe.com/indoor-air-pollution-worse-than-outdoor/

Today's Natural Cure: Cherries

This article is from  rawforbeauty.com

CHERRIES A SUPERFOOD? RESEARCH CONFIRMS THIS WELL-KNOWN FRUIT TACKLES CANCER, INSOMNIA, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND GOUT

(NaturalNews) For those of you who love cherries, this ruby sweet fruit is much more than a tasty summer treat. Shown to combat cancer, improve sleep, balance blood pressure and ease gout, you really cannot lose. Compounds found within cherries also relieve pain as well as aspirin. Possessing potent anti-inflammatory properties, these delicious gems are an excellent way to ward off disease. Rich in vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants, cherries are a powerhouse of nutrition and should be enjoyed often.

Relish the bounty of the season along with improved health

With the cherry season upon us, now is a great time for basking in all the pleasurable, health promoting benefits of the fruit. Here are a few examples of how cherries can enhance your well-being:

Cancer protection - Overflowing with beta carotene, vitamin C, boron and a class of powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins, cherries offer a formidable defense against cancer. As reported by Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D., in Eating Well, “… preliminary studies suggest the anthocyanin cyanidin may prevent genetic mutations that can lead to cancer and keep cancer cells from growing out of control. While tart cherries contain some anthocyanins, sweet cherries pack nearly three times as many (two-thirds are found in the skins). The riper the better: As cherries darken, they produce more antioxidants.”

Better sleep - Cherries provide one of the few naturally occurring sources of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep/wake cycles. According to a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, “These data suggest that consumption of a TART CHERRY JUICE concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep.”

Pain relief - Research at Michigan State University discovered anthocyanins inCHERRIES relieve pain as effectively as aspirin. Lead researcher Muralee G. Nair, Ph.D., observes, “It is as good as ibuprofen and some of the nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs.” The lab results indicate consumption of 20 tart cherries can significantly reduce INFLAMMATION and discomfort.

Regulate blood pressure - Loaded with potassium, cherries are an exceptional food for easing high blood pressure. A balancing mineral, potassium helps to maintain fluid equilibrium within the body by offsetting the bloating effect of sodium. Cherries are also a good source of quercetin, an antioxidant that maintains BLOOD vessel integrity.

Tame gout - A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that women, aged 22 to 40, who consumed approximately 45 sweet cherries after fasting had improved urinary uric acid levels and lowered C-reactive protein. Further RESEARCH demonstrated anti-inflammatory characteristics of the fruit. When rats were fed 2 ounces of cherries, joint swelling was significantly reduced. Both findings indicate cherries are an exceptional food for painful gout flare-ups.

Today's Natural Cure: Don't Eat Gluten

This article is from  mindbodygreen.com

10 Signs You're Gluten Intolerant

More than 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed.

It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them?

If you have any of the following symptoms it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance:

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation. I see the constipation particularly in children after eating gluten.

 

2. Keratosis Pilaris, (also known as ‘chicken skin’ on the back of your arms). This tends be as a result of a fatty acid deficiency and vitamin A deficiency secondary to fat-malabsorption caused by gluten damaging the gut.

 

3. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten.

 

4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis.

5. Neurologic symptoms such as dizziness or feeling of being off balance.

 

6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility.

 

7. Migraine headaches.

 

8. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. These diagnoses simply indicate your conventional doctor cannot pin point the cause of your fatigue or pain.

 

9. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints such as fingers, knees or hips.

 

10. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and ADD.

 

How to test for gluten intolerance?

I have found the single best ways to determine if you have an issue with gluten is to do an elimination diet and take it out of your diet for at least 2 to 3 weeks and then reintroduce it. Please note that gluten is a very large protein and it can take months and even years to clear from your system so the longer you can eliminate it from your diet before reintroducing it, the better.

The best advice that I share with my patients is that if they feel significantly better off of gluten or feel worse when they reintroduce it, then gluten is likely a problem for them.  In order to get accurate results from this testing method you must elimination 100% of the gluten from your diet.

How to treat gluten intolerance?

Eliminating gluten 100% from your diet means 100%. Even trace amounts of gluten from cross contamination or medications or supplements can be enough to cause an immune reaction in your body. 

