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Cataract Surgery May Soon Be Obsolete!

September 6th, 2017 at 6:57 pm

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If left untreated, cataracts can lead to blindness. The only current treatment is surgery to remove the lens, which is commonplace in the United States but unavailable elsewhere.
"Cataracts in humans have been around as long as humans have been around, and this is the first time in history that they're using a nonsurgical approach for their removal," says Andrew Morgenstern, O.D., chair of AOA's New Technology Committee and a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton whose current assignment is with the Vision Center of Excellence at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Crystallins in our eyes work as chaperones to help prevent the clumping of proteins, or aggregation of insoluble amyloids, that cause cataracts, but crystallins can become overwhelmed as we age. Previous research had shown that lanosterol, which belongs to a group of chemical compounds called sterols, reversed cataracts. However, lanosterol was not water-soluble enough to be included in an eye drop solution and had to be injected into the eye.

In this new study, researchers tested 32 additional sterols, focusing on Compound 29, which not only dissolved the amyloids in a lab dish but also prevented the formation of new protein clumps. Researchers then confirmed that Compound 29 reversed hereditary- and age-related cataracts in mice and in human lens tissue removed during cataract surgery.

Not an immediate option
One limitation of the study is that it was a mouse study, says Sue Lowe, O.D., chair of the AOA Health Promotions Committee who practices in Laramie, Wyoming. You can't ask mice about their visual acuity.

"Every individual still interprets what they see differently," she says.

Dr. Lowe explains that a cataract might appear cloudy to the optometrist, yet the patient says he or she can see well. On the other hand, another patient may have a clearer-looking cataract, yet complain about poor eyesight.

An animal model also means the research isn't "going anywhere fast," Dr. Morgenstern says. But it could be a stepping stone for development of future treatments.
The concept of eye drops as cataract treatment isn't new, Dr. Lowe says. A product was developed in Russia using a compound called N-acetylcarnosine in eye drops to treat cataracts. It's available in the United States as a dietary supplement but is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It was patented by the research team in Russia, where most of the studies have been conducted. I have used this with patients with inconsistent benefits. I am currently testing this homeopathic product in pets, and will report on it soon. If you would like to try it it is only $17.64 with FREE shipping!

Drs. Morgenstern and Lowe agree that cataract surgery will likely remain the primary treatment in the United States, but an eye drop that improves cataracts could be a boon to the developing world, even if it doesn't eliminate the cataract altogether.

"Sometimes the best treatment you can get for a patient is an improvement and not necessarily a complete cure," Dr. Morgenstern says. "If you can take an individual with a 20/200 cataract and you can get them to 20/40 best-corrected vision with a simple eye drop, that's pretty amazing stuff." I agree! Friday, if you are on my email list, learn how cold, wind and damp affect your health! Fascinating stuff! Sign Up right here so you don't miss it. Please visit our store for GREAT prices on hundreds of products I have personally used and recommend. We offer 10-20% off all orders over $99 with FREE shipping on each and every order..no minimums. You can also pick up your order! Best of Health!

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Important Signs Of A Vitamin B-12 Deficiency

August 30th, 2017 at 7:20 pm

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When I was still in school, my grandmother suddenly became unable to walk. She also inadvertently became the first person I ever helped via nutritional intervention. After asking tons of questions and delving into her clinical situation, I discovered that she had had a large portion of her stomach removed years before due to ulcers and therefore would be lacking in the intrinsic factor necessary to assimilate vitamin B12. She should have been receiving B12 injections since that time. I suspected a vitamin B12 deficiency was the root cause for all her problems and I was right! My uncle, an MD, was not really happy that I was the one to figure this out....lol!

Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency can be subtle yet impactful - and not getting enough can cause some serious issues. In her case, she became paralyzed due to lesions on her spine which with corrective neurosurgery were corrected. Her ability to walk was restored and her dementia and depression resolved quickly upon being given B12 supplementation.

All of this suffering could have been easily avoided!

Modern nutritional research offers much more information about which nutrients are required for optimal health than in years past. The general opinion of most health care providers has been that patients should eat a balanced diet in order to make sure their nutritional needs are being met. Until the past few decades this was good advice, but the nutrients contained in most foods sold in grocery stores has been depleted, due to the way they were grown and processed. This means the nutrients most important to the proper functioning of the human body are best ingested through supplementation. Those who have a deficiency of vitamin B12 may be experiencing some serious health problems that they are not even aware of.

Food Sources of Vitamin B12
Food products that come from animals are the only sources of the vitamin, so someone who follows a vegetarian or vegan diet would most likely need to supplement B12. It is also good to supplement if one has a diet that restricts the consumption of meat, dairy, eggs because of the relatively high levels of cholesterol and fat.

Health Problems Caused by a Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Some of these health issues are easily mistaken as symptoms of other diseases, such as diabetes. Others may be confused with common aging problems.

Weakness
Fatigue
Tingling and/or numbness in the extremeties
Memory loss and cognitive difficulties
Difficulty in walking, because of staggering or balance problems

Health care providers may not be able to identify these problems as a deficiency of Vitamin B12, so a blood test may be needed, in order to reach a correct diagnosis. There are a few other less common symptoms that indicate a deficiency of the vitamin.

Paranoia and hallucinations
Anemia
Jaundiced skin
An inflamed and swollen tongue

Many people are not very well educated about their nutritional needs and the problems they may experience from various deficiencies. Most people have too much stress in their lives and struggle to find enough time in the day to get everything done. People often naturally think whatever fatigue or weakness they feel is the result of not enough time and rest, but symptoms could well be due to a Vitamin B12 deficiency.

Although vegans and seniors are most at risk for nutritional deficiencies due to their dietary restrictions, a depressed appetite and medications, younger women also experience anemia due to monthly menstruation. The average person is often surprised at how much better they feel once they begin a regime of Vitamin B12 supplementation. It is important to note that not all B12 supplements are the same, so if adding the vitamin to a diet it would be wise to research all the options available. Common B12 supplements actually contain arsenic and should be avoided. It IS important to work with a nutritionally oriented doctor for this as B12 supplementation can mask other types of anemia. With the advent of sublingual supplements, it is usually not necessary to receive injections anymore. Visit my store for great products, prices and FREE shipping on each order!

On Friday I will post all new topics for September as well as a New SPECIAL REPORT that you will find fascinating. SIGN UP here or "Like" my Facebook page to receive notifications.

Have a safe and healthy Labor Day! Best of Health!

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How Positive Media Can make You Better

August 23rd, 2017 at 5:57 pm

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If you know me at all, you know that I avoid media like the plague. Since childhood, I have been incredibly selective about films I will watch, I do not particpate in watching news, ever and on and on. Recently though, I have intuitively sought out uplifting media and it turns out I may be onto something!

For decades, media researchers have focused entirely on the harmful effects of media, including the effects of media violence on aggression, the media's role in increasing racial and gender stereotypes, and its potential to shape people's perception of the world as a dangerous place. Indeed, since the 1930s, debates have raged about the potential anti-social effects of media.

However, more recently, scholarship in media psychology has begun to look at the flip side: the positive effects media can have when it's more uplifting and inspiring. In the last few years, studies have illustrated how, just as some films, TV shows, and other media can foster anti-social behavior, media with positive images and messages can make us want to become better people and help others—to become more “prosocial.

Rather than simply seeing media as a negative influence to rein in, we're beginning to understand its potential to spread goodness on a wide scale.

One 2012 study by a scholar in the field, Mary Beth Oliver of Penn State University, identified the power of films that elicit “elevation,” the warm, uplifting feeling we get when we watch someone perform deeply moral acts, such as acts of gratitude, generosity, or loyalty. In this study, Oliver and her colleagues asked 483 students to recall either a particularly meaningful or a particularly pleasurable movie they watched recently and to indicate the degree to which they felt joyful or elevated from watching it. When the researchers analyzed the content of these movies, they found that, sure enough, the meaningful movies depicted altruistic values, such as social justice and care for the weak, significantly more often than the pleasurable movies did.

They also found that the meaningful movies elicited greater feelings of elevation among respondents, which was expressed in a distinct set of emotional and physical sensations: feeling happy and sad at the same time, a lump in one's throat, tearing up, a rising or opening of the chest, and chills.

What's more, these feelings of elevation, in turn, were associated with a greater motivation to become a better person and do good things for others; the pleasurable movies, by contrast, motivated people to enjoy themselves and seek popularity.