The 80/20 rule or “we don’t eat it in our house, just when we eat out” is a complete misconception. An article published in 2001 states that for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity eating gluten just once a month increased the relative risk of death by 600%.

Today's Natural Cure: Try Not To Use Chemical Hand Sanitizers

This article is from  organicauthority.com

Not So Handy: The Dangers of Using Hand Sanitizer Hand sanitizers seem like a good idea when you find yourself in a dirty situation. No soap at a rest stop bathroom. A sneezing seatmate on a bus. A port-o-potty. Just whip out your hand sanitizer and squeeze out a glop. No problem. Right? Not exactly. Hand sanitizers have been proven to kill bacteria, but they also have a dangerous side. Discover what lurks in these supposedly “clean” products. Triclosan Triclosan is an ingredient added to products to prevent bacterial growth. It’s found in everything from soaps to toys to clothing. And, also in hand sanitizers. If the label on your hand sanitizer reads “antibacterial”, it likely contains triclosan. If you really look at it, triclosan is quite the pointless chemical. The FDA has found no health benefits of triclosan. Even though it kills bacteria, it may contribute to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics. In other words, it helps create super bacteria. The FDA even noted that “at this time, the agency does not have evidence that triclosan in antibacterial soaps and body washes provides any benefit over washing with regular soap and water.” Now, after 40 years, the FDA is finally working to reviewtriclosan, but it will likely be a while longer before triclosan is completey removed from products. Do your hands a favor and choose a hand sanitizer without triclosan on the label. Parabens Many conventional hand sanitizers are loaded with parabens, chemicals used to prevent microbe growth in products. They’re often found in personal care products that contain water, like shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soaps and, yes, hand sanitizers.Linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity and skin irritation, parabens are pretty nasty. These four common parabens: ethylparaben, butylparaben, methylparaben and propylparaben are ones to watch out for on hand sanitizer labels. Fragrance If your hand sanitizer has a scent, it’s also probably loaded with toxic chemicals. Because fragrance is considered proprietary information, companies aren’t required to disclose the ingredients that make up their secret scents. So, theoretically, they could be just about anything—even hundreds of chemicals. According to the Environmental Working Group, “fragrance mixes have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system.” Eesh. Look for unscented hand sanitizers to avoid slathering chemicals on your skin. Bacterial resistance By now we’ve all probably heard about super bacteria. Products like hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps are leading to an increased risk for developing treatment-resistent bacteria. Certain strains of bacteria are becoming resistant to even our most powerful antibiotics. Yet, many people continue to use hand sanitizers labeled “antibacterial”. If you see “antibacterial” on the label, choose a different hand sanitizer. Better options Remember that soap and water are your best for really getting your hands clean. But when that just isn’t an option, turn to a natural hand sanitizer. Many of your favorite natural beauty brands are now making hand sanitizers without any yucky chemicals. I love Dr. Bronner’s Organic Lavender Hand Sanitizing Spray. Made with just organic ethanol, water, organic glycerin and organic lavender oil, it gets hands sanitized without any unnecessary ingredients. It smells nice too.

Today's Natural Cure: Avoid Processed Foods

This article excerpt is from  articles.mercola.com

10 Things the Processed Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

10 Processed-Food Secrets the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know

In the featured article,1 Donna Gates, author of The Body Ecology Diet, explains 10 reasons why you might want to think twice the next time you’re tempted to eat processed foods.

1. They’re Addictive and May Cause You to Overeat

Processing modifies or removes important components of food, like fiber, water and nutrients, changing the way they are digested and assimilated in your body.

Unlike whole foods, which contain a mix of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber and water to help you feel satisfied, processed foods stimulate dopamine, a feel-good neurotransmitter, making you feel good even though the food lacks nutrients and fiber. This artificial dopamine stimulation can lead to excessive food cravings and, ultimately, food addiction.

2. They’re Linked to Obesity

Processed foods are virtually guaranteed to contain additives that are linked to obesity. This includes monosodium glutamate (MSG), high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners and more. Plus, refined carbohydrates like breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods quickly break down to sugar.,

This increases your insulin  and leptin levels, and contribute to insulin resistance, which is the primary underlying factor of nearly every chronic disease and condition known to man, including weight gain.

3. They Break Principles of Food Combining

Some nutrition and health experts, such as Wayne Pickering, believe that eating foods in certain combinations helps your body’s digestive processes to work more efficiently and absorb more nutrients. Wayne actually constructed a very useful food combining chart that can be obtained on hiswebsite.  According to one such premise, eating proteins and starches together, which is common in processed foods (such as a pepperoni pizza), inhibits digestion leading to putrification of your food, acidic conditions in your blood and supports disease-causing pathogens in your gut.

4. Processed Foods Lead to an Imbalanced Inner Ecosystem

The microorganisms living in your digestive tract form a very important "inner ecosystem" that influences countless aspects of your health. Processed foods disrupt this system, suppressing beneficial microflora and leading to digestive problems, cravings, illnesses and chronic disease. Beneficial organisms in your gut thrive on whole, unprocessed foods.

5. They’re Detrimental to Your Mood and Brain

Mood swings, memory problems and even depression are often the result of a heavily processed-food diet. In fact, the greatest concentration of serotonin, which is involved in mood control, depression and aggression, is found in your intestines, not your brain! Your gut and brain actually work in tandem, each influencing the other. This is why your intestinal health can have such a profound influence on your mental health, and vice versa – and why eating processed foods that can harm your gut flora can have a profoundly negative impact on your mood, psychological health and behavior.

6. Processed Foods Encourage ‘Eating on the Run’

Processed foods are quick and easy, making them ‘perfect’ to grab when you’re on the go. But eating on the go, or while you’re multi-tasking, can cause you to lose touch with your body’s natural signals telling you you’re full, leading to overeating and weight gain. It’s also more difficult for your body to digest properly when you’re busily engaged in other tasks.

7. Nutrition Labels Can be Misleading

A processed food may be labeled ‘natural’ or ‘sugar-free,’ but that doesn’t make it healthful. For instance, the natural food label on a processed food has no standard definition and really no meaning at all. A "natural" product is meaningless as it can legally be genetically modified, full of pesticides or made with corn syrup, additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also allows processed food manufacturers to use absurdly tiny serving sizes on their labels, which can lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to determining how much of each stated nutrient or toxin, like trans fat, you're actually consuming.

8. Processed Meats Are Linked to Cancer

Processed meats are those preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or the addition of chemical preservatives, which includes bacon, ham, pastrami, salami, pepperoni, hot dogs, some sausages and hamburgers (if they have been preserved with salt or chemical additives) and more. Particularly problematic are the nitrates that are added to these meats as a preservative, coloring and flavoring.

The nitrates found in processed meats are frequently converted into nitrosamines, which are clearly associated with an increased risk of certain cancers. Meat cooked at high temperatures, as many processed meats often are, can also contain as many as 20 different kinds of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs for short. These substances are also linked to cancer.

9. Processed Foods May Increase Your Risk of Infertility and Malnutrition

Because processed foods are stripped of nutrients your body needs, you could be eating a large number of calories but still become malnourished. In just three generations, a nutrient-deficient diet can lead to infertility, which is on the rise in the US.2Plus, processed foods often contain genetically modified (GM) ingredients, which are also linked to reproductive problems.

10. Processed Foods Lead to a Long Shelf Life, Not a Long Human Life

Processed foods can last a long time on the shelf without going bad, thanks to their chemical cocktails of preservatives and other additives. Unfortunately, their makers put a lot of money and time into strategies to increase shelf life and create attractive packaging, with little attention put on the foods’ nutrient value or how it will actually detract from lasting health.

What Are the Worst Processed Food Additives?

When foods are processed, not only are valuable nutrients lost and dietary fiber removed, but the textures and natural variation and flavors are also lost. After processing, what's left behind is a bland, uninteresting "pseudo-food" that most people wouldn’t want to eat.