Research also suggests that movies can influence not only our desire to do good but also the way we perceive the world as a whole. This research builds on earlier findings that the amount of TV people watch correlates with the degree to which they will see the world as a dangerous place, also known as “mean-world syndrome.” Research on inspiring media, by contrast, suggests that exposure to elevating media may have the potential to shift our perception of the world toward a “kind-world syndrome.”

. For positive media to have strong, lasting effects on us individually or collectively, I believe we need to consume it consistently, over time, just as eating right only once a week does not make us healthier.

But it is encouraging to see that these effects are possible, and that our media consumption patterns can be a force for good in the world. I have begun to seek out uplifting stories about people making a difference and I must report, it is making a difference in my outlook!

Next week, join me as I report on the important signs of a B-12 deficiency. With so many people becoming vegan this is so important! Sign up! So you do not miss it! PS: Don't forget to visit our store for hundreds of amazing natural products at great prices and FREE shipping on each order. Thank YOU!

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Want To Save The Planet? A Simple Solution.

August 16th, 2017 at 6:08 pm

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Image: AdvancedFertilityCenterOfChicago

LUND, Sweden — Recent research has established the four best ways to completely minimize your own greenhouse gas emissions and keep the planet healthy.

The most significant tactic?

Keep reading....

Researchers from Lund University and the University of British Columbia studied 39 peer-reviewed research articles and government reports in order to identify the most efficient ways to help the planet.

Sorry folks, the most dramatic impact a person can have to help keep the planet healthy is to have no or less children.

The amount of people on this planet plays a tremendous role on greenhouse gases. The researchers determined that having one fewer child can save up to nearly 60 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year.

In addition to avoiding procreation, the team found these three environment-efficient personal lifestyle changes to be the most beneficial: eat healthier, reduce air travel, and abandon your car.

“There are so many factors that affect the climate impact of personal choices, but bringing all these studies side-by-side gives us confidence we've identified the actions that make a big difference,” says lead author Seth Wynes, a PhD student at the University of British Columbia, in a press release. “Those of us who want to step forward on climate need to know how our actions can have the greatest possible impact. This research is about helping people make more informed choices.”

Choosing to eat healthy foods is beneficial to your own body as well as the planet. Switching to a plant-based diet is beneficial due to the enormous amounts of emissions that are produced from livestock as well as food retailers. According to this study, focusing on a plant-based diet can be four times more effective than recycling.

Traveling isn't exactly simple to avoid as we all deserve to get away every now and again. But minimizing emissions from travel is easily one of the most significant. A single round-trip transatlantic flight produces 1.6 metric tons of emissions, while driving an average car for a year produces about two-and-a-half metric tons.

The study suggests that not driving is eleven times more effective than recycling.

The researchers also found that these for personal lifestyle choices are usually overlooked in school textbooks and media suggestions. Instead, the focus is usually on smaller, less efficient actions such as minimizing electricity use or recycling plastic and cans.

Lund University associate professor Kimberly Nicholas, who co-authored the study, acknowledges that although the lifestyle changes maybe be hard at first, they are extremely beneficial to people around the world.

“We recognize that these are deeply personal choices. But we can't ignore the climate effect our lifestyle actually has. Personally, I've found it really positive to make many of these changes,' she says. “It's especially important for young people establishing lifelong patterns to be aware which choices have the biggest impact. We hope this information sparks discussion and empowers individuals.”

I hope you will share this information widely.

Next week I hope you will join me as I explore how positive media can make you better....Sign Up! so you don't miss a thing.

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Think your DNA is written in stone? Well, Think Again.

August 9th, 2017 at 6:44 pm

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Image:Istock

If you are one of my clients you are probably tired of hearing me extol the virtues of these two practices. As the evidence for positive effects on so many physical and psychological difficulties accumulate, I am tempted to believe that there is nothing they can't do...Here's more proof!

Meditation and yoga are not only relaxing; they can also 'reverse' molecular reactions in DNA which trigger ill-health and depression.

Research recently published in the Frontiers in Immunology journal shows the behavior of human genes is impacted by different mind-body interventions including yoga, Tai Chi, and meditation. Mind-body interventions, commonly referred to with the acronym of MBI, do much more than relax people. They also reverse molecular reactions within DNA that spur the onset of depression and health maladies. The research was conducted by Radboud University in the Netherlands and Coventry University in the United Kingdom. Ivana Buric of Coventry University's Brain Belief, and Behavior Lab served the study's lead investigator.

About the Research

The academicians at the above-referenced universities reviewed 18 studies encompassing 846 individuals across 11 years. They determined a pattern of molecular changes that result from MBIs and how those alterations benefit mental health as well as physical health. The research team zeroes in on how gene expression is impacted. This phraseology refers to the manner in which genes are activated to produce proteins that influence the body's biological make-up, the immune system, and the brain.

When an individual endures a stressful event, his sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is stimulated. This is the system that is responsible for the human body's “fight or flight” response. The triggering of this system boosts the production of a molecule referred to as nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) that regulates the manner in which genes are expressed. NF-kB activates genes to create proteins known as cytokines that spur inflammation at the cellular level. This reaction is helpful as it serves as a temporary fight or flight reaction. However, if it is persistent, there is a higher chance for the onset of cancer as well as faster aging and even psychiatric disorders such as depression.

The Power of MBIs

The study reveals those who practice MBIs experience a reduction in NF-kB and cytokines that spur a reversal of the pro-inflammatory gene expression as well as a reduction in the risk of conditions and diseases related to inflammation. The study's authors state the inflammatory effect of the body's fight or flight response plays a key role in humanity's hunter-gatherer prehistory when there was an enhanced risk of infection resulting from wounds. Yet in modern day society stress is more psychological in nature and sometimes longer-term. As a result, pro-inflammatory gene expression might be persistent and more inclined to spur medical and psychiatric problems.

The Rise of MBIs

In summary, the benefits of MBI commence at the molecular level and alter the ways in which our genetic codes operate. This is fantastic news for the millions of people who engage in MBIs on a regular basis. These individuals already enjoy the health benefits of such exercises. It appears as though they also enjoy the reversal of DNA reactions that induce stress and anxiety. In layman's terms, MBIs allow the brain to steer the human body's DNA processes along a route that improves well-being. Additional studies must be conducted to gain a more in-depth understanding of these effects. It will be interesting to find out if the benefits of MBIs are comparable to those provided by traditional exercise or a healthy diet.

Ivana Buric et al, What Is the Molecular Signature of Mind-Body Interventions? A Systematic Review of Gene Expression Changes Induced by Meditation and Related Practices, Frontiers in Immunology (2017).DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00670

I do these practices each and every day...it takes close to an hour and a half and I haven't missed a session yet.

Please join me next week when I will discuss how to actually save our planet. See you next week.

Coming soon: How weather changes affect your health and much more. Sign up! so you don't miss a thing. PS, Visit our Store for great prices and FREE Shipping on hundreds of professional products.

Best of HEALTH!

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Sage Advice From A 105 Year Old Japanese Longevity Doctor

August 4th, 2017 at 6:39 pm

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Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, credited with building the foundations of Japanese medicine and helping make Japan the world leader in longevity, often practiced what he preached.

The Physician, honorary president of St. Luke's International Hospital recommended several basic guidelines for living a long, healthy life in an interview with Japan Times journalist Judit Kawaguchi. Among them: Don't retire. And if you must, retire much later than age 65. This made sense when the average life expectancy was 68 but now it is almost 85 so retirement should be much later, he said.

Up until a few months before his death on July 18 in Tokyo, the New York Times reports Hinohara continued to treat patients, kept an appointment book with space for five more years, and worked up to 18 hours a day. He was 105 years old. Following are some highlights from that interview.

"He believed that life is all about contribution, so he had this incredible drive to help people, to wake up early in the morning and do something wonderful for other people. This is what was driving him and what kept him living," Kawaguchi, who considered Hinohara her mentor, told the BBC.

"He always had today's goals, tomorrow's, and the next five years'," she said.

Hinohara's other health guidelines include:

Worry less about eating well or getting more sleep and have fun. "We all remember how as children, when we were having fun, we often forgot to eat or sleep. I believe that we can keep that attitude as adults, too. It's best not to tire the body with too many rules such as lunchtime and bedtime."

If you want to live long, don't be overweight. "For breakfast I drink coffee, a glass of milk and some orange juice with a tablespoon of olive oil in it. Olive oil is great for the arteries and keeps my skin healthy. Lunch is milk and a few cookies, or nothing when I am too busy to eat. I never get hungry because I focus on my work. Dinner is veggies, a bit of fish and rice, and, twice a week, 100 grams of lean meat."