Additives are added back in not only to slow spoilage, prevent fats and oils from going rancid, prevent fruits from turning brown, and fortify or enrich the food with synthetic vitamins and minerals to replace the natural ones that were lost during processing, but also to improve taste, texture and appearance. When reading product packages, here are some of the worst offenders to avoid if you want to protect your health (many of these are already banned in other countries due to health risks):

Ingredient	Found in	Health Hazards
Coloring agents: blue 1, blue 2, yellow 5, and yellow 6	Cake, candy, macaroni and cheese, medicines, sport drinks, soda, pet food, and cheese	Most artificial colors are made from coal tar, which is a carcinogen
Olestra (aka Olean)	Fat-free potato chips	Depletion of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids. Side effects include oily anal leakage
Brominated vegetable oil (aka BVO)	Sports drinks and citrus-flavored sodas	Competes with iodine for receptor sites in the body, which can lead to hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, and cancer. The main ingredient, bromine, is a poisonous, corrosive chemical linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss
Potassium bromate (aka brominated flour)	Rolls, wraps, flatbread, bread crumbs, and bagel chips	See bromine above. Associated with kidney and nervous system disorders, gastrointestinal discomfort
Azodicarbonamide	Breads, frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes, and packaged baked goods	Linked to asthma
BHA and BHT	Cereal, nut mixes, gum, butter, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer	BHA may be a human carcinogen, a cancer-causing agent. BHT can cause organ system toxicity
Synthetic hormones: rBGH and rBST	Milk and dairy products	Linked to breast, colon, and prostate cancers
Arsenic	Poultry	EPA classifies inorganic arsenic as a "human carcinogen"

A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to Ditching Processed Foods

When it comes to staying healthy, avoiding processed foods and replacing them with fresh, whole foods is the "secret" you've been looking for. This might sound daunting, but if you take it step-by-step as described in my nutrition plan it’s quite possible, and manageable, to painlessly remove processed foods from your diet.

Remember, people have thrived on vegetables, meats, eggs, fruits and other whole foods for centuries, while processed foods were only recently invented. Many of the top executives and scientists at leading processed food companies actually avoid their own foods for a variety of health reasons!

I believe you, too, should spend 90 percent of your food budget on whole foods, and only 10 percent on processed foods (unfortunately most Americans currently do the opposite). This requires that you plan your meals in advance. Ideally, this will involve scouting out your local farmer's markets for in-season produce that is priced to sell, and planning your meals accordingly, but you can also use this same premise with supermarket sales. You can generally plan a week of meals at a time, make sure you have all ingredients necessary on hand, and then do any prep work you can ahead of time so that dinner is easy to prepare if you're short on time in the evenings (and you can use leftovers for lunches the next day).

Further, by cutting out these high-glycemic foods you can retrain your body to burn fat instead of sugar. However, it’s important toreplace these foods with healthy fats, not protein—a fact that’s often not addressed. I believe most people may need between 50-70 percent of their daily calories in the form of healthful fats, which include:

Olives and olive oil	Coconuts and coconut oil	Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
Organic raw nuts, especially macadamia nuts, which are low in protein and omega-6 fat	Organic pastured egg yolks and pastured meats	Avocados

If cravings are a problem for you, please review my article about how to wean yourself off processed food in seven easy steps. If you're currently sustaining yourself on fast food and processed foods, this is one of the most positive life changes you could ever make.

Today's Natural Cure: Detox

This article is from  wakingtimes.com

25 Best Ways to Detox From Heavy Metals, Pesticides, Environmental Pollutants, and Metabolic Waste

If you are endlessly tired, irritable, have trouble losing weight, or feel depressed, you might be suffering from the environmental onslaught of toxins being poured into our air, water and soil by greedy corporate monopolies. If you aren’t sure whether you are suffering from toxic overload, you can at least be certain you are not immune to the toxic effects of environmental pollution like oil spills, fracking, chemtrails, nuclear energy (think Fukushima), or even the domestic production of war materials. Even every day items like shampoo and rug cleaners also contain thousands of chemicals that are deadly toxic in higher dosages.

From concern about BPAs to heavy metals, pesticide residues and GMO foods, its time to take an offensive, instead of defensive, view of our health. Here are more than two dozen ways to purify the body from these ill-imagined pollutants:

1.  Support the liver and gallbladder with beetroot. Beets are a valuable source of iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium which all support healthy detoxification and better elimination. They are also full of B3, B6, C, and beta-catoene, important nutrients for supporting the liver and gallbladder in making bile acids which support detox.

2.  Drink more purified water. Water is one of the most vital ways of self-purification on the planet. It helps every single cell get rid of waste and allows us to excrete toxins through our urine and bowels, as well as through our skin via sweat.