Don't blindly follow what your doctor says. "When a doctor recommends you take a test or have some surgery, ask whether the doctor would suggest that his or her spouse or children go through such a procedure. Contrary to popular belief, doctors can't cure everyone. So why cause unnecessary pain with surgery? I think music and animal therapy can help more than most doctors imagine."

To conquer pain, have fun. "Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke's we have music and animal therapies, and art classes."

Always take the stairs and carry your own belongings. "I take two stairs at a time, to get my muscles moving."

Sounds like the good doctor was right on!

Join us on Wednesday for our regular forum regarding:DNA written in stone? Be prepared to be surprised. Sign up so you don't miss this important topic. Also, don't forget to visit our store where we offer hundreds of FRESH products at great prices and FREE SHIPPING! I have decluttered our website while we work on a contemporary redesign I think you will find it easier to navigate for the time being...Have a great weekend!

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Why Most Probiotics Don't Work

August 2nd, 2017 at 6:46 pm

deliciousliving

The majority of people aren't aware of this but most probiotics do not work. In fact, in several recent studies, over 90% of store brands were found to be ineffective...even professional brands often do not pass rigorous testing here's why:

The "Acid Test"!

High stomach acid levels are necessary to break down foods and this is good for you but bad for most probiotics as the delivery systems are insufficient to prevent the acid from disabling them...they then die off in minutes to hours in most cases!

In even quality products, the few proflora organisims that survive don't make it to the large intestine. It takes a fail safe delivery system to ensure that.

Most people are in need of specific flora in the microbiome of the gut and generic products may not be correct for their body's needs. If the body perceives an overabundance of something it simply stops absorbing it...this biofeedback mechanism exists to prevent problems of toxicity from developing.

Many people have guts which are so inflammed due to disease, infection, allergies etc. that the gut itself is inhospitable to most products. Overgrowths of competing "bad" bacteria can essentially lock out good bacteria from implanting.

Many, many billions of diverse microorganisms are needed to help recreate a healthy microbiome and most products do not supply enough.

Lastly, flora products are exceedingly fragile and require a commitment to proper shipment and temperature. This doesn't happen often.

It is HARD work to truly grow this primary system for your body and it takes a commitment and usually testing to accomplish it. It takes looking a the clients current status, and then building treatments for all the above factors to accomplish this. It will not happen with one product or in a few months.

Additionally, people need to make other lifestyle changes to facilitate a welcoming atmosphere to good friendly flora. It can be done but it takes my typical client at least a year of work to reap the benefits. They will be the first to tell you though, how rewarding that is!

I test and retest each clients microbiome to ensure they are improving internally, not just clinically. Products, I use in my clinic have stood these rigorous tests...

Additionally, we change protocols regularly as diversity is the name of the game in correcting the gut...the more different strains of bacteria one has the better...this is also a function of prebiotic supplements and beneficial foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, miso, vegemite and many more...

If you are having problems with your gut, and health I encourage you to contact me for a consultation...at the very least you will learn a great deal.

Best of Health!

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Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

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Arlington Heights, IL

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How to ARREST Macular Degeneration!

July 19th, 2017 at 6:15 pm

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image:medicinenet

Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration or ARD is a common cause of vision loss in older people. While diet and smoking play a role in preventing this condition, and supplementation seems to slow its progression, there has not been a way to stop it until now!

Researchers find that switching from a high to a low-glycemic diet may stop age-related eye disease by arresting damage to the retina.

A recent study has shown that the onset of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can be slowed by transitioning from a high-glycemic diet to one that is low-glycemic (mouse model). As an example, swapping out white bread for whole grain bread. High-glycemic foods spur the rapid release of sugar into the bloodstream compared to low-glycemic foods. The study was performed by academicians at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center. Results of the study were recently published in PNAS.

Why the Study Matters

This study is important as it highlights potential AMD biomarkers. These biomarkers can be used to estimate when an individual is at risk for AMD. AMD is the top cause of vision loss in individuals over the age of 50. It begins with blurred vision and gradually leads to incurable vision loss.

Study Details

The research team used an aged mouse model to randomize nearly 60 mice in two groups. The first group was made up of 19 mice who were fed low-glycemic food. The second group was made up of 40 mice who consumed a high-glycemic diet. The only difference between the diets was the source of carbohydrates. This source varied in terms of amylopectin and amylose ratios. Both are starches. The low-glycemic starch contained 70 percent amylose along with 30 percent amylopectin. The high-glycemic starch was completely made up of amylopectin. Following six months, the high-glycemic mice either stayed on the diet or were provided with a low-glycemic diet.

Results

The research team determined the high-glycemic diet spurred the onset of several AMD features such as the loss of cell functionality at the rear of the eye, referred to as retinal pigmented epithelial atrophy. The cells that capture light (photoreceptors) also ceased to function as designed. These flaws are precursors to AMD. Yet the mice on the low-glycemic diet did not experience such AMD features.

It is interesting to note that moving from the high-glycemic diet to the low-glycemic diet halted retina damage. This finding surprised the research team. In fact, the mice that were switched from high to low-glycemic diets halfway through the study had retinas that were exactly the same as the mice fed low-glycemic diets across the study's entirety. The researchers did not expect such a dietary alteration to repair the damage in such an effective manner. It is clear that segueing from a high-glycemic diet to one that is low-glycemic is helpful for eye health in individuals who are likely to develop AMD.

Biomarkers

The research team pinpointed biomarkers that signal the onset of AMD features. These biomarkers help predict which individuals will be saddled with the disease. The biomarkers known as “advanced glycation end products” or AGE, generate when sugar metabolites interact with proteins. AGEs are often a factor in the onset of degenerative diseases like AMD.

Other examples of biomarkers include C-3 carnitine and oxidized fats. The oxidation of fat causes fat degradation within cell membranes, ultimately leading to cell damage. The low-glycemic diet minimized the accumulation of AGEs as well as the oxidation of long-chain polyunsaturated fats.

The research team also found that high levels of serotonin and C3-carnitine within the blood are tied to low-glycemic diets and fewer AMD features. C3-carnitine serves an important role in metabolizing fatty acid within cells. It is found in an array of low-glycemic foods like vegetables and whole wheat. All in all, the findings suggest alterations in the metabolism tied to the factors outlined above play an important part in the onset of AMD features. This is truly amazing and groundbreaking news for anyone having or at risk for having AMD!

View news source: Sheldon Rowan et al. Involvement of a gut–retina axis in protection against dietary glycemia-induced age-related macular degeneration, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1702302114

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Cooked Versus Raw Foods...The REAL STORY!

July 7th, 2017 at 6:28 pm

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Cooked Versus Raw Foods, The Real Story....

Are RAW foods healthier than cooked???? Every blogger it seems has an opinion about this. The later classification allows for both cooked and raw foods while the former only allows for raw foods or foods that have not been heated over a certain degree (115° F). Raw food advocates make claims about supposed health benefits associated with their way of eating, but do any of these claims hold any scientific merit? Here, I will present the evidence and also my PERSONAL experience...

Researchers primarily from the Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Giessen, Germany, under direction of Professor Ingrid Hoffman, have determined that a long-term raw food diet results in low levels of the antioxidant lycopene. Their study, published in The British Journal of Nutrition, consisted of 198 subjects (92 male and 106 female) on a strict raw food diet, and the subjects' low lycopene levels are problematic. Lycopene, found in fruits such as tomatoes and watermelon, has been extensively studied to determine it as a key factor in reducing risk for cancer and cardiovascular ailments. Cooking fruits that contain lycopene, like tomatoes, significantly raises the bioavailability of the antioxidant. Professor of food science at Cornell University, Rui Hai Liu, concluded this in his 2002 study in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. This is one strike against raw food diets.

Another strike against raw food diets is that steaming or boiling asparagus, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, peppers, and spinach, among other vegetables, supplies more antioxidants like carotenoids and ferulic acid to the body than they would raw, or so Professor Liu says. His statement is proven in the 2008 report in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry which concluded that boiling, as opposed to frying, better preserves antioxidants in broccoli, carrots, and zucchini. Antioxidants tested for included carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and polyphenols. Strike two.