3.  Bathe in Kaolin clay or use acalcium montmorillonite clay as they are considered the best for removing pesticides from the body.

4.  Reduce your meat and dairy intake since these animals are often fed on GMO-rich diets.

5.  Consume more pantethine, a biologically active form of the B5 vitamin, which can help open blockages created by pesticide consumption. When we are too clogged with pesticides our bodies cannot naturally detoxify themselves.

6.  Use activated charcoal. It is very safe to consume up to 20-30 grams a day mixed with purified water. Activated charcoal binds to pesticides and other environmental toxins and then ushers them through the intestines to be purged form the body. You can also supplement with molasses after using activated charcoal just to be sure to replace important minerals the charcoal might leech from the body in the process of getting rid of the unwanted toxins.

7.  Eat more citrus. Pectins in citrus are a very powerful detoxifying substance. Citrus naturally remove heavy metals without depleting the body of important trace minerals.

8.  Create an alkaline state in he body by eating more organic fruits and vegetables that support multiple channels of detoxification in the body. They clean the liver, the bowels, the skin, the blood, etc.

9.  Eat more fiber. When we eat fiber, the liver can more easily flush toxins through the digestive system and we take an immense load off an organ that is constantly trying to get rid of toxic substances from the body. High fiber foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, potatoes (including their skin), etc.

10.  Eat more grapefruit containing naringenin, a special flavanoid that helps the liver burn fat instead of storing toxins in our fat cells.

11.  Eating garlic can help boost detoxification since it helps to boost the production of white blood cells, otherwise known as lymphocytes, an important part of the immune system as well.

12.  Eating asparagus can educe the levels of pesticides in the body.

13.  Eating organic, free-range eggs can also help to remove toxins from the body. They also boost energy levels.

14.  Increasing your levels of vitamin C is so good for you, and detoxing the body that it was found this vitamin could help reduce levels of radiation exposure, even in people who were living near Fukushima.

15.  Native Americans have been using sarsaparilla for hundreds of years in teas and tinctures as a way to effectively detox the blood. It also effectively treats liver, kidney and skin conditions.

16.  Exercising and staying active is vital to keeping impurities out of the body. Just 30 minutes to an hour every day brings oxygen rich blood to the liver and kidneys, thus supporting them in detoxifying the body.

17.  Eating brazil nuts, which are full of glutathione, a natural detoxifying substance, can help the body get rid of pesticides and other harmful toxins. Also, full of selenium, Brazil nuts help to create more glutathione. Sometimes called the mother of all antioxidants.

18.  Our skin is one of the biggest organs of detoxification. It covers about 22 square feet and we replace skin cells every single day. Dry brushing is a great way to help support the skin in detoxing the body through sweat, bathing, etc. If our pores are clogged, the skin becomes less effective. Dry brushing also helps encourage lymph flow that helps to flush toxins from the body.

19.  Take Milk Thistle. Sylibum marianum, also known as Milk thistle is a great support for the liver. Long with helping the body detox, this herb has been linked to reduction in certain cancers, reduced diabetes and even reduction digestive disorders.

20.  Consume Essiac Tea, which cleanses the body and also has anti-cancer properties. This tea can help the body rid itself of pesticides used with GMOs, and ground-spraying including permethrin.

21.  Eat your sea vegetables. Algin in seaweeds helps to absorb toxins form the digestive tract (in much the same way that water softener removes hardness from tap water) so they can be eliminated more easily.  They also offer the largest range of vital trace minerals that can help to clean the blood.

22.  Consuming dandelion greens and roots can help to detox the body due to their high levels of antioxidants but also help to support liver decongestion.

23.  Use broccoli sprouts in your salads to ingest important substances that help with detoxification: sulphorophanes, indole-3-carbinol and D-glucarate. Sprouts also contain up to 20 times more sulfurophane than regular, full grown broccoli plants.

24.  Eat flaxseed and flaxseed oil to help detox the body. This super food is full of fiber and Omega 3s, both important substances for detoxification.

25.  Add turmeric to your recipes. This root is full of Curcumin, used often in Ayurvedic Medicine to treat liver and digestive disorders, and a great detoxing agent.