Strike three comes from a PNAS report in regards to the evolution of the human brain and an exploration in to why humans do not have the largest body mass amongst primates but the largest brain size and neuron count. The human brain is metabolically costly and requires 20 percent of resting metabolic rate. Humans are the only primates that cook their food. Raw foods have a low caloric yield, which imposes “a tradeoff between body size and number of brain neurons, which explains the small brain size of great apes compared with their large body size.” Homo erectus overcame this limitation by cooking foods so that less time was spent feeding: cooked food provided a greater amount of brain neurons and drove humans to evolve with an increased brain size and functioning capability. Essentially, this might mean that humans would not have evolved were it not for cooked foods. Strike three.

Dr. Mercola believes that the optimal diet for humans is 85 percent raw...I DO NOT! I ate 80 to 90% raw foods for about 7 years. At that time, I was training in Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. My preceptors told me that I was making a BIG MISTAKE by eating so much raw food. They explained that the digestive system is considered a 98.6 degree soup and by eating so much raw food I was stressing out my body and depleting my digestive fire, essentially putting it out. I wish I had listened to their advice! A few years later, my digestion completely shut down and I could digest absolutely nothing for almost a year! Furthermore, by eating so much raw food I had created an environment of "internal dampness" this dampness was a terrific breeding ground for dysbiotic gut bacteria which I then had coming out of my ears! While, raw foods supersede cooked foods in that they contain biophoton light energy and enzymes that are often destroyed with cooking these do not make up for the problems they cause. Today, I eat almost entirely lightly cooked foods. My health has improved by leaps and bounds.

The important thing to realize is balance. Balancing 10% raw foods with cooked foods is the best strategy as far as diets are concerned in my opinion. While healthy people can certainly tolerate some foods, I do not recommend this or any other fad diets. Wednesday I will explore the topic have you been misdiagnosed with High Blood Pressure! Sign up so you don't miss a thing! AND...Visit our STORE for Great Values, Products and FREE SHIPPING On EVERY ORDER!

Blessings!

Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

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How Happiness Is Tied To Your GUT!

July 5th, 2017 at 6:48 pm

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If you currently have any health condition, or if you want to help prevent any type of future health problem, it's URGENT that you optimize your gut! Balancing and improving the vast number and variety of beneficial microorganisms in and on your body can dramatically boost your MOOD, immune system and overall health. I continually get reports and witness miraculous health changes that come from utilizing dietary changes, fermented foods and very high-quality probiotics! Some of the new research being conducted focuses on relationships between stress, mood disorders, and gastrointestinal disease. Depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders are just of few of the more common problems that have been closely linked to intestinal problems.

Researchers have known for a long time about the “gut/brain axis,” or the direct connection to the brain by way of the 10th cranial nerve. But for some reason, they have always focused on the impact the brain can have on the gut—or control from the “top down.” Even the pharmaceutical companies quickly realized that more than 50 percent of those individuals with irritable bowel syndrome also just happen to have mood disorders. This is why antidepressants are some of the most common pharmaceutical treatments for irritable bowel syndrome. (J Psychiatry Neurosci 09;34(3):230–231)

For years I have known that there is a neurological connection between the gut and the brain—and that you can treat the brain with antidepressants and see improvement in bowel problems. It's a two-way street between the brain and the gut. If you change one area, it makes a difference in the other.

Finally, in working with gut disorders for many years, I have seen major improvements in digestive symptoms AND in concomittent emotional disorders such as: anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autism, even schizophrenia! Just recently, studies proving that mood disorders can be controlled by normalizing the bacteria in the bowels.

You know of course about the many of the obvious factors, such as the overuse of antibiotics and other drugs that destroy the body's bacterial flora. Unfortunately, there are many others you cannot really control such as chlorine in public drinking water and instituted pasteurization, gassing, radiation, and the addition of various chemicals to stop bacteria growth in our food products to increase shelf life. The steps taken to eliminate pathogens in our food also happen to destroy the beneficial bacteria as well. One of the culprits the public hasn't been told about is the artificial sweetener sucralose (sold as Splenda). Studies reveal that Splenda reduces the beneficial bacteria in the intestines by 50 percent. (J Toxicol Environ Health A 08;71(21):1415–1429)

YES! You can definitely be happier and eliminate your dependence on medications by exploring your gut health. Please contact me for details! For more information see here. Don't forget to visit our store to see my own GUT Products!

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Taryn DeCicco, ND, LAc, LDN

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